Paper 2- PHILOSOPHY

Instructions

Please choose one of the below questions and write a 3-5 page paper on it using a very tight traditional construction: introduction with thesis and previewed steps of development, body paragraphs, and conclusion that restates thesis and steps very clearly.

1. What are the three main differences between the philosophies of classical antiquity as we have studied it and Christian-based philosophy?
2. In what three ways do you think Socrates might be considered a Christian thinker?
3. What are three major lessons that you have learned from the course so far? Please explain in terms of your own life, goals, and experiences. Be very concrete but feel free to fictionalize some. 
4. Focus on the introductory paragraph to Descartes Meditation I and show a) Why Descartes feels that he should doubt, b) why this is difficult, and c) why it is useful. Use abundant examples from your own life to show that “doubt” is an attitude that is valuable to you and your contemporaries

Rubric Name: Paper 2 Rubric

       Reading of the underlying material on philosophical theoriesExemplary: 20 points available20 pointsProficient: 16-19 points available16 pointsEmerging: 14-15 points available14 pointsMarginal: 12-13 points available12 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-11 points available0 pointsCritical Analysis and Application Skills

Paper demonstrates that the writer has studied the underlying materials and can correctly identify key components of the philosophical theories being addressed.

Paper demonstrates that the writer has studied the underlying materials and can identify most of the elements of the philosophical theories being addressed.

Paper demonstrates that the writer has studied the underlying materials and has a partial understanding of the philosophical theories being addressed. It may rephrase at least one key component of a philosophical theory but does not demonstrate a complete understanding of it or may have some inaccuracies stated.

Paper demonstrates that the writer may have studied some of the underlying materials but the paper provides a minimal understanding of the philosophical theories being addressed or may be inaccurate in summarizing key components.

Paper does not indicate that the writer has carefully studied the underlying materials to provide an understanding of the philosophic theories being addressed. Restatement of the philosophical theories, if included, may be incomplete, general, or incorrect. The paper may indicate that the writer has not reviewed the required underlying materials at all.

Development of PaperExemplary: 15 points available15 pointsProficient: 13-14 points available13 pointsEmerging: 11-12 points available11 pointsMarginal: 9-10 points available9 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-8 points available0 pointsDevelopment of Thesis Statement

Thesis statement meets the standard of a  clear thesis that reflects the topic of the paper. The thesis lets the reader know exactly what the writer is trying to communicate.

The thesis statement meets the minimum standard of a clear thesis but needs minor revision to make it above standard. The thesis needs some minimal revision to provide the reader with with all the required information that sets up the idea of the paper.

The posted thesis does not meet the minimum standard for a clear thesis but is working towards that standard. Thesis needs revision to develop the requirements of the thesis statement, such as revising for a clearer expression of the idea, addressing of the topic of the paper.

The thesis needs much more work to have it be considered a thesis statement. It may be missing components. It may state a fact instead of an idea.

Paper does not contain a thesis statement.

Development of PaperExemplary: 20 points available20 pointsProficient: 16-19 points available16 pointsEmerging: 14-15 points available14 pointsDeveloping: 12-13 points available12 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-11 points available0 pointsOrganization

Paper contains clear organization with an identifiable introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction lays out the main idea and gives an outline of what the reader can expect in the essay.

Body paragraphs present information in a logical and coherent fashion through clear topic sentences and logical transitions.

Conclusion brings everything together and finalizes the main idea of the paper.

Paper contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction lays out the main idea but gives the reader little idea of what to expect in the essay.

Body paragraphs present the information but at times lack cohesion through the use of topic sentences and/or transitions.

Conclusion summarizes the main argument and evidence.

Paper contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction gives the reader an idea of what to expect in the paper, but does not effectively lay out the main idea. It may begin with a set of rhetorical questions, or an anecdote that is never fully explained.

Body paragraphs present evidence without having an underlying organization pattern or may be illogically organized.

Conclusion does little more than restate the introduction or may introduce new evidence. The introduction and/or conclusion may be too wordy or short.

Paper's opening paragraph is present but does not set up the paper.

Body paragraphs are presented in a confusing fashion with no evidence of following a logical organization.

Conclusion may not be present.

Paper has no clear organizational pattern.

Paper has no clear distinction between the purposes of the paragraphs.

Development of PaperExemplary: 20 points available20 pointsProficient: 16-19 points available16 pointsEmerging: 14-15 points available14 pointsDeveloping: 11-12 points available12 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-11 points available0 pointsPresentation of Evidence

Paper provides compelling and accurate evidence from the underlying materials that convinces the reader to accept the thesis.

The importance/ relevance of all pieces of evidence is clearly stated.

There are no gaps in reasoning; the reader does not need to assume anything or do additional research to accept the demonstration of the thesis.

Paper provides necessary evidence from the underlying materials to convince the reader of most aspects of the thesis but not all.

The importance/ relevance of some evidence presented may not be totally clear. The reader must make a few mental leaps or do some additional rereading to fully accept all aspects of the evidence.

There may be some unnecessary summary.

Paper does not provide enough evidence from the underlying materials to support the thesis.

Information is not effectively used or occasionally incorrectly used.

Paper provides either no evidence from the underlying materials or includes numerous factual mistakes, omissions or oversimplifications.

Generalizations and anecdotal evidence from outside the underlying materials may dominate the point of view.

Paper provides no evidence from the underlying materials to develop the main point.

Evidence may be presented that is not in the writer's own words and/or is not documented.

Development of PaperExemplary: 15 points available15 pointsProficient: 13-14 points available13 pointsEmerging: 11-12 points available11 pointsDeveloping: 9-10 points available9 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-8 points available0 pointsCommunication of Ideas at the Sentence Level

All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written.

The ideas in the sentences are understood by the reader upon first reading. No words are misused or unnecessarily fancy.

Paper has been spell-checked and proofread  and contains no errors.

Most sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written.

An occasional word is misused or unnecessarily fancy.

Paper has been spell-checked and proofread, and contains no more than a few minor errors, which do not adversely affect the reader’s ability to understand the ideas of the writer.

Several (5-7) sentences are grammatically incorrect or not clearly written.

A reader may have to read a sentence a few times to understand its meaning. Several words may be misused.

Paper may have been spell-checked and proofread but still contains several errors which impede the reader's understanding of the paper.

There may be a pattern of errors, such as several fragments throughout the paper.

The paper has 8-10 major  grammatical errors. There may be patterns of more than one type of error, such as several fragments and comma-splices throughout the paper.

Paper has not been spell-checked or proofread, and contains numerous errors, with words being misused.

The reader has a difficult time understanding the main ideas of the paper because of errors.

The paper has more than 10 major grammatical errors.

There may be more than one pattern of multiple errors, such as several fragments, comma-splices, and subject-verb agreement.

The sentences do not convey the ideas of the paper either in context of the material around them or when taken out of the paragraph.

The reader cannot discern the ideas of the writing due to these errors.

Development of PaperExemplary: 10 points available10 pointsProficient: 8-9 points available8 pointsEmerging: 7 points available7 pointsDeveloping: 6 points available6 pointsMinimal or No Credit: 0-5 points available0 pointsFormatting and Documentation

Evidence is correctly documented in the required documentation style, including the documentation of direct quotations, paraphrase, and summary.

The page with the referenced works is on its own page and correctly formatted. The reader can locate the entries.

Formatting of the required style is correctly used for the set-up of the page, including title/author area, header information, and being double-spaced.

Evidence is cited within the paper, but there may be some minor problems with completeness or the format of some citations, such as paraphrase or summary not being documented.

The list of referenced works may not be on its own page or not have the complete citation thereby hindering the reader's being able to locate the source(s).

The formatting of the paper may not be completely done in the required style, such as not being double-spaced or containing proper header information.

Some evidence within the paper may not be documented. Some may be incorrectly documented. There are more than 3 major errors in documentation.

The list of the referenced works may not be complete or present some of the information incorrectly.

The formatting may be missing major components, such as not being double-spaced or not containing a header information.

An attempt was made at documenting evidence, but there is minimal documentation within the paper or errors are made in documentation.

There may be incorrect information either in the paper or on the list of referenced works. The list of references works does not contain accurate information.

The formatting is missing more than 3 major components.

There is no documentation within the paper or may be totally incorrect.

The list of referenced works may not be attached.

The citation may be in a non-required style or a hybrid style of documentation.

Overall ScoreExcellent90 or moreGood80 or moreFair70 or morePoor60 or moreNo Credit0 or more      

Close