Engage with your seminar professor and colleagues on the topic of kinds of research using the following prompt to begin the discussion:
Research Nirvana – Achieving a State of Focus Formulation
As you read in QRP this week, hopefully, you used the inspectional reading approach, which you learned in HTR, for most of the material. The goal of the QRP reading this week was to make you aware of the broad range of research and writing done within the realm of theological education. You have all used one or more of these types of research and writing in past studies. You will use many of them as you move through your Carroll DMin program. You will want to keep QRP as a reference resource as you tackle these types of research and writing in future assignments, especially the development of your final DMin project/thesis as described in QRP chapter 8.
However, I would suggest that you do analytical level reading of QRP chapter 6, “Class Research Papers.” Also, I would suggest analytical reading of the “Book Review” section of QRP chapter 9, “Writing for Publication.” Both of these portions of your reading are directly applicable to the work that you are doing in your DMin seminars this term. In chapter 6 of QRP, Vyhmeister and Robertson describe the Information Search Process (ISP) model for doing research. Over the past two weeks you have moved through the Initiation and Selection phases of the ISP model with the selection and refinement of your research paper topic. Last week you entered the Exploration and Formulation phases as you shared and received feedback on your topic from your peers in the forum and from your professor directly. Hopefully, you have already begun the Collection phase of gathering research resources as you have clarified and refined your topic by using the ETBU library, the Internet, and other library resources. You will continue for the rest of the term in this Collection phase and ultimately move to the Presentation phase as you prepare a draft of your paper for review in week 8 and a final draft at the conclusion of the course in week 16. Vyhmeister and Robertson note,
The affective thread in this model moves from uncertainty to confidence. The cognitive thread moves from vague to focus to increased interest. And the activity moves from exploring to documenting. The defining moment when those transitions occur is when a focus formulation is achieved, when it all comes together for you (QRP, 91).
Our goal is to reach the nirvana of research, the state of focus formulation. Please share your final topic and thesis statement as approved by your professor. Also assess where you are on the affective, cognitive, and activity threads of the ISP model regarding your topic research as you move toward focus formulation. What do you need to do or what support do you need in order to achieve focus formulation as you move toward the confidence, increased interest, and documenting ends of the three threads of the ISP model?
In your other DMin seminar, your professor has asked you to submit two or three possible research paper topics. Using information gleaned from this week’s reading assignments, especially the U of T essay “Using Thesis Statements,” develop a thesis statement(s) for the topic(s) that you are contemplating for your research paper.
Share your best topic and thesis statement with your peers for their evaluation and feedback.
Go Home