DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Philosophy Major Portfolio Guidelines

Revised July 2002. C.Coe

Your portfolio will consist of three philosophically-grounded essays. Each paper should be at least five pages in length; a group of take-home exam essays will be accepted, provided that they meet this minimum page requirement. You should choose essays that exemplify your strongest work in philosophy. Preferably, the essays will come from various courses within the discipline, but in certain cases papers from courses in other departments may be appropriate. We recommend that you consult with your advisor about the selection of essays.

The portfolio needs to demonstrate your readiness to embark on the independent research required of the senior project. More specifically, the papers will be evaluated on the following criteria:

<                    strength and organization of the argument(s)

<                    clarity of the thesis

<                    depth and accuracy of the engagement with philosophical ideas

<                    understanding of the historical and contemporary dimensions of philosophical issues (the applicability of this criterion will depend on the specific content of the essays)

<                    familiarity with a number of different problems and areas within philosophy

<                    whether the papers take seriously different perspectives on the same issue  e.g., responding to anticipated or existing objections, evaluating the limits of one’s own claims

<                    competence in scholarly writing: correct spelling, proper use of punctuation, appropriate citation, well-constructed sentences and paragraphs

Students are strongly advised to proof and possibly revise the essays before turning in the portfolio. The portfolio will be read by a committee of faculty in the department, including your anticipated senior project advisor. If the portfolio does not reflect an adequate level of intellectual rigor, you will be asked to rewrite the papers in consultation with the senior project advisor.

All three essays must be turned in at the same time and are due no later than March 1st of the junior year.