RESEARCH

Research Proposal

Name:

Use this template to create your research proposal, which is due in class. Provide as much detail and evidence as possible in the categories below.

Introduction

Topic:

Guiding Research Questions:

What do you intend to prove about the topic? Why have you chosen it? (this is your justification for why you are writing about this topic) :

Preliminary Thesis:

Plan

Proposed Structure(what specific items will you need to tell us about in the problem and solution sections of your essay) :

Opposition to your position (what concerns will you have to address) :

What sources have you found so far (list the MLA work cited entries for at least two credible sources) :

Schedule:

Assignment # 4-Research Paper

Assignment Description:

Research is synthesis and discovery. It creates opinions and shapes views. Your goal in this paper is to solve a problem using the findings of other research projects. This means finding articles from the databases (especially the Opposing Viewpoints database) to support your solutions to an existing problem. You can also use sources outside of the databases, but they must be reliable and accurate. It is paramount that you choose a topic that will sustain your interest and that you feel confident in exploring. Look for problems and issues related to your field of study as a starting point.

Writing Process:

a) Get approval from me for your chosen topic. This will require a written research proposal justifying your research into the topic.

b) Construct a meaningful research question that will guide you in the use of sources.

c) Develop a working thesis that answers your research question.

d) Construct a well-thought out outline that begins with a thesis statement, shows a topic sentence for each paragraph and where your sources will be used.

e) Compose a well-supported, MLA formatted essay that conforms to the specific requirements listed below.

Requirements:

a) The essay smartly uses the three appeals (ethos, pathos, logos).

b) An explicit thesis statement is present in the introduction.

c) In-text citations are used effectively for direct quotes and paraphrases.

d) The essay’s target audience is clear based on your position on the topic.

e) Appropriate strategies for argumentation are reflected in your outline.

Technical Details:

a) The paper must be six pages in length with an additional works cited page, comprised of multiple paragraphs, including an introduction and conclusion.

b) Use 12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced.

c) MLA format the paper with at least six meaningful, college level sources thoroughly integrated into your explanation of the problem and proposal for solutions.

Coming up with a Research Question:

Once you’ve surveyed the territory of your topic, you’ll likely find that your understanding of the topic has become broader and deeper. You may find that your interests have changed and your research has led to surprises and additional research. At some point, though, you need to come up with a research question--a specific question that you will then work to answer through your research. For this paper, your primary research question should be around a problem that needs to be solved.

To write a research question, review what you have learned about the topic and generate a list of questions that start with what, when, where, who, how, why, will, does, would, could and should. Here is a list of questions for the tentative topic “the potential environmental effects of fracking”:

What are the environmental effects of fracking?

When was fracking introduced?

Where is fracking done, and how does it affect the surrounding environment?

Who will benefit from increased fracking?

How much energy does fracking use?

Why do some environmental groups oppose fracking?

Would other methods of extracting natural gas be safer?

Could fracking cause earthquakes?

Should fracking be increased?

Select one question from your list that you find interesting and use that question to guide your research.

Additional Research Tips:

· Merely collecting material is not research. Collecting material from a variety of sources , reading it carefully, taking notes properly , and truly familiarizing yourself with the material— that is research.

· It may seem tedious, or just mechanical "busy work," but you must keep careful records of your source materials throughout the research phase, in order both to avoid plagiarism in the writing of your paper and also, later, to make compiling your bibliography a quick, efficient process.

· Always keep all of your research material. You will certainly need it when you are writing your draft (which is no time for a hasty trip to the library to retrieve a source you meant to copy earlier), and you may also need it in order to defend yourself against a charge of plagiarism.

· In the course of gathering information you'll soon find your imagination teeming with ideas about how to organize your paper, or ideas for the way you may want to word things, or even ideas about adjusting your topic altogether, perhaps making it more general or more specific. Write these ideas down as soon as they occur to you—don't make the mistake of telling yourself that you'll remember them later. (You won't.) Keep an "idea notebook" (or digital file) separate from your research notes.

Research Proposal

Name:

Use this template to create your research proposal, which is due in class. Provide as much detail and evidence as possible in the categories below.

Introduction

Topic:

Guiding Research Questions:

What do you intend to prove about the topic? Why have you chosen it? (this is your justification for why you are writing about this topic) :

Preliminary Thesis:

Plan

Proposed Structure(what specific items will you need to tell us about in the problem and solution sections of your essay) :

Opposition to your position (what concerns will you have to address) :

What sources have you found so far (list the MLA work cited entries for at least two credible sources) :

Schedule: