Overview
The assignment for these papers was as follows (this is NOT your assignment--you can find that below): In Plato's Apology, Socrates informs the jury that he would defy their orders to cease practicing philosophy if they were to release him. Contrarily, in Plato's Crito, Socrates asserts that one should never disobey their city. Your task is to develop and defend a thesis addressing this seeming contradiction. If you believe the two positions can be reconciled, provide textual evidence to support your claim. If you argue that one passage more accurately represents Plato's views, explain why the other passage should be given less weight. If you think Plato is genuinely contradicting himself, help us comprehend the reason behind this contradiction. Do not assume that your reader will automatically concur with your assertions.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Read the three sample student papers on the following pages.
2. Evaluate each paper based on the rubric provided below.
3. Write a paragraph about the strengths of paper 1 and a paragraph about the weaknesses of paper 1. Do the same for papers 2 and 3.
4. Assign a letter or number grade to each paper.