Commonplace Book - LATN 399 - S22

Commonplace Book Assignment

  Commonplace Book

Key Details

Over the course of this semester, you will be required to keep a commonplace book. A commonplace book is a type of journal where individuals make note of and compile passages from their reading that they find to be interesting and/or meaningful. The practice of keeping a commonplace book rose to prominence during the 17th and 18th century, as they provided a way for readers to save and recall passages that struck a chord with them before computers and the cloud. Moreover, an essential part of keeping a commonplace book was that its owner expected to look back through their old annotations and reflect on their importance in light new things that they had read.

My hope is that keeping a commonplace book in this class will help you to work towards two of our course goals. First, the process of selecting a short passage and reflecting on it will help you to become a more attentive and mindful reader. Second, looking through you commonplace book will help you make connections between different readings and discussions we have had in the class. I am also hopeful that the passages that you record will serve as fruitful jumping off points for in-class discussion.

Instead of a physical book, you will keep all your commonplace book entries in a Google Doc which you will share with me. There will be an opportunity to complete a commonplace book entry in advance of most classes.

Each of your commonplace book entries should:

  • Begin with a short sentence/passage (max. 3 sentences) from your Latin reading, followed your translation of the sentence/passage
  • One paragraph (5 to 7 sentences) explaining why the passage/sentence stood out to you
  • Another short paragraph (5 to 7 sentences) connecting the passage/sentence to a different text or reading that we have encountered in the course

Assessment

Each individual entry in your commonplace book will be grading on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A satisfactory will:

  • Be completed by class time (11 AM)
  • Begin with short sentence/passage (max. 3 sentences) from your reading
  • Translate your chosen sentence/passage accurately
  • Have two short paragraphs explaining why the passage stood out to you and connecting the passage to a different text that we met in an earlier class/reading
  • Be written in complete sentences

Your grade for the commonplace book will be determined by the number of satisfactory entries you complete over the course of the semester.