religious essay

Writing Assignments

· Your writing assignments have three main jobs:

1. read and synthesize the texts;

1. discuss what you think;

1. work on your writing;

· Use a title page (don’t repeat title page info on the first page).

· Give your paper an interesting, creative title. (Don’t use quotation marks for a paper title.)

· Underline, boldface, or italicize your thesis statement.

· Number the paragraphs

1. Do not just summarize. I want to know what you think. In a 1-2 page paper you must cover only ONE main point, your thesis, with supporting argument and evidence. Don't cursorily [look it up] mention four or five things. Pick one, think about, and share your reflection. Doing two or three often keeps the paper at a superficial level. Dig deep!

1. As we move through the course, your papers should use comparisons with

other texts we’ve/you’ve read.

1. You MAY use outside sources, including the web. If you do, you must supply references.

1. RS majors MUST use at least three (3) outside sources.

1. Do NOT make faith statements. (E.g., turn “I believe that Jesus…” into Many/most/some/my denomination believe….”). But watch out for generalized statements!

1. Quotations from the books should be brief.

1. Your paper needs an argument. An argument doesn’t necessarily mean you’re arguing against someone or something; it means you have a point to make and are buttressing it with discussion and examples.

ON ALL PAPERS:

· Capitalize “God,” “Holy Spirit,” etc., and the names of religions.

· If you use an unusual term, italicize or underline it the first time.

· Catholics ARE Christians! Do not say “Christians believe…while Catholics believe….” In fact, I suggest you use “Roman Catholic,” because most Anglicans consider themselves “Catholic” (more on that later).

· Please use inclusive language. Do NOT use “man” when you mean “people.” Do not use “he who”; use “those who.”

· “One” (as in “one who”) cannot have a singular pronoun (“they,” “them”). Do not use “a person who . . . they . . . .” use plurals.

· The pronoun for a religion cannot be “they”; it must be “it.”

· Introduce quotations: “As Luther argues, “. . . .

· Use internal citations: “quote” (source, page number).

1. Don't join topics with "other," "another," "next." Make connections between paragraphs and topics.

1. Do not use the passive voice: “When the Christians were persecuted, the Roman Empire showed . . . .” → “In persecuting the Christians, the Roman Empire showed . . . .”

1. Essays take “quotation marks”; titles of books are underlined or italicized.

1. Grammar and spelling mistakes. On homework, for these I take off only 1 point, 2 if it's really bad, but these problems will cost more when you write essays later in the quarter. Please study the corrections and markings; if you don't understand something, see your beloved TA or me. The most common problems, which we'll go over in class, are

· lack and misuse of possessives

· comma splice

· sentence fragments

· fused sentences

· pronoun references (singular noun, plural pronoun)

· wordiness

· passives

1. ESL students. I recommend that you find time together to meet as a group to go over some of the common problems. Your beloved TA or I can join you. ESL students should especially see your TA if you're having difficulties.

1. You don't need "I believe," "I think," "I feel," etc. The reader knows you're writing.

1. When discussing texts, use present tense; it doesn't matter when it was written: Athanasius argues, Merton observes, in Exodus God declares . . .

1. Proofread! There are still way too many mistakes that grammar- and spell-check can catch.

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Grading Standards for Writing Assignments

Department of English

California State University, Bakersfield

A. EXCELLENT: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment thoughtfully and analytically, setting a challenging task.

2. Displays awareness of and a sense of purpose in communicating to an audience.

3. Establishes a clearly focused controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates coherent and rhetorically sophisticated organization; makes effective connections between ideas.

5. Provides clear generalizations with specific detail, compelling support and cogent analysis.

6. Cites relevant sources and evaluates their validity, effectively integrating them into text when appropriate.

7. Displays superior, consistent control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English.

B. STRONG: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment clearly and analytically, setting a meaningful task.

2. Addresses audience needs and expectations.

3. Establishes a clearly focused controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates clear and coherent organization.

5. Provides clear generalizations and effective support and analysis.

6. Cites relevant sources, effectively integrating them into text when appropriate.

7. Displays consistent control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English.

C. ADEQUATE: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment with some analysis.

2. Addresses most audience needs and expectations.

3. Establishes a controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates adequate organization.

5. Provides support for and some analysis of generalizations.

6. Cites appropriate sources, adequately integrating them into text.

7. Displays adequate control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English; errors do not slow the reader, impede understanding, or seriously undermine the authority of the writer.

D. SERIOUSLY FLAWED: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment inadequately.

2. Shows insufficient audience awareness.

3. Strays from the controlling idea or the idea is unclear.

4. Displays formulaic, random, or confusing organization.

5. Lacks generalizations, or provides generalizations with inadequate support or analysis.

6. Fails to cite sources or cites and/or integrates them inappropriately.

7. Shows deficient control of syntax, word choice, and conventions of Standard English; error impede understanding.