The assignments in this course consist of badges many of which ask you to respond in the form of an essay.
First, be sure to answer EVERY part of the question. The most common mistake students make is simply not answering each part of the question. I cannot give you credit for your answer if there is nothing there. Also your answers should be IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Copying material from the text or the internet or my lecture notes would constitute plagiarism. Please consult the policy on this stated in the syllabus. Your grade for a plagiarized exam will be a ZERO. I DO ENFORCE THIS POLICY!
A second consideration is to be sure you sufficiently elaborate the points you are making in your answer. Do not simply list points or give a one sentence response. In these essay questions one word or one sentence answers are not sufficient. You are being tested on your ability to explain the philosophical concepts at issue. Write your answers as if your audience was not already familiar with the concepts. Partial credit will be given for partial answers but best to be as complete as you can in your responses.A third consideration involves the spirit of these exams. They are designed to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge. Your answers should NOT be prepared in advance and simply copied into the answer blocks once you open the exam. Knowing something involves being able to explain it. Of course you should prepare for the exams but the preparation should be such that when the exam comes you can answer the questions on your own!
I will be posting notes for each section of the text we are covering in that Lesson's Folder. Use these notes to prepare more detailed notes for yourself in preparation for the exam. Though I will not usually ask you a question about every article in a section, you should be prepared to answer a question regarding every article. I will ask three questions each worth 20 points on each unit exam. Once you open an exam you will have one hour to complete it. Please note that I have only posted short comments or bullet points concerning the articles in each section of the study guide. These are not sufficient to answer an essay question but should be sufficient to guide your reading and discussion of the articles in preparation for the exams.