TIPS FOR THE RESEARCH PAPER

Grammar:

• Use third person exclusively in the research paper.

• Do not use first or second person: I, my, me, we, us, our; you, your, ya’ll,

you’uns.

• Don’t use contractions.

• Be sure to yoose a prufereeder.

• Be cautious about word use. E.g., Don’t label a point “mute” (as if it is unable to

speak) or write about the “tenants” of, say, openness theology (unless you truly

are telling me about those who live in that theology).

• There is no need to use “honorifics” or titles in a research paper (e.g., “Dr.” or

“Ph.D.”)

• There is no need to preach or yell in your research paper. You may wish to do the

latter while writing the paper, but there is no need to put it in the text.

• On the use of “secondly,” “thirdly,” etc., I refer you to Strunk and White,

Elements of Style (p. 57): “Unless you are prepared to begin with firstly and

defend it (which will be difficult), do not prettify numbers with -ly.” “First,”

“second,” “third,” etc. will suffice.

• Capitalize “Bible” and “Scripture,” but not “biblical” or “scriptural.”

• Place punctuation inside quotation marks (e.g., “ _____ ,” instead of “ _____ ”,.

Form:

• One sentence does not a paragraph make.

• Use footnotes. Please do not use parenthetical reference method or endnotes.

• Indent footnotes.

• Double space between footnotes.

• Do not leave a single line of a paragraph on a page.

• Use Times New Roman 12 pt. font. Please do not use a smaller or larger font in

the paper or on the title page.

• The paper should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner only (please do not use

binders, folders, or slip-covers).

• You do not need a table of contents; you may choose to provide section headings

in the body of the paper (see Turabian).

Other Tips:

• Your bibliography should consist of published scholarly works (books and

journals). You need not list the Bible, unpublished lecture notes or unpublished

manuscripts. The only acceptable unpublished works are Ph.D. dissertations,

Th.M. theses or unpublished papers from academic meetings (e.g., ETS, SBL).

• Avoid personal anecdotes.

• Avoid over-reliance on one or a few sources.

• If you use an exact quote from a source, you must cite the source.

• If you use an idea from a source, even if it is paraphrased, cite the source.

• If you present an idea or argument developed from another source, cite the source.

• If in doubt, cite the source.

• Do not use large quotes (even from the Bible) to “pad” the paper.

• Abbreviate Bible citations (e.g., Phil. 2:5); do not abbreviate references to books

of the Bible (e.g., Philippians).

• Do not assume that the professor will be merciful about late proposals or papers.

• If you choose to print your paper at the last minute, you, and not the printer, must

assume all responsibility for late penalties.

The Dean also makes the following suggestions:

• Always avoid the apt art of alliteration.

• Avoid clichés like the plague.

• Never, ever generalize.

• Do not be redundant or use more words than necessary.

• One-word sentences? Eliminate.

• Don’t use contractions.

• Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

• Foreign words are usually not apropos.

• The passive voice is to be avoided.

• Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.

*** Adapted from David P. Nelson (3-2005)