What is one question you would like answered about religion. For example, “Is religion a
source of violence or a source of peace and harmony?” “Is Confucianism a religion?”
Bring one question that you will research and submit to your Required Instructor Meeting.
AND
Choose one of the following questions
1. Describe some of the problems in today's world that seem to be involved with religion and
some ways religion can help inter-group and international understanding.
2. a. What do you think is the relationship between spirituality and religion? (Is it direct and
immediate or merely incidental?) b. Give an example of someone who in your judgment is
very spiritual, although not professedly and actively religious? What are the outstanding
qualities of this person? c. Give an example of someone who in your judgment is a very
spiritual person precisely because s/he is professedly and actively religious. What are the
outstanding qualities of this person?
3. Religion has always been with us. Throughout history, it has expressed the deepest
questions human beings can ask, and it has taken a central place in the lives of virtually
all civilizations and cultures. As we think all the way back to the dawn of human
consciousness, we find religion everywhere we turn.
This may be true of the past, but what about the present—and the future? In recent
times, critics have suggested that religion is on the way out. Technology and science have
changed our view of the world radically, leading some to say that we've entered a new stage
of human existence, without religion. Soon, they argue, it will truly be a thing of the past.
In our day and age, rumors of religion's demise seem very premature—and perhaps
there's no grain of truth in them at all. Religion persists and is often on the rise, even as
scientific and non-religious perspectives have become prominent. We still find religion
everywhere, on television, in film, in popular music, in our towns and neighborhoods. We
discover religion at the center of global issues and cultural conflict. We see religion in the
lives of the people we know and love, and in ourselves, as we live out and wrestle with our
own religious faith. Why does religion continue to thrive? There are many reasons, but one
thing is certain: religious traditions are adaptable in important ways. For many,
contemporary religion even has room for skepticism, science, and the secular, which allows
it to keep going strong in our rapidly changing world.
Overall, religion is powerful and persistent, and it shows no signs of disappearing. It
provokes heartfelt commitment, eloquent expression, forthright action, and intense debate.
For both practitioners and observers—for everyone who wants to be informed about the
world around them—religion is an intensely curious phenomenon that calls out for better
understanding.
Review the following website: http://studyreligion.org/why/index.html (Links to an external
site.)
Review each of the following seven sections.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
WHY STUDY RELIGION?
WHAT IS RELIGION?
SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT STUDYING RELIGION
PRESSING CONCERNS IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION
WHAT WILL I STUDY?
WHERE CAN I GO WITH IT?
WHERE DO I START?
•
First, give a concise summary of the content (at lease two or more sentences), overall
perspective, or purpose of each section.
Second, what is your reaction to each section: what strikes you as noteworthy, whether
or not it was effective, and how it enhanced your understanding of religious studies.
Finally, whether the overall website was informative or useful: would you recommend it
to someone.
•
•
This is a “personal response” paper and is really all about you and your investigation into the
answer. However, it is an academic paper and should not address or make any faith claims.
Note: This paper is not intended to be a formal academic paper and may be written in an
informal conversation style. Please note, however, your composition skills (grammar,
punctuation, paragraph structure, clarity of expression, etc.) will be included in the
evaluation of the paper. It should be an example of your best writing. Sources you must cite
(35 points).
Instructor’s Guide for Paper’s
Introduction, Body, and Conclusion
Introduction: Must introduce the paper itself and its agenda, not just the general topic of the paper.
Tell the reader WHAT the paper is about, WHY the paper is important, and HOW the paper is organized and
structured.
Introduces the paper with focus on the subject, question(s) and structure of the paper. Engage the assignment
fully in the paper’s introduction and tell how the paper will tackle all assigned topics. Do not meander with
narrative, get to the point quickly as a possible in a systematic matter.
Subject- what the paper is about
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Explain why the study is important and worth reader’s consideration
It answers a question(s), resolves an issue(s), solves a problem(s)
How the paper will be organized: Paper MUST be at least 1,000 words, and try to keep it under 1,500 words.
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Number of sections, what they deal with, how the will be arranged and structured (historical, topical, sequence
in a text, etc.)
Issues and questions suggest concepts and categories in which specific terms (beliefs, ideas, texts, historical
periods) can be analyzed.
Concepts and categories presented in the introduction, help organize the paper and facilitate clear and
meaningful analyses of specific terms.
Body: The heart of the paper. It contains date and analysis necessary to reach a conclusion that is meaningful
in terms of the concerns of the paper. Which have been presented in the introduction.
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Each section looks back to the introduction, the HOW of the paper, and forward to the conclusion.
Aim to drive home a point about each concept analyzed or those that have been compared or contrasted.
Each section of the body has its own conclusion followed by a relevant transition into the next section.
Conclusion: Is not a summary of the paper. It functions to drive home the point of the paper:
-
-
To answer the questions(s), clarify the issue(s), solve the problem(s) presented in the introduction
The conclusion should be clearly related to the Introduction of the paper. As well as the important findings
presented in the body of the paper and explain how these findings answer the WHY question presented in the
introduction.
The answer is direct and emphatic using findings in the body of the paper while not simply repeating the
findings. Do NOT SUMMARIZE in your conclusions.
1
Grading Rubric
20 % CONCEPT: The topic of the paper and the relevant question, issue, problem, to be engaged i.e. clarity in
the relationship of the “what” and the “why” of the paper.
20% COMPOSITION: Grammar, style, spelling, syntax, usage, precision in citations and notes, overall
structure.
20% CONTENT: Facts, data, dates, direct quotes, technical or religious terms, relevant theories, and
necessary/relevant sources.
20% COHERENCE: Organizational precision, following through on structure given in the introduction,
support for claims and assertions, clarity of reasoning, premises for conclusions and accurate deployment of
sources.
20% CONCLUSION: Findings that are clearly and logically related to the topic of the paper, and material
developed in the body of the paper.
Approved cyber sources a bound text must also be used.
End, foot, and a bibliography CMS
Double-spaced numbered page’s upper right
Cover page
An analysis of the reading versus a book report or plot summary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Lack of clear and systematic introduction
Errors in citation of sources
Too many errors in writing; tense and number
Lack of depth in analysis: unsupported claims or ones poorly supported)
Lack of detail in exposition: related to descriptions of a topic in the paper of the author’s position
Absence of necessary technical terms or lack of full explication of terms used
Less than full expression: a result of summarizing a position or simply not writing fully expressive sentences.
Less than clear expression: a result of using the wrong words/terms or misusing appropriated one to express
one’s understanding
9. Problems with conclusions: absence of conclusions, conclusions that are summaries, and conclusions that are
unrelated to the body of the paper.
10. Failure of paper to follow the agenda given in their introductions, especially the ”how” of the introduction
11. Failure to fully respond to the assignment, specifically failing to respond to one of more assigned elements.
12. Omission of relevant sources
13. Paraphrasing, near-quoting….
2
3
Good Day,
Many of you have asked what is the best way to answer questions for Assignment #1?
Here is a General Guideline. Please get with your TA’s if you need more detail.
1.
2.
3.
4.
In your Essay, list the question you chose.
Write what you think the answer may be.
Research at least two sources. This can be a person, book, documentary, internet source.
In the paper, list these sources, this does not have to be too formal, for example, “The information I
found most useful for my research was the __________ site and an interview with _____________.
5. Then in a couple –three sentences list what you discovered in your first source and then a couple - three
sentences you discovered in your second source.
6. Now answer your question from #1 and what you learned especially as it related to your answer from
#2.
Okay? Okay!
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