This research paper will build off the work you have already done in a Unit Writing Assignment. Begin by selecting one of your Unit Writing Assignments on either Plato’s Apology, Epictetus’ Handbook, Hume’s Enquiry, or Thoreau’s Walden, together with its “key passage,” as the basis for your research paper.
The research paper must be about one of these four assigned texts and it must incorporate citations from the assigned PDF version of the text specific to our course. Failure to meet this requirement—by substituting some other philosopher or some text other than the assigned PDF version of the text used specifically in this course—will result in zero points being assigned for the paper as a whole.
3. The body of your paper should consist of the following clearly labeled subsections.
A. Introduction
Write an introductory paragraph that introduces your chosen philosopher and includes an easily identifiable thesis statement.
a. Your thesis statement should summarize, in a single sentence, your paper’s argument.
b. Your thesis statement should clearly identify the “key passage” you have selected from your primary text.
c. Your thesis statement should explain (in general terms) why your selected passage is a “key” to understanding the whole of that primary text.
B. Historical Background
Based on research, write several substantial paragraphs (approximately 1 page total) that give relevant biographical and historical information about the author of your primary text and the world in which that author worked.
a. This subsection should answer questions like: Who is your philosopher? When and where did they live? What kind of training did they have? What were the major events in their lives?
b. Refer to and cite at least TWO of the following secondary sources for the information gathered and summarized in this section. Use MLA style parenthetical citations.
The Encyclopedia Britannica
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
Failure to refer to and cite at least TWO of these specific secondary sources will result in zero points being awarded for this section of the paper.
C. Philosophical Background
Based on research, write several substantial paragraphs (approximately 1 page total) that give relevant information about the philosophical ideas most important to your philosopher.
a. Answer questions like: What were the main philosophical contributions made by your philosopher? What topics and questions interested them most? What other philosophers or schools of philosophy influenced them? What were their major published works? What influence did they have on the work of the philosophers who came after them?
b. Identify two three of their best known ideas.
c. In particular, identify two or three of the main philosophical themes of the particular text that you are writing about.
d. Refer to and cite at least TWO of the following secondary sources for the information gathered and summarized in this section. Use MLA style parenthetical citations.
The Encyclopedia Britannica
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
Failure to refer to and cite at least TWO of these specific secondary sources will result in zero points being awarded for this section of the paper.
D. Key Passage
Introduce and cite (in full) the passage you have selected from the primary text as a “key” to understanding the whole of that primary text.
a. The “key passage” should be approximately 150-250 words.
b. Write a short paragraph that supplies context for this passage: from which section of the primary text is your passage taken? Who is speaking? What question is this passage addressing?
c. The “key passage” should be cited using MLA style parenthetical citations but, in this case, it is sufficient to give the title and the page number. For example: (Walden, 18).
*Failure to incorporate citations from your key passage taken from the primary text PDF used specifically in this online course, including a cited page number, will result in zero points being assigned for this section of the paper.
E. Analysis of Key Passage
E1. Drawing on the work you’ve already done in your original Unit Writing Assignment, write a paragraph (approximately 150-250 words) that identifies the main idea of the key passage you selected from the primary text. Feel free to treat section C1 of the original Unit Writing Assignment as a rough draft for this section of the research paper.
a. Clearly state the main idea of your key passage in the paragraph’s topic sentence.
b. Identify the reasons given in the passage in support of this main idea.
c. Include citations from your key passage that provide evidence for your argument.
*Failure to incorporate citations from your key passage taken from the primary text PDF used specifically in this online course, including a cited page number, will result in zero points being assigned for this section of the paper.
E2. Drawing on the work you’ve already done in your original Unit Writing Assignment, write a second paragraph (approximately 150-250 words) that explains why, in your view, the selected passage is a “key” to understanding the whole of that primary text. Feel free to treat section C2 of the original Unit Writing Assignment as a rough draft for this section of the research paper.
a. Clearly state your reason for choosing this passage in the paragraph’s topic sentence.
b. Explain how this key passage helps us to better understand the whole of that primary text.
c. Connect your explanation to the main themes of the author’s work that you already identified in section C on philosophical background.
d. Include citations from your key passage that provide evidence for your argument.
*Failure to incorporate citations from your key passage taken from the primary text PDF used specifically in this online course, including a cited page number, will result in zero points being assigned for this section of the paper.
F. Supporting Passages
Choose two other supporting passages (approximately 150-250 words each) from the PDF of the assigned primary text specific to this online course for your chosen philosopher.
F1. Demonstrate how your selected “key passage” can help us to understand the meaning and importance of your first supporting passage.
a. Introduce and cite (in full) your first supporting passage. Supply context for this passage.
b. Write a substantial paragraph that explains how your “key passage” can help us to better understand the meaning and importance of your first supporting passage.
c. Include citations from your key passage and first supporting passage that provide evidence for your argument.
*Failure to incorporate citations from your supporting passage taken from the primary text PDF used specifically in this online course, including a cited page number, will result in zero points being assigned for this section of the paper.
F2. Demonstrate how your selected “key passage” can help us to understand the meaning and importance of your second supporting passage.
a. Introduce and cite (in full) your second supporting passage. Supply context for this passage.
b. Write a substantial paragraph that explains how your “key passage” can help us to understand the meaning and importance of your second supporting passage.
c. Include citations from your key passage and second supporting passage that provide evidence for your argument.
*Failure to incorporate citations from your supporting passage taken from the primary text PDF used specifically in this online course, including a cited page number, will result in zero points being assigned for this section of the paper.
G. Conclusion
Write a substantial paragraph that repeats your original thesis statement and summarizes the evidence you’ve offered in support of that thesis.
H. Works Cited Page
Include an MLA style Works Cited page that lists full bibliographical information for all of your sources.
a. Be sure to include full bibliographical information for all of your cited secondary sources.
b. For the PDF of your primary text, it is sufficient for our purposes to list the author, the translator (where applicable), and the title