DMin Orientation Chapter 1 Overview

DCOR700 – D.Min. Orientation:
Module 4
The Dissertation: Chapter One – Understanding the Big Picture
Where Does Chapter One Fit?
Step 1: Chapter One ~ Introduction of the Study
Step 2: Chapter Two ~ Literature Survey
Step 3: Chapter Three ~ Biblical/Theological /Historical
Foundations
Step 4: Chapter Four ~ Description of the Project
Step 5: Chapter Five ~ Results and Conclusions
Understanding Chapter 1 in the Flow of the Dissertation
Step 1: Pose Problem ~ What is Puzzling Me? (Chapter 1)
Step 2: Put in Context ~ Who Else Cares About it? (Chapter 2)
Step 3: Select a Theory ~ Best Way to Handle it? Why?
(Chapter 3)
Step 4: Implement an Intervention ~ What Shall I Do?
(Chapter 4)
Step 5: Evaluate it ~ Did it Work? How Well? What Next?
(Chapter 5)
Analogy: Curing a Sickness

Step 1: Chapter One ~ What is the sickness?
Step 2: Chapter Two ~ Who else has tied to cure it?
Step 3: Chapter Three ~ What makes up your “pill”?
Step 4: Chapter Four ~ Describe the “pill”/give it.
Step 5: Chapter Five ~ What happened to the
sickness?
Analogy: A new Cooking Recipe
Step 1: Chapter One ~ What do you want to cook?
Step 2: Chapter Two ~ Who else has recipes?
Step 3: Chapter Three ~ What are the ingredients?
Step 4: Chapter Four ~ Your exact recipe/cook it.
Step 5: Chapter Five ~ How did the recipe turn out?
Philosophical Foundation
The D.Min. degree is a professional doctorate
The focus is practical problem-solving in your ministry context
The approach is a reasoned research-based approach to problem
solving
The outcome is a measurable solution to the problem, resulting
transformation and renewal
The result is a research-based reasoned and critical thought
paradigm that is learned for problem-solving in ministry needy
areas
What is Chapter One?
Introduction to your dissertation
Defines the ministry problem addressed
Clarifies the rationale/reason for doing the project
Places limits on the scope of the dissertation

Articulates the underlying assumptions of the solution
Orients the reader to your methodology for analyzing & solving
the problem
Summarizes the results of the project and its unique
contribution
Evaluates the effectiveness of your project in solving the
ministry problem
Chapter 1 Topic and Focus
Chapter 1 introduces your dissertation, and is therefore all
about focus
The topic and focus of your dissertation are not about “what?”
but rather about “who?”
You are not selecting a topic, as much as refining who you are
and the evidence of God’s focus in your life – that is the
direction for your dissertation
Is 46:9, 10: God knows the end from the beginning: What
threads, relationships, experiences, ministry directions, pain,
joy, or passions suggest an opportunity for life-focus in this
dissertation experience?
Chapter 1 Topic and Focus
What/Why?: Based on the unique threads God has woven into
your life, what specific problem in ministry will you focus on to
provide a solution and why is it worth your time?
Where/When?: Based the past, present, and future contexts for
ministry, what specific location (geographic, culture,
denominational, etc.) will you choose for implementation of
your problem-solving?
How?: Based on your review of literature and experience, what
research-based intervention will you introduce to solve the
problem and how will your measure the effectiveness of the

solution?
The Remainder of this Module
Chapter 1: Structure and nuances
Proposal: Its similarity to Chapter 1 and structure
Front Matter: What does the beginning of the
dissertation/proposal look like and how is it formatted
Resources: In this week’s Blackboard module, you will find:
An example of a completed dissertation
Chapter One example
Proposal example
Front Matter Example
Works Cited Example
Copies of the D.Min. Guide & D.Min. Research Guide
Chapter 1 Structure: General
There is a specific structure and format for each of the five
chapters in the dissertation. For Chapter 1, the precise format
is:
Overview
Statement of the Problem
Rationale for Doing the Project
Limitations and Assumptions
[Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives] (Optional)
[Summary of the Literature] (optional)
Methods of Solving and Analyzing the Problem
Results and Contributions
Evaluation of the Project
Summary

Chapter 1 Structure: Overview
The dissertation is a formal document. As such, every chapter
should begin with a short overview, and end with a short
summary that orients the reader to the contents of the chapter
(see example):
The Overview states what the purpose of the chapter is
It succinctly states what topics will be addressed in the chapter
Chapter 1 Structure: Statement of the Problem
The dissertation is about focus in your professional, personal,
and spiritual life. Your depth and precision of focus will
largely determine your success with the dissertation.
The Statement of the Problem begins with a one-sentence
question that frames the entire dissertation’s focus and direction
This statement will be refined throughout the dissertation
process as you become more and more focused
A sharply focused statement of the problem directs what you
will research, how you will approach the ministry project as a
solution, and what you expect the outcome or results to be.
The Statement of the Problem answers the big questions:
What/Where?; Why/When?; How?
The rest of this section elaborates on the problem being solved,
why you are attempting to solve it, and why it is important to
solve.
Chapter 1 Structure: Rationale for Doing the Project
The “Rationale” section presents a case for why you have
chosen to address the specific problem in ministry:
This section introduces the reader to the context for the problem
you are addressing
It introduces some of the reasons that make solving the problem

important and valuable
It clearly articulates the specific reasons for doing this specific
ministry project
It can use bullet points to summarize or introduce the reader to
the specific rationale points
It can elaborate on the specific rationale points one-by-one, and
in order (firstly, secondly, etc.)
Chapter 1 Structure: Limitations and Assumptions
As mentioned, the whole dissertation is an exercise in focus and
distillation. The limitations and assumptions section allows you
to clearly spell out the precise focus and assumptions used for
your dissertation:
It allows you to describe a specific geographical location
It allows you to describe a particular religious, cultural, or
ethnic limitation
It allows you to dictate key assumptions that govern the project,
or the solution you introduce
It allows you to introduce any contingencies upon which the
dissertation, data collection, or project execution depend
Chapter 1 Structure: (Option) – Biblical, Theological, Historical
Perspectives
The biblical, theological, and historical foundations that support
the project and dissertation can be found in Chapter 3. They
were originally a section in your Proposal. Due to their
importance, novelty, or centrality, some committees chose to
retain this section as a summary in Chapter 1 of the
dissertation:
Presents a summary of the key biblical passages, principles,
paradigms, and support for the intervention used to solve the

problem
Presents clear theological support and reasoning as a
philosophical support for the problem and intervention
Presents the historical evidence (church, local, etc.) that support
the project and intervention
Chapter 1 Structure: (Option) – Summary of the Literature
The Summary of the Literature was originally part of your
Proposal, and has now been expanded into Chapter 2 of the
dissertation. Some committees may choose to retain this
summary in Chapter 1, because of centrality and importance to
the focus of the dissertation:
The summary should review the most important sources that
inform your approach to the ministry problem and solution
It is designed to demonstrate that the literature has informed
your solution, rather than random guesses
This summarizes only the most important theories, paradigms,
principles, and practices used to frame your project, solution,
and/or methodologies.
It should be written as a dialogue between you and the sources,
as well as between source and source
Chapter 1 Structure: Methods of Analyzing and Solving the
Problem
Your ministry project is an intervention that is designed to
solve a specific problem in ministry. As such, you must
correctly analyze the nature of the problem, as well as design a
measurable solution:
This section is a partial summary of Chapter 4 in the
disseretation
This section describes your specific approaches to
understanding the dimensions of the problem that is being

addressed
It breaks the complex problem down into “bite-sized” pieces
that can be understood and addressed by a specific facet of your
intervention
It enumerates the outcomes that you are aiming for through the
intervention
It describes exactly what methodology you will use to measure
the degree of success in solving the problem (qualitative and/or
quantitative)
Chapter 1 Structure: Results and Contributions
This section describes the results you obtained from your
ministry intervention and the contributions these results have
made to general knowledge and ministry practice
This section is a partial summary of the results recorded in
Chapter 5 of the dissertation
It describes the results that were obtained after completion of
the ministry project
It can use a bullet point summary of the results, followed by a
more detailed exposition of each point
It describes the contributions that the results have made toward
the general knowledge base, and/or toward the practice of
ministry
Chapter 1 Structure: Evaluation of the Project
This section is an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the
project in addressing the specific outcomes that were the target
of the ministry project and their effectiveness at solving the
problem:
This section is a summary of the effectiveness of the ministry
intervention for solving the specific ministry problem
It can summarize potential solutions gained from the ministry

project experience or possible future direction
Chapter 1 Structure: Summary
As mentioned, each chapter in the dissertation begins with an
overview of the contents and purpose of that chapter, and ends
with a summary that restates these points.:
The “Overview” tells the reader what the chapter will do
The “Summary” tells the reader what the chapter did
The “overview” and the “Summary” have much similarity
They exist to provide clarity and succinctness for the reader and
the author
Integrative Exam and Proposal
After completion of the Core and the Elective classes in the
D.Min. program, you will take an “Integrative Exam” that will
allow you to enter into the dissertation process:
The Integrative Exam (covered in a later module) assesses your
growth against the same Ministry Leadership Profile you did
when you applied for the D.Min. program
It also allows you to present a formal “Proposal,” in written
form, of what your plans are for the dissertation process.
The “Integrative Exam” is the professional doctorate’s
equivalent to the “Comprehensive Exam” process involved in a
Ph.D. degree
The Integrative Exam allows you to demonstrate practical
growth and synthesis of learning into your personal, spiritual,
professional life and ministry
Because of its reflective and synthetic nature the exam is oral.
Integrative Exam and Proposal

You will select a dissertation committee and have your
Integrative Exam with them. You will submit a written
summary of your growth toward the Ministry Growth Profile
and a formal Dissertation Proposal to them in advance:
When you pass the Integrative Exam, you are now considered a
“Candidate” for the Doctor of Ministry degree
You are cleared to proceed with the dissertation according to
the proposal as accepted or revised
You become “A.B.D.” (all but dissertation), with access to the
“D.Min.” title, but written Joseph Smith, D.Min., (A.B.D.)
You remain in constant communication with your committee
about the dissertation, ministry project, evaluation, etc.,
presenting them with drafts of the dissertation chapters along
the way
Proposal Structure: General
You have already been working on your dissertation proposal as
part of the pre & post-session assignments for DCOR700. The
Proposal structure is almost identical to Chapter 1 of the
dissertation, with a few additions:
Overview
Statement of the Problem
Rationale for Doing the Project
Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives (will be Chap
3)
Summary of the Literature (Will be Chapter 2)
Methods of Solving and Analyzing the Problem
Summary
Dissertation Timeline

Proposal Structure: Specifics
You have already been working on your dissertation proposal as
part of the pre & post-session assignments for DCOR700. The
Proposal structure is almost identical to Chapter 1 of the
dissertation, with a few additions. Follow the same guidelines
of the general sections of the proposal that were presented
earlier for the dissertation:
The Proposal is written by strict Turabian formatting guidelines
It includes a “Front Matter” section, that is Turabian formatted
(discussed in a moment)
It includes a “Bibliography” section that is a list of potential
sources for your project
It always contains the “Biblical, Theological, and Historical
Perspectives,” which is an option for the dissertation (will be
Chap 3)
It always contains a “Summary of the Literature,” which is an
option for the dissertation (Will be Chapter 2)
It contains a Dissertation Timeline section that lays out the plan
of attack for your dissertation, based on the guidelines and
schedules in the D.Min. Research Guide and D.Min. Handbook
Proposal and Dissertation Front Matter (see example, this
week’s module)
Your Proposal and the Dissertation have an identical and
specific format, based on Turabian style, for the information
that occurs “up front,” before the body of the dissertation. This
is called “Front Matter,” and may contain the following:Title
Page: See Sample Supplied in Turabian (T) - T 1.7Copyright
Page: See Sample Supplied - T 1.8Signature Page: See Sample
SuppliedDedication and/or Epigraph - T 1.9 & 1.10Abstract:
350 words or less / one page - T 1.32Acknowledgements:
Personal Remarks - T 1.26Table of Contents: Indicate Every

Section; Capitalize all chapter headings - T 1.11 - 1.18List of
Illustrations: T 1.19-1.23List of Tables: T 1.24List of
Abbreviations: T 1.26Glossary: T 1.28-1.30Front Mater
Pagination - Roman Numerals, 0.50” off bottom center; appears
first on abstract page
Some Final Thoughts…..
Doctoral level work pushes us to the limits. It forces deep
reflection, integration of life, ministry, and educational
experience, and life focus to produce a new mind-set and
paradigm in your life and ministry for problem-solving:
Both the proposal and Chapter 1 of the dissertation are designed
to force the issue of focus and direction
The reflection, integration of research, and synthesis of this
with a real world intervention and evaluation process are what a
professional doctorate is about
The price is high, but the results in your life, and those you
serve, make the effort worth it all!
If you are willing to pay the personal and professional price, the
reward will be transformational for your life and ministry
Regent University
Your Title Goes Here and Should be in Bold Font and

Unitalicized according
to Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers (8th edit.)
A Dissertation Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Partial Fulfillment of the Degree of
Doctor of Ministry
by
John L. Lambert (name should be bolded)

Virginia Beach, Virginia (your city, your state)
January 2015
Copyright © 2015 by John L. Lambert (Your Name Here)
All rights reserved

School of Divinity
Regent University
This is to certify that the dissertation prepared by:

Student Name
Titled
TITLE OF DISSERTATION IN UPPER CASE AND BOLD
Has been approved by his/her committee as satisfactory
completion of
the dissertation requirement of the degree of Doctor of
Ministry
Approved By:
Name, Degree, Committee Chair
School of …
Name, Degree, Committee Member
School of…
Name, Degree, Committee Member
School of…

Month Year
iv
ABSTRACT
The abstract of one paragraph in length is a concise summary of
the ministry
project in 150-350 words. The abstract is to be completed last
so that it is precise and
cogent.
v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This is the page where you may provide an acknowledgement to
those who have
been significant to you throughout the dissertation process.
Generally the
acknowledgement page is no longer than one page.
[If the author wants to include a listing of abbreviations or a
glossary of terms,
this would go on the next page/s with an appropriate heading/s.]
vi
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
...............................................................................................
........................ iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
...............................................................................................
. v
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT
.................................................... 1

Overview (Heading
2)...........................................................................................
.. 1
Statement of the Problem (Heading 2)
.................................................................... 1
Rationale for Doing the Ministry
Project................................................................ 2
................................................................................. 2
Summary of the Literature
...................................................................................... 2
Biblical, Theological, and Historical Foundations
................................................. 3
Methods for Analyzing the Problem
....................................................................... 3
....................................................................................... 3
......................................................................................... 3
Summary
...............................................................................................
.................. 4
Working Outline and Timeline
............................................................................... 4
WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY

.......................................................................................... 5
This table of contents page is to be formatted so that the page
numbers have an automated
update feature. If you have these items to include, they would
appear on subsequent
pages after this page in this order: List of Figures, List of
Tables,
List of Abbreviations, and Glossary (or Definition of Terms)
1
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT
Overview (Heading 2)
In the Turabian 8th edition, footnotes are in Times New Roman
(10 count), and
single spaced at the bottom of the page, with a double-space
line between them. The first
line is indented .5 inches. See the first footnote below.1 Also
see the second footnote

below.2 In Turabian’s 8th edition the numbers are not
hyperscripted (i.e., elevated from
the line). However, for our purposes, we will retain the
hyperscripted numbers for
footnotes, unless otherwise indicated.
Statement of the Problem (Heading 2)
The statement of the problem clearly identifies the topic under
consideration in as
clear and concise manner as possible. The statement of the
problem may also amplify the
issues that surround the problem under consideration. In this
section, the statement of the
problem should be developed into a one-sentence question that
captures the trust of the
problem that will propel the doctoral project.
Heading 3
Heading 3 is listed here for your information only to show you
how the headings
for the dissertation are to be formatted. You will likely not use
a Heading 3 under the
Statement of the Problem.
1 Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers,

Theses, and Dissertations, 8th edit.
(Chicago: University of Chicago, 2013).
2 Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things
Make a Big Difference (Boston: Little,
Brown, 2000), 64-65.
2
Heading 4
Heading 4 is to be flush against the left margin in bold,
italicized font. This
Heading 4 is listed here for your reference only and for use, as
needed, in this
proposal/dissertation.
Rationale for Doing the Ministry Project
The rationale for undertaking this ministry project is to be
clearly stated here. This
section briefly explains to the reader the significance of the
study. This section should
answer the questions: (1) why is the researcher interested in this
specific topic?, (2) why

is there a need to solve this problem?, (3) who would benefit
from this research (i.e., the
church, ministry leadership, other people connected to the
issue/s at hand) and why, (4)
what gap in research is your research addressing?
In that this doctoral project will not be exhaustive, it will be
important to clearly
identify the scope of the research, which should be realistic and
doable. The limitations of
the study are to state the boundaries of the project, so that the
project is clearly focused.
Further, you are to clearly state the assumptions that undergird
the study and how these
assumptions inform the direction of your research project. One
assumption of your
project will include that this project will be undertaking from an
evangelical perspective
and in consonance with the statements of faith as they appear in
the Regent School of
Divinity catalog.
Summary of the Literature

Having a solid grasp of the relevant literature surrounding the
ministry question or
topic is vital. Therefore, ongoing reading on the topic and
related topics throughout the
3
dissertation process is expected. Read, read, and read! Aim to
secure the top resources
and authors who are writing on your topic. Developing a
working bibliography as you
encounter resources will save you from having to do it at the
very end of writing the
proposal. Recouping these resources later can involve much
wasted time.
Biblical, Theological, and Historical Foundations
This section should set the ministry problem, question, or
situation within biblical,
theological, and historical contexts. What does the Bible,
theology, and Christian history
have to say about your research question or topic? Do some
digging and utilize the

strongest resources you can find for this section.
Methods for Analyzing the Problem
Although there may be many ways to solve the problem, the
doctoral candidate
needs to indicate which method/s will be utilized by first
considering all of the
possibilities. Then a final decision can be made based on these
considerations.
This section relates your expectations about the results and
outcome of the project
regarding benefits and contributions to your specific ministry
context.
In this section, you will include the plan for evaluating the
project. Establish
criteria for project evaluation. This section also includes
specifics related to use of
surveys, evaluation forms, focus group assessment, personal
interviews, and any other
evaluation tools utilized in the project.

4
Summary
This section of no longer than one page provides a summary of
what has been
presented previously in 2-3 paragraphs. This summary should be
clear and concise so that
the reader sees exactly where the project is going, based upon
what the previous sections
have described.
Working Outline and Timeline
This section is included for proposals only and will be omitted
for the actual
dissertation. This outline and timeline provides the candidate
and the dissertation
committee the opportunity to see how the proposal/chapter 1
will proceed and if this plan
is realistic. As the candidate engages in research for the
proposal/chapter 1, the outline
and timeline may change. It is important that the candidate
communicates with his/her
dissertation chair when changes to the outline and timeline

ensue.
5
WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY
Consult the 8th Edition of the Turabian Manual for how to
format the bibliography. For
the final dissertation, the word “WORKING” should be deleted.
Each
bibliographic inclusion is single-spaced with one line space
between entries. The
first line of each entry is left justified, while the lines beneath
are indented .5
inches (use the control key plus the “T” key for the indents on
line 2 to create the

indent). The bibliography is to be prepared by authors’ last
names.
Next bibliography resource to go here.

DMin Orientation Chapter 1 Overview

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to DMin Orientation Chapter 1 Overview

Similar to DMin Orientation Chapter 1 Overview (20)

More from simonithomas47935

More from simonithomas47935 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

DMin Orientation Chapter 1 Overview