Religion 600: Formulating a Research Topic

Research Seminar
Fall Semester 2006
Last revised 8/29/07
UNIT ONE: Principles of Research
---Topic One: Formulating a Research Project---

Course Objective:

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

Unit One Objective:

The student demonstrates understanding of the procedures for developing a research project in the field of religious studies.

Topic One Objective:

The student demonstrates understanding of the procedures for formulating the goal and structure of a research project in the field of religious studies.

Learning Objectives:

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.

Learning Tasks:

The student will give presentations, oral and written, demonstrating basic skills in the formulation of a thesis declaration and the structuring of research data in a coherent presentation.

1. Identify the subject category of your research project:---

Religious Studies categories

Biblical Studies

Backgrounds

History

Archaeology

Old Testament

New Testament

Wirkungsgeschichte / History of Interpretation

Theological Studies

Dogmatics / Systematic Theology

Historical Theology

Biblical Theology

Practical Theology Studies

Ethics

Pastoral Ministry

Homiletics

Missiology

Evangelism

Church History Studies

Patristics

Medieval

Modern

Denominational

World Religions

History of the Discipline

Anthropology / Sociology

Major Religions

Eastern Religions

Buddhism

Hinduism

Confucianism

Shintoism

Western Religions

Christianity

Judaism

Islam

Native American traditions

Cults / Fringe Groups

2. Identify the nature of your research project---

Descriptive vs. Critical approaches

Defining each
Identifying each

3. Identity the content of your research project---

Developing the central contribution of a research project

How does your project contribute to the understanding of the subject field.

Developing a tentative outline of topic

Relation of outline structure to style guide

How many outline levels of topic division?

Phrase headings vs sentence headings

Impact of limitations from research presentation

Assigned research paper with/without page limits

Oral presentation with/without written handout

Masters Thesis

Prospectus

Thesis

4. Develop a tentative research project in summary form---

Instructions:
Using the above steps, develop a proposal for a seminar research paper. This should be done in summary form, and, if possible, relate it to a paper assignment that you have in another class.

Identify the subject field of your project & provide justification as to why it belongs in this particular category.

Identify whether your project is going to be descriptive or critical and what this will mean to your project.

Line out a basic goal for your project; then develop a tentative one level (e.g., I., II., III. et al). of your project.

Specify the style guide outline parameters you intend to use.

Justify whether phrase or sentence headings are used.

Describe the setting of your paper assignment -- written paper only; oral presentation with written paper etc. Describe the implications of the setting for your research project.

A Turn-in Assignment:
This written assignment project is due prior to the beginning of week two classes in the Shedule page. Submit your assignment electronically using the Assignment Turn In menu under Assignments in the Online Forms page of Cranfordville.com.