comparing, contrasting and assessing Girard’s book The Scapegoat

Paper details:

Final Essay: 3000 words excluding references.
Students are to write a paper comparing, contrasting, and
assessing Girard’s book The Scapegoat in its entirety, in light of
course themes, discussions, and debates, especially as
concerns theorizing the sacred and sacrifice. In addition to The
Scapegoat, students must demonstrate a serious engagement
with a minimum of 8 other required course readings pertinent to
their topic and thesis. The essay must reflect main course
themes, learning outcomes and workshop activity. ASA scholarly
citation and referencing practice must be rigorously followed.
Style, tone and writing craft must be of a scholarly nature as
expounded in Armstrong et al 2005. Must be formatted as per
instructions on Blackboard handout (to be posted). Hardcopy
accepted. Below is the instructor’s format for the paper to be strictly adhere to.
REQUIRED FORMATTING, STYLE AND GENERAL CONTENT
REQUIREMENTS
Formatting Requirements:
• Include an informative title at the top of your paper.
• Do not include a title page.
• Staple your essay pages together.
• Only use font Times New Roman, size 12.
• Use 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins all around.
• Double-space your work.
• You are required to follow the ASA citation and referencing style.
o See: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/583/01/
• In a header, place your name and pagination at the top right-hand corner of every
page.
o Just below your name and page numbers (pagination), include the
following:
o 48-405-01 Winter 2016
o See this handout for the example to follow
• Include a word-count at the end of your essay.
Style Requirements:
• Be clear and concise in your writing and be sure to define concepts based on an
accurate exegesis of course readings. Imagine that your audience is the same as
for a major daily Canadian newspaper (e.g., The Globe and Mail or The National
Post).
• A high quality of writing, scholarly in tone, is expected. Proofread your work
carefully. Editing your work several times is the easiest way to improve your
writing skills. Errors in writing craft (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation,
sentence structure, word choice, etc.) will lower your grade.
Dr. R. P. Datta p. 2
48-405-1 Winter 2016
Content Requirements:
• Be sure to organise your paper in terms of addressing assignment requirements
and rigorously follow all requirements.
o Be sure to draw on Durkheimian work in addressing the issue of the extent
to which we live in a secular or sacred world, in addition to other pertinent
course readings.
• Your written work must demonstrate an honest and serious engagement with
course material, class discussion, activities, required readings (as evinced by
pertinent citations and/or quotations).
• Do not use “long quotations”; you may use quotations of up to three lines in
length. Instead of long quotations, you are to summarize material in your own
words and/or appropriately paraphrase material. You are being assessed on the
quality of your exegetical skill.
• Clearly delimit the scope of your topic in the introductory paragraph, stating
which authors’ works you will be discussing.
o Clearly and explicitly state your thesis/argument in the introductory
paragraph.
• Advance a well-informed argument and analysis, based on required course
readings.
o See “Formal Outlining” in Armstrong et al on how to craft a persuasive
argument:
o http://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/thinkingitthrough/prewriting_formalo
utline.php
• Craft a concluding paragraph.
• Remember to organise your writing such that it supports, in a scholarly way, your
thesis and demonstrates your engagement with course material. Structure your
paragraphs (roughly 2-3 per page) so that they clearly support the flow of your
reasoning; doing so is good rhetorical form. (Note: rhetoric involves the craft of
organising your ideas such that they are as compelling and persuasively reasoned
as possible).
o Organise your paper in terms of “sections” which may contain one or
more paragraphs. Treat each paragraph as a “mini-essay” that has: a clear
focus; supporting reasoning; explicates (“spells out”) how the evidence
supports the point of the paragraph; concludes by linking the paragraph to
your over-all thesis. Fit two to three paragraphs on a page.
• Continue improving on your understanding of course material in light of course
themes and aims.
Further notes:
• Feel free to use headings (and sub-headings if you wish) – they really help your
reader!
• Feel free to write in the first person (e.g., “Here, I address …”).
• Following these requirements will earn you marks.
• Recommended resource for help with academic writing:
o http://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/thinkingitthrough/overview.php
• Retain hardcopy and electronic versions of your essay.
Dr. R. P. Datta p. 3
48-405-1 Winter 2016
Sample Schema for Organising Your Essay:
Put an informative title at the top.
INTRODUCTION (One Short Paragraph)
• Hook: provide a short compelling statement of why your topic is pertinent to
social theory and advancing the understanding contemporary social life.
• Topic: clearly state your topic of your work.
• Thesis: clearly articulate your thesis in one or two sentences.
• Briefly outline the remainder of what you will be doing in your essay. This helps
your reader gain a sense of how your argument and analysis will be developed.
MAIN HEADING 1
• Supporting paragraph(s)
§? Thematic focus of paragraph
§? Exegesis of reading(s)
§? Argument pertinent to the question/issue at hand
§? Link to main thesis
§? Transition sentence
MAIN HEADING 2
• Supporting paragraph(s)
§? Thematic focus of paragraph
§? Exegesis of reading(s)
§? Argument pertinent to the question/issue at hand
§? Link to main thesis
§? Transition sentence
MAIN HEADING 3
• Supporting paragraph(s)
§? Thematic focus of paragraph
§? Exegesis of reading(s)
§? Argument pertinent to the question/issue at hand
§? Link to main thesis
§? Transition sentence
CONCLUSION (One Short Paragraph)
• Remind the reader of your focus and themes addressed in your reflections
• State how you have addressed the topic directly
• Tie the key elements of your reflections together
• Finish on a strong note (e.g., with a compelling thought or insight). PLEASE, DO NOT FORGET THE REFENCE SHOULD BE IN ASA FORMAT. And kindly help me focus majorly on the textbook