
R 204:Western
Religions
Fall 2003
CHECKLIST OF TASKS
FOR PROFESSOR
DALE CANNON
READING ASSIGNMENTS
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Follow closely the Course
Schedule to identify reading assignments and recommended readings.
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In advance of each class session, read the corresponding lecture in R201
Lectures (2003), the assigned reading in Porterfield, The Power
of Religion, and any other special assigned readings.
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It is recommended that you read at least some of the recommended readings
in Kessler, Eastern Ways of Being Religious or Ludwig,
The Sacred
Paths of the West. These will provide a much fuller context of meaning
to the information you gather in the R201 Lectures (2003) and in
Porterfield's The Power 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.
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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,
and other sources listed in the R201
Course Schedule.
FIELD TRIP:
1. If you wish to go on the Field
Trip,
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tentatively sign up to go as soon as the date is announced;
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by the second Friday before the trip, make deposit for Field Trip ($8.00
if riding; $1.00 if providing own transportation);
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by the last class session before the trip, 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:
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Do one or more of the projects listed on the Extra-Credit
website.
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For first hand field research, secure advance approval from me.
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For doing first hand field research, review Miller and Seltser, Writing
and Research in Religious Studies, section 3 (which contains helpful
guidelines for field research, observation, and interviewing).
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If you do field research, either incorporate your field research into your
paper
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Or hand in a separate 3-5 page typed report by the last Friday of classes
(before Exam Week).
STUDY TEAM
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By Friday Jan 17, 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.
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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.
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Work to support each other on your respective paper assignments, giving
constructive critical feedback whenever it is asked for.
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Arrange for at least one teammate to give a late draft of your paper a
constructive critical review in accordance with the Peer
Review Guidelines for the Research Project or the Peer
Review Guidlines for the Essay Book Review. Then revise your
paper accordingly.
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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:
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By Jan 10, choose the due date for your paper (either Jan 31, Feb 21, or
Mar 17 [Noon]), which will also be to choose which of the three exams you
will not be taking (Jan 31 on Hinduism, Feb 21 on Buddhism, Mar 21 on Religions
of China and Japan) and to choose the general subject area for either your
research project or your book review. (If you write on Jainism, choose
Jan 31; if on Sikhism, choose Feb 21.). Only 1/3 or the class will be allowed
to choose one of these three dates.
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Well in advance of the due date chosen for your paper, submit in writing
by Jan 15, Feb 5, or Feb 26 (depending on when it is due) your tentative
choice of paper topic and (if it is a research project) a list of at least
three major bibliographic sources you expect to be using: either a research
paper on a specific topic in the tradition being covered in that section
of the course or a book review on a specific book interreligious dialogue
found on R201 Library Reserve listed under "Sources on Interreligious Dialogue."
Review the Guidelines
for R201 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 Library Reserve for you to review. Discuss
it with me informally, if you would like.
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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 and to be used if at all possible. In other words,
do not ignore them. In most cases, they will be the best sources
available on campus for your topic.
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Complete paper by first becoming thoroughly familiar with the instructions
found on the R201
Requirements webpage and the
Guidelines
for R201 Research Project or the
Guidelines
for the Essay Book Review. Make sure you follow the minimum requirements
for written work on guidelines 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.
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Arrange for a constructive critical review of your paper in accordance
with the Peer
Review Guidelines for the Research Project or the Peer
Review Guidlines for the Essay Book Review by at least one of your
teammates -- in time for you to revise your paper in light of his or her
feedback before it is due. Acknowledgment of the assistance you have
received from your teammate(s) must be given in a note after the concluding
paragraph of your paper.
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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.
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Turn in paper by due date (Jan 31, Feb 21, or Mar 17 [Noon]), depending
on the date you chose earlier. You need not show up for class on that day.
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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 Mar 17 papers, unless
they are turned in by Mar 10.
EXAMINATIONS (Suggested preparation)
Begin preparing well in advance of the exams:
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Review the general description of the R201
Examinations, which gives some example questions.
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Become familiar with the examination study question list on the course
website and the supplementary study question list in connection with Kessler's
EasternWays
of Being Religious handed out in class and use them to guide your reading
and preparation for class. (These are also available in the R201
Lectures (2003).)
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Write out answers to the examination study questions fully and well in
advance, to be used for review.
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Thoroughly commit these answers to your memory.
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Get together with classmates to compare your answers with theirs 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
together, and to draw inferences from them. It is not an immediate recall
exam.
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Attend one of the optional exam review sessions (times to be announced
in class). The usefulness of these review sessions will depend upon your
prior preparation. They are for clearing up the things you haven't
been able to understand or answer. 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
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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 R201
Journal Requirement and at the end of each of the R204 Lectures
(2001). In addition, some suggested questions will be given out
in class.
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Be familiar with the aim and purpose of keeping a journal in the course,
discussed in the R201
Journal Requirement.
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Write entries on the assigned readings in Porterfield, The Power of
Religion, as you complete them.
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Anticipate what you will be doing by way of a "Journal Summary" for each
of the four sections of the course (including the first week Introduction
to Religious Studies), well in advance of the due date. Be familiar with
what is expected in your "Journal Summaries," as stated in the R201
Journal Requirement.
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Hand in your Journal and "Journal Summaries" on Fri., Mar 14, indicating
in writing which of the two grading options you prefer (see Grading
Policy). If you do not indicate which preference, the default
option is option A (25% for each of two examinations, 25% for the paper,
and 25% for the Journal).
ABSENCE MAKE UPS
Absences for the first section of the course are to be made up by one
week after the first exam (i.e., Feb 7); for the second section, by one
week after the second exam (i.e., Feb 28); for the third section, by Monday
of final exam week (Mar 17).
More than one absence for any one of the 3 parts 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.
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,
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Absences between Jan 6 and Jan 29 are to be made up by Feb 7.
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Absences between Feb 3 and Feb 19 are to be made up by Feb 28.
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Absences between Feb 24 and Mar 14 are to be made up by Mar 17.
Return
to syllabus.
Western Oregon
University
Copyright © 2000 Western Oregon University
Direct suggestions, comments, and questions about
this page to Dale Cannon.
Last Modified 1/2/03.