Question: How can I do well in this class?

By "do well" students usually mean "get the best grade." In order to get the best grade you possibly can (which may or may not be an "A"), you need to do the reading, make sure you know what information is covered in the reading assignments and class lectures, do the reading, attend and participate in all discussion sections, do the reading, ask questions when you don't understand anything, and do the reading.  And do the reading.

If you are asking not how to get the best grade, but how to learn as much as you can, then you should: do the reading, attend all class lectures, ask as many follow-up questions as you can come up with, and keep pressing until you get answers that make sense. Keep an open mind, question everything, and think critically. And do the reading.

Question: Why the emphasis on "the reading"?

Sometimes students think that the reading is "back up," in case they can't make it to class (after all, the professor will tell them all the stuff they need to know for the exams, right?). Because they don't take the reading assignments seriously, some students have trouble making connections between the various segments of the class. Often, students think they don't need to do the readings from the Bible because the textbook and the class lectures often cover it. When they find they have to answer questions, or write essays, that demand first-hand knowledge of what's in the Bible, they can't handle it. The best way to make sure you can handle anything that might come up in a course called "Introduction to the Bible"? Do the reading from the Bible. The best way to understand what you've read? Read the textbook. Best way to put it all in context? Come to lectures. Best way to learn to think critically about all of this? Participate in discussion sections. It's the academic circle of life.

Question: But there is a lot of overlap between what's in the Bible, what's in the textbook, and what you talk about in class. Which one should I focus on to do well?

It's not a question of "either/or": all of the sources of information provided for you in this class--the class lectures, the readings from the Bible, and the textbook--will overlap, but they will also reinforce each other. Just because you have memorized the periodic table of elements doesn't mean that you don't also have to do the lab experiments to understand chemistry (or so I'm told); just because you memorized your French conjugations doesn't mean you don't have to go to language lab and converse in French to learn the language. Just because you found out from course lectures that Abraham made a covenant with God doesn't mean you don't need to read the details of that covenant.

Furthermore, class lectures are delivered with the assumption that you have done the reading: if you don't, you may miss references to characters, ideas, or themes from the Bible.

Question: But we don't have to come to lectures, and we don't have to do the reading, right?  You don't take attendance or give pop quizzes.

You don't have to do anything: you are a free adult. I will not take attendance in lecture (since that would take up time needlessly), and I will not give "pop quizzes" to make sure you do the reading (although your TAs can choose to judge your participation any way they see fit in discussion section: so don't assume they won't take attendance or give pop quizzes).

You are now in a university classroom. This entails a great deal of responsibility, of learning to juggle assignments, time commitments, and the actual work of learning. You can choose to opt out of any aspect of that--not come to class, not do the reading, and earn a low grade. It's disappointing, but it's your right now: we are not going to hold your hand to make sure you are doing your homework and going to class, any more than we are going to make sure you get a good night's sleep and eat a good breakfast. Being a grown-up means taking responsibility for the commitments you've made.  Sometimes you have to let things slide: you make priorities, and (difficult as it is for me to accept) sometimes your lower division religious studies class is not one of them. I can understand that.

Of course, I want you to come to lectures (I'm not standing up here talking for myself), and I want you to do the reading. I want you to find the study of the Bible interesting and engaging, and will do everything I can to make that happen. At some point, however, you have to do your part by becoming interested and engaged yourself, or deciding that you don't really want to.

Question: Will there be any extra-credit assignments for this class?

Right now there are no plans for extra-credit assignments, although that may change. If an extra credit assignment is given, an announcement will be made in class, in discussion section, and posted on the course home page.

It is likely that most examinations will have a few extra credit questions.

Question: What is your grading scale?

For lower division classes, the grading scale is as follows:

A+:

A:

A:

B+:

B:

B-:

C+:

C:

C:

99-100

92-98

90-91

88-89

82-87

80-81

78-79

72-77

70-71

and so forth...

Basically, 90-100 puts you in the "A" family, 80-89 in the "B" family, etc.

Reminder: if you decide to take this class S/NC, you must get a C or above to get an "S" on your transcript.

Question: What is the breakdown for grades?

See the requirements section of the course introduction.

Question: I got a 90 on the midterm, and an 85 on both essays. What do I need to get on the final to get an A for the quarter?

See the requirements section of the course introduction page, and do the math: I guarantee your math skills are as good as (or better than) mine.

And, for future reference, beware of asking professors "what do I need to get..." in reference to an assignment or grade. Although it is usually not the questioner's intention, it makes it sound like they are asking, "What is the absolute minimum amount of work I need to do to get the highest possible grade?" We all appreciate a good "low investment-high yield" strategy, but the university classroom usually isn't the place to find it.

Question: You talk really fast in lectures, and I have trouble writing down everything you say: Is it all right if I bring a tape recorder to class?

I have in the past allowed students to tape record my lectures, and will probably continue to do so (as long as you don't make me listen to my own voice on tape, or sample me in songs without crediting me). I will also try not to talk too fast (I'm from the East Coast--it comes naturally).

However: you should also not be trying to write down every single word I say. As much as I hate to admit it, not every word I utter will help you progress toward higher knowledge. Learning how to take notes efficiently in a lecture is a skill that you need to acquire as a university student (along with doing hundreds of pages of reading a week, writing skilled and polished essays, and finding the best deal on used books). It is impossible to write down everything someone says for 50 minutes, and it is unnecessary.

I have provided topical lecture outlines in order to help you prepare for class ahead of time, so that you will know what I will be discussing in the classroom. You can use these lecture outlines to structure your notes, writing down important facts, figures, dates, ideas. This means really listening to what I am saying and, probably, asking follow-up questions at the end of class (I will always try to leave time for questions). Doing the reading and looking over the study guides ahead of time will help a lot, so that you are not thrown by weird sounding terms or ideas.

But if you prefer to record and transcribe everything I said: go for it.

Question: Why don't you just post your whole lectures on the website?

I just don't.

Question: I'm too nervous to ask questions in class, and I don't have time to come to your office hours; I'm afraid I'll fall behind because there are so many things I don't understand.

If you are too nervous to speak up in front of your classmates, and cannot come to office hours, you have several options:

• Make an appointment to see me (my extension is 2-4490, my email is [link removed])

• Email me with your question (I try to respond the same day)

• Ask me after class (this is the least satisfying option: we have to clear out right away, and so we can't linger for days chatting)

But I would also suggest that you try to get over your reluctance to ask questions in front of other people. I guarantee that if you are confused about something, at least one other person is confused as well. You might be doing the whole class a favor by asking your question: you'll be a hero.

Question: I don't remember you mentioning [some term or name or idea from the study guides] in class.  What is it?

I will usually answer specific questions about terms or ideas, especially if they are on the study guides and you missed them in class.

But you should also be sure to check the textbook (there is a very good index and glossary) as well as the readings from the Bible. It may be that I decided I didn't have time to mention something in class because it was covered in the reading: this does not mean it won't show up on an examination.

Try to use your own resources as well as using mine.

Question: What's going to be on the midterm/final? What's the format of the questions? Multiple choice, true/false, essays?

The midterm will be made up mainly of identification of terms and ideas from the Hebrew Bible (all material covered through Week Five). There may be maps, timelines, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false, and multiple choice. I will not tell you what questions will be on it (obviously), but generally if you are familiar with all of the study guides (including terms and identifications and supplemental guides, such as time lines and maps) you should do fine.

The final examination will cover the entire quarter, and have objective questions (like on the midterm) as well as a few essays which you will have (in some form) ahead of time.

Question: Will you read my essay before I turn it in?

No. I will talk to you about it until all hours, but I will not read complete drafts. Your Teaching Assistant may or may not decide to read a draft of your paper, that is up to him or her.

Question: I have a job interview/marriage ceremony/other commitment on the day of the midterm/final/essay assignment is due. Can I turn it in late?

If you know ahead of time that you will not be able to complete an assignment on the day it is due, please speak to the professor or TA as soon as possible. Alternate scheduling may be arranged.

If you miss an assignment because of an emergency, please speak to the professor or TA as soon as possible. Medical emergencies will require verification; other excuses will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Late assignments, as a rule, will not be accepted. The class as a body (through online survey) will determine what the penalty is for late assignments, and when they can be considered "late."

If you have regular obligations that mean you will be missing a lot of discussion sections, exams, assignment due dates, this may not be the best quarter to take this class.

Question: You seem kind of mean.  Are you?

How dare you ask me that!

No, I'm just kidding.  Really, I'm not mean, I promise.  If I ever seem sarcastic, impatient, or annoyed it's partly temperament, partly my own strange sense of humor. My foremost concern is that my students learn as much as they can and want, and that I am available to facilitate that.  I'm really not mean:  I promise.  Really!

Question: Do I have to use the Bible at the bookstore?

No. But the Bible I've ordered for the class is a Study Bible, which means it is a very reliable translation and comes complete with introductions, maps, timelines, and other guides to assist you in understanding what you're reading.

Question: I have this Bible that I got at confirmation/from my grandmother/in a motel room: can't I just use that?

Maybe: but it is possible that your Bible won't have all the material we are reading (especially during Week Six, when we are reading selections from the "Apocrypha," which some Protestant Bibles do not include), and it is also possible that your Bible is more difficult to understand or is not a very accurate translation. If you're not sure please check with the professor.

You may also use this on-line bible:  be sure that you print out all those selections we are reading in class so you can bring them to lecture and discussion sections.

Question: Do I have to believe all the things I'm reading about in the Bible?

No. This course is not about belief (it's also not about disbelief), it's about understanding and exploring a set of texts that are important to billions of people. You don't have to believe that God created Adam in Paradise and made Eve from his rib, and so forth: but you do have to be familiar with the story, know that many people do believe it, and be able to talk about what belief in this story might mean to someone.

When you discuss the Bible, you should speak objectively and respectfully: you should not put forward any theory of "belief" or "disbelief," you are not trying to persuade anyone that the Bible is true or false, and neither am I.

Question: But I believe that it is all true, and it offends me to hear people talking about the Bible as if it were just some any old book: why shouldn't I stand up for my beliefs?

Of course you should stand up for your beliefs, when it is appropriate and necessary. If you are truly uncomfortable learning about methods and approaches to the Bible that you think are incompatible with your beliefs, then you shouldn't take this class. I wouldn't expect an ardent creationist to take an evolutionary biology class, and then complain about how it conflicts with his or her beliefs.

This class is not a requirement of the University of California, Riverside, nor is it the only venue in which a person can discuss the Bible: there are plenty of places where it is appropriate to discuss the Bible as a source of your personal beliefs. My class is not one of them.

Question: So this course is designed to exclude people who believe in the Bible?

No. This course is designed to teach academic approaches to the Bible as they have developed in universities over the past centuries. Some of these approaches conflict with some recent, very specific modes of biblical interpretation (and we will discuss the roots of this conflict some in class). Nonetheless, they are standard operating procedures for university study, and so they are the types of reading practices we will focus on.

Question: I really enjoyed this class, and am interested in other religious studies class. Are they all like this?

Thanks!

The Department of Religious Studies offers anywhere from five to a dozen classes in any given quarter of all shapes and sizes. Some courses (like RLST 10) are offered every year, and also in the summer. Other courses, especially the upper division courses, are offered less regularly (every year or two).

As soon as I know the Spring RLST schedule I'll bring flyers to class and make announcements. If you have any questions about particular classes, professors, or subjects feel free to ask me any time.

Question: I really hated this class, and have been really turned off to religious studies, even though I thought I'd enjoy it. Are all the classes like this one?

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the class.

Just because you didn't like my class doesn't mean you won't like other religious studies classes: I urge you to give the department another shot. There is such a variety of topics, instructors, and methods in the department that it is likely you will find something you like if you try again.

Question: What’s all this I hear about "plagiarism"?

Question: Aren’t you being a bit dramatic about this?

Question: Isn’t plagiarism just turning someone else’s work as your own? I wouldn’t do that!

Question: If all of that can be considered plagiarism, how can we tell if we’re doing it? I mean, we’re using a textbook, on-line resources, and all sorts of stuff that is "other people’s ideas and information." Isn’t it all stealing?

Question: So how do I distinguish between my ideas, and their ideas?

Scholars have shown that the creation narrative is made up of two versions. In one version, God is transcendent and mysterious; in the other version, he is more like a human being (Hauer and Young, Introduction to the Bible, pp. 62-64). I think the editor of the final version combined these two sources in order to create a divine middle ground, a God who was still powerful and almighty but whose actions were familiar and understandable.

Question: I thought I only had to give a citation if I actually quoted someone else.

Question: But if I change the wording from my source, do I still have to cite it?

Absolutely, you must still cite them, even if you have paraphrased (changed the words around). You are still citing their ideas, so you still have to cite them. Changing a few words doesn’t make it your idea. It is a common misconception that paraphrasing protects you from plagiarism.

Question: So every single piece of information I learned from somewhere else has to be cited? Isn’t that everything?

Question: What’s the difference between "original ideas" and "common knowledge"?

Question: We’re all reading the same textbook, and most of us are using the same Bible: so doesn’t that make information from these sources "common knowledge"?

Question: How will you know if we are using someone else’s ideas or words as our own if we don’t tell you?

Question: When do we have to use quotation marks?

Question: I wrote my essay, and I’m not sure if I plagiarized or not.

Question: Isn’t that a lot of punishment for a simple mistake? I promise I won’t do it again!

For further information on plagiarism, check out these really great websites from other academic institutions:

If you have further questions about plagiarism , please ask your TA or professor.