The point of getting you to write a paper for this course is to get you to think carefully and deeply about the issues for yourself, and then to express your ideas as clearly as possible. Writing a paper is a sustained piece of work that should take you several days. It is also your main chance in this course to develop your own ideas and think them through.In your paper, whatever the topic, you should pay careful attention to what the primary texts (i.e., in this course, the ancient ones).You need to show you have read them carefully and understand them.I recommend that you carefully select passages from them to support your interpretations and argument.
Your paper should be typed, with double-spaced lines,
so there is enough room for me to add comments on each page. You must keep
an extra copy of your paper (either hard copy or on disc) in case I mislay
your paper. Good spelling, grammar, and writing style are necessary for
clear paper writing, and you will lose points if your paper is unclear.
It can be useful to do some research beyond the course book, and your paper
should include references and a bibliography. You can do research on the
Internet, but you should also use at least one book. The class web
page will contain some links to relevant books and web sites.The
Dowling Library staff will do their best to help you search for a book
to help you write your paper, so do not be shy in asking for their help.
Draft: roughly 900 words.14% of total grade.Due November 1 or 2.If your draft is not ready by the time of class, do NOT miss class.I will put comments on your paper and return it to you within a week.Late penalty: 2% of paper grade per day.
Final version: roughly 1200 words.30%
of total grade.Due November 29 or
30 (or by e-mail to cperring@bigfoot.com as a Word or RTF attachment, or
by fax to 589-6644).I will not put
comments on this paper but I will be ready to meet with you to discuss
your work. Late penalty: 2% of paper grade per day.
Important: if you copy any information from any source you need to acknowledge that source in your paper.If you directly quote from another source, you must make this as clear as possible.If a substantial portion of your paper (draft or final version) is copied from another source without acknowledgement, then you will automatically fail the course and I will notify the Chief Academic Officer.If I like your paper, or if I want to check that you have written and understood what you have handed in, I may ask you to meet with me to discuss your paper.You must be able to meet with me within 7 days of my contacting you.
On your paper (both draft and final version) you must write and sign the following statement:
"This work contains no unacknowledged writing by others.It has been written with academic integrity."
You must also provide a phone number, fax number, e-mail address or other way you can be easily reached.
For detailed information about my policy concerning plagiarism and hints about how to write a good paper, go to the web at faculty/cperring/guide.html
Your paper (draft and final version) must contain
a bibliography.
Answer ONE of these questions: