Classics  2220  Classical  Mythology   The  Ohio  State  University  |  Fall  2015       1   Tips  for  Writing  Essays,  with  a  Post-­Writing  Checklist     1.  TIPS       Formatting  &  Length   • Missing  points  for  Formatting  &  Length  is  silly:  just  follow  the  assignment  sheet!     • Do  the  Title  correctly  (according  to  the  assignment  sheet!).  It  should  take  1  line.   Example:     o A  Necessary  Odysseus  by  J.  Doe   o Why  Homer's  Odyssey  Should  Matter  to  OSU  Freshman  by  F.  Smith       Thesis   • State  your  Thesis  clearly  and  up  front  in  its  own  paragraph.     • If  you're  stuck,  base  your  thesis  on  the  actual  words  of  the  prompt,  making  it  the   first  sentence  of  your  essay.  This  can  help  to  ensure  that  your  thesis  is  on  topic.   • One  hallmark  of  a  good  thesis  is  that  it  contains  an  explicit  or  implicit  "because."   Examples:     o This  essay  will  argue  that  Homer's  Odyssey  should  be  required  reading  for   each  freshman  at  OSU  because  X,  Y,  Z.       o In  this  essay  I  will  provide  two  reasons  that  the  Odyssey  should  be  included   in  a  required  freshman  curriculum.  The  first  reason  is.  .  .  The  second   reason  is.  .  .  After  making  this  argument  in  two  concise  body  paragraphs,  I   will  end  by  briefly  forestalling  a  potential  counterargument.         Supporting  Paragraphs   Topic  Sentences.  Just  as  an  essay  must  have  an  introductory/thesis  paragraph,  so  too  you   must  give  your  body  paragraphs  their  own  thesis  statements.  We  call  this  a  topic   sentence.  Do  not  begin  a  body  paragraph  with  a  summary  of  a  text—BEGIN  IT  WITH  A   TOPIC/THESIS  SENTENCE.  Indicate  what  the  paragraph  will  be  about  with  the  first   sentence.  All  of  your  evidence  and  argument  in  that  paragraph  will  be  used  to   illustrate/argue  for  the  topic  sentence.       So:  at  the  paragraph  level,  Topic  sentence  first,  then  Evidence  &  Argument!     Here  are  some  good  body  paragraph  starters,  from  real  student  essays  (on  the  topic  of   polytheistic  socities):       In  a  polytheistic  culture,  each  god  can  portray  different  characteristics,  whi.

1. Classics
2220
Classical
Mythology
The
Ohio
State
University
|
Fall
2015
1
Tips
for
Writing
Essays,
with
a
Post--Writing
Checklist
1.

2. TIPS
Formatting
&
Length
• Missing
points
for
Formatting
&
Length
is
silly:
just
follow
the
assignment
sheet!
• Do
the
Title
correctly
(according
to
the
assignment
sheet!).
It

3. should
take
1
line.
Example:
o A
Necessary
Odysseus
by
J.
Doe
o Why
Homer's
Odyssey
Should
Matter
to
OSU
Freshman
by
F.
Smith
Thesis

4. • State
your
Thesis
clearly
and
up
front
in
its
own
paragraph.
• If
you're
stuck,
base
your
thesis
on
the
actual
words
of
the
prompt,
making
it
the
first
sentence
of
your
essay.

5. This
can
help
to
ensure
that
your
thesis
is
on
topic.
• One
hallmark
of
a
good
thesis
is
that
it
contains
an
explicit
or
implicit
"because."
Examples:
o This
essay
will
argue

6. that
Homer's
Odyssey
should
be
required
reading
for
each
freshman
at
OSU
because
X,
Y,
Z.
o In
this
essay
I
will
provide
two
reasons
that
the
Odyssey
should
be

7. included
in
a
required
freshman
curriculum.
The
first
reason
is.
.
.
The
second
reason
is.
.
.
After
making
this
argument
in
two
concise
body
paragraphs,
I
will
end
by
briefly
forestalling

8. a
potential
counterargument.
Supporting
Paragraphs
Topic
Sentences.
Just
as
an
essay
must
have
an
introductory/thesis
paragraph,
so
too
you
must
give
your
body
paragraphs
their
own
thesis

9. statements.
We
call
this
a
topic
sentence.
Do
not
begin
a
body
paragraph
with
a
summary
of
a
text—BEGIN
IT
WITH
A
TOPIC/THESIS
SENTENCE.
Indicate
what
the
paragraph
will
be
about
with
the
first

10. sentence.
All
of
your
evidence
and
argument
in
that
paragraph
will
be
used
to
illustrate/argue
for
the
topic
sentence.
So:
at
the
paragraph
level,
Topic
sentence
first,
then
Evidence
&

11. Argument!
Here
are
some
good
body
paragraph
starters,
from
real
student
essays
(on
the
topic
of
polytheistic
socities):
In
a
polytheistic
culture,
each
god
can
portray
different

12. characteristics,
which
are
also
relatable
to
human
nature.
As
we
can
see
in
Hesiod’s
Theogony.
.
.
A
polytheistic
culture
could
contribute
to
the
community
by
having
many
gods
to

13. fulfill
the
desires
of
different
people.
In
Enuma
Elish.
.
.
Hesiod’s
Theogony
exemplifies
the
tendency
of
polytheistic
religions
to
showcase
humanlike
gods.
Kronos,
for
example,.
.
.

14. Classics
2220
Classical
Mythology
The
Ohio
State
University
|
Fall
2015
2
Polytheistic
beliefs
have
potential
to
explain
the
world,
because
they
are
easy

15. for
humans
to
comprehend.
An
example
of
creation
that
is
easy
to
comprehend
is
when
Hesiod
explained
how
Day
was
created.
He
stated
that.
.
.
Argument
&
Evidence

16. • An
important
part
of
earning
full
credit
for
argument
is
explicitly
connecting
your
citations
of
ancient
sources
(i.e.,
your
evidence)
to
your
thesis.
• It
is
not
sufficient
simply

17. to
quote
texts.
To
be
considered
“evidence”
you
must
connect
them
to
your
Thesis.
• USE
PHRASES
THAT
MAKE
THE
CONNECTION
BETWEEN
CLAIM
AND
EVIDENCE
EXPLICIT.

18. Here
are
some
good
thesis-­‐evidence-­‐argument
connectors,
from
real
essays:
These
two
examples
are
just
a
few
that
show
how
polytheism
has
a
connection
with
human
life.

19. This
story
shows
that
kingship
should
go
to
those
with
the
knowledge
and
valor
to
do
so.
In
both
the
Theogony
and
human
history,
they
have
learned
that
greed
for

20. power
eventually
results
in
losing
all
your
power
to
someone
else.
Thus,
they
have
progressed
towards
the
sharing
of
power
in
order
to
stay
as
the
top
ruler.
One
piece
of

21. evidence
for
this
claim
about
polytheism’s
capacity
to
better
represent
the
world’s
complexity
can
be
found
in
Hesiod’s
Theogony.
There,
we
see
that
in
the
case
of
Chaos
.
.
.
This
passage
demonstrates

22. my
thesis
that.
.
.
From
these
examples
in
Enuma
Elish,
I
conclude
that.
.
.
These
conclusions,
in
turn,
support
the
second
part
of
my
initial
thesis
that.
.

23. .
Grammar
&
Other
Mechanics
of
Writing
• Some
of
the
best
advice
for
checking
grammar
and
other
mechanics
is
to
read
the
essay
out
loud
to

24. yourself
and
to
some
friends,
fixing
errors
as
you
find
them.
• Use
the
OSU
Writing
Center
for
more
detailed
help.
Classics
2220
Classical
Mythology

25. The
Ohio
State
University
|
Fall
2015
3
2.
POST--WRITING
CHECKLIST
Consider
using
the
following
checklist
as
you
prepare
your
essay.
Structure
1. _____

26. I
have
created
a
thesis
paragraph
that
introduces
the
argument
clearly
and
thoroughly.
It
follows
the
prompt
and
defines
key
terms
I
will
use
in
my
essay.
2. _____
I
have

27. created
a
“roadmap”
in
the
thesis
paragraph
that
outlines
the
major
points.
3. _____
I
have
created
a
conclusion
that
restates
and
possibly
extends
the
argument.
It
also
brings

28. the
essay
to
a
memorable
finish.
4. _____
I
have
thought
about
how
my
paragraphs
are
arranged
and
have
structured
them
in
a
way
that
best
supports
my
argument.

29. 5. _____
I
have
confirmed
that
each
body
paragraph
has
a
topic
sentence
and
that
they
flow
logically
from
the
preceding
paragraph.
Substance
1. ____

30. I
have
developed
a
clear
argument
based
on
the
prompt.
2. _____
I
have
developed
a
creative
argument.
3. _____
I
have
used
appropriate
evidence
from
appropriate
sources

31. in
support
of
the
argument.
4. _____
I
have
verified
that
each
paragraph
contains
evidence
to
support
the
topic
sentence
and
the
overall
argument
of
the
essay.

32. Style
1. _____
I
have
proofread
the
paper
for
spelling,
punctuation,
citation,
and
grammar
errors.
2. _____
I
have
read
the
paper
aloud
to
myself
or
to
someone

33. else,
listening
for
sentences
that
do
not
make
sense
or
seem
too
long.
3. _____
I
have
had
a
friend
or
classmate
check
the
paper
for
stylistic
errors.

34. 4. _____
I
have
followed
the
formatting
and
length
guidelines
on
the
assignment
sheet.
Classics
2220
Classical
Mythology
The
Ohio
State
University
|
Autumn

35. 2015
Essay
#1
Assignment
What
if
Telemachus
could
pick
up
the
Odyssey
by
Homer
and
read
his
very
own
Telemachy?
What
would
Telemachus
learn
about
life?
What
wisdom

36. would
he
stand
to
gain
from
reading
and
thinking
about
the
first
four
books
of
the
Odyssey?
In
this
essay,
you
must
answer
the
following
two--part
question:
1. What

37. is
the
most
important
lesson
that
Telemachus
stands
to
learn
from
the
Telemachy?
and
2. How
does
the
Telemachy
provoke
thought
about
this
particular
lesson?
The
essay
must

38. state
its
thesis
in
a
short
introductory
paragraph,
followed
by
a
few
body
paragraphs
actually
making
the
argument.
As
part
of
its
evidence
the
essay
must
cite
specific
passages
of
the
Odyssey
books
1-­‐4

39. at
least
three
times
(not
necessarily
quote,
but
cite),
using
book
number
and
page
number
in
the
Mandelbaum
translation:
2.30
=
book
2,
page
30.
You
may
only
use
the
Odyssey
as
evidence.
Further

40. details
are
below.
For
more
tips
on
writing
this
type
of
essay,
and
a
post-­‐writing
checklist,
see
the
relevant
document
on
Carmen.
Assigned:
Fri,
Sep
4.
Due:
Fri,
Sep

41. 11
by
11am
in
Carmen’s
Dropbox,
formatted
as
a
Word
doc
or
pdf.
Rubric
Formatting
&
Length
_____
/
1
Is
the
paper
appropriately
formatted?
• 12-­‐point,

42. Times
New
Roman
font
in
black
• 1.5
spacing
• 1
inch
margins
_____
/
1
Is
the
paper
the
appropriate
length?
• 1
page
• The
student’s
name
and
essay
title
should
be

43. on
the
first
line,
and
the
essay
itself
should
start
on
the
second;
no
additional
space
should
be
taken
up
with
headers,
dates,
etc.
• Anything
over
the
page
limit
will

44. not
be
considered
part
of
the
essay.
Thesis
_____
/
3
Does
the
thesis
• adequately
answer
the
question
posed
in
the
assignment,
• provide
a
sufficient
reason

45. for
that
position,
• and
provide
a
mini
outline
of
the
points
the
essay
will
make
to
argue
the
thesis?
Supporting
Paragraphs
_____
/
2
Argument:
do
the
supporting

46. paragraphs
sufficiently
argue
the
thesis?
_____
/
2
Evidence:
does
the
essay
use
sufficient
evidence
from
the
texts,
and
cite
it
correctly,
to
support
the
argument?

47. Grammar
&
Other
Mechanics
of
Writing
_____
/
1
Does
the
essay
use
proper
grammar,
spelling,
and
punctuation,
and
is
the
prose
clear?
TOTAL
__________
/
10