Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
I urge you to pay special attention to the Summary: (i) it will help you better organize your thoughts, (ii) it will also help your colleagues get an idea of what your talk will be on and prepare for the discussion, and (iii) it will be evaluated.
Your 15-minute presentation should be based on a critical review on a selected text. The text should be determined in consultations with the instructor. The critical review (3 double-spaced pages) should include
1. A clear statement of the main idea in the text.
2. A brief summary of what is discussed and what the arguments are (the identification of arguments is crucial for a genuine understanding).
3. A critical analysis - whether the offered explanations and arguments are relevant and convincing (explain why or why not). Compare this text to at least one more text on the same subject.
4. Your own view based on the critical analysis and the comparison with other works on the topic.
1. Outline: state the subject and the main points of your talk
2. Body of the presentation (Introduction, etc.)
3. Conclusions: state the main results of your work
In the second semester everyone should email me a two-page summary of their talk (500-600 words) which contains a formulation of the presentation topic and an outline of the main points of your talk. The summary should be sent at least two days prior to the day of the presentation - it should arrive by 9:00 PM of the corresponding Friday at the latest.
As in the case of your 15-minute presentations you should pay special attention to the Summary for the same reasons.
1. Outline: state the subject and the main points of your talk
2. Body of the presentation (Introduction, etc.)
3. Conclusions: state the main results of your work
A presentation should last 30 minutes. Your talk should demonstrate clear understanding of the material you are presenting.
All presentations should be regarded as independent - you do not have to bother what your colleagues might or might not include in their presentations. Think of your presentation and essay as designed for a wider audience. You have to assume that your audience is scientifically literate but the people there are not specialists in the area of your presentation. So, you have to briefly introduce all concepts necessary for your talk.
When you write the essay after your talk you should take into account any critical comments and suggestions made during your presentation. Your essay must have the form of a research paper.
A research paper presents the results of your investigations on a selected topic. Based on your own thoughts and the facts and ideas you have gathered from a variety of sources, a research paper is your own synthesis of these facts and ideas, with complete documentation of where those facts and ideas came from. In this sense a research paper is a new work that you create by consulting several sources to answer a research question.
A research paper is not a summary of an article or book or a collection of summaries of articles or books. You should demonstrate that you understand the problems by interpreting and evaluating the information you present.
The purpose of writing a research paper is two-fold: (i) to broaden your knowledge of a specific topic, and (ii) most importantly to help you gain experience in writing such papers: the experience in gathering, interpreting, and documenting information, developing and organizing ideas and conclusions, and communicating them clearly by itself constitutes an important part of your education.
Abstract: Summary of the essay - at least 100 words
Introduction: Statement of the problem by providing background information and outlining what you intend to do in the body of the essay. The Introduction should end with at least one-sentence description of what is done in each section.
Body: Presenting the results of your research in an organized and consistent manner. It should be clearly seen that you understand the material well. Use every opportunity to analyze critically different views on the subject you are presenting - this is the best way to demonstrate understanding. You must avoid writing mere summaries of what other authors have written on the subject. Give your opinion.
The body of the essay should itself be divided into sections - see ESSAY FORMAT below.
Conclusion: Summary of the most important results of your research discussed in the body of the essay.
1. The first page starts with title, name, abstract (at least 100 words), list of the section titles, and the beginning of the Introduction of the paper. If you like you can put a front page, but this does NOT affect what should be on the first page.
2. Your paper should be structured - divided into sections:
3. See an example of the first page of a paper.
Both the paper and critical review should:
Good luck in your encounters with the mysteries of SCIENCE!
| Essay Organization |
Some Reflections on How to Write an Essay | Plagiarism Resources |
| Elements of Style |
Guide For Writing Research Papers |
Writing Essays |
| Critical Essays |
Critical Review |
Basic Essay Format |
Writing a Research Paper |
| Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper |
Guide for Writing Papers in Philosophy |
Suggestions for Giving Talks |
