You
are required to write a final paper for this class. The specifications are as
follows:
Length:
3–4 typed pages, 12 point
standard font, double-spaced
Special
Features: Name and title
only. No bibliography, no heading necessary.
Importance:
The final paper will be
worth 20% of the total grade for the course.
Nota
Bene: Please do not turn
in a paper written by AI. If I suspect that your paper was written by ChapGPT,
etc., I will run it through a detection tool. Papers written by AI will not
receive a grade.
Final Paper Topic
Personal Reflection Paper on the Nature of
Reality
For
your final paper, I would like you to reflect upon which of the authors we’ve
read this semester has expressed ideas that most moved you. That is, which of
our authors has most powerfully challenged your perceptions of reality? Choose
one to write about.
In
your essay, please:
(1)
Explain what the idea is that you’re writing about. What does your author say,
and what does he mean by what he says? What is he trying to prove?
(2)
Explain why it is that you find this argument so interesting or strong. In this
part of the paper, feel free to speak about your personal experiences and
background if relevant. Also, it is fine if you’re not fully convinced by the
argument; you might also point out its weaknesses.
Concerning
length, you could aim for:
(a)
Introduction and Conclusion, 1 page; (b) Part 1, 1 page, (c) Part 2, 1 ½ pages.
Please
refer to our readings parenthetically, within the body of the paper. E.g.
(Aristotle, 201); (Descartes, 42). No need for footnotes or a bibliography.
Grading
The
following components will make up the grade for the final paper:
Argument:
60%
Back up every claim you make with
reasons. “This is a powerful argument because …” Don’t just say that an
argument is good or strong; defend your positions with arguments.
Structure:
35%
Make sure your paper is
well-constructed, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduce
the topic at the start (preferably in a thesis statement) and restate your main
points at the end. Make sure the things you say are relevant to the main point
of your paper.
Spelling,
Grammar, Conventions of Language, et cetera: 5%
This is not a composition class, so
for the most part I do not grade down for occasional spelling or grammar
mistakes. However, I have read papers in the past that are completely
incomprehensible. If grammatical mistakes make it difficult to read the paper,
I will grade down. I recommend reading your paper out loud to yourself (or to
someone else) to make sure it makes sense. I also recommend submitting a draft
to the GSU writing studio:
https://writingstudio.gsu.edu/
