Step-By-Step Manual On Creating A Theology Dissertation

A theology dissertation is not any different from other academic dissertations in terms of format and the step involved. The main differences are in the content and may be the mode of presentation. Theological students still have to go through the same hustle of literature review and data collection just like other students. They get review materials from Christian libraries but collect data from all over depending on the specific topic of study. Since there common dissertation challenges that cut across the board regardless of the field of study, their solutions are also similar. For every academic paper, preparation must be done thoroughly to avoid unnecessary troubles when doing the actual writing. It is also important to lay down a workable plan on how to go about the process of dissertation writing. At the end of the process, a theological dissertation must be of benefit to the student and others in the same field. The following is a step-by-step manual on how to create a theological dissertation.

1. Planning: Before starting to write any kind of academic paper, a proper plan must be put in place. This includes understanding the type of study and the tools required to accomplish the task. It is also the stage where a lot of brain storming happens as one writes down their thoughts. Putting thoughts on paper enables one to organize their work well.
2. Write an outline: After one has organized their ideas in form if short notes, they can now write a concise outline. This is just meant for direction since it’s a kind of a skeleton for the main paper.
3. Summary: This is a synopsis of what will be discussed in each chapter. It is just a more detailed and continuous version of the outline, normally a full page.
4. Manage the topic: Theological dissertation topics are not just meant to sound good and Christian. They should be manageable in a way that change in variables does not affect their scholarly value. The student should also test the effect that variables would have on the length, depth and breadth of the topic. If the topic remains relevant even with changing variables, then it’s a good one.
5. Write the draft: This is an expansion of the outline or synopsis. It is subject to adjustments before presenting the final document.

A theological dissertation is just as tedious as the others. However, when it is well done, it brings to the student benefits even beyond their studies.