Development Stages of TOW Project Materials

Theology of Work Project materials go through the following stages of production:

1. Scoping - The Executive Editor identifies a person with expertise in the biblical book(s) or key topic and asks him or her to prepare a scoping sheet (outline) to define the content, organization, approaches, key biblical passages and bibliography for the article. The scoping sheet is circulated to a sub-panel of the TOW Project Steering Committee for input, and any necessary revisions are made. If the scoping sheet is accepted, the person who developed is designated the researcher/writer for the article. This process typically takes 3 to 4 months.
    
2. Research - The researcher/writer researches the best resources avaialble and writes a draft of the article. He or she is not trying to advance a new theory but to integrate the most rigorous materials available. The researcher digs into these resources, applies his or her own expertise, and assesses the state of consensus (or lack of it) in the field. The researcher/writer may ask for input from other experts. Then he or she writes a Research Draft of the article and submits it to the editors. The editors may request additional information and/or make content and stylistic modifications. This process typically takes 2 to 4 months, although some topics require longer
    
3. Discussion Draft - When the researcher(s) and editors have completed the Research Draft, it is sent to the TOW Project Steering Committee as a "Discussion Draft." Twice a year (usually in January and July/August) the Steering Committee meets to discuss all the Discussion Drafts that have been prepared since its previous meeting. Generally, about twelve Discussion Drafts are produced per year. The Steering Committee discusses each article in depth, and questions, disagreements, requests for additional research, and proposed modifications are raised. The discussion can be intense at times. Sometimes, the Steering Committee invites additional experts to participate in the discussion and/or to provide input in writing. This process usually takes 3 to 6 months. Discussion Drafts are not accessible by the general public, but can be made available upon request (to the Executive Editor) by persons having a specific interest or potential contribution.
    
4. Approval Candidate - The Executive Editor incorporates the results of the Steering Committee's discussion into a revised draft. He may seek further input from the original researcher, Steering Committee members, other experts, potential users and anyone else who may be able to help improve the draft. The TOW Project's Consulting Editor, Research Assistants, and Proofreaders also contribute to the style, rigor, and accuracy of the draft. This process can last from a few weeks to a year or more. When it is complete, the draft becomes an "Approval Candidate." It is returned to the Steering Committee for final consideration. Like Discussion Drafts, Approval Candidate may be made available upon special request to the Executie Editor.
    
5. Adopted Article - The Steering Committee votes on the Approval Candidate. If a simple majority approves, the Approval Candidate is adopted as an official article of the Theology of Work Project. The Article is posted on this website and is aviailble for general use. Many articles still need applications or cases (indicated by a note in the article), which the TOW Project eagerly hopes that users will contribute. Applications and cases can be added by the Executive Editor without requiring a vote of the Steering Committee. Adopted articles may used for any purpose allowed by the Theology of Work Project's Creative Commons license. In general this means articles and excerpts may be viewed, downloaded, printed, copied, quoted, and incorporated into sermons, classes, Bible studies, group materials and other writings free of charge. Proper attribution to the Theology of Work Project must be given, and all copyright notiices in the materials must be are included in any reproductions of or selections from the article.