essay

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: APRIL 1^ST MIDNIGHT

FINAL DEADLINE: APRIL 8^TH MIDNIGHT

LENGTH: 6-8 pages of CONTENT (i.e., excluding title page and references page; double-spaced, reasonable margins and font size)

 

ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS

This essay involves a current affairs analysis in religion: looking at a contemporary issue of religion and/in society. Essentially, it involves these basic components: 1) choose a recent (ideally from the last 10-15 years) example of religion in society in the news – any example, big or small, in any society; 2) analyze it (i.e., explain it beyond surface-level reporting) using an academic source or sources; and 3) provide your own opinion.

 

CHOOSING A STYLE

 

Once you have chosen a topic (or perhaps before, if you know what style you prefer), choose which of the two general styles of essay available for this assignment you’d prefer to use: argumentative (philosophical) or analytical (sociological). Don’t sweat TOO much about this; think of it as a way to help you refine your plan. Both styles do in fact involve both arguments and analysis; but the focus for each is different:

 

·         Argumentative: you are aiming to ‘prove’ (argue strongly for, and defend) a particular position about religion in society using the example you’ve chosen

·         Analytical: you are aiming to highlight or explain something important/interesting about the role of religion in society today, without necessarily taking a philosophical position about whether it’s good or bad

 

These styles, of course, are not completely different; the core requirements for the essay are the same regardless. In either case, you will need to support your thesis with valid, well-researched points. Your choice of style, however, will impact how your thesis statement is phrased, and how you structure your essay as a whole.

 

The essay should have the following basic structure/organization, though the details will vary depending on your style and topic:

 

1. Introduction – PLEASE avoid sweepingly over-generalized statements here, just get right into your topic. ENSURE YOU HAVE A CLEAR, STRONG THESIS STATEMENT.

 

2. Summarize and describe the example, providing an overview and any background/context needed. Where necessary, part of this context will be a brief consideration of the history of the issue/debate, leading to the current state.

 

3. Find at least one ACADEMIC source to help either a) make your case for the position you’ve taken (argumentative), or b) explain or analyze your chosen example as noteworthy (analytical). Make clear reference to the source, and deal with it thoroughly (not just one or two random quotes!). It will be unlikely, though not impossible, that you will find a source that discusses your example specifically. As such, in order to find a good source, your task will be to:

i)        identify the broader issue involved (e.g., religion and violence, religion and gender, secularization, religion and the environment, etc.),

ii)      find an academic book or substantial journal article (or a few) that discusses/analyzes this broader issue, and

iii)    apply this position and/or analysis to your chosen example, making absolutely sure to distinguish the author’s voice from your own (summarizing the author’s key points/arguments – his/her voice; applying those to your chosen example if the author doesn’t specifically address it – your voice).

Note that for this component, choosing authors that simply describe the issue is insufficient.

 

4. Finally, provide either a) your own argument, carefully laid out and defended, as to why your chosen example demonstrates the position you’ve taken regarding religion (argumentative), or b) your own analysis and opinion of why your example is indicative of a larger trend and/or characteristic of religion in society, and why it provides important/interesting insight into religion in society today (analytical). Be sure to link your opinion to the points made by your chosen author(s), without simply repeating what they say. To help bolster your argument, you might briefly consider other possible perspectives/arguments, and if necessary counter those to shore up your own argument.

 

5. Conclusion – essentially a re-stating of your thesis, plus any final thoughts (possibly including how, if at all, whatever trend you highlighted will be resolved or continue).

 

Ensure that your description of the issue is complete and neutral (i.e., non-judgmental); ensure that your presentation of the author’s position is fair and balanced; and ensure that your own opinion and analysis is scholarly and backed by reasoned argument.

 

Note: With both styles, it’s okay, and even prudent, to refrain from any sweeping conclusions about religion as a whole; but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a strong position on what you believe this example demonstrates about religion in society.

 

SOURCES

Part of your challenge for this assignment is to find and select an appropriate source from the vast resources dealing with religion in society. You will need to make use of the library! Likely the best set of resources are the journals and articles available online through the library website. Know your sources: articles from scholarly databases such as JSTOR, Gale, and EBSCOhost are acceptable; random sites you find through Google are not. When in doubt, check with me, or speak with a reference librarian. I am only requiring one academic source, though not limiting you to one; as such, I expect you to read carefully and completely that book or (substantial) article, and fully comprehend the author’s position and how it is relevant to your topic.

 

FORMAT & REFERENCING

Your paper must conform to a standard academic format. Make use of the advice on the library website: http://library.humber.ca/APA-MLA .

 

For referencing, please use either the MLA or APA style (check the library link above for rules and guidelines). Your list of works cited or bibliography should only contain sources that are cited in your finished paper. FAILURE TO PROVIDE CORRECT DOCUMENTATION, E.G., USING MATERIAL WITHOUT PROVIDING REFERENCES, COPYING AND PASTING FROM THE INTERNET, ETC., WILL ALL HAVE TO BE PURSUED AS CASES OF PLAGIARISM. Please read the ‘Avoiding plagiarism’ guide posted on the course website.

 

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Upload your final (make sure it’s the final copy!) submission on Blackboard in the ‘Assignments’ area (the link will be clearly indicated). Note that this course uses SafeAssign to check all submissions for plagiarism.

 

LATE PENALTY

The essay is due by midnight on Apr. 8^th (or the week before, if you wish full comments). Any exceptions must be arranged prior to the due date; extensions will only be granted under specific circumstances for legitimate reasons. As noted in the outline, essays will be penalized 5% for the first day late, and 1% per day subsequently, off the value of the assignment.

 

EXAMPLE TOPICS

This list is only to get you thinking – these are not required topic areas. Additionally, they’re only broad topics – it’s up to you to find specific examples.

 

• religious responses to climate change and/or other environmental problems
• religious stances on human rights issues (e.g., torture)
• issues of gender and/or the role of women in religion
• responses to secularism / the separation of religion and state
• the role/influence of religion in determining public policy or law (e.g., same-sex marriage, abortion, etc.)
• the relationship between religion and mental health
• modern importance and role of religious symbols (e.g., the hijab)
• role of religion in hospice (end of life) care
• religion & education (e.g., sectarian schools)
• the rise of fundamentalist forms of religion (in particular, causes)
• religion online