“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.”Discuss

“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” – Voltaire

Our Learning Objectives Are:
● To explore the meaning of a social concept related to your personal experience;
● To briefly narrate your experiences and generate questions that will guide your exploration;
● To research texts (secondary research) that address the topic and examine the different ideas and views they present;
● To conduct, if necessary, any relevant primary research to make your own observations;
● To determine the strengths and weaknesses of these ideas and discuss how they influence your thinking;
● To appreciate the process of inquiry and research without arriving at defined answers or conclusions.

Concept: “an abstract idea; a general notion”(Oxford Dictionaries Online)

Assignment
You will write an essay (4-5 pages) in which you analyze a social concept that relates to your personal life. You should not already have set or developed views about the concept, however, and will examine its meaning from various angles or perspectives. You will begin by writing a brief narrative that chronicles your experiences and your thinking about the concept. Then you will investigate other texts (secondary research) that offer different perspectives on this topic. As you describe your process and discuss your research, explain how your own views develop, evolve or change. You may use first person and should order your thinking process and research chronologically within the essay.

This paper requires the writer to be in an inquisitive mode rather than an argumentative one that is based on his/her previous notions about the concept.

Research
You generally want to begin thinking about your chosen concept with the question, “So, what is ____?” As you go deeper into your analysis of the concept, you want to research sources/texts whose ideas intrigue you or challenge your thinking and choose 4-5 to examine in your essay (these may be scholarly or credible popular ones). One of these may be a dictionary or similar reference work to obtain relevant definitions you want to discuss in the essay. These sources/texts should present views that differ somewhat from each other. Explain the ideas in your sources and respond to ideas they present. You may also conduct primary research such as brief interviews and field observations as part of your exploration and analysis of the concept.

Some Strategies for Analyzing Your Concept
Definitions: What are established definitions and widely accepted uses of the word and how do these match your own experiences? How might you challenge these definitions based on your own experiences and thinking?
Etymology: What are the origins of the word? What do original meanings tell you about the way the term is used today? The website etymology.com might be helpful.
Historical Background: Can the historical uses and applications of the term shed any light on its meaning today?
Comparison/Contrast: What is the concept like or unlike? Provide examples (real or hypothetical) of other situations where the term would or would not apply. You may also discuss cultural differences in the understanding of the concept’s meaning.

Questions to Help You Analyze Ideas in Texts/Secondary Sources
● What points do you agree or disagree with in each text? Why might one writer’s perspective be more convincing?
● How has your understanding of the issue changed after examining these texts? What have you learned through any primary research you have conducted?
● What main conclusions can you draw about the concept’s meaning (your delayed thesis).
For your closing remarks:
● What might you still have doubts and questions about concerning the concept and its meaning(s)? In other words, through research and analysis you may have a greater understanding about the concept, but you may raise new questions that occur to you.

Works Cited Page
On the final page of your essay, you will document all of your sources, both primary and secondary, on a Works Cited page. Be sure to use in-text, or parenthetical citations in MLA format in the body of your essay as well.

As always, the essay should be typed in 12-pt. font and double-spaced. Your final draft and all process materials will be submitted in a pocket folder on the above due date. Be sure to number your pages.

Online Surceases Only