Choose 1 of the following topics for your Comparative Essay:
1. Original creation of the earth (nebular hypothesis vs. six-day creation),
2. Geologic time (billions of years vs. thousands of years),
3. Dating the rocks of the grand canyon (old earth vs. young earth),
4. Geologic paradigms (uniformitarianism vs. catastrophism), or
5. Radiocarbon dating (old-earth vs. young-earth methods/assumptions).
Content and Outline
Use the following outline when writing your paper. Each point on the outline below must be a separate section (with the section heading, as indicated) within your paper.
I. Introduction
· Indicate which topic you chose from the list above.
· Indicate the purpose of your paper (i.e., to compare old-earth and young-earth viewpoints on your chosen topic).
II. Old-Earth Secular View
· What is the old-earth secular viewpoint on your chosen topic?
o Do not discuss the old-earth creationist viewpoint on your chosen topic. For a description of old-earth creationism, go to http://www.icr.org/article/4535/.
III. Young-Earth View
· What is the young-earth viewpoint on your chosen topic?
IV. Comparison of the Viewpoints
· Comparison is articulating similarities between the 2 viewpoints.
· Be sure to provide at least 2 similarities (comparisons) between the viewpoints.
V. Contrast of the Viewpoints
· Contrast is articulating differences between the 2 viewpoints.
· Be sure to provide at least 2 differences (contrasts) between the viewpoints.
VI. Conclusion
· Provide a summary statement for your paper.
· Be sure to restate your purpose.
· Do not introduce new material in your conclusion.
Length
This paper must be 1,000–1,500 words. Do not exceed this word limit. The title page and bibliography page do not count toward this word total.
Format
There is no need to include an abstract in your paper.
Sources
Your Comparative Essay must include at least 4 scholarly sources in addition the course textbooks. Of these required sources, 2 must be from an old-earth perspective and 2 from a young-earth perspective. Acceptable sources include journal articles, manuscripts, scholarly textbooks, and/or internet sites from .edu or .gov sources. Avoid internet sites from .com, .net, .org, etc. as the information contained therein is not often peer reviewed. There are exceptions to this rule (e.g., the Institute for Creation Research site is a .org site, but it has been judged a reputable site by those in the young-earth community); however, as a general rule, avoid these sites. In particular, avoid Wikipedia. Study Bibles are also not appropriate for this assignment.
