Your name:
Date: 29 Nov 23

This template helps you prepare for the Comparative Human Experience final project due in Week 5.
• First, you will choose the civilizations, theme, and format for your project.
• Next, you will gather sources for your analysis and provide a brief annotation to describe the content of each

source and how it will contribute to your Final Project.
• Third, you will begin to draft an introduction and thesis statement to structure your research.
• Finally, you will outline your analysis by composing topic sentences supported with your research.

For best results, consult the Week 3 Assignment Help Sheet with Worked Examples as you fill out the template.

Follow the instructions below to complete the template, then save it to your computer with a new file name. Remember
to upload the completed template to Waypoint for grading.

Part 1: Choosing Your Topic and a Format
1. List your two chosen societies or civilizations. Include the time period you will cover for each society or civilization.

The first civilization I will use is the Ancient Greece (5th century BCE)

The second civilization that I will use is the Ancient Egypt (2000 BCE)

2. Choose one theme from the following list and write it in the box below:
• Mortality / Death
• Birth / Rebirth
• Evil
• Justice
• Truth
• Beauty
• Suffering
• Happiness
• Enslavement
• Order
• Common Good

Beauty

3. Choose one format for your project from the following list and write it in the box below:
• Research paper
• PowerPoint presentation
• Prezi
• Lesson plan
• Video Presentation

Research paper

Final Project Preparation Template

Part 2: Your Research
1. Primary Sources.

• Using an APA-formatted reference for each, list four works (literature, philosophy, theology, art, architecture, or
music) that express the theme you chose in Step 2. These works are your primary sources required for the final
project.

• Provide a brief annotation for each source, explaining its content and how it will support your Final Project.

Remember: You should list two from each of the societies or civilizations you chose in Step 1 above.

Primary Source Annotation

Work 1, Civilization 1

Duque, M. (2019). Two
Passions in Plato’s
Symposium: Diotima’s To
Kalon as a Reorientation of
Imperialistic Erōs.

Civilization 1: Plato’s “Symposium”

Duque examines Plato’s “Symposium,” a philosophical dialogue in which characters
discuss beauty, love, and desire. Duque examines Diotima’s “To Kalon” notion and
its impact on reorienting imperialistic erōs. The investigation illuminates Ancient
Greek views on beauty, aiding the Final Project’s study of aesthetic standards in the
first civilization. This material enhances the study of beauty philosophy in the
chosen civilization.

Work 2, Civilization 1

Marlowe-Cremedas, A.
(2023). The Knidian
Aphrodite: Praxiteles as
Voyeur and Feminist.

Civilization 1: Praxiteles’ sculpture of Aphrodite of Knidos

Marlowe-Cremedas (2023) analysed Praxiteles’ Aphrodite of Knidos, revealing
Ancient Greek art’s complex beauty. The article examines Praxiteles’s role as a
sculptor, voyeur, and feminist. The author shows how the Knidian Aphrodite
reflects cultural norms, beauty standards, and the artist’s special position in Ancient
Greek civilization by exploring its intricacies. This material will help the Final Project
analyze Civilization 1 by explaining Ancient Greek beauty’s cultural and artistic
roots.

Work 3, Civilization 2

Norén, A. (2020). The Reign
of Akhenaten: The
Inhabitants of Tell el-
Amarna through a Religious
Perspective.

Civilization 2: The Great Hymn to the Aten

Norén’s work illuminates Akhenaten’s religious context. The source
emphasizes “The Great Hymn to the Aten,” a sacred hymn. This ode to Aten,
the sun deity, is essential to comprehending ancient Egyptian religion,
aesthetics, and nature. Norén’s research illuminates how beauty was tied to
the divine order and Aten worship, providing context and depth to the Final
Project’s understanding of Egyptian culture.

Work 4, Civilization 2

Muller, C. E. (2021).
Displaying Displacement:
The Bust of Nefertiti and the
Ishtar Gate as Contested
Heritage.

Civilization 2: Nefertiti Bust

Muller’s article provides a useful overview of the Nefertiti Bust, a famous
Egyptian artefact. The author illuminates the Nefertiti Bust’s controversial
heritage and cultural and historical relevance. The article discusses how the
bust symbolizes beauty and Queen Nefertiti’s high standing in Egyptian
royalty. This source will help me complete my Final Project by revealing the
cultural and symbolic aspects of ancient Egyptian art and how beauty conveys
social rank and cultural values.

2. Scholarly Secondary Sources

• Using an APA-formatted reference for each, list two scholarly secondary sources relevant to the theme you
chose in Step 2. These scholarly secondary sources are required for the final project.

• Provide a brief annotation for each source, explaining its content and how it will support your Final Project.

Remember: You should list one source relevant to each of the societies or civilizations you chose in Step 1 above.

Scholarly Secondary Source Annotation

Source 1, Civilization 1

Dimitrov, D., &
Kroumpouzos, G. (2023).
Beauty perception: a
historical and contemporary
review. Clinics in
Dermatology, 41(1), 33-40.

Civilization 1: Beauty in Ancient Greek Philosophy

In Dimitrov and Kroumpouzos’s (2023) article, beauty is examined from both
historical and modern perspectives. Ancient Greek philosophers’ views on beauty
are examined in detail by the authors. This source sheds light on Ancient Greece’s
beauty values’ philosophical foundations by tracing their history. The article’s
extensive analysis of beauty in Greek philosophy will help the Final Project explain
beauty’s cultural and intellectual aspects.

Source 2, Civilization 2

Ramadan, E. (2021). Effect
of Egyptian Culture on the
Design of Jewelry (Cultural
Design Based on Ancient
Egyptian Patterns). Rupkatha
Journal on Interdisciplinary
Studies in Humanities, 13(4).

Civilization 2: Aesthetic Ideals in Ancient Egyptian Culture.

Ramadan’s (2021) article examines how Egyptian culture has shaped jewelry design,
particularly ancient Egyptian designs. In Civilization 2, which explores Aesthetic
Ideals in Ancient Egyptian Culture, the source illuminates aesthetics. It examines
how ancient Egyptians used art, particularly jewelry, to represent their values and
beliefs. This source illuminates the complex relationship between beauty, cultural
norms, and religious beliefs in ancient Egyptian culture through design, aesthetics,
and cultural symbols.

Part 3. Drafting an Introduction and Thesis Statement

1. Preliminary Introduction.

The preliminary introduction does not have to be perfectly formulated at this point. Think about the essential
background information an audience would need to put your thesis in context.

Write some ideas you have about your theme (in a few sentences) in the box below.

The concept of beauty has been prevalent for decades and in many human civilizations. Beauty is
fundamental to the way that humans view and engage with their environment. Various civilizations have
grappled with the intricacies of beauty throughout history, delving into its definitions, expressions, and
consequences. The perception and integration of beauty in the contexts of two very different societies—
Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt—will allow us to better understand how aesthetics shaped their art,
philosophy, and social mores.
Because beauty was deeply ingrained in the sociological and intellectual fabric that molded knowledge, it
encompassed more than just form’s aesthetic appeal in ancient times. For instance, the intellectual
achievements of ancient Greece are well known, as they established a link between the soul, beauty, and love.
Philosophical discussions such as Plato’s Symposium provide light on the intricate relationship between
spirituality and outward appearances. These settings demonstrate how the Greeks thought about beauty’s role
as a source of human transcendence and a reflection of the divine.
On the other hand, the concept of beauty in ancient Egypt was strongly linked to cosmic and religious ideas.
The Great Hymn to the Aten emphasizes beauty as a heavenly principle while praising the sun deity Aten’s
beauty and the universe’s harmonic order. This viewpoint was reflected in Ancient Egyptian art and

iconography, where depictions of beauty were imbued with cultural values and religious importance. For
example, the famous Nefertiti Bust represented the queen’s heavenly authority and artistic excellence.
This study will examine how various civilizations have defined beauty, shedding light on their distinctive
cultural values and philosophical beliefs. To provide a thorough analysis of the broader significance of beauty
in forming civilizations and influencing human views, the paper will also examine primary and secondary
sources. In order to understand the fundamental motives and societal effects of these two civilizations’
approaches to beauty, the study will analyze and contrast these methods.

2. Preliminary Thesis Statement.

The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should be a thesis statement to indicate the main idea of your final
project. For more help developing your thesis statement, see Writing a Thesis Statement.

Write your thesis statement in the box below.

Examining the thematic exploration of beauty in the two separate historical contexts of Ancient Greece and
Ancient Egypt shows how aesthetic ideals were closely related to philosophical ideas, religious convictions,
and social conventions in addition to being essential to artistic expression.

Part 4. Drafting a Preliminary Outline of Main Points and Supporting Sources

1. Your final project analysis should contain at least three main points for each society or civilization, placed in a
comparative context. Each main point should contain the following components:

• Clearly defined topic sentence.
• Evidence cited from the sources gathered in Part 2.

For more support, review:
• Body Paragraphs
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, & Summarizing
• APA: Citing Within Your Paper

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your first main point about the first civilization you chose. Cite
information from a source on your reference list that supports your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: In Ancient Greece, beauty was closely linked to philosophical ideas and human
relationships.

Evidence: Plato’s Symposium shows that beauty was deeply connected to philosophy and relationships in
Ancient Greece. This philosophical work’s conversations explore the deep relationship between beauty, love,
and the soul, exhibiting Greek aesthetics’ intellectual and relational components (Duque, 2019). This
approach molded creative expressions and society conventions, emphasizing the complex relationship
between intellectual reflection, interpersonal bonds, and Greek beauty.

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your first main point about the second civilization you chose. Does it
compare to or contrast with the first civilization? Cite information from a source on your reference list that supports
your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Ancient Egyptian beauty was intertwined with religious beliefs and the natural world.

Evidence: In ancient Egypt, beauty was deeply ingrained in religion and nature appreciation, as in the Great Hymn to
the Aten, which praised the sun deity Aten and the divine order of the universe (Norén, 2020). This interdependence
between aesthetics, spirituality, and environment set the Egyptian view of beauty distinct from other ancient
civilizations.

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your second main point about the first civilization you chose. Cite
information from a source on your reference list that supports your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Sculpture in Ancient Greece emphasized the physical ideal and aesthetic harmony.

Evidence: Sculpture in Ancient Greece was a powerful medium that emphasized the physical ideal and aesthetic
harmony, as exemplified by Praxiteles’ renowned work, the Aphrodite of Knidos, which stands as a testament to the
embodiment of beauty in human form (Marlowe-Cremedas, 2023).

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your second main point about the second civilization you chose.
Does it compare to or contrast with the first civilization? Cite information from a source on your reference list that
supports your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Egyptian art and symbols depicted beauty as a representation of royal status and divinity.

Evidence: In ancient Egypt, creative expressions and symbols conveyed beauty as a potent sign of royal
position and divinity, as shown in the Nefertiti Bust (Muller, 2021).

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your third main point about the first civilization you chose. Cite
information from a source on your reference list that supports your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Philosophical discussions on beauty in Ancient Greece influenced concepts of truth and
virtue.

Evidence: Philosophical discussions on beauty in Ancient Greece, as examined by Dimitrov and
Kroumpouzos (2023), had a profound influence on shaping concepts of truth and virtue, demonstrating the
interconnectedness of aesthetics and moral values in the intellectual discourse of Greek civilization.

Write a topic sentence in the box below to shape your third main point about the second civilization you chose. Does
it compare to or contrast with the first civilization? Cite information from a source on your reference list that supports
your topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Aesthetic ideals in ancient Egypt played a role in communicating religious beliefs and
cultural norms.

Evidence: As Ramadan (2021) demonstrates, ancient Egyptian aesthetics communicated religious and societal
conventions, creating a unique visual language that helped define Egyptian civilization.

2. In addition to the in-text citations you have provided with your topic sentences, your final project analysis should also
contain an APA-formatted references list containing your four primary sources and two scholarly sources.

Place your reference list in the box below.

Dimitrov, D., & Kroumpouzos, G. (2023). Beauty perception: a historical and contemporary review. Clinics
in Dermatology, 41(1), 33-40.

Duque, M. (2019). Two Passions in Plato’s Symposium: Diotima’s To Kalon as a Reorientation of
Imperialistic Erōs.

Marlowe-Cremedas, A. (2023). The Knidian Aphrodite: Praxiteles as Voyeur and Feminist.

Muller, C. E. (2021). Displaying Displacement: The Bust of Nefertiti and the Ishtar Gate as Contested
Heritage.

Norén, A. (2020). The Reign of Akhenaten: The Inhabitants of Tell el-Amarna through a Religious
Perspective

Ramadan, E. (2021). Effect of Egyptian Culture on the Design of Jewelry (Cultural Design Based on Ancient Egyptian
Patterns). Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 13(4).

Tip! For help with formatting your references list, use APA: Formatting Your Reference List.