HUMA 1845 6.0 Islamic Traditions
Mini Essay (500 words)
15% of the Total Course Grade
Assignment summary:
Students are required to produce ONE mini essay in this Course. Specifically, students will choose ONE (out of 4) topics to write a 500-word argumentative essay by using only the sources from the course material, excluding Lesson Commentaries. Please note that an image does not constitute a source for your essay. Students are required to use at least TWO sources for their essays (maximum 3).
Purpose: While producing outlines, drafts, and final versions of their mini-essays students engage all critical academic skills that have been elaborated in this Course. Some of these skills include: critical reading; analytical thinking; writing outlines and drafts; mastering essay-structure; citing, summarizing and quoting sources; developing thesis statements; producing coherent arguments; substantiating arguments, etc.
Format:
Note that this is not a research essay: ALL YOUR MATERIAL MUST BE BASED ON COURSE READINGS, VIDEO LECTURES AND OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES, and FILMS. It should be written from a NON-NORMATIVE POINT OF VIEW, and should be formatted according to MLA STANDARDS, including title page, documentation, parenthetical in-text references, and Works Cited list.
Note: Lecture Commentaries cannot be used as sources for mini essays.
How to identify sources for Mini essays?
Available textual and visual course sources can be identified in documents “Roadmap to Activities and Assignments” for Lessons that have information about the topic of your choice.
Note: You may use UP TO 30 words in direct quotations.
Gradable components of Mini essays:
Since the primary purpose of this assignment is to practice the basics and mechanics of academic essay writing, so special attention would be given to:
1. Thesis statement (20%/100%; 3% out of 15%)
2. Essay structure (20%/100%; 3% out of 15%)
3. Building of argumentation (20%/100%; 3% out of 15%)
4. Resort to references (quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing) and documentation (20%/100%; 3% out of 15%)
5. Grammar, style, clarity of writing (20%/100%; 3% out of 15%)
Topics for Mini Essays:
MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF THE LAST PROPHET
Discuss the significance of the Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous Night Journey for the consolidation of his exalted status among other monotheistic prophets. (Use available textual and visual sources to support your opinion/argument).
Essay Title
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Introduction
(One paragraph; 50 words maximum)
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1. Introduce the topic of your essay
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2. Present your Thesis Statement
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3. Explain the structure of your essay.
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Body of your Essay
(Two paragraphs; each 200 words)
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1. Point 1/First Paragraph (Evidence no. 1 for your argument.) Introduce this Point in a topic sentence; expand on the Point through the use of evidence or examples; and analyze the evidence to show how it contributes to the specific point you are making in the paragraph and to the thesis as a whole.
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2. Point 2/Second Paragraph (Evidence no. 2 for your argument.) Introduce this Point in a topic sentence; expand on the Point through the use of evidence or examples; and analyze the evidence to show how it contributes to the specific point you are making in the paragraph and to the thesis as a whole.
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Conclusion
(One paragraph, 50 words)
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Bring together your essay’s main points and reassert or emphasize the strength of the thesis or argument.
A conclusion is more than a summary, in that it is important to indicate why there is merit to your thesis or argument – what has been shown as a result of your investigation or exploration of the topic.
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Works Cited List
(MLA Style)
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List of all sources (written and visual) that have been used in your essay.
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Time-table for assignments related to Mini Essay
Due Date
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Select your topic and ONE source
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March 15-28, 2019
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Use Assignment Sheet 13 to produce a working Thesis Statement and two Points that you will present/analyze to support your argument (i.e. your Thesis statement) (4%)
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March 28, 2019
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Mini Essay (15%)
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April 5, 2019
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NOTE: All essays must be saved as Word documents, and uploaded through Mini Essay Turitin Link (Tutorial websites). Essays must be saved in the following way: Lastname.Firstname_Mini Essay
(Example: Mumtaz.Fatima_Mini Essay)
A failure to follow these instructions in saving mini essays will result in a 0.25% grade reduction.