Siler 1

Madison Siler Ms. Hinnant ENGL 1102 1/28/14 EIP Proposal I would like to study theater majors on the campus of UNC Charlotte. I want to learn all about their lives and why they picked the major that they did considering it is hard to make a living acting. I want to know what got them interested in theater enough to want to do it as a career. The way I plan to shine the light on the theater majors is by showing and telling others what it takes to be an actor in the world today. Accomplishing the goal of really showing what it is like to be a theater major at UNCC and what it will be like for them in the real world after college is not an easy task. This is a difficult task because it requires to step into the mind of a quote unquote actor from UNCC. Every actor has a different way to approach anything they do. Which is one of the questions I have for them is if they have any superstitions that must be done before they perform? Also I would like to know how they decide to major in theater and how did they become interested in performing for a living? I want to know all of these questions because it all helps us outsiders understand what its like to be a theater major and what it takes to want to do something for the rest of your life that inspires you each and every day. Another aspect I would like to look at is how are the students majoring in theater taught to develop their acting skills? Is the theater program known for producing substantial actors?
Commented [B2]: Im not sure I see a thorough connection between all of these questions. Id like to be able to group them together and see how they work towards your larger inquiry question, but Im not quite there yet. Commented [B1]: Hmmm. This questions still feels a bit broad/vague. I can tell youre really interested in this group, but Im not sure youve found your real angle yet.

Siler 2

Do connections play a substantial part in finding a job in the theater profession? If connections are important does UNCC have a well-established network of connections in the real world? These questions are all relevant because it helps us to see what life is like for current theater majors, and what they are thinking about while studying to obtain their college degree. All of these questions are critical to finding how did a theater major become a theater major at UNCC. I plan to find the answers to these questions by sitting in on classes and conducting interviews with not just students but faculty as well. While studying the interactions of these students with in classes and with their professors I hope to learn what it is like to be a theater major and see if the stereo type that theater is just a worthless major really is true or false? Madison, While Im elated that youre so clearly excited by the group youve chosen to study, I find myself leaving this proposal feeling a bit confused. You tell your reader in the beginning that your angle, or big question, is to figure out what it means to be an actor in the real world today. I think there are a few issues with this as an overarching question. First, I think that some readers might doubt that theater in a university setting is considered the real world. Second, Im not sure I understand the specifics of the question. As of now, it still feels a bit broad and Im not sure how youre shedding any new light onto this group of people. Your smaller questions appear to follow this same track. While theyre interesting questions, Im not sure that youre going to find any meaningful or concrete answers to your research based off of them. As you move forward, continue to brainstorm these smaller questions and see if you can come up with a narrower angle. Some (or all) of your questions may change, and this is completely fine as long as they still lead to meaningful observations and interviews. Dont hesitate to email me if you have any questions or concerns.