Mod 2 Assignment 3 Research Proposal

The Research Proposal Format

A research proposal is a brief overview of your intended subject, what you currently know about that subject, a list of the possible claims the other side might have, and your response to those possible objections. You can think of your research proposal as a preliminary plan for your essay. Your thesis, claims, support, and objections will surely change as you do your research, but using a proposal format will help you clarify possible content for the various sections of your paper. It will force you to think about what you already know and identify areas where you will need to do research to fill in the gaps. Each section should begin with a heading in bold so your readers can easily navigate between sections.

· Thesis: This is one sentence stating your thesis or initial claim. You should avoid conjunctions and keep to a simple claim that is not too broad or too narrow. It should not be a feeling or simple fact. It must be defensible with university-level research.

· Background: What do you already know about the subject, and why is it important?

· Objective: This is a paragraph explaining what your paper will accomplish and how you propose to accomplish your goal. What do you hope to learn about the topic? How can additional research further your understanding of the background information and help to place the topic in a larger academic, social, or personal context?

· Supporting Points: These areas will list potential areas of support for your thesis statement. You should have at least three solid supporting points, each with specific details or subpoints that provide a clear indication of how you will back up your argument.

· Counter-Arguments: Every contentious issue has more than one possible point of view. To make a successful argument, it is necessary to demonstrate that you have considered others’ points of view, and that you understand the objections that might be posed against your thesis statement. This section should contain at least two logical and honest objections someone might have.

· Response to Counter-Arguments: Despite the objections others may raise, you will still need to show why your perspective on the issue is the stronger one. This section should include a direct response to each of the counter-arguments posed in the previous section.

· Implications: Think of this as the conclusion to your research proposal. Why does your topic matter? Is your topic important or significant to a particular academic field? What are the overall implications of this topic—what’s the “so what?”

· Tentative Bibliography: Here you will list a minimum of eight promising sources that you could potentially use in your essay. These sources should be from the University Library, and at least four of them should be peer-reviewed. All should be credible, objective, and current.