standard 12 point font H u m a n i t i e s

Instructions:
Choose one of the theories we have studied this semester (Epicureanism, Stoicism, Existentialism,
Confucianism) to try out for three days. I recommend that you choose a theory that is different than
how you ordinarily approach life, as this will give you a lot more to write about in your portfolio.
You can choose a theory you really like, or you might try out a theory you really don’t like, in order
to see if living it out gives you a different perspective on it.
The Portfolio
The portfolio section of this assignment requires you to choose one of the theories of life we have
studied this semester, live it out for three days, and prepare a portfolio in which you discuss your
experience. You should complete the Summary of Theory, Original Research (if applicable), and
Project Plan before the three days; your Reflective Journal Entries during the three days; and your
Critical Analysis (if applicable) and Presentation (if applicable) after the three days.
Formatting:
All projects should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and with standard 12 point font (Times
New Roman, Arial, Calibri). Your portfolio should be well-written and typo-free. This is your
semester project, and you should do your best academic work. If you are concerned about your
writing or grammar, I strongly encourage you to make use of the library’s resources and the UCA
Center for Writing and Communication .Each section below should start on a new page and receive
its own subtitle.
Use a separate page for each section, but you should submit a single file for the portfolio.
Requirements:
I. Title Page: A title page adds a professional and polished look to your work. You may
choose MLA or APA; make sure you are consistent with the rest of the style of your
project. [Note: If you don’t know how to write a title page, Google it!]
II. Summary of Theory (2-4 pages): Your portfolio should begin with an explanation of
the philosophical theory that you are working on. Write as though you are explaining it
to someone who has never had a philosophy class before, which means you will need to
be accurate and thorough. Aim to show that you fully understand the theory. Make sure
your summary is well organized and easily readable.
o If you are doing a B-level, C-level, or D-level project, you do not need to do any
additional research. You can rely on the course readings and class discussions as
the sources for your explanation of the theory. However, if you use any quotations,
you should cite your sources in either MLA or APA format.
o If you are aiming for an A-level project, you need to do Original Research about
your theory. We did not cover everything that there is to know about these theories,
and sometimes philosophers have different takes on how things should be
interpreted. You will need to read at least 3 external sources on your theory, and
incorporate that research into your summary of the theory. All sources should be
scholarly, which means they should be from articles, books, or websites that are
from an academic institution, were written by an individual with a Ph.D. in a
relevant field, or are from a well-known practitioner of that philosophy.
III. Project Plan (1-2 pages): Write a plan for how you intend to put the theory into
practice. This plan should be specific: list any specific activities that you are going to do,
changes in your behavior, etc. Be sure to explain how those activities connect up with
the theory you are working on. Discuss why you are planning on doing those activities,
and what you hope to learn from them.
IV. Reflective Journal Entries (1 page each, total of 3): Each day that you are doing your
Lived Philosophy Experiment, you should write a reflective journal entry. These entries
should include what you did that was relevant to the project, but it should also include
any interesting conversations, reflections, or other thoughts that you have as you go
along. You can discuss how you put your plan into action, whether anything came up
that was unexpected, or anything else that relates to your practice of this theory. You
should have three entries: one for each day.
V. Critical Analysis (2-3 pages): If you are working on an A-level, B-level, or C-level
project, you should finish with a project summary where you provide a critical analysis
of the theory. What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses? Which ideas are worth
preserving? What, if anything, does it get right? What, if anything, does it get wrong? Is it
a good theory of life? Be specific. You should also summarize what you learned from this
experience. For instance, what was hard about living that way of life? What was easy?
Did anything unexpected happen? Did anything give you new insight into the theory?
Did anything give you new insight into yourself? The critical analysis provides
well-reasoned conclusions about the project and its significance.
VI. Bibliography (if applicable): If you used any quotations or other sources in your
project, be sure to cite them and put the source information here. This includes
quotations from the course readings on Blackboard. You do not need to cite my lecture
notes or our class discussions. You may choose either MLA or APA,, but be consistent
with the style you chose for your title page.