The short answer response differs from the research paper in several important ways:

1. IT IS SHORTER

2. IT TENDS NOT TO REQUIRE A CONVENTIONAL THESIS STATEMENT

3. IT REQUIRES FAR LESS WRITING

4. IT ASKS YOU TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF ADDED TIME, NOTES, BOOKS, AND THE OBJECT IN QUESTION (FILM, TV SHOW, ETC.)

Here is how you successfully respond to short answer questions:

1. READ THE QUESTION(S) VERY CAREFULLY. READ IT/THEM SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH. IF THE LANGUAGE IS UNCLEAR TO YOU, APPROACH YOUR INSTRUCTOR IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION.

2. TAKE NOTES OFF TO THE SIDE REGARDING WHAT THE QUESTION(S) IS/ARE ASKING FOR.

A. IS/ARE THE QUESTION(S) ASKING FOR A SINGLE DEFINITION? MULTIPLE DEFINITIONS?

B. IS/ARE THE QUESTION(S) ASKING FOR A LISTING OF CHARACTERISTICS?

C. ? IS/ARE THE QUESTION(S) ASKING FOR YOU TO CONNECT ONE THING (OR MULTIPLE THINGS) TO SOMETHING ELSE?

TAKING STOCK OF PRECISELY WHAT THE QUESTION (OR QUESTIONS) WANT FROM YOU IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE ROADMAP AND THE CONFIDENCE TO WRITE A PRECISE RESPONSE THAT NOT ONLY ANSWERS THE QUESTION(S) BUT LIKELY SAVES YOU TIME AND CONFUSION.

3. CONSULT THE NOTES YOU’VE WRITTEN NEXT TO THE QUESTION(S) AS YOU ARE WORKING YOUR WAY THROUGH.

A. MARK OUT YOUR NOTES AS YOU INCORPORATE THEM INTO YOUR ANSWER.

4. DO NOT RESTATE THE QUESTION(S) AS STATEMENTS.A. THIS WASTES YOUR TIME AS THE WRITER AND THE READER’S TIME AS WELL.B. IT DOES NOTHING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.C. TAKING NOTES OFF TO THE SIDE WILL HELP YOU TO FORMULATE YOUR RESPONSES AND SHOULD HELP YOU TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM.

REVIEW THE QUESTION(S) AND YOUR ANSWERS CAREFULLY.

5. DID YOU RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTION(S)?

A. DID YOU PROVIDE THE NECESSARY KIND OF MATERIAL (I.E. MAKE CONNECTIONS WHERE NEEDED, PROVIDE LISTS WHERE NEEDED)?

B. DID YOU PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO BACK UP CLAIMS THAT YOU HAVE MADE?

TAKE A MOMENT AND REVIEW YOUR RESPONSE TO TUESDAY’S IN-CLASS QUESTIONS ABOUT CINEMA’S EARLY PERIOD.

DID YOU:

1. PROVIDE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF ELEMENTS INTEGRAL TO CINEMA THAT EMERGE DURING THIS PERIOD?

2. DID YOU ARTICULATE WHY THESE EXAMPLES MAKE THE EARLY PERIOD SO IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF HOLLYWOOD?

TEAM UP WITH A CLASSMATE. READ ONE ANOTHER’S RESPONSE TO THE RESEARCH PAPER ‘IDEA’ QUESTIONS. READ FOR THE FOLLOWING:

1. DOES IT SPECIFY ONE IDEA? IS IT CLEAR WHAT MOVING IMAGE OBJECT THEY WANT TO ANALYZE FOR THE PAPER?

2. DOES IT EXPLAIN THEIR CHOICE UTILIZING THE CRITICAL TERMS OF FORMAL ANALYSIS WE’VE PRACTICED IN CLASS? WHAT SPECIFIC TERMS ARE THEY USING? WHAT OTHER TERMS COULD/SHOULD THEY CONSIDER?

3. WHAT OTHER TERMS MIGHT THEY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR RESPONSE?

4. WHAT IS THEIR INFORMED PERSPECTIVE? CAN YOU PICK IT OUT IN THE RESPONSE? IF SO, WHAT IS IT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE OBJECT ON A FORMAL AND SOCIAL/CULTURAL LEVEL?

5. WHAT QUESTIONS COME TO MIND FOR YOU WITH REGARD TO THEIR OBJECT? WHAT ELSE SHOULD THEY CONSIDER THAT PERHAPS (AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPONSE) THEY HAVE NOT AT THIS POINT?

WRITE DOWN YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND SHARE THEM WITH EACH OTHER

NOW YOU NEED TO TEAM UP WITH A CLASSMATE. READ ONE ANOTHER’S RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS ABOUT

THE RESEARCH PAPER ‘IDEA.’ DOES THEIR RESPONSE:

Of the 2-3 Research Paper ideas you brought to class with you today, which one do you most want to do? Briefly

explain your choice utilizing the critical terms of formal analysis we have practiced throughout the semester.

Utilize course concepts to explain your critical interest in the object (through the terms of its significance), and offer an informed perspective on the significance and

politics of your object. Do this in approximately 5 sentences, abiding by the conventions of short answer

responses we’ve discussed in class.