PHL 210 Thinking About Philosophy Essay Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Now that you’ve learned how to construct an argument for a philosophical position and you’ve seen several philosophers presenting arguments, you’re ready to write your first essay. Philosophy essays follow a specific structure because this is the best way to ensure that our questions, claims, and evidence are as clear and simple as they can possibly be. This clarity is important when the questions we consider are complicated.
This assignment has two parts:
Part I
Articulate a philosophical question and a standard form argument that supports an answer to that question.
Include the following points:
- State a philosophical question clearly and simply. Do not explain it.
There are many examples of philosophical questions in the course resources, particularly the textbook. You can also use the questions we focus on for each module: Is reality as it appears? What is knowledge? Do we have minds (or subjective experiences)? Do we really have free will? Does the existence of suffering mean that God does not exist? What does it mean for an action to be ethical?
Note: Your Module One discussion assignment, this assignment, and your Module Seven course essay must use three different philosophical questions.
- In a single sentence, state the answer that you think is right.
- Present a standard form argument with your answer as the conclusion, and two premises that convince us, all on their own, that your conclusion is true.
Below is an example of how Part I should be formatted.
Question: What is the best dessert?
Answer: Strawberry shortcake is the best dessert.
Argument:
- Strawberry shortcake has a great mix of flavors.
- Strawberry shortcake is not too sweet.
- Therefore, strawberry shortcake is the best dessert.
Part II
Translate your standard form argument into a philosophy essay where you explain your reasoning more thoroughly.
To accomplish this, closely study the “Using Logic in Writing” resource from Purdue OWL. This resource is located in the Additional Support section in this week’s module readings and offers several examples of standard form arguments and their presentations in paragraph form.
Include at least one quote from the textbook or another course resource that helps to support the central idea of the essay.
What to Submit
Submit your assignment as a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Your assignment should also include a separate cover page and reference page. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
AI Usage
If you use gen AI tools to support your work on this assignment, be sure to follow these AI usage guidelines. You must acknowledge your use of these tools in your work. Guidelines on how to cite AI tools can be found in this Shapiro Library guide.
Thinking About Philosophy Essay Rubric
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectations | Meets Expectations | Partially Meets Expectations | Does Not Meet Expectations | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | N/A | Articulates a philosophical question and a standard form argument that supports an answer to that question (100%) | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions (55%) | Does not articulate a philosophical question or a standard form argument that supports an answer to that question (0%) | 20 |
| Context | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner (100%) | Explains a single philosophical question and why it is important (85%) | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions (55%) | Does not attempt to explain a single philosophical question and why it is important (0%) | 20 |
| Your Position | Student’s own position is identified, outlining logical process that can progress into a strong thesis statement (100%) | Student’s own position is identified, outlining elements of logical process that can progress into a clear thesis statement (85%) | Student’s own position is identified with some elements but has gaps in logical process that hinder progression into a clear thesis statement (55%) | Student’s own position is identified but does not outline logical process (0%) | 20 |
| Structure of Essay | Logically organizes all components of essay offering cohesive structure (100%) | Logically organizes all components of essay offering clear structure (85%) | Logically organizes some components of essay but with gaps in organization that impact clear structure (55%) | Does not logically organize most components to offer clear structure (0%) | 20 |
| Quotes and Sources | Includes at least one quote from the textbook or another course resource that helps to support the central idea of the essay in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner (100%) | Includes at least one quote from the textbook or another course resource that helps to support the central idea of the essay (85%) | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include correct use of APA formatting or connecting the quote to the central idea of the essay (55%) | Does not include a quote (0%) | 10 |
| Clear Communication | Exceeds expectations with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understanding (100%) | Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audience (85%) | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understanding (55%) | Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication (0%) | 10 |
| Total: | 100% | ||||