Writing a good philosophy paper takes time and careful planning, so make sure that you begin working on the assignment as soon as possible. Philosophy papers require skillful argument and rational thought, which takes time to develop. Try to begin developing your ideas for your philosophy paper as soon as you get the assignment. Jot down your ideas and use some of your spare time to think about what you want to write about. Before you begin to develop your ideas for the paper, make sure that you have carefully read all of the materials that are related to the assignment. If you read the materials, but do not remember much or do not understand part of what you read, then you should reread the texts before you attempt to work on your paper. Having a solid understanding of the concepts covered in your readings is essential to create an effective paper. Otherwise, your explanation of the philosophy may be flawed or your argument may not hold up. Some professors distribute assignment guidelines while others simply describe the assignment in class. Before you start working on your paper, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what your professor is asking you to do. If any part of the assignment is unclear, ask your professor for clarification. It is important to keep your audience in mind as you plan your paper and as you write your paper. Your professor is your primary audience member and your classmates might also be part of your audience. You can also think of your audience as a person who has some knowledge of philosophy, but who does not have the same understanding as you do. Therefore, if you introduce a special term or concept, you will need to define it for your audience. With philosophy papers, it is best to use quotes from the text only when it is absolutely necessary. The goal of your paper is to explain and evaluate a philosophical argument in your own words. Therefore, you should not rely too heavily on quotes or even paraphrased passages from your sources. Only use a quote when it is necessary to support your point of view. Make sure to provide a citation for every quote or paraphrase that you use from a source. Include the author's name as well as a page number. All philosophy papers need to have a strong thesis. Your thesis states your position for the paper and you will need to make sure that you stay focused on your thesis and support it throughout your entire paper. Keep in mind that a strong thesis states your position as well as why you hold that position. For example, if you plan to refute Aristotle's idea that beauty is related to virtue, then you would have to provide a brief explanation of why. One reason that you may cite might be that beautiful people are not always virtuous. In this case, your thesis might be something like, "Aristotle's concept that beauty is related to virtue is false because beauty is often found in those who lack virtue." You will need to place your thesis at the end of the first paragraph in your essay. An outline can help you to stay on track as you draft your paper and ensure that you include everything that you need to include. Try making a simple outline that includes: ideas for your introduction your thesis main points of your explanation main points in your evaluation along with supporting evidence potential objections and your refutations ideas for your conclusion

Summary:
Give yourself time. Read all relevant materials. Make sure that you understand the assignment. Consider your audience. Choose textual references. Develop a thesis. Outline your paper.