How to Write a Philosophy Term Paper
Dr. Janet Donohoe
1. Selecting a topic
When selecting a topic for a
term paper you should consider the texts we have read in class, think about
what issues we have addressed and think about what issues and texts have interested
you the most. Is there an issue raised
in the text that we didn’t talk about in class that is of interest? Is there something troubling about a theory
we’ve discussed? Are there tensions in
the text that are worth exploring? Has
the philosopher failed to consider an important aspect of any issue?
The aim of these
papers is for you to show that you understand the material and that you're able
to think critically about it. To do
this, your paper needs to show some independent thinking. That doesn't mean you have to come up with
your own theory, but you should try to come up with your own arguments, or your
own way of elaborating or criticizing or defending some argument we looked at
in class. Merely summarizing what others have said won't be enough.
Formulate the
central problem or question you wish to address at the beginning of your paper,
and keep it in mind at all times. Make
clear what the problem is, and why it is a problem. Be sure that everything you write is relevant to that central
problem. In addition, be sure to say in
the paper how it is relevant.
Don't make your reader guess.
2. Research
Primarily, your term paper
should be focused on a text or texts that we have discussed in class. The goal is for you to express your own understanding
and analysis of a text or texts. If you
want to do research into secondary sources, the best way to do so is to consult
the Philosopher’s Index to see what kinds of articles might have been published
that would be pertinent to your issue.
I would highly recommend that you not rely on the Web to get information
on your issue. Web sources are
notoriously unreliable and can often be overly simplistic in their presentation
of any philosophical view. Scholarly
articles and books are the best sources to consult. Be sure that if you consult any secondary sources that you cite
those sources. Failure to do so can
have dire results.
The Department of English and Philosophy defines
plagiarism as taking personal credit for the thinking of others as it is
presented in electronic, print, and verbal sources. The Department expects that students will accurately credit
sources in all assignments. Plagiarism
is grounds for failing the course and may result in further consequences of
being expelled from the University.
3. The Written Work
A. Make
the structure of your paper obvious.
The structure of your paper should be obvious from
the beginning paragraph, but should also be well signposted along the way. Tell your reader where the paper is going in
explicit terms. There is nothing wrong
with being overly clear! Phrases like
the following are helpful in providing direction to your reader.
I will begin by...
After providing an explanation of X’s view, I will
pose three important questions…
These passages suggest that...
In the following I will argue that…
What I have shown here is that…
You can't make the structure of your paper obvious
if you don't know what the structure of your paper is, or if your paper has no
structure. That's why making an outline
is so important.
Explain what a position says before you criticize it. A clear and concise explanation of the
theory you are addressing is fundamental to making yourself and your critique
of the position understood. It is important to provide explication only of
those aspects of the philosophical position that are relevant to your main
point, so keep the summary to a minimum so that you can get on to the important
work of providing your analysis.
Be sure to support what you say in summary of the text with quotations from
the text itself. Quotations should
never be used as a substitute for your own explanation, but should be used to
show that what you are explaining is explicit (or implicit) in the text. When you quote an author, you still have to
explain what the quotation says in your own words. And be sure that when you are quoting from
the text you provide a full citation.
Try to anticipate objections to your view and
respond to them. For instance, if you object to some philosopher's view, don't
assume the philosopher would immediately admit defeat. Imagine what the
philosopher’s comeback might be and how would you handle that comeback. Think of it as a dialogue between you and
the philosopher.
D. Provide a clear conclusion
Don’t
allow your reader to come to his or her own conclusions about what you’ve
accomplished in the paper. Tell your
reader precisely what you’ve shown and what questions or issues still
remain. There is nothing wrong with
still having questions at the end of a philosophical investigation. Sometimes the philosophical endeavor most
importantly leads to more questions and issues than to some grand
conclusion. It is best to be clear and
honest about that.