LOCATION
Department of Government & History
Dr. Blanche Radford Curry
Philosophy 212, African American Philosophy
3 Credit Hours On Line Course
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a critical examination of concepts and issues pertaining to African American experience in historical and contemporary periods. Concepts and issues such as oppression, resistance, justice, liberation, separatism, integration, affirmative action, identity, self-respect, race, class, gender, the universality of Western Philosophy, and cultural features of philosophy. These concepts and issues will be addressed through an analysis of writings by major figures such as: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Alain Locke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, William Jones, Cornel West, Angela Davis, Leonard Harris, and Bernard Boxill. Pre-requisite: Philosophy 110.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS
1. To analyze extended, involved arguments about alternative conceptual schemes, culturally complex topics, and philosophical issues.
2. To evaluate these arguments in writing and orally with special attention to the evidence presented pro and con.
3. To develop and refine skills in reading, writing, speaking, analyzing, and evaluating.
4. To develop an understanding of African American perspectives on important philosophical questions.
COURSE COMPETENCIES
1. Demonstrates Knowledge of the Nature of Philosophy
1.1 Understands the debate over the character of philosophy
1.2 Understands issues of contextuality in philosophy
1.3 Understands the debate concerning Black philosophy
2. Comprehends Major Themes in African American Philosophy
2.1 Understands important concepts and issues
2.2 Understands historical and contemporary African Americans? perspectives of philosophical inquiry
3. Demonstrates Knowledge of Major African American Philosophers
3.1 Understands non-traditional philosophy figures and gender
3.2 Recognizes different perspectives among African American
philosophers
4. Demonstrates Analytical, Verbal, and Written Skills
4.1 Develops clear and evaluative thought about African American Philosophy
TEACHING STRATEGIES
Group work, chat room discussions, oral presentation, and audio-visuals.
COURSE TOPICS AND
Unit 01 Concerning The Character Of
Philosophy
Unit 02 Debate Concerning Black Philosophy
Unit 03 African American Philosophy: Transformative Philosophy of
Frederick Douglass
Unit 04 African American Philosophy: Transformative Philosophy of W.E.B.
Dubois
Unit 05 Malcolm X: Personal, Political, and Economic Transformation
Unit 06 Alain Locke: Unity Within Diversity
Unit 07 Martin Luther King, Jr. : Spiritual and
Moral Transformation
Unit 08 Angela Davis: Transformative Philosophy
Unit 09 The Politics of Commonalities and Differences
Unit 10 More Dimensions of African American Philosophy
Unit 11 Synthesis
Final Exam
Photo Gallery
African American Philosophy: Transformative Philosophy of Frederick
Douglass Readings: —
Broadus N. Butler, "Frederick
Douglass: The Black Philosopher in the
AFRICAN AMERICAN
PHILOSOPHY: TRANSFORMATIVE PHILOSOPHY OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS
¨"Slavery, Freedom, and Self-Identity" ¨ "Lifetime of Struggle: Frederick Douglas," ¨ "No Rest ‘Til Freedom," ¨ What is your provocative title? ¨ What is your provocative title?
OVERVIEW OF ESSAYS,
BOOK, AND VIDEO 
Essential philosophical
themes examined in these selections include the nature and meaning of freedom,
dynamics of the slave/mater relationship, self-identity, the
paradoxical role of religion, human equality, resistance, struggle,
non-traditional philosophical genres, and the grounding of these philosophical
themes from an African American perspective. ¨ In "Frederick Douglass: The Black
Philosopher in the United States: A Commentary," Broadus N. Butler
maintains that the role of the Black Philosophers is both "formidable and
paradoxical;" because
once taken into account it generally has been either co-opted or denied full
status and recognition." Butler reminds us that the genre for Black
American philosophical inquiry consisted of oral, literary and political work
with a focus on the transformation of social and legal systems into a
democratic ideal of justice. This focus,
Angela Y. Davis in ¨ "Lectures on Liberation," examines
the philosophical nature of human freedom, the metaphysical idea of identity,
the problem of self-knowledge, the concept of liberation, and the dynamic
active struggle for freedom. Her philosophical analysis of these issues is
centered in The Life and Times of Frederic Douglass. Davis points out
that the history of Black Literature provides us with an illuminating account
of these philosophical issues, that is not available as such in traditional
philosophical discourses. Similarly,
From Frederick Douglass’ ¨ Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass, An American Slave we are provided with an extensive
reflection of the text itself, and given a vivid first person account of the
institution of slavery from the hands of the victim, Frederick Augusta Washington
Bailey Douglass through childhood to freedom and death. Reflections on the text
cover the following: William Lloyd Garrisons’ description of Douglass as an
individual, an eloquent and brilliant speaker, a surviror
of slavery; Wendell Phillips’ letter to Douglass congradulating
him on the writing of the Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, An
American Slave, Written by Himself, liking it to the fable "The Man
and the Lion," "when the lions wrote history," and his ground
breaking account of the peculiar institution of slavery; references by Arna Bontemps and Henry Louis
Gates, Jr. about the slave narrative as an American genre, its historical,
political, and physical value.
Douglass’ account of his
experience from childhood to freedom address begins with a description of
family memories prior to discovering his status as a slave. In his description
of the horror of slavery, he begins to raise the question of equality,
lamenting why he was "less than" his white counter part. He proceeds
with explaining the value and importance of learning to read and write, while
discussing the conflicting challenges of bliss and ignorance intertwined with
the struggle for freedom. In conclusion, Douglass offers an analysis of
Christianity "proper" which was important to him and sword against
slavery as compared with a "white" Christianity.
In general the video,¨ "When the
Lion Wrote History" provides a provocative reiteration of the Narrative
Of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Additionally, it
highlights the following: Douglass account of what bondage does to the human
spirit, the Columbus Orator as a philosophical and teaching tool for Douglass,
his differences with the anti-abolionist Garrison on
the issue ending slavery through moral consciousness, his difficult dilemena with John Brown, the 13th, and 15th
amendments, the women’s movement, his two wives, and his friendship with
Harriett Tubman.
READING GUIDE ¨ THEME OBJECTIVES
1. Philosophical
discourses occurs in genres other than academic philosophy and by
others than trained philosophers. Elaborate on these other genres,
identify these other thinkers, and their contributions.
2. Explain the
contradictions between the American ideals and the institution of slavery.
3. Describe
the sense in which Black Americans were excluded from the Americans governing
doctrines and name these doctrines.
4. Elaborate
on the paradox of Christianity as a justification for the institution of
slavery and as a vehicle against slavery by African Americans.
5. Explain
6. Describe
the schizoidic use religion by slaveowners
to justify their superior position and that of slaves being subhuman as "a
natural order of things."
7. In so far
as knowledge itself is a social construct which does not necessarily relate to
what is actually true, elaborate on the issues of what is actually true or real,
ways of knowing, and a valid source of knowledge, when religion is viewed as
fundamental to how knowledge is acquired.
8. Describe
the transformation from a slave to a free person, highlighting the concepts of
consciousness, property, identity, and resistance.
9. Explain why
learning makes one unfit to be a slave.
10.
.Explain the point that
11.
.Explain the dialectical relationship between
the master and the slave, outlining the following: a form of alienation for
both the master and the slave, the master’s dependency on the slave for his
personhood and superiority, the master as not truly free, and the slave’s
consent of power to his/her master.
12.
.Describe the purpose for the brutal
treatment of slaves as it relates to the scernior of
slaves as inferior, subhmuan, property, without
humanity, and the perpetuation of a reality to support the ideology of slavery.
13.
.Explain the importance of Black Studies
Programs for
14.
.Describe the nature of literary narratives
as philosophical genres.
15.
.Explain the value of slave narratives as
philosophical and historical accounts.
16.
.Describe how Frederick Douglass was like and
unlike the book, The Narrative of the Life of Frederic Douglass, An American Slave at the time he wrote it.
17.
.Describe some of the harrowing first person
account of slavery discussed by Douglass.
18.
.Discuss the ramifications of Douglass
encounter with Mr. Covey in terms of a turning point for Douglass highlighting
the following: Douglass’ redefinition of self, the implications of this new
identity for Covey, resistance as a necessary step towards freedom, and
consciousness of the process of struggle for transformative change.
19.
.Explain the following quotes by Douglass:
"Agitate, agitate, agitate," and "Without struggle, there is not
change."
20.
.Describe the similarity between Douglass’
resistance and Patrick Henry’s admonishment, "give me liberty or give me
death," and the slave Demby who resolves to die
rather than be flogged again.
21.
.Explain the importance of Douglass’ persistant search for the date of his birth to his death.
22.
.Name and describe the nature of the
publications Douglass edited during his life of advocacy against slavery.
23.
.Explain the difference between Christianity
"proper" and "white" Christianity.
24.
.Describe the disagreement between Garrison
and Douglass regarding the end of slavery through moral consciousness, and the
need for blacks to take a leading voice in the fight against slavery.
25.
.Elaborate on Douglass’ involvement with the
13th and 15th amendments, and the women’s suffrage.
26.
.Explain Douglass’ reference to his first
wife as the color of his mother and his second wife as the color of his father,
and his second marriage as non oppositional to his life time struggle quality
of life for blacks.
REFERENCE
WEBSITE:
http://www.nps.gov/frdo/freddoug.html
Philosophy 212
African American Philosophy Vocabulary
Abstraction
the mental power of separating one part of an entity from its other parts or of
inferring the class from the particular instance.
Analytic
philosophy the dominant school in
Analogy a
comparison; when you reason from analogy, you conclude that because two or more
entities share one aspect, they share as well.
A
posteriori pertaining to knowledge stated in empirically verifiable statements;
inductive reasoning.
A priori
pertaining to knowledge that is logically prior to experience; reasoning based
on such knowledge.
Argument a group
of statements consisting of premises and conclusions of such a type that the
premises are intended to prove or demonstrate the conclusion.
Authority
a common secondary source of knowledge; a source existing outside the person
making the claim that the person uses as an expert source of information.
Axiology
the philosophical study of values undertaken especially in the fields of
ethics, religion, and aesthetics.
Behaviorism a
school of psychology that restricts the study of human nature to what can be
observed rather than to states of consciousness.
Class a group of
persons having, in respect to the means of production, such a common economic
relationship as it brings them into conflict with other groups having different
economic relationship to these means such as in slaves/masters, serfs/lord, and
proletariat/capitalists.
Cognition
the acquiring of knowledge of something; the mental process by which we become
aware of the objects of perception and thought.
Cognitive
capacity unable to give up beliefs that play a part in justifying the special
advantage we gain from our position in the social order.
Common
sense the way of looking at things apart from technical or special training.
Conclusion the
statement that an argument is intended to prove or demonstrate.
Contract theory
is social philosophy, the doctrine that individuals give up certain liberties
and rights to the state, which in turn guarantees such rights as life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
Cosmology
the study of the universe world process; the process by which the world unfolds
and evolves.
Critical
philosophy the analysis and definition of basic concepts and the precise
expression and criticism of basic beliefs.
Culture meaning
endowed and endowing, socially and personally identity-forming and socializing,
socially binding, historicizing, time-and-space configuring order-forming and
order-maintaining and - reproducing belief systems, practices, institutions,
and structures that provide historically contingent and dependent beings that
we are- who, as individuals, are throughly inept at
birth and unable, for more than a decade, to provide for our own survival and
well-being - with the means of constructing necessarily meaningfully ordered
life-worlds.
Deductive
argument an argument in which the premises are intended to show that the
conclusion must necessarily be true.
Demythologizing
to rid one's self of its nonhistorical, mythical
concepts.
Determinism
the theory that everything that occurs happens in accordance with some regular
pattern or law.
Dialectic in
general, the critical analysis of ideas to determine their meanings,
implications, and assumptions; as used by Hegel, a method of reasoning used to
synthesize contradictions.
Dualism the
theory that reality is composed of two different substances so that neither one
can be related to the other thus; spirit/matter, mind/body, good/evil.
Duty in ethics,
a justified obligation imposed on an individual.
Duty theory in
ethics, the position that the moral action is the one that confirms with
obligation accrued in the past, such as the obligation of gratitude, fidelity,
or justice.
Egoism
a consequentialist ethical theory that contends that
we act morally when we act in a way that promotes our own best long-term
interests.
Empiricism
the position that knowledge has its origins in and derives all of its content
from happiness.
Enlightenment
the era characterized by the emergence in 18th century
Epistemology
the branch of philosophy that investigates the nature, sources, limitations,
and validity of knowledge.
Essentialism
a view holding that something can have an essential property in virtue of a
definition, or as described in a certain way.
Ethics
the branch of philosophy that tries to determine the good and right thing to
do.
Ethnocentrism
the tendency to judge other groups by the standards and values of one's own;
produces a view of one's own group as superior to others; the ways of one's own
group (in-group) become "correct" and "natural," and the
ways of other groups (out-groups) are seen as "odd,"
"immoral," or "unnatural."
Existence
actuality.
Existentialism a
recent movement in philosophy concerned with human beings in their actual life
situation, in the "human Condition" of daily life in its anguish,
problems, and individual choices.
Extrinsic racism
the moral distinctions between members of different races because they believe
that the racial ethics entails certain morally relevant qualities; the basis
for extrinsic racists' discrimination between people is that their belief that
members of different races differ in respects that warrant the differential
treatment, respects like honesty or courage of intelligence, that are
controversially held to be acceptable as a basis for treating people
differently; evidence that are no such differences in morally relevant
characteristics should thus lead people out of their racism if it is purely
extrinsic; such evidence often fails to change an extrinsic racist's attitudes,
if this racist is sincere what we have no longer is a false doctrine but a
cognitive incapacity.
Fallacy
an incorrect way of reasoning; an argument that tries to persuade
psychologically but not logically.
Freedom
the autonomy of self-determination of rational being.
Free
will the denial that human acts are completely determined.
Hasty
generalizations the fallacy of basing an inductive argument on sufficient
observations or an unrepresentative sample.
Hermeneutics the
term used to denote the discipline concerned with the investigation and
interpretation of human behavior, speech, institutions, etc. as essentially
intentional.
Humanism
the view that stresses human values and ideals. Human nature what it
essentially means to be a human being; what makes us different from anything
else.
Hypothesis
in general, an assumption, statement, or theory of explanation, the truth of
which is under investigation.
Idealism in
metaphysics, the position that reality is ultimately nonmatter;
in epistemology, the position that all we know are our ideas.
Identity
theory the theory that mental states are really brain states.
Ideology of
racism a belief system structured around the basic ideas that humans are
divided naturally into different physical types, that such physical traits as
they display are intrinsically related to their culture, personality, and
intelligence, and that on the basis of their genetic inheritance, some groups
are innately superior to others.
Individualism
the social theory that emphasizes the importance of the individual, his or her
rights, and independence of action.
Innate
ideas ideas that, according to some philosophers such
as Plato, can never be found in experience but are in born.
Intrinsic racist
people who differentiate morally between members of different races, because
they believe that each race has a different moral status, quite independent of
the moral characteristics entailed by its racial essence; for an intrinsic
racist no amount of evidence that a member of another race is capable of great
moral, intellectual, or cultural achievements, or has characteristics that, in
one's own race, would make them admirable or attractive, offers any ground for
treating that person as she would similarly endowed members of her own race.
Intuition
a source of knowledge that does not rely on the senses or reason but on direct
awareness of something.
Judgement asserting or denying
something in the form of a proposition.
Liberalism
the social sentiment which welcomes reforming and progressive opinion and
action.
Libertarianism
in metaphysics, the view that determinism is false and that people are free to
choose to act other than they do; in social philosophy, the view that the right
to freedom from restraint takes priority over all other rights.
Logic
the branch of epistemology that studies the methods and principles of correct
reasoning.
Logical
positivism the philosophical school of thought associated with Carnap and Ayer that claims only analytic and synthetic
statements are meaningful and that because metaphysical and ethical statements
are neither, the latter are meaningless.
Materialism
the metaphysical position that reality is ultimately composed of matter.
Mechanism
the view that everything can be explained in terms of laws that govern matter
and motion.
Mechanistic view
all things are the result of matter in motions and can be explained by its law,
nature and people are machine like, a single function is served by its parts.
Metaethics the
study of meanings of ethical words and the sentences in which they appear.
Metaphysics
the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of reality.
Morality the
standards that an individual or a group has about what is right or wrong or
good and evil.
Morals
the rules of conduct by which people live.
Mysticism the
philosophy of religion contending that reality can be known only when we
surrender our individuality and experience a union with the divine ground of existence.
Naturalism a
view of ethics that rejects supernatural principles and maintains that morality
can be explained only in terms of scientifically verifiable concepts.
Natural law a
pattern of necessary and universal regularity; a universal moral imperative, a
description of what ought to happen in all human relationships.
Necessary
condition a way to refer to cause; for example when B cannot occur in the
absence of A, A is said to be the necessary condition of B.
Nihilism the
view that nothing exists, that nothing has value; the social view that
conditions are so bad that they should be destroyed and replaced by something
better.
Objective a term
describing an entity that has a public nature independent of us and our judgements abut it.
Objective idealism
the position that ideas exist in an objective state, associated originally with
Plato.
Objective
relativism the value theory that contends that values are relative to human
satisfaction but that human needs and what satisfies them are open to empirical
examination.
Obligation
that which we must or are bound to do because of some duty, agreement,
contract, promise, or law.
Omnipotent
all-powerful.
Ontological
argument an argument for the existence of God based on the nature of God's
being.
Ontology
a subdivision of metaphysics; the theory of the nature of being and existence.
Ordinary
language analysis the philosophical school of thought associated with the later
writings of Wittgenstein and with Moore, Ryle, and
others that emphasizes the analysis of the meaning of ordinary language and
which attempts to correct philosophical confusions created by the misuse of
ordinary language.
Paternalism the
view that government may legitimately decide what is in the best interests of adults citizens, just as a parent may legitimately decide
what is in the best interests of the child.
Perception
the act or process of which we become aware of things.
Phenomenology
the philosophical school founded by Edmund Husserl,
which contends that being is the underlying reality, that what is ultimately
real is our consciousness, which itself is being.
Philosophy
the love and pursuit of wisdom.
Philosophizing
various ways of thinking and discoursing things and matters by various persons
variously situated.
Positivism
usually refers to the view that our knowledge of reality is limited to what we
can know "positively," that is, by concrete experience, mainly
sensory or scientific.
Pragmatism the
philosophical school of thought, associated with Dewey, James, and Pierce, that
tries to mediate between idealism and materialism by rejecting all absolute
first principles, tests truth through workability, and views the universe as
pluralistic.
Premises the
statements presented in an argument as reasons for accepting the conclusion.
Prima
facie duties according to William David Ross, duties that generally obligate us
but may not in a particular.
Principle of
consistency nothing can be said both to be and not to be something at the same
time and in the same respect.
Probability the
likelihood of an event's happening or of a statement's being true.
Proposition a
true or false statement.
Race those
divisions of the human family which are biologically considered varieties.
Racialism that
there are heritable characteristics, possessed by members of our species, which
allow us to divide them into a small set of races in such a way that the
members of these races share certain traits and tendencies with each other that
they do not share with members of any other race.
Racism the
belief that humans are subdivided into distinct hereditary groups that are
innately different in their social behavior and mental capacities and that can
therefore be ranked as superior or inferior; the presumed superiority of some
groups and inferiority of others in subsequently used to legitimate the unequal
distribution of the society's resources, specifically, various forms of wealth,
prestige, and power.
Rationalism the
position that reason alone, without the aid of sensory information, is capable
of arriving at some knowledge, at some undeniable truths.
Rationalization
a psychological term used to describe the mind fabrication of rational argument
to justify conduct of which one is really ashamed.
Realism
the doctrine that the objects of our senses exist independently of their being
experienced.
Realist view in
epistemology, the view that scientific theories are literally true or false and
that the unobservable entities postulated in a scientific theory rally exist if
the theory is true.
Reason the
capacity for thinking relatively and making inferences; the process of
following relationships from thought to thought and of ultimately drawing
conclusions.
Referential
theory the theory of word meanings that contends that words refer to things.
Relativism
the view that human judgement is conditioned by
factors such as acculturation and personal bias.
Religious belief in its broadest sense, the belief that there is an
unseen order and that we can do no better than to be in harmony with that
order.
Right in ethics,
a justified claim or entitlement to something against someone.
Rights those
things to which we have just claim.
Romanticism
a broad movement of thought in philosophy, the arts, history, and political
theory.
Scholasticism
philosophical, theological, artistic, intellectual activities of medieval
schools, not individual focused as modern philosophy or people focused as
ancient philosophy, philosophy of a Christian society, reason and authority
grounded in the church, revelation seen as a norm and aid to reason.
Scientific method
a way of investigation based on collecting, analyzing, and interpreting sense
data to determine the most probable explanation.
Self
the individual person; the ego; the knower; that which persists through changes
in a person.
Semantics
the study of the relationship between words and reality, including their
linguistic forms, symbolic nature, and effects on human behavior.
Skepticism
in epistemology, the view that varies between doubting all assumptions until
proved and claiming that no knowledge is possible.
Social
philosophy the application of moral principles to the problems of freedom,
equality, justice, and the state.
Solipsism an
extreme form of subjective idealism, contending that only I exist and that
everything else is a product of my subjective consciousness.
Soul
the immaterial entity that is identified with consciousness, mind, or
personality.
Subjective that
which refers to the knower; that which exist in the consciousness but not apart
from it
Subjective
idealism in epistemology, the position that all we ever know are our own ideas.
Sufficient
condition a way to refer to cause; A is said to be a sufficient condition of B
if, without exception, whenever A occurs B occurs.
Teleology the
view that maintains the reality of purpose and affirms that the universe either
was consciously designed or is operating under partly conscious, partly
unconscious purposes.
Theology the
rational study of God, including religious doctrines
Transcendent
that which, or pertaining to that which, exists beyond what is given; opposed
to immanent, though taken correlatively with immanent when speaking of God who
is at the same time transcendent-immanent.
Transcendental
idealism in epistemology, the view that the form of our knowledge of reality
derives from reason but its content comes from our senses.
Universal
that which is predictive of many particular entities; thus, "woman" a
universe, since it is predictive of individual women.
Utilitarianism
in ethics, the theory that we should act in such a way that our actions produce
the greatest happiness or pleasure.
Valid
in logic, having a conclusion that follows from the premises by logical
necessity.
Validity
correctness of the reasoning process; characteristic of an argument whose
conclusion follows by logical necessity.
Value an
assessment of worth.
Verification
the proving or disproving of a proposition.
Virtue in
ethics, a morally good character trait, such a
honesty, courage, or integrity,
Virtue
ethics in ethics, the proposition that the moral life should be concerned with
cultivating a virtuous character rather than following rules of action.
OURNAL GUIDE
A journal can be approached in
several ways. For this course, the journal will consist of reflective
three-four doubled-spaced typed papers which present a summary of the given topic
along with an analytical
and personal
perspective drawing on the readings, chat room discussions, and supplementary
references. It is intended to be a constructive endeavor for further
collaboration on the topics of discussion, and evaluation of theory and
practice as related to the course topics. The result is a framework for
considering conscious and unconscious states in the intellectual process about
a variety of experiences, and belief in the possibility of experience; an
opportunity to empower ourselves through African American Philosophy theory and
practice.
Topics for each journal should
reflect the ideas addressed with respect to the given topic. Give each journal
entry a provocative title.
You may choose to separate or integrate the three components of each journal
entry -- summary, analytical perspective, personal perspective -- be sure that
each component is addressed. You may choose to try both ways for journal #1/#2
to determine which works best for you, as well as continue to use both ways
deciding that you prefer to use each depending on the topics. How you choose to
approach your journal entry and your specific focus of content means that I
receive very different journal entries, although we are reading the same
materials and having stimulating discussions in the chat room.
Completing
your summary: For each
week or two weeks topic, I provide highlights of the required readings. I also provide a list of questions and theme (topic) objectives. Reviewing the
highlights and questions prior to reading the assigned essays will enhance your
understanding of the readings. Similarly, the highlights and questions can be
used to guide you in the writing of your journal entries. Ninety percent of the
questions are taken sequentially from the readings.
For some weeks
when the topic involves more than four essays (e.g. a book, video, etc.) I will provide more specific directions
under Announcement
for writing that particular journal entry.
Addressing the personal: You should reflect on the meaning of the
readings for you, in what ways were you impacted by the them,
any relevance to personal experience.
Engaging in analysis: Discuss your thoughts about and critique of
the theory, principles, as they relate to application, praxis.
Journal #1/#2: I will provide additional assistance
with your first two journal entries, allowing you become comfortable with the
content and format. There will also be the possibility of reviewing
a sample journal entry.
Provocative title: The topic of discussion for each week
as outlined on the syllabus represents my provocative title. At the
beginning of each week's topic, I have provided samples of provocative titles
by former students and ask you what will be your provocative
title.
Preparation Suggestions
* Take good notes for summary and
analysis
* Keep weekly notes of ideas you may
want to elaborate on
* Work in a manner to avoid last minute writing
CRITERIA FOR
SHORT PAPER, ANALYSIS, ESSAY
1. Clarity of organization and
expression
2. Fairness in considering other
points of view
3. Logical quality of argument
4. Appropriate use of examples and
evidence
5. Originality and insightfulness
COMMON WRITING
ERRORS
Did not proof read before handing
work in
Incorrect note or bibliography form
one sentence paragraphs
Poor sentence structure
Incomplete sentences
Run-on sentences
Note needed but omitted
Improper placement of notes
Poor or no introduction
Poor or no conclusion
Written work too long
Plagiarism
Did not deal with the topic
Poorly organized
Poorly written
Written work not double-space and
regular type
Student did not show an
understanding of the material
Poor sources
Incorrect syllabication
Incorrect information or date
Topic did not cover time period of
the course
Sources used in bibliography not in
notes
Repetition
Written work out of chronological
order
Use of encyclopedias or almanacs as
sources
Typographical errors throughout
written work
Adopted Spring 1998
TRANSITIONAL
WORDS ¨ WRITING STRATEGIES
DEFINITION: A word or phrase helping the reader make the step from one paragraph to the next, or from one sentence to the next.
Simple Listing
|
The following |
Like wise |
Specifically |
In addition |
|
Finally Lastly |
Then |
As well as |
Next |
|
Similarly |
Moreover |
In particular |
Third |
|
For example |
First |
Furthermore |
Another |
|
Especially |
End |
Besides |
Also |
|
Indeed |
Second |
Or |
|
Cause/Effect Pattern
|
For this reason |
Unless |
In order to |
Least |
|
Since |
Therefore |
Because |
On the whole |
|
On account of |
So that |
Hence |
In case |
|
Consequently |
Thus |
Accordingly |
Provided |
|
So |
As a result |
And so |
If |
|
It follows that |
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
On the whole |
As a result |
In conclusion |
Therefore |
|
All in all |
In general |
Finally |
In summary |
|
In short |
To sum up |
Consequently |
In other words |
Comparison/Contrast Pattern
|
In other words |
In comparison |
Notwithstanding |
Granted (that) |
|
Even if |
Yet |
No doubt |
|
|
Certainly |
Otherwise |
Not at all |
On the contrary |
|
However |
Nevertheless |
Onthe other hand |
Rather |
|
Although |
Not |
Despite |
Even though |
|
Conversely |
Similarly |
Different from |
Of course |
|
In spite of |
Unlike |
Just as |
As well (as) |
|
The same as |
Like |
In contrast(to this) |
Equally important |
Sequence Of Time Order
|
First |
Last |
While |
Meanwhile |
|
Frequently |
Now |
Immediately |
After |
|
Then |
Next |
Third |
Occasionally |
|
Ago |
When |
Subsequently |
Second |
|
During |
Until |
At last |
Already |
|
Before |
Since |
Eventually |
Finally |
|
Afterward |
Soon |
At that time |
To begin with |
|
As time passed |
In the mean time |
Not long after |
At this point |
|
At the same time |
|
|
|
To Introduce Examples
|
For example |
For instance |
To illustrate |
In one case |
|
As proof |
In one example to begin with In addition |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To Add Another Point
|
Another |
Besides |
Also |
Furthermore |
|
Moreover |
A further |
In addition (to) |
A second (third, fourth, etc.) |
To Signal Results Or Effects
|
As a result |
Due to |
Because (of) |
For this reason |
|
Therefore |
In response to |
Thus |
Consequently |
|
In conclusion |
|
|
|
To Connect Ideas
|
Nevertheless |
Yet |
Yet |
Moreover |
|
However |
Though |
So |
|
Adopted Spring 1998