Instructions: Final Paper

The "final paper" for the course will entail the completion and submission of assigned work according to the following steps:

See more detailed instructions for each of  these steps below. (30 percent of the course):

1) First Draft of Final Paper: This draft is to be a Rewrite/expansion of your paper #1: This rewrite should incorporate/reflect your reading and study of Galatians, your own personal study and reflection on other readings of the course, your conversation and reflection within your working group, and the response of the instructors. In light of your engagement in the interpreting and confessing issues of "Truth" and "Meaning" in the course, now again address the same two questions which were raised at the beginning of the course:

a) When we say that the Bible is “true” what do we mean? and

b) What methods of interpretation best appreciate or correspond to that “truthfulness”?

As noted in the syllabus, the instructors are looking not for one particular answer to these questions, but for the way in which your answers reflect your having wrestled with the issues of truth and meaning and biblical interpretation that have been raised in the course, and for the way in which you integrate or relate your responses to these two questions into a comprehensive argument fruitful for public conversation.

Your final essay should also demonstrate your engagement with and reflection on readings and sources addressed in the course through incorporation of references/citations to your sources. In order to facilitate digital transmission, please put all such references in the format of "endnotes" at the end of your essay.

As noted in the syllabus for the course (see "Syllabus") this first draft of your rewritten paper should be approximately 7-8 pages double spaced in length (approximately 2100-2400 words maximum). Please note: Since this file will need to be opened and read by all of your colleagues with differing word processors or computers, it will probably be best to save the copy of this first draft that you will post in a "text" file (with extension .txt) or "rich text" (with extension .rtf) format, both of which are generally able to be opened by most word processors.

2) Post this First Draft of your Final Paper to the "Final Paper First Draft" Forum in Your Group Discussion Area by Saturday, April 26.
Instructions for posting: Go to your group discussion area and click on the forum area titled "Final Paper First Draft: Posting/Responses" (See Week 9 Assignment for instructions and a practice exercise for this process)
1) In the Forum area Click on "Add (new) thread;
2) Type "Final Paper" in the "Subject" box;
3) Type the Title of your Paper in the "Message" Box;
4) Attach your paper as an attachment as follows:
Be sure to note the address where the copy of your paper is stored on your hard drive or disk;
Click on the "Browse" button next to the "Attachment" prompt;
When the "Choose File" prompt window opens, find the drive or disk location where your paper is stored
Click on (select) your paper's file name (the file name will now appear in the "File Name" box at the bottom);
Click on "Open" button, and the file will be attached to your posting (make sure you wait for the file to be downloaded);
When downloading is complete the name of your file will appear in the "Attachment" Box;
Click on the "Save" button at the bottom to post your message with attachment to your small group..

3) Read and then Write a Substantive Response to Each of the Papers of the other Members of your Small Group Discussion:
These responses are to be completed and posted by the end of week 12, Saturday, May 10.
A "Substantive Response" assumes that you will comment upon the "content" or "argument" of the paper rather than on matters of style or editing. Each response should be the equivalent of approximately 1 page double-spaced typing (350-400 words) in length maximum. Each response should also be posted to the Final Paper "Posting/Responses" area for your Group by using the "Reply" button for the posted paper to which you are responding. Please post your responses as a "Reply" in the Message box; NOT as comments directly on the paper itself! (It will probably be easiest and safest to compose your response in your word processor and "copy" and "paste" it into the "message" area of the Reply box.)

Instructions for Reading (or Printing) a Paper that has been Posted to your small group discussion board:
1) Go to your Small Group Discussion Area and Click on "Final Paper First Draft: Posting/Responses"
2) Click on the Name of the person's paper you wish to Read.
3) When the Discussion Thread Opens, Click on the File Name link that is listed beside "Attachment:"
4) When the "File Download" prompt box opens, choose either "Open" (to open and read the file immediately in your Word Processor) or "Save" (to save the file to disk so that you can open, read, or print it at another time).

These responses will be considered and evaluated as part of your final paper project for the course. Since the instructors can access and read these responses in your group discussion area, there is no need to submit these responses separately to the instructors.

4) Final editing and Submission of your Paper: Due by the end of the day, Saturday, May 17.
You should do any editing/rewriting that you think appropriate in light of the responses of your colleagues and the class reading, reflection, and discussion of the last several weeks of the course, and then submit your final version of your paper to the instructors. The final paper should be approximately 7-8 pages (2100-2400 words). This final copy of the essay should be submitted preferably as a document attached to an email with "Final Paper" in the Subject box (alternative: as text included within an email, or, as a last resort, a file on disk deposited in the professors' PO Boxes in Gullixson Hall if you have access to campus).

Be sure also to indicate your permission to post your paper for the class at the same time you submit your Final Paper (See #5 below)

AN OPTIONAL INVITATION: Strongly Encouraged but Not Required

5) Sharing/posting of your final paper for the whole class.
Each person in the class is invited and encouraged to share your Final Paper with all the members of the class by giving permission to have your Final Paper posted to the course's General Discussion Area.  The Professors will do this posting, but NOT without your permission. If you are willing to have your Final Paper available for all members of the class to read, please indicate your permission ("permission to post" is sufficient) in your email message at the same time you submit your Final Paper to the instructors. Giving this permission or not will in no way affect evaluation of your paper or your grade for the course.