Assessments

Person writing thoughtfully at a well-lit desk

This course includes three types of assessments, each designed to help you engage with the material in a different way.

📝 Quizzes

Each unit includes a multiple-choice quiz that tests your understanding of the readings and lesson content. These are self-study tools — you'll get instant feedback on your answers so you can see what you've grasped and where you might need to revisit the material.

What each quiz covers

  • Quiz 1: Aristotle — Nicomachean Ethics, Books I–III
  • Quiz 2: Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Questions 90, 91, 94, and 95
  • Quiz 3: Kant — Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals
  • Quiz 4: Mill — Utilitarianism
  • Quiz 5: Nietzsche — On the Genealogy of Morality, Preface and First Treatise
  • Quiz 6: Beauvoir — The Ethics of Ambiguity, Parts One and Two

Tip: Take each quiz after you've finished all the lesson pages and readings for that unit. They're there to help you learn, not to penalize you.

💬 Reflection Prompts

Each unit includes a reflection prompt — a question or scenario that asks you to think carefully about what you've read and form your own reasoned response. These take the place of traditional discussion boards.

Reflection prompts are designed to push your thinking beyond summary. You're not just recounting what a philosopher said — you're engaging with the argument, testing it against your own reasoning, and articulating a position you can defend.

How to approach them

  • Read the prompt carefully and make sure you understand what's being asked
  • Take time to think before you write — a good philosophical response isn't rushed
  • Support your position with reasoning and evidence from the texts, not just personal opinion
  • Consider potential objections to your view and address them
  • Aim for clarity over length — a focused, well-argued paragraph is worth more than a rambling page

These are for your benefit. Reflection prompts are a space for you to practice thinking and writing philosophically. Treat them as an opportunity to develop your ideas, not as busy work.

✍️ Final Essay

At the end of the course, you'll write a final essay on a philosopher of your choice. This is your chance to go deeper into the thinker whose ideas resonated with you most (or provoked you most — that works too).

What's expected

  • Choose one of the six philosophers covered in the course
  • Develop a focused argument or analysis related to their work
  • Minimum three pages, MLA format
  • Support your claims with evidence from the primary texts we've read

Getting started early

You don't need to wait until the end of the course to start thinking about your essay. As you work through each unit, pay attention to which ideas stick with you, which arguments you find most compelling (or most flawed), and which philosopher's way of thinking feels most relevant. Those instincts are often the seed of a good paper.

Choose your philosopher wisely. You'll be spending several pages with their ideas — pick someone whose thinking genuinely interests or challenges you.