WOH 2012 ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS:

Overview of Assignments:

You will write two different types of essays this semester:

(1) Ten short “homework” essays (1-2 pages each), due almost every week in discussion section.

a. Questions will focus on each week’s readings. Questions will be assigned a week in advance, and posted online.

(2) Two longer papers (approx. four pages each), due on Oct. 7 and Nov. 27.

a. These will revise and expand one of the short essays you wrote for homework.

Short Essays:

For almost every discussion section, you will be required to write a short essay (1-2 pages long) addressing a question pertaining to that week’s readings. The questions will be handed out one-week in advance, and posted on this web page (which will be updated regularly).

Each of these essays should follow this format:

1. Begin with a short “thesis paragraph.” This states your answer to the question in a 2-4 sentences. This should not be merely a summary, but should state your argument/answer to the question clearly and succinctly.

2. Continue with a long body paragraph of evidence. Here you will refer specifically to the readings, using quotes or paraphrasing, to prove that your thesis is “correct.” You must refer directly to the primary sources, not simply the editor’s introduction to the sources.

3. Conclude with a short sentence or two that summarizes the main argument you just made, essentially a recap of your thesis.

Note: Since you only have to write 1-2 pages for the short essays, do not feel like you have to write a comprehensive answer. Instead, choose one or two points that you will emphasize in your paper. State the one or two points you will emphasize clearly in your thesis, and then support that thesis with evidence from the documents.

A note on grading: Collectively, these essays are worth 20% of your course grade, or 2 percentage points each. The good news is that we will throw-out your lowest score at the end of the semester, which means you can earn extra credit or skip one week of your choice(!). They will be graded on a scale of 1-10 (with a seven being a “C”). To receive an “A” or “B” the essays must articulate a clear thesis and argument, and support that argument with evidence from the primary sources. Essays which merely summarize, without developing a clear thesis, will receive no higher than a “C.”

An important note on the short-papers and discussion: These short essays will also serve as spring-boards for discussion in section. Be prepared to share your essay with your classmates at least once during the semester (and possibly more than that)!

Long Essays

Twice during the semester, you will take a short essay of your choosing and revise and expand that short essay into a four-page paper. The basic format of the paper will be the same (thesis paragraph à evidence à conclusion), but you should elaborate more fully on your thesis, incorporate more evidence from the readings, and write a more substantial conclusion. If your TA agrees in advance, you may choose to write your longer essay on a different topic arising from the reading (i.e. on something other than “the question”).

A note on grading: Collectively, these essays are worth 40% of your course grade. As with the shorter essays, to receive an “A” or “B” these longer papers must articulate a clear thesis and argument, and support that argument with evidence from the primary sources. The grading criteria will be more stringent than that for the shorter essays, to take account of material covered in class discussion. In addition, these essays must show improvement and they must be polished.

Essay Guidelines:

All papers should follow the formatting and stylistic guidelines posted on this site. Please see guidelines for late policy.

Essay Questions:

Question No. 1 (short essay due 8/30):

· In Chapter 2 of Discovering, compare and contrast the Sumerian (Babylonian) creation account in document 1 (pgs. 27-28) with one of the other creation accounts in documents 2, 3, or 4. Then answer this question: Judging from these documents, how did the Sumerians’ view of their relationship with the gods differ from that represented in the other creation account you selected?

· In your answer for the short essay, focus on one or two points. Write a thesis in your introduction that directly addresses states the point(s) you will emphasize. Then in the main body paragraph provide evidence from the documents to support your thesis. Be sure to follow the instructions above! And the formatting and stylistic guidelines posted on this site.

· Should you choose to revisit this topic for the long essay, you may wish to expand it to compare all four creation accounts (but you do not have to).

Question No. 2 (short essay due 9/6):

· The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most important sources historians use to understand the lives, practices, values, and beliefs of the Sumerians. What does this story tell us about the lives of the Sumerians? Choose one aspect of Sumerian life, and explain what the Epic tells us about it. (You can focus on anything that interests you. For example, religious beliefs, male-female (gender) relations, labor practices, everyday life, farming, etc.)

· Should you choose to revisit this topic for the long essay, you may choose to elaborate on the one aspect of Sumerian life illuminated by Gilgamesh. Alternatively, you may choose to explore the broader question of what this story tells us about the lives of the Sumerians, addressing several different aspects of Sumerian life.

Question No. 3 (short essay due 9/13):

· The images in Chapter 3 include representations of the human form from five different cultures. Choose one culture and answer this question: How does this cultures depict the human form, and what do these depictions tell us about the values of this culture?

· Should you choose to revisit this topic for the long essay, compare and contrast the depictions of the human form from at least two of these cultures, and possibly more.

Question No. 4 (short essay due 9/20):

· The central political and philosophical questions of The Last Days of Socrates concern the proper relationship of the individual to the state. In the Apology (pgs. 31-67), Socrates convincingly defends his innocence, but is nonetheless convicted of a crime. In the Crito (pgs. 68-92), Socrates refuses to escape from prison even though he believes he is innocent and was wrongly convicted by the Athenian courts. How does Socrates defend his unwillingness to escape from prison, and what does this tell us about his view of the proper relationship of the individual to the state?

Question No. 5 (short essay due 10/3):

· The documents in chapter 4 enable you to compare and contrast the ways the Han and Roman empires conceived of and justified their authority. The documents and accompanying text highlight similarities and differences between how the rulers of these two great empires established their legitimacy. In your view, were they more similar than different? Or do the differences outweigh the similarities? In your short essay, choose one major similarity, or one major point of contrast, and explain its significance.

Question No. 6 (short essay due 10/18):

· Choose one of the documents posted online. What does that document reveal about that particular religious tradition? Choose one major point and elaborate.

· Note: It will be helpful (if not absolutely necessary!) to read the corresponding section of your textbook.

Question No. 7 (short essay due 10/25):

· Free response: Answer one of the questions listed in “The Problem” (pp. 111-112) or “Questions to Consider” (pp. 139-140) sections of the chapter. Be sure to identify the question at the beginning of your essay, and be sure to use direct evidence from the sources.

Question No. 8 (short essay due 11/1):

· Choose one Christian source and one Muslim source from Discovering Chapter 7 (on “Holy War”). Then answer: what impressions did each side create of the other?

· For the short essay you may wish to highlight one common theme between both, or else one major area of difference.

· For the long essay, you should use all the sources to explore this question: What impressions did each side create of the other?

Question No. 9 (short essay due 11/15):

· Note: The readings have changed since the beginning of the semester: Read Discovering, chapter 8.

· What attitudes toward male and female behavior and the relations between men & women do these sources convey?

· For the short essay you may wish to highlight one common theme between both, or else one major area of difference.

Question No. 10 (short essay due 11/22):

· Answer either of these questions: (1) How did people interpret the causes of the plague? Or, (2) How did people interpret the consequences of the plague for their society?

· For the short essay, focus on at least one document that conveys a Christian perspective, and one document that conveys a Muslim perspective, and compare these approaches.

· For the long essay, you may want to write your essay on both of the above questions: causes and consequences. And you may wish to compare and contrast Christian and Muslim perspectives.

OPTIONAL:

* If you ask your TA and he agrees, you may write your longer paper on Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

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