One inch to 1-1/4 inch margins on all sides. Double spacing of main body of paper. Twelve point font. Each page is numbered. Each paragraph is numbered.  Thesis is bolded.   Book titles are italicized or underlined.  Outline of paper attached.  Title page with name, course and section. Careful and correct documentation and citation.Spell check and grammar check should be used.

Types of Papers:

(These are some categories. You may have a project in mind that doesn’t fit these categories. Just check it out with me. Although many of the projects involve describing the work of others, they will also involve original analysis and/or other original work of your own. )

Philosopher(s)/Theorist(s)

You may choose to focus on a particular philosopher such as de Beauvoir or Wollstonecraft. You would have to narrow your topic. One way would be to focus on some particular aspect of the philosopher's thought in one book or groundbreaking article that interests you. Or, you might choose a single key theme or thesis that runs throughout her work. You would discuss this aspect in charitable terms, offering summaries, quotations, examples, and definitions where appropriate. You would situate her work in the context of our study of feminist philosophy this semester. You would then do a literature survey of what others had to say on the topic or related topics. And, finally, you could evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the philosopher’s argument on the topic, discuss where it may have led interpretive theory astray, and/or provides an impetus to further work, etc. Another possible approach would be to compare and contrast two philosophers who address the same issue or topic. After highlighting the similarities and differences, you could then evaluate their work. You might suggest what insights you believe can be drawn from each, which has the better argument or approach and why, or where both go astray, etc. You would offer counter-arguments and/or counter-examples where appropriate. You might describe possible objections to the theorist’s ideas. It would be well to explain your own presuppositions and discuss and deal with any possible objections to your own interpretation of the theorist(s).

Interpreters in many disciplines such as history, literary criticism, anthropology, etc. have developed new approaches to their field. These new approaches have been informed by different philosophical presuppositions and types of theory as well as the nature of the discipline involved. For your paper, you may wish to explore one of these new approaches in detail and apply it. Or, describe two approaches and apply them to a single object of study to illustrate their differences and similarities. Or, you might take a traditional approach in the field and contrast it with an analysis focused on interpretation theory of the same text, issue, or problem. One might, for example, describe the differing approaches of two feminist medieval historians including their presuppositions, foci, methods, etc. Charitable descriptions with quotations from their work and examples would be appropriate. Definitions of key terms involved would be necessary. Then one could apply and evaluate their approaches to the study of women in a particular medieval double monastery, for example. One might describe two main types of feminist biblical criticism including where they might be placed in terms of feminist theory and use them to interpret a single passage. Or, read and describe two differing feminist interpretations the Canaanite woman, highlighting the types of feminist interpretive theory or feminist thinkers that influence how they interpret the text and what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of each analysis. It would be well to explain your own presuppositions and discuss and deal with any possible objections to your own interpretation. For example, if you are interpreting and evaluating from the perspective of a cultural feminist, you should imagine and reply to possible objections from a liberal feminist.

You may focus on a particular issue or problem in feminist philosophy. You would need to explain the issue or problem clearly. This would likely involve offering examples to illustrate as well as defining key terms. You would also include a literature survey of how one or two thinkers have approached the problem or key ways the problem or issue has been addressed, placing them in the context of our study of feminist philosophy this semester. Then, you would discuss which approaches seem to address the issue or problem in the most astute and comprehensive ways and why. Or, you might suggest a solution of your own, either unique or which improves upon previous attempts to address the issue or solve the problem. It would be well to discuss possible objections to solutions--your own or those of others.

You may choose to survey an area such as feminist legal theory/philosophy of law OR feminist philosophy in international relations. In this case your research agenda would involve reading fairly widely on the topic and then discerning key schools of thought, thinkers, issues, etc. that occur in that area. Your paper would survey the field by describing key thinkers or schools of thought, etc. You would need to use citations and examples to illustrate and offer definitions of key terms. You might also outline key arguments that occur. In the rest of the paper you would place the thinkers in the context of our study of interpretation theory this semester and explain why the issues, thinkers, schools of thought, etc. are significant for feminist theory and/or philosophy as a whole. You may also evaluate them from your own presuppositions and position, considering possible objections to your evaluation.

GOALS YOU WILL BE GRADED ON:

Argument/Interpretation/Content

1. A clearly stated and developed thesis, interpretive position, explanatory pattern, or focused survey of material. Topic is narrowed so that it can be adequately addressed.

2. Key terms and concepts explained/defined (necessary and sufficient conditions).

3.   Clear statement of your presuppositions and method as well as their justification if they are unfamiliar or in dispute.

4.   Relevant, convincing, and valid evidence supports points made. Relevant and convincing example(s) and citations are used to support, clarify, and illustrate. Arguments or positions of others are accurately presented and analyzed.   Questions to ask yourself:  Have you given your reader convincing reasons to accept your thesis, interpretation, or position?   Are citations, examples, analogies, etc. used to illustrate, clarify, or support the thesis?  Have you accurately presented the position of the philosopher(s) your essay discusses?

5. Strengths and Weaknesses/Alternatives Points of View.  Treat both the strengths and weaknesses of your position and those of others.. This may include a survey of alternative approaches, interpretations, or solutions. No important evidence or counter-evidence overlooked. Obvious objections answered. of your views and those of others recognized. Alternative points of view recognized and charitably entertained.

5.   +Creativity. Student thinks outside the box. Has an original yet relevant take on the question or an original interpretation that he or she supports well.

6. Relation to concepts, positions, or thinkers covered in this class made clear or insights utilized. Paper written in the light of the content of this course.

7.   Depth and Annotated Bibliography. An annotated bibliography appropriate to the subject matter including both descriptive and evaluative comments. Evidence in paper that you consulted key relevant works, i.e., that you have done sufficient research for your topic and evaluated your sources.

Structure/Organization

1. Structure is logical.   Each paragraph plays a role in the overall development of the thesis or interpretation. A reader may easily outline the paper. You should include a "roadmap" to the paper for the reader in the first or second paragaph.  You may wish to include section headings for sections of the paper.

2. Introduction and conclusion are strong.

3.   Smooth transitions between paragraphs. Headings and/or transitional sentences should be used to guide reader.

4.   Topic sentence(s) of each paragraph clear and easily identified. 

Spelling, Grammar, Style

Correct Spelling:  Use spell check!  Words spell check won't catch:   affect/effect, except/accept, it's/its, outweigh,  their/there, principle/principal, dilemma, loose/lose, family's/families, weather/whether, to/too/two, then/than, prophesy/prophecy

Grammar and Style - A grammar checker can be useful:  Setting your grammar checker.

1.   Long, complex passive and/or run-on sentences avoided. ( Sue hit the ball is usually better than The ball was hit by Sue. –unless you are emphasizing the ball on purpose .)

2.. Sentences do not end with a preposition.

3.. Subject/verb agreement. He is. They are. (Not: they is)

4. Infinitives. "To run swiftly"  not "to swiftly run."   "Not to run" rather than "to not run". "Try to do" not "try and do."

Citation - Cite Carefully.    Plagiarism is totally unacceptable!

1.    Quotations introduced smoothly.  Reference to the author or text is often best:  As Aristotle argues, "........" (115).   As Plato's Republic indicates, "......" (68-69).  See our class text, G. Harvey,  for advice. 

2.   Quotations identified with quotations marks unless five lines or longer.   Quotations longer than five lines indented.

3. Quotations or resource materials properly attributed in a standard citation form such as MLA, Chicago Manual of Style - CMS (University of Chicago A or B), or APA, but with page numbers added.. Must have a "Works Consulted" or Bibliography page.

4.   If a source is closely followed, it is quoted.  Do not simply change a few words in a sentence. 

5.   Quotations and use of an idea or structure, etc. including very loose paraphrase are cited.   More information on when to cite and how to cite is available in  G. Harvey, Writing with Sources.  Indianapolis:  Hackett, 1998.   Also available on regular reserve.

4. Citations NOT made up.  Guessing about correct source or inventing source is not acceptable.

5. ALL sources used including personal communications, internet material, other student papers, etc. are cited.

***** WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE. If you plagiarize, you will receive at minimum a zero on the essay.  For more information about academic integrity including citing sources see the Dean of Students site at http://www.students.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid=45708    

Instructions for citation formatting can be found in G. Harvey, Writing with Sources.  You can also use Easy Bib or other citation sites or programs.  You can also find formatting in several styles for books in World Cat at   http://www.worldcat.org/    There is a YOUTUBE video on how to use the World Cat citation features at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8W7kWMrVNk

Format -  Proper margins, fonts, spacing, page numbering, etc.  

One inch to 1-1/4 inch margins on all sides. Double spacing of main body of paper. Twelve point font. Each page is numbered. Each paragraph is numbered.  Thesis is bolded.   Book titles are italicized or underlined.  Outline of paper attached.  Title page with name, course and section..