WRSP 880 Introduction to the Thesis Writing Project

This course prepares the student to begin the thesis writing project.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

It is vital that each student understand the thesis writing process. This course will assist the student in having a complete and thorough understanding of the thesis writing process and defense expectations. The student will have key instructors who will demonstrate how to accomplish the IRB Application and how to develop surveys and other research data.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

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.

Peer-Review Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 3 Peer-Review Discussions in the course. Receiving and creating feedback in a peer review is a valuable part of the learning and refining process in the development of the abstract, proposal, and first chapter. Therefore, the student will upload a Word document to the discussion. The professor will post an initial thread containing pairing assignments for peer review. Each student will complete one peer review and comment on the student’s paper according to the requirements in the instructions and Grading Rubric criteria. The reviewer will enter comments on the draft by using the “Review” function in Word. The student will also provide summary feedback at the end of the paper noting what the peer did well and what he/she needs to improve on. The student will then upload the paper as a reply, along with summative comments of encouragement. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Topic Inquiry Study Assignment

The student will complete a Topic Inquiry Study by using the Topic Inquiry Study Template. The student will list three possible scholarly sources. (CLO: A, C, D)

Abstract Writing Assignment

The student will write an abstract of 200-250 words describing the topic’s description, rationale, the selected research approach, and the potential value to the field. The abstract must be submitted as a Word document, and must adhere to the current Turabian writing style as described in the required manual. The student will also fill out the provided template, which must contain three literature review quotes from a scholarly source, a problem statement, methods statement, and a findings and implications statement. (CLO: A, B, C)

Literature Review Assignment

Building a strong, relevant, and current collection of scholarly sources is imperative for a strong beginning of the writing process. Therefore, the student will identify 16 scholarly sources pertinent to the field of study and complete 16 literature review charts. Each form should include the reference entered in Turabian format and a three to five-sentence summary of the article. The student will use the templates provided for the following:

Traditional Thesis:

1. Four journal articles (published within the last 10 years)
2. Four theses/dissertations (published within the last five years)
3. Four books
4. Four magazine articles (published within the last five years)

Worship Practice Model:

The student will consider 5 biblical texts pertinent to the research topic and support the explanation and application of those texts to the research topic from 16 scholarly sources of his/her choosing. Consider Biblical commentaries, Biblical word study sources, and theology and worship texts/articles, etc. The intent is to establish a strong and well-supported interpretation of each text. Students utilizing this model are not required to submit 4 of each genre but should submit a total of 16 sources. (CLO: A, C, D, E)

The student will write an abstract and a proposal of four sections as one document. The abstract will identify the gap in the literature, state the significance of the problem, and identify the methodology. The abstract must be one double-spaced paragraph with no indentation, consisting of 200-250 words.

The body of the proposal must include the first six sections of the proposal in addition to the abstract. These six sections are (in order): Introduction (1 page), Background (2 pages), Statement of the Problem (1/2 page), Statement of the Purpose (1/2 page), Significance of the Study (1 page), and two or three unique research questions with explanation (1 page). The document must include a bibliography containing at least ten sources. The body of the paper must consist of at least 6 pages of content, not including the title page, abstract, and bibliography.

Proposal Paper Assignment

The student will expand the four proposal sections into a seven-section proposal paper. The abstract will identify the gap in the literature, state the significance of the problem, and identify the methodology. The abstract must be one double-spaced paragraph with no indentation and consist of 200–250 words.

The body of the proposal paper must include details concerning each of the twelve sections of the proposal in order by revising the first six sections (Introduction, Background, Statement of the Problem, Statement of the Purpose, Significance of the Study, and Research Questions and Sub-questions), plus new sections listed below. The student must highlight any new or revised material since the Abstract and Proposal: Sections 1-6 Assignment.

The new sections to be added to the first six are to include (in order): Theoretical Framework including Biblical Worldview/Analysis Model (for Worship Practice Models) (1/2–1 page), Definition of Terms/Core Concepts (1 page), Working Hypotheses (for Quantitative Studies only) (1/2 page), Methodology (1 page), and Research Plan (2 pages). The document must include a bibliography containing at least ten sources. The body of the paper must consist of at least 10 pages of content, in addition to a title page, abstract, and bibliography. All citations and the bibliography must be cited according to current Turabian style guide standards. (CLO: A, C, D, E) 

The student will write the full proposal (which will become chapter one) of his/her doctoral thesis. The student will include the following sections with a centered and bold heading: Introduction, Background, Statement of the Problem, Statement of the Purpose, Significance of the Study, Research Question and Sub-questions, Theoretical Framework including Biblical Worldview/Analysis Model (for Worship Practice Models), Definition of Terms/Core Concepts, Worship Hypotheses (for Quantitative Studies only), Methodology, Research Plan, Summary of Literature (for traditional thesis) or Biblical Foundations (for Worship Practice Model), and Chapter Summary. The proposal must cite at least 10 sources. The Initial Full Proposal document must contain 15–20 pages of content, in addition to a title page, an abstract of 200–250 words, and a bibliography page. The document must include page numbers beginning on the first page of content. The paper must follow the current Turabian style. The student will upload his/her Initial Full Proposal as a Word document. (CLO: A, C, D, E) 

Final Full Proposal Assignment

The student will consider the feedback from the Peer-Review Discussion: Initial Full Proposal and unpack the chapter further to thoroughly discuss each of the following sections: Introduction, Background, Statement of the Problem, Statement of the Purpose, Significance of the Study, Research Question and Sub-questions, Theoretical Framework including Biblical Worldview/Analysis Model (for Worship Practice Models), Definition of Terms/Core Concepts, Worship Hypotheses (for Quantitative Studies only), Methodology, Research Plan, Summary of Literature (for traditional thesis) or Biblical Foundations (for Worship Practice Model), and Chapter Summary. The proposal must cite at least 10 sources. The Final Full Proposal document must contain 15–20 pages of content, in addition to a title page, an abstract of 200–250 words, and a bibliography page. The document must include page numbers beginning on the first page of content. The paper must follow the current Turabian style. The student will upload his/her Final Full Proposal as a Word document. The student will save the document as Last Name_Final Proposal. (CLO: A, C, D, E) 

Schedule Music Research Consultation Assignment

The Jerry Falwell Library offers excellent research tools and resources through JFL Online that include research consultations with knowledgeable and experienced library staff. The purpose of this assignment is to schedule a Library Research Consultation with a staff member of your choice. When you meet, the staff member will guide you through tools and resources available through JFL Online.  

Quiz: Research Question and Hypotheses

The student will study the Research Question and Hypothesis Documents provided in the Learn Section of Module 1 and complete the quiz. The quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 5 multiple-choice questions, and have a 1-hour time limit. The quiz allows unlimited attempts and keeps the highest score. (CLO: A, C)