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Essay Guidelines and Tips (Contemp.)
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Essay Guidelines Sarah Hannan
Your essay is worth 50% of your final grade.
Most students will choose to write their essay on the same topic as their Outline, but, you can switch topics if you'd like. Get in touch if you need help coming up with/refining your essay question.
Your essay should be about 10-12 double-spaced pages. Employ 12-point Times New Roman font (or some other "normal" font) and regular margin settings.
This is not a research paper. The only readings needed to complete the essay come from the class readings.
Please refer to information on academic integrity (on UM Learn) to ensure that you're aware of your responsibilities and are clear on how to avoid plagiarism/academic dishonesty.
You may use any citation method you like (e.g., Chicago or MLA) as long as you fully cite your sources (including page numbers), and keep the referencing consistent throughout.
Before you begin writing, please consult the tips below, and the Marking Rubric (also posted on UMLearn). These documents will help you write the sort of essay that I'm looking for.
Please do not put your name on the essay because I am anonymously grading them. Use your student number only. Please submit via the Dropbox in UMLearn.
Writing Tips Sarah Hannan
Ensure that you plan your essay before you begin writing. You may end up deviating from the plan, but it is good to go in with a sense of direction.
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Please do not put your name on the essay because I am anonymously grading them. Use your student number only. Please submit via the Dropbox in UMLearn.
Writing Tips
Sarah Hannan
Ensure that you plan your essay before you begin writing. You may end up deviating from the plan, but it is good to go in with a sense of direction.
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Determine what the essay question is asking you. What are the key terms and concepts being used? What is the tension you are exploring? What are the different sides of the debate? What material from the course should be used to answer the question?
What is your answer to the question? Your answer is the key to a successful essay. You have to take a stand and make an argument! Identify what your position is before you start writing. Once you begin writing, make sure that each of your paragraphs contributes to clarifying or defending your position.
Construct a good introductory paragraph. You can wait until you have finished the rest of the paper to write the introduction. It must include a clear thesis statement that explicitly sets out your position. The reader should be able to quickly and easily identify what your essay is trying to prove. Following your thesis statement, provide a brief description of how your essay will argue for the position you are taking.
After the introduction, you need a section where you define the key terms and concepts that you will be employing in your essay. Are there different ways of defining the terms or understanding the concepts that you reject? If so, specify how your understanding diverges from other prominent views.
Following the introduction and the section where you define your terms, describe what is at stake in the debate and briefly lay out the arguments you will be examining. This descriptive portion of your essay should make up no more than
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Construct a good introductory paragraph. You can wait until you have finished the rest of the paper to write the introduction. It must include a clear thesis statement that explicitly sets out your position. The reader should be able to quickly and easily identify what your essay is trying to prove. Following your thesis statement, provide a brief description of how your essay will argue for the position you are taking.
After the introduction, you need a section where you define the key terms and concepts that you will be employing in your essay. Are there different ways of defining the terms or understanding the concepts that you reject? If so, specify how your understanding diverges from other prominent views.
Following the introduction and the section where you define your terms, describe what is at stake in the debate and briefly lay out the arguments you will be examining. This descriptive portion of your essay should make up no more than one third of the entire length of the paper.
The remaining two thirds of the paper should develop and defend your argument (or thesis). Make sure that each paragraph is crucial to advancing your point and that it links to the paragraphs before and after it. You should also signpost along the way to remind the reader of what your argument is.
You will need to support your arguments by drawing on the relevant thinkers and theories from the course. You should also use examples to illustrate your points. You can use examples from texts, from real life, and from your own mind (e.g. thought experiments).
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Make sure that you also consider the other side(s) of the debate. Raising and then arguing against counter-examples is an excellent way to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge, and strengthen your own position. Finish with a strong conclusion that reiterates your thesis and outlines how you have gone about arguing for it.
Please talk to me if you have any questions about your essay. I'm always happy to meet with students.
Try to have fun!
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Essay Marking Rubric Sarah Hannan
Marking Criteria
1) Summary and Interpretation of Material
. Clearly, succinctly, and correctly presents the main argument(s) of the text(s)
. Backs up key claims with textual evidence and sound interpretation (appropriately cited)
Comments
Grade
/14
2) Analysis
. Has a thesis (i.e., takes a stand and offers the student's own view on the question at hand)
· Explains why the student holds the view they do
. Offers arguments that critically engage with the relevant reading(s) (i.e., strengthening or weakening the positions taken in the text(s))
· Uses normative reasoning (rather than relying only on descriptive/empirical)
· Uses examples or thought experiments to clarify and defend thesis
. Considers and responds to counter-arguments or objections to the thesis being defended
/30
3) Style and Presentation
· Clearly written
· Appropriate balance between description (1/3rd) and analysis (2/3rds)
· Requested length
16
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