Research Paper Proposal Assignment

Supplemental Handout

MUIR 50/Parksmith

Research proposals are meant to be informative and persuasive. Make it clear to your reader what you propose to do, how you propose to do it, and why it is important. What follows are the components that must be in your proposal. I. Topic Introduction/General Description A.What is your research question? Present and summarize the issue/question/problem you intend to study. B.Try to think of an introduction that will engage your readers. You might begin a statement of why you want to pursue a particular path of research. II.Review of Relevant Literature/Sources: CONTEXT and SIGNIFICANCE of the problem. A.What sort of research has been done before, and how is it important or intriguing? B.Do not list all of your sources here. Instead give a general idea of the debate surrounding your chosen focus, highlighting the main sources you will use. III.What you will contribute to the conversation: GOAL(S) A.What will your project add to the discussion? B.What are your objectives? How are you approaching these texts to agree, disagree, contradict, synthesize, question, etc. the sources? C.Say as much about your argument as you can at this point - your overall conclusions about what you can say about the authors argument. IV.State your methods: METHODS A.How does your research/data support your ideas? B.How will you organize your paper? C.How do you envision integrating your outside sources with your primary source(s)? V.Conclusions/Recommendations A.Sum up your project: question, context, signicance, goal(s), methods. B.Try to give your readers a snapshot of the nal version of your research paper. C.Consider: How was your initial research question or thesis shaped as your research developed? Organization by paragraph: 1. Introduction: Contextualize the argument. a. Where will your argument stand in relation to the work of others? b. Include the general topic and a clear working thesis. 2. Body Paragraphs a. Each paragraph needs a topic sentence. b. Discuss possible secondary and primary sources. c. Organize the body by the topics you want to address, the arguments you wish to make, or the types of sources you will use. 3. Conclusion a. Restate thesis. You may discuss further possibility for support. Discuss the signicance of your project/research question.

Proposal Worksheet 1. My topic is: 2. My working claim is:

3. My research so far has covered:

4. The way my topic ts in with the larger academic discussion is:

5. I still need to research:

6. Four questions I have are: A.

B.

C.

D.
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Research Proposal Worksheet/Checklist For this workshop, read through the list below, checking off the components of the research proposal draft that you have already completed. Include the page and paragraph number(s) where each component appears. Next, make note of which components you have yet to include. Working with your writing partner as a consultant, begin to complete the checklist. Keep in mind that although you have already included a component, it may still need revision/refining. In your research proposal, do you narrow down and solidify your topic your claim your thesis research sources or materials lay out the general structure of your research develop a research question Page # / Paragraph# ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________

When including your sources, do you discuss the main claims sub-claims warrants or values support in your sources texts ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________

Does your research proposal include specific and potential research sources use a combination of online and hard copy sources include primarily academic or scholarly sources rather than popular sources clearly state the connection between your sources/support and your argument contextualize your argument discuss possible implications of your argument for the ongoing dialogue about the topic Did you remember to avoid accidental plagiarism use MLA citation style and Times New Roman size 12 font follow the correct paper format use concise language staple your paper ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________
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________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________ ________ / ________

Research Paper Topic Worksheet I am studying_____________________________________________________________ because I want to nd out what/why/ how_____________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ in order to help my reader understand_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (For more information about this topic/question/signicance format, review Craft of Research p. 51.) Research Paper Topic Worksheet I am studying_____________________________________________________________ because I want to nd out what/why/ how_____________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ in order to help my reader understand_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (For more information about this topic/question/signicance format, review Craft of Research p. 51.)

Peer Revision Workshop: Building a Complex Argument out of Simple Ones Five key elements of an argument are: claim, reason, evidence, warrant and acknowledgement-and-response. However, arguments are more complex. See Craft of Research p. 116-7. 1. We almost always support a claim with two or more reasons, each of which must be supported by its own evidence and perhaps justied by its own warrant. 2. Since readers think of many alternatives and objections to any complex arguments, careful researchers typically have to respond to more than one or two of them. 3. Each response to an objection may need reasons and evidence to support it. Author: _________________________ Reader: ________________________________ 1. Are the research questions complex? Do any of them have simple yes or no answers? If so, how do you think the questions could lead to more interesting/complex/important answers?

2. Are you engaged by the introduction? How would you improve it?

3. Based on what you have read, what suggestions do you have for areas to explore, research, or discuss?

Argument Map On a separate piece of paper, draw your own argument map.

main claim

sub claim #1

sub claim #2

sub claim #3

kinds of grou nds

Craft of Research Chapter 3 1. What is the history of your topic?

2. What are the debates that are historically associated with your specic topic?

3. How and why has the topic itself changed through time and why?

4. How can your sub-topics (potential sub-claims) be grouped into kinds?

5. What type of claim will you be making: conict, description, contribution, development?