Basics:
The "paper" is actually a website built around the text of a traditional paper, but also includes appropriate multi-media elements such as graphs, charts, maps, pictures, audio, and video. The length of the text should be somewhere between 2400-4000 words. (It is acceptable to have a longer "paper.") Although "papers" are graded primarily on the basis of content, poor writing and not following these guidelines can affect grading. Good writing is writing that is clear, coherent, and organized.
See the general points about writing a paper at the bottom of this page.
The topic & bibliography should be e-mailed to me as a Word attachment. You should indicate on your all you assignments that you pledge them, followed by your name and your student ID number (the one that shows up on your registration materials, not your e-mail number).
Students must document the sources of ideas and quotes that are not theirs. You may use MLA, APA, or any other standard system to cite sources and create a bibliography or reference cited page. Paraphrasing sources should be avoided. It is strongly recommended that students read over the section on plagiarism in the MLA Handbook in order to avoid inadvertent plagiarism. [[For on-line help on how to cite sources see http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/modeldocs/humanities.htm, http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc, http://citationmachine.net/ , and http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/chicago.html] There is a series of tutorials on how to avoid plagiarism at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/plagiarismtutorial/default.asp?s=&n=&i=&v=&o=&ns=0&uid=0&rau=0
Special Note: Unlike some versions of the APA, I want parenthetical citations to include relevant page numbers even when you are not quoting.
Dates to Remember:
Oct. 13 -- turn in paper topic for approval (e-mail the topic)
Oct. 27 -- turn in working bibliography
Nov. 7 -- complete first draft due by class time
Dec. 5 -- final draft due by class time
Topic and Sources:
Students have two options in writing a paper.
Option 1:
Students may write a paper on an Old Testament book or passage that will not be covered in class. This may include a book like Jonah or Esther or Isaiah, to name a few, or a passage that we did not cover in class, e.g., a story of one of the Judges we did not discuss. The aim of the paper is to research the historical and literary worlds of the selected passage or book by using scholarly commentaries and related sources. Students should consult and cite at least three of the following resources in writing their papers:
It is usually not advisable to use sources that date before 1960, and better to make use of sources dating since 1980. Students may NOT use Internet resources (except those accessed the the Lyon Library website at http://library.lyon.edu/), because many, if not most, Internet resources are not scholarly-they tend to deal primarily with the contemporary or theological world of the Bible.
Structure for Option 1:
The easiest way to approach this paper is to divide it into three parts. One part should discuss what you have learned about the historical world of the topic you selected. Another part should deal with the literary world of the topic. And at the end of the paper, you should spend no more than a page and a half discussing the contemporary world of the topic, i.e., what the passage or book means for us today in light of what you learned about its historical and literary worlds.
Option 2:
Students may choose to write an in-depth analysis and critique of one of the following books.
(These books should be in the library or available through inter-library loan. Give yourself plenty of time to check them out.)
Structure for Option 2:
After reading the book carefully,
students will write an 8-12 page paper that discusses the following:
 |
A summary of the thesis/theme of the book |
|
Explanation of how the author supports/defends the thesis/theme |
|
Comparison of the ideas in the book
with ideas presented in Bandstra’s book and in the explanatory material found in the
HarperCollins
Study Bible |
|
A concluding page or two (maximum) of
the student’s assessment of the book’s ideas, e.g., does the student agree or
disagree with the main ideas (why or why not)? |
Important Note: Even though most of the paper is an analysis of one book, students must still provide proper citations of material that come from that book, or any other sources used (Bandstra, HarperCollins, or any others used by the student). In short keep in mind the honor code's position on plagiarism.
Alternatives:
Biblical studies also encompasses archeological and textual/manuscript studies. Students may opt, with the professor's permission, to write a paper or do a creative project (e.g., web page, PowerPoint presentation to show in class, video) on such topics as the Dead Sea Scrolls, textual criticism, and archeological evidence related to Old Testament events. The same requirements regarding basics and sources apply if students follow this option.
|
Avoid using contractions -- this is a formal paper. |
|
Avoid using "man" and "mankind" when you really mean human or humankind. |
|
When quoting a biblical text, e.g., "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God," the only citation you need is that Book chapter:verse. In the example above it would be Matthew 5:8. You do not need to cite the actual Bible you got it from (e.g., HarperCollins Study Bible). You should indicate, by abbreviation, which translation you are using, e.g., NRSV, NIV, KJV, etc. (This can be done by indicating that you are using this translation throughout the paper so you don't have to do it with each biblical quote.) |
|
The only time you need to cite the actual Bible you are using is when you are referring to material in the footnotes or introductions, i.e., all non-biblical material. When citing the non-biblical material, you should follow standard citation format for an edited book. |
|
Citations should always include page numbers if the source is paginated. |
|
It is not enough simply to list all the works consulted at the end of a paper. All information and ideas which a student finds from the works consulted must be specifically cited at the point in the paper where that information is included. To do less is to violate the Honor Code. |
|
A paper is not merely assembling good quotes -- quotations should be used sparingly. They should never be used to make a point or to summarize key ideas and information. Quotes should only be used as illustrations or supports for what you have written in your own words. |
|
Paraphrasing--even with citations--is a type of plagiarism, and thus a violation of the honor code. |
|
Papers should always be double-spaced. |
|
Each page of your paper should have a page number. |
|
For my classes, you do not need to have a cover sheet (save a tree). |
|
Be sure that your paper is signed and pledged in accordance with the Lyon Honor Code. |
|
In my classes, I prefer that you refer to yourself as "I" rather than as "the author of this paper" or "we." |