Philosophical Journey Workshop

Header 1.Name 2.Teacher Name 3.Class, Period 4.Date (Day Month Year) Clark Sample Dr. Rockell English 12, Period 3 30 April 2014 Formatting Times New Roman 12 point font Left alignment (NOT centered) 1 inch margins

Thesis Statement 3 Green Words Be clear and specific Answer the prompt: After looking at a variety of different philosophers and my own philosophy, what do I believe? Remember that this is ultimately a compare/contrast essay

Introduction What should I talk about? – How you came to believe what you believe Upbringing, literature you have read, religion, etc – How your understanding of the world has changed over time (remember, philosophical journey) – Eventually narrow down to your thesis statement

Labeling Make a key at the top of your paper using your highlighters Sample: – Green=Statement – Pink=Proof – Yellow=Commentary Label the topic sentence Label the transition at the end Highlight statement, proof, and commentary using your key

Evaluate Your Claim Does it clearly state your position on whether you agree or disagree with the philosophies researched? EVALUATE YOUR PROOF Do you establish that your statement is indeed evident in the reliable source material you used? Do you have direct quotes from the original source(s), NOT the handouts or powerpoint? EVALUATE YOUR COMMENTARY Do you address the WHY of your statement? In addition to what your sources indicated, what has led YOU specifically to accept this as truth? Include explanation, anecdotes, etc. Do you include a specific COMPARISON to your cited philosopher or thinker? Do you include a specific CONTRAST to your cited philosopher or thinker?

Evaluate Connections Draw a line between the first quote’s commentary and the claim. Evaluate if you have made this connection in your commentary. – If yes, draw a check mark next to the line – If no, draw and “x” on the line. Repeat with your second (and third, etc) quote Only draw a check mark if the connection is clear and explicit. I should not need to take a leap of faith to get where you are going.

Integration of Proof Look for your quotations Do you have 1 – 2 quotations per paragraph? Is your quote sitting alone, not tied to the sentences around it? – Example: Nietsche said “God is dead.” If so, you need to “couch” it. – Example: Unlike Nietsche who believed that “God is dead,” I believe that God’s spirit is still at work in the world.”

Conclusion What should I talk about? – Always go forward in a conclusion How you think exploring other beliefs has impacted you How you see your philosophy impact the way you live your life in the future

Mechanics Check The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Check for: Comma usage Pronoun agreement Plural vs. Possessive (One Republic’s vs. One Republics) Capitalization of proper nouns Run-on sentences and sentence fragments Spelling Word choice that isn’t quite right Anything else you see Even if you aren’t sure, mark it. You know when something doesn’t look or sound quite right. You will double-check later

Language Register Check Are you staying in formal register? Look back at notes to check. Use a pen or a pencil to circle any register drops and write “register” next to these circled areas. You may use personal pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “my.” – Absolutely no “you” or “your” unless it is in one of the quotes you are using.

On Wednesday: Final copy This workshopped draft All 5 freewrites Turnitin.com receipt. Even if you are not here, it is due. You will need to make arrangements to have it to me by the beginning of your class period. If you are missing your turnitin.com receipt, it is considered late, even if you have everything else with you.