Eng 350
Finley
The Personal Philosophy Paper
Purpose: A wise man once said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” As one of the many
meaningful projects in Junior English you will be required to write a formal paper which
expresses your personal philosophy of life. At this stage in our life, you have no doubt begun to
develop some ideas about your personal beliefs, goals, and ideals. As is the case with most
people, these personal thoughts are in all probability random and sometimes contradictory
images which have never been formalized. The personal philosophy paper will require you to
carefully examine your life as it is now and to give serious thought to the future.
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS: The personal philosophy paper is by its very nature a highly
individual endeavor. There are, however, certain minimum requirements for this assignment.
Listed below are the basic guidelines for the paper.
I.
Length: There is no set length for this paper. It must show a deep and critical
engagement with the topic and be developed to fully explore your belief.
II.
Formal requirements: This paper is intended to represent your best formal writing
skills. Grammar and punctuation should be as close to error free as possible. Since
this is a highly personal piece of writing it should be written in the first person. Strive
to make your writing clear and precise while avoiding philosophical word games.
Keep the writing concrete!
III.
A title (Philosophy Paper is not an acceptable title). Choosing a title is important as
it sets up the paper and engages your reader. Be creative.
IV.
Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events
of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think
of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of things you know that no one
else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be
funny—but it should be real. Make sure that your daily life philosophy and the
shaping of your beliefs.
Grading: The total point value of this assignment is worth 100 points. Your grade will be based
on the actual product of your work- the complete, typed philosophy paper- and your successful
completion of each step by its deadline. Class time provided for completing this assignment
should be used wisely and productively. Failure to use class time properly will affect your grade.
Recommended Content:
This paper is intended to reflect primarily your own personal thoughts and ideas. The paper
should answer the prompt “I Believe.” Consider the example “I Believe” essays we have read.
What do you believe? How do you wish to see the world? How do you view the purpose of
life? What do you believe is valuable? What is the measure of success we should use?
Any of these questions can lead you down the path of developing your own philosophy on life
and its purpose.
Due Dates: Draft 1—1/27
Draft 2—2/2
Final Draft—2/6