Author and attorney Mogk provides a guide to writing philosophy essays that will be useful to both instructors and students. The book contains concrete steps for writing a clear and well-organized essay, as well as observations on common mistakes and confusion regarding philosophical writing, and discussions on grading student papers. Topics include the basics such as choosing a topic and outlining to definitions of arguments, academic research techniques, and plagiarism. Annotation #169;2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Brian David Mogck earned a PhD in philosophy from Emory University and taught at Emory, Spelman College, and Clayton College and State University. He received a JD from Columbia Law School, and is now an attorney in New York Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Preface: A Users' Guide	ix
P.1 A Note to Instructors	ix
P.2 A Note to Students	xii
Acknowledgments	xviii
Glossary of Philosophical Terms	xix
Part I Writing Philosophy	1
1 Writing a Philosophy Paper	3
1.1 What is a Philosophy Paper Supposed to Accomplish?	3
1.2 Choosing a Topic	4
1.3 Moving through Drafts	11
1.4 The Only Outline You Need is a Sketch of the Argument You Plan to Make	12
1.5 The Cardinal Virtues: Logical Rigor and Clarity of Expression	13
1.6 A Checklist for Spotting Problems Early	14
2 Philosophical Writing Advances a Thesis with an Argument	16
2.1 Consuming Arguments	16
1 What is an argument?	16
2 How is a philosopher's argument to be recognized?	21
3 The principle of charity	23
4 How is an argument to be criticized?	25
2.2 Producing Arguments	28
5 A clearly stated, tightly focused thesis is essential	28
6 The introduction states why you wrote the paper and why your audience should read it	29
7 The body of your paper follows a strategy to demonstrate your thesis	30
8 Consider objections to your view	32
9 The conclusion of your paper explains the conclusion of your argument	34
10 On words that indicate conclusions and premises	35
11 Provide justification for every important claim	35
12 What makes an argument philosophically interesting?	36
3 The Rudiments of Academic Writing	40
3.1 Elements of Style	40
13 Use the first-person, active voice	40
14 Avoid using a conversational tone	41
15 The paper should have a title	41
16 Pages should be numbered	42
17 The correct use of punctuation	42
18 The correct use of Latin abbreviations	43
19 The correct use of Latin expressions	44
20 The consistent use of pronouns	47
21 Grammatical errors	47
22 Using a term vs. mentioning it	48
23 How to edit or add text within a quotation	49
3.2 Elements of Substance	50
24 Avoid mere rhetoric: philosophy is not forensics	50
25 Avoid using five-star vocabulary words	52
26 The standard of precision in written discourse	53
27 On expressions such as "It is clear that..."	53
28 Use accurate terms having clear referents	54
29 Always look for the contrast term	55
30 Watch out for mysterious agents	55
3.3 Substantive Advice	55
31 Never quote the instructor	55
32 Never quote the dictionary	56
3.4 A Few Frequently Misused Terms	56
33 Philosophy vs. view vs. opinion	56
34 Concept vs. conception	57
35 Think vs. feel	58
36 Statement vs. argument	59
37 Sound, valid, and true	59
4 Explaining Philosophical Texts	60
38 Make sense out of the text as a whole	60
39 Make sense out of the main arguments in a text	62
40 Every quotation requires explanation	63
41 Every quotation requires specific attribution	64
42 The consistent and meaningful use of technical terminology	66
5 The Rudiments of Academic Research	67
43 Use the library, not the Web	67
44 Primary sources are your primary responsibility	69
45 What kind of secondary sources should be used and how?	70
Part II Doing Philosophy	73
6 Academic Integrity	75
6.1 Know Your School's Honor Code and its Policies Regarding Plagiarism	75
6.2 What is Plagiarism?	75
6.3 How to Avoid Plagiarism	76
6.4 Proper Attribution Bolsters One's Scholarly Credibility	77
6.5 Cheaters are Likely to be Caught	77
7 How to Succeed in a Philosophy Course	79
7.1 Practice the Intellectual Virtues	79
7.2 Come to Class Prepared	82
7.3 Ask Substantive Questions	83
7.4 Respect the Arduous Process of Careful Reading and Writing	83
7.5 Why is Philosophy So Hard to Do?	84
7.6 Why is Philosophy So Hard to Read?	85
7.7 On the Critical Nature of Philosophy and a Few Myths it is Useful to Discard	87
8 What Does it Mean to Do Philosophy?	93
8.1 Philosophers Inquire into Our Concepts and Commitments	94
8.2 Philosophy Explicates What is Implicit in Our Concepts and Commitments	96
8.3 Philosophical Reflection and the Public Use of Reason	104
Appendix I Keywords Cross-Referenced to Section Numbers	117
References	119
Index	123

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