Reading reflections should contain the following 4 components:
Part 1: Summary (6-8 sentences at least) of the main argument(s) from the reading.
The summary should address the full arguments of the chapter, the instructor will be looking for a complete summary not just a reflection of the first couple of pages.
Part 2: The three most important/compelling aspects of the reading to you and a brief description as to why.
While the class is designed to encourage critical thinking, and I will hope that some of the insights push you to think about film, genre and society in a more critical/complex way, this does not mean that the content is strictly philosophical. The reading may get you to think about consuming film, but it may also encourage you to think about making film in more complex ways. Be clear as to how and why these insights are important/significant to you.
Part 3: Two aspects of the reading you do not understand and a brief description as to why this interfered with your ability to understand the reading.
Some of the reading will be more academic or filled with jargon and I encourage you to embrace the arguments rather than dismissing them. But we may need help in clarifying terms, argument, examples, etc., and this is what this section is for.
Part 4: One question that seeks to go beyond the reading content.
The question should therefore ask a deeper film, society or theory-based question.
Readings from the same source (i.e. two readings from neo-noir) require one summary per chapter but may combine parts 2 – 4.