Topic for Paper #2

**due on November 21**

The admonitions "Know yourself," and "Nothing in excess" were inscribed over Apollo's temple at Delphi. Explain how these precepts are central to the narrative or plot of one of the following works:

Antigone
Oedipus the Tyrant
Homeric Hymn to Demeter
Hippolytus
Bacchae

In formulating your thesis, you may want to consider the following questions: How do gods react when a mortal disobeys these precepts? How strong is the reaction? What does the mortal learn? How and when does the mortal learn?

**Requirements for Papers**

Improperly formatted papers may be returned for immediate revision. Follow all of the following instructions:

  1. Papers must be typed, double-spaced. Handwritten papers will not be accepted.
  2. Papers must be three to five pages in length.
  3. Margins must be set to one inch on all sides.
  4. Use a standard font (i.e., Times, Courier, etc.) set to 12 pt. size.
  5. Your paper should contain an identifiable thesis statement. See the writing guide for help.
  6. Your argument should be based closely on and cite specifics from the assigned texts. See the writing guide for help.
  7. No outside research is expected or required, but if you choose to use any of the thousands of books and articles to be found in our library or in an academic database, you must give proper credit in the body of your paper and supply a properly formatted "works cited" page.

    Please note: Unrefereed materials from the web are unacceptable sources for college-level work. If you don't know what this means, ask your discussion leader.
  8. PROOFREAD your final draft for spelling and grammar errors. At the very least, run a spell check in your word processing program. If you do not know how to do it, ask.
  9. DO NOT use a cover page. Your name, "Hero, God, and Mortal," and the date should appear single-spaced in an upper corner of the first page only.
  10. Include a header for each page with your name and the page number. If you do not know how to do this, ask.
  11. DO NOT use a binder, report cover, or any other such thing. Staple your paper in the upper left hand corner.
  12. Turn in your paper in the lecture section on the morning of November 21. Do not slide it under the door of her/his office.

You may want to look at some resources on the internet.

 

Grading Criteria

A=exceptional: The grade of A (91-100%) will be assigned to papers that fulfill all of the requirements, are free of spelling and grammatical errors, and display evidence of real intellectual engagement with the material. Like the B paper, the A paper presents a strong thesis statement and a well-reasoned argument that is supported by evidence from the text. Attention to detail and style in the presentation of the content distinguishes an A paper from a B paper.

B=good: The grade of B (80-89%) will be assigned to papers that fulfill all of the requirements and that are relatively free of spelling and grammatical errors. The B paper has a strong thesis statement and a well-reasoned argument that is supported by evidence from the text. The B paper is usually the result of the working and reworking of more than one draft.

C=average: The grade of C (70-79%) will be assigned to papers that fulfill the requirements and answer the question. One or more of the following will prevent a paper from rising above the C level: a weak or vague thesis statement, improper citation of passages, grammatical and spelling errors.

D=nigh failure: The grade of D (60-69%) will be assigned to papers that barely accomplish the minimum expected of a college paper. The D paper contains numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Organizational problems might also be evident. In short, the D paper is distinguished from an F paper only by the evidence that some effort has been taken to accomplish the goal of the assignment.

F=failure: The grade of F will be assigned automatically if a paper is not handed in on time or if the paper does not conform to any of the guidelines listed above. A failing grade will also be given to papers that contain copious mechanical and spelling errors or other evidence of carelessness and sloppiness. In general, a failing grade means that the paper is not up to the standards of college writing.

Back