Writing a Term Paper: A Step-by-Step Process
(Catholic Bible Institute – Year I – Spring 2006)

Step 1: Choose a topic and read the whole text(s).

Believe it or not, this and the next step are sometimes the most difficult. There is so much to cover. First, choose a main topic, such as how Amos is a prophet of social justice, or what kind of a God is God in Nahum or Habakkuk, or the ethical teachings in Micah. Read the book(s) or passages in their entirety. Make notes about things that strike your interest, or texts you find troubling or disturbing. Perhaps you will gain new insights from your reading. Write down any immediate thoughts you have about it. This is not the time to worry about grammar. That comes in Step 8. The important thing at this point is to get your thoughts onto paper. Otherwise, they will be forgotten.

Step 2: Focus your area of study.

Now that you have a main topic, and you’ve read the full texts, you must focus it. Unless the book is really short, you can’t do the whole thing in 4-6 pages. This is where your notes come in. Go over them. What did you write down? Perhaps you found interesting the use of a particular symbol, such as the image of the wife in Hosea. Maybe you’d like to compare and contrast the prophetic calls of Isaiah and Jeremiah. You will examine your choice by a method called an exegesis, drawing out the meaning that the text intends. (In contrast, placing an interpretation from the 21st century onto a work written 2600 years ago is called eisegesis, reading into the text what you want – which is not what we want to do!)

Whatever topic you choose, when you choose it, stick with it. This is not as easy as you might think. Obstacles will arise and you will be tempted to look elsewhere. Don’t. Keep pushing through and the road will open up.

Step 3: Read and reread the chosen focus texts.

Now that you have chosen, photocopy the passages you wish to study. Read them over, and over, and over, frontward and backward, verse by verse, word by word. Based on their literary contexts (where they appear and how they fit into the whole writing), and your close examination, what do you think they mean?

Step 4: Consult secondary sources for context.

Now that you have the primary text firmly in your mind, seek out a secondary source (primary text = original document; secondary source = any commentary or scholarly writing about the primary text). For this assignment use your text, Reading the Old Testament by Larry Boadt and one biblical commentary. These include one-volume or multi-volume commentaries, such as the New Jerome Bible Commentary, the Anchor Bible Commentary Series, (it is also helpful to use a good Bible Dictionary such as the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary or consult the Anchor Bible Dictionary, a six volume set in the reference section of the LMU library). At this time you want to answer the journalistic questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how? These are called the historical-critical questions. It is important to place the writing in its proper historical context. Who wrote it and to whom? What was going on when it was written? Where was it written, why did the prophet write it? How did the authors characterize their theology?

Step 5: Make an educated guess.

Now, reread all your work and the notes from your secondary sources. What do you think is the main point of the prophetic writing or the chosen passage within the context of the whole?

Step 6: Research verse by verse.

Using your Bible and one commentary, examine your passage verse by verse. Some of the commentaries can get a bit technical. Choose one you can work with and dig in. As you read each verse, look at the commentator’s notations. When taking notes you want to write down the name of the commentary, the author and the page number. If you are quoting directly put quotation marks in your notes. It is better to put it in your own words.

Not only are you analyzing verse-by-verse, but also word-by-word. Take notice of any key words or phrases in the passage. Read what the scholars have written. Take good, organized notes. It may seem tedious and difficult at first, but you’ll be glad later when the paper writes itself.

You might want to take your notes on index cards. One thought per card. In the upper right hand corner put the author/book and page number. In the upper left-hand corner use a subject heading for the particular note. You are organizing while you are researching. When you consolidate, just follow the subject headings.

In this step you are looking for factual information, insights and interpretations beyond the scope of your own work. Look for alternate interpretations among scholars (Boadt and your commentary). You are seeking evidence to support your view. Does anyone else think what you think? Can your interpretations be supported through research? You are also correcting and clarifying your work. This is meant to challenge you and your ideas. Let it.

Step 7: Consolidate your work.

Now is the time when you organize all your notes and thoughts. Go through everything. Combine your research with the scholars. Draw conclusions (not summaries). Develop a thesis statement (a one sentence summary of the main point of your paper). Write an outline.

Step 8: Write, reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite…

It is always best to write according to an outline. You want to start with a short introductory paragraph: your thesis statement, perhaps a sentence explaining your interest in the topic, and a roadmap, telling the reader how you are going to prove your point. You may want to write this last.

Next, discuss the literary context (how your focus text fits into the whole book) and historical context, answering the journalistic questions: who, what, when, where, how?

Now is time for the detailed analysis. You’ve seen examples in your commentaries of how this is done. Verse by verse: Larry Boadt says…, Commentator (name) says…, I agree because…, I disagree because…. Most important: I think this because…. Your own well-researched and thought-out view is the most important element in your writing.

After completing your detailed analysis, it is time to bring it all together. You are not summarizing your work, but drawing conclusions about the meaning of the passage/word in the context of the whole writing and context of the author. What do you think the writer meant and why do you think this?

You have been a dedicated and devoted student/scholar. Now it is time to reflect on the text spiritually. How does all this new knowledge cause the spirit to move in you? How does it affect you in your individual relationship with God experienced in private prayer, and in your relationship with God in community? Any new insights?

Finally add your bibliography. For examples of proper format, please see the citations below and the CBI website.

Then read your paper, rewrite, reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite… It is always better to have a good, solid draft at least one week before the paper is due. Then you can put it down for a few days before you read it again and do another rewrite.

Also, have someone else read your paper and give you some feedback; they might not only help you find and correct some spelling or grammatical mistakes, but could also point out something that you could explain better or express more clearly.  You’ll have a better paper if you follow these simple suggestions.

Final Note:

There are specific and firm rules about the use of quotations. The copyright laws of the United States government protect all published material. You are allowed to use direct quotations from texts, but you must properly credit the author.

There are three things you must do when using direct quotes: (1) put the quote in quotation marks; (2) use a brief parenthetical citation (Author, pg #) after the quote (this is also required for paraphrasing if the idea you are expressing is not your own; if you had the same idea before reading it you must cite the supporting author as evidence); (3) include the bibliographic information at the end of the paper.

Now, go write a great paper! If you have any questions during this process, ASK! That’s why the team is here: to help you.

References for Writing:

Gorman, Michael J. Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2001.  (the main source for the above writing steps)

Loyola Marymount University. Style Manual. 9^th edition, 2000.   (or any manual on format and citing sources)

Strunk, Jr., William and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 3^rd ed. New York: MacMillian, 1979.

Some Suggested Topics (don’t limit yourself to these; they are only suggestions of some possibilities):

•        Ethical Teachings in Micah

•        Metaphor of Family in Hosea

•        Amos as a Prophet of Social Justice

•        Compare/Contrast the Prophetic Calls of Isaiah (6:1-13) and Jeremiah (1:4-19)

•        The Image of the Ideal King in Isaiah (9:1-7; 11:1-9)

•        Prophetic Symbols in Jeremiah (choose one): the linen loin cloth (13:1-11), the potter’s clay (18:1-12), the earthen-ware jug (19:1-15), the yoke of Babylon (27:1-22)