PAPERS FOR CLASS

Bob Corbett, instructor
GNST 12
Spring (I) 2001

THERE ARE 6 PAPERS REQUIRED OF EACH STUDENT. THE TASKS AND DUE DATES ARE:

1. Jan. 25 on "The Case for Animal Rights" by Tom Regan.
2. Feb. 1 on The paper on ecology and animals.
3. Feb. 12. A Special Paper on Our Visit to Schonbrunn Zoo.
4. Feb. 15 on either animal experiementation or spieces and the environment.

   Two Papers on MINDS OF THEIR OWN by Leslie Rogers.

5. Feb. 26 on pages 1-89.
6. March 5 on pages 90 to the end.

THE ASSIGNMENT FOR PAPERS ONE, TWO AND FOUR: PREPARATION HINTS; GRADING CRITERIA

• ASSIGNMENT: Each assignment is for two separate papers.

  The first page must answer the following three questions.

  • What is the title of the article and who is the author?
  • What is the thesis. That is, in ONE sentence, no more that 20 words, what is the central most important belief which the author has; the belief around which the entire paper revolves?
  • Number and develop each of the main reasons which the author has for believing the thesis.

  The second page is where you take your stand.

  • What is YOUR thesis? The one single belief about the author's positions which you will defend? This belief must be important, controversial, central to the position of the author. You must state it in ONE single sentence of no more than 20 words.
  • What reasons do you have for believing your thesis? Number and develop each reason.

  This is, in sum, a two-page paper (single spaced, small margins on all four sides) report on the assigned material. But it must be treated as two totally separate one page papers.

• PRE-PREPARATION TASKS:
  1. Read the essay with care.
  2. Figure out the central claim of the essay. Reduce it to one claim of about 20 words.
  3. Figure out the primary reasons the author offers for this thesis.
  4. Think it through. Are you convinced by the argument? What are its major strengths and weaknesses. Build arguments to support your beliefs.
  5. Convert the argument's strength (or weaknesses) into how they help us answer our particular question of our relationship with animals.
• THE PAPER ITSELF:
  1. First present the author's position. Do this in enough detail to cover EXACTLY one page. This part should not contain a single quote from the author -- tell it all in your own words -- and must not contain a single word of evaluation.
  2. The second page is your evaluation and assessment. Here you tell us whether or not the author is correct about his argument, and what reasons you have to support that claim.
  3. The paper must be carefully edited. It must be two pages, exactly so, no more no less. Absolutely not ONE word of the analytic section may carry over to the second page.
  4. The paper must be single spaced and with no more than 12 point type and with small margins on all four sides, no more than an inch at the top and bottom and less on the two sides.
• THINGS I WILL ESPECIALLY NOTE AND LOOK FOR IN GRADING THE PAPER:
  1. Is the thesis of the essay analyzed stated early in the paper in a single short sentence?
  2. Are the arguments of the author for the central thesis accurately reported?
  3. Is the argument presented in clear and articulate language in the student's own words without a single quote from the author in question and none of the language too close to the author's original. In a word -- is this all in the student's language?
  4. Is the first section exactly one page?
  5. Does the evaluation section accurately and persuasively evaluate the author's thesis with strong reasons?
  6. Is the student's evaluative position on the author laid out in clear and articulate language well defended by reason?
  7. Is the evaluation of the author's position carefully tied to the aims of this class so that the student milks the essay for its particular relevance to our searching for an answer to the question: What is our relationship to animals?
  8. Is the paper EXACTLY two pages, singled spaced with small margins and normal sized type?
  9. Is the paper carefully proof-read, in standard English and with a minimum of errors of grammar, spelling or missed typos?
• THE GRADES THEMSELVES:
  • A grade of A will mean:
    The analysis is completely accurate of the paper and done in detail of exactly one. The evaluative and relevance section is completely accurate and the paper exactly two pages long. The whole of the paper would make a useful contribution to our understanding of the central aim of the class and this done explicitly in the paper. The whole of the paper was in standard English with a minimum of errors and a splash of style and taste.
  • A grade of B will mean:
    Both the analytic and evaluative sections are quite accurate and the paper meets ALL the basic requirements of size and form. However, the paper is not quite as exceptional as an A paper would be expected to be; or conversely, the content is quite brilliant, but there are excessive lapses in the form.
  • A grade of C will mean:
    A genuinely good paper that is primarily accurate and the form and style are strong. However, the paper lacks any glimpses of something beyond the expected, the reasonable expectation of college work. It is just that. Normal, good, solid work with neither noticeable weaknesses nor special moments of brilliance.
  • A grade of D will mean:
    Some more serious deviations from the criteria expressed above. These might be in inaccuracies of the analysis, noticeable lapses in form or special weaknesses in the use of the English language.
  • A grade of F may mean anyone of three things:
    
    1. The paper was not turned in on time.
    2. Significant failures to meet the assignment at the level of reasonable university level expectations of thought, attention to detail, attention to the time guidelines or presentation expectations. (Specifics will be pointed out).
    3. Some of the particular aspects of the assignment were ignored (length, form, separate of sections, etc.) or presented in quite unacceptable forms.

    Please note that any evidence of plagiarism, that is work that is not the student's own, will result not only is a grade of F for the paper, but for the entire course.

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