Liam Goodacre 2011

ESSAY WRITING GUIDE

The purpose of a philosophy essay is to respond to the question in a convincing, philosophical and personal way.
Responding to means considering a variety of perspectives and coming to a well reasoned conclusion. Convincing means that you consider your reader, making sure that he or she can follow the argument, is engaged in it, and that his or her uestions and dou!ts are addressed to the greatest possi!le e"tent. #ersonal means that you answer the uestion yourself, rather than recounting what other philosophers have said. Other philosophers' arguments may be used to support your own response. #hilosophical means that you argue using reason to esta!lish a!stract ideas or claims. Non-philosophical arguments (ie. scientific, psychological) can be used in support of a philosophical argument, but they should not become the focus of the essay.

BEFORE YOU START

Read the uestion carefully to understand the overall meaning +dentify key words and phrases in the uestion and prepare to use them throughout your essay If words or ideas are equi ocal or contain hidden assumptions, you may bring this up e!plicitly in your essay Recall all of the theories we have read that might !e relevant to the uestion "ou need to include more than one philosophical perspecti e in your essay, so aim to use two or three of them. #ic$ those that best address the question or those with which you a more familiar.

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
The introduction should $sk the uestion and provide relevant conte"t for the uestion %uggest the direction you are a!out to take in the essay &ake the uestion and your response seem compelling.

The introduction !"# 'se an e"ample or an anecdote %tate your conclusion without stating your reasoning (to make the reader want to read the essay).

The introduction should not %ummari*e every step or paragraph of the essay.

Liam Goodacre 2011

SECTION $. ARGU%ENT & COUNTER ARGU%ENT

The "r-u!ent "nd counter "r-u!ent should Clearly present philosophical arguments that relate to the uestion #resent more than one argument and highlight their differing perspectives ,evelop the arguments and adapt them to the specific uestion, !y referring !ack to the uestion-s specific words and ideas .e as succinct as possi!le.

The "r-u!ent "nd counter "r-u!ent !"# #rovide e"amples, the author-s or your own, to help illustrate the argument #rovide arguments that are your own, not a canoni*ed philosopher-s Leave the uestion unresolved.

The "r-u!ent "nd counter "r-u!ent should not %tray too far from the uestion Confuse the reader .e longer than necessary.

SECTION '. E(AUATION ) *ERSONA+ RES*ONSE,

The e."lu"tion ) /erson"l res/onse should Respond directly to the uestion Relate to the arguments and counter arguments .e personal, reasona!le and compelling.

The e."lu"tion ) /erson"l res/onse !"# %tand as its own section of the essay after the arguments or !e integrated throughout the essay 'se the first person (/+0) Go !eyond the scope of the arguments 1 counter arguments Leave the uestion unresolved (as long as some ground has !een covered).

The e."lu"tion ) /erson"l res/onse should not .e irrelevant to the uestion .e disconnected from the arguments 1 counter arguments .e an un2ustified personal opinion.

Liam Goodacre 2011

CONC+USION
The conclusion should %ummari*e the most important parts of the argument and personal response $nswer the uestion or restate the personal response.

The conclusion !"# Refer !ack to the opening e"ample or an important e"ample from the argument 3nd with a relevant and important uestion.

The conclusion should not +ntroduce ideas or language that are completely foreign to the rest of the essay %ummari*e everything that has !een said.

, SO%E DIFFERENT TY*ES OF E(A+UATION ) *ERSONA+ RES*ONSE 0NOT E12AUSTI(E3

3valuative4 weigh up the arguments and counter arguments and 2ustify why one is stronger than the other (%it's this, not that&). %ynthetic4 5ake elements from !oth argument and unite them under one theory 6 idea (%it's a bit of this and a bit of that&). 5ranscendent4 Rises a!ove !oth arguments and considers them in a wider conte"t (both this and that depend on something else e en greater).