BI 53002

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BI 5300-2
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What Is Research?

• Research can be defined as a method of study
  that, through careful investigation of all
  evidence bearing on a definable problem, arrives
  at a solution.
• To research a topic is to collect, organize,
  evaluate, and present data.
• The process cannot take place with analysis and
  synthesis, for research is more than a
  compilation of information.

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What Is Research?

• Research is a (1) systematic search for (2)
  adequate information to reach (3) objective
  knowledge of a (4) specific topic. --Isaac
  Felipe Azofeifa
• 1. Systematic search
• Requires effort doesnt just happen.
• Researcher must develop and use a clear method
  and a logical system.
• Requires time, energy, thought, effort.

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What Is Research?

• 2. Adequate information
• Research seeks precise answers to the questions
  being asked.
• Information presented must (1) be from
  authoritative sources, (2) speak to the problem,
  and (3) be duly documented.

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What Is Research?

• 2. Adequate information
• Research seeks precise answers to the questions
  being asked.
• Information presented must (1) be from
  authoritative sources, (2) speak to the problem,
  and (3) be duly documented.

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What Is Research?

• 3. Objective knowledge
• To reach objective knowledge, must have prior
  knowledge of the topic.
• To this prior knowledge, facts will be added.
• Research is done with the head and not the heart.

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What Is Research?

• 4. Specific Topic
• Impossible to do adequate research on a large
  topic.
• The research paper is not an encyclopedia.
• A specific, clearly delineated problem is the
  only one that can be solved.

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The Research Process

• In its simplest form, the process to be followed
  in research is to (1) identify, (2) collect, (2)
  evaluate, and (4) present.

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The Research Process

• Identify
• Once a topic is selected, one must identify the
  problem or issue to be tackled.
• Issue must be specific, often expressed as a
  research question.

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The Research Process

• Collect
• After know exactly what the problem to be solved
  is, can begin collecting data.
• Gather information from many sources.
• Organize data in a way that is clear and logical
  to you and others.

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The Research Process

• Evaluate
• After gathering information, must analyze and
  evaluate it.
• Not all sources are equally valuable.

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The Research Process

• Present
• Must draw conclusions regarding the solution of
  the problem.
• Must write a research report that gives a clear
  view of the problem, of the information gathered,
  and of the solution reached.

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Kinds of Research

• Most of the different types of papers and
  assignments in theological education are listed
  and briefly described in Vyhmeister, pp. 3-4.

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Kinds of Research

• While all these papers are different, these
  general attributes are expected in any of them.
• Correct English, including spelling, grammar,
  syntax and paragraph construction.
• Clarity of expression.
• Logical organization.

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Kinds of Research

• While all these papers are different, these
  general attributes are expected in any of them.
• 4. Appropriate introduction and summary.
• 5. Conclusions naturally derived from evidence.
• 6. Correct format (in most seminaries, this
  format is Turabian).

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What Research Is Not

• 1) Simply a compilation of quotations.
• 2) Simply rewriting other peoples words and
  ideas into a neat description.
• 3) A defense or apology of my own convictions.
• 4) Polemical.
• 5) The presentation of ones own opinions.
• 6) A sermon.

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What Research Is Not

• 1) Simply a compilation of quotations.
• Quotations are used to document and clarify
  findings.
• Good research and writing demonstrates that one
  has assimilated and synthesized the material and
  drawn logical conclusions.

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What Research Is Not

• 2) Simply rewriting other peoples words and
  ideas into a neat description.
• May describe the high school done from an
  encyclopedia.
• At college level need to analyze and organize
  ideas into appropriate thought boxes.

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What Research Is Not

• 3) A defense or apology of my own convictions.
• May ignore unfavorable evidence.
• If a position is tenable, research can defend it.
• Cant allow unsound arguments, even for a good
  cause.

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What Research Is Not

• 4) Polemical.
• Object to clearly present truth, not to fight
  others positions.
• Good research presents truth in such a logical
  and convincing way that there is no need for
  harsh language.

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What Research Is Not

• 5) The presentation of ones own opinions.
• Research demands showing facts, data,
  information.
• The reader must be able to follow the logic and
  evidence to see how conclusions were reached.

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What Research Is Not

• 6) A Sermon
• Research seeks to inform and convince the mind.
• Research vocabulary is free of superlatives and
  emotional language.

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The Value of Research

• Learning to do research teaches one how to
  recognize a problem and how to go about solving
  it.
• Writing a paper can teach one far more than a
  teacher could.
• Preparing a quality research paper teaches skills
  of observation, analysis, synthesis and judgment.

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The Value of Research

• Finally, the preparation of a research paper
  gives opportunity for the development of good
  writing skills.

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Choosing A Topic

• VERY GENERAL
• The Divinity of Christ in the NT
• MORE SPECIFIC
• The Divinity of Christ in the Gospel of John
• MUCH BETTER
• Christ as the Bread of Life in John 6

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Choosing A Topic

• Topic goes from
• Shallow to Deep
• Impossible to Feasible

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Choosing A Topic

• STEPS in choosing topic
• Reading
• Asking Questions
• Narrowing Scope
• Even when topic is assigned, following these
  steps can result in better topic.

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Choosing A Topic

• Reading
• Textbooks
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Key Move from general to specific
• As read, note information on sources (to find
  again)
• As read, take notes
• Be especially attentive to questions reading
  brings up.

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Of yourself
• Of your peers
• Of your professors
• Of what you read

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Can help you determine if you have a good topic
• Can narrow the topic focus on an issue to
  research

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Concerning
• Content
• Feasibility

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 1) Questions on organization of the topic
• What are its parts?
• Of what larger whole is this a part?
• Sources?
• Subdivisions (outline) of encyclopedia article
• Table of contents of a book

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 2) Questions regarding history of the topic
• What has been written on this topic?
• Is this a controversial topic?
• Are lines already drawn between opposing sides
  over this topic?
• What can I add to this history?

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 3) Questions regarding usefulness of topic
• What good is this topic?
• How can I use the results of my research?
• Besides me, who will benefit from my work?

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 1) Do I have the necessary sources to do this
  research?
• Heb. worddo I have lexicons, word studies?
• 2) Am I qualified to do this research?
• Heb. worddo I know Hebrew?

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 3) Do I have enough time to complete research
  before the due date?
• Interlibrary loan
• Interviewing someone hundreds of miles away

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Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 4) Does this research demand costs that I cannot
  afford?
• Mailing questionnaires

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Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Delimitationslimits that make the topic better,
  clearer, more manageable
• Delimiting indispensablein good research,
  researcher responsible for turning up and
  examining every single piece of information on a
  topic

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Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Think of research as fencing off land and turning
  every stone.
• If area is too big, dont have time to turn all
  the stones.

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Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 1) Time
• Research project studying the chronology of kings
  of Judah could take years
• Wiser to do chronology of Josiah
• Having set the time limitation, no one will ask
  why you didnt include other kings

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Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 2) Sources
• Divorce passages in Matthew 5 and Mark 10
• Cant be called into question as to why didnt
  include latest book on divorce

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Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 3) Aspects
• Paper in theology of worshipexclude contemporary
  music
• No room for that discussion
• Notedont go too far make sure the
  delimitations make as much sense to others as to
  you

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Planning Research

• Define the problem
• Write a proposal
• Prepare tentative outline

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Planning Research

• Basic Steps
• Define the problem (issue, research question)
• Determine the purpose
• Design a methodology

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Planning Research

• 1) Define the problem
• Problem should point to
• A gap in knowledge
• An unclear situation
• An unresolved question
• A lack of information
• An unknown
• A specific question to be investigated

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Planning Research

• 1) Define the problem
• Characteristics
• Problem must be clearly statedexactly what is to
  be researched
• E.g., there is disagreement regarding the exact
  date of the death of Josiah

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Planning Research

• 1) Define the problem
• Characteristics
• Often problem can be expressed in a question in
  which a direct answer may be given
• E.g., what is the relation between tithing and
  the receiving of Gods blessings

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Planning Research

• 2) Determining the purpose
• Are you going to
• Analyze?
• Compare?
• Reconstruct?
• Synthesize?
• Design a program?

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Planning Research

• 2) Determining the purpose
• Purpose follows on the heels of the problem
• E.g., if problem is that there is no information,
  purpose will be to find information
• E.g., there seems to be a disagreement between
  two of Jesus sayings on peace, purpose will be
  to find harmony or understand the difference

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Planning Research

• 2) Determining the purpose
• Examples of purposes
• To reconstruct events of a given historical
  period
• To compare two theories
• To organize certain information
• To determine the relation between two events

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Planning Research

• 2) Determining the purpose
• After completing this step, two things are
  settled
• What the issue is
• What is being done about it

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Planning Research

• 3) Design A Methodology
• How to go about solving the problem
• How am I going to do this?

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Planning Research

• 3) Design A Methodology
• If research is to be done in the library, decide
  where you are going to start and where you will
  go next
• Will you trace the history first?
• Will you do the exegesis of your text first?

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Planning Research

• 3) Design A Methodology
• List the different steps
• What will you do
• First?
• Second?
• Third?
• Make sure the steps are completely logical for
  the problem as presented and the purpose as
  intended.

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Planning Research

• The Proposal
• Preparing a proposal, even when not required, is
  a valuable exercise.
• Not only provides a clear guide for the research
  process, it also become the basis for the
  introduction to the paper.

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Planning Research

• Tentative Outline
• Sometimes asked for early in the research
  process.
• Even if not, prepare one before proceeding with
  research.
• It is then adjusted by the research findings.

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Planning Research

• Tentative Outline
• Parallelism in form is important
• Each item must have at least two subdivisions
• All subdivisions of a topic must clearly relate
  to the overall heading

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Choosing A Topic

• VERY GENERAL
• The Divinity of Christ in the NT
• MORE SPECIFIC
• The Divinity of Christ in the Gospel of John
• MUCH BETTER
• Christ as the Bread of Life in John 6

59
Choosing A Topic

• Topic goes from
• Shallow to Deep
• Impossible to Feasible

60
Choosing A Topic

• STEPS in choosing topic
• Reading
• Asking Questions
• Narrowing Scope
• Even when topic is assigned, following these
  steps can result in better topic.

61
Choosing A Topic

• Reading
• Textbooks
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Key Move from general to specific
• As read, note information on sources (to find
  again)
• As read, take notes
• Be especially attentive to questions reading
  brings up.

62
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Of yourself
• Of your peers
• Of your professors
• Of what you read

63
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Can help you determine if you have a good topic
• Can narrow the topic focus on an issue to
  research

64
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions
• Concerning
• Content
• Feasibility

65
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 1) Questions on organization of the topic
• What are its parts?
• Of what larger whole is this a part?
• Sources?
• Subdivisions (outline) of encyclopedia article
• Table of contents of a book

66
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 2) Questions regarding history of the topic
• What has been written on this topic?
• Is this a controversial topic?
• Are lines already drawn between opposing sides
  over this topic?
• What can I add to this history?

67
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions on content
• 3) Questions regarding usefulness of topic
• What good is this topic?
• How can I use the results of my research?
• Besides me, who will benefit from my work?

68
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 1) Do I have the necessary sources to do this
  research?
• Heb. worddo I have lexicons, word studies?
• 2) Am I qualified to do this research?
• Heb. worddo I know Hebrew?

69
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 3) Do I have enough time to complete research
  before the due date?
• Interlibrary loan
• Interviewing someone hundreds of miles away

70
Choosing A Topic

• Asking Questions On Feasibility
• 4) Does this research demand costs that I cannot
  afford?
• Mailing questionnaires

71
Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Delimitationslimits that make the topic better,
  clearer, more manageable
• Delimiting indispensablein good research,
  researcher responsible for turning up and
  examining every single piece of information on a
  topic

72
Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Think of research as fencing off land and turning
  every stone.
• If area is too big, dont have time to turn all
  the stones.

73
Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 1) Time
• Research project studying the chronology of kings
  of Judah could take years
• Wiser to do chronology of Josiah
• Having set the time limitation, no one will ask
  why you didnt include other kings

74
Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 2) Sources
• Divorce passages in Matthew 5 and Mark 10
• Cant be called into question as to why didnt
  include latest book on divorce

75
Choosing A Topic

• Narrowing The Topic
• Types of Delimitation
• 3) Aspects
• Paper in theology of worshipexclude contemporary
  music
• No room for that discussion
• Notedont go too far make sure the
  delimitations make as much sense to others as to
  you

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Bibliographic Entries

• Author
• Hunter, George H. Church for the Unchurched.
  Nashville Abingdon, 1996.
• More Than One Author
• Anderson, Gerald H., Robert T. Coote, Norman A.
  Horner, and James M. Phillips. Mission Legacies
  Biographical Studies of Leaders of the Modern
  Missionary Movement. Maryknoll, NY Orbis,
  1994.
• Editor
• McGavran, Donald, ed. The Conciliar-Evangelical
  Debate The Crucial Documents, 1964-1976. South
  Pasedena, CA William Carey, 1977.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Committee or Corporate Author
• United Nations. Yearbook of the United Nations.
  New York Department of Public Information,
  United Nations, 1992.
• No Author Given
• The Illustrated Bible Encyclopedia. 3 vols.
  Wheaton, IL Tyndale, 1980.
• Edition
• Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early
  Christianity. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids Eerdmans,
  1993.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Multivolume Works
• Balz, Horst, and Gerhard Schneider, eds.
  Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. 3
  vols. Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1990-1993.
• Series
• Overholt, Thomas W. Prophecy in Cross-cultural
  Perspective. SBL Sources for Biblical Study, 17.
  Atlanta Scholars Press, 1986.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Place of Publication
• The Illustrated Bible Dictionary. 3 vols.
  Wheaton, IL Tyndale, 1980.
• Publisher
• Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early
  Christianity. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids Eerdmans,
  1993.
• Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early
  Christianity. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan
  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Date of Publication
• Magil, Joseph. The Englishmans Hebrew-English
  Old Testament Genesis-2 Samuel. New York
  Hebrew Publishing, 1905 reprint, Grand Rapids
  Zondervan, 1974.
• Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament
  Pseudepigrapha. 2 vols. Garden City, NY
  Doubleday, 1983-1985.
• Robertson, A. T. Word Pictures in the New
  Testament. 6 vols. Nashville Broadman,
  1930- 1933. 6137-180.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Magazines and Journals
• Bass, Dorothy. Receiving the Day the Lord Has
  Made. Christianity Today, 6 March 2000, 63-67.
• Costas, Orlando E. The Mission of Ministry.
  Missiology 14 (1986)463-471.
• Merling, David. The Search for Noahs Ark.
  College and University Dialogue 11, no. 3
  (1999)5-8.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Chapter in a book edited by another
• Larson, Donald N. The Viable Missionary
  Learner, Trader, Story Teller. In Perspectives
  on the World Christian Movement A Reader, ed.
  Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne,
  444-451. Pasadena, CA William Carey Library,
  1992.
• Signed article in dictionary or encyclopedia
• Jepsen, Alfred. Heb. Word. Theological
  Dictionary of the Old Testament. Edited by G.
  Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringren.
  Translated by John T. Willis. Grand Rapids
  Eerdmans, 1974-. 1292-323.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Dissertation
• Cheatham, Carl Wade. Social Christianity A
  Study of English Nonconformist Social Attitudes,
  1880- 1914. Ph.D. dissertation, Vanderbilt
  University, Graduate School of Religion, 1982.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Two or more items by exactly same author
• Dybdahl, Jon. Exodus God Creates a People.
  Abundant Life Amplifier. Boise, ID Pacific
  Press, 1994.
• ________. Old Testament Grace. Boise, ID Pacific
  Press, 1970.

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Bibliographic Entries

• Annotated Bibliography
• Rouse, Ruth, and Stephen C. Neill, eds. A History
  of the Ecumenical Movement. 2nd ed. With rev.
  bibliography. 2 vols. Philadelphia Westminster
  Press, 1967-1970.
• A survey covering the period from the Reformation
  to 1968, this is an authoritative work with
  essays by many scholars in the field. Each
  volume includes an extensive classified
  bibliography, an analytical subject index, and an
  author index. Vol. 1 covers 1517-1948 vol. 2
  covers 1948-1968. Vol. 2 was edited by Harold
  Fey.

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Bibliography

• Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament
  Pseudepigrapha. 2 vols. Garden City, NY
  Doubleday, 1983-1985.
• Magil, Joseph. The Englishmans Hebrew-English
  Old Testament Genesis-2 Samuel. New York
  Hebrew Publishing, 1905 reprint, Grand Rapids
  Zondervan, 1974.
• Robertson, A. T. Word Pictures in the New
  Testament. 6 vols. Nashville Broadman,
  1930- 1933. 6137-180.

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Reading
• Bacon--Some books should be tasted others
  swallowed.
• Research readingbeyond early exploratory
  readingtakes time and thought.
• Search for information and concepts demands
  concentration, determination, and time.

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Reading
• Research reading demands the understanding of---
• 1) words
• 2) phrases and sentences
• 3) paragraphs
• 4) the chapter (summarize in 3 sentences)
• 5) the book (summarize in paragraph)

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Reading
• Research reading begins with information about
  author, pub., date, etc.
• Back cover, dust jacket, title page verso,
  table of contents, introduction (authors
  purpose, recognized limitations of work, intended
  audience, organization of book).

92
Reading and Taking Notes

• Reading
• Next, read or browse concluding chapter in which
  author summarizes and draws conclusions.
• Only then are ready for the body of the book.
• Rules (among others) for reading
• Take notes.
• Make a schedule and stick to it.

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Evaluating Sources
• 1) Who is author? What written, areas of
  expertise, etc.?
• 2) Who is publisher? Learned or popular books?
• 3) Is the journal recognized as a specialized and
  serious journal?
• Time vs. Biblical Archaeology Review vs. Biblical
  Archaeologist

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Evaluating Sources
• 4) Date? 1907 pub. may only be useful to the
  history of your problem.
• 5) Authors purpose? Can safely judge a serious
  book on basis of its introduction.
• 6) Style of writing popular or serious? Quoted
  conversations, colorful language and abundant
  contractionssuspect.
• 7) Bibliography? Notes? Extensive? Complete?

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Reading and Taking Notes

• Evaluating Sources
• 8)Tables? Graphs? Maps?
• 9) Table of Contents detailed? Index? (In modern
  Eng-language books, index is often a mark of a
  good research source.)
• 10) Footnotes, bibliographyworks recent and
  writers specialists in field? (Recent work
  sometimes cites old works.)
• 11) Tone of writing? Sober and objective?
  Emotional? (Language, strong content, weak)

96
Reading and Taking Notes

• Evaluating Sources
• 12) Writing clear and easy to read? (Good
  research writing is simple and straightforward.)
• 13) Has source been translated? (Re-edited book
  deemed significant.)
• 14) Primary source?
• Vatican IIdocuments put out by council.
• Book that comments on them is secondary.
• These questions? Literary criticism.

97
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Manual notetaking
• Computer notetaking
• Time spent taking proper notes is time saved in
  total process.
• No way to do good research without taking good
  notes.

98
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Note cards
• Same size
• One item per card
• Bibliography cards on different size or type or
  color of paper
• Filing System
• Card (divider) (larger, stiffer, different color)
  for each section of paper envisioned
• Take notes as needed as read

99
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Parts of the Note Card (heading, text, source)
• Heading
• Correspond to sections of paper
• As change outline, must revise headings
• Always written in same place on card (upper right
  hand corner)

100
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Parts of the Note Card (heading, text, source)
• Text (direct quotation, summary, reaction to)
• Direct quotations
• Exact
• No spelling or punctuation variation
• Use sic with evident error
• Ellipsis for any omission ( )
• 4 dots for break between sentences.

101
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Parts of the Note Card (heading, text, source)
• Text (direct quotation, summary, reaction to)
• Summaries
• Dont change sense or thrust of authors thought
• Label them as summaries.
• Comments
• Jot down impressions.
• Give them a heading.
• Point to item that triggered reaction.
• Date them.

102
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Parts of the Note Card (heading, text, source)
• Text (direct quotation, summary, reaction to)
• Source
• Authors name and pages usually.
• Two books by author two authors by same name

103
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Computer Notetaking
• Subdivide page by 4 or 6 pages.
• Put in appropriate headings, sub-headings.
• Be careful with numbers on 2-page notes.
• Keep two files at onceone bib cards, one content
  notes.
• Print, cut up, sort manually.
• As write paper, paste quotation from content file.

104
Reading and Taking Notes

• Taking Good Notes
• Useful advice
• Keep card to one idea, one reference, one precise
  piece of information.
• Written only on one side (can then be moved
  without disturbing whole).
• When to quote? When an author expresses an idea
  with lucidity or in picturesque words, probably
  should quote.
• When in doubt, quote.

105
Footnotes Why, When, How

• Why?
• 1) To indicate authority behind statements made,
  to strengthen researchers assertions.
• 2) To help scholar easily the materials referred
  to.
• 3) to honestly admit intellectual indebtedness to
  another author.

106
Footnotes Why, When, How

• When?
• Reference note when need to show source of
  quotation or source of an idea even when
  expressed in authors words.
• None needed when words are the authors or are
  common knowledge.

107
Footnotes Why, When, How

• When?
• Provide information that could disrupt or
  unnecessarily complicate the text.
• Content notes may be used when would enrich or
  enhance the elaboration of ideas.
• If a content note quotes or cites, it must give a
  source.

108
Footnotes Why, When, How

• How?
• Content notesbe clear, logical, and as short as
  possible.
• Reference appears after the content.
• Format? Vhymeister, p. 64.

109
Footnotes Why, When, How

• Second or Later References
• Ref. made to same source twice, consecutively,
  the 2nd ref. is given as ibid.
• Ibid.
• Ibid, p. 39.
• TWOT, 1157.
• Turabian, A Manual, 46 idem, Students Guide, 68.

110
Organizing The Paper

• Summary and Conclusions
• Summarizes the findings and draws conclusions.
• Summary briefonly as long as needed to bring the
  issues into focus.
• Remember that many paper/dissertation readers
  never read more than the introduction and
  summary/conclusions. Everything you want readers
  to know about your research must be in those two
  places. Vhymeister, p. 84.

111
Organizing The Paper

• Body (organization methods)
• Chronological (historical topics)
• Spatial (geographical)reporting research on
  ancient city
• Comparativecomparing beliefs concerning death in
  two world religions
• Cause-to-effectstudy of rapid growth of
  Christianity in ___________
• Unfolding methodceremonies of Israelite
  tabernacle

112
Writing the Paper

• Research English
• Uses simple, concise, and clear language.
• Impersonal, objective, formal, dignified, factual
  and unabiased.
• Avoid passive voice, the writer, the
  researcher, we.
• Use active voice write naturally, directly.
• Not I decided to limit this paper
• The natural limits of the topic determined

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Writing the Paper

• Research English
• Well-written paper will not contain as many
  adverbs and adjectives as nouns and verbs.
• Research language is standard, not colloquial it
  never uses slang.
• Religion students tempted to use sermonic
  language rather than research language.

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Writing the Paper

• The Paragraph
• Paper only as strong as the weakest paragraph.
• P. should be all about one topic.
• Length determined by how much has to be said
  about the matter.
• If paragraph fills more than one computer screen,
  it is suspect.
• One sentence not a paragraph.
• Unity and coherence key elements.

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Writing the Paper

• The Paragraph
• Sample Expository Paragraphs
• Vyhmeister, p. 94f.
• Transitions and Introductions
• Vyhmeister, p. 96f.

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Writing the Paper

• The Writing Process
• Allow time to write one complete section in one
  sitting no need to get the feel of things
  again.
• Let 1st draft rest a day or so.
• With 2nd draft a reader or listener becomes an
  important toolfriend or spouse.

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Writing the Paper

• The Writing Process
• Revising (Looking For)
• 1. Flow of ideas
• 2. Coherence
• 3) Bridges (from one topic to another no abrupt
  changes of thought)
• 4) Logic of organization
• 5) Weak spots or omissions
• 6) Awkward sentences
• 7) Unnecessary words

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 1) Determine the Canonical Process
• Understand how the passage fits in the Bible as a
  whole.
• Understand the kind of Biblical literature the
  text is part of.
• Understand the context of the text within the
  book.

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 2) Establish The Text
• Determine as accurately as possible the original
  text.
• Tools Hebrew Bible, Greek Testament, Textual
  commentary on Greek NT, comparison of various
  translations.

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 3) Establish The Translation
• What does the original text say?
• To answer, take into account vocabulary and
  grammar.
• Tools dictionaries grammars, Logos Research
  Systems, BibleWorks 5, www.biblestudytools.com

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 4) Establish The Meaning
• What does the passage mean?
• Study the syntax (structure) of the sentences
  look for any element that might modify the first,
  direct and obvious translation of a passage.
• Investigate the meaning of important words.

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 5) Establish the Historical and Geographical
  Context
• What was happening at the time this passage was
  written that might explain the text?
• Social, political and economic conditions.
• Geography and climate.
• Biblical archaeology.

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 6) Establish the Original Theological Meaning
• What did the passage mean to those who first
  heard or read it?
• At this point, read commentaries to check you
  conclusions.

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Steps In Exegetical Process

• 7) Establish the Application for Today
• Apply the doctrinal meaning to todays church or
  individual Christian.
• This step not required in a theoretical paper,
  but is a necessary step for teaching and
  preaching.

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