Topic. Above all, choose something that interests you. It should relate in some way to the subject of this course, Judaism, but can take many forms. You choose a topic because it matters. Think about why. Does it help us understand a certain text or people better? Does it clear away misconceptions? Does it relate to something going on today? I suggest that you begin your paper with some general statements relating to the importance of your topic. Please do not begin with “Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines such and such as…” This has become a terrible cliché.
2. Central thesis. Somewhere in your first paragraph you should have a sentence that is your basic case that you want to make. Tell the reader what you are about to prove to them.
3. Bring your evidence. Explain to the reader why you think your thesis is correct. You may bring verses from primary texts, historical events, ideas or quotes from reputable scholars, or examples.
4. Cite your sources. You may use footnotes or notes in parentheses (Setzer 1). I am not so fussy about which form you use, but I am very fussy that you not pass off another person’s ideas as your own. This is plagiarism and will mean your paper goes to the dean and you get an F. Look at “Purdue OWL” online for help.
5. Use good judgment in picking sources. If something is on the internet, be especially careful. When was the book or source written? Interesting, but not critical or current. For Judaism, there are white supremacist or Holocaust denier sites that masquerade as historical research.
6. Avoid passive voice. In the humanities, we discourage passive voice in papers as it sounds less forceful. Occasionally it is appropriate. Which is more effective, “I made a mistake,” or “Mistakes were made?”
7. If there are challenges to your thesis, explain how you can refute or qualify them. For example, “Most people think that Jews went meekly to their deaths, but the example of the Warsaw ghetto uprising challenges that image.”
