Term papers are bad enough on their own, but proposals make them a hundred times worse. It can feel like professors are set on making your life a Groundhog Day nightmare, with you doing the same work over and over again. But there’s another way to look at it. If you consider a proposal an integral part of your term paper and learn to make most of this assignment, you will win in the long run.
So today, we won’t teach you how to write a theology paper. Instead, we’ll walk you through the essential steps of crafting a research proposal you’ll be able to use to its fullest.
Why Bother With a Theological Research Proposal?
At first glance, working on a research proposal seems like a huge waste of time and energy. Why bother creating another paper when you could be working on a graded assignment?
The short answer is that sometimes you have to submit a proposal before you start working on your term paper. Without approval from your professor or a department board, you won’t be able to decide on a topic or move forward with your research.
However, there are a couple of other reasons that should motivate you to take proposal writing seriously:
- It saves your time. With a clear problem and plan in mind, you won’t waste days and weeks on aimless reading and analysis. Working within the constraints you set for yourself, you’ll complete your term paper much faster.
- It’s great practice. Term papers have nothing on thesis, and the latter definitely requires a coherent proposal. Once you get the hang of crafting proposals, your next assignments will be a breeze.
How to Write a Theology Term Paper Proposal Fast
While you could structure your proposal any way you want, two elements are must-haves for it to be of value for your research. These are your problem and plan. The former explains what you’re going to study, while the latter describes how you will conduct your research. Let’s take a closer look at both components to help craft your proposal.
How to Formulate a Research Problem
You can’t expect to get approval if your research proposal is a one-sentence long question you plan on studying. You do need to formulate the question, but it’s nothing but one small part of the proposal. Ideally, the first section should consist of three components:
- The problem statement. That’s where you formulate the problem, divide it into smaller questions you want to study and formulate your hypothesis for solving the problem. The last part is usually the most challenging, as it requires some background knowledge of the problem. So we recommend skipping this section and returning to it once you’ve completed your preliminary literature overview.
- The problem clarification. This part should limit the scope of the problem, include the definitions of the key terms you will use, as well as your preliminary assumptions. This section will also consist of your literature review that may take on the form of an annotated bibliography. Remember to use reliable and credible academic sources instead of relying on online articles and blog posts.
- The value of the research. Here’s where you explain your study’s theoretical and practical value, the ways it can influence Theology theory and affect the community.
While it may seem like a lot of work, don’t think it’s useless. You will be able to use most parts of the research problem statement and clarification in your graded paper, as long as the professor approves your proposal. The literature overview is especially valuable, as you won’t need to do much more extra reading. And if you take good enough notes, they will form the foundation of your term paper. You will simply need to add your analysis and conclusions to make it complete.
How to Create a Research Plan
Now that you know for sure what you’re going to study, it’s time to formulate a game plan and explain to your professor how you will solve the problem you set for yourself. Your research plan may include two sections:
- Research design. That’s where you choose the type of research you plan on doing. It can be a case study or a purely literary study. You can also include an empirical component or go with a systematic review of earlier studies. There are plenty of research types for you to choose from, but you need to ensure the one you choose is the best for solving your problem. You will need to defend your choice in this section.
- Research methodology. Once you explain why you chose a particular study design, you need to describe how exactly you’re going to conduct your research. For every question you’ve outlined, explain where you will get the data, how you will analyze it, and what tools or methodologies you will use.
If you’re unsure about the research design and methodology best suited for your problem, consult the professor before you complete this section. Suggest a couple of alternatives you consider using, and your instructor will point you in the right direction.
Take Your Proposal Seriously
Just because it’s far removed from your finished theological research paper, the proposal is no less essential for your grade. So take it seriously, and don’t submit the first draft until you’ve gone through it a couple of times to weed out mistakes and typos. Ensure you spell the class and qualifications correctly and use the formatting and citation style required by the professor or your school.
Don’t be careless or sloppy with your proposal. After all, it’s the one thing that should convince your professor or board that you can do independent Theology research. If you follow our advice and formulate both the problem and plan carefully, your proposal will be approved.