QQC Guide and Examples
The following is a basic guide to creating QQCs. QQCs are relatively informal assignments, but they
should reflect your engagement with the assigned readings. For each QQC, you should include one
quote, one question, and one comment. If there are multiple readings assigned for one day, you may
choose to focus just on one reading or mix and match (i.e. you might take a quote from one reading and
ask a question about another). Post your QQC to the appropriate Canvas assignment by 11am before the
class it’s due. The formatting you use is not terribly important here, but if you use direct quotes be sure
to include the author and page number so that your classmates and I can locate it easily.
Below is a basic guide to the expectations for each element of the QQC:
Quote: Choose a quote that you found particularly interesting. It could be a quote that
resonated with you, that helped you see things from a new perspective, or even a quote that
you didn’t understand and want to discuss in class. Be sure to specify the author and page
number for your quote.
Question: Questions can take many different forms. Your question should ask for clarification on
something you didn’t completely understand, it could challenge/complicate elements of the
author’s argument, or it could draw connections between other readings. Your question should
be open-ended. So, i.e., it shouldn’t be a simple “yes” or “no” question (e.g. “Does the author
believe writing is a social activity”) or something that could be easily answered with a Google
search (e.g. “What year was this article published?”). Your questions will form the basis for our
class discussion, so try to ask questions you’re genuinely curious about!
Comment: Your comment should be a brief (usually a few sentences) reflection on the reading.
You could approach this several different ways, but most students find it helpful to connect the
reading with other experiences. This might mean making a connection between what we’ve
read and your personal experiences, or drawing comparisons between previous readings. This is
an opportunity for you to draw attention to something you found particularly interesting and
shape our class discussion.
Sample QQC: Anzaldúa
Quote: “So, if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to
linguistic identity—l am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in
myself.” (59)
Question: Who is Anzalúa’s intended audience? Is it fellow Spanish speakers, or is it people who speak
“mainstream” American English?
● Alternative Examples:
○ I don’t think I completely understand Anzaldúa’s definition of “linguistic terrorism” (34).
Could we unpack that definition and list some real-world examples?
○ How do Anzaldúa’s ideas about the relationship between language and identity
compare to Wan’s?
Comment: Anzaldúa’s essay reminded me of experiences I had growing up. Although I was a native
English speaker, the teachers I had growing up were very strict about grammar and correctness. I spoke
what would be considered a Southern American dialect, and I was always corrected or shamed if I used
words like “ain’t” or used a double negative. Even though it wasn’t necessarily tied to my ethnic identity
like it was for Anzaldúa, it was still a part of who I am and how I see myself. It made me feel like the way
me and my family talked was somehow “wrong” and it made me want to speak less in class.
