Additional Resources for Writing Your Paper
“Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper” (new tab) by Professor Jim Pryor, Associate Professor of Philosophy, New York University
Several professors at UVM refer students who have questions about writing philosophy papers to this document.
Claremont McKenna College (new tab)
- Fairly brief, but can be a good first step in developing an understanding of how to write a philosophy paper.
- Great resource for the steps before the actual writing begins.
- Great advice on how to start outlining and planning.
Arizona State University (PDF, New tab)
- Very detailed examination of key components of philosophy papers.
- Fills in some of the more minor points along the way.
- A detailed guide on how to formulate a proper thesis.
- A paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of common philosophy paper organization.
- Many good tips on how to write clearly and concisely, which is crucial in a philosophical essay.
Stanford University (new tab)
- Information and advice regarding how to reconstruct the argument of an article.
- A list of important philosophical terminology.
Purdue OWL (new tab)
- Focuses on logic in argumentative writing.
- Comprehensive list of logical fallacies.
- Detailed explanations and examples of how “valid” and “sound” arguments are constructed.