This assignment focuses on your ability to: learn how to identify the plot devices of a piece of
literature; craft your own creative piece with similar plot devices.
The purpose of completing this assignment is: as a student and a career professional, you will
need to read and summarize many different forms of literature. Very often, you will need to report out
on those summaries. This is a good practice in developing those skills!
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Prompt (What are you writing about?)
• After reading the short short story resources in Unit 1, create a short short piece of your own
(no more than 2 pages) that focuses on one of the following prompts:
o The first time you realized you had a superpower
o The time you decided to return to school as a mature student
o The time all technology stopped working
Instructions (how to get it done):
• Write a 1 to 2 page creative response that details one of the prompts above. Be sure to have
a plot with clear characters, a conflict, and a resolution.
Requirements:
• Your response should be 1-2 pages (does not include the title page).
• Your response should have a properly APA formatted title page. The title page template is in
the Unit 1 resources.
• The paper should be double spaced with 1-inch margins. Choice of fonts: 11-point Calibri, 11-
point Arial,12-point Times New Roman.
• Please be cautious about plagiarism. Make sure to use internal citations for direct quotes,
paraphrases, and new information.
Students: Be sure to read before you write, and again after you write.
Reading and Resources
Topic One: Plot is a Personal Thing:
What is Plot? Prep Scholar offers this interesting article on the components of a Plot. You will need to be familiar with plot points to complete your Unit 1 Literary Response
Muniz, H. (2019, Dec. 3). What is the plot of a story. The five points of a narrative. Prep Scholar.
The selections below are in the genre of “short-short stories”. These stories are fewer than 1,500 words and can have traditional or experimental plot arcs. Short-short stories can do in a page what a novel does in two hundred. In the selections below, you will notice that these compelling stories are intensely personal and ask the reader to think beyond the words on the page. Enjoy!
Gullick, C. (2020, October 27). The invisible string. American Short Fiction
Anderson, S. (2020, October 20). Swan of the gods. American Short Fiction.
Fairy Tales and children’s stories are a wonderful way to learn about Plot. Many of these stories were written as cautionary tales to parents and their children, which is why so many fairy tales are dark in nature. The following stories are brief and to the point but they have a definite plotline with a defined beginning, middle, and end.
Anderson, H.C. (1845). The little matchgirl. American Literature.com
Grimm Bros. (n.d.) Little red riding hood. American Literature.com
Author Deborah Feldman discusses her personal connection to her novel, Unorthodox:
Watch Video
Unorthodox: Deborah Feldman’s escape from Brooklyn to Berlin | DW Interview
Duration: 11:59
User: n/a – Added: 7/29/16
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvxzIXSAPyw
Topic Two: APA 7th edition:
For more in-depth answers to formatting and style questions, look at the resources in the “APA 7th Edition” module on your menu.
Use this template for all of your courses at Post. In different classes, you will need to use a different dept. name and course name.
APA 7th edition Title Page and Reference Page Template APA 7th edition Title Page and Reference Page Template – Alternative Formats
APA student title page information from APA style
What significant changes have changed from 6th to 7th editions? Scribbr gives this concise overview.
Watch Video
APA Manual 7th Edition: 17 Most Notable Changes | Scribbr
Duration: 4:55
User: n/a – Added: 11/26/19
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeSIXD6y3WQ
Topic Three: How to Be an Active Reader:
It is just as important to fine-tune how to read as seek out what to read. Learning how to be an active reader can reduce time spent rereading and refocusing. It also enhances understanding of the text and of your assignments. Please be sure to use the source below and incorporate the skills into your reading techniques.
Princeton University explores how to take active reading into a Science classroom
Active reading strategies: Remember and analyze what you read. (2018). Princeton University.
