1. Specific Requirements:
a) Papers must be at least two pages, but feel free to write more if you are particularly interested in a topic. You should however, make sure that you answer each part of the question completely.
b) Papers must be typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and Times New Roman font (i.e. no excessively large fonts designed to take up extra space).
c) Papers must include at least two direct quotations of a philosophically significant portion of the text that you are discussing that directly relates to the question you are answering.
d) You must then provide an exegesis of the passages that you have quoted.
An exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text (or portion of a text). Your primary task is to show how the passage you have quoted directly answers the question that you are addressing. Thus, these papers are designed to improve your ability to use a text as evidence or support in answering a philosophical question. The goal of these papers is to sharpen your ability to interpret the meaning of philosophical texts and as such you should feel free to explore the passage you are discussing in any way you see fit so far as your answer the question directly in the process.
2. Grading:
b) You may lose points for any of the following:
a) Failing to write two full pages.
b) Choosing passages from the text that are not relevant to the question you are answering (part of the purpose of these assignments is to sharpen your reading skills so that you will be better able to determine which portions of a text are the most significant).
c) Providing an incomplete or superficial explanation of the meaning of the text.
e) Failing to include two direct quotations from the reading(s) that you are discussing.
g) Failing to provide a citation for the quotation from the text.
3. Citing
a) You must provide an internal citation for each quotation from the primary source you are discussing in your paper. After the quotation from the text you must provide the author's last name (or just the name for Plato or Aristotle) and the page number on which the quotation appears. For example, (Rachels, 749). When you quote Plato or Aristotle you may use the title of the work and the number in the margin instead. For example, (Euthyphro, 10d). If you have any questions about how to cite something please ask me before you hand in your paper.