Evaluation Criteria for Paper Assignments

The following are guidelines for how you will be graded by me on essay assignments.

1. Substance & Content

1.1 Task Completion

  1. Complete the entire task set forth by the instructor in the paper assignment.
  2. Stay on topic and stick to the assignment/task.

1.2 Accuracy

  1. Demonstrate a strong grasp and command of the material from the course. (Remember that accuracy is still important regarding fine details—even minor differences in words can drastically change the meaning of a sentence.)

1.3 Depth & Breadth

  1. Move beyond simple description and summary and reflect an in-depth understanding of the topic and material. Be sure to discuss all the relevant material and leave out all irrelevant material (that is, material that is not crucial to your thesis).
  2. A good essay goes beyond a typed up version of your class notes by demonstrating that you know how all the material connects together conceptually. (One way to show that you know the material is by showing that you can explain it to someone who doesn’t know it. For example, you can provide your own examples to illustrate a point, whether in someone’s argument or your own.)

1.4 Additional Help

For more help on philosophical content, see my Writing in Philosophy page.

2. Structure, Mechanics, and Style

2.1 Introduction, Thesis, & Thesis Statement

  1. In the introductory paragraph(s), briefly orient the reader to the topic and provide a conceptual map of the rest of the paper.
  2. Avoid lengthy or dramatic introductions. (Don’t, for example, start your paper off with definitions from a dictionary or things like “From the dawn of time, philosophers have pondered….”)
  3. Have a thesis statement (that is, a statement of what the point of your paper is); this is usually best stated toward the end of the introduction;
  4. Your thesis (the point of your paper; what you’re arguing for) should be:
    1. clear (What are you going to argue for?),
    2. specific (Don’t just say something general like “I will argue that Kant’s argument fails.” Say roughly what the problem will be.),
    3. on-topic (Don’t, for example, make your thesis a critique of Kant’s argument if the paper assignment only asked you to explain his argument.), and
    4. declarative (Make clear that it’s what you are putting forth. You can easily do this by saying something like “In this paper, I will argue that….”)

2.2 Body Support, Organization, & Summary

  1. The body of the paper should support the paper’s thesis with reasons/evidence/justification for believing the thesis.
  2. The body paragraphs of the paper should be organized in a logical manner, appropriate in length, and framed by topic sentences that indicate what you will say in the paragraph.
  3. The paper may have a relatively short summary (sometimes misleadingly called a “conclusion”) at the end, but it is not required. If you do have a summary, make sure it clearly states what has been argued for in the paper; so there should be no new evidence or arguments—that belongs in the body of the paper.)

2.3 Quotations

  1. Introduce quotes; don’t just insert them in between your own sentences without any explanation of them.
  2. Don’t rely too much on quoted material from your textbook or other sources.
  3. Avoid quoting your instructor’s handouts and lecture slides.

2.4 Writing Mechanics and Style

  1. Overall, the paper should demonstrate a command of the writing process and the author’s care in crafting it. In particular, make sure to avoid errors of spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, verb tense, and vocabulary.
  2. Don’t worry about being fancy with your writing style in philosophy (e.g. avoid flowery prose and vague language). The clarity and organization of your thoughts is what’s most important.

2.5 Additional Help

For more help figuring out how to write an essay in general, see my How to Construct an Essay page.

3. Relevant Links

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