Activity Report #1 Due

This week you will turn in your Activity Report #1.

ACTIVITY REPORT GUIDELINES

Here is the link to the Activity Report Guidelines. (Please read the entirety of the guidelines as it has all the information on how to do the activity report.)

• Activity Report Guidelines

ACTIVITY REPORT FILE

If you need a copy of the activity report file, here it is.

• Activity Report

Religious Sites File

If you need a copy of the allowed religious sites, here it is.

• Religious Sites

INSTRUCTIONS

Please upload the file. Remember to save the file as a .doc or a .docx.

THE ACTIVITY REPORT IS DUE ON SUNDAY, MARCH 24 BY 11 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.

Rubric

Activity Report

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrading of Activity ReportsEach Activity Report has six questions worth a different number of points. See the Activity Report Sheet for a Full Breakdown of Points. Each Activity Report will be given free form comments in the Comments Section on Speed Grader.	200 ptsFull MarksAnswers all the questions in an excellent manner. No points were removed for spelling or grammar.0 ptsNo Marks	200 pts
Total Points: 200

Part 2

Midterm Exam Part Two – Essay Questions

UPLOAD YOUR ESSAY ANSWERS

In this section, you will upload your answers to the essay questions for the midterm exam. They should have been sent to you via email, but if you didn’t receive them, they are also below.

Spelling and Grammar

Please make sure you answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Remember that spelling and grammar count. You are allowed to have a few minor errors, but you should write your answers in standard academic English with very few if any spelling and grammar errors.

CHEATING/PLAGIARISM

Please do not cheat in any manner. You are NOT allowed to merely cut and paste answers from the internet or any book. Do not copy from other students. The standard rules apply that if I find out that you have cheated you will receive a zero on the exam.

CITATIONS

You must produce original work. You may use paraphrases and quotes but quotes should be kept to a minimum.

As a reminder, you may have noticed that this exam is open book and more importantly, open World Wide Web (the Internet). You may use examples from any of the books, or another source (such as a newspaper, magazine, Google, etc…,) however, you should provide a full reference for any source you use, except the assigned books and Instructor (Smith, Neusner, Prothero, Or Dale Hull, etc.) Please give the name and page number of any reference in an Assigned reading. Please use the MLA format for references. Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use.

Please don’t plagiarize, and please remember that I have access to the web (and Google) too, and I do check to make sure you are not cheating.

• If you need it, here is a link to MLA Citation Machine.
  • MLA Citation Machine

MIDTERM EXAM ESSAY QUESTIONS

INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES

• First, define the following terms in your own words. A few sentences are fine. (Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.) It will help to look at Neusner’s book.
  • Exclusivist.
  • Inclusivist.
  • Pluralist.
  • Empathetic Interest in Other People.
• Second, write an argument about which of the above four terms is the best way to view religion as You would argue. A paragraph or two in length is fine, but more is fine too.
  • As a reminder, an argument (e.g. to argue) is when you provide evidence (statements) that support a conclusion, hypothesis, or thesis statement.
    • For example, your thesis statement would be something along the lines of “Stephen Prothero would argue that [blank] is the best way to view religion.” You would then provide evidence, claims, and statements to support that conclusion.
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

HINDUISM

• There are two parts to this question.
• First, define the following concepts:
  • Bhakti Yoga
  • Karma Yoga
  • Rāja Yoga
  • Jñāna Yoga
• Second, write a short argumentative essay (one or two paragraphs is fine) where you argue which type of Yoga is the best yoga for YOU.
  • As a reminder, an argument (e.g. to argue) is when you provide evidence (statements) that support a conclusion, hypothesis, or thesis statement.
  • For example, your thesis statement would be something along the lines of “Karma Yoga is the best type of Yoga for me because…” You would then provide evidence, claims, and statements to support that conclusion.
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible).

JAINISM

• First, give a definition of Ahimsa. (A sentence or two is fine.)
• Second, show how you, or someone might put the principles of Ahimsa into practice in your (our) own society.
  • Some of you may be from another culture than the typical American student. This is great as it is an opportunity to talk about your background, and how Ahimsa would apply in that culture.
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

BUDDHISM

• First, what is the point of meditation?
  • Write a paragraph or two explaining what is the point of meditation in Buddhism.
• Second, write a paragraph explaining whether you would use meditation in your own life, or not.
  • As a reminder, “An explanatory essay is a type of writing in which the author presents some point of view on a certain topic, event or situation. This view does not necessarily have to be one that the writer agrees with, but it must have some research and logic to make it feasible.”
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

SIKHISM

• Please write one to three paragraphs comparing Sikhism with Buddhism. (More than three are fine, but don’t write more than two single-spaced pages total.)
  • If you are unfamiliar with comparing and contrasting, or just want a review please see the link. You may also do a Google search, as there is a lot of information about how to compare and contrast.
    • Compare and Contrast

• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

CONFUCIANISM

• Whether or not Confucianism is a religion is an issue of some debate in religious studies (Huston Smith discusses this issue in his book, The World’s Religions.).
• Write a short argumentative essay (a paragraph or two is fine, but more are ok too) on whether, in your opinion, Confucianism is either a religion or not a religion.
  • As a reminder, an argument (e.g. to argue) is when you provide evidence (statements) that support a conclusion, hypothesis, or thesis statement.
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

DAOISM

• Philosophical Daoism can be defined as “trying to align one’s daily life to the Tao (Smith 207, section Creative Quietude).”
• Write an explanatory essay (one to four paragraphs are fine) explaining how you would use Philosophical Daoism to change your life to align with the Dao.
  • You should have at least three examples.
    • As a reminder, “An explanatory essay is a type of writing in which the author presents some point of view on a certain topic, event or situation. This view does not necessarily have to be one that the writer agrees with, but it must have some research and logic to make it feasible.”
      • As a starting point, I recommend you review/read Huston Smith’s book, pages 207 (Creative Quietude) to 211 (Other Taoist Values).
• Please make sure you give a reference for any source you use. Please don’t plagiarize.
• (100 words minimum, 25 points possible.)

THE ESSAY QUESTIONS ARE DUE ON SUNDAY, MARCH 24, BY 11 PM.

Rubric

Mdterm Exam

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFree Form CommentsEach Midterm Exam question will have an individual score along with comments in the Comments Section on Speed Grader.	25 ptsFull MarksCompletely answers the question. Shows mastery of the material.0 ptsNo MarksFailure to Answer the Question.	25 pts