Major Religions of the World: CHRISTIANITY – EASTERN ORTHODOXY

Topic:  Major Religions of the World
Provide an overview of your “assigned” religion.

Essay should include information regarding (at minimum):
• # of adherents
• predominant global location(s)
• origins and history (incl. major changes over time)
• deity
• main tenets and beliefs (incl. behavior while on earth; what happens after death; treatment of others of same faith/different faiths; etc.)
• basis for main tenets and beliefs
• Format
– 2-3 pages (minimum)
– double-spaced
– Times New Roman
– 12 pt font
– 1” margins
• Assumed audience: Your classmates

Additional Instructions
• This is a research paper — references & citations as appropriate.  As with Essay 1, I do not mind which method you use as long as it is a recognized method appropriate for a college-level paper

Some tips…
• Remember your audience and your purpose. You are trying to provide a general introduction to your topic, not make your reader a theologian. Do not get overwhelmed by minutiae — look for and pass on the significant info.
• Don’t assume what your reader may or may not already know about religion in general or your particular religion. Just because a certain aspect of a certain religion is well-known to you does not make it necessarily so for all your readers. e.g., do not simply reference “the Bible” – be sure to explain that this is the name of the religion’s holy book (or something to that effect).
• What does “research” mean?
–Check the appropriateness and pedigree of your sources.
–Be sure to include specific references in your text, especially when you are presenting facts. If you don’t, your readers do not know whether they should believe you or whether you are simply making stuff up.
• Be careful using non-English words. Include them for a purpose and be sure to tell your readers what the words mean.
• Opening and closing paragraphs are critical. At the front-end, give the reader an idea of where you were going with a brief overview of your main topics. On the back-end, provide a brief re-cap of your main points (not simply the topics) and closing sentence. Do not give your reader the impression that you ran out of time and simply stopped — finish delivering your message!! Please review “Elements of an Essay.”