Paper , Order, or Assignment Requirements

The goal of this assignment is for you to address a contemporary issue related to understandings of the afterlife. You will do this by formulating the thesis that you wish to argue in your paper. The research paper will be the culmination of class discussions and personal research you have performed throughout the semester.

Research Reflection Paper

Your paper is to be 4-5 page, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 font. In addition to your textbook, you need to use at least 2 scholarly resources to support your claims. The paper needs to be coherent! It should flow in an organized manner from introduction to conclusion. The paper should demonstrate a depth of personal interaction with the topic, be substantiated through scholarly research and culminate in your informed opinion. You must be sure to use citations in your paper. Failure to do so will result in a plagiarism issue. You must have a bibliography page (which does not count as one of the pages) at the end of your paper. If you include a separate title page, that also does not count as one of the pages of your essay. 1 and 2 below should be in the introduction – the first paragraph. 3 and 4 make up the body of the essay. 5 is the conclusion (the last paragraph).

Briefly introduce your topic
State your thesis: a thesis is an interpretation of the subject. It is your point of view on the topic directly and offered in one sentence. It serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your presentation. It must include a theological perspective. It should be one sentence.
It makes a claim.
It tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion – theological perspective.
It is a road map for the presentation.
Present an argument to support your thesis.
Articulate the underlying theological and ethical principles
Articulate the stance of one of the major religious traditions on the issue
Be sure to have transitions at the beginning of each paragraph in which you make it clear why you are moving from one idea to the next. Be sure this transition establishes a clear topic for the new paragraph. Be sure each body paragraph ends with a sentence in which you make a clear point about the topic in the first sentence of the paragraph.
Tie everything together. The point of the last body paragraph should be your thesis since proving it is your goal.
Conclusion: Explain why your argument is significant.