research

· Organize your thinking

· Invite response, evaluation, and suggestions from others

· Test the viability of a research project

This proposal assignment requires the following:

1. INTRODUCTION

This includes:

· Your research question.

· How you arrived at your question. (A good question has multiple answers and it wil bring you into conversation with ohter researchers who are writing or thinking about your question).

· Explain how you cam to identify your question (for example: in your reading, a class, discussions, and other opportunities).

· Describe why it is a question that is worth answering (Your answer to the question "Why am I researching this subject?" should be more than "it interests me."

· What do you hope to learn from it?

· What value might it have for others?

· What behavior, decisions, or action might be impacted by the answer?

2. WORKING HYPOTHESIS

This includes:

· Considering possible answer to your questions (including ending with what seems the most credible and reasonable at this point in your research which you will generally not be looking for the "right" answer, but for the one answer or combinations of answers that offers the best evidence or fullest explanation or most convincing arguments).

3. RESEARCH STRATEGY

This includes:

· Part One--What do I need to know? This is a list of questions that you will need to answer, key ideas or concepts you will need to define, and assumptions or biasis you will need to question in order to complete your project.

· Part Two--Where will I look for answers? This is a description of how you will go about getting the information you need to, what solution you will consult, what leads you have, and what difficulties you may face during this process.

4. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

This includes:

· A list of your most promising sources cited in alphabetical order.

· Using MLA format for documentation.

· A brief 3-5 sentence summary of the sources in relavent to your research topic.