RELIGIOUS MYSTICISM

Sufism [Islam] Christian MysticismKabbalism [Judaism]Neo-Vedanta/Bhakti [Hinduism]

CHOOSE A FOCUS TOPIC Via Negativa – Asceticism, Self-Denial Role of Poetry, Art, Dance Beliefs about Human Nature –

Good/Evil Salvation and After-Life Union (with God/other

humans/creation) Ethics, Moral Foundation (right/wrong

action) Prayer, Meditation, Mantras Group-Defined Topic (clear with

teacher)

Academic Databases: Start Here!

Reliable Sources for Academic Research Editorial Review Added Value: Citations, Subject

Indexing Contents:

Academic Journals Newspapers, Magazines Reference Works

GENERAL BACKGROUND

search term: Mysticism MIHS DATABASES Access from MIHS Library Page/MIHS site http://www.mercerislandschools.org/domain/100 EBSCOHOST: see Subjects, left column eLibrary: use the Topics tab, find starred

Research Topics – pre-coordinated searches ProQuest: see Related Searches Gale Virtual Ref Library: Good Overviews

Add specific terms to narrow for your focus

Internet SourcesInternet Public Library <ipl.org> Portal site of

websites previewed for academic reliability.“The Academic Google”Best strategy: search specific religions/mystic

traditions by name.Use Boolean Operators and Quotation Marks

to make your search more inclusive/precise:

Sufi OR SufismKabbala OR Kabala OR cabala “Neo-Vedanta” OR Vedanta OR Bhakti

You Evaluate ‘open’Internet Sources!

(including ipl.org sites)

Bias – Does site promote/undermine topic? Credibility – Author/Publisher credentials? Corroborated – Info also appears

elsewhere? Currency – Recently updated? Maintained? Cited by others, linked by other sites?

Alexa.com to review usage

Citation Help

Suggested Tool: EasyBib

Create individual Works Cited page Share with others to create

combined page Must have EasyBib (free) account to

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