Guy Aitchison Guys Guide to Writing a Political Theory Essay Reading and Planning

Read the philosophical texts with your question in mind and think critically as you read them.

Dont rely too much on introductory texts or material from the lectures. Go deeper. Read in a focused and selective way (e.g. read the relevant chapters of a book, not necessarily

the whole thing).

Use philosophical texts, not journalistic articles, think tank reports, politicians speeches etc. If you do use these sources, it should be to illustrate arguments from a philosophical text, not to make the argument.

Make sure youve understood the question. If you dont, ask. Plan the essay. If it helps, use mind-maps etc to explore ideas.

It may help to underline key terms in the question and spend some time unpacking what they mean and how they relate to one another. Making your Argument

State your argument clearly and simply at the beginning in the introduction, use material selectively to support the argument, anticipate any possible objections to the argument, and then restate the argument in the conclusion. There should be no surprises in the essay. Give an outline and then stick to it.

Dont sit on the fence. Its good to reflect complexity and nuance, but try not to appear weak and indecisive. Take a position, and then argue for it.

Don't be afraid to walk the reader through the essay with pointers, "I will argue that, I will now consider two possible objections etc.

Your essay should be a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph should build on the previous one to advance the argument. If it doesnt, then cut it out.

Remember to keep to the question! You should go beyond mere description of what others have said to critical discussion and evaluation of their ideas.

Use examples to build your own arguments.

These are political theory essays and therefore the arguments we are interested in are theoretical ones. Do not rely on empirical facts to make your argument (e.g. if the question is about the relationship between democracy and liberty, it is not asking you whether existing democracies do in fact protect liberty, but about the conceptual relationship between the two).

Anticipate possible objections and counter-arguments and give your rebuttal.

Avoid anachronism e.g. Plato was hostile to the welfare state. No straw men. You should aim to make the strongest possible case for your opponents

arguments. If their arguments seem blindingly stupid, the chances are its you who hasnt understood them properly!

Avoid over-generalisations about thinkers and ideologies - be sensitive to nuances and internal disagreements (e.g. there are many different kinds of conservatism: not all conservatives think the same thing).

Take your time to re-read and edit your paper, refining and improving your argument to make it stronger and more coherent. Its rare anyone gets it right first time!

Style

Keep your prose crisp and clear, avoiding verbiage. o No: The political system of democracy is necessarily constituted in a manner that is

consistent with the fundamentally important principle of political equality. o Yes: Democracy requires political equality

Your style should be thoughtful and scholarly, rather than chatty or journalistic. However, avoid unnecessary jargon. Imagine the reader is someone trained in political theory, but not necessarily a specialist in the area youre discussing. If you introduce new terms, which may be unclear, explain them (e.g. election requires no definition, but act-utilitarian does)

Paragraphs should be neither too short (one or two sentences) nor too long (over half a page) and should generally stick to one main point.

Check for spelling and grammar errors. Then check again!

Keep to a consistent system of referencing and include a bibliography. To be avoided:

Lengthy and grandiose introductions e.g. The nature of democracy is a controversial issue, which has preoccupied philosophers for many hundreds of years. Get to the point!

Rhetorical questions. If you pose a question in the essay, you should go on to try and answer it.

Sweeping claims. e.g. Representative democracy is the best form of government. Too many quotations. The principal voice in the essay should be yours.

Over-long quotations. Be selective and only quote the part that is necessary to your argument.

Unnecessary repetition.

Non-sequiturs.

Unnecessary historical or biographical detail e.g. John Locke, who studied at Christ Church, Oxford. Just because its interesting, doesnt mean it belongs in the essay! Finally, relax and enjoy yourself. Political Theory can be fun! ;-)