Leader Studies Resources
Welcome, scholar-leader!
This page hosts resources that you will find helpful during your PhD journey with us. Among these resources you;ll notice a booklet (right beside this message!) that describes the opportunities and responsibilities you’ll encounter as a student supported by ScholarLeaders. You’ll also see videos that give advice on a range of topics related to thriving during your PhD, including how to read during your PhD, how to write a thesis statement, and how to plan research travel.
Evelyn Reynolds
Director, Leader Studies
Why the Scholar Leaders Covenant?
As a ministry that supports global Christian leaders to earn PhDs and give their lives to building up their churches and societies, Scholar Leaders (SL) requires a signed covenant from each supported scholar.
Professionalization Materials
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How to Write a Thesis Statement
This video guides you through the process of crafting strong, analytical thesis statements. It explains the purpose, structure, and development of a thesis statement and offers examples that illustrate how to move from vague ideas to precise, argumentative statements that serve as a roadmap for the reader.
Download the PowerPoint from the video.
leader studies
How to Plan a Study Trip
This video gives you tips for preparing for a research trip — whether for fieldwork (i.e., likely back in your home country) or for library access (i.e., to a Western country). In it, you’ll hear from several SL alumni who went on these kinds of trips during their PhD studies about the opportunities and challenges they encountered so that you can make plans to use your time well.
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How to Read for Your PhD
This video is a tutorial on how to work through the massive amounts of reading that you’ll encounter during your doctoral studies — especially at the comprehensive exam or literature review stage. It offers some overall principles for reading smartly to get the most necessary information out of each source.
Download a template for summarizing your sources.
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How to Prepare for Your Viva/Defense
This video gives important points to consider when you reach the end of your doctoral journey and are preparing to defend your dissertation. You’ll hear from those who are familiar with many different kinds of viva or defense; they’ll share about how to prepare, list questions to consider, and encourage you
Download a booklet guide.
leader studies
How to Publish Your Dissertation as a Book
In this video, Ian Darke offers practical advice on how to turn a dissertation into a first book. He outlines steps in the revision process, including identifying your core argument, adapting your structure for a broader audience, and trimming overly academic language. He also describes how to contact publishers and what to look for in different kinds of publishers. Drawing on his own experience, he encourages early-career scholars to think of their dissertation as raw material rather than a finished product.
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How to Use Academic Resources
This video walks you through best practices for utilizing academic resources in your writing projects. Have you ever wondered how to use quotations in an effective way to advance your argument? This tutorial will help. Download a PowerPoint of the presentation here.
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How to Write Paragraphs and Transitions.
This video helps you think carefully about how you organize your thoughts into paragraphs and how you can transition from one section to another. Download a PowerPoint of the presentation here.
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How to Write and Submit an Academic Article for Publication
This video features Estonian theologian Dr. Toivo Pilli offering practical guidance on how to write for peer-reviewed theological journals. He explains how to develop a clear argument, structure an article, and respond constructively to reviewer feedback. Dr. Pilli also shares strategies for making the writing process more manageable and even enjoyable. The webinar was hosted by the Eastern European Institute of Theology as part of its series on academic literacy for theological writers.
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Helpful Pedagogical Strategies
In this video, Joanna Feliciano-Soberano shares how her cultural background in the Philippines has shaped the way she teaches theology. She talks about the importance of community, respect, and embodied learning in the classroom. As you think about your own teaching techniques, Joanna offers an example of how your context can enrich your pedagogy. Her insights invite you to think creatively about how to connect with students for meaningful learning.
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How to Begin Your Second Book
In this video, Dr. Sunday Bobai Agang, Provost of Jos ECWA Theological Seminary in Nigeria, shares his journey of writing a second book. Offering advice for scholars preparing to begin their own next projects, he reflects on what inspired his second book, how the process differed from writing his first, and what he learned along the way. His insights are especially valuable for emerging authors who are seeking to sustain scholarly writing practices in contexts that require them to balance many responsibilities.
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How to Make Your Research Relevant for the Church
These four videos let you hear from theologian-scholars from around the world about how they seek to make their academic research fruitful in church settings. You will be inspired as you listen to them discuss how the high-level intellectual work to which God has called them can be a blessing to those in the pews.
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Writing Resource
If you’re looking for further training as you navigate the writing process, visit maiglobal.org. At the bottom of the homepage, you’ll find a range of free resources, including webinars on writing, free subscription to their newsletter, and more. MAI offers materials in French and Spanish as well as English. Be sure to explore their Webinars page, where scrolling to the bottom lets you click on a topic – like “Writing” or “Editorial” – to access a YouTube channel with training videos tailored to that topic in all three languages.
