It takes 5-7 business days for a Touchstone to be graded once it’s been submitted.
Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it until you have completed the unit’s Milestones. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.
Touchstone 2: Comparing and Contrasting the Common Elements of Religions
ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of religions so far by comparing and contrasting two of the world’s religions.
In a 400-600 word short essay, you will compare and contrast one “eastern” religion and one “western” religion discussed so far in this course. Using specific examples from the lessons in Unit 1 and Unit 2 to support your conclusions, you will analyze some of the ways in which these religions are both similar and different.
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A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Select one “eastern” religion and one “western” religion discussed so far in this course. Review the lessons in Unit 1 and Unit 2 as you consider how these religions are both similar and different.
Your short essay should include four parts:
• Briefly introduce the two religions you have selected to compare and contrast.
• Identify and explain at least two commonalities between these two religions, using specific examples from the lessons.
• Identify and explain at least two differences between these two religions, using specific examples from the lessons.
• Briefly summarize & conclude your short essay. In your conclusion, explain what we can learn about religions in general by noticing both their similarities and differences.
As you develop your response, you should compare or contrast at least one example from each of the following elements of religion:
• Historical & geographic origins
• Core beliefs & doctrines
• Core rituals & practices
• Important texts & narratives
Your examples should be specific, and should cite the lesson from which your information comes, using in-text citations. Citations should use this style: (Monotheism, n.d.) or (Primal Religions, n.d.).
Refer to the completion checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Have you selected one “eastern” religion and one “western religion” discussed so far in this course?
❒ Have you briefly introduced the two religions you selected?
❒ Have you identified and explained at least two commonalities between these religions?
❒ Have you identified and explained at least two differences between these religions?
❒ Have you included at least one example from each of the given elements of religion: historical & geographic origins; core beliefs & doctrines; core rituals & practices; and important texts & narratives?
❒ Is your short essay between 400-600 words, double-spaced, and formatted in 12-point font?
❒ Have you cited examples with in-text citations?
❒ Have you proofread your short essay for mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization?
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:
• Composition must be between 400-600 words.
• Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
• Use a readable 12-point font.
• All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
• Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
• Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
• Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition.
• Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
• Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.
• In-text citations should use this style: (Monotheism, n.d.)
• References should use this style: (n.d.). Monotheism [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit2/study-guide/8161/monotheism-2