Comments to Poster from Classmates

From Seavy:
I think you are off to a great start. You obviously possess a vested interest in Scientology, which is shown in your poster. You seem to already know a good deal about Scientology, and your enthusiasm will serve as a catalyst. That being said, your analysis so far is very complete and you present a very clear depiction of Scientology and all of its elements. Your history of the new religion is very detailed, particularly the aspect of moral teachings. Everything looks good so far. The only advice I would give is to just dig deeper. Nice work, I look forward to learning more about Scientology!

Matt J:
Your poster seemed to have a really good focus on where you are going with your research as well you have a clear question that you are addressing. You have legitimate information about the background and protests of Scientology. All the information you had was convincing and added to the substance of your research. There will definitely be a lot of information and one thing you may want to hit on is how much Scientologists actually live differently than the average moral person and see how it affects different aspects of their life. A good point you had was how it costs a lot of money to join and how most religions don't have a fee for their followers. It seems you have a clear vision for where you want to go.

Wilson Jones:
- Good poster, very interesting topic, certainly a hot current event that many people are interested in
- You seem interested in the topic - you should try to visit the church in Charlotte
- Sounds like you have a good source with the Duke professor that recently wrote the paper you discovered on Scientology
- Lots of skepticism, uncertainty, lack of facts because of the secrecy of the religion; must make sure you find legitimate and reliable sources
- Maybe narrow your search to a few main scholars in the field and answer your topic question based on their ideas

Michael S:
William’s topic of Scientology as a religion or cult is a very interesting and captivating topic. He already has a lot of sources that are excellent and seems to have an incredible grasp of the subject. I think you should spread some light on past cults and their outlandish claims and how it has ended up (i.e. Charles Manson). You can also compare it to other major and growing religions. Your source with the religion professor can be a great asset as a primary source in your project.

William Nutt:
While your research question seems a bit broad, it accurately represents what you plan to study, and I don’t think it requires and specification. The content of your poster provides thorough background information about Scientology, but does not necessarily represent what you will be researching, which seems to be the structure and processes of the organization as a whole. You clearly stated your research objective and I believe it is neither too broad nor too specific. You should be able to find an appropriate amount of information to thoroughly answer your question, while remaining busy throughout the semester. While it is not so much apparent visually, it is obvious that you have established an appropriate course of action as far as beginning your research. I know very little about Scientology, and your topic seems fascinating. I look forward to following your progress.