ASSIGNMENT ON WILLIAM JAMES : THE WILL TO BELIEVE

Paper due in Corbett's email box: July 3rd

Assignment # 9A and 9B

Please note: This assignment is valued as though it were two. The grade will be recorded twice.

• ASSIGNMENT: Write a critical (evaluative) commentary to James' essay. State enough of the thesis and argument so that it is clear what argument you are responding to. Be sure to pick ONE SINGLE argument that is important to his paper and a part of the main thesis. The first part should not have one single word in it which reflects your evaluation, assessment, agreement or disagreement with the author, just tell us what the argument is. In the second part of your essay, following some of the tactics of criticism discussed in Corbett's paper, write an evaluation of the argument you've analyzed.

• PRE-WRITING TASKS:
  1. First reread James' essay all the way through with some care and reflect on it.
  2. Reread Corbett's paper introducing criticism.
  3. Make notes on what the argument is and what your own thoughts about the argument are. Then separate them into two different parts to be sure than when you get to the writing part they are clearly separate.
  4. If you have initial simple questions of understanding, e-mail Corbett privately and indicate whether this e-mail may or may not be used to the whole class. (Note at times your puzzles will be likely puzzles that others will have as well. Getting them out to all may be a genuine class service.) But, on these e-mails, it is as you wish.

• WRITING THE ASSIGNMENT:
  1. Be sure to put your name and the number of the assignment at the top of every paper. See topic of this page for the number of this assignment. Also, please give the brief "name" of the assignment.
  2. Be sure your remarks reflect some depth of reading and thought.
  3. First write a description of the piece of the argument which you will criticize. Do not put one single word of evaluation or personal views in this section.
  4. Secondly write and defend a criticism of this argument.
  5. Organize the essay in which the two sections are radically separate, but written in a style that has the first part flow easily and subtly into the second part.
  6. Don't belabor the obvious and trivial. Focus on the specially interesting or puzzling, and a part of the argument that is central to James' main thesis.
  7. Use careful and acceptable standard English. Give attention to spelling, grammar and style. These will matter throughout the course. Caution: internet writing often suggests contrary writing habits, allowing much less attention to these matters. In this regard this assignment (and all others) are quite different than many internet writings.

     This is a class assignment at a university and norms of university level writing at every level will be expected.

• GRADING CRITERIAL I WILL USE:
  1. Does the paper reflect a careful reading of James' paper?
  2. Is the analytic section (report on the argument) completely separate from the critical section (your evaluative assessment of somethings about the argument)?
  3. Does the writing style reflect a gracious seguy from the first section into the other without beating us over the head with it?
  4. Does it essay reflect some careful thought about the material analyzed and assessed?
  5. Are all comments accurate to James' position?
  6. Perhaps most important: Is the argument selected for criticism important and central to James' main thesis?
  7. Is the criticism well defended and of an important notion in James' paper?
  8. Are grammar, punctuation, spelling problems minimal?
  9. Is the writing style free of confusion and awkwardness?

• THE GRADES THEMSELVES:
  • A grade of A will mean: Well-written, well-defended, deep and challenging criticism of James' work. Analysis section is accurate to James' argument and the critical section is provocative and defended. The two sections are clearly separate. All is expressed in clear and thoughtful language.
  • A grade of B will mean: Well-written and reflective paper, but without the significant edge of revealing depth of thought and attention to detail of expression (writing), or without dealing with something central and important to James' central thesis. Nonetheless, the analysis is accurate of James' essay and the criticism is well-defended and on target. The two sections are clearly separated.
  • A grade of C will mean: Paper does what is asked and all parts are there. There are some inaccuracies in the analysis or the criticism falls short of careful and reflected comments. Or the two sections are not clearly separated. Or paper may contain too many lapses of mechanics and style.
  • A grade of D will mean: Paper falls short of an adequate university level response to the assignment. This may be in fulfillment of the content or in more serious problems with mechanics and style.
  • A grade of F may mean anyone of three things:
    1. Not turned in at all.
    2. Not turned in on time.
    3. Significant failures to meet the assignment at the level of reasonable university level expectations of thought, attention to detail, attention to reading or expression. (specifics will be pointed out).
  • NO ASSIGNMENT MAY BE REWRITTEN FOR HIGHER CREDIT.  You are welcome to rewrite them to improve them, and I will happily comment on them. But the original grade will remain as it was on the first and only graded attempt.

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