Major Research Paper: Instructions for selecting a topic

During the next week you should be thinking about and selecting a topic for the major research paper that you will be starting to research in a few weeks. On March 13th Dianne Legg, the reference librarian at Wilson Library will explain how to use the library and Lumina to do library research. You will need to be able to identify the general topic that you will be doing research on by then. Your general topic will be written down and handed in to the instructor on that day.

The largest written assignment in this course will be a research paper which you will be starting shortly using correct APA format. It will be 10 pages with a Cover sheet, Abstract, Body of the Text, References, and Appendix. This will require library research, outlining, a first draft, revision, editing and peer review, proofreading, and a final draft. This is writing as an academic researcher for an academic audience e.g. your professors.

Description: Students will have read Michael Harner's article on the historical connection between hallucinogens and medieval witchcraft, Ronald Siegel's Scientific American medical research article on hallucinations, and a case study involving Sheila, a nurse who experienced hypnogogic hallucinations resulting from sleep deprivation. Following analysis of these articles students will select a major religion, author, scientist, artist, or philosopher, and do library research to determine if, in their judgment, there is any evidence of a connection between what the medical literature describes as altered states of consciousness (ASC's) and specific historical descriptions of religious experience, moments of scientific and philosophical insight or creativity, or artistic "vision." Students should describe the issues involved, formulate a hypothesis, do library research, critically evaluate their sources, report their findings, persuasively argue their position, and reach a conclusion. Students must incorporate their prior readings from Siegel and Harner into the paper and extend this knowledge by demonstrating synthetic or interdisciplinary thinking with the topic or field that they have chosen to research. This requires imagination and synthesis as well as critical analysis. Choose a topic that you are personally interested in.

Some examples of possible people or topics (you are not limited to just these topics):

Joan of Arc (history)

Jean Jacques Rousseau (philosophy)

Salvador Dali (surrealist artist)

Vincent Van Gogh (impressionist artist)

Carlos Castaneda (novelist)

Balzac, Baudelaire, the younger Dumas, or Victor Hugo (authors)

Any chapter of Ronald Siegel's Fire in the Brain (medical research on different types of hallucinations).

The Beatles psychedelic period, Jim Morrison, etc. (music)

Nicholas Black Elk ("Black Elk Speaks" - Lakota religion)

"Near Death" Experiences

Neuropsychological studies and Poisoning case studies by medical doctors (medicine)

Albert Einstein's thought experiments (science)

UFOs (e.g. see Ronald Siegel's chapter in "Fire in the Brain")

The reasons for truck driver or airline pilot legislation that limits their hours "behind the wheel." (law)

Terrance McKenna and DMT case studies (a drug that is associated with "alien encounters")

Peyote cults (religion)

Voodoo (religion)

Mayan religion (anthropology)

Hallucinations by POW's or victims of torture.

Hallucinations by cavers (people who explore caves).

Use of the drug Ecstasy at Raves (anthropology)

Shamanism (religion and anthropology)

Rock Art (archaeology)