Division of Fine Arts
Department of Humanities
Introduction to WORLD RELIGION
Catalog Course Description
PHIL 1304 presents a comparative study of various world religions. This
course introduces the student to the central teachings and practices of
major world religions, including Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism,
Christianity, and Islam. Ways in which religions have influenced, and been
influenced by, history and culture are studied. The lives and teachings of
representative religious figures are presented. The varied accounts and
dynamics of religion offered by scholars of religion are also covered.
Students are challenged to engage in critical thinking as a basis for
assessing and appreciating world religions.
2010-11 Learning Outcomes for PHIL 1304
Demonstrate an understanding of the central teachings and practices of major
world religions, including Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
Demonstrate a knowledge of ways in which world religions have influenced and
been influenced by history and culture.
Demonstrate a knowledge of representative historical figures within the world
religions.
Demonstrate a familiarity with the varied accounts and dynamics of religion
offered by scholars of religion.
Demonstrate critical thinking in one’s personal assessment and appreciation of
world religions.
Prerequisi ENGL*0305(ENGL_0305) ENGL*0316 or ENGL*1301
tes
Semester
FALL, 2010
For important test deadlines, please see the file, 'Test Hours', located in my
faculty office (see address below). All tests are online. You need never come to
campus for my course.
Withdrawal Policy: While I do not want you to drop, there are reasons
to drop. These are:
• If you think that your grades are not high enough for your class
Withdraw
al/last
day t
goal. You must check your 'My Grades' to find out where you
are in the way to your goal. All grades are automatically
calculated and visible to you in 'my grades', right next to 'tests',
allowing you an opportunity to make decisions about whether or
not your grade is acceptable to you prior to the drop date.
Before that, you may drop the course in "My Records", formerly
known as "Stargazer". You must drop yourself, using my
'permission to drop' email. Note that some colleges in the
Lone Star College System allow you to drop online in “My
Records”, but some colleges require you to drop at the
registrar's office. It is your responsibility to find out which
is your college's policy.
• If I find that you have not taken the first two tests in the class, I
will drop you.
No
No orientation is required. Please use the notes further down regarding
orientatio what to do first in class.
n
E-mail
We will have an email feature to use within our e-classroom once we get
started, but before then, you may read this syllabus and/or ask questions of
me at susan.k.fox@lonestar.edu Thank you.
Office
Phone:
I do respond to office email, but I don't handle telephone contacts.
Online
http://www.lonestar.edu/blogs/sufox/
Faculty
Office
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Nielsen, Niels C., Jr., editor (and others). The World's Religions. 3rd Edition. You want the
3rd edition only, but you may have any printing of the 3rd edition.
St. Martin's Press. copyright 1993.
ISBN: 0-312-05023-2
Physical Description: Color illustrated, size 20 centimeters by 24 centimeters, 536 pages.
How to Order the Book: Follett chain should have this textbook, and their system works
through the Lone Star College-Kingwood. Give them a call, or search the internet for a copy
of the textbook. Please match up the above information on edition, size and page numbers.
(I understand that there is a cheap paperback that is missing some valuable material. It sells
on the internet for fifteen dollars, but don't buy it.)
Again, this item must be purchased or rented in the 3rd edition only, but you may have any
printing of the 3rd edition.
Only this one text is required, and no other supplies are necessary, though some printing of
electronically offered study questions would be helpful. You will find these study questions
available on the first day of class. Please have a college-level dictionary near you when
you prepare for and when you take the tests.
Here is a tip: Rent the book for about $25, rather than buy it for about $65.
http://www.chegg.com/details/religions-of-the-world/0312050232/
Finding Test Dates and the Reading
Assignments:
A Study Plan
Your reading, study question answering*, and
Look on my electronic online office for test study schedule might/could/should be:
hours.
*These study questions are not handed in.
You may use your study questions and
Our e-classroom is open 24 hours each day
textbook during the test.
except when the tech help does maintenance.
Use the class calendar to learn when that will
be.
Study steadily in the days prior to the 46
minute bonus period exam, which opens at
12:00 pm noon.
All reading assignments can be found on the If you take a test in the bonus (early) period,
you will receive 5% added to your grade.
details sheet on my website.
Taking the test in the bonus period or in the
absolute period will accomplish one of the
five tests required in our class.
Finding Me & Technical Help Prior to
If you are not prepared, wait, & take your test
Semester's start:
in the absolute period. You won't receive any
extra % pts added to your grade, and you only
have 41 minutes, but you will have a longer
At semester's start, you may email me if you do
study period. The "Absolute Period" is the
not understand how to gain access to class.
actual testing period and it runs after the close
The access instructions are in this document.
of the Bonus Period. All absolute period tests
If you are concerned about the course itself,
also close at twelve noon, known as 12 pm, or
you can email with me. In this way, we can
mid day.
resolve your trouble or difficulty regarding
All tests open and close at 12 noon (written as
concern about the course load.
12 pm.) and are called assessments, but I still
If you have a technical concern prior to the call them tests.
start of class, or during the course, you can Do not rush yourself into taking the bonus
email the help desk using online@lonestar.edu or test:.
call them at 1-866-614-5014.
If you are not ready for a test, if you have not
E-mail: susan.k.fox@lonestar.edu
completed each and every one of your study
questions, and have not completely read and
Home Page:
re-read the pages that you have not
I read and respond to email daily and more understood, do not take any test early in the
frequently than daily, except for the official bonus period.
days off/weekends/the holiday periods. I No test will be dropped. I do not ever curve
answer email in order of priority at any time in grades. I do not ever bump up final course
response to a student question.
grades into the next level. I do not offer
extra credit. I have standards for my
An off- topic question or just a basic fun
courses, and I expect that you will meet
conversation gets a later answer, but I very
them, and that you will learn the most
much appreciate these side conversations.
important material available to you in this
Level of Difficulty of this Course: Difficult or course.
on a scale of 1-5, this class is a 4.5 on the
Testing Hours Sheet is kept on the internet
difficulty scale.
in my online faculty office. In the very odd
chance that a date should change, I'll put a
notice on the announcements.
First Tasks before classroom access:
Order or rent your textbook. Use the
information located near the top of this
syllabus.
Email me if you want to discuss your course
load and work schedule with me, or if you have
any other question.
Your 1st access to class begins on the first
official day of class @ 12 .AM (Midnight)
Super Important to Remember- A thing not to get confused:
Noon is written as "12:00 pm" in the software. This is not the middle of the night but rather,
12 noon. All of my class tests start and end at 12 o'clock noon. You may be following other
teacher's plans, thinking that the class tests close at midnight, but they do not. Read this
carefully, and remember it later. Make a note on your monitor if necessary. My class is the
"high noon" class. The very last class test closes at 12 pm, also known as Noon, and I do not
make any exceptions.
Strongly Suggested Activities as You begin the Course.
Reaching me in a possibly unreachable situation.
Instructions on Reaching Me While on Vacation:
I am always reachable once or more daily by email, even though I am not much of a
telephone user. If you think you may need a 'permission to drop' email, but you still have a
test to take while I am gone, ask me for it in advance. I will write it for you after
communicating with you about your current grades. I will be back to class and can help you
make decisions, if you still are unsure. If you have any electronic hang up of any cause while
I am on any official day off, email me with an explanation of what occurred while you were in
the test. When I get back, I will handle the decision as I usually do.
Sometimes your grade will 'stick' and your grade does not show. If your test grade should
stick, I can easily fix that when I get back in.
If you cannot reach me during any non-holiday 48 hour period, Dominic Bongiorni is the
contact person. His office manager can get a message to me. This means you must try very
carefully to reach me, read your group email constantly from me, and be aware of my
vacation schedule. The usual rule is that if you can not reach me within a non-holiday 48
hours, and you have tried both of my email addresses, you may send a message through
Dom Bongiorni, Chair, Humanities Dept. 281-312-1623 email: dominic.bongiorni@lonestar.edu
Orientation. I don’t have any required orientation meeting; however, before you can gain
access to the e-classroom, you will need to take a short online Angel orientation.
How Does This Orientation Work?
When you first log into ANGEL, your Course List will be empty. You will see an ALERT about
not being able to see your courses until you complete the Online Orientation. After you
successfully score an 80% or better on the Assessment at the end of the orientation, your
courses will be unlocked. Please allow up to an hour for your courses to be available after
successfully completing the Assessment. (NOTE: You will have unlimited attempts to score
80% or above on the Assessment.) If you are already familiar with ANGEL, you may go
straight to the Assessment.
Online Orientation Address:
This Online Orientation can be found at this address: . To Login to the Online Student
Orientation, start here: http://www.lonestar.edu/lsc-online. Click on the "login button". The
Mandatory Online Student Orientation Course will be available to you before the Summer I semester
begins.
I can handle some technical issues by email, but you can also get these answered by
emailing help desk at distance.learning@lonestar.edu
Accessing the e-classroom for the very first time.
Unclear how to access the e- classroom?
When you enter the eClassroom website, you will be asked to conduct a short browser
compatibility test, and to find your username and password, which is not the same as that of
the online registration system.
You will be prompted to enter your username and password. This is your eClassroom.
You will be prompted to change your password at this time. That is a very good idea. Just
make sure that you write it somewhere, in case you forget it. Now you will see your class(es)
listed. Click on our class name.
Now you will see several buttons and links. I suggest you look through all of them and
become familiar with the layout. It is advisable to study the Intro to DL materials available
from the Lonestar.edu site. This information will save you much anxiety as you progress
through your courses.
First Task Once in Class

Read this Syllabus/Course Plan.
Browser Tuneup or Optimization
Tune your Browser.
Read the browser tuneup page, and follow the directions.
Also, be sure to follow the directions under ‘Set Cache to Always Reload a Page’.
Grades and how they are calculated in our Class:
This is such an easy way for you to discover your grades, test by test:
Just go to 'my grades' right under the same button as Tests and you will find your test
average and the letter grade that you are getting so far in the course.
Final Course Grade Points Range:
A= 135-150; B= 120-134; C=105-119; D=90-104 F= 89 or lower.
Predicting your final course grades, as you go along:
Subtract out the number of questions that you answer incorrectly on all class tests.
When you hit 16 incorrect for the class, you are into the top of the B range for a final letter
grade.
When you hit 31 incorrect, for the class, you are into the top of the C range for a final letter
grade.
When you hit 46 incorrect, for the class, you are into the top of the D range for a final letter
grade.
If your number of incorrect puts you into the D range after the third test, and if you have not
made giant jumps in understanding or changes in your invested study time, it would be less
stressful to drop.
Easy calculation does not work at all if you switch and begin working with percentages in the
middle of the semester.
Finally, you will be graded on a fixed scale rather than a curve: 90% and above is an A, 80%
to 89% is a B, 70-79% is a C, 60-69% is a D, and any portion of 59 or below is an F grade.
Policy on Extra Credit: I do not ever offer extra credit.
Tests and how they work in our Class:
Absolute Testing Period
There will be five tests. Each test is 30 multiple-choice questions that you have 41 minutes to
answer. This would be a test in the absolute period. This is a regular test.
If you are working up to the last minute, you will need to start all of your tests, the full amount
of time prior to the test submission time, in order to submit them on time. For example, if you
want to be sure of getting full absolute period test credit for the submission of test 5, at 12
noon, begin test 5 at 11:19 in the morning. This is designated on the testing software and
shows up as 11:19 am.
Special Notes on tests:
Do not rush yourself into taking a bonus test just in order to get the extra 5% percentage
points. If you are not ready for a test, if you have not completed each and every one of your
study questions, and have not completely read and re-read the pages that you have not
understood, do not take any test early.
No test will be dropped. I do not ever curve grades. I do not ever bump up final course
grades into the next level. I have standards for my courses, and I expect that you will meet
them, and that you will learn the most important material available to you in this course.
Bonus Period Testing
Having said that... there is a window for those who feel ready to take a test early, in the Bonus
Period.
There will be five tests. Each test is 30 multiple-choice questions that you will have 46
minutes to answer. This would be a test in the bonus period. This is also a regular test, with
the same question pool as the students will have when they are tested in the absolute testing
period. After you take a test in the Bonus period, and after the grades are calculated (when
all students finish a test), you will see that an extra 5% has been added into your test average
for each test that you take in a bonus period.
Here is an Example: If you take Test 1 in the Bonus and realize that you kind of rushed
yourself, you can certainly select to take Test 2 in the Absolute, but then you can feel
confident again and pick the Bonus for Test 3, the Bonus for Test 4, and you can take the
Absolute for Test 5. In other words, you can 'mix and match' the tests any way you would
like.
Once a test starts, I do not provide any more explanatory material. That wouldn't be fair to
others who have prepared for the test. The reason for this is that I have to be fair to all,
especially to those who will manage to turn in an early performance on the test in bonus.
The tests are relatively difficult and require not only familiarity with the material but the ability
to use the material to draw practical conclusions from it. You will be expected to have read
and studied the textbook and will be tested on the material in it (the study questions will help
you).
Late Test Policy: You do not have the option of taking any test late. I have worked up dates
of bonus so that anyone with a very complicated and busy life can and should plan ahead in
this class. Take this seriously. I do. (Most people in distance learning are prone to
emergencies, but I do not acknowledge these except for basic sympathy.)
YOU MUST AVOID CONFUSION OVER TIME: TESTS CLOSE AND OPEN AT NOON.
Noon is written as "12:00 pm" in the testing software.
This is not midnight, but rather, 12 noon.
All of my class tests start and end at 12 o'clock noon
You may be following other teacher's plans, thinking that the class tests close at midnight, but
they do not.
Read this carefully, and remember it later.
Make a note on your monitor if necessary.
My class is the "high noon" class.
Drop Policy: Please go to the top of this syllabus, in the large square.
Using two functions in our E- Classroom that you may not have previously used:
1. Bulletin Board. Nothing is required of you in the way of communicating on the bulletin
board. Just read the bulletin board discussions or look at the photographs/travel material. I
add these for your edification only.
2. How to Take the Online Tests; working the online tests to your benefit.
All of your study questions are worth answering as completely as possible in advance of your
test taking moment. Work through every last one of your study questions.
All tests are taken online only.
Before attempting any test, please tune your browser. The most common problem involves
your browser settings, so make sure that you have done the browser tune-up, then go to the
homepage and click on the assessments button.
Then, read just below in this course plan/syllabus, ‘Know these tech issues!’ Note all of this,
even if you have taken internet classes before and have never had any problem before.
All of the multiple-choice tests are self-grading: You will know your grade for the multiplechoice portion immediately after having taken each test.
Tests are called assessments, but I refer to them as tests, out of habit.
Under the "assessments" button, you will see a list of five tests.
Disable your pop-up blocker software. Read the instructions that come up, and click on
‘Begin assessment'. When you are ready, click OK in the time remaining box.
All tests for credit are timed for 46 minutes each in the bonus period, and 41 minutes each in
the absolute period. You will be warned at the 4 minutes remaining point of your assessment.
After the time limit is reached, no more answers will be accepted. Submit your assessment.
The timer clock on the test will update continually as you are taking the test. You will need no
other outside clock, but you should use any help you need to keep focused. Select the correct
answer for each multiple-choice question in each assessment.
Click on 'submit'..
And lastly, click on ‘View Results’ to learn your score on that test. The program will grade it for
you.
The test will submit automatically.
The bonus points for your multiple-choice tests are posted by hand at the end of the bonus
period for each bonus assessment.
You must take a test if you start it: any test that you open and do not take at that time (or
anyone else opens using your User Name and Password) will receive a zero. I will monitor
this through the tracking feature.
Remember, all assessments are online.
You do not ever need to come to campus to take tests in this course. Each test is timed.
The Test system internal clock starts as soon as you click on the words ‘Begin Test’. All tests
are timed, but are open-book, open- notes.
‘Know these tech issues!’ I follow these and all policies in our course plan to the letter.
These are policies relating to you.
Equipment Issues.
Do not ignore these policies, because I enforce them all of the time. If any questions, ask
now. These are listed and adhered to, so as to build an environment of fairness for all in the
e-classroom.
Issue #1:
Pop-up blocker software.
If you have software installed to block internet pop-ups, your pop-up stopper/blocker must be
turned off or disabled before beginning any test. Tests are pop-ups, so that is why you have
to temporarily block any installed anti-pop-up software before you can take any test.
Students who wait until the very last minute on the last day of Test 1 and who don’t read and
understand this will receive an irreversible 0 (Zero).
Issue #2: You should read through the statements on the help desk web page, and respond
to them, according to your Internet Service Provider. If you have slow speed or dialup
method, you will need to install a ponger. If you can’t resolve the problem, then call the Help
Desk at 1-866-614-5014 or email them at online@lonestar.edu.
Issue #3:
Cheating and Other Inappropriate Activity that Occurs in my E-Classroom, or beyond it, but
related to my E-Classroom:
#3A If you are a hack who cheats.
Cheating is a big thing that can cause you to earn an unchangeable 0 (Zero), get you sent to
the Academic Dean, get a letter on your permanent college record, and immediately cause
you to be removed from my course.
Do not ever collaborate with any other student in this course on testing, whether you use
technical equipment or low-tech means. This is an independent course. It means that your
mind needs to appreciate and needs to retain the material that you are learning.
Note: Studying together is still do-able, and not cheating, but I do not encourage the “splitting
up of study questions”. For example, although it is not cheating for you to say, “ok, you do
Chapter 1 and I’ll do Chapter 2, and then we’ll get together and study”, it will not help you to
get at the deep understanding and analytical thought that is truly necessary for this course.
#3B Be appropriate only. If you are involved in any inappropriate activity that occurs
connected to this e-classroom within this semester, I will turn you in to the Academic Dean,
campus police and any authority necessary and spend all day doing it if I have to. If you try to
meet someone from this class, and the person does not know you, you will be immediately
warned by me by telephone, fax, email and any other way I have to reach you. This is neither
a dating format here nor an advertising list; it is a respected private way of learning. Here is
an example: do not approach anyone in class without my making a match first.
If your manner with me is disrespectful, inappropriate, inflammatory, I will alert you once,
describe your activity to you and why I think that it is inappropriate, depending upon the level
of the offense.
Issue #4:
Once in the test, all test questions will be provided at once, and you may select which
questions to answer first.
For efficiency, I highly recommend your answering the 30 questions in order, saving each
one, then your revisiting the questions that gave you difficulty during the whole test.
As long as you save questions right up to the very last second as your clock time runs out,
you can keep working right up to the end of the 41st minute or at the end of the 46th minute,
depending on whether you are doing the bonus test or the absolute test for any given test.
Click submit after you have completed your test.
Technical Issue
# 5a. Tune your browser and 5b. change your password so that someone else does not take
your test for you.
#5A: If you have not taken the responsibility to tune your browser at the first point possible in
the semester, I will neither change your zero nor give you another chance. You will have a
grades-related disaster with your computer if you fail to follow my instructions to set up your
browser with browser tune-up. Another thing that can cause you to earn an un-changeable
zero is if you as a (slow method) dialup mode customer should fail to follow my instructions to
load a ponger to your machine. You will only need a ponger if you are not using high speed
internet.
#5B Other ways to earn an unchangeable zero have to do with cheating, either caused by or
allowed by you by your not having changed your password. Please read 3A and 3B. Change
your initial password. If someone uses your initial password to take your test, they are
cheating, but you will receive a zero for that test.
Reminders:
Have you changed your initially offered password? Do so right away! You are responsible for
changing your initial password.
Save & Resave on every answer of all Tests.
Last Tasks on the last day of the semester
Your test 5 must be completed. Remember, for absolute tests, you only have 41 minutes
total. Bonus tests are 46 minutes total.
Academic Integrity:
The Lone Star College System is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the
academic community. In becoming a part of the academic community, students are
responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes,
but is not limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams or
assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or
prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes [but is not limited to]
 looking at or copying from another student's exam;
orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam;
having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment;
using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam;
 and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam.
Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without
giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report
or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriate
collaboration on assignments that have been designed for independent completion. These
definitions are not exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion
or misrepresentation, a faculty member will take disciplinary action. Actions may include, but
are not limited to requiring the student to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment;
assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for
the course. Additional sanctions including being withdrawn from the course, program or
expelled from school may be imposed on a student who violates the standards of academic
integrity.
Software Piracy:
Law strictly prohibits unauthorized copying of software purchased by the colleges for use in
laboratories. College administration will take appropriate disciplinary action against anyone
violating copyright laws.
Computer Virus Protection:
Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using the diskettes on more than one
computer creates the possibility of infecting computers and diskettes with a computer virus.
This exposes the computers of the college, your personal computer, and any others you may
be using to potentially damaging viruses. The colleges have aggressive anti-virus procedures
in place to protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a virus might not temporarily
infect one of its machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control
and use and ensure that each diskette you use, whenever or wherever you use it, has been
scanned with anti-virus software. Since new viruses arise continually, your anti-virus software
must be kept current. And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping copies of
data (backups) is extremely important.
Guaranteed Graduate Policy:
Lone Star College guarantees that graduates of its Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or
Associate of Applied Science and all Certificate programs, providing under certain
circumstances, additional education and training tuition free to students lacking appropriate
mastery of specified competencies. For additional information, refer to the Lone Star college
catalog.
ADA Statement:
The Lone Star College System is dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning
environment for all students. The college district promotes equity in academic access through
the implementation of reasonable accommodations as required by the Vocational
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA) which will enable students with disabilities to participate in and benefit from all
post-secondary educational activities.
If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning
disability, please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before
the end of the first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable accommodations.
Equal Opportunity Statement:
It is the policy of the the Lone Star College System to provide equal employment, admission
and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age,
or disability.
The Lone Star College System strives to provide an excellent learning environment free from
harassment or intimidation directed at any person's race, color, religion, national origin, sex,
age, or disability. Any form of harassment will not be tolerated.