Legal Punishment and Punitiveness in Criminal Law

Reading Response #1
You can choose to write on the readings for one of two classes: Week #4 (October 5th) or Week #5 (October 19th) for your first reading response.
You must write on ALL the articles/chapters assigned for the class that you choose to write on.
Your reading responses consist of two components:
Part 1: Reading summary
• 1-2 pages, single-spaced
• One or two ‘meaty’ paragraphs per reading
You are distilling the key themes
1. Complete a first read, marking ideas as you go.
a. Ask yourself:
i. What is the context of the piece?
ii. Who is the audience?
iii. What is the author trying to say?
iv. How do she/he/they go about demonstrating it?
v. Does she/he/they do a good job
b. Review the critical thinking lecturette for other ways of approaching this.
2. Re-read the article and write a summary.
a. Write a summary that captures the essence of the author's argument (main points) and puts it into context.
Part 2: Critical response essay
• 4-8 pages, double-spaced
• First decide what you want to say:
Synthesize readings;
Use the prompts to get you thinking;
But go beyond the prompts too (you don’t have to necessarily answer the prompts in the order I pose them) – show some creativity;
Contextualize, analyse, critique, comment, etc.
• Make your argument clear in the introduction to your essay.
Make use of a thesis statement to state what you will be arguing.
• Develop your argument using the readings.
You can incorporate other pieces (recommended readings, readings from other weeks, outside sources) but it is not necessary.
Remember!
• Prompts are only a starting point.
You may want to work with me to develop a different set of prompts more in line with your interests.
• Don’t summarize in your critical response essay (that’s what the summaries are for).
• Find themes that run across the readings or things that the authors see differently.
Try to put the readings in conversation with one another.
Make an argument based on what you see as important or different across the readings
• Review the Writing and Critical Thinking lecturette (from Week 1).
• Frame your thesis statement as a direct answer to a prompt question (and make sure you include the authors themselves in the argument) OR Frame your thesis statement as a critique of the readings themselves.
If providing a critique as your main argument, your thesis could be something along lines of “I argue that Author 1 and Author 2 provide a more effective explanation for understanding punishment than Author 3 because X, Y, and Z.”
• Have a clear argument, and a logical, thoughtful structure.
• Develop your argument using the readings, rather than discussing the readings in order to develop an argument.
Format
• Use of sub-headings throughout the critical response essay of your papers
• Use 12pt. Times New Roman font and 2 cm margins on all sides
• Use ASA formatting for your citations and reference page.
You do not need to include an abstract.
You should include a title on the first page of your assignment.
• Include your name, ID number, course code, and date on the first page.
Note to writer:
What is required for the first part is a critical analysis of the readings providing the keys themes (1 page). The second part consists of a critical response essay for the articles provided depending on the week chosen either week 4 or 5 (4 pages). I have attached the readings labelled with the corresponding week to allow flexibility on your part. Please ensure all the readings for each week will be incorporated into the essay depending on which week is chosen.
Attached below are the topics that relate to the readings of that week for your reference. You can use the readings prompts below to guide the paper. If you have further questions, please message me through the system. Thank you for your assistance.