|
|
|
Below find answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions concering this class.
FAQ concerning course structure and content 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 primary source readings (that is, the readings in the sourcebook and on-line) 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 Jews, Christians, and Muslims have actually written and said, they can't handle it. The best way to make sure you can handle anything that might come up in a course on the Introduction to Western Religions? Do the readings from these traditions. 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: What does "primary source reading" mean?
"Primary sources" are sources that come from the time period that you are studying, written by a person with a first-hand interest in the subject. "Secondary sources" are sources written later by persons with an academic interest in the subject. The Bible is a primary source for the study of Judaism and Christianity; a treatise on interpretation of the Qur'an from 1100 CE by an Islamic philosopher is a primary source. Your textbook is a "secondary source."
In this class, the "primary sources" are found in the sourcebook, Western Ways of Being Religious, and online.
Question: But there is a lot of overlap between what's in the primary source readings, 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 primary source readings, 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; 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 religious traditions we are studying.
If you absolutely don't have time to do the reading and come to class lectures, I don't know what to suggest. I suppose it's possible to get by just on my lectures, or just on the reading. It's up to you whether you want to try it that way.
Question: So we don't have to come to lectures, and we don't have to do the reading?
You don't have to do anything. 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 in discussion sections any way they see fit in discussion section: so don't assume they won't take attendance or give pop quizzes).
The truth is 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. It also means that, should you decide to "let things slide," it is no one's responsibility but your own. Sometimes you have to let things slide: you make priorites, 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, and I want you to do the reading. I want you to find the academic study of the religion 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:
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 course requirements section of the course introduction.
Question: I got a 90 on the first two mini-exams, and an 85 on both response journals. What do I need to get on the last mini-exam and the news journal to get an A for the quarter?
See the grade breakdown on 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. 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 thing I say. As much as I hate to admit it, not every word I utter will help you progress towards 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 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:
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.
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 sourcebook. 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 mini-exams? What's the format of the questions? Multiple choice, true/false, essays?
The mini-exams will be made up mainly of identification of terms and ideas from the each religious traditions. For example of types of questions you may be asked, see the study guides. I will not tell you what questions will be on it (obviously: that would defeat the point of testing you), 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.
Question: Why are the written assignments called "journals"? Do you want us to keep a diary about our feelings?
The response journals and news journals are meant to comprise your informed response to a set of texts and images related to Western religious traditions. We don't want "essays" (with theses), but rather responses: this may include your personal reactions based on your (growing) knowledge of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but the journals are not intended to be a record of your unrelated feelings.
Question: I have a job interview/marriage ceremony/other commitment on the day of the mini-exam/response journal/news journal 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 a doctor's note; other excuses will be handled on a one-by-one basis.
Late assignments, as a rule, will not be accepted.
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?
No. Really, I'm not! If I ever seem sarcastic, impatient, or annoyed it's partly temperment, 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!
FAQ about Religious Studies Question: I thought we would talk more about our own spirituality and beliefs in this class: why aren't we?
The academic study of religion looks at religious traditions as interesting, fascinating, and engaging facets of human society--from the outside. Even if you have strong feelings about your own faith, or that of your neighbors, inside the university classroom we strive to set those strong feelings aside and ask objective questions: what do these people believe? why? where do they come from? when? and so forth. There is a time and place for personal beliefs, and by engaging in the academic study of religions you are not being asked to disavow your own faith. For more insight into this issue, please see Prof. June O'Connor's essay "The Podium and the Pulpit" (which you will be discussing in your discussion sections).
Question: I really enjoyed this class, and am interested in other religious studies class. Are they all like this?
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 7) are offered every year, and usually in the summer. Other courses, especially the upper division courses, are offered less regularly.
As soon as I know the Fall 2006 RLST schedule I'll bring flyers to class and make announcements. If you have any questions about particular classes, professors, or subjects please 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.
FAQ: Plagiarism Question: Whats all this I hear about "plagiarism"?
"Plagiarism" is, quite simply, academic dishonesty. To plagiarize is to present someone elses work--their words, their ideas, their thoughts and reactions--as your own. The point of academic work is to learn how to think brand new thoughts that are all your own. When you take someone elses ideas and present them as your own, you are officially giving up on learning.
Question : Arent you being a bit dramatic about this?
No. Plagiarism, taking someone elses ideas or words and presenting them as your own is the exact opposite of what you have come to university to do. It is un-learning. It is non-learning. Imagine if learning were a financial transaction (which, of course, in some senses it is). You are being asked to "pay" a certain amount to your instructors (in the form of ideas, thoughts, analysis). Instead of using your own "account," you take ideas from someone else and "pay" with that. You steal their ideas, just like stealing someones money to pay your bills. Plagiarism is intellectual theft. Now imagine if someone presented your ideas and thoughts as intellectual "payment": your ideas are no longer your own, they have been stolen and used by someone else. Any work you have done to come up with those ideas is now without value or merit. Your work has been for nothing. This is what you do to someone when you steal their ideas and their intellectual work: you make their work worthless.
Question : Isnt plagiarism just turning someone elses work as your own? I wouldnt do that!
Plagiarism includes all of the following: Turning in a complete assignment written by someone else with your name on it (e.g., paying for a term paper, having a friend write your essay, printing something off of the internet) Copying out someone elses exact phrases, words, paragraphs and including them in your own essay as if you had written them yourself (i.e., without attribution or citation) Copying out someone elses phrases, words, paragraphs, changing them around a little, and including them in your own essay as if you had written them yourself (i.e., without attribution or citation) Copying out someone elses exact phrases, words, paragraphs, including them in your own essay with attribution, but without quotation marks Taking someone elses original ideas and/or information, putting them in your own words, and including them in your essay as if they were your original ideas and/or information
There is an entire spectrum of academically dishonest behavior that is considered plagiarism, and you need to make sure you are not being academically dishonest.
Question : If all of that can be considered plagiarism, how can we tell if were doing it? I mean, were using a textbook, on-line resources, and all sorts of stuff that is "other peoples ideas and information." Isnt it all stealing?
You are right: you are using other peoples thoughts, thats part of the learning process. But reading and absorbing information from an outside source is only half of the learning process. The other half is turning around and coming up with your own ideas and analysis based on the information youve absorbed. There is a difference between building on someones elses ideas and information and flat out claiming credit for those ideas and information.
Question : So how do I distinguish between my ideas, and their ideas?
You cite them.
Question : I thought I only had to give a citation if I actually quoted someone else.
No: any time you are drawing on someone elses information or ideas you need to cite it, whether or not your actually use their words.
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 doesnt make it your idea. It is a common misconception that paraphrasing protects you from plagiarism. Camouflaging your source by using a thesaurus, changing a word here or there, doesnt change the fact that, without this source, you wouldnt have thought of the idea or information you are presenting.
Question : So every single piece of information I learned from somewhere else has to be cited? Isnt that everything?
Every original idea or piece of information has to be cited. We make an exception for what is called "common knowledge," pieces of information that are so common or obvious that anyone might know them.
Question : Whats the difference between "original ideas" and "common knowledge"?
"Genesis is the first book of the Bible" is common knowledge. You do not need to cite an outside source for that.
"The J-source of Genesis probably lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah and wrote around 900 BCE" is not common knowledge, but specific information you derived from some source. You must therefore cite the source of this information. If youre not sure whether a piece of information is common knowledge or not, err on the side of safety: cite your source of information. You will never be marked down for being too careful.
Question : Were all reading the same textbook and readings and attending the same class lectures: so doesnt that make information from these sources "common knowledge"?
No. "Common knowledge" is information common to a larger population, not the population of our classroom: things anyone might know. Specific information, ideas, or phrases that anyone would not be expected to know, even if they are taken from the textbook or the on-line readings, must still be cited.
Question : How will you know if we are using someone elses ideas or words as our own if we donttell you?
We will know. Really. Dont test us.
Question : When do we have to use quotation marks?
You must use quotation marks whenever you are using someone elses exact words. A phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph that you are citing exactly from an outside source must have quotation marks. It is not enough to cite the source of your words in parentheses after the sentence--without quotation marks, you are implying that the phrasing is your own. This still plagiarism.
Question : Im not sure if I plagiarized or not. How can I tell?
If youre not sure if you plagiarized, think about the following questions:
Is any of my information taken from the textbook, lecture notes, or any other outside source? Would I have known that piece of information, or used that phrasing, if I hadnt consulted that outside source? Would I expect someone to know that piece of information, or use that phrasing, if they were not also familiar with that outside source? Did I put quotations around other peoples words (even if I just used a few words or a phrase), and parenthetically or otherwise give the source of my information (including specific page numbers)?
Question : Are there consequences if we are caught plagiarizing?
Yes. You will get a 0% (not an F--a 0) on any assignment in which you have plagiarized (part or all of it). You will also be referred to the office of Student Judicial Affairs, where you may face disciplinary action from the deans.
Question: Isnt that a lot of punishment for a simple mistake? I promise I wont do it again!
If you think that failing and facing disciplinary action for plagiarism is too much punishment, then you dont understand the seriousness of plagiarism. Academic life is based on the production of original ideas: universities in North America take the originality of ideas so seriously that they reward people who come up with original ideas and punish those who steal other peoples original ideas and claim them as their own. This is as true for professors as it is for students. Learning is not just gathering information and ideas, it is learning how to think and participating in a community of thinkers. Intellectual theft destroys that community.
For further information on plagiarism, check out the Rivera Library guide to plagiarism:
http://library.ucr.edu/?view=help/plagiarism.html
|
|
|
