Exegesis is a term most commonly used to describe the act of interpreting a small section from a book (i.e. somewhere between one to three paragraphs in length) in order to arrive at the whole book’s larger and overall meaning. The word exegesis is derived from the Greek word exeigesthai meaning “to interpret”. Therefore, in this essay, you will choose a short passage (1 to 3 paragraphs) from The Republic, The Symposium, the Nicomachean Ethics, Physics, or Metaphysics, which you will interpret specific quotations from the text and relate it back to larger themes within the text and the text’s larger meaning through your question thesis. The purpose of this essay is for you to do a close reading and interpretation of one of our course texts. A thesis must be disputable. Your question thesis CAN NOT BE A MATTER OF FACT OR SUMMARY
You will have to (a) formulate your own clear question thesis [a thesis must be disputable] about the short passage (1 to 3 paragraphs) of your choosing from one of our course texts, (b) explain how your question thesis relates to the short passage of your choosing (c) give possible interpretations of the passage as it relates to your question thesis and the overall text // propose potential answers using the specific quotations from the text to your question thesis (d) name possible objections to all the potential answers you proposed, (e) give rebuttals to those objections that defend your ultimate conclusion to your question thesis.
This essay must have an introduction paragraph, at least 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. This essay MUST use quotations from the text you choose, integrate those quotations into your sentences, and then cite those quotations and any reference to the text whatsoever in Chicago Turabian format, which requires 1) a title page, 2) section heading titles, 3) footnotes NOT in-text citations, and 4) a bibliography. Please see writing resources in Canvas and/or the Writing Center for a complete account of the Chicago Turabian format. No other sources (like SparkNotes or Wikipedia) may be consulted for this essay. Only the texts we used in class may be consulted for this essay. If you do consult a source (even though you are not supposed to), you MUST cite it. If you use a source and do not cite it that is plagiarism and it will be reported to the Dean.
A successful Argument Evaluation Essay will:
1) Use the Essay Writing Checklist throughout the writing of the essay for reference.
2) Have a clear question thesis in the Introduction. A thesis must be disputable. Your question thesis CAN NOT BE A MATTER OF FACT OR SUMMARY.
3) Have a clear roadmap of the essay in the Introduction that directly follows your question thesis. A roadmap is a sentence or two following your thesis where your briefly and specifically summarize how you will go about answering your thesis question over the course of the essay. You are giving your reader a roadmap of where the essay is going and where the essay will end up. This is why some people choose to write the introduction last rather than first.
4) Clearly identify a specific passage from one of our course texts to interpret and make sure your question thesis is directly based on that passage of your choosing. You must use and analyze specific quotations from the text. However, DO NOT QUOTE THE ENTIRE PASSAGE. That is terrible writing. sentences.
5) Avoid summarizing the text in your own words as much as possible. Use short quotations that you will immediately interpret and analyze to make your points.
6) Give reasons using the quotations from the text for your thesis and begin to present problems and potential answer using the text. This should be done using cited quotations integrated into your sentences.
7) Give objections to the potential answers to your question.
8) Give a rebuttal to one of the objections you raised.
9) Address your thesis whether it is a question throughout the essay and in the conclusion. A lot of students lose track of their thesis and purpose for writing the paper over the course of the paper. Stay vigilant. Think through and comment on the argument/potential answer as you explain it. Describe what questions you might have as you explain what the argument/potential answer is.
10) Have a conclusion that both sums up your essay and yet is still greater than your essay. The conclusion is where you make sure to tell your audience what is at stake in your paper and why reading it should matter to anyone who wants to move closer to truth or to live well.
11) Meet the word count, be grammatically correct, well-formatted, and easy to understand.
For further information on writing assignment expectations, please see the essay checklist as well as the writing assignment policies
