ASSIGNMENT
For this essay, pretend that you have been selected to be a student representative on a curriculum development committee at The Ohio State University. The committee’s task is to design a required curriculum for OSU freshmen. You have decided that Homer’s Iliad should be required as part of this curriculum, given the way we’ve read it in Classical Mythology. All the committee members are bringing written proposals about the curriculum; you too bring yours.

In this essay, you must argue that the Iliad should be required reading for every freshman at OSU because of its capacity to provoke students to think in their role of citizen. In other words, the essay answers the question, why should every OSU freshman be required to read Homer’s Iliad as part of their Disciplina in Civitatem, Education for Citizenship?

In order to earn an “A” (at least 9/10 pts.), essays must address the citizen identity of the OSU freshmen in question.

To develop your argument, think about the themes we’ve focused on – the story’s “points,” provocative questions, issues – and the audience of the Iliad in this case, namely OSU freshman. What observations and provocations could justify the Iliad being required reading for college freshman?

The essay must state its thesis in a short introductory paragraph, followed by a few body paragraphs actually making the argument. As part of its evidence the essay must cite specific passages of the Iliad at least four times (not necessarily quote, but cite), using book number and approximate line number: 23.450. You may only use the Iliad as evidence, and you may not include a Works Cited page.

Further details are below in the RUBRIC. For more tips on writing this type of essay, and a post-writing checklist, see the WRITING TIPS document on Carmen.

Option to Collaborate: For this paper, students may collaborate with one classmate to prepare, compose, and turn in one paper. To do this, each student must still turn in his/her copy on Dropbox on-time, but should indicate both their own and their partner’s name on the subject line. For example: “A Necessary Iliad by Margaret MacGregor and Bill Veith”. Each student will receive the same grade, but feedback will be provided only to one of the partners. Students who collaborate with more than one partner will receive a zero.

RUBRIC

A. Formatting & Length

_____ / 1pts. Is the paper appropriately formatted?
• 12 point, Times New Roman font in black
• 1.5 spacing
• 1 inch margins

_____ / 1pts. Is the paper the appropriate length?
• 1 page
• The student’s name and essay title should be on the first line, and the essay itself should start on the second; no additional space should be taken up with headers, dates, etc.
• Anything over the page limit will not be considered part of the essay.

B. Thesis

_____ / 3pts. Does the thesis:
• directly answer the question posed in the assignment,
• provide a sufficient reason for that position,
• provide a mini roadmap of the points the essay will make to argue the thesis?

C. Supporting Paragraphs

_____ / 2pts. Evidence: does the essay use sufficient evidence from the texts, and cite it
correctly, to the support the argument?

_____ / 2pts. Argument: do the supporting paragraphs sufficiently argue the thesis?

D. Grammar & Other Mechanics of Writing

_____ / 1pts. Does the essay use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and is the
prose clear?

TOTAL POINTS _____ / 10 pts.