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True Believer Syndrome: Populism and Anti-Rationalism in Modern America

This political science essay responds to anti-rationalism using the works of Marx, Hegel, and Eric Hoffer's "true believer" concept as related to mass movements. The student finds modern examples in populism, Donald Trump, the KKK, and Nazi Germany.
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This essay received a B by one of Kibin's paper graders. Click here to see what was done well and what needs improvement.

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This essay received a B by one of Kibin's paper graders. Click here to see what was done well and what needs improvement.

More essays like this:

Not sure what I'd do without @Kibin
- Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University
Exactly what I needed.
- Jenna Kraig, student @ UCLA
Wow. Most helpful essay resource ever!
- Chris Stochs, student @ UC Berkeley

View other essays like this one:

Bridget's feedback:

"Your control over the material, including the source texts, the concepts, and the conversation across the ideas, is very good. The discussion itself moves logically and clearly in responding to both parts of the prompt. I do notice some typos and other issues that should be proofread for (e.g., the last word of the essay); otherwise, the writing mechanics are in good shape and convey the ideas effectively to the reader.

I recommend against providing page numbers in your signal phrases ("On page 15 of..."); the vital information is the author name and title of the work, and the page number can be given in a parenthetical. Otherwise, the reader has to process the page number before moving into the quotation, which can be distracting. If you want to emphasize "where" the quote lands in the original source, I recommend using chapters, sections, or relative positions ("toward the beginning," "later in...") that help the reader comprehend sequence and development.

My other main recommendation is to craft introduction and conclusion material (whether these are sentences, paragraphs) that impose a more evident structure related to the prompt. In the opening, signpost how the discussion will develop, including the movement beyond the Marx text. In your concluding moments, whether this means a new concluding paragraph or weaving material into the existing final paragraph, help the reader understand the takeaways of the entire essay, from its development at the top. A few nudges about what they started with helps complete the structure and reinforce your argumentation."

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