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The terms "observation" and "report" (see below) indicate that everything you do in the journal should be typed and revised to ensure clarity. The word "journal," on the other hand, indicates that the writing done here is more reflective than for a paper proving a particular point; and that you will not be penalized for grammatical errors.
In the observation journal as a whole you will explore connections between your observations among members of a local Buddhist community, recorded as a local worship site, and related details encountered in the assigned readings done throughout the term. The sequence and due dates of these assignments are listed here, with links to the more detailed instructions below and elsewhere.
| Due
Dates |
Assignments
Due |
| Tuesday, September 29 |
name & info re: site
you plan to visit |
| (no later than) Tuesday, October 20 | first observation report (site visit) |
| (no later than) Thursday, November 19 |
follow-up report (2nd visit or interview) |
| Tuesday, December 15 |
Audience:
Think of the Observation Report as a simulated conversation between yourself and a peer keenly interested in other religions, but who has not studied Buddhist traditions in an academic context. This hypothetical conversation partner wants to hear about (1) the details of when, where, who and what you saw during your visit; (2) the high point of the events that you observed, framed by a succinct description of what happened from start to finish; and (3) how what you observed related to your prior experiences of religion and to your encounter with the assigned readings in this class. The Observation Report form guides you through this simulated conversation; while the steps are clearly laid out by the form, providing adequate responses requires careful planning and revision.
Instructions:
Select one "scene" (i.e., a set of related moments, or else two closely-related scenes) from the details you observed and recorded during your site visit. This scene should relate in some way to one or more details in the assigned readings done so far. Most obviously, you might chose a moment in a celebration or worship ritual you observed that reminds you of a practice your read about. But you could also focus on an image you saw at the site that reminds you of a deity or idea described in a reading, or a person you observed or spoke with who reminded you of some person or role mentioned in a reading.
Once you have chosen your "scene," complete all parts of the Observation Report form available for download here (PDF/MS Word), which asks you to address the three points numbered in the above description of your audience. Your responses should reflect the deep thinking involved in a conversation carried out over several days; responses composed in a single brief sitting will be unlikely to represent what you saw and understood in an accurate and comprehensive way (see FAQ #7)
Important Warning:
As noted in the syllabus, I will generally elect severe penalties for academic dishonesty: a zero score for the assignment, and failing the course for a second offense. Inclusion of material from uncited sources--including an internet site or another student's paper--is the most obvious form of plagiarism in paper writing.You are responsible for reading my comments regarding the importance of academic honesty, and my no-tolerance policy for incidents of dishonesty, in FAQ #10-13; as well as for requesting clarification if there is anything you do not understand.
Other Requirements:
**IN CASE OF LOSS, KEEP TWO (2) ELECTRONIC COPIES**
Note also late policy & style/format.
Extra Credit: up to three (3) points of extra credit may be given for any report that reflects thorough reading of one of the optional primary sources listed in the schedule of readings. Make sure to hand-write "PLEASE CONSIDER FOR EXTRA CREDIT" at the top of your paper if you wish you report to be considered.
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Follow-Up Report (2nd visit or interview)
Audience:
As a follow-up to your initial site visit, you will have EITHER (A) return to the same site to observe a different event OR (B) conduct an interview with a member of the site's community. The keenly interested conversation partner you imagined addressing in your first observation report will then also want to here about your follow-investigation of the same site. Your simulated conversation with her will follow the same format as the first time, but you will be comparing what you saw the second time with your first visit as you go along.
Instructions:
If you chose to visit the same site to observe a different event, you should once again select one or two "scenes" to highlight in your report, which as before should relate in some way to one or more details in the assigned readings done so far. If you chose the interview, select two or three key exchanges from your conversation with the interviewee, including at least two direct quotations of 2-4 sentences each, that relate to some detail(s) in the assigned readings.
Once you have made your choice, you should again complete all parts of the appropriate Follow-Up Report form, which adds a few comparisons to the earlier form. A different form is provided depending on whether you are reportng a 2nd site visit (download PDF/MS Word) or interview (download PDF/MS Word). As before, responses should reflect the deep thinking involved in a thoughtful conversation, which will rarely occur in a single brief period of writing (see FAQ #7).
Other Requirements:
**IN CASE OF LOSS, KEEP TWO (2) ELECTRONIC COPIES **
Please also review late policy & style/format as needed.
Extra Credit: as with the first observation report, up to three (3) points of extra credit may be given for any report that reflects thorough reading of one of the optional primary sources listed in the schedule of readings. Again, make sure to hand-write "PLEASE CONSIDER FOR EXTRA CREDIT" at the top of your paper if you wish you report to be considered.
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