Description
The goal of this essay is for you to come to a better understanding of your own approach to knowing and applying truth in both its descriptive and prescriptive aspects. Apply the Ways of Knowing readings to the search for truth about a complex public concern with moral implications, a concern about which you will eventually pursue a practical course of action.
Your essay should include the following elements:
- Represent accurately and respond meaningfully to the ways of knowing described in the reading.
- Demonstrate your own approach to the ways of knowing. Identify explicitly how, in seeking truth about complex concerns, you are influenced by your specialty, your liberal arts experience and Christian faith
- Apply the above as an effective basis on which you learn and respond to our topic, The Majority World and the West.
Note:Â All these elements need to be strongly represented in your essay, but the list is not meant as an explicit guide to how to organize your essay.
Format
This essay should be about 1500 words, or around four-seven double-spaced pages. Less than that will not be adequate to address all the elements that form the scope of this essay. Your essay should be double spaced, typed, paginated, and generally conforming to standard U.S. academic formatting styles. Since documentation and styles vary from discipline to discipline, there is no set manuscript style. However, proper documentation – according to the manuscript style typically used in your discipline – must be used for any sources you cite and quote.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity begins with you committing to do the preparation necessary to learn something beyond what you already know. It includes assent to pursue the goals of the task, not only the completion of the task itself.
In order to accomplish this essay, read the Mock, Campbell, Corning essay, “Ways of Knowing.” As you do so, think critically and reflectively about the various ways of knowing and determine which way or ways of knowing best represent your approach to seeking truth. Part of this process will be undertaken through homework assignments and class discussions, but much of it will take place on your own as you consider the essays. Your thoughtful evaluation and application is expected.
As with all assignments, it is expected that this essay is your unique construction for this course. It is yours in that you reflected on the reading, gathered the information, created the outline, wrote the main ideas, and are mainly responsible for the expression (word choice and phrasing). It is unique in that you have not used it or any part of it for an earlier grade. Failure to follow the GFU plagiarism policy will result in 0 points for this assignment and notification to the Academic Affairs Office.
Evaluation
Your essay will be evaluated based upon the quality of your engagement with the assignment description above and the quality of your written expression. More information on expected content is given in the following rubric.
Note:Â Essays that do not achieve the deficient benchmark will not be graded, as they do not fulfill the minimum requirement for the assignment.Â
Ways of Knowing Essay Evaluation Rubric
Â
| Â | Excellent
Capstone Quality |
Proficient
 |
Adequate
 |
Deficient
 |
| Represents and responds meaningfully to the Ways of Knowing described in the readings
 |
Critiques the Ways of Knowing in an independent intellectual and ethical approach that will form a useful basis for later practical application
|
Elaborates on the text through interpretation or questioning about its potential usefulness in later practical application
|
Discusses the text in ways that contribute to an accurate understanding of the ways of knowing. | Comments about text in ways that usually preserve the authors’ meaning |
| Demonstrates how the approach to seeking truth is influenced by the writer’s professional preparation, liberal arts foundation and Christian faith*
 |
Synthesizes, into a coherent whole, personalized experiences about the integration of learning and faith in the ongoing search for truth | Selects and develops explicit examples of interdisciplinary formation; shows how the integration of faith and learning contributes to the search for truth | Identifies how, in seeking truth, the writer has been influenced by specialty, liberal arts and faith commitments | Oblique references to formation through specialty, liberal arts, and/or faith |
| Applies the Ways of Knowing to descriptive and prescriptive elements of the topic–
Islam and the West  |
Develops an interdisciplinary approach to knowing and applies it to a focused controversial topic about which wise people may disagree; describes how to know one’s moral duty within the controversy
|
Introduces an approach, based on the ways of knowing, to a specific controversial topic; describes relevant moral questions within the controversy
|
Identifies a specific controversial topic with relevant references to the ways of knowing; acknowledges moral questions within the controversy | A vague or general application of the ways of knowing to an issue within the topic |
| Expresses ideas clearly (quality of written expression) | Uses artful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency, and is virtually error-free. | Uses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The essay has few errors. | Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity, although writing may include some errors.
|
Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage. |
* Students who do not have a background in Christian understanding and/or a current Christian commitment may opt to discuss Christian faith in general terms or to substitute their own belief system on which they form their moral decision-making. Ask your professor if you have any questions about how to do this.Â