MS100 - Theological Education and Spiritual Journey

This guide provides additional resources you may find helpful as you take this course. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your librarian!

This course has materials on course reserve. To see the full list of resources and their current availability click the link below:

Course Reserves for MS 100 - Theological Education and Spiritual Journey

Course reserves are available at the Circulation Desk. You may check out up to three items at a time for a three hour loan period. Reserves may be renewed up to two times if they are not on hold for another patron. If you check out a reserve within one hour of the library's closing, you may keep it overnight and return it within one hour of opening the following day. Overdue reserve items accumulate a fine of $1 per hour.

Prewriting is the first step of the writing process. Try these prewriting prompts and exercises: 

• What does Dr. Mellott want you to do? Make sure you understand the requirements of the assignment. Ask Dr. Mellott to explain the assignment if it seems vague or confusing. Restate the assignment to Dr. Mellott in your own words and ask if you are correct. Write the assignment in your own words.
• What information do you need to include in this essay? Write a list of questions to which you need to “find answers.”
• Put a check mark beside any questions on the list that require you to find information in an outside source such as a library book or an online database.

Think more deeply and plan what types of information you will need to gather for this assignment.

• Consider where you may be likely to find the answers to the questions you compiled during your prewriting step.
• List all of the possible sources of information that will help you answer the questions you checked above. Consider library books, journal articles, and online reference resources.
• If you plan to consult websites and other internet sources, how will you verify that the source is credible?

In this step you will determine where to look for information and begin searching in those places.

• Where would be the best places to look? Write those down.
• Search for the types of sources you've identified for this essay. A good place to start is the Library Catalog . Also try a EBSCO Discovery Service search to search all the library's holdings in print and online.
• Internet searches may also be helpful. Google Scholar or Microsoft Academic will be more likely to return results from credible sources than a plain Google or Bing search.
• Contact Professor Kennedy Stephens if you need assistance with searching or accessing sources. Schedule an appointment or submit a query.

Engage the sources you've found:

• Read, listen, or view the sources.
• Record the location information you will need to develop a citation
• Take notes: use note cards, a notebook, or electronic note-keeping system. For more ideas about note-taking, see the Note-Taking section of the "Theological Writing" guide.

This is the step when everything comes together. Consult the Writing Center and the "Theological Writing" guide for additional assistance.

• Prewriting: Collect your questions and notes and begin to sort and arrange them in preparation for composing your essay. If it looks like you're still missing some information, go back to steps 2, 3, and 4 to fill in the gaps.
• Drafting: Write a first draft.
• Conferencing: Ask Dr. Mellott for a content conference. Have any questions about how you are approaching the assignment or about your draft ready in advance.
• Revising: Re-enter the writing process. Review your draft with a critical eye and in light of the conversation(s) you've had in class and with Dr. Mellott. This might be a good point to also consult with a writing coach (Professor Gray or Dr. McDonald), if you are not already in conversation with one.
• Editing: Improve your grammar and spelling. Look at sentence structure. Make sure the essay meets the word limit requirement. Proofread and polish your footnotes and bibliography.
• Publishing: Finalize your essay and make sure it is in Word format (required for this assignment). 

As you are submitting your assignment, are you able to answer "yes" to these questions? If not, what can you do to improve your process for the next assignment?

• Is this a thoughtful response to the prompt, "What is the theological significance of national borders?"
• Does your essay represent your thoughts and conclusions?
• Is it more than a summary of other people's thoughts and ideas?
• If you quoted another source, did you use appropriate punctuation and transitions?
• Did you cite all your sources appropriately in Chicago/Turabian style with footnotes?
• Did you include a bibliography that is appropriately formatted?
• Did you follow all the directions and fulfill all the requirements Dr. Mellott set for this essay?
• Would you be proud to share this essay with others?

The librarians at E. M. White Library at Louisville Seminary have developed this guide to major Protestant denominations in the U.S. It may be a helpful resource to you as you begin to research the mission statements and mandates of your own churches.

Denominations: Short Profiles of Christian Denominations in the U.S.