Term Research Paper

Points: 20

Due Dates:

Topic (including religious group, theme, and locale): Tuesday, Sept. 5

Progress Report (1/2 page): A summary or outline of your

progress, including ideas, research and sources: Tuesday, Oct. 31

Final Paper (6-8 pages of text, not including references,

notes, appendices, and illustrations): Tuesday, Nov. 14

Topic:

You may choose your own topic for your paper, as long as it has to do with some aspect of the religious, as defined in this class. That is, you may write about a world religion, local tribal religion, mainstream religion, alternative religion, new religious movement, sect, cult, witchcraft, sorcery, the occult, the paranormal, scientism, atheism, etc. You may focus on one group or make a comparison. As anthropology favors specific cultural contexts before arriving at generalities, your topic should include the following:

1. A religion, religious group, congregation, denomination, or movement (e.g. Zen Buddhism, Catholic Christianity, Sunni Islam, Wicca, Voudon, Neo-pagans, Baptists, Heaven’s Gate, Scientology, Taiping Rebellion, Burning Man, Navaho, Yanomami, etc.).

2. A religious theme, phenomenon, or institution (e.g. myth, ritual, drugs, gender, pilgrimage, art, apocalypticism, sacred violence, ghosts, magic, education, syncretism, power, etc.).

3. A context or locale (e.g. Fullerton, Orange County, Tibet, urban Nicaragua, Brazilian Amazon rainforest, the internet, the Nevada desert)

Sources/References:

· You need at least 5 sources

· At least one source should be an academic book

· At least two sources should be academic articles

· The remaining two sources are open, and may be books, articles, film, audio, the internet, and interviews (also observation and personal experience, though they don’t count as references).

· At least one of the above sources should come from our class texts (Lehmann and Myers, Robbins and Palmer, or Antoun, whether or not it was an assigned reading)

· All sources used for this paper should be cited and included in your list of References at the end of the paper.

· Include citations in the text rather than footnotes or endnotes. E.g. (Turner in Lehman and Myers, 2001: 46) refers to the article by Turner, in the textbook on page 46 of the 2001 edition, which you have fully cited in your References.

· See the Library Research Guide to Anthropology for more research and reference tips.

· For reference citations, see the American Anthropological Association Style Guide.

· Plagiarism: Make sure to clearly distinguish your own ideas from those of others by using citations in the text and inserting a References list at the end., Plagiarism, copying the work of others without giving credit (whether from a book, a paper on the internet, or a fellow student), will result in an automatic F. It is surprisingly easy to detect. You may work with other students in the research and proofreading of your paper, but the words and ideas must be your own.

The Ideal Paper:

1. Follows all instructions and guidelines.

2. Each phase is turned in by the due date.

3. Is well written in terms of grammar, coherence, and organization (unless it is clear why and how the writer is breaking convention).

4. Ideas are based on research and evidence, rather than opinion and faith (except when the paper is based on personal experience; otherwise, opinions should be confined to endnotes).

5. Is not just a report, but has an argument or thesis, or otherwise adds to your understanding of the topic in the spirit of free and critical inquiry.

6. Exhibits effort, interest, enthusiasm, insight and creativity, i.e., it is a pleasure to read.