1. Developing a Research Paper
Selecting the Topic
Research in Authoritative Summaries
Narrow the Topic
(Significant Input from Dr. James Tollett)

2. 8 Steps to Developing a Research Paper
Select the Topic
Research in Authoritative Summaries
Narrowing the Topic
Building the Working Bibliography
Taking Notes
Construction of the Rough Draft
Rewriting and Polishing Rough Draft
Preparing the Final Copy

3. Step One: Selecting the Topic
Topics are usually broad in scope and may be found through your theological reading, asking questions of yourself, peers and professors, and in an area which you have an avid interest and would like to pursue further while at the Seminary.
Select a topic that will hold your interest throughout the entire process, and if you plan to do a Thesis for your degree, one that relates to your proposed Thesis topic.
Begin doing preliminary research to make sure the topic is a viable one.
If you are not familiar with list of topics then select two or three to do preliminary research on.

4. Step Two: Preliminary Research in Authoritative Summaries
Authoritative Summaries are found in the Reference Section of a Library.
Summaries give you the five W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why—usually in short, to-the-point articles, with a short bibliography for further reading at the end.
Once you have read the summaries you may come up with a Preliminary Thesis Statement.

5. Research in Authoritative Summaries (Cont’d).
Summaries are found in:
General Encyclopedias
Specialty Encyclopedias
Dictionaries
Handbooks
Textbooks
As you work in the Reference Section of Library you will find many useful tools

6. General Encyclopedia

7. Dictionary: Lexicons

8. Dictionary: Vocabularies

9. Bible Dictionary

10. Theological Dictionary

11. Bible Encyclopedias

12. Atlas

13. Biblical Histories

14. Bible Handbook

15. Concordances—tied to a specific translation of the Bible

16. Commentary
Presents an in-depth study on a particular passage of scripture
May be One-Volume (of Entire Bible), or Multiple volume series (of each Book of the Bible)
Discusses:
Meaning of terms
Historical background of passage
Theological insights
Exegesis of scripture verses

17. Commentary Examples:
One Volume Series

18. Step THREE: Narrow the topic
You had a fairly well defined topic, till you read the Authoritative Summaries; now the topic is much broader than you thought.
Now you know the paper could be two to three times the size of that specified by the professor.
It is time to redefine or narrow the topic.

19. Take For Example, Sanctification
General biblical meaning: “to be set apart, to be holy”—Used in biblical context—
“For I am the Lord your God, and you have sanctified yourselves, and you have become holy for I am holy” [emphasis added] (Lev 11:44).
“because it has been written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” [emphasis added] (1 Pet 1:16).

20. Sanctification: Theological Use
Base theological meaning: “Perfection”
One’s theological background determines how one views “sanctification” or “perfection,” for example:
Wesleyan/Holiness:
Perfect Love, Sinlessness, Entire Sanctification
No longer need to sin

21. Theological Use (cont.)
Reformed Perspective
Progressive sanctification (process)
From moment saved, one is being “made holy”
Sanctification is not completed in this life; as believers we are to strive to live as holy as we can

22. Sanctification: Further Theological Use and Related Terms
Positional – One is sanctified because of the relationship one has in Christ under the blood of the New Covenant (also known as Justification).
Experiential – One is sanctified when the Holy Spirit regenerates and takes up residence in one’s life.
Ultimate – One is sanctified completely when one sees the Lord Jesus Christ “face to face”—either one is sanctified or not (also known as Glorification).

23. Narrowing the Topic Makes the topic more manageable
Makes the research process much easier