More paper advice

The last batch of papers still aren't quite what I hoped for, though I was lenient again in grading them. Yes, I'm rather easy in class. But when it comes to grading, I'm a hard-ass. Keep that very much in mind. So let me be as clear as possible about your papers:

Since you're limited to three pages, DO NOT summarize the articles you read. Instead, use them as springboards to reflect on the issue & the concepts we're covering in class.

I spent a lot of time thinking about this syllabus, it's not just randomly organized. There are specific reasons why we're discussing certain issues at certain times. Think to yourself: What are the concepts raised in class? Then, pick ONE of these concepts and build your paper around it. If you try to cover more than one singular idea in a short paper, you'll only give a superficial account of any of them.

You can choose to dissect one of the arguments (either agreeing or disagreeing w/ it). But do so in the context of the concepts covered in class. How does it stack up? What issues does it raise? Again, pick ONE thing to focus on & go w/ that.

Or you can take any other approach. I'm giving you a lot of creative control over what to write about. But you should keep the paper narrowly focused & concisely written.

Some of you have already written a paper (or two) for this course. So. I'll let you write FOUR papers, and I'll take the highest scoring THREE papers. I think that's more than fair.