(Note: This is yet another version of “Paper Portfolio” being developed by Held and Novy of the UCA Philosophy and Religion Department. Feel free to provide me with feedback regarding what is or isn’t working, possible modifications, etc.)

Metaphysics Paper Portfolio

Introduction: Why a portfolio?

The value of writing a sustained research paper is not to be found in the final product, but the process through which one goes in crafting the paper, from conception to completion. This portfolio project has been developed as a way of tracking and evaluating a student’s progress through the course of a sustained research project.

Your portfolio will be comprised of five distinct parts each worth a portion of the portfolio’s final grade. Each portion will be due at an assigned date. Please review the guidelines so you are not caught off guard.

The paper produced by this process will be about 10 pages in length (roughly 2500 words) and should be of a quality appropriate for presentation at an undergraduate philosophy conference.

Elements of the Portfolio:

Bibliography/Abstract 10%

Review of Sources 20%

Initial Draft & Comments 30%

Revised Draft 20%

Full Portfolio 20%

Schedule of due dates:

09/16 Choose Topic

09/26 Bibliography and Abstract

10/14 Review of Sources

10/28 Initial Draft

11/04 Comments

11/18 Revised Draft

12/07 Full Portfolio

Choosing a Topic:

There are eleven general topic areas (conveniently corresponding to Taylor’s Metaphysics chapters 2-12. For each topic area there is a list of classic, foundational works on pages 142-145 in Taylor. Of those not otherwise assigned for the course, at least one must be incorporated into your final paper. This source is required and should be included in your bibliography though it does not count as part of the bibliographical requirement listed below.

Students should indicate to me in writing which topic area they have chosen and -- if it exists – a vague idea of where the project will be heading.

Bibliography/Abstract:

Each student will submit a bibliography and abstract for her paper. This is a working bibliography listing works you have looked at, are looking at, or are planning on looking at. This bibliography must include at least three sources external to the course and separate from those sources drawn from the lists in Taylor. Your abstract should be one page in length (about 250 words) and include your thesis statement; that is, the point of your paper and how you plan to pursue this point, indicating what relevant major sources you plan to reference.

Review of Sources:

Over the course of researching the paper, students will inevitably read a book or several journal articles on your topic. In fact, the bibliography guarantees that you will. Each student will turn in a brief review of some of the materials examined.

Chose either a major book you have read on the topic or three journal articles related to the topic and write a 3-4 page review of the material. Assess them with respect to merit. Do they speak to the issue you are addressing? How do they do so? What in the works did you find important/negligible? How do you see them promoting your research project? The review should assess the works for how they address the topic and how you envision them fitting into your overall program.

Show me that you have been doing research and that you understand how the research you are doing is relevant to the completion of your chosen project.

Initial Draft and Comments:

Submitting a draft of work in progress for comment provides the author with important feedback on her project. Your initial draft is due no later than the last day before the Spring Holiday. The paper at this stage is in draft form, and not expected to be a completed paper. Nonetheless, it should be substantial (at least 5 coherent pages including: a thesis, basic argumentation/research and reference to secondary sources).

The student will provide two copies of the draft: one to be read by the professor, the other by a randomly-selected member of the class. Both the professor and the student-reader will provide a critical review of the paper.

Student-readers are to write a 2-3 page critique of the draft received. This critique should focus on how successfully the material fulfills the thesis as well as recommending changes and providing suggestions in this regard. The student-reader will provide two copies of her critique: one for the professor, the other for the author of the draft.

The student’s draft and her critique will count equally toward the grade for this portion of the portfolio. The critique is due no later the first class day following Spring Holiday.

Revised Draft:

At this point, the paper should reflect corrections made in light of the comments provided by both the professor and the student-reader. This paper should be complete or nearly so at this point. Minimally, it should consist of at least 80% of the length of the final paper complete with all relevant sources, full citations and proper formatting. Short of minor revisions and emendations, this should be more-or-less the final paper.

The grade for this portion of the portfolio will be based entirely on how close to a finished paper this revised draft appears to be. Has it been revised substantively in light of the critiques? Is it almost a finished paper?

Full Portfolio:

At the final regular class meeting, students will submit their completed portfolio, preferably in a folder or some other organized fashion.

The full portfolio will consist of: the final version of the paper as well as all the draft work (your bibliography and abstract, your review of sources, your initial draft with comments from both the student-reader and the professor, and the revised draft).

Each part must be present in order to receive full credit for this portion of your portfolio grade. This grade will be determined primarily by the quality of the final paper, although failing to provide the draft work will significantly impact your grade.