WRITING CLASSICS PAPERS

In researching for your papers, you can save yourself a lot of hunting through the library and flipping through books and periodicals by setting down some guidelines before you begin your search for sources. Stay away from journals that were originally written in a language you do not know.  While their articles are usually very interesting and informative, they are written specifically for professors and other specialists, and thus require all kinds of previous knowledge. The same is true for books that were originally submitted as dissertations. Try instead to look for general books that are geared towards a larger audience. (Ido Harrel)

Make sure that your paper does not apply anarchistic methods or means of evaluation. This is probably the most common mistake made by neophyte writers of Classics papers. Applying modern ontological or methodological theories to Classical texts should be avoided. For example, the ancient conception of historiography is fundamentally different from the modern, and should not be used when dealing with ancient texts. (Bret Mulligan)

Use a consistent dating scheme, i.e. BC & AD or BCE & CE. Are the dates certain or approximate? Dating in Classical Studies is often relative or plain uncertain. Make sure you differentiate between the certain and the inferred. (Bret Mulligan)

Be wary of translations, and avoid focusing on specific terms in a translation. Be careful writing about, for example, Homer's use of a particular word because it may be the case that that word was the product of an imperfect translation.  Many translators attempt to reproduce the meter of the original work and consequently make slight alterations in their translations.  For example, Fagles chooses to leave out the word eneios in various passages in the Iliad, probably because it would disrupt the rhythm of the English version. You should interpret passages in context, and not rely on the tone that the words themselves convey; try to avoid analyzing a passage based on its tone or word choice. (Ido Harrel)