Research proposal

A project proposal seeks to explain

• What you plan to research, why and how
• You show that the research is valid
• argue that the research is valuable
• communicate your enthusiasm for the project
• demonstrate that your plan is workable within constraints of the assignment size
• and gain your instructor's approval 

The goals of a proposal are

• To convince your instructor/audience that it is indeed a fruitful line of investigation
• To clarify your own thinking about a research topic
• to get helpful feedback about how to proceed

Elements of research proposal 

• Introduction (Research question, position of the topic, overview of the topic)
• a review of literature
• research methods and sources
• timeline
• Significance
• Annotated bibliography(working bibliography)

Title

Working title, do not title it as 'research proposal'

Introduction

outline the subject and purpose of your research project

• Background: overview of the topic, position of the issue, identify you readers, show your interest 
• Project description and expected results
• Main research question or working thesis

Research methods and sources

how you plan to research your topic

explain your primary research (firsthand investigation) as well as research tools you plan to use 

• Methods: how am I going to research the topic? Delineate the methods you will use to conduct your research 
• Sources: What specific text am I going to analyze?

Review of literature

Overview of the key information of your sources

explain why you found them useful, focus on general approaches of your sources 

Timeline

1/18: topic memo due

1/30: research journal #1 due --- conduct secondary research at the library--- or use -----database

week 7 

week8

Significance

goal or purpose of the research 

what do I hope to accomplish in my research?

what are borader issues or implications of my research?

Why do these matters to me and to my readers?