TOPIC QUESTION
What, according to Hegel (as presented in Kojéve’s Introduction to the Reading of Hegel), is the essence of human activity?
In the introduction, students should make a commitment, at the very least, to addressing the matter at hand in terms of a clear thesis statement accompanied by supporting reasons for it. While assessment must obviously be based on the overall execution of the essay (i.e., its analytic depth, breadth, and precision, along with the degree to which it coherently develops its discussion as a whole, namely, by advancing reasons for its various claims and also, whenever appropriate or desirable, examples and illustrations in the body of the essay itself), failing to provide an argument in the introduction, as described above, will most likely lead to disappointing results from the very outset.
In the body of the essay, students should proceed to advance their introductory argument by way of clear and distinct thematic blocks. To this end, it may prove advisable for students to indicate, oftentimes at the end of the introductory paragraph, the thematic headings of each block as the various stages through which the argument will be advanced in the body of the essay; at their very best, each thematic block will serve to fortify the introductory argument, building the case for it along every step of the way.
In the conclusion, students should, by all means, avoid contradicting their introductory argument; at its very best, a conclusion will serve more a revelatory than merely repetitive function in relation to the introductory argument.
