WRSP 805 Foundations of Doctoral Research in Worship

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the research skills necessary for a successful dissertation project. The tools necessary for research and the skills required for writing at the doctoral level will be reviewed so the student can understand the nature of what is required in order to complete a Ph.D. dissertation.

The Ph.D. dissertation requires research in an area of study that has never been completed by anyone before. While this is a formidable challenge, it is also a distinct privilege to become the world’s leading expert on a narrow but critical area of study that will be researched, written, and presented to the academic community by a newly minted scholar and subsequently, bearer of the highest degree awarded in North America – the Doctor of Philosophy!

Textbook Readings and Lecture Presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be 350 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 150 words.

Peer-Review Discussion

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will evaluate and give appropriate critical feedback to a peer’s journal article from this course. Utilizing the comment feature in MS Word, the student will give feedback regarding content, strength of argument, appropriateness of sources, writing style, and adherence to Turabian format. Suggestions for improvement of the article should also be provided.

Ph.D. Dissertation Review Assignment

The student will identify a Ph.D. dissertation to survey and give an overview of the components of the dissertation in written form. The review should include title information, description of the type of research, front matter (including abstract, table of contents, etc.), a brief summary of each chapter, and all back matter (including appendices and bibliography). This does not require reading the dissertation, but skimming it for relevant information. However, the student should read Chapter 1 in its entirety. This review should be a minimum of 1,000 words (approximately 4 pages) in current Turabian format.

Topic Reflection Paper Assignment

The student will prepare a summary of a potential topic for a Ph.D. dissertation in worship that he/she would like to pursue for research. The reflection for the topic should include a summary, the rationale for the student’s interest, and an explanation of the “gap” in the research that this would fill (i.e., why this study would be unique). The paper should be a minimum of 750 words (3 pages) in current Turabian format. After review, the course professor will help the student adjust the topic for use in assignments for the remainder of the course.

Journal Article Assignment

The student will write a minimum 2,000-word journal article (approximately 8 pages) in current Turabian format that focuses on a worship topic of interest to the student. The article should include a title page and a properly formatted bibliography. This article could potentially be on the same topic that the student is considering for a dissertation. The article must include at least 10 scholarly references (including journal articles) in addition to the Bible, and footnotes should be properly cited.

Literature Review Summary Assignment

The student will provide a summary of the relevant sources to support the dissertation topic. The Literature Review Summary should include a minimum of 30 scholarly sources, not including course textbooks, as described in the assignment instructions. Sources do not have to be annotated, but they should be in current Turabian format and should adhere to the required manual.

Abstract Assignment

The student will write an abstract of 250–300 words describing the topic and making an argument for its rationale and relevance to the field of worship. The abstract must be in current Turabian format and adhere to the required manual.

Research Plan Assignment

The student will propose a research plan for the potential dissertation topic. The plan should include three potential approaches to the topic (Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods), and all three should include the following: Research Title, Description of the Research Topic, Purpose Statement, Research Questions, Research Methodology, and a Brief Description of the Research Process.

Annotated Bibliography Assignment

The student will provide an Annotated Bibliography for the proposed research topic for which the Sample Prospectus will be written. The Bibliography should include a minimum of 30 scholarly references (including the 30 identified in the Literature Review Summary and excluding course textbooks), and each annotation should be approximately 50 words. The Bibliography should be in current Turabian format and include a title page.

Sample Prospectus Assignment

The student will write a minimum 2,500-word (10-page) Prospectus (not including the Annotated Bibliography) in current Turabian format that identifies a potential dissertation topic. The Prospectus will include a brief survey of the relevant literature, a clearly identified set of research questions, and a research plan to answer the questions. The Prospectus should include no fewer than 30 sources, not including the course textbooks and the Bible. This should adhere to the required manual.