Thesis Seminar

1. Thesis Seminar .

2. Isolating a topic • Importance of isolating your topic. • See Badke’s notes on research in Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog, 3rd ed. • To do this, we need to first examine what research is not. • Then we will discuss what research is. • True research aids the researcher in isolating a topic. • When engaged in true research, the researcher asks a series of questions and pursues information hierarchies to isolate a topic and decide on appropriate methodology.

3. What Research is not • It is not simply gathering information and quotes. • This is “false research.” • This is what often passes for research in undergraduate circles.

4. What Research is • Research is meant to answer a question. • Thus, it is important to put your research proposal in the form of a simple question. • Avoid the word “and” (paratactic). • Avoid overly complicated sentences. • Keep the focus simple. • Remember, you are writing a thesis, which seeks to answer a single question. • Avoid meandering and being caught up in side issues.

5. What research is • It is formulating a hypothesis or question. • It cannot be merely “general.” • Not: The importance of Luther in the Reformation. • This is far too broad. • You have to specify something specific. • More narrow: How was Luther’s “discovery” of faith alone important for the Reformation? • Better. • But still too broad. • What could be some better topics?

6. What Research Is • Again, with Luther and Salvation by “Faith Alone.” • How does Luther’s understanding of Rom. 1:17 impact his Lectures on Romans? • Note the specifics: • The researcher now is limiting the scope of the question. • The question becomes “doable.” • The question focuses on Luther’s understanding of Rom 1:17, which became a “battle cry” of the Reformation. • It also focuses on a specific body of Luther’s work, his Lectures on Romans. • One can also apply this question to some of his other works.

7. Hierarchies • Information is also found in what is called a hierarchy. • That is, there is a progression from more general to more specific. • In our example, the hierarchy is: • Reformation • Luther • Salvation by faith • Lectures on Romans • Remember, the three words you need to keep in mind as you develop your research proposal: Focus, focus, focus.

8. Hierarchies • Your research will be influenced by which hierarchy you wish to pursue. • Do you wish to pursue a theological topic as theology or philosophy? • Do you want to look at the nature of the human from a biblical perspective? • Do you wish to examine the same topic from the perspective of the classical writes, such as Plato or Aristotle and their successors? • Both have influenced Christian theology. • Your research questions will be influenced by which hierarchy you follow. • See Badke, Research Strategies, 3rd ed., 40-45.

9. Sources for helping you in your search • The Library Catalog • Remember that subject searching in the library catalog follows a controlled vocabulary. • Our catalog, like most university libraries, employs the Library of Congress Subject Headings. • What is a controlled vocabulary. • It means, “Quite simply, the Library of Congress (LC) in Washington, DC predetermined the terms by which most things in the world would be called and then organized these terms in alphabetical lists” (Badke, 3rd ed., 21). • It is totally arbitrary.

10. Sources for helping you in your search • Yet, there are certain things that can be helpful when negotiating the catalog. • Names are also subject headings. • You can find works by a person and about a person using the individual’s name. • For works by the person, use the person’s name in an author search. • For works about a person, use the person’s name in a subject search. • Example: John Wesley, as author.

13. Sources for helping your search • Catalog • Now, let’s look at John Wesley as a subject.

17. Library Catalog • Church history is also a subject heading, and is broken up by various subheadings. • These subheadings can include period, such as “Early church,” “Middle Ages,” or “Modern.” • The subheadings can also be by country, such as “United States” or “Great Britain” (not United Kingdom). Note, you have to use the terms used by the controlled vocabulary of the Library of Congress. • Examples of these are:

21. Catalog • There are three related subject headings for Church history – Modern period 1500- • To find these, click on the phrase: “3 Related Subjects.”

23. Catalog • Church History is also delimited by location, such as “United State” or “Great Britain.”

26. Catalog • Denominations can be subject headings. • But, both the denomination name, and adherents to the denomination are subject headings. • Thus, both Methodist Church and Methodists are subject headings. • Likewise, Catholic Church and Catholics

31. Catalog • Important events can be subject headings. • These can include the Reformation.

33. Catalog • Other events, such as the so-called Babylonian captivity of the church, or Avignon Papacy, have a subject heading, but not under “Babylonian captivity.” • However, you can enter that phrase, and the catalog will connect you with the proper term.

35. Catalog • Note, there is the phrase, “Babylonian Captivity – Papal. • This phrase connects you to the proper term. • The proper term is “Papacy, History, 1309-1378.”

38. Catalog • Important philosophical terms, such as existentialism and feminist theology may also be subject headings.

40. Catalog • From the previous example, we can see how the catalog directs you to proper subject headings. • From “Existentialism and Christianity” the user is directed to “Christianity and Existentialism.”

41. Catalog • Now, we will try “Feminist Theology” as a subject heading. • You will see that “Feminist Theology” is subdivided. • This can help you further narrow your t0pic. • Also you will notice that one subdivision is “Bibliography.” • This subdivision is always very helpful. • Be sure to check print bibliographies as handy tools as you develop your bibliography.

43. Catalog • Remember: You will not know all the subject headings. • You may wish to start with key word searches. • You can then connect with the subjects that are in hyperlinks. • However, in church history and theology a number of the terms are subject heading as well, so that can greatly assist you in searching for your topic. • If you have questions, remember to see the research librarian.

44. Research Data bases • To access research databases, begin with accessing the catalog. • Go to http://library.ashland.edu • From here, click on “Research Databases.” • The results are as follows:

47. Important databases • Some of the most important databases for students in this class include: • ATLA Religion & Serials Databases. • America: History and Life • English Short Title Catalog (known as ESTC) • This is an electronic catalog of materials in English or by English language publishers from 1473 (the beginning of English printing)-1800. • It lists authors, printers (serving as publishers), dates, and libraries that hold the items. • It is not a full text database. • Historical Abstracts • Philosopher’s Index

48. Important Databases • With the exception of the English Short Title Catalog, these are all EBSCOhost databases. • If you have utilized the ATLA databases, you should be able to use the others. • We will review using the ATLA Religion & Serials Databases.