Lesson Plan: Academic Paper vs.

Long Form Cultural Critique

Learning Objectives:

 To differentiate between a typical research or analysis paper and the Long

review. The Long Review is an assignment that asks students to argue for a particular
evaluation of a work. Students are asked to be critics for a work that interests them.
This can be different than most papers asked of students in their undergraduate career,
so the goal is to allow them to step into their authority as artists and critics.
 To gain confidence in their ability to write a cultural review. For many students,
this may be the first time that they are being asked to “write their opinion” and create
an argument in a more creative writing space, so it is important for those who may
not believe they can write this paper to know how to step into their own authority as
artists.
 To generate students critical voice. As students work on what they want to say in
their critiques, they will simultaneously on crafting their own unique voice that is
well suited to their style and interests.

Materials

 Discussion questions and notes for the lesson plan:

o Free write prompt: “What are your own personal goals for this upcoming paper?
They can be anything from finishing it on time to detailing what you hope your
voice to be like in the paper.”
o Discussion questions: “What are some of the expectations when you are assigned
a normal 8-10-page college paper?” “What does it mean to place your opinion in
your writing? What does that look like?” “When have they ever read a review of
something that convinced them to go (or not go) to an event?” “In the examples
you have read for class, how does the writer express their opinion in a convincing
way?” “In this example, what tone does the author carry?”
 Printed versions of “Dead Certainty,” by Kathryn Shultz and “A Lost Pop Symphony,”
by Scott Staton which is found on ELMS for students.
 Students will need notebooks and a writing utensil in order to complete free writing
activity and personal notes.

Time Estimate

 Around 25 to 35 minutes

Outline of Lesson

 In the beginning of class I will ask students to participate in a free writing activity where
I ask them to write about their goals for the upcoming paper, followed by a couple of
minutes where they discuss their thoughts with a person next to them (~5-8 minutes).
 After this I will lead them to the topic of my lesson, which is the difference between
academic writing and the cultural critique they will be completing in class.
 o Ask students to name “typical” things that they look for in an academic paper.
o Items will include ideas such as, “thesis,” “sources,” “statistics,” “strict structure,”
and “analysis.”
o Discuss how this assignment specifically has a thesis, and should include analysis,
but that they can be more creative with their structure and with how they present
their information/argument.
 I will then discuss the importance of them as cultural critics and how this assignment
proves as an example of the kind of power they have as curators of their own art (~10-
minute discussion).
o Ask students what makes them nervous with typical academic papers.
o Fill in students on my own experience in this course and with this paper.
 Wrap up by transitioning to the article examples they had to read for class. This is where
you hand it over to the professor!

Assessment

 Two homework assignments will act as direct assessments to see if they understand the
content (short review and audience memo)
 Free write in class will actively engage in their thoughts and bring up their own ideas of
what cultural critique is.