Research Seminar
Fall Semester 2006
Last revised 9/28/06
UNIT TWO: Writing according to a defined Style Guide
Topic Seven: Basics of The SBL Handbook of Style----

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The student demonstrates understanding of the appropriate tools, procedures and resources for research in the field of religion.

The student demonstrates understanding of the procedures for producing a written research project in the field of religious studies according to a defined style guide.

The student demonstrates understanding of the basics of formal writing in American English.

• The student will demonstrate understanding of how to formulate a research topic into a thesis declaration and structured analysis of information in a coherent presentation.

• The student will give presentations, oral and written, demonstrating basic skills in formal academic writing using a specified style guide: The SBL Handbook of Style.

• Knowing how much should be included
• Term Paper
• Research Project
• Formal Paper
• Master's Thesis
• Doctoral Dissertation
• Front Matter / Preliminaries (FM)
• Title Page (FM:TP)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Table of Contents (FM:ToC)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Lists of Tables / Illustrations / Abreviations (FM:Lists)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Text (T)
• Introduction (T:I)
• Chapters (T:C)
• When should chapters be used rather than Sections?
• Sections and Sub-Sections (T:S, T:SS)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Conclusion (T:C)
• Back Matter / Reference Matter (BM)
• [Endnotes] (BM:EN)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Appendixes (BM:A)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?
• Bibliography (BM:B)
• What items are to be included?
• How are they to be formatted?

• Margins
• Beginning page verses subsequent pages
• Headings
• Centered
• Left Margin
• Pagination
• Front Matter
• Location on page
• Numbering system
• Remainder
• Location on page
• Numbering system
• Inserting Footnotes/Endnotes/Textnotes
• Possible options
• Formatting
• Footnotes
• Endnotes
• Textnotes
• Inserting Tables/Figures
• When should they be used?
• How should they be inserted into the text?

3. Analyze the sample seminar paper against the above elements, using the SBL guidelines:---

Instructions:

• Download the sample paper in the above icon, formatted in MS Word .doc form.
• Bring the paper up in MS Word,
• Reformat it according to the above listed elements in the SBL Handbook of Style
• Analyze each of the above aspect of format (#1 and #2) at the end of the above sample paper by indicating the specifics of the required formatting.
• Submit it as an assignment through the Cranfordville Online Assignments Turn In page.
• MS Word document file name: R600Topic07SBLlastname.doc
• Inside the document file, be sure to include
• Header: your name, course number R600, date
• Topic 7: SBL Analysis
• If a group assignment, then include everyone's name that is in the group.
• Assignment comes due at class time on October 17.

• Turabian and related style guides
• Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Sixth Edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1996
• 
• ISBN: 0-226-81626-5 (Cloth)
• ISBN: 0-226-81627-3 (paper)
• LC Classification:  LB2369 .T8 1996
• Review of Turabian
• Bibliographic Fomat Listing online
• GWU Dover Library listing
• List Price:  USD 14.00
• Table of contents
Preface
1: Parts of the Paper
2: Abbreviations and Numbers
3: Spelling and Punctuation
4: Capitalization, Italics, and Quotation Marks
5: Quotations
6: Tables
7: Illustrations
8: Notes
9: Bibliographies
10: Parenthetical References and Reference Lists
11: Comparing the Two Documentation Systems
12: Public Documents
13: Preparing the Manuscript
14: Formats and Sample Layouts
Selected Bibliography
Index
• ---Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Seventh Edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2007
• ISBN: 0-226-82336-9 (Cloth) $35.00
• ISBN: 0-226-82337-7 (paper) $17.00
• LC Classification:  LB2369 .T8 1996
• Review of Turabian
• Major changes in Turabian coming! Compare the two ToCs. Philosophical shift in contents as much as style changes. 7th edition to have 436 pages, compared to 308 pages in 6th edition. Based on the 15th edition of Chicago Manual of Style. Scheduled to be released on April 1, 2007.
• Bibliographic Fomat Listing online
• GWU Dover Library listing
• Table of contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Part I   Research and Writing: From Planning to Production
        Wayne C. Booth, Gregory C. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams
        Overview of Part I
Chapter 1 What Research Is and How Researcher Think about It
        1.1 How Researchers Think about Their Aims
        1.2 Three Kinds of Questions That Researchers Ask
Chapter 2 Moving from a Topic to a Question to a Working Hypothesis
        2.1 Find a Question in Your Topic
        2.2 Propose Some Working Answers
        2.3 Build a Storyboard to Plan and Guide Your Work
        2.4 Organize a Writing Support Group
Chapter 3 Finding Useful Sources
        3.1 Understand the Kinds of Sources Readers Expect You to Use
        3.2  Record Your Sources Fully, Accurately, and Appropriately
        3.3 Search for Sources Systematically
        3.4 Evaluate Sources for Relevance and Reliability
        3.5 Look Beyond the Usual Kinds of References
Chapter 4 Engaging Sources
        4.1 Read Generously to Understand, Then Critically to Engage and Evaluate
        4.2 Take Notes Systematically
        4.3 Take Useful Notes
        4.4 Write as You read
        4.5 Review Your Progress
        4.6 Manage Moments of Normal Panic
Chapter 5 Planning Your Argument
        5.1 What a Research Argument Is and Is Not
        5.2 Build Your Argument Around Answers to Readers' Questions
        5.3 Turn Your Working Hypothesis into a Claim
        5.4 Assemble the Elements of Your Argument
        5.5 Distinguish Arguments Based on evidence From Arguments Based on Warrants
        5.6 An Argument Assembled
Chapter 6 Planning a First Draft
        6.1 Avoid Unhelpful Plans
        6.2 Create a Plan That Meets Your Readers' Needs
        6.3 File Away Leftovers
Chapter 7 Drafting Your Report
        7.1 Draft in the Way That Feels Most Comfortable
        7.2 Develop Productive Drafting Habits
        7.3 Use Your Key Terms to Keep Yourself On Track
        7.4 Quote, Paraphrase, and Summarize Appropriately
        7.5 Integrate Quotations into Your Text
        7.6 Use Footnotes and Endnotes Judiciously
        7.7 Interpret Complex or Detailed Evidence before You Offer It
        7.8 Be Open to Surprises
        7.9 Guard against Inadvertent Plagiarism
        7.10 Guard against Inappropriate Help
        7.11 Work through Chronic Procrastination and Writer's Block
Chapter 8 Presenting Evidence in Tables and Figures
        8.1 Choose Verbal or Visual Representations
        8.2 Choose the Most Effective Graphic
        8.3 Design Tables and Figures
        8.4 Communicate Data Ethically
Chapter 9 Revising Your Draft
        9.1 Check Your Introduction, Conclusion, and Claim
        9.2 Make Sure the Body of Your Report is Coherent
        9.3 Check Your Paragraphs
        9.4 Let Your Draft Cool, Then Paraphrase It
Chapter 10 Writing Your Final Introduction and Conclusion
        10.1 Draft Your Final Introduction
        10.2 Draft Your Final Conclusion
        10.3 Write Your Title Last
Chapter 11 Revising Sentences
        11.1 Focus on the First Seven or Eight Words of a Sentence
        11.2 Diagnose What You Read
        11.3 Choose the Right Word
        11.4 Polish It Off
        11.5 Give It Up and Print It Out
Chapter 12 Learning from Your Returned Paper
        12.1 Find General Principles in Specific Comments
        12.2 Talk to Your Instructor
Chapter 13 Presenting Research in Alternative Forums
        13.1 Plan Your Oral Presentation
        13.2 Design Your Presentation to Be Listened To
        13.3 Plan Your Poster Presentation
        13.4 Plan Your Conference Proposal
Chapter 14 On the Spirit of Research

Part II Source Citation
Chapter 15 General Introduction to Citation Practices
       15.1 Reasons for Citing Your Sources
       15.2 The Requirements of Citation
       15.3 Two Citation Styles
       15.4 Citation of Electronic Sources
       15.5 Preparation of Citations
       15.6 A Word on Citation Software
Chapter 16 Notes-Bibliography Style: The Basic Form
       16.1 Basic Patterns
       16.2 Bibliographies
       16.3 Notes
       16.4 Short Forms for Notes
Chapter 17 Notes-Bibliography Style: Citing Specific Types of Sources
       17.1 Books
       17.2 Journal Articles
       17.3 Magazine Articles
       17.4 Newspaper Articles
       17.5 Additional Types of Published Sources
       17.6 Unpublished Sources
       17.7 Informally Published Electronic Sources
       17.8 Sources in the Visual and Performing arts
       17.9 Public Documents
       17.10 One Source Quoted in Another
Chapter 18 Parenthetical Citations- Reference List Style: The Basic Form
       18.1 Basic Patterns
       18.2 Reference Lists
       18.3 Parenthetical Citations
Chapter 19 Parenthetical Citations- Reference List Style: Citing Specific Types of Sources
       19.1 Books
       19.2 Journal Articles
       19.3 Magazine Articles
       19.4 Newspaper Articles
       19.5 Additional Types of Published Sources
       19.6 Unpublished Sources
       19.7 Informally Published Electronic Sources
       19.8 Sources in the Visual and Performing Arts
       19.10 One Source Quoted in Another

Part III Style
Chapter 20 Spelling
       20.1 Plurals
       20.2 Possessives
       20.3 Compounds and Words Formed with Prefixes
       20.4 Line Breaks
Chapter 21 Punctuation
       21.1 Period
       21.2 Comma
       21.3 Semicolon
       21.4 Colon
       21.5 Question Mark
       21.6 Exclamation Point
       21.7 Hyphen and Dashes
       21.8 Parentheses and Brackets
       21.9 Slashes
       21.10 Quotation Marks
       21.11 Multiple Punctuation Marks
Chapter 22 Names, Special Terms, and Titles of Works
       22.1 Names
       22.2 Special Terms
       22.3 Titles of Works
Chapter 23 Numbers
       23.1 Words or Numerals?
       23.2 Plurals and Punctuation
       23.3 Date Systems
       23.4 Numbers Used Outside the Text
Chapter 24 Abbreviations
       24.1 General Principles
       24.2 Names and Titles
       24.3 Geographical Terms
       24.4 Time and Dates
       24.5 Units of Measure
       24.6 The Bible and Other Sacred Works
       24.7 Abbreviations in Citations and Other Scholarly Contexts
Chapter 25 Quotations
       25.1 Quoting Accurately and Avoiding Plagiarism
       25.2 Incorporating Quotations into Your Text
       25.3 Modifying Quotations
Chapter 26 Tables and Figures
       26.1 General Issues
       26.2 Tables
       26.3 Figures
Chapter Appendix: Paper Format and Submission
      A.1 General Format Requirements
      A.2 Format Requirements for Specific Elements
      A.3 Submission Requirements
Bibliography
Authors
Index
Subjects:
 

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• The Chicago Manual of Style: For Authors, Editors, and Copywriters. Fifteenth Edtion Revised. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2003
• 
• ISBN: 0-226-104036
• The Chicago Manual of Style online
• LC Classification:  Z253 .U69 2003
• Bibliographic Fomat Listing online
• GWU Dover Library listing
• List Price:  USD 55.00
• Contents
• Ch. 1. The parts of a published work --
• Ch. 2. Manuscript preparation and manuscript editing --
• Ch. 3. Proofs --
• Ch. 4. Rights and permissions --
• Ch. 5. Grammar and usage --
• Ch. 6. Punctuation --
• Ch. 7. Spelling, distinctive treatment of words, and compounds --
• Ch. 8. Names and terms --
• Ch. 9. Numbers --
• Ch. 10. Foreign languages --
• Ch. 11. Quotations and dialogue --
• Ch. 12. Illustrations and captions --
• Ch. 13. Tables --
• Ch. 14. Mathematics in type --
• Ch. 15. Abbreviations --
• Ch. 16. Documentation I: Basic patterns --
• Ch. 17. Documentation II: Specific content --
• Ch. 18. Indexes --
• App. A: Design and production- basic procedures and key terms --
• App. B: The publishing process for books and journals

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• Alexander, Patrick H. et als, eds. The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999
• 
• ISBN: 1-56563-487-X
• LC Classification:  PN147 .S26 1999
• Student Supplement SBL Handbook of Style  (pdf file)
• Bibliographic Fomat Listing online
• Table of Contents:
• 1. Introduction: Using This Handbook
• 2. Editorial Responsibilities
• 3. Responsibilities of the Author
• 4. General Style
• 5. Transliterating and Transcribing Ancient Texts
• 6. Indexes and Bibliographies
• 7. Notes and Bibliographies
• 8. Abbreviations
• Appendix A: Capitalization and Spelling Examples
• Appendix B: Ancient Near Eastern Dates and Periods
• Appendix C: Ezra Traditions
• Appendix D: Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Citations
• Appendix E: English / Hebrew / Greek Versification Compared
• Appendix F: Texts from the Judean Desert
• Appendix G: Concordance of Ugaritic Texts
• Appendix H: Greek and Latin Works and Their Abbreviations
• Appendix I: Hebrew and Greek Numbers
• Appendix J: Editing and Proofreading Marks
• Index
• GWU Dover Library listing
• List Price:  USD 24.95
 

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• Quick Listing of Bibliographic Citation Formats for the above
• Duke University Guide to Bibliographic Elements

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