Write a one page paper that demonstrates your comprehension of the reading, a coherent thesis andyour own evaluation. You may NOT exceed one page in length (single-spaced, 12 point font) –excepting your discussion questions (see below).Please note that this assignment is NOT a summary, nor is it a journal entry.You must develop your own thesis and argue for it persuasively. Consult the syllabus forinformation on how I will grade these assignments.Structure your paper according to the following guidelines:a. Develop a thesis that responds to primary sources assigned for your class material. If weread more than one primary source, you can choose the source on which to focus yourwritten reflection. For this assignment, your thesis should be very straightforward butshould also make clear the issue you want to address. For example, simply stating“Sigmund Freud believes religion is an illusion,” while true, is not enough. You need to alsostate what intrigues or troubles you – what remains to be discussed.b. 1 paragraph: State in your own words what you perceive to be the author’s main ideaadvanced in the text. What central argument or insight is being forwarded? On what basis or“authority” is the author advancing the argument? Reason? Personal experience?Sociological data? Church teaching? The Bible? Historical data?c. ½ to 1 paragraph: Are there insights from other readings or from class discussion thatsupport, complement, or contradict this author’s perspective? The goal here is to draw largerconnections among sources, bringing them into conversation.d. ½ to 1 paragraph: Offer your personal evaluation of the reading on the whole. Do you findthe author persuasive? Why/why not? What strikes you most in this week’s readings, andwhy? What questions or insights stick with you?e. After the main body of your text, list 2-3 questions (in numbered or bullet-point fashion)that remain after you analysis. These should be focused, but open-ended questions that willguide class discussion.These may be on a second page, since you should devote ALL of your first page to youranalysis.
