Essay 1
Topic: Human rights,natural rights and political rights
Exegesis means interpretive argumentation (emphasis on argumentation). An exegetical essay, therefore, provides an interpretive summary of the text in question, designed to reveal in some way, through a discussion of the details of the text, the text’s full, or at least fuller, meaning—which requires argumentation. The implication is that the full meaning of the text is not self-evident but rather that the text itself requires discussion in order to be understood. Your essay will provide this discussion. The general structure of an essay still applies. Your essay needs to have an argument which makes a specific claim, which is then developed in the body of the paper.
Term Paper Expectations:
– The paper will explore one of the theorists assigned—3000 words max (approx. 10–12 pages). Word count includes footnotes and bibliography.
– The paper will have a clear thesis and be argumentative throughout.
– The paper will be interpretative, not summative. A summary describes the ebbs and flows of the text. Whereas interpretation provides an argument on how the text should be understood, articulates why the argument is significant and what the point is.
– A good exegesis demonstrates a strong understanding of the text, and a strong command of the arguments within the text and of the writer’s argument. A good exegesis does not provide opinion on the subject matter; rather, it remains close and faithful to the text. While any paper is from the perspective of the writer, a good writer omits valuation on the merits of personal agreement in favour of what the text actually says.
– Citing lectures for your essay is prohibited.
Term Paper Format Specifics:
– Papers will have a title. The purpose of a title is to centre the topic of interest in a way that both informs and draws attention. Titles should be specific enough to tell the reader what the paper is about and broad enough to elicit interest. Title pages are not necessary.
– Citations and a works cited list are mandatory. There is no mandatory citation style. However, it is required that the citation style be consistent throughout and properly formatted. Regardless of the citation style you use, page numbers are required when referencing materials. If making/using notations, please use footnotes, not endnotes. See the library website for citation and paper formatting help: …
Note on secondary literature:
For this course, use of secondary literature for is, generally, discouraged. I am not interested in your ability to find sources and repeat in one or two lines their conclusions. I am interested in you developing your ability to read and understand a text and, on that basis, express an insightful discussion of that text in the form of the written word. Secondary literature can help with that; however, the argument is not about what others have said, it’s about what the text says. Importantly, if you have read secondary literature, it is important to cite. Presenting someone else’s ideas/arguments as your own, even accidentally, is still considered plagiarism. Please be cognizant of where your thoughts originate.
