+1 862 207 3288 The World’s Great Thinkers, I
Essay Two – Questions
INSTRUCTIONS
You must critically evaluate ONE of the assigned readings from Part II(1000 words, 27.5% of final mark)
PART II – RELIGIOUS THINKERS AFTER THE GREEKS (Tim Stanley)
1. The aim of the task in this part is to critically evaluate ONE of the assigned readings for weeks 5-8 linked on Blackboard:
Week 5: Matthews, G B. 2014. “Augustine,” in Oppy, G &Trakakis, N (eds), Ancient Philosophy of Religion: The History of Western Philosophy of Religion, Vol. 1, (Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 2014): (CH 18)
2. Your essay should be in the style of an academic book review. Usually critical reviews indicate the title, including the complete bibliographic citation for the work at the top followed by something like:
• One paragraph identifying your thesis on the book.
• One or two paragraphs summarizing and analyzing the book’s key features as they relate to your thesis.
• Further paragraph’s could go into more detail evaluating the book’s strengths and weaknesses.
• One paragraph on your assessment of the book and some form of conclusion.
3. The above outline is just a general idea for those of you who are unfamiliar with the task. It should not be taken as prescriptive. Further advice can be found here: academicskills.anu.edu.au/resources/handouts/writing-critical-book-review.
4. Other examples of book reviews can be found in the “book review” section of academic journals, which can be found by searching at library.newcastle.edu.au.
5. A great resource for tips on developing a thesis can be found at writing-speech.dartmouth.edu/learning/materials/materials-first-year-writers/developing-your-thesis.
6. A helpful reading on critical analytical writing can be found at the following PDF link in the library: library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2910797~S16
7. The skills being assessed are in the marking rubric listed in the assessments page on Blackboard.
