ETHICS TERM PAPER

Peer Review Workshop – Dr. Avillez

1. Introduction

· Does the introduction try to explain anything about a theory?

· Yes – This is bad. Move explanations to the body of the essay.

· No.

· Does the introduction waste time on unimportant details about the philosopher’s life or inflated rhetoric, or any other fluff?

· Yes – This is bad. Remove all fluff. The introduction should tell me about the paper that is to come, nothing else. One or two sentences for context building is ok, but keep it short.

· No.

· Does the introduction cite a dictionary definition of a term at any point?

· Yes – This reflects poor style and is largely unhelpful. Never cite a dictionary definition of a term. If it’s an important term, the philosopher probably defined it in their text.

· No.

· Does the introduction help the reader understand why the thesis (and therefore the paper) is interesting or important?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. The introduction should tell me about the paper that is to follow and make me care about it.

· Does the introduction work as a guide, or “road map,” to the paper?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. The introduction should tell the reader how the paper will unfold.

· Is the introduction brief and concise?

· Yes.

· No. – This is bad. The introduction should do everything it must do in less than ½ a page, in a paper this short.

2. Thesis Statement

· Can you easily identify and understand the thesis statement?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. If you cannot find or understand the thesis, the paper will probably make little sense. Help the author craft a (better) thesis.

· Does the thesis make an interesting assertion, about which intelligent people might disagree?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. If the thesis says something obvious, then the paper will strike the reader as pointless.

· Is the thesis detailed and specific?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. The thesis should provide as much detail as possible. If it claims that there are problems with an argument, it should say what those problems are. If it says that an argument is strong, it should say why.

3. Body

· Does the body of the essay include (1) an exposition (or explanation) of the theory, arguments, and/or concepts it will discuss, (2) the author’s own arguments in support of their thesis, and (ideally) (3) a consideration of objections to the thesis or its supporting arguments? Note that these elements do not have to be separated into different sections of the essay, but should be easily identifiable and flow naturally. If in doubt, do it in this order.

· Yes.

· No. – This is bad. Roughly ½ of the essay should be spent explaining the theory the paper will analyze, and the other ½ should be spent analyzing it (this second half may include considerations of potential objections).

· Does each paragraph focus on one single idea or argument?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Paragraphs should be focused. If you move on to a new topic, start a new paragraph. If you notice that you are left with very short paragraphs, take that as a hint that you have not said enough about those topics.

· Are any paragraphs longer than ¾ of a page?

· Yes – This is bad. Long paragraphs are taxing on the reader, and are usually a sign of lack of focus. Find where the topic shifts in the long paragraphs, and break them up.

· No.

· Are all of the author’s claims supported with arguments or evidence from the text (i.e. quotes or paraphrases)?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Identify each unsupported claim, so that the author can fix them.

· Does the author rely too heavily on quotes? Rule of Thumb: quotes should (only) be used to support a particular interpretation of the text. Unless the exact wording of the passage is important, paraphrase it instead.

· Yes – This is bad. Identify unnecessary quotes (i.e. passages that could be eliminated or changed to paraphrases without any loss to the paper).

· No.

· Are all quotes and paraphrases properly cited?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Identify all passages that should be cited. As a rule of thumb, you should cite whenever you attribute a thought to someone, when you use someone else's thoughts in your own writing, or when you describe something that you learned from one of your sources.

· Are all quotes from a theory carefully explained in the author’s own words?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Identify all quotes that need to be explained. Never rely on a quote to do your work for you.

· Does every paragraph contribute to the defense of the thesis?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Paragraphs that do not directly or indirectly contribute to the explanation or defense of the thesis should probably be deleted.

4. Conclusion

· Does the conclusion provide a quick overview of the argument that was just given?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad. Conclusions in analytical/critical papers should remind the reader how your argument has unfolded.

· Does the conclusion remind the reader why this paper’s argument is important?

· Yes.

· No. – This is bad.

· Does the conclusion acknowledge any important questions that were not addressed in the paper?

· Yes. (this is good)

· No.

5. Language

· Are all key terms and concepts explained when they are first used in the essay?

· Yes.

· No. This is bad. Do not use jargon without explaining what it means.

· Does the essay include pretentious prose (“alas,” “deem,” “quest,” “ponder,” “propound,” etc.), which makes it difficult to read.?

· Yes. This is bad. The essay should consist of simple (but not informal) language. Clarity of language and thought is key. Having said that, only use language you know and are comfortable with. Put that thesaurus down!

· No.

· Is the author’s language precise?

· Yes.

· No. This is bad. Avoid hyperboles and vague metaphors.

· Does the author use profanity and/or colloquialisms (i.e. informal turns of phrase, such as “gonna,” “gotta,” or “mind-blowing”)?

· Yes – This is bad. Use clean and formal language. You writing should be more formal than your everyday speech.

· No.

· Does the author use rhetorical questions at any point?

· Yes. This is bad. Rhetorical questions can weaken your essay in two ways: 1) by leaving open the possibility that the reader will answer your question in unforeseen ways, therefore robbing your argument of credibility; and 2) by fooling you (the writer) into thinking that you have argued your point sufficiently. If you are trying to make a point, then turn the question into an assertion, and defend that assertion.

· No.

6. Bibliography

· Does the essay contain a complete and properly formatted (MLA style) bibliography, which includes all cited sources as well as all sources consulted in the process of writing?

· Yes.

· No – This is bad.