Reading Response

What Am I Reading?

Steven B Katz’s “The Ethic of Expediency”

Why Am I Reading This?

This article raises serious and often troubling questions about professional ethics. In particular, this article asks us to consider how seemingly innocuous or even boring texts can be used for horrible purposes. This will hopefully spur you to think carefully about the ethical issues in your own professional life. Reading this article will also introduce you to a number of very important theories and thinkers about rhetoric. Further, this article asks you to interrogate the consequences of valuing “technology” and “progress.”

What should I look for as I read?

Here are a few topics that you might consider using as a jumping off point for your reading response (but you should feel free to go another way if you want!):

1. This article points out how personal and professional ethics can both conflict, and how professional excellence can sometimes be substituted for personal ethics. How do you think you should handle these sorts of conflicts? Have you experience them in your own life?

2. Katz introduces the idea that terrible things (like the Holocaust) may not emerge as an aberration of culture, but because of culture. Can you offer an overview of that argument?

3. This article employs a lot of useful, but difficult, vocabulary. What are terms that you found difficult or confusing? Can you explain what your confusion is? How about terms or concepts that you particularly useful? If you were going to explain them to someone, how would you do it?

What should my reading response cover?

You'll need to consider and respond to the following:

1. What is the author's purpose in writing the chapter? What central claim is developed? In other words, what is the main point? Please do not retell what happens in the chapter, rather sum up the main point in a “nutshell.”

2. Provide some analysis of the text. You should find a point (or two) that you find interesting. Do you think the point is valid? Why or why not? Quote from the reading to support your analysis.

3. Then respond to the text. This is more your personal thinking about the author’s argument and approach to the subject. Provide a thoughtful and thorough response to the work. You might discuss the reading’s potential usefulness to your work in the course, or to your work outside the course. It is okay to dislike a reading or to disagree with an author’s stance as long as your response is thorough and you back each of your points with evidence. It should go without saying that a response like “I just didn’t like it” is not acceptable.

Organization

Your response will need to contain clear points that are illustrated by examples. Individual paragraphs need to be organized internally and in relationship to one another. The transitions between sentences and paragraphs also need to make sense and make the document flow smoothly.

Style and Conventions

Your writing on these assignments must be clear, concise, and coherent. Proofread carefully and consider the persona that your writing will project. Please cite your reading appropriately using MLA or APA citation style. Your response should be at least 400 words. Your response should have your name, section number, and date in the upper right hand corner as part of the header.

Reading Response What Am I Reading? Steven B Katz’s “The Eth...