CLST 272-WI: Heroes and Classical Epics

CLST 272-WI: Heroes and Classical Epics

Spring Semester 2005
Dr. Jacqueline Long

Writing Exercise 4

Goals

To gather information from a literary text about a particular theme
To generate, test, and refine a hypothesis about your information so as to develop a thesis statement: to practice skills of critical thinking and literary analysis
To build a persuasive argument about your conclusions
To practice skills of logical exposition and written communication in essay form

To submit to peer review in class on Wednesday, 20 April: have in hand, in our room, at the start of class period:

In 900-1100 words (4 word-processed, double-spaced pages in 12-point Times Roman) an essay proposing and defending YOUR ANSWER to the question: Which of Aeneas's encounters in the Underworld most enables him to emerge from his attachments to the past and commit himself fully to his future in Italy?

In order to answer this question, be sure to:

identify the encounter you judge is most important
explain how this encounter works on Aeneas to produce its results
explain why this encounter is more effective in this way than Aeneas's other encounters

Recommended strategy - general considerations:
1. Pre-examine the question: this step corresponds to the information-gathering and preliminary analysis you practiced in Writing Exercises 1 and 2.
  - What evidence could be relevant?
  - What patterns of significance does the evidence show?
  - How does the evidence help answer the question?
2. Taking all the relevant evidence into account (including any counter-evidence that breaks up patterns you noticed initially), how can you best answer the question?
  - Think through the problem: form a preliminary answer first, then keep testing it against the evidence that relates to the question. Refine your preliminary answer in light of your investigations.
  - Double-check that you are considering all the relevant evidence: does refining your preliminary answer suggest that additional evidence could bear on the problem you are investigating?
  - Test your answer again.
  - Repeat until you are sure you have thought of everything.
3. How can an argument most persuasively demonstrate the answer you arrive at in phase 2 above? NB: The route by which you arrive at your answer may or may not be the most efficent route to take somebody else to the same point. Consider carefully what will work well as an argument.
  - Refer to concrete, specific pieces of relevant evidence, so that your reader can see you are building your answer on a solid basis.
  - Explain clearly how your evidence supports your conclusion, so your reader can see how your argument is operating.
4. Write your essay so that it advances and defends your answer, according to the plan you arrived at in phase 3 above.
5. Reread your essay. Does it work the way you planned it to? Now that it's all together, can you think of any ways to make it stronger and more persuasive? Modify as seems appropriate.
6. Review your essay for form and style, in light of Strunk and White: make sure you are writing clearly and correctly. Modify as seems appropriate.
7. PROOFREAD.
For more suggestions about formulating an argument, see this Guide to Writing Papers. Use the BACK button on your browser to return to this page.

BACK to CLST 272-WI Schedule of Readings and Assignments

Loyola Homepage

Classical Studies Department

Search Loyola

Find Loyolans

Loyola Site Index

This file last updated 14 April 2005 by jlong1@orion.it.luc.edu.
http://www.luc.edu/depts/classics/

CLST 272-WI: Heroes and Classical Epics

Spring Semester 2005 Dr. Jacqueline Long

Writing Exercise 4

Goals

To submit to peer review in class on Wednesday, 20 April: have in hand, in our room, at the start of class period:

Spring Semester 2005
Dr. Jacqueline Long