Pick a question about time (one on the survey from the first class or a similar question of your own), briefly answer it, and go on to sketch reasons for your answer. I’m expecting no more than two or three paragraphs, so a single page is plenty (and you are making too much of this assignment if you give me more than two).

People have written whole books in answer to some of these questions, so don’t try to put everything you might have to say into this paper. You will have space to say a little more than you might say in answer to someone’s question in class but only a little more. On the other hand, if you think you are saying too little, there are two good techniques for expanding something you’ve already said: (i) explain more fully what you meant or (ii) say more about your reasons for saying it—i.e., imagine answering the question “What do you mean when you say that?” or the question “What leads you to say that?”

I’ll give you feedback on these, but I won’t grade them: you will get full credit simply for making a serious effort. While I’d be happy to accept your assignment on paper, it is more convenient for me to receive work electronically. Since I haven’t set up the course Moodle site for assignments, that means using e-mail. A short assignment like this could itself be the content of an e-mail message, but I’m also happy to get e-mail attachments.