Essay Assignments

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Syllabus

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WRITING ESSAYS: Why write essays? Because we said so. Or to deepen your understanding and hone your communication skills. Or to share your ideas with colleagues, as part of a collaborative knowledge-making process.

How to write essays: Articulate a thesis that matters, and say something interesting and cogent about it. Support your point with evidence, and reference your sources.

Re-read the Finkel/Zita rules for essays, and Arney's Writing Tips. Follow these rules and tips, at a minimum, or your essay may be returned unread. See more guidelines below.

When: On the date the essay appears on the Syllabus. More information about specific assignments can be found below.

Faculty will respond to at least two of your essays, and at least one classmate will respond to every essay. Post essays for Zita on WebX. Email essays to Arney.

• Skim all the essays written by peers in your study group (typically about 6 students). You are a team, and you are committing to helping each other improve your writing. This means looking at all your teammates' essays.
• Choose at least two to read carefully (for each essay assignment).
• Read at least two essays carefully and respond to them. Write thoughtful, reasoned, critical responses - not just "right on". Our goals include helping each other develop more cogent ideas and express them more clearly.
• Two days after essays are due, check to make sure everyone in your study group has at least one response. If any group member has received no responses from your team, then:
  • note whether any of your study group peers has not yet responded to any essay
  • either remind them to respond to the essays with no responses
  • or take responsibility and write the missing response yourself
• Classmates will read your responses, which should help everyone sharpen their understanding and their writing skills. Some may choose to post a rewritten essay in response to responses. Other responses can stimulate ongoing conversations about interesting questions and issues.

Responses are required, not optional. You should find that they facilitate some of your best learning.

• First paragraph: Set up your thesis, and restate relevant information from our reading, always citing (author, page).
• Second paragraph: develop your own analysis or response. Connect ideas. Go somewhere with them.

Remember to re-read the Finkel/Zita rules for essays first, especially #3.

ESSAY 2: Write an essay of 350 words or less on anything we have read in the past week.

Recommended essay format, if you choose to write on On Bullshit.

1. Give an example of bullshit. This might be from:
* a conversation
* an advertisement
* a political speech
* an essay or article
* seminar
* other

2. Analyze your example of bullshit in Frankfurt's terms. This requires that you understand Frankfurt, whether you agree or not. If you understand some aspects of BS differently than Frankfurt does, make his view clear as well as your contrasting view. Improve on Frankfurt's analysis, if you can. Finally, apply the analysis effectively to your example.

What purpose does the BS in your example serve, for the author of the BS?

What consequences does the BS have?

3. Contrast the BS with a LIE about the same matter, or in the same context. What is the difference between the BS and the LIE, in purpose, execution, and consequences?

4. Contrast the BS with an honest and meaningful statement on the same subject. What is the difference, in purpose, execution, and consequences?

5. Summarize your key points succinctly.

Remember to re-read the Finkel/Zita rules for essays first, especially #4.