The purpose of this last assignment is to launch class discussion. I do not want you to take a long, thorough look at the questions, but pick out a few key details that will get the rest of the class to discuss the reading . The time you should take for your talk is from 8 to 10 minutes.  There will be three such talks per class period, which makes it crucial that each speaker stick to this length. I will be keeping time, and stopping the formal presentation after that time to allow for questions and discussion. 

Here are some of the guidelines you can follow:

• Begin with an introduction, in which you present the question on which you’ll be expanding.  You can be personal about it ("As I was thinking over this question . . .") or more objective, but you need a hook to grab people's attention and set them up for what is to follow. 
• Pick a few key themes from the reading that you find especially pertinent and/or illuminating, that you think will help your classmates get a sense of the reading's significance. 
• Introduce a personal angle.  How do you as a reader of this work respond to it?  In considering the light it sheds on the Renaissance, what does this work say to you about our own world as well?  Why might a class be interested in it?  
• In closing, open the floor to questions. 

Following your remarks, I expect the rest of the class to take up the task of discussion.  

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: January 20, 2012

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