Name ________________________
Date__________ Seminar______
Humanities Literature Ontological Response Paper
DUE IN SEMINAR: Thurs. 9-12/ Friday, 9-13
Your first writing assignment for literature is to pick a question (or sub-question) from
your ontological questionnaire and write a reflection on that question. This reflection
should begin with a clear statement of your position regarding this question (for example,
“An ideal life is an extraordinary life: a person must excel in her work and leave a legacy
that will benefit those left behind,” or “An ideal society balances the freedoms of the
individual with the good of the society,” etc.)
Your reflection should
 be one to one-and-a-half pages, typed, 12-point standard font
 begin right away with a clear statement of your position regarding this question
(for example, “An ideal life is an extraordinary life: a person must excel in her
work and leave a legacy that will benefit those left behind,” or “An ideal society
balances the freedoms of the individual with the good of the society,” etc.) Do not
write a paper that says, in essence, something like, “Maybe art is this, maybe it’s
that, who really knows? But one thing’s for sure, art sure is an interesting topic to
think about!”
 consist of multiple paragraphs, not just one big paragraph
 employ transitions between paragraphs
 make use of examples to both support and enliven your argument. These might
come from a variety of sources: personal experience, factual evidence, logical
reasoning, various data, fictional texts, history, etc..
 be consistent, well-reasoned, well-structured, and well-written – this is not a
stream-of-consciousness journal entry.
 cite any source you use.
 observe conventions of spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Because this is a personal reflection, it is okay to use “I,” but be careful of overusing the
phrases “I think” and “I believe” as it is already known by the reader that this is the case.
Critical Instructions
My major assignments will all have what I call “critical instructions.” I do not ask very
much with these, but I do have steep penalties (a third of a letter grade reduction) if you
do not comply with each one. (Consider this good practice for life after high school when
following format requests and instructions really does matter!) For this essay, these are
my critical instructions:
1. Your essay should be typed and double-spaced and use standard margins and 12
point font.
2. Staple this sheet to the front.
3. Make sure your first and last name, date turned in (not date completed), and
seminar number are filled in
4. Staple your ontological questionnaire to the back
Humanities Ontological Essay Rubric
Your total grade:________
Please refer to checklists below for a categorized assessment.
 Writing followed “critical instructions”
A-level work
Development
 Explores question(s) thoughtfully and
logically; deals with complex subjects
with sophistication and subtlety
 Uses specific examples to enliven and
support arguments
 Is engaging to read
Structure/coherence
 Argues a clear, consistent position
 Maintains clear structure that follows
argument
 Uses good transitions
Mechanics
 Is free from mechanical errors
 Is clearly and efficiently written
 Includes cover page properly titled and
labeled
 Other_________________________
B-level work
Development
 Explores question(s) thoughtfully, but less
so than A work; may occasionally
oversimplify complex issues or take leaps
in logic
 Uses specific examples, but less
effectively than A work
Structure/coherence
 Argues a position, but not as fully thought
through or sophisticated as A work
 Follows some structure, though not as
clear, logical, or sophisticated as A work
Mechanics
 Is clearly and efficiently written, but may
contain occasional lapses
 Occasional mechanical errors
C-level work
Development
 Explores question(s) somewhat
superficially
 Points are not fully reasoned through
 Uses examples or details, but fewer and/or
less effective than A or B work
Structure/coherence
 Argues a somewhat unclear, inconsistent,
or contradictory position; may be “list-y”
 Attempts a structure, but may not be
logical or clear
Mechanics
 Is at times not clear or efficiently written
 Contains mechanical errors which distract
from content
 Other_________________________
D-level work
Development
 Discusses question(s) very superficially
 Does not make logical arguments
 Uses few, if any, specific examples
 Does not adhere to the length requirement
 Does not use paragraphs
 Other_________________________
Structure/coherence
 Lacks a position
 Lacks structure
 Lacks transitions
 Contains considerable filler or tangents
Mechanics
 Contains serious mechanical flaws that
interfere with communication
 Is often unclearly written
E-level work
Work is inadequate to receive credit