`R 204:Western Religions, Fall 1997`

CHECKLIST OF TASKS FOR PROFESSOR DALE CANNON

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Follow closely the Course Schedule to identify reading assignments and recommended readings.
In advance of each class session, read the corresponding lecture in R204 Lectures (1996) and the assigned reading in Eastman's The Ways of Religion.
It is strongly recommended that you read the assigned recommended readings in Ludwig, The Sacred Paths of the West. These will provide a much fuller context of meaning to the information you gather in the R204 Lectures (1996) and in Eastman's The Ways of Religion. Generally they can be read quickly, especially when you are not reading them to take in information you will have to recall in detail later.
If you have interest and time, do some of the other recommended readings on the Course Schedule. Especially recommended are the readings of insider participant views, e.g., found in Comstock, Religious Autobiographies.

FIELD TRIP:

1. If you wish to go on the Field Trip October 14,

by Oct. 3, tentatively sign up for the trip;
by Oct. 10, make deposit for Field Trip ($8.00 if riding; $1.00 if providing own transportation)
Oct. 13, provide emergency contact information to me on final sign up sheet.

2. If you can't go on Field Trip but would like extra-credit for first hand, field research,

secure advance approval from me,
review Miller and Seltser, Writing and Research in Religious Studies, section 3 (which contains helpful guidelines for field research, observation, and interviewing), and
either incorporate your field research into your paper
or hand in a separate 3-5 page typed report by Fri., Dec 5.

STUDY TEAM

By Friday Oct 10, you and your teammates must identify who is on your team in writing to me. It is suggested, but not required, that everyone on a given team have their paper due at the same date.
Arrange a way to pool your efforts in preparation for taking the examinations. Plan a time, if your schedules permit it, to study together for the examinations.
Work to support each other on your respective paper assignments, giving constructive critical feedback whenever it is asked for.
Arrange for at least one teammate to give a late draft of your paper a constructive critical review in accordance with the guidelines for the assignment. (Use the Peer Review Guide for Research Paper or the Peer Review Guide for Book Review constructed for this purpose.) Then revise your paper accordingly.
Acknowledgment of the assistance you have received from your teammate(s) must be given in a note after the concluding paragraph of your paper.

TERM PAPER:

By Oct 3, choose the due date for your paper (either Oct 22, Nov 12, or Dec. 10), which will also be to choose which of the three exams you will not be taking (Oct 22 on Judaism, Nov 12 on Christianity, Dec. 10 on Islam) and to choose the general subject area for either your research project or your book review. Only 1/3 or the class will be allowed to choose one of these three dates.
Well in advance of the due date chosen for your paper, submit in writing your tentative choice of paper topic by Oct. 8, Oct. 29, or Nov. 24 (depending on when it is due): either a research paper on a specific topic in the tradition being covered in that section of the course (which will be either Judaism, Christianity, or Islam) or a book review on a specific book on R204 Library Reserve listed under "Sources on Interreligious Dialogue." Review the "Guidelines for R204 Research Project," to help you select a research paper topic. In the case of a Research Project, you should also identify at this time what you expect will be some of the best sources on your topic. Example papers of both kinds are on reserve for you to review. Discuss it with me informally, if you would like.
At next class session after the due date for the paper topic, receive back your paper topic with my approval or suggested changes, a list of students who will also be working on this or a closely related topic (to help you coordinate resources), and, in the case of research projects, some bibliographic suggestions. These suggestions, while they are not absolute, are to be taken seriously.
Complete paper by following instructions found on the syllabus and the "Guidelines for R204 Research Project" or the "Guidelines for the Essay Book Review." Make sure you follow the minimum requirements under "Please take note" on the syllabus and use MLA format for all references. When in doubt, always consult with me. Mosy of the best books for research topics will be on reserve for the course.
Arrange for a constructive critical review of your paper in accordance with the guidelines for the paper assignment by at least one of your teammates -- using the Peer Review Guide for Research Paper or the Peer Review Guide for Book Review -- in time for you to revise your paper in light of his or her feedback. Acknowledgment of the assistance you have received from your teammate(s) must be given in a note after the concluding paragraph of your paper.
If you wish to take advantage of an extra credit option, arrange to have a thoughtful, knowledgeable representative of the tradition about which you are writing read your paper and give it a constructive critical review as to how well it represents the phenomenon you have chosen to write about -- in time for you to revise your paper in light of this feedback. Note: make sure you give appropriate acknowledgement of any such critical review in a note after the concluding paragraph of your paper.
Turn in paper by due date (Oct. 22, Nov. 12, or Dec. 10), depending on the date you chose earlier. You need not show up for class on that day.
Opportunity for re-writes will be given, but they must be completed within 7 days after the paper is returned. Hand in the re-write with the original paper attached. This will not be possible for the Dec. 10 papers, unless they are turned in by Dec. 1.

EXAMINATIONS (Suggested preparation)

Begin preparing well in advance of the exams:

Review the general description of the R204 Examinations, which gives some example questions.
Become familiar with the examination study question list and use it to guide your reading and preparation for class.

Write out answers to the examination study questions fully and well in advance, to use for review.
Get together with classmates to compare these answers and fill out any gaps you may have in your information and understanding. Note: the exam will require you to think about these answers, to relate them, and to draw inferences from them. It is not an immediate recall exam.
Attend one of the optional exam review sessions. These will be held outside of the normal class schedule. If you can't meet any one of these and you think you need it, see me.

JOURNALS

Start keeping a journal immediately, aiming for a minimum of 3 entries per week, and starting with the Suggested Journal Questions (found at the end of the R204 Journal Requirement and at the end of each of the R204 Lectures (1996).
Be familiar with the aim and purpose of keeping a journal in the course, discussed in the R204 Journal Requirement.
Write entries on the assigned readings in Eastman, The Ways of Religion, as you complete them.
Anticipate what you will be doing by way of a "Journal Summary" for each of the three sections of the course, well in advance of the due date. Be familiar with what is expected in your "Journal Summaries," as stated in the R204 Journal Requirement.
Hand in your Journal and "Journal Summaries" on Fri., Dec. 5, indicating in writing which of the two grading options you prefer (see Grading Policy).

ABSENCE MAKE UPS

Two or more absences for any one of the 3 sections of the course which are not made up will have a negative effect on your grade. Up to 6 absences for any one of these sections can be made up according to the requirements on the "Attendance and Make-up Policy" within a week following the exam for the section of the course in which the absence has taken place, or in the case of the last section of the course by Monday Dec. 8.

My records of your attendance are based entirely on your name on the daily class roster. If you come late, be sure to sign it at the end of the class session or otherwise you will be counted as absent. So,

Absences between Sept. 29 and Oct. 20 must be made up by Oct. 29.
Absences between Oct. 24 and Nov. 10 must be made up by Nov. 19.
Absences between Nov. 14 and Dec. 5 must be made up by Dec. 8.

Return to syllabus.

Direct suggestions, comments, and questions about this page to Dale Cannon. Last Modified 8/26/97

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