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Subject Guide: Writing Helps

Research and Writing Help

When writing papers, the first thing to consider is the instructions from your professor. There are four main things to consider: 1) research question, 2) organization, 3) writing style, and 4) sources.  

    1. Research Question

    For a short video on picking a research question, go here.

    2. Organization

    Writing an Outline: for a quick video tutorial on writing an outline, go here.  For a list of online tools (some of which involve AI, therefore please refer to GCU’s AI policy) go here and here..

    General Resources for Writing Papers

    The following titles are beneficial for graduate-level seminary writing: 

    • Vyhmeister, Nancy J. and Terry Dwain Robertson. Your guide to writing quality research papers for students of religion and theology
    • Smith, Kevin Gary. Writing and Research: a guide for theological students
    • Graff, Gerald. They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing
    3. Writing Style

    Writing style is key, and is what will bring your entire paper together. Turabian is the standard style used in seminaries; there is no creativity allowed in margins, page numbering, font type or size, or other style. 

    Writing Tutorials

    Sentence structure, writing clearly, composing a thesis statement, writing tones, and common errors are important to your writing. Here is a set of  Video Tutorials.

    Writing Style Resources

    Please see the Turabian Style guide for more information on citations.

    Resources for Citation Management

    Organization upfront will save you headaches and frustration down the line. Using a citation manager and a citation generator can make all the difference.

    4. Finding Sources for Your Paper

    One of the most important parts of writing a paper is finding and choosing the right sources. Firstly, you must determine if your professor wants academic-only or is fine with more historical or popular sources. The online world is full of misleading or incorrect information. Go here for a helpful source evaluation guide.

    Resources for Finding Sources

    Check out this Wikipedia article for more info on what types of books, journals, and articles you might want to read for academic research and writing.

    Resources for Entering a Seminary Program
    • Zacharias, Danny. Surviving and thriving in seminary: an academic and spiritual handbook