EN 2241-01 1 Dr. Daniel W. Howell
THE ART OF THEOLOGICAL RESEARCH WRITING
Course Syllabus
ZionBibleCollege
EN 2241-01 - 2 Credits
Spring Semester 2011
Wednesday, 1:45-2:35 p.m.
Classroom Buuilding, Room 204
Dr. Daniel W. Howell, Professor
Office: 116, Academy Hall; Campus Phone: 978-478-3462
Office hours: Wednesday,2:45-3:45 p.m. and Thursday, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Email:
Office hours:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed for those who are considering seminary and who will need to write at an advanced level. The focus of this course will be the development of writing skills: through building a better vocabulary, both theological and non-theological; by teaching the mechanics of writing a paper, such as flow of thought, transition from section to section, the art of crafting good sentences and paragraphs; instruction on correct formatting of a paper using the 7th Edition of Turabian and the Zion Writing Standard; and training in research and note taking. The course will include lecture, writing exercises, peer review, and library research. The prerequisite for this course is a C, 73 or higher, in English Composition 1.
OBJECTIVES
1.The student will cultivate their vocabulary skills.
2.The student will enlarge their basic theological vocabulary.
3.The student will be able to correctly format a paper according to the 7th Edition of Turabian and the Zion Writing Standard.
4.The student will develop their writing skills by comprehending how to craft good sentences and paragraphs and by transitioning their thoughts from paragraph to paragraph and section to section.
5.The student will develop a system of note taking.
6.The student will increase their ability to conduct theological research.
TEXTBOOKS AND REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Bartlett, John. Bartlett’s Roget Thesaurus. No City: Hachette Book Group, 2003.
Grenz, Stanley, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nording. Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1999.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th Edition. Revised by Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Wiliams. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2007.
Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Your Guide to Writing Quality Research Papers for Students of Religion and Theology. Grand Rapids: MI: Zondervan, 2008.
Webster’s Vocabulary Builder. No City: Federal Street Press, 2006.
Zion Writing Standard
Suggested Titles:
Carson, D.A. New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2007.
Longman, Tremper. Old Testament Commentary Survey, 4th Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2009.
REQUIRMENTS:
1.Reading Assignments:
a.students will be required to read Your Guide to Writing Quality Research Papers for Students for Religion and Theologypages 1-80, 103-125, 141- 188.
b.students will be required to read portions of A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th Edition.
c.students will have various research reading assignments as they relate to writing exercises.
d.reading for this two hour course will not exceed 500 pages.
2.Written Assignments:
a.there will be weekly written assignments that correspond to the lecture topic and/or objectives of this course
b.there will be no formal written paper for this course. Some assignments for this course will include evaluating various portions of papers for other classes. To this extent, each student will devise a schedule of writing for the papers of their classes.
c.students are required to review two papers written for other classes with the professor of the class. Those reviews then will be discussed as a part of this class.
3.Vocabulary;
a.there will be weekly vocabulary quizzes.
b.students will be required to do certain self-tests in the Webster’s Vocabulary Builder.
4.Exams: there will two exams, a mid-term, March 2, and a final.
POLICIES:
- Attendance:
- Students are expected to attend all class periods. Five absences are granted for illness, personal matters, or for emergencies.
- Because the class is offered back to back, one extra absence is granted (for a total of six absences). Please refer to the Student Handbook for information on excessive absences.
- If the student comes in to class after attendance is taken, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the professor of your attendance.
2.Daily assignments must be completed by the due date. Late work will be accepted but at a point loss of five points per day past the assigned date.
3.Examination and Quiz Policy
a.Exams can only be made up by the student according the following policy. Students have one-week (seven days) from the original exam date to make up the missed exam.
b.In the case of illness, the student must notify the Resident Director of his/her illness and secure from the Resident Director a “sick-slip.” The student should fill out a “Make-Up Exam” request form. Forms are located in the Office of the Academic Dean and the Office of Admissions. The completed form is to be submitted to the Office of the Academic Dean for approval and appropriate signature. The student will receive notification in their campus mail, as will the faculty member. Once the student has been approved to make up an exam he/she should schedule a time with the faculty member. The student has one-week (seven days) from the date of the original exam in which to make up the exam. The student will receive a grade of zero “0” for an exam not made up within that one-week period.
c.Students who miss an exam for non-illness reasons should fill out a “Make-Up Exam” request form. Forms are available at the Office of the Academic Dean and the Office of Admissions. The completed form is to be submitted to the Office of the Academic Dean for approval and appropriate signature. The student will receive notification in the campus mail, as will the faculty member. Once the student has been approved to make up an exam he/she should schedule a time with the faculty member. All exams are to be made up within one week (seven days) of the original exam, it is therefore imperative that a student attend to this as quickly as possible. A fee of $5.00 will be added to the student’s account. The student will receive a grade of zero “0” for any exam not made up within that one-week period.
d.The faculty member may deduct a maximum of 10 points for all non-illness related make-up exams.
4.Project Extensions
Extensions will only be granted for the following four reasons: 1) hospitalization for illness. A doctor’s note confirming such is required; 2) extended serious illness that prevents a student from attending class. This requires a doctor’s note and signature of verification from the student’s Resident Director; 3) funerals or family emergencies granted as an approved absence by the Academic Dean and Dean of Students; 4) school-approved activities. If the student meets one of these exceptions, a “Request for Extension Form” must be filled out. The form can be obtained from the Office of Admissions or the Office of the Academic Dean. If your paper is turned in after attendance is taken on November 5, you will receive an automatic point deduction of five (5) points. For each twenty-four hour period (this includes Saturday’s, Sunday’s and school breaks) the paper is not turned in, there will be a forfeiture of five (5) points from the total points. If the paper is not turned in within five twenty-four hour periods after the due date and time, an automatic score of zero (0) will be entered for the grade with no chance of making up the paper/grade. If a hard copy cannot be presented by the specified time and hour, an email copy may be presented for verification of completion with a hard copy following.
5.Plagiarism Policy
Any material, whether published or unpublished, copied from another writer, must be identified by use of quotation marks, block quotations, and documentation with specific citation of the source. Paraphrased material must likewise be attributed to the original author. As a school, intent on training men and women of integrity for the ministry Zion takes plagiarism seriously.
a.Plagiarism consists of the following categories:
i. Use of another’s ideas without giving credit;
ii. Quoting material from published or unpublished works, or oral presentation, without giving proper citation;
iii. Paraphrasing material, whether published or unpublished, written or oral, without proper citation;
iv. Copying another student’s paper, without that student’s permission.
b.Any Student found guilty of plagiarism will be subject to, but not necessarily limited to, the following discipline:
i. Faculty discipline on first offense:
• Reduction of grade
• Failure of assignment
• Letter of reprimand
ii.Academic Affairs Committee discipline on successive offense(s). Student will be subject to, but not necessarily limited to, the following discipline:
- Receiving an “F” for the course
- Removal from any extracurricular activities (second offense)
- Dismissal for one year (three or more offenses)
Faculty is to report all cases of plagiarism to the Dean of Academics in the form of a “Plagiarism Report.”
6.Cheating
Cheating consists of but is not necessarily limited to the following:
a. Using unauthorized notes or material when taking an examination;
b. Copying answers to examination questions, obtaining, or helping others to obtain, unauthorized copies of examination questions;
c. Copying another person’s class work/assignments and/or homework and submitting it as one’s own.
d. Having another student do one’s paper, or any other assignment, in whole or in part and submitting the assignment as one’s own work;
e. Allowing another student to copy one’s paper;
f. Copying another student’s paper with that student’s permission;
g.Students found guilty of cheating will therefore be subject to, but not necessarily limited to, the following discipline:
- Receive an “F” for the assignment/course;
- Dorming/Campusing
- Suspension
- Dismissal
MY EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS:
1.To be in class and alert, to participate in class discussions, and to take notes. If a student is caught using their computer or other note taking device during class for non-class purposes they will be required to leave the class and counted as absent for the day.
2.To do the assigned readings before coming to class in order to be able to participate in discussion and to have a working knowledge of the concepts before the lecture.
3.To turn in all assignments, projects, and papers when attendance is taken, not to turn in work for another student, not to turn in work after the due date and time.
4.To bring their Bible and textbooks to class.
5.To express individual opinions in a polite manner while respecting the opinions of others.
6.To apply the Matthew 18 principle in your relationship with myself.
7.If a student realizes they are beginning to or are falling behind in class work, I expect the student to take the initiative to set an appointment in order that a plan might be organized for the student to get their work caught up so their grade will not be adversely affected.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Bauer, David R. An Annotated Guide to Biblical Resources for Ministry. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishing, 2003.
The Vyhmeister book has a bibliography of how to write and research books.
The Carson and Longman books are bibliographies of biblical/theological works.
INITIAL / SCHEDULE: / The Art of Theological Research WritingDATE / READINGS / LECTURES
Jan. 19 / Introduction to Class; Pre-Class Fun; Lecture: What is Research?
Jan. 26 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 1, Ch. 2, pgs 60-62 / Lectures: What is Research?; The Spirituality of Writing; The Intellectual Virtues
Feb. 2 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch 2,3 / Lecture: The Library
Feb. 9 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 4,5, 14 / Lectures: Choosing Your Topic; Planning Your Research
Feb. 16 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 6,8,9 / Lectures: Bibliographies and Reading; Footnotes, Why and When
Feb. 23 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: 12 / Lectures: Organizing the Paper; I Ain't Gonna Be No English Teacher
March. 2 / Mid Term; Vocabulary Quiz / Lecture: Writing the Paper
March. 9 / Spring Break
March. 16 / Vocabulary Quiz / Lecture: DVD - A Sequence of Words
March. 23 / Vocabulary Quiz / Lecture: DVD - Grammar and Rhetoric
March. 30 / Vocabulary Quiz / Lecture: DVD - Propositions and Meaning
April. 6 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 15 / Writing Exercises
April. 13 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch.16 / Writing Exercises
April. 20 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 17 / Paper Evaluations
April. 27 / Vocabulary Quiz Vyhmeister: Ch. 18 / Paper Evaluations; Post Class Fun
May. 4 / Finals Begin
28 hours / Bold=Projects and Exams / Bold=Days Class not in Session
VOCABULARY WORDS
DATE / LESSON / WEBSTER - ROOT / WEBSTER - WORD / THEOLOGICALJan. 26 / 1 / Bell / antebellum / adiaphora
1 / Bell / bellicose / advent
1 / Pac/Peas / pacify / anahypostasis
1 / Pac/Peas / appease / animinism
1 / Hosp/Host / hospice / anthropomorphism
1 / Hosp/Host / inhospitable / antinomianism
1 / Am/Im / amicable / antinomy
1 / Am/Im / paramour / asceticism
assensus
axiology
Feb. 2 / 1 / Crim / decriminalize / Barth, Karl
1 / Crim / recrimmination / bibliology
1 / Prob/Prov / approbation / binitarianism
1 / Prob/Prov / probity / Bonhoeffer, Dietrich
1 / Grav / gravitas / Brunner, Emil
1 / Grav / gravid / Byzantine
1 / Lev / alleviaite / fideism
1 / Lev / levity / fides quaerens intellectum
filioque
foreknowledge
Feb. 9 / 2 / AG / agitate / canon
2 / AG / prodigal / casuistry
2 / Ven/Vent / provenance / catechesis
2 / Ven/Vent / venue / concomitance
2 / Cap/Cep/Cit / incipient / concupiscence
2 / Cap/Cep/Cit / susceptible / concurrence
2 / fin / affinity / contingency
2 / fin / infinitesimal / correspendence theory of truth
cosmology
credo ut intelligam
Feb. 16 / 2 / jac/jec / adjacent / deconstruction
2 / jac/jec / conjecture / deification
2 / tract / protracted / demythologizing
2 / tract / intractable / determinisim
2 / duc / conducive / dialectical theology
2 / duc / induce / dispensationalism
2 / sec/secqu / consequential / docetism
2 / sec/secqu / obsequious / Donatism
dualism
Duns Scotus, Scotism
Feb. 23 / 3 / ambi/amphi / ambiguous / Eastern orthodoxy
3 / ambi/amphi / ambient / ecumenism
3 / ep/epi / ephemeral / efficacy, efficacious
3 / ep/epi / epithet / emanation
3 / hypo/hyp / hypochondriac / Enlightment
3 / hypo/hyp / hypothetical / essence
3 / therm/thermo / thermocline / eternity
3 / therm/thermo / thermonuclear / evidentialism
existentialism
expiation
March. 2 / 3 / poly / polychromatic / genre
3 / poly / polyglot / glory
3 / prim / primal / Kierkegaard, Soren
3 / prim / primogeniture / kerygma
3 / hom/homo / homologous / ubiquity, ubiquitarianism
3 / hom/homo / homophone / Unitarianism
3 / dis / disseminate / vestigium Dei
3 / dis / dissipate / vicarious
Wesleyan quadrilateral
Zwingli, Ulrich
March. 16 / 4 / vor / omnivorous / heilsgeshichte
4 / vor / voracious / hermeneutic of suspicion
4 / carn / carnage / historicism
4 / carn / incarnation / homoiousios
4 / cred / credulity / hypostasis
4 / cred / creed / neo-orthodoxy
4 / fid / diffident / Niebuhr, Reinhold
4 / fid / perfidy / nihilism
notitia
numinous
March. 23 / 4 / curr/curs / concurrent / Marxism
4 / curr/curs / cursory / medieval theology
4 / ped / impediment / memorilism
4 / ped / pedestrian / metanarraive
4 / flect/flex / deflect / metaphorical theology
4 / flect/flex / genuflect / method of correlation
4 / post / posterior / middle knowledge
4 / post / postmodern / modalism
moral argument
mysticism
March. 30 / 5 / mal / malevolent / immutability
5 / mal / mailgn / impassibility
5 / cata / catalyst / inclusivism
5 / cata / catatonic / inerrancy
5 / prot/proto / protocol / infallibility
5 / prot/proto / prototype / irenics
5 / ante / antedate / ordination
5 / ante / anterior / ordo salutis
orthodoxy
ousia
April. 6 / 5 / orth/ortho / orthodox / paradigm, paradigm shift
5 / orth/ortho / orthography / paradox
5 / rect / rectitude / patristic era
5 / rect / rector / Pelagianism
5 / eu / euphemism / phenomenology
5 / eu / evangelism / pietism
5 / dys / dyslexia / polemics
5 / dys / dyspeptic / praxis, orthopraxy
procession
prolepsis
April. 13 / 6 / rog / abrogate / liberation theology
6 / rog / arrogate / literalism
6 / quis / aquistitve / liturgy
6 / quis / requisition / logocentricism
6 / ple / deplete / reader-response
6 / ple / replete / redaction criticism
6 / metr / symmetrical / reformed tradition
6 / metr / tachometer / relativism
Renaissance
Romanticism
April. 20 / 6 / aud / auditor / sacrament
6 / aud / inaudible / Schleiermacher, Friedrich
6 / son / dissonant / scholasticism
6 / son / resonance / sensus plenior
6 / err / aberrant / sola fide
6 / err / erratic / sola gratia
6 / ced/cess / accede / sola scriptura
6 / ced/cess / antecedent / subjectivism
subordinationism
syncretism
April. 27 / 7 / vid/vis / visage / teleological argument
7 / vid/vis / vis-à-vis / theocentricity
7 / spic/spec / auspicious / theodicy
7 / spic/spec / perspicacious / theologia crucis
7 / voc/vok / equivocate / theopneustos
7 / voc/vok / vociferous / Tillich, Paul
7 / phon / caophony / traduacianism
7 / phon / polyphonic / transcendence
tritheism
typology
10/16/2018
EN 2241-01 1 Dr. Daniel W. Howell
10/16/2018