Locke’s Theory of Property

Before you start writing:
→ Make sure you read through the Dos and Donts for the assignment
1. Do give your paper a title.
It doesn’t have to be dazzlingly original or clever. But it should give the reader an idea of what your text is about.
2. Do start your paper with a proper introduction.
In it, you should do three things: (a) restate in your own words the question you intend to answer; (b) clearly state the thesis you want to defend; and (c) explain briefly how you plan to defend it. Your thesis—your answer to the question—is what motivates the rest of the paper. Every sentence in the body of the paper should contribute to the project of advancing your thesis, either by explaining what it means (which includes explaining the philosophical position you are discussing) or by providing arguments in its favour.
→ Don’t just cut and paste the essay question at the top of your paper. Reformulate
the question in your own words. 3. Do focus on arguments.
The aim is not to summarize the position defended by a certain author, but rather to explain the logic of the position—its argumentative structure—and to defend a thesis regarding the position’s merits. When you’re presenting a claim that’s central to your discussion, don’t just write:
Hobbes says that p. Write:
Hobbes says that p. His main argument for this claim goes as follows. [Then present and dissect the argument.]
Likewise, when you’re presenting your own claims, don’t just write: Hobbes is obviously mistaken. Write:
I believe Hobbes is mistaken on this point, for two main reasons. [Then present your two arguments in as much detail as you can.]
4. Do make the structure of your paper explicit.
Write things like “I will now present Hobbes’s main argument for the claim that p”; “Let me now highlight a problem I find with Hobbes’s position, namely, that he fails to consider . . .“; and so on. This will help your reader know where you’re going, thus minimizing the risk that the reader (who, bear in mind, is also the grader) will feel lost. You don’t want the grader to feel lost.
→ Do organize your writing in paragraphs.
Paragraphs allow you to convey to your reader that a group of sentences form a coherent whole. The rule of thumb is no more than one idea per paragraph. (People sometimes say one idea, one paragraph, but complex ideas can take several paragraphs to articulate; another useful rule of thumb here is that a paragraph shouldn’t be much longer than half a page.)
5. Do include references.
Don’t just write: Hobbes maintains that the state of nature is a state of war. Write:
Hobbes maintains that the state of nature is a state of war (see Leviathan, p. 84). *
You don’t need a reference for each and every point you attribute to an author, but you do need references for the key claims. And if you make a controversial point about an author, you need to back it up with textual evidence.
→ Don’t let quotations do your work for you. Make sure you always explain them in
your own words.
A quotation’s role is not to explain the author’s thought (that’s your role) but rather to illustrate or support your claims. Except when a quotation is short and transparent, you have to explain it by saying something like “This passage shows that Hobbes rejects the idea that . . .” The aim is to explain to your reader how you understand the quotation.
→ Don’t refer to class discussion or to handouts. Refer directly to the text.
The following is not an adequate reference:
Hobbes says that the state of nature is a state of war (see Handout 2).
→ Don’t represent a quotation as a paraphrase.
If you reproduce language from the text, then you’re giving a quotation. In that case, the language must be reproduced exactly, it must be enclosed in quotation marks, and you must include a reference. A paraphrase, by contrast, conveys the meaning of a passage entirely in your own words. (If you find yourself copying any language at all, apart from individual words and phrases, then you are quoting, not paraphrasing.) Paraphrases also require a reference, but they should not be enclosed in quotation marks.
6. Do think about the plausibility of the position you're defending.
We’re dealing with questions that are morally significant. If you don’t really believe the thesis you’re defending, ask yourself why, and try to articulate these further thoughts in your paper. The goal is not to play around with abstract constructions, it’s to think seriously about the issues.
7. Do write in the first person.
Instead of writing “It will be shown that p,” write “I will show that p.” It comes across as much more forceful. Also, it’s your paper. Own it.
*1 You can also give the reference in a footnote, of course, but if you’re discussing only one or two texts, parenthetical references are simpler. If you go with that approach, your first reference should be accompanied by a footnote providing the relevant bibliographical information. For instance, in the present case, I would add the following:
Parenthetical references throughout are to Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, edited by Edwin Curley (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994).
If you are using a different edition, please refer to chapter and paragraph numbers, so the grader can locate the passages.