University Curriculum Committee
Proposal for New Course
1. Is this course being proposed for Liberal Studies designation?
If yes, route completed form to Liberal Studies.
You may need to right-click
Yes
boxes to check/uncheck →
No
Then Select ”Properties”
2. New course effective beginning what term and year? (ex. Spring 2009,
Summer 2009) See effective dates schedule.
3. College
Arts & Letters
5. Course subject/catalog number
Fall 2011
4. Academic Unit /Department
REL 395
Comparative Cultural Studies
6. Units/Credit Hours
3
Topics in the History of Religions
7. Long course title
(max 100 characters including spaces)
8. Short course title (max. 30 characters including spaces)
Topics/History of Religions
9. Catalog course description (max. 30 words, excluding requisites).
Examines a religious tradition with attention to its historical development. The religiously significant ideas,
practices, and social organization of the tradition are examined in their cultural and historical contexts.
10. Grading option:
Letter grade
Pass/Fail
or
Both
(If both, the course may only be offered one way for each respective section.)
11. Co-convened with
11a. Date approved by UGC
(Must be approved by UGC prior to bringing to UCC. Both course syllabi must be presented)
12. Cross-listed with
(Please submit a single cross-listed syllabus that will be used for all cross-listed courses.)
13. May course be repeated for additional units?
Yes
No
a. If yes, maximum units allowed?
6
b. If yes, may course be repeated for additional units in the same term?
(ex. PES 100)
14. Prerequisites (must be completed before proposed course)
15. Corequisites (must be completed with proposed course)
No
ENG 105 or HON 190 or equivalent,
and 30 credits.
None
16. Is the course needed for a new or existing plan of study
(major, minor, certificate)?
Name of plan?
Yes
Yes
No
B.A. in Comparative Cultural Studies, Minor in Religious Studies
Note: If course is required, a new plan or plan change form must be submitted with this request.
17. Is a potential equivalent course offered at a community college (lower division only) Yes
If yes, does it require listing in the Course Equivalency Guide? ) Yes
No
No
Please list, if known, the institution and subject/catalog number of the course
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18. Names of current faculty qualified to teach this course:
Professors BeDuhn, Donnelly, Sullivan,
or staff
19. Justification for new course, including unique features if applicable.
(Attach proposed syllabus in the approved university format).
This course, with variable topics, will allow diversification of the curriculum in Religious Studies.
We anticipate having visiting instructors with varying areas of expertise. This course will enable us to
offer an upper-division course in an area in which we do not have an existing course.
20. Person(s) to contact for questions about details of this proposal:
Prof. Alexandra Carpino, Chair, CCS
For Official AIO Use Only:
Component Type
Consent
Topics Course
21. Approvals
Signed: Department Chair (if appropriate)
Print Last Name
Date
Signed: Chair of College Curriculum Committee
Print Last Name
Date
Signed: Dean of College
Print Last Name
Date
Signed: Curriculum Process Associate
Print Last Name
Date
For Committee’s use only
For University Curriculum Committee
Action taken:
Date
_____Approved as submitted
_____Approved as modified
Please attach Syllabus here.
Revised 12/10
2
Northern Arizona University
College of Arts & Letters
Dept. of Comparative Cultural Studies
Religious Studies 395: Topics in the History of Religions
(secondary title for this topic) TBA
Prof. TBA
Semester, Year
Office hours: TBA
Phone: 523-xxxx
3 credit hours
Time & Days, Room #
Office: TBA
Email: TBA
Course Prerequisites: Completion of ENG 105, HON 190, or equivalent, and at least 30 credits
(sophomore status or higher).
Course Description
This course examines a religious tradition with attention to its historical development. The
religiously significant ideas, practices, and social organization of the tradition are examined in
their cultural and historical contexts. Each iteration of this course will address at least one of the
three Global Learning Outcomes, namely, Global Engagement, Environmental Sustainability,
and Diversity. The course may be repeated for credit once with a different title and topic, for a
total of 6 credits. Liberal Studies: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry block; Essential Skill:
Effective Writing.
Liberal Studies Information
REL 395 is a Liberal Studies course in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block.
(1) This course supports the Mission of the Liberal Studies Program by preparing students to
live responsible, productive, and creative lives as citizens of a dramatically changing world, and
helping students develop their abilities in the following ways:
• To understand the world’s peoples and their diversity.
• To understand the traditions and legacies that have created the dynamics and tensions
that shape the world.
• To practice the habits of an examined or self-reflective life to facilitate ethical and
responsible living.
(2) REL 395 is in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block and supports the intent
of the block by:
• involving students in the study of the human condition through philosophical inquiry
and analysis of the various forms of creative expression.
• helping students develop an understanding of the relationship between context and
human creative expression, in this case, the historical context of religious traditions.
• helping students develop an understanding of major conceptual frameworks utilized to
make sense of the creative arts, and how human experience and values are expressed
through creative endeavors. In this iteration of the course, Zen’s religious ideas and
ideals have influenced poetry, literature, calligraphy, art, and drama.
• helping students develop their capacities for analysis and ethical reasoning along with
an understanding of the multiple facets of the human condition.
(3) REL 395 will help students develop essential skills as defined in the University’s Liberal
Revised 12/10
3
Studies Program. The course will emphasize Effective Writing. This essential skill will be
formally assessed through three writing assignments during the semester.
Student Learning Expectations & Outcomes
One usually benefits from a course to the extent that one makes the effort to excel, to grow
intellectually and develop one’s abilities. Course objectives listed below entail study of Asian
cultures and their expressions of responses to the human condition. This course will directly
address the Global Learning Outcome of Diversity:
• Diversity: Students will learn about and critically reflect upon the nature and consequences
of diversity in both the social (e.g. ethnic, religious, cultural) world and the natural environment,
and develop an understanding of how this diversity both alters and is altered in a world
characterized by increasing global interaction.
Active engagement with the content of this course will enable the student
(1) to describe and critically examine the major teachings and the diversity of interpretations in
one particular religious tradition.
(2) to describe and critically examine the major practices engaged in by members of that
religious tradition.
(3) to describe and critically examine the social organization of that tradition as a religious
institution, and the diverse ways it has influenced societies in which it has flourished.
(4) to evaluate the methods Religious Studies scholars employ(ed) in the study of that religious
tradition.
(5) to write effectively concerning the ideas, practices, and/or social organization of that
religious tradition.
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Methods of Assessment
In-class discussions and academic papers assess careful reading of primary and secondary texts,
and critical thinking about the ideas presented therein. Papers of increasing length and
complexity will enable students to develop the skill of effective writing. Please see below for
details on each assignment and its value, and the course outline for due dates on assignments.
Grades for the course will be based on a combination of the following means of evaluating
student performance, each having the value indicated: TBA
The grading scale for the course will be as follows:
90%+ = A; 80%+ = B; 70%+ = C; 60%+ = D; below 60% = F.
With 1000 points to be earned during the semester, 900 points would constitute an A, etc.
If a special event of relevance such as an expert speaker or film occurs, all students will have the
same opportunity to earn extra credit beyond the course requirements.
Timeline for Assessment & Course Outline
TBA
Final Exam at the time scheduled by NAU for this course.
Course Structure & Approach
Our method is academic inquiry concerning the topic of a particular religious tradition. Films
and images will be shown occasionally to illustrate aspects of the religious traditions being
studied. This is a course that requires the student to attend class regularly, pay attention, read
Revised 12/10
4
carefully, listen, think critically, participate in discussions on the issues raised in the course, be
open-minded, question assumptions (one’s own, as well as those of one’s fellow students, and
those of the religious tradition studied), express one’s own views, and strive to understand and to
be considerate of the views of others.
Texts & Required Readings
TBA
Course Policies
Being registered for this course means that the student accepts all the specified course policies
and agrees to abide by them, and that the student accepts all the course requirements and agrees
to fulfill them.
A makeup exam is available for an exam missed due to illness or approved and documented
university activities such as a fieldtrip (with paperwork submitted beforehand). Additional time
will be allowed for a documented illness that prevents a student from taking an exam or
completing an assignment as scheduled.
Any student with a disability documented through the university’s Disability Resources office
will receive the full scope of aid for which the student is eligible.
Class attendance is the responsibility of the student. Active engagement with the content of this
course requires regular attendance, and there is no substitute for your presence in the classroom.
Consequently, attendance is strongly encouraged, as those who attend will learn more and
therefore be more successful in this course. Please see the university’s statement regarding this
matter in the NAU Undergraduate Catalog under the heading “Classroom Attendance.” While
the class is in session, you will have my full attention, and I expect that you will have the
courtesy to give me your full attention. Also, it is expected that students will come to class on
time, be attentive while present, participate in our discussions, and stay for the full duration of
the class. To do otherwise is distracting to fellow students and disruptive of the class.
Every student enrolled in this course is responsible for recognizing the distinction between the
student’s own ideas and those from another source, and for indicating that difference in the
universally accepted fashion through appropriate use of quotation marks and citation of sources.
Use of the words and ideas of others in a written assignment without giving them credit by citing
the sources of that information is called plagiarism. Plagiarism on an assignment for this course
will result in a grade of zero for the assignment, and constitutes grounds for further disciplinary
proceedings by NAU. Cheating on an exam will result in a grade of zero, and also constitutes
grounds for further disciplinary proceedings by NAU. Please see the university’s statement
regarding this matter in the NAU Undergraduate Catalog or in the NAU Student Code of
Conduct under the heading “Academic Integrity.”
Please see the additional page of policy statements from NAU appended to the syllabus.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Writing style
Since one purpose of the written assignments is to reflect on the meanings of the texts being
read, half the basis of evaluation will be the extent to which your paper shows that you have
given the readings serious thought. And since expressing thoughts clearly is one of the most
important skills that one can acquire through formal education, half the basis of evaluation will
Revised 12/10
5
be the clarity, coherence and communicative aptitude of your paper’s presentation. This aptitude
includes such basic linguistic skills as correct spelling and grammar, appropriateness of
vocabulary, and stylistic grace. Your use of standard, formal English must avoid slang and
conversational style. Mastery of formal English writing style is the key to effective writing.
All writing assignments are to be computer-printed in 12 point font, dark enough to be legible,
and double-spaced. Submit two copies of each paper so that one can be returned to you with
comments; this will maximize your opportunity to become more effective in your writing.
Requirements for all assignments:
* Papers you write must have the following features.
(1) A thesis statement:
This is a proposition; it presents a position. In your essay, you seek to advocate that position, so
you present arguments in support of that position. In short, your thesis must be a statement that
can be debated. A thesis statement is not simply a description of a general topic, nor is it a
statement of purpose for the essay. It is a statement of a point of view.
Example: Zen is a religious tradition, but it is not a Buddhist religious tradition.
This proposition is one that can be advocated with the support of evidence, and could
be debated.
Counter-example: In this essay, I will discuss Zen’s teachings on karma.
This is a statement of intent, identifying a general topic, but it is not a position,
it cannot be advocated or debated, and it is therefore not a thesis statement.
(2) An argument in support of your thesis statement:
Using what you know about the topic you have chosen (including what you discover by
research), formulate an argument in support of your position. Your objective is to persuade the
reader that your point of view is correct. Think of as many valid reasons as you can that support
your point of view. Assemble these into a coherent series. Use your own reason and logic, but
in addition use statements drawn from authoritative sources about the topic as evidence. Your
argument for your position would be strengthened by taking account of the other side of the
debate. Think also about counter-arguments to your position, and try to undercut their validity or
diminish their significance as effective arguments against your position. To have a persuasive
argument in favor of your position, you will need several reasons. And please note that evidence
alone is not an argument, but is to be used in support of an argument that you formulate.
(3) A conclusion:
Once you have completed your argument in favor of your thesis, state the thesis again. You may
want to try to persuade the reader that you have successfully advocated your viewpoint.
(4) The usual academic form:
Your essay must have a bibliography, and cite the sources of your material, including the page
from which each quotation is taken or from which material has been paraphrased. To do
otherwise is plagiarism. Because you have a bibliography, citing the source of the material
quoted or paraphrased simply by use of parentheses with author and page number is sufficient;
for example, (Faure, p. 48). If more than one work by a particular author appears in your
bibliography, you may distinguish them by date: for example, (Faure 1995, p. 48).
Revised 12/10
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A fully articulated syllabus as an example:
Northern Arizona University
College of Arts & Letters
Dept. of Comparative Cultural Studies
Religious Studies 395: Topics in the History of Religions
(secondary title for this topic) Zen Buddhism
Prof. Bruce M. Sullivan
Semester, Year
Office hours: XX
Phone: 523-0244
3 credit hours
Time & Days, Room #
Office: Riles 311
Email: bruce.sullivan@nau.edu
My website: http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/bms
Course Prerequisites: Completion of ENG 105, HON 190, or equivalent, and at least 30 credits
(sophomore status or higher).
Course Description
This course examines a religious tradition with attention to its historical development. The
religiously significant ideas, practices, and social organization of the tradition are examined in
their cultural and historical contexts. Each iteration of this course will address at least one of the
three Global Learning Outcomes, namely, Global Engagement, Environmental Sustainability,
and Diversity. The course may be repeated for credit once with a different title and topic, for a
total of 6 credits. Liberal Studies: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry block; Essential Skill:
Effective Writing.
This iteration of REL 395 focuses on an important and influential east Asian religious tradition,
Zen Buddhism, which has recently established a presence outside east Asia as well. In addition,
the student will learn concepts used in the analysis of religion and some disciplinary approaches
to the study of religion. Since Buddhism was founded some 2500 years ago in India, it has
spread throughout most of Asia and profoundly transformed (and been transformed by) cultures
it has permeated such as China, Korea and Japan. Buddhists have developed answers to the
perennial questions on the meaning of life, what a human being can attain spiritually, and how to
organize a sustainable society, or withdraw from society by renouncing its values and
associations. This course provides students the opportunity for in-depth study of one
multinational religious tradition (Chinese Ch’an, Korean Sōn, Japanese Zen) with ancient roots
and contemporary relevance.
Liberal Studies Information
REL 395 is a Liberal Studies course in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block.
(1) This course supports the Mission of the Liberal Studies Program by preparing students to
live responsible, productive, and creative lives as citizens of a dramatically changing world, and
helping students develop their abilities in the following ways:
• To understand the world’s peoples and their diversity.
• To understand the traditions and legacies that have created the dynamics and tensions
that shape the world.
• To practice the habits of an examined or self-reflective life to facilitate ethical and
responsible living.
Revised 12/10
7
(2) REL 395 is in the Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry distribution block and supports the intent
of the block by:
• involving students in the study of the human condition through philosophical inquiry
and analysis of the various forms of creative expression.
• helping students develop an understanding of the relationship between context and
human creative expression, in this case, the historical context of religious traditions.
• helping students develop an understanding of major conceptual frameworks utilized to
make sense of the creative arts, and how human experience and values are expressed
through creative endeavors. In this iteration of the course, Zen’s religious ideas and
ideals have influenced poetry, literature, calligraphy, art, and drama.
• helping students develop their capacities for analysis and ethical reasoning along with
an understanding of the multiple facets of the human condition.
(3) REL 395 will help students develop essential skills as defined in the University’s Liberal
Studies Program. The course will emphasize Effective Writing. This essential skill will be
formally assessed through three writing assignments during the semester.
Student Learning Expectations & Outcomes
One usually benefits from a course to the extent that one makes the effort to excel, to grow
intellectually and develop one’s abilities. Course objectives listed below entail study of Asian
cultures and their expressions of responses to the human condition. This course will directly
address the Global Learning outcome of Diversity:
• Diversity: Students will learn about and critically reflect upon the nature and consequences
of diversity in both the social (e.g. ethnic, religious, cultural) world and the natural environment,
and develop an understanding of how this diversity both alters and is altered in a world
characterized by increasing global interaction.
Active engagement with the content of this course will enable the student
(1) to describe and critically examine the major teachings and the diversity of interpretations in
the distinctive form of Buddhism known in China, Korea, and Japan as Ch’an, Son, and Zen.
(2) to describe and critically examine the major practices engaged in by Zen Buddhists,
particularly the distinctive meditation practice of zazen.
(3) to describe and critically examine the unique social organization of Zen Buddhism as a
religious institution, and the diverse ways it has influenced societies in which it has flourished.
(4) to evaluate the methods Religious Studies scholars employ(ed) in the study of Zen.
(5) to write effectively concerning Zen Buddhism’s ideas, practices, and/or social organization.
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Methods of Assessment
In-class discussions and academic papers assess careful reading of primary and secondary texts,
and critical thinking about the ideas presented therein. Papers of increasing length and
complexity will enable students to develop the skill of effective writing. Please see below for
details on each assignment and its value, and the course outline for due dates on assignments.
Grades for the course will be based on a combination of the following means of evaluating
student performance, each having the value indicated:
(1) Reading quizzes (50 points = 5%)
(2) In-class discussion (50 points = 5%)
(3) Article analysis (100 points = 15%)
(4) Midterm exam (200 points = 20%)
(5) Paper on the Zen monastic experience (200 points = 20%)
(6) Term paper (200 points = 20%)
(7) Final exam (200 points = 20%)
Revised 12/10
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The grading scale for the course will be as follows:
90%+ = A; 80%+ = B; 70%+ = C; 60%+ = D; below 60% = F.
With 1000 points to be earned during the semester, 900 points would constitute an A, etc.
If a special event of relevance such as an expert speaker or film occurs, all students will have the
same opportunity to earn extra credit beyond the course requirements.
Timeline for Assessment & Course Outline
Week 1
Introduction to the course. Overview of the historical development
of Buddhism. ER, “Buddhism: Overview.”
Week 2
What is Zen? Kraft, “Introduction” and chapter 1, “My Struggle to Become a Zen
Monk.” Religion in China, an overview.
Chinese Roots of Zen as Ch’an: Kraft, chapter 7, “The Story of Early Ch’an.”
Week 3
First and Third Patriarchs of the tradition in China: ER, from
The Roaring Stream: A New Zen Reader, pp. 3-15.
ER, "The Image of Bodhidharma in Zen History,"
Written analysis of ER, “Bodhidharma as Textual and Religious Paradigm.”
Week 4
ER, The Sixth Patriarch’s “Platform Sutra” (selections).
Eighth-century Master Yung-Chia: ER, from
The Roaring Stream: A New Zen Reader, pp. 22-32.
Week 5
Midterm exam: The Chinese form of Zen.
Kraft, chap. 2, “Zen Meditation,” &
chap. 3, “The Private Encounter with the Master.”
Week 6
Zen practice and the social setting in a Korean monastery:
Buswell, Introduction & chapters 1 and 2.
Week 7
Buswell, chapters 3 through 6 & Appendix.
Week 8
Buswell, chapters 7 through 9, Conclusion, & Epilogue.
Week 9
Paper on the Zen monastic experience is due.
The Japanese Zen master Dogen, in his own words:
Dogen, (1) Introduction, pp. 3-25 (his life and teaching style), and
Practical Instructions: pp. 29-66;
(2) Philosophical writings: pp. 69-94, and his poems: pp. 213-24.
Week 10
Poetic imagery as a means to communicate the fully awakened state of mind:
(1) pp. 97-139; (2) pp. 143-74. For context, Kraft, chap. 6, “Zen Poetry.”
Week 11
Dogen on transmission of the teaching: pp. 175-210.
ER, Haiku poems by Basho.
Week 12
Kraft, chap. 8, “The Development of Japanese Zen” &
ER, Paula Arai, "Sōtō Zen Nuns in Modern Japan: Keeping and Creating
Tradition."
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Week 12
Kraft, Chap. 9, “The Zen Institution in Modern Japan.”
Week 13
Zen goes global: ER, selections from How the Swans Came to the Lake.
Kraft, chap. 10, “Recent Developments in North American Zen” &
“Epilogue: Problems of Authority in Western Zen.”
Week 14
Term paper is due.
Zen in America today: ER, Selections from Prebish & Tanaka,
The Faces of Buddhism in America.
Week 15
Perspectives on Zen and the study of Zen.
Final Exam at the time scheduled by NAU for this course.
Course Structure & Approach
The course is in seminar format. This means that students are required to participate in the
discussions of readings that occur at each meeting, and will lead discussion sessions and write
essays analyzing readings. Films and slides will be shown occasionally to illustrate aspects of
Buddhist traditions being studied. This is a course that requires the student to attend class
regularly, pay attention, read carefully, listen, think critically, participate in discussions on the
issues raised in the course, be open-minded, question assumptions (one’s own, as well as those of
one’s fellow students, those of Zen Buddhists and the cultures in which Zen exists), express
one’s own views, and strive to understand and to be considerate of the views of others.
Texts & Required Readings
The following books contain the readings on which this course is based. They are available in
the NAU Bookstore. Additional material may be provided in class. Please see the reading list at
the end of this syllabus for additional recommended sources.
(1) Kraft, Kenneth (editor). Zen: Tradition and Transition. A Sourcebook by Contemporary
Zen Masters and Scholars. New York: Grove Press, 1988.
(2) Buswell, R. E. The Zen Monastic Experience: Buddhist Practice in Contemporary Korea.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992.
(3) Dogen. Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen.
San Francisco: North Point Press, 1995. Kazuaki Tanahashi, editor & translator.
(4) Primary texts will be provided in Vista Blackboard or its replacement.
Course Policies
Being registered for this course means that the student accepts all the specified course policies
and agrees to abide by them, and that the student accepts all the course requirements and agrees
to fulfill them.
A makeup exam is available for an exam missed due to illness or approved and documented
university activities such as a fieldtrip (with paperwork submitted beforehand). Additional time
will be allowed for a documented illness that prevents a student from taking an exam or
completing an assignment as scheduled.
Revised 12/10
10
Any student with a disability documented through the university’s Disability Resources office
will receive the full scope of aid for which the student is eligible.
Class attendance is the responsibility of the student. Active engagement with the content of this
course requires regular attendance, and there is no substitute for your presence in the classroom.
Consequently, attendance is strongly encouraged, as those who attend will learn more and
therefore be more successful in this course. Please see the university’s statement regarding this
matter in the NAU Undergraduate Catalog under the heading “Classroom Attendance.” While
the class is in session, you will have my full attention, and I expect that you will have the
courtesy to give me your full attention. This means that all electronic equipment other than
laptops (such as cell phones, MP3 players, etc.) must be turned off and kept out of sight during
class to avoid distractions. Laptops may be used, but only for activities directly related to our
course, such as taking notes or consulting electronic readings. This means that viewing one’s
email, a chatroom, or the internet is inappropriate because it is disruptive to the learning process.
Also, it is expected that students will come to class on time, be attentive while present,
participate in our discussions, and stay for the full duration of the class. To do otherwise is
distracting to fellow students and disruptive of the class. Disruption of classroom instruction is
conduct prohibited in the NAU Student Code of Conduct and is subject to disciplinary
proceedings, including dropping such a person from the class. If on some occasion you will be
forced to come late or leave early, please inform me ahead of time.
Every student enrolled in this course is responsible for recognizing the distinction between the
student’s own ideas and those from another source, and for indicating that difference in the
universally accepted fashion through appropriate use of quotation marks and citation of sources.
Use of the words and ideas of others in a written assignment without giving them credit by citing
the sources of that information is called plagiarism. Plagiarism on an assignment for this course
will result in a grade of zero for the assignment, and constitutes grounds for further disciplinary
proceedings by NAU. Cheating on an exam will result in a grade of zero, and also constitutes
grounds for further disciplinary proceedings by NAU. Please see the university’s statement
regarding this matter in the NAU Undergraduate Catalog or in the NAU Student Code of
Conduct under the heading “Academic Integrity.”
Please see the additional page of policy statements from NAU appended to the syllabus.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Writing style
Since one purpose of the written assignments is to reflect on the meanings of the texts being
read, half the basis of evaluation will be the extent to which your paper shows that you have
given the readings serious thought. And since expressing thoughts clearly is one of the most
important skills that one can acquire through formal education, half the basis of evaluation will
be the clarity, coherence and communicative aptitude of your paper’s presentation. This aptitude
includes such basic linguistic skills as correct spelling and grammar, appropriateness of
vocabulary, and stylistic grace. Your use of standard, formal English must avoid slang and
conversational style. Mastery of formal English writing style is the key to effective writing.
All writing assignments are to be computer-printed in 12 point font, dark enough to be legible,
and double-spaced. Submit two copies of each paper so that one can be returned to you with
comments; this will maximize your opportunity to become more effective in your writing.
Revised 12/10
11
Assignment One: Analysis of an Academic Article
The first writing assignment is an analysis of the article “Bodhidharma as Textual and Religious
Paradigm,” which will be provided in the course website. Identify the author’s thesis and
describe the main points of his argument. Identify the sources he uses to support his argument.
Discuss whether the argument is convincing, whether he has proven his thesis, and whether his
conclusion is warranted by the argument and evidence. Note that you are taking a position on
this matter, so your paper will have a thesis statement in which you articulate your point of view.
The paper is to be about 1200 words (about 4 to 5 pages), and is worth 100 points.
Assignment Two: The Midterm Paper
The second writing assignment is an essay on some issue encountered in the book by Buswell
about the Zen monastic experience. Other course readings may be cited also. Worth 200 points,
the essay is to be 2000 to 2700 words in length (about 6 to 10 pages typed), and two copies are
due in class in week 9. Please see all the comments below on the structure of an essay, and
consider informing me of your thesis statement at least one week prior to the due date so that
your essay might benefit from discussion of the thesis statement with me.
Assignment Three: The Term Paper
In this course, the term paper is your final statement on Zen, and is to be your most polished and
sophisticated written work. The paper is to be 3200 to 4000 words in length (about 11 to 15
pages typed), and has a value of 200 points. Again, please see all the comments below on the
structure of an essay, and consider informing me of your thesis statement at least one week prior
to the due date so that your essay might benefit from discussion of the thesis and sources cited.
Requirements for all assignments:
* Assignments two and three must include at least three quotations or paraphrased segments
from material we have used in this course, citing the page number of the text from which you
are quoting or paraphrasing; for example: (Kraft, p. 85). This is the standard procedure of all
academic disciplines and is an absolute requirement. Given that these papers are relatively short,
please do not use extensive quotations; simply refer to such a passage and cite page numbers.
* Your paper must also include a bibliography or works cited section in which you present a
complete bibliographic reference to the books and articles you have cited (but not everything
you looked at). This need not be a separate page. Please note that some works have been
published several different times, so complete information is vital. This is also standard
academic procedure. At least two sources must be used in your term paper and cited in the
bibliography; and please note that websites do not count as sources. Websites must be used with
extreme caution due to the fact that anyone can post anything on the internet, whether they
actually know anything about the subject or not. Wikipedia cannot be used due to its proven
unreliability. The only encyclopedia you may use is The Encyclopedia of Religion, Mircea
Eliade, editor (1987). Should you wish to define terms, use our course readings rather than a
dictionary, as our course readings provide much more sophisticated and correct definitions.
* Papers you write must also have the following features.
(1) A thesis statement:
This is a proposition; it presents a position. In your essay, you seek to advocate that position, so
you present arguments in support of that position. In short, your thesis must be a statement that
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can be debated. A thesis statement is not simply a description of a general topic, nor is it a
statement of purpose for the essay. It is a statement of a point of view.
Example: Zen is a religious tradition, but it is not a Buddhist religious tradition.
This proposition is one that can be advocated with the support of evidence, and could
be debated.
Counter-example: In this essay, I will discuss Zen’s teachings on karma.
This is a statement of intent, identifying a general topic, but it is not a position,
it cannot be advocated or debated, and it is therefore not a thesis statement.
(2) An argument in support of your thesis statement:
Using what you know about the topic you have chosen (including what you discover by
research), formulate an argument in support of your position. Your objective is to persuade the
reader that your point of view is correct. Think of as many valid reasons as you can that support
your point of view. Assemble these into a coherent series. Use your own reason and logic, but
in addition use statements drawn from authoritative sources about the topic as evidence. Your
argument for your position would be strengthened by taking account of the other side of the
debate. Think also about counter-arguments to your position, and try to undercut their validity or
diminish their significance as effective arguments against your position. To have a persuasive
argument in favor of your position, you will need several reasons. And please note that evidence
alone is not an argument, but is to be used in support of an argument that you formulate.
(3) A conclusion:
Once you have completed your argument in favor of your thesis, state the thesis again. You may
want to try to persuade the reader that you have successfully advocated your viewpoint.
(4) The usual academic form:
Your essay must have a bibliography, and cite the sources of your material, including the page
from which each quotation is taken or from which material has been paraphrased. To do
otherwise is plagiarism. Because you have a bibliography, citing the source of the material
quoted or paraphrased simply by use of parentheses with author and page number is sufficient;
for example, (Faure, p. 48). If more than one work by a particular author appears in your
bibliography, you may distinguish them by date: for example, (Faure 1995, p. 48).
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