Research Paper for Religion 105: Comparative Religion
You are responsible for a research paper of eight to ten pages in length. The paper is worth 25% of your final grade. If you are in the Monday Night class your paper is due on April 12th. If you are in the Friday late-start class, your paper is due on April 9th. The paper must have a title page, a thesis statement, an outline, and a bibliography.
The recommended system of citation for your footnotes and bibliography is the Modern Language Association's The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Other helpful manual of styles include: Chicago Manual of Style and Turabian's Manual for Writers. The textbook, MANY PEOPLES, MANY FAITHS: Women and Men in the World Religions, by Robert Ellwood and Barbara McGraw, is a good place to start your research. At the end of each chapter the textbook includes Suggested Readings and Websites. The syllabus for this class also includes a list of several additional helpful texts.
You are required to have at least one primary source, three sources besides the textbook, and three on-line sources.
If you are doing research into Christianity, make reference to the Bible (The New International Version is an easy version to read).
If you are doing research into Islam, make use of English translations of the Quran. An on-line version can be found at: http://www.jannah.org/qurantrans/
If you are doing research into Hinduism, make use of English translations of Vedas, Upanishads, or Bhagavad Gita. An on-line version of Upanishads can be found at: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/upanishadindex.asp . An on-line version of Vedas can be found at: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/vedicsection/vedaindex.asp
If you are doing research into Shintoism, make use of English translations of the Kojiki, the Nihongi, or the Kogoshui.
If you are doing research into Buddhism, make use of English translations of the the Pali Canon or Tipitaka. Translations in English are available on the Internet at: http://virtualreligion.net/vri/buddha.html
or http://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredscripts/buddhism_scripts.asp .
You can find help for writing a thesis statement at: How to write a thesis statement and outline
A complete Style Guide Resource for MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE styles from Guide to online schools.com can be found at: Guide to online schools.com.
You can find help on how to avoid plagerism at: Avoiding Plagiarism
Monday Night Class Follow this schedule:
- Declare a topic no later than the third week of class, January 25th.
- Submit your thesis statement and rough outline on the fifth week of class, February 8th.
- Bring in one of the books you are using for research to show me and turn in a draft of your bibliography on the sixth week of class, February 15th.
- Turn in completed version of your research paper on the fourteenth week of class, April 12th.
Friday "Late-start" Class Follow this schedule:
- Declare a topic no later than the third week of class, February 12th.
- Submit your thesis statement and rough outline on the fourth week of class, February 19th.
- Bring in one of the books you are using for research to show me and turn in a draft of your bibliography on the fifth week of class, February 26th.
- Turn in completed version of your research paper on the eleventh week of class, April 9th.
The following criteria will be used for grading the research paper:
- title page ( 5 points)
- outline and thesis statement (5 points)
- bibliography (5 points)
- One primary source (10 points)
- Three sources other than textbook (10 points)
- Three on-line sources (10 points)
- citation (5 points)
- minimum of eight pages (20 points)
- originality and approach (5 points)
- structure and logic (5 points)
- format and use of manual of style (5 points)
- turned in on time (15 points)
Topics for research papers: Choose one of these topics or submit a different topics. Your topic must be approved by your professor.
- Similarities of shamanism in traditional African and Native American religions.
- Contemporary issues being discussed by religious leaders of one of the religions covered in the text book.
- Mysticism in one of the religions covered in the text book.
- Explain the philosophical, theological, and/or social contributions of one of the following religious leaders:
- Kanada (founder of Vaisesika school of Hinduism) See also Nyaya-Vaisesika
- Shankara (founder of Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism)
- Saicho (founder of the Tendai school of Japanese Buddhism)
- Maimonides (Medieval Jewish philosopher and theologian)
- John Wycliffe (professor at Oxford and father of Protestant Reformation)
- Zayd ibn Thabit (chief editor of the Qur'an)
- Al Ghazali (Islamic philosopher who legitimized Sufism for orthodox Muslims)
Contact professor Lorenz at slinjersey@msn.com