Includes bibliographical references

Contents:

Introduction to Church history and related disciplines

Preliminary definition of terms

The emergence of critical church historiography

Methods and models in the history of doctrine

The distinction and interrelationship of intellectual, political and social history

Perspective and meaning in history

The problem of the past

Historical sources--their use and assessment

The problem of objectivity in historical study

Meaning of history

Understanding the past

History and self-understanding

The importance of history

The initial stages of research and the use of bibliographic and reference sources

Selecting and narrowing a topic

Current research techniques and new bibliographic databases in church history and theology

Church history and theology: research in secondary sources-- Dissertations and thesis-- Periodical indices and online databases-- Library networks and online libraries-- Handbooks, bibliographical guides, and general surveys-- Dictionaries and Encyclopedias-- Theological and Church-historical dictionaries and encyclopedias-- Historical atlases and guides to historical geography

Research in primary sources and the use of text databases and materials in microform

Church history: by period Early Church-- The medieval church-- Reformation and post-reformation-- Sixteenth-through eighteenth century sources in English-- American Church History

Internet databases and primary research

Internet resources and their limitations

Primary sources in microform

Research in archives, special collections, and rare book facilities

The practice of research and the craft of writing

Evaluating resources and materials

Taking notes

Collating notes: the preliminary outline

Survey of secondary literature and paradigms: writing the first paragraph and chapter

The body of the essay

Writing the last paragraph

Footnoting

Bibliographies

Research with computers

Word processing the dissertation

Preparing lectures and writing monographs and articles

Course outline and lecture preparation

Lecturing and teaching

Preparing the dissertation for publication

Ongoing research: articles and book-length projects

Selected aids to the study of church history and historical theology: a bibliography