REL 100: Religion
Using the space provided on Canvas, students are required to post 8 weekly summaries of recent news articles, videos, podcasts, or other online media relevant to religion. Starting with the second week of class, students may select any 8 weeks of the 12 weekly opportunities provided to fulfill this requirement, but may submit no more than 1 during any given week. So, students are allowed to skip four weeks. Accordingly, students will not be allowed to make up missed submissions, nor will they be given extra credit for submitting more than 8 summaries. Please upload each summary using the text box provided on Canvas or as a Word document. Each summary should include a link to the article or resource and be at least 300 words in length. Any submission with fewer than 300 words will result in a deduction of at least 10% of the possible points. The summaries are due by Friday evening.
Additional Information and Guidelines: -The topics of your weekly summaries do not have to coincide with those we are considering in class, but they do have to relate to the topic of religion in some way.
-When selecting your article or resource, please consider the source and use good judgment. Also, in terms of news articles, please make sure the article is recent (within the last two weeks), and please avoid using the same source for each of your articles. Mix it up. Editorials are fine as well. Some questions to consider: Is the source (and therefore the information) reputable? Will the article or resource provide you with enough information to write an appropriate summary? Have you had enough variety in your topics, sources, etc.?
-There are a variety of ways to approach your summaries, which may be determined in part by the article or resource. Your summary should also include some level of personal or critical engagement/reflection with the source. Your posts should be a combination of summary and personal reflection. For example, provide several of the main points in the article, including the position of the author if presented or implied, and provide some form of reflection. The reflection might include identifying and discussing questions or issues that come to mind as you review the material; articulating what you take to be significant or interesting about the piece; drawing some connections to a topic we have discussed in class, etc. If each of your summaries takes the same form, these assignments will, I imagine, grow incredibly tedious for you. This is certainly not the goal of the assignment.
