Handbook for Doctor of Ministry Projects Vyhmeister, Book Report

Handbook for Doctor of Ministry Projects

Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008

The book Quality research papers by Nancy Jean Vyhmeister is a book about quality research papers; the second edition of the book was published in 2008. The book acts a research guide as well as a theology religious book; it can be used for professional church research. It gives different guides and resources that can be used for research work. It provides a clear guide from the beginning of a research to the completion. This second edition is rapidly becoming a reference guide for general research writing and research in the field of theology. It has advances in technology; the second edition provides a guide for doing online research and church related research in a professional manner.

Nancy Jean wrote the book to help in theology research; she majorly wrote the book to give guidelines to theology students when researching. The book is meant to be an instruction for the Christians. She gives different aspects of research, and the correct format to be used in research.[footnoteRef:2] It also puts different forms of research in writing; like research techniques, bibliography, form and organization in a balanced perspective. The work in this book is collected from different authors hence lack originality. The first thirteen chapters describe research forms and have different book reviews. [2: Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]

The author uses a formal style to write her work, the work has clarity because she writes following up-to-date procedures to explain the writing procedures. The procedures Nancy gives in her book are simplistic and easy to follow. The work is full of development because she starts from describing what research is, to where to finish and conclude the research. The book is well organized as it has a table of contents, which can easily lead someone to a specific topic. It is remarkably comprehensive about research, and it also balances the different stages in the research. The table of topics is based on development of different topics discussed in the book. The book is majorly written for theology students, to aid them in their research, but the book can be used by anyone while doing research in any genre or any writing. [footnoteRef:3] [3: Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]

The theme of the book is about how to research and how to compile a research. It starts from scratch about how to prepare topics and questions for research to how to compile a research report. It also discusses tables and statistics that can be used in research. It gives enough information that can be used through a research process. The thesis of the book is about research methodology in theology, and the religious field. The author presents the book in the form of different units, which give specific, details about different topics she discusses in the book. These units expound into details about research and different descriptions found in the research process. These specific details help readers to understand the research topics well. The author has used bible quote and verses to help the reader in better understanding about what is discussed in the book. The author has also used situations to clarify her points and make her points better understood by the readers.

The author uses different ideas, and critical analysis to explain her points. She also explains different issues related to the subject matter without impartiality. She also explains her views from a theological-biblical point-of-view; by narration then ends with theological understanding. The book is thoroughly revised and accurate making it highly reliable for the readers. She gives a up-to-date procedure and meets her goals, because she gives basic examples for doing research, organizing different topics and writing an organized thesis. She also meets her goals because while she is a role model; she also produces an admirable example as she says in her conclusion. [footnoteRef:4] [4: Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]

The key concepts helpful in preparation of a paper are; the research process. The research process is helpful in getting the required information. She gives details about what a research is, and what a research is not. She gives up-to-date details about the research process and also explains the importance of a research. From the research, one will require to use a library.The book gives procedures for using a library, using a catalog and also procedures for using other library sources. Research can also be done in the internet, and Nancy has sufficiently given details on internet research, using footnotes and how to evaluate the internet sources.

Another key concept is the choice of topics; where she gives the process of choosing, reading and how to select a thesis for the topic. This is a critical part of writing because a successful research depends on the topic, and well planed topic gives exceptional clarity to the writing. She also gives procedures to use for special research and the use of tables; where there is descriptive research, surveys, interviews and sampling. [footnoteRef:5] This part gives further details on how to handle different research methods. She also gives methods to be used while making bibliographies and citations. This is an essential part in any writing as it gives this is helpful to the writer and the reader; it gives further information about research or writing. In the bibliography, she gives different examples, which are easy to follow and understand. She gives examples on multiauthor and multivolume. These examples cannot be easily found in any other texts. [5: Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]

Conclusion

Nancy Vhymeister Quality Research Papers can be used as a standard referencing material. It gives detailed information about the research process, book reviews, program development and it gives additional information to theology students. It also gives highly reliable information because it derives most of information from different texts. All information provided can be used to carry out a successful research in all fields and genres. [footnoteRef:6] [6: Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]

Davies, Richard E., Handbook for Doctor of Ministry Projects. New York: University of America Press, 1984

Introduction

Handbook Doctor of Ministry Projects of 1984 is a book by Davies Richard on research and writing. It acts as a guide on carrying out research in theology. It also gives different guidelines on other books that can be used as references, for further information in research. This gives the researcher directions to different books. The book guides the reader from selecting atopic, data collection, and study design and data analysis. It also gives development of questionnaire, development of relevant tests, bibliographic resources and descriptive statistical analysis techniques.

Davies writes the book that targets the theology students of the Doctor Ministries in their research projects.[footnoteRef:7] The purpose of the book is to enlighten students on the nature of research projects and their elements. He writes the book in a formal way because it has coherence, constant development and also has originality; he also writes the book in an assay format. Doctor Ministries reaches the intended audience and prepare them well for the projects. The book provides an effective strategy in project preparation. It also provides different perspectives about projects; institutional and personal. Then it offers practical advice in regards to the history of the perspectives. The advice is given in accordance to elements widely common in different institutions or students. The book emphasizes on planning as a key in projects just like reading and writing. [7: Davies, Richard E., Handbook for Doctor of Ministry Projects. New York: University of America Press, 1984]

The book gives examples from different religious issues, which illustrate different points and also give the research directions. The book is written in first person singular point-of-view; where the author addresses the reader. It is a guide for the readers, on their research and writing. The theme of the book is based on theological writing. The theme emphasizes on quantitative writing although, it can be used in qualitative research. He tries to convince the reader on excellent writing and research methods; he achieves this by using appropriate theoretical basis. The thesis is about understanding the process and methods of the dissertation project. The reader presents different details and scenes that appeal the reader, and develop imagination making them understand the procedure and concepts well.

The key concepts that can be used in writing are how to develop questionnaires. Davies has critically expounded on questionnaires. Questionnaires are indispensable as they are used for research about certain unknown facts. He suggests that one should use other questionnaires when trying to develop their own. Davies also suggests the use of scales where validity and reliability are well established. Davies advices that.....