We invite pastors from the following Protestant denominations to take part in a research study about strategies pastors use to avoid plagiarism in their sermons: Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Non-Denominational, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian.
This research is being conducted to learn more about how Protestant Christian pastors prepare for their sermons, what they believe about plagiarism in sermons, and the guidelines they use to avoid it. At this point, we are wanting to individually interview pastors about these topics. Anyone who participates in these interviews will answer open-ended interview questions about their experiences with sermon preparation, citation practices, and beliefs about plagiarism guidelines. The interview will be an audio- and video-recorded interview via Zoom that will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.
There is no direct compensation for taking part in this study and participation is completely voluntary. To participate, the pastor must be at least 18 years old, represent one of the Protestant Christian denominations listed above located in the U.S., and be one of the lead pastors or clergy leaders at their church/parish. If you or someone you know is interested in taking part in these interviews or if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to one of the following research team members:
Dr. G. Brandon Knight at bknight@wmcarey.edu
Dr. Lakelyn E. Taylor at lakelyn.taylor@uvm.edu
Dr. Carrie Reif-Stice at creifstice@augusta.edu
Thank you for your time and consideration of this request!