REL 405: Activity Options

Fred Glennon, Ph.D. (Courses)
Professor (RH 216)
Department of Religious Studies
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, New York 13214
(315)445-4343

REL 336

Comparative Religious Ethics and Social Concerns

ACTIVITY OPTIONS

REQUIRED ACTIVIES

· CANVAS ACTIVITIES (Worth 150 points): The student's grade for this activity will be determined by successful completion of online quizzes, discussions, and assessment activities (see Canvas, under Assignments).

· CASE STUDIES ETHICAL REFLECTION AND ANALYSES PAPERS (3) (Worth 300 points, 100 points each): Each of the social issues learning modules has a case study assignment attached to it. The evaluation rubric and description of them are located on Canvas, under Assignments.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES TO COMPLETE LEARNING COVENANT (the choice will depend upon the learning objectives you set for yourself; you must include two (2)

LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPER (Worth 100 points): This is a traditional research (term) paper. You are to select a topic of interest to you which is also related to the course topic, research it thoroughly, and generate a well-written and well-organized research paper. There are no length requirements, as the length will vary depending upon the nature and scope of the topic selected. But a paper in the range of 7-10 pages is average. This is to be a good research effort (at least 5 bibliographic sources). To aid you in this process, you may submit an outline and/or a first draft for comment and review. However, if you want comments on the draft, you must submit it two (2) weeks prior to the last day of class.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information and comprehension). How well does the entire paper hang together? Is there an appropriate introduction? Conclusion? Is there a central thesis or theme which holds the entire paper together? Is the paper logical? Is it well-organized? Is there an appropriate use of evidence to support points made?

· Thoroughness. Have all the important scholarly sources been reviewed and critiqued? Have all the relevant questions/issues been addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented and dealt with?

· Insightfulness. Does the paper make points which go beyond the obvious?

· Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph structures employed?

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER (Worth 100 points): This is to be a small, but well-done, original research project. It can either duplicate a research project already done by a previous scholar or it may be completely original. It might include something like administering a questionnaire, doing intensive interviews, conducting an experiment, writing up a participant/observation research project, collecting and analyzing self-generated data, or the like. For most original research projects, it should begin with a review of the appropriate literature. After conducting the research it should be written up as would be done for any research paper.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Thoroughness. Have all the important scholarly studies been reviewed and critiqued? Have all the relevant questions/issues been addressed? Have counterarguments (if appropriate) been presented and dealt with? Have areas for future investigation been identified?

· Insightfulness. Does the paper make points which go beyond the obvious?

· Presentation (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). Are the grammar and spelling correct? Are there a variety of proper sentence and paragraph structures employed? Is the vocabulary accurately and effectively used?

· Appropriateness of research to the course. The final paper should be typed (double-spaced) and would be due no later than the last week of classes.

BOOK REVIEW ESSAY (Worth 100 points): This is a formal paper written critiquing several books on, generally, the same topic. Most book review essays review anywhere from three to five books (but this is not a hard-and-fast rule). The book review essay attempts to integrate the books while critiquing them around a common theme; the emphasis is on analysis, not description. The books may be selected from the bibliography placed on reserve in the library or chosen on your own.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information and comprehension). How well does the entire paper hang together? Is there an appropriate introduction? Conclusion? Is there a critical thesis or theme which holds the entire critique together? Are there sub-points which are logically connected to the critical thesis? Organization.

· Insightfulness. This refers to the depth and quality of the analysis. Does the analysis come up with points which are more than descriptive and which lead to further insights? Do the points made in the critique go beyond the obvious?

· Accuracy of interpretation. Does the critique accurately interpret the authors or are there distortions which seriously weaken the critique?

ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION (Worth 100 points): This activity requires that the student select a religious organization that works for social justice (e.g. food banks, Catholic Social Services, environmental groups, jail ministry/advocacy group, etc.). Talk with folks in the Campus Ministry office or with the Director of Service Learning for possibilities. Arrange a visit to the organization to find out the mission and purpose of the organization, the population it serves or issues it addresses, and how they go about their work. In particular, focus on the values or beliefs that motivate their work. Then make a report on the organization which is not merely descriptive but analytical in that the report shows the connectedness between mission, beliefs/values, and organization. Moreover, you should include a critique of the organization from your perspective. This report can be written, but may use other media as well (such as photographs, videotape, etc.)

Evaluation Criteria:

· Thoroughness. How well does the report show the mission and work of the organization in question? Does it make appropriate connections between the beliefs/values the organization professes and the work they do?

· Insightfulness. Does the report make points about the organization that go beyond the obvious?

· Accuracy of interpretation. Does the analysis accurately interpret the mission and purpose of the organization or are there major distortions which seriously weaken the report?

· Support. Are the points made in the critique supported by examples, good reasoning, etc., or are they merely asserted?

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation?

SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTION (Worth 100 points): This activity calls for analyzing a social justice problem and taking appropriate action to try to address it. During the course, we will look at a variety of social issues that result in injustice for some group or groups. You may become aware of such a problem locally (on campus or in Syracuse area) or globally (national or international). The focus of this activity is on what your awareness of the problem is and the actions you take to address it. (For example, a previous student focused on the problem of affordable housing. Her action was to work with Habitat for Humanity during her Spring Break.) The final grade would be based upon a formal written report which explains what was done and why it was done. This is not merely action, but it is informed action, so it has a research component, a strategic component, and an action component. Your final report should detail what you did, what you found, why you did what you did (religious/ethical reasoning), what the impact of your action was, what you learned from the experience, etc.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How clear and appropriate is the social justice action? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the project developed? How well is the social justice issue understood? How strong is the analysis of the social justice issue?

· Organization (clarity, transition, flow). How well-thought-out and executed was the project? How clearly are the issue, research, and action expressed? How effective is the transition between the research, strategic, and action components of the project? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?

· Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of sources used to research the issue, including resources on ethical reasoning? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used from those sources? How well does the information support the social justice action being taken?

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation?

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE ANALYSIS (Worth 100 points): The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has sections on Religious Views of various social issues we will explore. This activity requires that students choose one of those issues and explore it in-depth on the website (in other words, look at the whole issue on the site, not just one page. For example, there is a great resource on Religion and gay marriage that would be a good one to explore.). You would then write an analysis of the information found there (4-5 pages). The student will include an accurate URL(s) in her/his analysis.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How well does the entire paper hang together? Is there an appropriate introduction? Conclusion? Is there a critical thesis or theme which holds the entire analysis together? Are there subpoints which are logically connected to the critical thesis? Organization.

· Accuracy of interpretation. Does the analysis accurately interpret the sources or are there distortions which seriously weaken the analysis?

· Thoroughness. Are all the relevant sources at the web site reviewed? Have all the relevant questions/issues been addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented and dealt with?

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation about the web site (s)?

WEB SITE EXPLORATION AND ANALYSIS (Worth 100 points): This activity requires that students choose one or more web sites that address the themes discussed in class (sexuality, justice, economics, violence, etc.). The student will review the materials on that subject present at the web site and write an analysis of the information found there (4-5 pages). The student will include an accurate URL(s) in her/his analysis. (Note: note all web sites are of the same quality. It is important that you search out the best ones for this activity, those that are affiliated with a particular institution whether academic, research, or advocacy group. Stay away from personal web sites if possible. For suggestions on possible web sites, see the professor. Good search engines to use in this activity include Google (http://www.google.com/) and Yahoo! Search (http://search.yahoo.com).

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How well does the entire paper hang together? Is there an appropriate introduction? Conclusion? Is there a critical thesis or theme which holds the entire analysis together? Are there sub-points which are logically connected to the critical thesis? Organization.

· Accuracy of interpretation. Does the analysis accurately interpret the sources or are there distortions which seriously weaken the analysis?

· Thoroughness. Are all the relevant sources at the web site reviewed? Have all the relevant questions/issues been addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented and dealt with?

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation about the web site (s)?

EXAMINATION (Worth 100 points): The material from which the questions will be taken consists of assigned readings and class discussions. The exam will be placed on Canvas under Assignments/Graded Activities. It will consist of a timed objective portion and several essay questions which will be submitted on Canvas.

Evaluation Criteria for essay questions:

· Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the answer in addressing the question asked? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the essay developed? How well is the subject matter understood?

· Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and development of ideas in the answer? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?

· Insightfulness. Does the essay make points which go beyond the obvious?

· Thoroughness. Have all the relevant questions/issues been addressed? Have counter-arguments (if appropriate) been presented and dealt with?

· Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of references used? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used from those sources? How well does the information support the question being answered?

FILM OR PLAY REVIEW(S) (Worth 100 points): There are many films and plays about social issues which have moral and ethical implications (e.g. Avatar, Crash, The Life of David Gayle, Philadelphia, The Island, The Accused, Wall Street, etc.). Unless otherwise specified the review (s) would take written form (4-5 pages). The emphasis would be critical more than descriptive.

A good film review is not simply a discussion of the film with a personal opinion attached to the end. It is not picking up an important theme in the film and then spending most of your time discussing your view on the subject either. Rather, a good film review generally begins with an interpretation of what you think the central theme (or themes) of the film is. (To get at this you might ask yourself, "What does the filmmaker want the viewer (me) to take from this film?") What is the filmmaker saying about this theme (themes)? You should be able to state this clearly in one or perhaps two paragraphs. The bulk of the remainder of the review should then discuss/describe key scenes from the film that illustrate why your interpretation of the filmmaker’s intent or theme makes sense. You don’t have to discuss every scene in the film, but you should be sure to discuss most of the relevant scenes to support your view. You may then discuss a bit whether or not you think the filmmaker was successful in her/his efforts. You should then conclude the review with a good summary of your argument/discussion.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the paper in identifying and analyzing the main theme (s) of the film? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the analysis developed? How well is the film and subject matter understood? How appropriate is the film for this course?

· Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and development of ideas in the paper? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?

· Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of scenes referenced in the review? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used from those scenes? How well does the information from the scenes support the analysis being developed?

· Documentation. How complete and correct is the documentation about the film?

THOUGHT PAPERS (Worth 100 points): These are short (3-5 pages) typed papers which are your reactions to things which have been happening in class or reactions to ideas you have come across elsewhere (e.g. in a book, in discussions with friends, etc.). The thoughts should be ORIGINAL and UNIQUE, they should not merely restate what others have said. These may or may not be distributed to the entire class depending upon whether you want them to be or not. They should be tightly focused and should concern themselves with only a single topic; as such, they should be logical and well-written. A minimum of three (3) must be submitted and due dates for each should be given.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information and comprehension). How clear and appropriate is the thesis or issue that holds the entire paper together? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the paper developed? How well is the topic understood?

· Organization (clarity, transition, and flow). Is there a logical progression and development of ideas? How clearly are the ideas expressed? How effective is the transition between ideas? How effective is the introduction and conclusion?

· Evidence and Insightfulness (credibility of argument). How effective is the use of evidence to support the points made in the paper? How well does the paper make points that go beyond the obvious rather than simply restate some other perspective?

· Originality.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION (Worth 100 points): This activity involves analyzing an environmental problem and taking appropriate action to try to improve it. The final grade would be based upon a formal written report which explains what was done and why it was done. This is not merely action, but it is informed action, so it has a research component, a strategic component, and an action component. Your final report should detail what you did, what you found, why you did what you did (religious/ethical reasoning), what the impact of your action was, what you learned from the experience, etc.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Content (information, comprehension, and analysis). How clear and appropriate is the environmental action? How focused, informative, and comprehensive is the project developed? How well is the issue understood? How strong is the analysis of the issue?

· Insightfulness of the observations/conclusions

· Sources (variety/credibility of resources). Are there a variety of sources used to research the issue, including resources on religious/ethical reasoning? How relevant, accurate, and credible is the information used from those sources? How well does the information support the environmental action being taken?

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation?

FIELD TRIP (Worth 100 points): This may include either a trip you take by yourself or with others to some place of significance for the course (Women's Rights museum in Seneca Falls, Ska Nonh Center, Onondaga parkway, Holocaust Museum, etc.) or you might arrange to take the entire class (or all those willing and able to go). Note: Upon completion of the trip a report (either written or oral) must be made in which you describe what you did to prepare for the trip, what you did on the trip, what was learned, etc.

Evaluation Criteria:

· Overall preparation and implementation of the trip. How well-thought-out and executed was the trip? Clarity of purpose. Appropriateness for the course.

· Insightfulness of the observations and conclusion in the report.

· Creativity.

· Extent to which the report brings together feelings, ideas, insights into a coherent whole.

· Documentation (appropriate sources and formatting). How complete and correct is the documentation?

WILD CARD (Worth 100 points): The list of activities I have provided are meant to be suggestive, but not exhaustive. If you can develop new and unique activities, I encourage you to do so. However, you must discuss these with me and you must assist in the development of appropriate evaluation criteria and restrictions for those activities.