Presentations
In your
presentations I have the following expectations:
1)
You must do
some research that goes beyond the content provided in our
textbook. You may use the textbook as a starting point,
but it must be evident to me that you have done independent
research to prepare it.
You should assume that we are reading the
same material and that you can focus your attention on things
that are not stated directly in the book, or help us to see
which points are the most important general ideas. Make
use of the web
resources I have provided, seek out printed materials, do
interviews, examine the art, and bring a few examples into the
class. It is an easy matter to bring an illustration in,
and walk around this circular classroom to show it to the
class, or pass it around. (Note to students: In passing
visual aids around the room, try to pass it as quickly, and
smoothly as possible through the room. If it is a book,
please do not flip pages. It takes too much time.
For those presenting the pictures or visual aids, it's better
to walk the book around and show a couple pictures than expect
to show us a large number of pictures. Remember there
are about 30 people in your class.)
2)
The
presentation should have a focus that limits the content to a
specific facet of a religion. Do not try to present an
overview of an entire religion unless I specifically give you
permission to do this. (There will be several overview
presentations like this to cover religions we will not be
tested over.) So, if you are giving a presentation on
Christianity, then limit it down to a specific theme relevant
to a sect of Christianity. For example, the presentation
could be on the notion of Original Sin and Baptism within
Catholic doctrine, and you could compare that to Baptist
doctrine. However, it should not be an overview of
Catholicism. Another good focus is a specific
historic figure. For example, a presentation on the
philosophy of Martin Luther is great.
3)
I
am definitely receptive to the idea of a performance.
For instance, you might wish to read aloud from a sacred text,
to try to communicate to us some of the deeper significance of
a passage. Don't be afraid to be creative, as long as it
looks like some real thought went into it.
4)
Visual
aids are recommended, but I do not demand or even encourage
PowerPoint presentations. I allow them. You can
hold up pictures, pass out photocopies, pass items around the
room, etc. There will be a computer with a projector and
an audio system, so you can bring music, show images, etc.
You can use the chalk board. You can use performance.
5)
Your speaking
performance (and the ability of the audience to hear and
understand you) is a factor in the grade, but I am lenient on
non-native English speakers. The main problem I have
seen is the velocity that some students speak. You don’t
need to hurry through the presentation. Give us time to
think about complex points. Ask us if we
understand.
6)
Unlike a more
formal speech, I expect these presentations to be interactive.
Be prepared for a few interruptions for questions or
comments from me or from the students. I encourage you
to interrupt me too.
7)
Be sure that
your specific topic is known by me and approved by me. I
don’t like surprises. Also, if you will be absent on the
date you are scheduled to present, be certain to call me and
inform me so that I can prepare something to fill in the gap,
and schedule an alternate date for you.
8)
Turn in a
bibliography after your presentation.
9)
I expect to see
improvements in your presentations so that ones you do later
in the term will be more developed and insightful. My
feedback after the presentation will be aimed at helping you
do better. Classroom feedback should also help guide
you.
10) This is an interdisciplinary
course. Your topic might lend itself to a couple of
different perspectives or angles. I highly recommend
applying this to your topic. For instance, you might
look at the history of the Christianization of America from an
economic perspective, and from a military/political
perspective. If you have a strong background in
psychology, you might want to add a Freudian analysis to a
historical/political analysis. Keep in mind that
all disciplines can be relevant to analyzing a specific
religious element. I do not want to limit you, so long
as the presentation has an obvious relevance for understanding
a religion and the culture within which it exists.
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