English

Research Proposal Assignment

Research Proposals exist for two reasons: One, as a guide for you to examine the overall shape and scope of your project, and two, to elicit funding from sponsors for said project (usually). As I can pay you only in joy and index cards, this proposal focuses more on the former intended outcome and as practice for future proposals in your career. For our purposes, you will generate a three-paragraph long proposal for your final research paper. Remember that this is a proposal – i.e. a suggestion for what you would like to write about within the confines of your discourse community. Essentially, you’re going to take something you love and identify an exigence affecting the discourse community around that thing you love.

Tip – Your interests/passions will lead you to a subject – such as “global warming”

Your proposal will investigate a topic related to that subject – such as “the effects of global warming on the breeding methods of the Canadian Goose.” (NOTE: the proposal is simply to start investigating the topic. That investigation will lead to your research question and a more formalized inquiry, but don’t try to get to that point just yet).

“HAY GIIIIRRRRLLLLLLLLLL”

Don’t concern yourself with writing an introduction or a conclusion or with presenting the proposal as a concept that is written in stone. You are proposing an investigation, NOT to find a solution.

Paragraph 1: In the first paragraph of your proposal, introduce your research paper topic and describe what you think at this point the main focus of the paper might be. Include a tentative thesis in this paragraph – but think of it more as a hypothesis. The beauty of research is that it is always fluid and informs itself. Therefore, starting out with an axe to grind (so, something you intend to prove) is a recipe for failure. Let the research guide you as you move toward your final paper, but having a preliminary thesis helps your investigation stay focused. What interests you about the topic you have chosen? Why should this exigence be addressed? What value will it provide to the further research of your discourse community?

Paragraph 2: In the second paragraph, discuss the sources that you intend to use. What will be the most useful in investigating your topic? If it will be a literature review, what journals look promising as sites for article collection, and why? If you intend to do a full research project, what methods do you foresee yourself using, and why? Who might the participants be, or will you use a data set instead? (Such as surveying moviegoers vs analyzing 20 movie posters)

Paragraph 3: In the third paragraph, speculate on what obstacles you foresee in this project and/or what you anticipate to be the most difficult part of the assignment. Why? What can you do ahead of time to try and avoid these sorts of roadblocks?

Me on my way to steal your girl research funding

500-750 words

Answered all questions in-depth (providing multiple examples and answers for each question).

Text is professional and well-edited.