Order Description

Before you begin this assignment it will be necessary to have read the chapter on Religion and the Supernatural, specifically the section covering Rites of Passage. You will also want to consult your notes from the lecture on Religion and the Supernatural, as I will cover all of the information necessary to successfully complete this assignment. If you missed the class during which I covered this information you will need to borrow the notes of a friend. Then complete the assignment by following the steps below.

1) Make sure you are familiar with the details of a Rite of Passage as they are presented in the textbook. Pay special attention to the details of each of the three phases of a Rite of Passage.

2) Choose a specific ritual to write about. You should find ample material in the university library or online. Do not use the rites of passage from your textbook, or if you do make sure that you have gathered a great deal of extra material from other sources. I will be the most critical of those specific rites. Make sure that it is a rite of passage. Does it contain the three phases of a rite of passage? Do you know enough about the ritual to write a detailed essay? Make sure you can look at the ritual objectively. It is important to look at the ritual as a functional piece of a culture.

3) Write an essay of at least 300 words describing the ritual you have chosen, making sure to clearly illustrate how it fits the criteria for a Rite of Passage. If the essay is less than 300 words you will not receive any points for the assignment. I would suggest you organize your essay as follows as it will make grading the assignment (an awarding you all possible points) easier for me and my TA.
Introduction paragraph: Tell me what you are going to tell me. Introduce the concept of a write of Passage and let me know what ritual you will be describing.
Separation Phase: Describe, in detail the portion of your chosen ritual that serves as the separation phase of the ritual. Then describe how this portion of your ritual fits the criteria for the separation phase.
Transition Phase: Describe, in detail, the portion of your ritual that serves as a transition phase. Then, as before, describe how the portion of your ritual fits the criteria for the transition phase.
Introduction Phase: I think you should understand what to do by this phase.
Conclusion: Briefly summarize what you have told me.

By the end of the essay, I should be convinced that you have a solid grasp of the parts and functions of a rite of passage. I should also have enough detail from you about the ritual you have chosen to be convinced that you know your ritual and that it is indeed a rite of passage. Finally, you should deliver a clearly written essay, without grammatical or spelling errors.

Grading Rubric:
1. Is the easy at least 300 words long? If it is not, I will not award any points for the assignment and there will be no chance to make-up the assignment.
2. Are all sources used for the paper properly cited in the text? Is there a bibliography listing the sources used for the assignment? If either or both are missing, I will not award any points for the assignment and there will be no chance to make-up the assignment.
3. The paper is presented as a well crafted essay. All the necessary paragraphs are present and the paper is free of spelling and grammatical errors. This portion of the assignment is worth a total of 20 points.
4. The student clearly describes each of the three phases of a basic Rite of Passage, including the name and function of each of the three phases? This portion of the assignment is worth a total of 15 points.
5. The student describes their chosen ritual clearly and in enough detail to prove that the ritual is a Rite of Passage and to show how each of the parts of the ritual correspond to the three phases of a Rite of Passage. This portion of the assignment is worth 15 points.