POL 1014: Great Ideas in Political Thought
Instructor: Dr. Noah Schulz
Final Essay (35%): April 15th (submit electronically to [Link]@[Link])
Assignment description: 6-8 pages typed, 12-point font, Times New Roman, 1” margins,
double-spaced.
In this assignment, students must engage with a minimum of three secondary academic sources
that connect to one of the primary sources we’ve covered in class. An example of a primary
source we’ll cover in class is Hobbes’ Leviathan or The Communist Manifesto by Marx and
Engels.
For example: exploring contemporary political theory debates regarding the racialized and
gendered nature of the social contract as in the work of Carole Pateman or Charles Mills, or
considering the application of Hobbes’ theoretical framework to the field of International
Relations, and so on. Alternatively, you could explore the application of virtue ethics to areas
like animal rights discourse and bioethics, or consider contemporary Marxist analysis and how
that relates to Marx’s own 19th century critiques of capitalism. This is not an exhaustive list of
potential topics, just some ideas to get you started.
Note: Students must choose their own topic, and be cognizant of length restrictions when
choosing a manageable topic for a short paper like this one. You do not need to get approval for
your topic but questions are always welcome.
Submit electronically to [Link]@[Link] by 11:59pm on April 15th.
Submission details: [Link]@[Link] (by 11:59 PM on April 15th). Submit as a PDF
using a clear subject line (include the course name and the name of the assignment) and save
your PDF using the class name/section number and your first initial and last name. For example,
if I were submitting my final project, I would save my file as follows: POL 1014 Final Essay
([Link]).PDF. I will reply within 24 hours if I have received your paper – it is important to use
your UW email so that your submission does not end up in the junk folder. If you don’t hear
from me after 24 hours, email to check in. Instructions for electronic submission will also be
posted to Nexus.
Note: it is vital to ensure consistent use of citations. I recommend MLA style but will accept
other styles so long as you use them consistently and correctly. If you are unsure how to cite for
a university paper, I encourage you to utilize online resources such as the “Owl at Purdue”
and/or seek assistance from the University Writing Centre.
Note: late assignments will be deducted 5% per day. No comments will be given on late
assignments. If you think you’ll need extra time I encourage you to seek an extension, I will do
my best to accommodate you.
A to A+ Indicates excellent performance that meets very high standards. Mastery of the course
material and ability to apply the material in new ways have been demonstrated. Essays are clear,
well-written, and analyze rather than simply summarize the arguments of others. Rather than
compartmentalized summaries of each reading, an A+ paper will develop an integrated analysis
of multiple readings. Goals of paper are clearly outlined in the introduction/thesis. How
consistently/well done these elements are helps determine a higher or lower grade in this range.
A- Indicates excellent performance that meets very high standards. Mastery of the course
material and ability to apply the material in new ways have been demonstrated. Very well written
summaries of your chosen sources may receive this grade if some attempt at analysis of your
own is made but it is not consistently developed throughout the paper.
B+ Indicates very good performance that meets high standards. The course content has been
mastered, with a comprehensive understanding of concepts and techniques. An accurate and
well-structured summary may receive a B or even B+ if it is well written and comprehensive.
Well written papers that do not provide much in the way of your own argument or analysis will
be in this range.
B Indicates good comprehension of the course material. The expectations set for the course have
been met.
C+ Indicates an acceptable comprehension of the course material, meeting and in some cases
exceeding basic standards.
C Indicates a generally acceptable comprehension of the course material, meeting basic
standards. Papers with frequent conceptual errors, lack of essay structure and other fundamentals
may fall in the C-range. Overall quality of ideas and writing will determine if the paper in fact
falls below into the D or F range.
D Comprehension of the course material was unsatisfactory, but sufficient for credit to be
granted.
F Indicates that the minimum standards have not been met. This especially will apply to papers
that do not have discernable essay structure, fail to cite sources, and/or are off topic or have other
deep structural issues.
