4.1 Assignment Protocols
4.1.1 Research Document Prose
Research papers and the dissertation should be written with formal writing prose. Avoid contractions like “can’t” or “don’t.” Instead, use “cannot,” “do not,” etc. Do not use first or second person voice unless instructed to do so in the research assignment. Avoid phrases such as, “What do you do with . . .?” or “I found in my study.” Instead, use phrases such as, “What does one do with . . .?” or “This researcher observed.” Use clear, direct phrases and vocabulary. For instance, “use” is preferable to “utilize,” and “each” is preferable to “each and every.”
A research paper is more than a summary of the various resources reviewed. The writer must move beyond the summarization of resources to the critical evaluation of the research materials.
Critical reflection:
- Identifies the specific strengths and weaknesses of the resources.
- Describes the validity of the information and the reliability of the sources based on the information reported in other resources.
- Demonstrates how the sources agree or disagree with each other and/or with other significant positions held by authorities in the subject area.
- Explains how the research findings impact the discipline(s) from which the topic arises.
- Draws conclusions based on the evidence presented.
Please Note: Documents with spelling errors and significant English grammar errors will be returned ungraded for revision.
4.1.2 Stylistic Matters
Students in the PhD in Biblical Studies program are required to submit course papers in the format described in the PhD in Biblical Studies Style Guide. The guide is based on the current edition of the Society of Biblical Literature Handbook of Style (SBL handbook) and the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).
4.1.3 Submission of Assignments
PhD students are to submit all assignments in digital formats. Some professors may also require hard copy submissions of certain assignments.