Proverbs Theme Paper: Outline – Theme: Fool
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to recognize the use and reuse of thematic material in Proverbs and to discern how themes such as the Fool, Friends, Family, Life and Death, Adultery, and the Drunkard contribute to the shape and function of Proverbs as a book of “wisdom.” Using one of the themes listed here, you will write a Proverbs Theme Paper over the course of the next several weeks. Being familiar with the existing conversation on the topic (i.e. “research”) is the beginning of writing any academic paper.
· Proverbs Theme Paper Part 2: Outline – Due in Module/Week 5
· Proverbs Theme Paper Final – Due in Module/Week 6
Prompt: For this assignment, you need to choose a theme and provide an annotated bibliography of at least five academic resources. Following each properly formatted (Chicago/Turabian) reference, you need to provide two things:
1. Summarize the argument/information in the resource
2. Reflect on how the resource fits into your larger project.
Themes
· Fool
· Friends
· Family
· Life
· Death
Note on sources: You need at least five academic resources. “Academic” is the key operating term in the description. An academic source is one that is written by experts on the subject, peer-reviewed, and published. All of these are important aspects of an academic source. It does not mean that all academic sources are authoritative or correct, but it does mean that the academic community has approved it as a part of the larger conversation. It turns out that anyone can write things like a blog or website, regardless of their expertise. Also, they do not require any process of accountability or approval by other experts.
For this reason, five of your resources must fit the criteria of an ‘academic source’. Blogs, websites, study Bibles, and popular-level books (e.g. “The Shack”) may contain good information, but they do not count as one of your five sources. If you find such a resource that you think should be allowed (e.g. a blog written by an academic), you must get it approved by the course teacher.
Here are two hints: 1) if you cannot provide the name of a publisher and a page number, it probably does not fit the criteria, and 2) if it is free online somewhere, then it probably is not good, or at minimum is outdated.
