Chaplaincy writing

1. Chaplaincy writing “I must confess that, personally, I have learned many things I never knew before…just by writing.” Saint Augustine J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

2. What we will cover: • What we are interested in writing about? • Barriers to writing • Solutions to writing • Different forms of chaplaincy writing • Toolkit for academic reading, writing and reviewing J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

3. What are you interested in writing about? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

4. What are you interested in writing about? • Stick it up on the wall • Go round and read what other people are / would like to be writing about • Talk to others about theirs or explain more about yours J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

5. What are the barriers to writing? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

6. Perceived barriers to writing Solutions to barrier Describe one barrier to writing J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

7. Barriers and Solutions • Barriers • Time • Language • Focus • Commitment • Skill and flow • How to start • Confidence • Writing Style • Creative energy • Reputation • Credibility of what I might write • Solutions J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

8. 5 Key barriers and solutions J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

9. “I haven’t done any research!” • Everything that you do can be seen as research! • “Until you have reconfigured your work and your ideas – in writing – they will continue to seem far too modest for a paper in an academic journal.” (Murray, 2009, p24) • Be reassured that most research only makes modest contributions – simply define what yours is and how you would like or is the most appropriate format to explain it. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

10. “I don’t have time!” • Be organised! • Set realistic goals for yourself • Reward yourself J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

11. “I don’t feel confident enough to write!” • Confidence comes from a lack of education about academic writing: first admit there is a ‘gap’ and then do something about it – look for a course, mentor, group or website to help. • Writing is a way of developing confidence and ‘voice’ – the process itself teaches us how to raise the standard of our writing • Safety in numbers - write together! • Start with something small-scale and build up J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

12. “I don’t know where I’m going with it!” • Find a supervisor, more experienced writer, colleagueor critical friend to give direction • Follow the methodology of a similar piece of research J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

13. “I just can’t get started” Spend 1 minute writing about anything… Might write about: • How you are feeling about your job • What you did last weekend • Your favourite film, book, series or music • Why it is difficult to think of things to write about when someone asks you to J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

14. “I just can’t get started” How many words did you write? Was it easy or hard? Free writing is a way of ‘warming up’ for writing. Murray (2006) suggests spending 5 mins free writing about your topic in order to get you going. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

15. Different styles of chaplaincy writing J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

16. Reading task • Skim read one article each in your groups • Write down in no more than 50 words what it is about • Explain how it does or could relate to university chaplaincy • What do you think? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

17. Theological reflection • Be able to explain the key ideas • How has it been or could it be applied to HE chaplaincy writing? • Evaluation: what do you think? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

18. Narrative research “Reflective practice writing is a way of expressing and exploring our own and others’ stories: crafting and shaping it to aid our understanding and development. These stories are data banks of skill, knowledge and experience: much of our knowing is in our doing…Sharing reflective writings and discussing them in depth enables practice development because the outcomes of reflection are taken back into practice.” (Bolton 2006, p23) J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

19. Narrative research “Wherever we walk we put our feet on story” (Cicero) • Be able to explain the key ideas • How has it been or could it be applied to HE chaplaincy writing? • Evaluation: what do you think? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

20. Case Studies • Be able to explain the key ideas • How has it been or could it be applied to HE chaplaincy writing? • Evaluation: what do you think? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

21. Quantitative studies • Be able to explain the key ideas • How has it been or could it be applied to HE chaplaincy writing? • Evaluation: what do you think? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

22. Which style would best suit your area? Are there others more appropriate? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

23. Toolkit for writing J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

24. Toolkit for academic writing • Planning • Critical reading strategies • Analytical writing strategies • Reviewing techniques J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

25. What makes a successful piece of writing? Be clear what you want to say Essay journey Consider your thesis and write an initial plan Find out where and how the academic literature fits with your thesis and what patterns are emerging Separate your thinking into logical points that work to form your argument/prove your thesis Select literature/evidence that support your points In your writing, develop each main point into a paragraph, supported by evidence that leads towards your conclusion Review your work for logic and to ensure that it follows the writing conventions of the journal/publication J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

26. Toolkit for writing: Planning • A topic is merely the subject of your essay: for example, Chaplaincy in England. • What you have to say about that topic is your thesis. A thesis is not a statement of fact, but rather a statement of your view of that fact; not “University chaplaincy is under threat” but “University chaplaincy is under threat as a direct result of philosophical, theological and financial reconsiderations of the role in the twenty-first century.” • Then the evidence you bring to support your thesis, together with the way in which you arrange it, is your argument. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

27. The planning cycle Some like to continue this process throughout their writing - constantly building up their argument as they go. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

28. Reading: breadth and depth In using literature for academic writing, Hart (2000) states, “Quality means appropriate breadth and depth, rigour and consistency, clarity and brevity, and effective analysis and synthesis, in other words, the use of the ideas in the literature to justify the particular approach to the topic, the selection of methods, and demonstration that this research contributes something new.” (Hart, 2000, p1ff) J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

29. Toolkit for academic writing: Reading • Read widely to place yourself/ideas in academic landscape • You can’t read everything - be selective • Read for specific questions or aspects of your thesis / argument J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

30. Toolkit for academic writing: Reading • Read for meaning / main ideas • Be critical in your reading – use a reading frame to assist and to help you organise your notes. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

31. Toolkit for academic writing: Reading • Use the writing frame provided to make notes on a section from one of the articles we looked at earlier • How could you improve it or make it more effective for your needs? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

32. Toolkit for academic writing: Reading • Analyse the literature for patterns and themes • Force yourself to sum up the main ideas from a text in 10-15 words • Write them on small pieces of paper/post-it notes • Move them around according to themes and logic J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

33. Toolkit for academic writing: Writing Build a free-standing structure out of the marshmallows and cocktail sticks that can hold the weight of an orange for more than 5 seconds… J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

34. Toolkit for academic writing: Writing • Be clear what are you arguing • Ensure that your argument flows and links throughout each paragraph and section towards the conclusion • Make sure that your arguments (marshmallows and sticks) can hold the weight of your conclusions (orange) J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

35. Make your paragraphs count • Topic Sentence (My point) • Developing sentences (Moreover, my point) • Defining, classifying, expanding • Give reasons, effects or examples • Contrasting, describing, explaining • Refuting counter arguments • Closing or transition sentence (Therefore) J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013 Adapted from: http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/studyskills/helpyourself/

36. Example paragraph Topic sentence | Development (classifying/examples | Closing/transition An economic system is defined by Dixon as the system of “production, distribution and consumption of goods and services” (1981, p12). More abstractly, it is the set of principles and techniques by which problems of economics are addressed such as the problem of scarcity through allocation of finite productive resources (Castro, 1994). It is composed of both people and institutions, including their relationships to productive resources, such as through owning and exploiting property. Examples of contemporary economic systems include capitalist systems, socialist systems and mixed economies. Cuba, for instance, is said to be socialist which refers to its domination by a political, bureaucratic class attached to one single communist party. This party follows Marxist doctrines and claims to represent the proletariat, though in a non-democratic fashion. It is clear that “economic systems” in the sense defined can be viewed broadly and is often driven by the culture in which it is situated. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

37. Example paragraph Topic sentence |Development (classifying/examples) | Closing/transition An economic system is defined by Dixon as the system of “production, distribution and consumption of goods and services” (1981, p12). More abstractly, it is the set of principles and techniques by which problems of economics are addressed such as the problem of scarcity through allocation of finite productive resources (Castro, 1994). It is composed of both people and institutions, including their relationships to productive resources, such as through owning and exploiting property. Examples of contemporary economic systems include capitalist systems, socialist systems and mixed economies. Cuba, for instance, is said to be socialist which refers to its domination by a political, bureaucratic class attached to one single communist party. This party follows Marxist doctrines and claims to represent the proletariat, though in a non-democratic fashion. It is clear that “economic systems” in the sense defined can be viewed broadly and is often driven by the culture in which it is situated. J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

38. Toolkit for academic writing: backwards outlining Backwards outlining exercise: • Write out summary statement for each paragraph • If struggling – consider revising, deleting or moving • Does point support your main argument and lead to your conclusion? J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

39. Q&A J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013

40. References • Astley J., Francis L. J., Robbins M.,(2012) Assessing attitude towards religion: the Astley-Francis Scale of Attitude towards Theistic Faith, British Journal of Religious Education, Vol.34 No.2, 183-193 • Bolton G., (2006), Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional development (2nd Ed), London, Sage Publications Ltd • Fitchett G, (2011), Making Our Case(s), Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, Vol.17 No.1-2, 3-18 • Hart, C. (2000) Doing a Literature Review, SAGE Publications Ltd, London • Murray, R., (2005) Writing for Academic Journals, Maidenhead: Open University Press-McGraw-Hill. • Murray R., (2006) How to write a thesis, Maidenhead: Open University Press-McGraw-Hill. • Swinton J., (2002), Rediscovering Mystery and Wonder: Toward a Narrative-Based Perspective on Chaplaincy, Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, Vol.13No.1, 223-236 • Warren H.A, Murray J.L, Best M.M, (2002) The Discipline and Habit of Theological Reflection, Journal of Religion and Health, Vol 41, No 4, 323-331 J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013