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Research and Writing Help
A good place to start…
When writing papers, the first thing to consider is the instructions from your professor. These instructions concerning style, format, and sources supersede everything else. After this, there are four main things to consider: 1) topic/research question, 2) organization, 3) writing style, and 4) sources.
- For a short video on picking a research question to support your topic, go here.
- Organization upfront will save you headaches and frustration down the line. Using a citation manager and a citation generator can make all the difference. Here are some sites to check out:
- Writing style is key, and is what will bring your entire paper together and make it college-level writing. This site has an abundance of information regarding the various styles. Find out which one your NCBC professor wants you to use. Another super helpful guide, created by Asbury University, can be found here. It has definitions, easy to access style guides, and more.
- One of the most important parts of writing a paper is finding and choosing the right sources. Firstly, you must determine if your professor wants academic only or is fine with more historic or popular sources. After determining this (and talking with the NCBC librarian to discover where to find these types of sources), it is important to evaluate your findings. The online world is full of misleading or incorrect information. Go here for a helpful source evaluation guide.
What style should I use?
There are different preferred writing styles for the various disciplines. Always check with your professor to discover which style he/she prefers. However, here is a helpful list of the different styles matched with the discipline in which they are typically used.
What is academic publishing?
Check out this Wikipedia article for more info on what types of books, journals, and articles you should read for academic research and writing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_publishing
Plagiarism…
Even if a student is unaware of what plagiarism is, there can be serious consequences when it occurs. Make sure you understand what it is, and how to prevent it in your writing. Go here for more information.
Concerning Artificial Intelligence (AI) software like ChatGPT, it is generally agreed upon that plagiarizing AI software is still plagiarism. I’m sure this discussion will continue to evolve as the software evolves, but for now it is important to keep this view in mind when utilizing AI software to assist with writing projects.
Writing a Literature Review
Need to write one? Not sure how? Then read this to get started.
For Further Study…
The following titles are beneficial for those studying religion and biblical studies, writing college or graduate level papers, or preparing for graduate school.
- Vyhmeister, Nancy J. and Terry Dwain Robertson. Your guide to writing quality research papers for students of religion and theology
- Smith, Kevin Gary. Writing and research : a guide for theological students
- Graff, Gerald. They say / I say : the moves that matter in academic writing
For those who want to gain a strong grasp on hermeneutics, this is one of my person favorites:
- Gorman, Michael J. Elements of biblical exegesis : a basic guide for students
And, finally, for those thinking of entering seminary (because we know you all will be capable of it after mastering the skills listed on this page and reading the titles listed above):
- Zacharias, Danny. Surviving and thriving in seminary : an academic and spiritual handbook