See Course Agenda in Syllabus for Due Dates
Essays and Presentation must be submitted to LiveText
The Writing Process
1. Define the assignment
2. Research—read and ask questions
3. Brainstorm—articulate concepts and ideas
4. Outline—organize ideas
5. Write the essay
6. Review, critique, and edit
APA format is the standard for organization, formatting, in-text citations, and works cited. There are a total of 4 papers and 1 presentation due for this class:
1. 1st Essay
2. 2nd Essay
3. Research Paper (3 assignments in one: the essay, the annotated bibliography, and the presentation)
4. Annotated Bibliography (same topic as the research paper)
5. Presentation (same topic as the research paper)
Your first two essays are to be 4-6 pages (1000-1500 words) each. Your research paper is to be between 6-8 pages (1500-2000 words). Pick from any of the following prompts for your two essays and your research paper (note that your research paper should include the sources stated in the prompt plus three additional sources from independent research). The Annotated Bibliography consists of the citations, summaries, and evaluations (analysis of validity) of all your sources for the research paper. When you select the prompt for your research paper, you are also selecting the topic for the single speech that is due towards the end of class. The prompts are as follows:
1) After reading the “Vishnu Purana,” the “Mythos of Egypt,” the “Popol Vuh,” the “Kojiki,” and after watching the films in class regarding myth, it is time now to write your own myth. Myths provide models of relationships, values, religion, and explain why things are the way they are. They are an expression of the human experience—of what it is to be alive! Be creative in your writing of a myth that explains modern popular culture (gender roles, marriage, online dating, social media, sex, drinking, drug use, college, government surveillance, technology, history, education, politics, commercialism, American Exceptionalism, consumerism, freedom, oppression, religion, etc.). Or, taking license of a popular culture story (like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Wolverine, the creation myth of Adam and Eve) and make it your own. Change the characters and the themes to say what you want to say about the above mentioned themes. This is a difficult topic because it is by nature vague; it entails a lot of creativity and requires organization skills on your behalf. Feel free to be unconventional, the paper does not have to be a formal essay. A poem, a dialogue, a graphic novel, a sacred text, etc. can be your “format.” If you are going to select this topic, it is a requirement to talk to me so that I can help you conceptualize and organize your work.
2) Analyze the role of myth in shaping a social reality in modernity (popular culture) by reading the “Vishnu Purana,” the “Mythos of Egypt,” the “Popol Vuh,” or the “Kojiki” in relation to Mary Daly’s “Exorcising Evil from Eve.” Use Mary Daly’s work as a template for exploring your own topic and the impact of myth on present culture. Explore any value or a cultural phenomenon (gender roles, marriage, online dating, social media, sex, drinking, drug use, college, government surveillance, technology, history, education, politics, commercialism, American Exceptionalism, consumerism, freedom, oppression, religion, etc.) that you have witnessed in society that you believe has its genesis in myth. Explore your topic’s mythical beginnings, its consequence on society, and lessons to be learned for the future.
3) Analyze the portrayal of female figures in Mythical stories. Use the “Mythos of Egypt,” the “Popol Vuh,” or the “Kojiki” in relation to Mary Daly’s “Exorcising Evil from Eve.” Analyze the argument of Daly: does myth play a role in shaping modern concepts of gender? Do you agree, disagree, or somewhat agree and disagree with Daly’s argument? What direct inferences, or indirect implications, are made about women in your chosen myth from above? Do these inferences or implications about women resemble modern understandings of gender?
4) Take a piece of popular culture (a favorite song, movie, or television show) and use one of the iBook readings to analyze it. How does Taylor swift portray what it means to be a “woman” in her music, and how would Mary Daly agree or disagree with that concept? What elements of Myth are present in the Star Wars trilogy? Can the section on Mythos help inform your perspective of your favorite Star Wars movie? What would Lao Tzu, Jesus, or Siddhartha say about Walter White (from Breaking Bad), Dexter, or Francis Underwood (from House of Cards)? If you are going to select this topic, it is a requirement to talk to me so that I can help you conceptualize and organize your work.
5) Pick a specific genre of art and make an argument about how it may have the power to influence people’s perceptions, beliefs, or concepts. How do the arts express beliefs? What forms of art are you drawn towards? What is it about this music, this image, this movie that challenges or expresses some of your most fundamental beliefs about yourself, the world, or your place within it? Do you believe that the arts could change someone’s beliefs? What is the relationship between beauty and truth? Make an argument about a particular artistic movement that you think is especially important to you and to the world today, and may possibly change the world in the future. Please add images/videos/music to your paper for this assignment along with your argument.
6) Analyze the definition of feminism presented in the PBS special on feminism (in-class video) as well as reading Mary Daly’s “Exorcising Evil from Eve.” Articulate your own definition of feminism and outline how the above sources have shaped and informed (or not) your concept. Has the feminist movement gone too far or has it not gone far enough?
7) Analyze the ideas of violence (is it always just physical?) represented in the “Tao Te Ching,” “Matthew 5-7,” or the “Bhagavad Gita” in relation to your own ethical beliefs (or religious and spiritual background). Are there any lessons that you learn about violence and peace from these ancient texts that influence your thinking? Are these sources of opinion still relevant? What do you believe is the greatest ethical lesson concerning peace of mind, tranquility, anger, violence, or warfare synthesized from your source?
8) Analyze the ideas of leadership represented in the “Tao Te Ching,” “Matthew 5-7,” or the “Bhagavad Gita” in relation to the standards of leadership embodied in your particular major (like business). Are there any lessons about leadership from these ancient texts that influence how you define leadership in your future career or family? Are these sources of opinion still relevant? What do you believe is the greatest ethical lesson concerning power, uncertainty, or control synthesized from your chosen source?
9) Analyze the relationship between faith and reason using both Galileo’s “Letter to the Grand Duchess,” and David Hume’s “Enquiry into Human Understanding” in relation to either “Matthew 5-7,” the “Tao Te Ching,” or the “Sermon at Benares.” How do Galileo, Hume, and your chosen authors define the relationship between faith and reason? Furthermore, after having consulted with these authors, how do you believe faith and reason ought to relate? Which one of the authors do you agree with most?
10) Analyze the various definitions of wisdom represented in three of the following texts: the “Vishnu Purana,” the “Tao Te Ching,” the “Crito,” and the “Sermon at Benares.” Are these texts in agreement or disagreement about what wisdom consists of? What greater synthesis, or definition, of wisdom can you generate from having read all three sources? How does this synthesis, this interpretation, inform your concept of wisdom?
11) Analyze the concept of progress as discussed in Thomas Kuhn’s “Structure of Scientific Revolutions” as it relates to an idea in one of the in-class videos: “Surviving Progress.” Topics can include questions such as, “what constitutes technological progress?” or “what constitutes economic progress?” Are these sources in agreement or disagreement about what progress consists of? What greater synthesis, or definition, of progress can you generate from having interpreted both sources? How does this synthesis, this interpretation, inform your concept of progress?
12) For Business Majors: Analyze the concept of business ethics using “Matthew 5-7,” “Tao Te Ching,” or the “Sermon at Benares” in relation to the in-class movie “Surviving Progress.” Does the bottom-line of business (making a profit) jeopardize capacity for ethical conduct? What role ought ethics to play in shaping a specific modern business practice today? How do your chosen sources inform your thinking about business ethics? Do your sources agree or disagree with each other as well as your thinking upon the topic?
13) For Communications Majors: Assess and analyze Aristotle’s Rhetoric. What are some of the more important arguments Aristotle makes concerning Rhetoric. Are there any ideas that you agree or disagree with? Why do you agree or disagree? Do you believe rhetoric is a science or an art? How do you define rhetoric after reading Aristotle?
In-Class Videos
1. Finding Joe: The Timeless Tale of the Heroes Journey
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqIJUJmnc-Y
2. The Mythology of Star Wars
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpiEk42_O_Q
3. The Roots of Consciousness with Joseph Campbell (watch the first 28 minutes)
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMQKtUr4WqA
4. PBS’ “History of American Women’s Movement” (Three Parts)
a. Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcH2ppft2Gw
b. Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAic_v6L7N0
c. Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkFv1Y_lKa0
5. Surviving Progress
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4at5i-oMqE
b. Netflix subscription (instant play)
Example Outline
1. Introduction
a. Hook:
b. Information needed in order to understand the essay (optional):
c. Thesis:
d. Main Ideas:
e. Significance/relevance:
2. 1st Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition to next idea:
3. 2nd Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition to next idea:
4. 3rd Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition to next idea:
5. 4th Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition
6. 5th Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition
7. 6th Body Paragraph
a. Topic Sentence:
b. Argument:
c. Support:
d. Analyze Evidence:
e. Conclude argument:
f. Transition
8. Conclusion
a. Significance/relevance:
b. Main Ideas:
c. Thesis:
d. End with the Thesis or with a famous quote:
9. Sources for works cited
Questions to keep in mind when outlining
1. Introduction
a. What statement can I make about my topic that is interesting?
b. Is there any information my audience needs to know in order to understand the topic of this essay?
c. What is the main purpose of this essay? What am I trying to accomplish? What will this essay prove?
d. What ideas support the main purpose of this essay? Do any ideas help me accomplish my above purpose?
e. What is the larger significance or relevance of my findings or topic?
2. Body Paragraphs
a. What statement best summarizes the content of this body paragraph?
b. What arguments are pertinent to the main purpose of the essay? Should I use a logical, emotional, or ethical (logos, pathos, ethos) argumentation?
c. Do I have strong evidence that supports the arguments I want to make? What other groups of people or institutions are likely to agree/disagree with my argument? Are internet sources allowable or should I conduct database research? Are my sources credible?
d. What is significant or important about the evidence? What connection is there between this evidence and my thesis? Essentially, what is it that the evidence proves? Are there any flaws in the source—bias, assumptions, incorrect information—that need to be assessed?
e. What is another way I can phrase my topic sentence in order to conclude the main idea of this paragraph strongly.
f. How does the main point of this paragraph relate to the next main idea represented in my next paragraph?
3. Conclusions
a. What is the larger significance of the finding of this essay or the topic in general? Refrain from copying this from your introduction. Come up with another reason as to why your thesis or topic is relevant or important. If you cannot do that, rephrase the significance in your introduction.
b. How can I refer back to my thesis without directly copying it from the introduction?
c. Did you propose any solutions in your body paragraphs? If so, what were they? Or are their potential solutions that have yet to be discovered and topics related to your thesis that needs more research?
d. Is there anything that your reader ought to do or think after reading your paper?
e. Is there a famous saying, proverb, or quote that relates to your thesis or topic?
Informal Presentations
For these two assignments, show up to class the day after you submit your first two papers prepared to give an account of your papers. This is an informal presentation in which we will go around the room, and you can remain seated and just discuss the main ideas of your paper. Grading will be informal as well and not be stringent (relax and speak of your paper and you will get an A). You do not need to create anything for this presentation, nor do you need to submit anything to LiveText. The point of this assignment is to share your work and special insights with other students who may be working on the same paper for their next paper.
Research Presentation
For this assignment, you will give a formal academic presentation of your research paper. Naturally, this presentation is to be used in conjunction with your research paper, reflecting the main ideas of that paper. Presentation materials must be submitted on LiveText. See the “Course Agenda” on the syllabus for the due date. Requirements are the following:
• 10 minutes
• Minimum of 6 source cited
• Supporting evidence
• Proper oral and non-verbal Presentation skills
• The following must be submitted to livetext
o Outline
o PowerPoint
o Video of your presentation
• See the Oral Communications Grading Rubric for further details