Basics:
The "paper" is actually a website built around the text of a traditional paper. The length of the text should be somewhere between 3000-5000 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.
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 also 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 recent versions of the APA, I want parenthetical citations to include relevant page numbers even when you are not quoting.
Topic and Sources:
Students should write a paper on a non-Christian religion that will not be covered in class. This may include religions such as Jainism, a native American religion, an African religion, Wicca, to name a few [but not Scientology]. Students should consult and cite at least two book-length treatments of the religion. Note: you must use at least three printed sources (books, journal articles, etc.). Students should be very careful in their use of Internet resources because many, if not most, Internet resources are not scholarly and are often quite biased. I recommend that you check out a potential Internet source with me before you use it. When using an Internet source posted by adherents of the religion, you will probably find good material that reflects what the religion means to the adherents, but it may not be historically and demographically accurate information (how accurate do you think you would be in describing the history of your religion to others?). All sources must be properly documented and you must avoid plagiarizing.
General Points Regarding Writing Papers (not following these points will affect your grade -- you may want to print this out and check off each item to be sure it is complete):
| Avoid using contractions -- this is a formal paper |
| Avoid using "man" and "mankind" when you really mean "human" or "humankind." |
| 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 should e-mail your paper as a Microsoft Word attachment. |
| In my classes, I prefer that you refer to yourself as "I" rather than "the author of this paper" or "we." |
| To sign and pledge your electronic paper in accordance with the Lyon Honor Code, place your name, student ID, and a statement that you pledge the paper on the cover page. |