In writting an essay for the APO, originality of thought and persuasiveness of argument are far more important than refferences to specific philosophers. However, refferences are a great way of showing that you have a solid understanding of philosophy, and they are expected at the IPO. We recognize, however, that most American schools do not offer philosophy classes. The following books are offered as suggested reading to gain a basic understanding of notable schools of philosophy and help students identify their niche in the constellation of philosophical thoughts. These books are intentionally not in English, so that students learn the philosophical terms they might want to use in their essay in the language in which the essay will ultimately be written.