This course will meet for one hour weekly in order to develop writing techniques in the humanities. Particular attention will be given to writing good critical essays in philosophy. Students are expected to attend every class session and to come prepared for class assignments. The class should be viewed as an informal writer’s workshop in which we explore the best strategies for developing successful papers in philosophy. Research, documentation, argumentative structure and rhetorical style will be considered as elements of good writing. Assignments will be based on essays due in PHH 3100. Typically, drafts for essays in that course will be developed in this one.

Grades will be based upon the following:

--Attendance and participation, including a writing journal in which each student will record her/his compositional process, culminating in rough drafts for essays assigned in PHH 3100. Brainstorming, free writing, reflections on issues raised in class, on motivations for and commitment to writing, the role of writing in learning, and related issues may also be included: 50% of final grade.

--A series of rough drafts prepared for discussion and revision when due. Due dates for drafts will be assigned in class: 50% of final grade.

No hard-copy writing text will be employed; but various online and library sources will be employed:

Electronic Sources:

Some Guidelines for Writing Papers in Philosophy:

Williams College: "Paper Writing Strategies for Introductory Philosophy Courses": http://www.williams.edu/acad-depts/philosophy/jcruz/writingtutor/

Watson, Ellen, University of Queensland : "A Guide for Writing Papers in Philosophy": http://www.uq.oz.au/~pdgdunn/watessay.htm

Pryor, James, Harvard University: "Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper": http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~jpryor/general/writing.html

Portmore, Douglas, College of Charleston: "Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper":   http://www.cofc.edu/~portmord/tips.htm

"A Brief Guide for Writing Philosophy Papers": http://www.nwmissouri.edu/~rfield/guide.html

Franklin, R.L., University of New England: "On Writing Philosophy Assignments": http://www.uq.edu.au/~pdgdunn/rlfessay.htm

Studying Philosophy on the Internet:

American Philosophical Association: http://www.udel.edu/apa/

"Aristotle": Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/a/aristotl.htm

Biography of Aristotle: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Aristotle.html

Biography of Plato: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Plato.html

Exploring Plato’s Dialogues: http://plato.evansville.edu/

Greek Philosophy Archive: http://graduate.gradsch.uga.edu:80/archive/Greek.html

Internet Classics Archive: http://classics.mit.edu/index.html

Origins of Western Thought (Presocratic Philosophy): http://people.delphi.com/gkemerling/hy/2b.htm

Perseus Project: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/

Philosophy Resources on the Internet: http://www.epistemelinks.com/Main/MainPers.asp

Philosophy Text Collection: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/philtext.htm

Presocratic Philosophy: http://www.forthnet.gr/presocratics/indeng.htm

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/