Musings of a Semester Extinguished

Well, we made it! I have one more final exam to administer tomorrow, then it is grading frenzy time. Grades are due Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 9:00 AM. I should be able to make it just fine.

We will be going to Branson on Saturday. We're considering going to the Branson Belle. We'll return to Joplin on Monday afternoon. I have to translate for the OEP (Offenders Education Program) on Monday and Tuesday night. Rose will work Tuesday through Thursday, then we'll return to Branson. Phil and Susan Casey will use our condo on Monday through Wednesdays nights. When we go back Thursday afternoon, we'll go with them to Silver Dollar City.

I hope to spend more time getting my Moodle site useable for Greek class for next semester. In using the quiz module, I was having difficulty getting the Greek diacriticals just right. If anyone can help me, I would certainly appreciate the help.

My good friend and office colleague, Dr. N. Douglas Marks will be leaving soon, to take his positon of Vice President for Academic Affairs at Dallas Christian College. I will miss him, and pray that he will find fulfillment in that place.

My boss, Mark Scott is now Dr. Mark Scott. Congratulations. Mark went to defend his dissertation/project on Tuesday morning at Denver Seminary. The report that I heard was that they thought he did an excellent job of bringing together excellence in Biblical research with practical application. Those of us who know him would respond, "Duh!"

I was much dismayed the other day, as I found a clear cut case of plagiarism in a paper a student submitted to me for Old Testament History class. Our new college catalog (2005-2007) addresses this issue clearly. We have also put academic integrity statements in all course syllabi. Offenders will be reported to the Academic Dean's office, and to the Student Development Office. Penalties may range from failing the assignment (duh!), to failing the course, to expulsion from college. In this particular case, he will fail the course--actually he will fail all courses, as he was expelled from the college for other disciplinary issues. I'm still saddened, but it is better that this young student learn this tough lesson right now. It may serve him well in the future.

A colleague has suggested that we use the services of Turn it In, as a means of controlling plagiarism on our campus.

Next semester, I am enroled in EDAD 988--Dissertation Proposal. I got an e-mail from Dr. Miles Bryant today. We will be using his text, the Portable Dissertation Advisor as a textbook. Basically, during this upcoming semester, I'll get my proposal ready to go. I imagine I will make a trip to UNL to present it to my committee, and get ready to do the research. Dr. Bryant said in his e-mail that there are three things he wants, to help us get focused:

1. A purpose statement beginning with "This study will . . ."
2. A statement about what sorts of research qeustions I will address.
3. A discussion about why anybody would care ("so what?").

Well, I guess I better sign off now and get some shut-eye.

Here is a great statement to close with:
πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ.

Aland, B., Aland, K., Black, M., Martini, C. M., Metzger, B. M., & Wikgren, A. (1993, c1979). The Greek New Testament (4th ed.) (1 Ti 1:15-16). Federal Republic of Germany: United Bible Societies.