How to Write a Philosophy Paper

For some, writing a paper can be a difficult task that requires many hours of research and writing. The effort required when writing a philosophy paper is even more challenging because of the vagaries that accompany a nebulous topic like philosophy. However, this does not have to be the case if you understand that what some view as a negative is actually a positive when writing a philosophy paper.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Offer a reasoned argument when you write a philosophy paper. The beauty of philosophy is that if you state the reason for your arguments correctly there is no wrong answer.
2. Stay away from making a grand statement and keep it simple. Often, when people write a philosophy paper, they will make it an all-encompassing treatise on philosophical argument. Instead, take issue with the smaller points of a larger argument and state your case clearly and concisely.
3. Incorporate some independent thoughts into the paper. Too many times a person will just simply regurgitate what other's think about a subject and not put her own original ideas in the philosophy paper. However, you don't have to establish your own philosophical discipline, just make sure that the paper has some of your own original ideas on the subject.
4. Assume that your readers take the opposite position of your philosophy paper. When writing the paper, write from the perspective that you need to convince everyone that your argument is true. Often, a writer will assume that because they think a certain way, then the truth is self-evident, and they don't need to convince anyone of the ideas validity.
5. Compose an outline of the philosophy paper. The outline you use to construct the larger ideas and structure of the paper before you write it.
6. Discuss the papers topic and structure with others. Before you set out to write the bulk of the paper, make sure your reasoning is sound by discussing it with fellow students, aides or teachers.
7. Write a draft, and read over it for any errors in logic. Write the draft in a straightforward language that is bereft of flowery prose. Then add a writer's flair on the following rewrites.
8. Rewrite the paper as many times as necessary. Your philosophy paper may only need one rewrite, as long as you are pleased with the arguments and structure, then the number of rewrites is irrelevant.
9. Turn in the final version of the philosophy paper.