Philosophy 2801 - Philosophy of Technology
Sections 1 & 2
Writing Advice

1. Never underestimate the importance of structure. Consider preparing an outline of your paper either before you write it or when you are in the process of revising it.  If you can't give a clear, step-by-step breakdown of what you're trying to accomplish in the paper, it's probably not a very good paper.  You should also remember the importance of a good, clear introduction and conclusion.  Most good essays begin with a few introductory sentences that make it clear what is supposed to happen in the essay. Likewise, most good essays end with a few sentences that remind the reader of the main points made in the essay.

2. Before you can criticize or support someone else's view, you need to clearly explain it. Avoid the temptation to spend your whole assignment telling me what you think. Before you present your view, you should present a clear picture of the view, problem or argument you are discussing. Often the explanatory part of a good essay will take up more than 50% of it.

3. Connect your ideas. There should be no point in your essay that causes your reader to wonder why you've jumped from one idea to the next. Try to make the connections between the various things you have to say clear.

4. Don't forget that philosophy is primarily concerned with arguments, not just taking positions. I want you to take and defend a position on the topic you're dealing with. It's not enough to just say what you think, you need to tell me why you think it.

5. A good way of strengthening your presentation of your own view is to consider objections to it. Ask yourself how an reasonable person might object to what you're saying. If you don't have an answer to that objection, your assignment needs more work.

6. Write simply and clearly. Don't try to impress me with unusual words or complicated sentence structure.

e.g., Why say 'it is the observation of this writer that ...' when 'my view is that ...' will do?
7. Avoid overblown introductions or conclusions.
e.g., Don't begin your essay with some variation on 'Since the dawn of time mankind has looked up at the sky and wondered [insert name of philosophical question here]'.
8. Avoid dictionary definitions unless they're helpful. It's a cliché to begin an essay with something like 'The Oxford English Dictionary defines virtue as ...'. Remember I will be grading a large number of these assignments. Avoid doing things that will reduce me to tears if I have to read them 90 times.

9. Don't worry about writing from the first person point of view (e.g., 'I disagree'). Philosophers do this all the time (although this is not true in every discipline). However, don't get carried away with this. Often, referring to yourself is unnecessary.

E.g., why say 'Where I think Postman gets things wrong is by claiming that...' when 'Postman gets this wrong by claiming that...' does exactly the same work?  Generally, it will be clear that the view you're expressing is our own.
10. Remember that good arguments don't have to be boring. Try to write something the reader will enjoy as well as understand.

11. Most importantly, try to write in such a way that an intelligent person who had never read the piece you are discussing would understand and be convinced by what you are saying.
 

[Philosophy 2801]