CIE100: Common Intellectual Experience - Essay 2 (100 Points)

Purpose, Task, and Criteria

Purpose: To bring texts from different traditions and centuries into genuine conversation about what we owe the people, faiths, and institutions that shape us.

Task: Write a 1200-1500 word MLA essay advancing an arguable thesis that engages at least two of Sappho, the Islamic mystic poets, Euthyphro, and Coates, built through the draft-and-revision process.

Criteria: Assessed on your thesis, argument development, the synthesis of at least two texts, organization, and citations, with real weight on the revision itself; see the rubric below.

Assignment Goals

The goals of this assignment are:
  1. To formulate a clear, arguable thesis statement about questions of justice, obligation, and community
  2. To support a thesis with carefully chosen quotes from primary sources
  3. To bring texts from different traditions and centuries into substantive conversation
  4. To engage substantively with the drafting and revision process

Background Reading and References

Please refer to the following readings and examples offering templates to help get you started:

The Assignment

In this second essay of 1200 to 1500 words, you will construct an argument that brings at least two of our recent texts into conversation: Sappho, the Islamic mystic poets, Plato’s Euthyphro, and Coates’ Between the World and Me. The essay takes up the second core question of the course, how should we live together, by asking what we owe to the people, traditions, and institutions that shape us.

Prompt

Choose one of the following options. Whichever option you choose, your essay must advance a specific, arguable thesis and support it with carefully selected quotations from the texts, cited in MLA format.

  1. Euthyphro confidently prosecutes his own father in the name of piety, while Coates writes to his son about a Dream his country refuses to question. Construct an argument about when loyalty to inherited frameworks (family, faith, nation, or culture) should yield to questioning, engaging both texts. What does Socratic questioning look like when the stakes are as embodied as Coates insists they are?

  2. Sappho and the Islamic mystic poets write longing in the language of the body, and Coates writes fear and love through the body as well. Construct an argument about how embodiment shapes what we owe one another, engaging at least two of these texts. Does taking the body seriously change what justice or care requires?

  3. Apply the Socratic method of Euthyphro to a value at the center of Between the World and Me, such as the Dream, safety, or hope. Construct an argument about what that value turns out to mean when subjected to the kind of definitional pressure Socrates applies, and whether it survives the examination.

Scaffolded Deliverables

This essay is developed in three stages, and the stages together constitute the 100 points of this assignment. The thesis statement, quote list, and rough outline are worth 10 points; the complete first draft is worth 30 points; and the revised final draft is worth 60 points. You will meet with our Writing Fellow between the first and final drafts, and your final draft should respond substantively to the feedback you receive; cosmetic edits do not constitute revision.

  1. Thesis Statement, Quote List, and Rough Outline. A one to two sentence working thesis, a list of four to six quotations (with page numbers) drawn from at least two texts, and a paragraph-level outline.
  2. First Draft. A complete draft of the full 1200 to 1500 words, not a partial sketch.
  3. Final Draft. The revised essay, accompanied by a brief (one paragraph) revision memo describing what you changed and why.

Submission Instructions

Submit each deliverable through Canvas before the start of class on its due date, as listed on the course schedule. If you consulted a generative AI tool for a permitted purpose under the course policy, disclose that use in your Acknowledgements section; the writing itself must be entirely your own.

If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work? Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you.

Submission

Submit a word processed or PDF document through Canvas before the start of class on each due date.

Assignment Rubric

Description Pre-Emerging (< 50%) Beginning (50%) Progressing (85%) Proficient (100%)
Thesis Statement (25%) Lacks a clear thesis statement or the statement is irrelevant to the topic. Thesis statement is present but lacks clarity or specificity. Thesis statement is clear and specific but may lack depth or originality. Thesis statement is clear, specific, original, and thought-provoking, guiding the reader's understanding of the essay's purpose.
Introduction and Conclusion (20%) Introduction lacks a hook or relevance to the topic, and conclusion does not summarize or provide closure. Introduction and conclusion are present but lack connection to the thesis or main argument. Introduction effectively introduces the topic, and conclusion summarizes the main points but may lack insight or reflection. Introduction engages the reader with a strong hook and clear connection to the thesis, and conclusion provides insightful summary and reflection.
Argument Development (25%) Arguments are underdeveloped or irrelevant, lacking evidence or logical reasoning. Arguments are present but lack sufficient evidence or reasoning, making them weak or unconvincing. Arguments are well-developed with some evidence and reasoning but may lack depth or complexity. Arguments are thoroughly developed with strong evidence and logical reasoning, contributing to a persuasive and compelling essay.
Paper Organization (10%) Paper lacks clear organization, making it difficult to follow the flow of ideas. Paper has some organization but lacks clear transitions or logical flow between paragraphs. Paper is mostly well-organized with clear transitions but may have minor inconsistencies in flow. Paper is excellently organized with clear transitions and logical flow, enhancing the reader's understanding and engagement.
Use of References and Proper Citations (10%) Lacks references or citations, or they are improperly formatted. Includes some references and citations but with inconsistencies or errors in formatting. Includes appropriate references and citations with minor errors or inconsistencies in formatting. Includes appropriate references and citations, all properly formatted according to the relevant citation style.
Synthesis of Materials into a Cohesive Argument (10%) Lacks synthesis of materials, resulting in a disjointed or fragmented argument. Some synthesis of materials is present but lacks cohesion or connection to the main argument. Materials are mostly synthesized into a cohesive argument but may lack depth or complexity. Materials are expertly synthesized into a cohesive and complex argument, enhancing the overall quality and persuasiveness of the essay.

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.