CLST 389-01W / CATH 300-01W / HIST 300B-01W / MSTU 398-01W Classical Backgrounds: Augustine - Writing Intensive Spring Semester 2012 Dr. Jacqueline Long MWF 10:25am-11:15am Mundelein 308

Writing Exercise 3

Goals

• To assess an example of Augustine's preaching in light of the techniques of Biblical interpretation Augustine outlines in On Christian Teaching: to practice skills of critical thinking in literary analysis
• To formulate an insightful thesis representing the conclusions of your analysis, significantly advancing our understanding of Augustine's work
• To construct a clear, logical, persuasive argument taking into account all pertinent evidence relating to your thesis and showing how it supports (or does not detract from) your insights
• To introduce your thesis and argument concisely, identifying the problem your insight addresses and why it is worth considering
• To conclude your argument substantially, indicating the larger significance of your insight to this particular problem
• To practice American academic standards of style, grammar, vocabulary, and proofreading successfully

The approach:

1. Read Augustine, Sermon 341, and compare and contrast Augustine's explication of Biblical texts within the sermon to the techniques of analysis he outlines in On Christian Teaching, Books 1-3. Identify specific passages of both texts, the sermon and the treatise, that are relevant to your analysis. The system we used for passage-references in Sermon360C will be good for citations in your essay. (Paraphrases as well as direct quotations should be cited in an essay, wherever you refer to the evidence on which your ideas draw.)
2. Consider the results of your analysis and refine them to a single, defensible, interesting thesis. Try to go beyond the prima facie results of your analysis, "Augustine does/doesn't use the techniques in the sermon he describes in the treatise," to consider why the way Augustine does or doesn't apply the same techniques matters: what does Augustine's use/nonuse of techniques we know he was aware of, tell us about his work?
3. Review your analysis and identify how specific items of evidence in the primary texts of the sermon and the treatise relate to your thesis.
4. Organize your evidence and the analysis with which you process it, so as to construct a persuasive argument demonstrating your thesis. You will need to take all relevant evidence into account for your argument to do its job:
   • Identify supporting evidence and explain how it helps prove your case.
   • Identify non-supporting evidence and explain how it doesn't undermine your case.
   • Write up your argument.
5. Introduce your thesis and argument concisely in an opening paragraph that identifies the problem your thesis will solve, and why it is worth solving.
6. Conclude your argument with a paragraph that indicates what your solution to the problem you have been considering will do to improve your reader's larger understanding of Augustine, his work, and his world.
7. Aim for approximately 4 full pages' worth of essay. Cite the primary source-texts to which you refer whenever they figure in your argument, whether you are quoting or paraphrasing them - quote or paraphrase so as to make your points adequately but as concisely as possible. A parenthetical reference with an abbreviated title and the section number should be plenty. Use grammatically correct, complete, sentences. Proofread. Print out in double-spaced, 12-point Times Roman.
8. Doublecheck Strunk and White and make sure you are writing clearly and correctly.
9. Proofread again. Fix errors and re-print.
10. Come to class Monday 19 March with your essay in hand, ready to participate in peer review and collaborative discussion of your essays.

Revised 16 March 2012 by jlong1@luc.edu
http://www.luc.edu/classicalstudies/