READING GUIDES for the Common Readings: 
       LINKS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Be sure to read this entire page before doing a Reading Guide.

Reminder:  
These Humanities Base "common readings" are required of all UD students.  

1. Genesis 1-3           2. The Sermon at Benares  

3. Mark's Gospel      4. Phyllis Trible

You can find these readings through the links provided on this page.  Be sure to use these links.  They take you to the actual Reading Guide questions and instructions. You can also find the Common Readings through links on the Portfolio page under Humanities Base.   That is where other students make go to find these readings.   But if you use those links you will not be taken to instructions on how to do the RGs (Reading Guides) for Rel. 198.

The RGs consist of question to call your attention to significant aspects of the reading and perhaps to give some background to help understand the reading better.  You are not expected to get all the answer right.  Different people read different texts in different ways.  But you are expected to give responses that are clearly based on a good attempt to deal directly with the text, to analyze the words of the text itself.  Your job here is to be a scholar.  Write to me as though I had never seen the texts. Refer back to what the text says. Do not be afraid to bore me. This is a skill I want you to practice. (Even the experts in a field, writing to other experts, remind them or state clearly the ideas of a text they are commenting on. This may seem redundant, but it makes sure that all parties know just how the writer/expert understands the text.)

A normal length should be around one full typed page, 10 point font or larger, and 1.2 spacing between lines, with the standard one inch margins all around.   Normally 1,000 words are enough. These specifics here are to give you an idea of what is standard.  They are not rigid rules.  My purpose is not to standardize everything; I do not care as long as I see you working with the text. 

Any report with more than five typographical and/or spelling errors or significant grammar errors will be sent back to you to do over.  Please take special note of this.  Always proofread what you send in, for this or for any class.  A goal of this class, as in every humanities base class, is to help you improve your writing.