REL 530/635

Requirements

Attendance and Academic Citizenship

This class is mainly discussion based, so attendance and participation are crucial. 

You will need to provide documentation for excused absences.  To paraphrase the Undergraduate Catalog, you may be excused from class without penalty:

1) for University sanctioned activities,
2) for severe illness as evidenced by a written doctor’s excuse, and
3) for a death in your immediate family.

Each unexcused absence results in a 2 point deduction from your attendance grade.  However, each student begins with 6 points of extra credit for perfect attendance.  This means you can have three unexcused absences before losing any of your 20 pts.  Moreover, if at the end of the semester your attendance and participation have been excellent and you are within half a percent of the next highest grade increment, I will bump your grade up (e.g., from a B- to a B, or a B+ to an A-).  For obvious reasons, I don't want you to come to class if you're feeling ill.  Just let my GA know that you didn't come to class because you felt sick and you'll be excused.

Academic Citizenship consists of scholarly habits, i.e., characteristics and practices that will contribute immensely to your academic success such as:

1) Coming prepared for class;

2) Paying attention and participating in the discussion;

3) Not arriving late or leaving early;

4) Not talking to your neighbor or doing anything else that is distracting and disrespectful while class is in session.

Poor academic citizenship will affect your grade.  If you are unwilling to abide by these policies, drop the course.

Reading and Discussion Participation

The reading assignments are the life blood of a discussion based course. To be prepared for class you must read the assignments carefully and make notes.  During class I will expect to see a notebook in front of you with notes in it.  Some of your notes should be made while doing the reading with an eye toward what you can contribute to the discussion.  Part of your grade is based on discussion participation.  Your ability to earn a high mark for discussion participation depends heavily on your reading habits and thoughtful note taking.  All students are expected to participate in class discussions, and everyone will have the opportunity to lead discussion.  The course is designed to foster critical yet respectful discussion wherein everyone’s views get a hearing. 

Reading Facilitation and Handout

You will present the reading and lead its discussion once during the semester.   This will include creating a two page handout that contains a formal outline of the reading and questions for discussion.  The handout is to be uploaded as a PDF in Assignments by two hours before class time.  I will then make copies for the class.  Being able to identify the major points and sub-points of a well-written composition is a valuable skill.  It can improve your reading comprehension as well as your own writing.  Click here and here for important information about how to produce a proper formal outline.  The first linked page discusses the four main components of an effective outline, and the second discusses alphanumeric outlines.  I expect you to follow these directions.  This discussion includes a sample of the "full sentence outline style." You should mostly follow it except that I will allow you to use "full phrases" as well as short "full sentences."  Be sure to get the sample outline I've provided and follow my example.

Do the following when it is your turn to present the readings and lead the discussion.  Briefly explain the key points covered by the reading with an eye toward what will initiate meaningful discussion.  Do not elaborate on everything in your outline.  That will take too much time and be boring for fellow students since they have already read the assignment.  You should spend about ten to fifteen minutes making your points at the beginning and then go on to eliciting discussion with your brilliant observations and questions.  Be sure to watch the clock and move the discussion along if necessary to cover everything important.  You should be prepared to raise several important points for discussion.  These points may relate to making sense of the material, they may raise methodological concerns, or they may have to do with connecting the reading to issues raised by other readings or topics.  You have the freedom to come up with other angles for discussion provided they do not take us too far afield from the topics of the reading.  Although I will help as needed, you should take an active role in leading class discussion.

Twenty points of your grade will be based on the quality of the handout and twenty on the presentation and discussion leading.  

Seminar Paper or Book Review

Your single most involved assignment will be either a research paper (12-15 pages for undergrads; 18-20 for grad students) or an in-depth review of a substantive book of at least 200 pages in length pertaining to religion and science.  These reviews will be 12-15 pages each for undergrads and 16-18 for grad students.  Further instructions concerning the seminar paper and reviews will be provided on Blackboard.

Research Presentation

Each student will make a fifteen minute presentation of his or her research. The presentation will include distributing a double-sided one page handout to the class via Blackboard that begins with an abstract/précis of the paper.  An abstract is a 200 to 250 word summary of the paper.  It usually includes a brief description of the subject matter investigated in the paper and a brief statement and explanation of the paper's thesis.  Next, include a formal outline of the presentation and any tables or other content that will help your audience follow your presentation.  Finally, provide an bibliography of at least four sources.  Your paper will have many more sources, but these will be the most relevant.  Plan on twelve minutes of presenting and three minutes of discussion.

Short Papers, Quizzes, and a Final Exam

1) Two critical essays.  You will write two essays that engage the readings.  Undergraduate students will write 3-4 pages and grad students 5-6 pages.  These papers are not meant to be simply summaries, although doing some summarizing in your own words can help you to sort out the most important issues raised by the readings.  Instead, these essays are meant to show evidence of your attempt to think through aspects of the ideas and issues covered and to compare, contrast, synthesize, and critique their ideas.  More specific instructions will be provided for each essay.  Late papers will be accepted, but three points will be deducted from the grade.

2) Pop Quizzes on Readings.  There will be at least twelve five to ten point pop quizzes.  At least one quiz will be given each week at the beginning of class consisting of objective questions (T/F or multiple choice) to test your knowledge of the reading assignments. Students who keep up with the assignments, and who read them consistently and carefully can expect to do well. Quizzes on the reading may not be made up. However, up to two zero grades due to absences will be dropped at the end of the semester.

3) Final Exam. This is an essay and discussion exam.  The question will be provided a week before the exam period and your essay will be uploaded in Blackboard. During the final exam period, students will share from their papers as part of a class discussion. An incomplete (i.e., grade "I") will be given for the course if you miss the Final, have a legitimate excuse, and request one within 24 hours after the Final was given.

Required Textbooks

McGrath, Alister E. Science & Religion: A New Introduction (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell, 2020.

Ferngren, Gary B. ed. Science & Religion: A Historical Introduction (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017.

Recommended: Dixon, Thomas. Science and Religion: A Very Short Introduction. 2nd. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022; Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers, 7th, 8th, or 9th ed. (University of Chicago Press).

Grading

Your total Course Grade will utilize plus/minus grading.  As someone has said, "Earnestly desire the higher gifts."

• Grades will be kept on the course's Blackboard site so that you can check your performance in the class on your own at any time.
• Late work will be penalized a letter grade.  Missed papers must be made up by Study Day or you will receive no credit for those assignments.

Additional Course Policies