Why does Rousseau believe that citizens can be ‘forced to be free’? Do you think his idea makes sense? Discuss the issue with reference to Hobbes’s understanding of liberty Custom Paper

Some student papers do not really address the essay question but talk about something else instead. Usually, such papers start with phrases like ‘Since the beginning of time famous philosophers have asked blah, blah, blah…’ and go on to offer random observations that have no particular relevance to the essay question.

Please be aware that a paper of this sort is usually going to receive a very low grade. To get a decent grade, you have to make an attempt to engage with the question and to make sure that what you write is relevant to answering the essay question.

• Your paper should have a clear structure: The paper must have an introduction that tells the reader what question the paper is about and what thesis you are defending. Make sure not to make this introduction too long, and do not add material to it that isn’t relevant in the context of the introduction. Just explain the question. Your paper must have a body that explains the problem to be addressed in enough detail and that offers a clear interpretation of the relevant texts. Usually, this part should contain your work with the primary text and offer a clear reconstruction of the argument that you are discussing. Finally, your paper should contain a clear conclusion that gives your own assessment of the problem raised by the essay question. Here, you are supposed to give your own opinion, provided it is properly supported by reasons and argument. It is important that the different parts of the paper build on each other and mutually support each other, so that there is a clear line of argument running through the paper as a whole.

• Your paper must be clear in expression: I do not grade your paper on the basis of the quality of your English. But of course, if your English is so bad that I don’t understand what you are saying, I cannot give you credit for what you write. So you should make an attempt to communicate as clearly as possible.

• Your paper must show that you have read and understood the primary texts the question is about: I expect you to write your papers on the basis of a firm understanding of the texts that we discuss in class. You should make sure to read the text that the essay question is about carefully once again before writing your essay. What you say about the text/author in the essay must be based on your own reading of the text and it should show that you have a good understanding of the text and of the problems it raises. If I notice that you have not read the text you will receive a very low grade for your paper.

• Secondary Sources: Since it is difficult and time-consuming enough to read the primary texts, you are not required to use any secondary sources. In fact, it is advisable not to do so. Your paper is likely to be better if you focus on working with the primary text. You will get no credit simply for telling me what some secondary source says about an issue. The point of the exercise is for you to arrive at your own assessment.

• Quotations: You should use quotations sparingly. If you put a point into your own words, I will see that you read the text and that you understand it. Papers that consist mainly of very long quotations from the text will receive a very low grade. Please make sure that all your quotations and other materials you decide to use are properly referenced.

• Your paper must be argumentative: Your paper should give a clear reconstruction of the relevant arguments in the text. You must explain to the reader why author x believes this or that. What are his assumptions? And how do they support the claim the author wants to defend? Once you have gone through this reconstructive work, you are in a position to critically evaluate an author’s argument. This evaluation must itself be argumentative. It is not enough simply to say that you agree/disagree with author x, and neither is it enough to base your evaluation on an appeal to authority or on how you feel about something. You have to explain to me why you agree/ disagree with the author. However, you are certainly encouraged to put forward your own conclusions, as long as you always present clear reasons for them.

Please note that good English alone is not going to give you a good grade in the philosophy-paper. If your paper has no argumentative substance it will not receive a high grade, however well it is written.

• Your final paper should make use of the feedback you received on your draft: When commenting on a draft, I will sometimes ask questions about your argument. Your final should show that you have the ability to respond to such questions.