<p>Lots of times I've heard people say the advantage of small college profs is that they help students "learn how to learn," but I thought UChicago profs might too based on the rep. Would you say this is true? If so, which ones?</p>
<p>Yes. Its not called the teacher of teachers for nothing. Most professors are very engaging and will teach you how to think and examine and critique the text rather than memorize, etc...</p>
<p>Specifically, what are some of the questions you're asked to answer in papers?</p>
<p>Do they really give paper topics? I'd be surprised if paper topics were assigned in non-freshman-specific classes...</p>
<p>Usually it is very open ended, giving you the choice to address a number of different questions, with you being able to be creative. Playing it safe doens't usually work; they want to see you take a stand and then defend it. There are writing workshops for freshman so I wouldnt worry too much</p>
<p>Well, I've heard of some very cool pp topics coming from another school I'm looking at:</p>
<p>'In an ideal world, what kind of government could you have, if people of the same ideology, no matter what the ideology, wanted to stay together. How would you design laws, what would be 'ethical', what would constitute a violation of 'natural laws' versus man-made ones'</p>
<p>AND</p>
<p>Teacher describing assignment for images of Africa: Basically, I take a catalogue of persistent images or tropes that are recognizable, persistent presences in post-1950s American or global popular culture and ask the students to do some detective work leading to a long research essay in which they track down the genealogies and if possible origins of these discrete images. In what kinds of texts did they travel, how did they change over time, what sorts of audiences consumed these images at different moments, and so on.</p>
<p>I find these very cool. <em>So</em> I was just wondering if anyone has had questions like these asked in UChicago courses?</p>
<p>Yes. Similar to those. I once had to watch the super bowl and write a paper on how Durkheim would have viewed such an experience.</p>