One of the most important skills to cultivate in seminary is effective writing. Effective writing is not only a necessary skill to have as a student; it is a skill that is needed in the professional world as well. The more clear and precise the writing, the more convincing the ideas. Below are some basic ideas on good writing. To help with more information on writing well in seminary, find the library resources listed toward the end of this library guide.
Before covering the qualities of academic writing, it is essential to point out that academic achievement is an important part of seminary, but the first grade you receive in seminary does not define your call to ministry.
Academic vs. Personal Viewpoints
It is essential to understand the difference between personal and academic viewpoints. Personal opinion is an individual viewpoint or belief that is subject to a person’s experience and bias. Demonstrated knowledge and research by scholars is an academic view. Some might describe the opposite of the personal viewpoint as the objective viewpoint but there is a growing understanding that there is no real objective truth. Everyone has a bias. Good academic writing understands that bias but uses the body of knowledge by scholars when writing. The trap many beginning students fall into is that they write about their personal feelings when they are asked by faculty to write a paper that draws on scholarly works.
Active vs. Passive
Generally, it is better to write with an active voice rather than passive voice. For example, a sentence in active voice is-- The student won the lottery yesterday. The same idea in passive voice would be--the lottery was won by the student yesterday. The second choice is less dynamic and less impressive.
Use Inclusive Language
Use inclusive language when referring to the people of God and when referring to God (UPSem Policies and Procedures, p. 77). To learn more about inclusive language, go to this Theology and Worship document. For additional help with inclusive language, go here.
Unity
Develop a propositional sentence or a thesis statement for the introduction of a paper. A thesis statement will give clarity about the direction of the paper. Go here to see how to develop an effective opening statement with examples of ineffective and effective statements. Develop the main idea of the paper with a topic sentence for each paragraph, making sure the topic sentence and body of the paragraph continue to support the thesis of the paper. The conclusion of the paper should be compelling, and it should be more than a restatement of the introduction. It should bring together all the information from the body of the paper in a way that demonstrates growth and additional insight. For strategies on writing an effective conclusion with examples, go here.
Proper Support
A paper should have adequate facts and ideas from respected academic resources. Academic resources include most of the resources in the library, particularly the reference section. When looking at a resource to determine if it is academic, look at the table of contents. Is the language formal? Does the body of the resource have grammatical and vocabulary complexity? Are there citations? Is the bibliography extensive? The professor should be clear that the topic of the paper has been researched adequately with credible sources. It is important to consider and acknowledge different positions. Make sure the reasoned arguments used in the paper further develop and support the main topic of the paper.
Know when to quote and when to paraphrase
Usually, it is better to paraphrase than it is to quote. Paraphrasing is taking the ideas of someone else and putting that idea in your own words. Use a quote only when the exact words will make a stronger impact on the audience, and it adds to the argument. Make sure and give credit to the source of the quote. Even when paraphrasing an idea that is not common knowledge, it is important to cite the source. For further information about this, go here.
Avoid Plagiarism
Using someone else’s words or ideas without giving credit is unethical and subject to disciplinary action. That is to say, if it is not your idea, then cite it. As mentioned above, use quotes when using exact words and give credit to the source by citing it. Even when paraphrasing an idea of a particular source, if it is not common knowledge, credit should be given to the source. Go here to learn more about plagiarism.
Correctness
It is crucial to proofread the assignment carefully. Look for spelling and punctuation errors. Double-check that there are no weak or confusing word choices. Check for capitalization and grammatical errors. In other words, take time to proofread before the assignment is turned in. Reading the paper out loud is an excellent way to catch mistakes.
Checklist
Included on page 11 of St. Mary's Seminary & University Student Writing Guide, is an extensive checklist for revising and proofreading. Every student should use this guide when proofreading a paper.