BRIT 75013 MTS Colloquium: Advanced Theological Research and Writing (syllabus)
3 semester hours, Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas
Fall 2013; Tuesdays, 1:00-3:30pm; Moore 105

 

Instructor: Charles Bellinger c.bellinger@tcu.edu 817-257-7668

Prerequisites: MTS students should be in their next to last (or last) semester.

Course Description: This course is required for MTS students at Brite to prepare for writing their final project.

Course Objectives:
1. To ensure that students have advanced skills in bibliographic searching on a chosen topic.
2. To give students an opportunity to practice various aspects of composition, such as planning, drafting, offering and receiving feedback, and revising.
3. To introduce students to rhetorical theory.
4. To allow MTS students at Brite to lay a substantive foundation for their final projects.

Requirements and grading:
1. annotated research bibliography (20%)
2. academic book review, 3-4 pages (10%)
3. several short papers, 2-3 pages (30%)
4. research paper outline with at least 15 pages of written text (40%)
5. speak with a faculty member about directing the final project (0%)

Attendance Policy: Attendance at all class meetings is expected. If you are unable to attend on a particular day, contact me.

Required Texts:
Booth, Wayne C. The Rhetoric of Rhetoric: The Quest for Effective Communication. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2004. ISBN-10: 1405112379  $24

Fowler, Alastair. How to Write. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN-10: 0199278504 $9

There may be other assigned readings provided by the instructor.

Schedule:

week

 

topic

reading assignments

writing assignments

1. Aug. 20

 

I. Introduction to course.

Richard Weaver, "A Responsible Rhetoric"

 

2. Aug. 27

 

II. Choosing a topic
Typically, students choose a topic that is too broad. They need help in narrowing and focusing the scope of their project. On some occasions, however, students need to broaden an overly narrow topic. This aspect of the student's work will be revised as the semester progresses.

How to Write, 1-31

1-2 page preliminary outline of project

3. Sept. 3

 

III. Advanced research
Students will use various databases to build up a large bibliography on a chosen topic relating to their research paper. Databases will include WorldCat, ATLA Religion Database, Academic Research Complete, JSTOR, and others as relevant. At least 6 items on the bibliography will be annotated. The Internet will also be surveyed as a possible source of relevant resources.

 

[optional RefWorks training: Wed., Sept. 4, 10am-noon, or Thurs., Sept. 5, 2-4:00pm, in Library Training Room 219]

How to Write, 167-188

revised outline

4. Sept. 10

 

bibliography development continued

 

 

5. Sept. 17

 

IV. Drafting

How to Write, 32-61

2-3 pages draft

6. Sept. 24

 


 

How to Write, 62-100

2-3 pages draft

7. Oct. 1

 

 

How to Write, 101-135

2-3 pages draft

8. Oct. 8

 

 

How to Write, 136-166

2-3 pages draft

9. Oct. 15

 no class

Brite reading week [submit current outline to instructor via email]

 

 

10. Oct. 22

 

V. Introduction to Rhetorical Theory

 

Rhetoric of Rhetoric, 1-83

2-3 page response paper

11. Oct. 29

 

 

Rhetoric of Rhetoric, 85-128

2-3 page response paper

12. Nov. 5

 

 

Rhetoric of Rhetoric, 129-172

2-3 page response paper

13. Nov. 12

 

VI. Academic book review
Students will write a review of a book that is related to their final project. Students will prepare for this task by reading a book related to their project and reviews of at least five other relevant books from theological journals.

 

academic book review, 3-4 pages

14. Nov. 19

 

VII. Offering/Receiving feedback
Students will present drafts of their final project outline, with at least fifteen pages of preliminary prose text. They will read each other's work and offer feedback.

 

outline + 15 pages + annotated bibliography

15. Nov. 26

 no class

[optional meeting with instructor, Nov. 25]

 

 

 

OUTLINE ASSIGNMENT

This is an amplification of "II" above. Students will produce an outline of their argument, in such a manner that the sub-genre of their essay will become apparent. By sub-genre, I mean that under the general genre of the expository essay, there are many sub-types. For example:

Essay Structures

 

literature review with constructive contribution

author A says this about topic Z, author B says this, author C says this; I think the discussion can be improved by considering this ...

interpretation critique

author H interprets author B in this way; the strengths and weaknesses of this interpretation are ...

interpretation of biblical passage

this biblical text has been read in these ways ...; I propose reading it in this way ...

historical study

this historical topic has not been written on very extensively (or very well); I will write on this topic arguing that ...

application of ideas

this theological idea can be applied to ecclesial settings in this way ...

polemics

author A argues in favor of idea N, author B argues against it; I think B is right for the following reasons ... ; I think both are missing the point ... ; this argument could be advanced by considering this ...

interreligious dialogue

this religion teaches K, this other religion teaches R; I see these similarities / openings for dialogue / etc.

social critique

this social practice is harmful; movement away from that harm can be made in the following ways ...

doctrinal revision

theological or ethical doctrine E can be reinterpreted from the perspective of feminist / womanist / black / asian / Whiteheadian, (etc.) thought.

etc., etc.

 

This list is suggestive; it could be elaborated until it consists of dozens. Students will complete this assignment by first setting out a "formal" structure, such as those just mentioned, before they get to the "content" of their actual argument. The outline will be fairly detailed, showing how the bibliographic resources drawn on will contribute to the development of the essay's argument. The assignment will include at least fifteen pages of written text in addition to the complete outline. Both the text and the outline will be subject to later revision.

 


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