A Book from the Hebrew Bible
Research Paper Due 11:59PM, November 7, 2018, you will be required to submit a paper to our Canvas page that is, at minimum, 1,500 words in length (around 5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman font). You do not need to submit a hard copy of your paper unless asked to do so. Due to the nature of this class, there are several important works that we were not able to cover in detail in lectures or assigned readings. Therefore, you are required to conduct a research project on one of the books we do not cover in this course. You must choose one of the following books in the Bible: Micah Joel Zephaniah Malachi Nahum Habakkuk This research paper is a descriptive essay designed for you to present your own understanding and evaluation of scholarly arguments. Your paper should demonstrate familiarity with both the primary biblical material and the secondary scholarship. As such, you are expected to offer a summary of the primary document along with the ways scholars have interpreted its overall message and key passages. The essay should address the following questions: (1) what is the historical context behind the composition of the book and what events is it addressing; (2) what are the main characteristics of the book or its primary message; (3) how does it relate to other parts of the Bible or how does it address key themes in the Deuteronomistic History? You are required to consult at least 3 scholarly sources aside from Coogan’s textbook and the Bible itself. Using more than three sources is encouraged. The sources you use mustcome from Strozier library or Interlibrary Loan (no internet sources!). If you have ANY questions about the validity of a source you want to use, do not be afraid to consult your professor. Due to the scarcity of resources, we ask that you leave books in the library and scan relevant sections, if possible. Please keep your classmates in mind. The main of goal of this paperis to compose a coherent and thoughtful research paper on one of the books listed above. The key to this paper is for you to show a deep knowledge of and critical engagement with one of the above books. The secondary sources are there to assist you in this goal. You mustuse them in order to receive a passing grade. Reading them will help you get a better sense of the book in question. Citations of the secondary sources, as well as any biblical citations, are expected. You must append a bibliography page to the end of your paper. The bibliography does not count towards the word length of your essay! When you use the ideas found in an author’s work, you need to make this clear in a footnote or in an in-text citation. Your citations should follow either MLA, APA, or Chicago styles, see http://guides.lib.fsu.edu/citationsfor guidance.
