GeneralHeron2988
Assignment Details In composing your research proposal, you…
Assignment Details
In composing your research proposal, you should carefully and thoughtfully address the following required elements:
Summarize your topic of investigation. Introduce readers by showing them why your topic is important and relevant to audiences.
Describe your interest in the topic: What brought you to consider the topic? Share your enthusiasm or concern to garner audience interest.
Propose a research question or set of questions?
Establish a possible thesis or solution to one problem.
Define your secondary research methods: What do you need to know and why is this important to know? What kinds of sources do you seek? What keywords or key phrases promise to be useful?
Consider whether primary research is applicable: Include suggestions or plans for original or primary research. Name potential original research (interview, survey, eyewitness observation, exploring raw data). Who might you interview and why? What groups might you survey and why? Give a few sample questions for an interview or survey. What raw data (census data, or other sources with stores of information that you can interpret). What eyewitness observations might contribute to your knowledge?
Discuss the “so what” (the implications of your proposed research) and identify “who cares” (the potential audiences and stakeholders). The answer to “why it matters” depends on the particulars of your project, but usually it includes an assessment of the impact your research can have on other researchers and on the people or institutions directly involved. How can your study contribute to the ongoing conversation about your topic? Will your work build upon, challenge, or extend upon what others have said about your topic? Think broadly and towards the future: What kinds of outcomes can your research assist in coming to fruition?
Create an annotated bibliography with 5-6 published sources in your topic area; at least 4 must be peer-reviewed journal articles. Your research should include diverse perspectives.
List sources alphabetically according to your chosen citation conventions and provide an annotation for each source that includes all of the following descriptive information:
Author’s name, credentials, and background (briefly)
Name the kind of source and the main topic it addresses (report, study, website, book, podcast, blog, newspaper, museum exhibition, etc.)
Include description, or summary of the source, and the conclusions most pertinent to your research questions or project goals (add a quote or paraphrase with in-text citation to make more usefulsee the sample citation below)
Evaluate and describe how you can/might use this source in your essay
Depending on your purpose and the text, you will also want to evaluate and include:
Audience of a source (if intended audience is unusual or important to understanding the text)
The methods of research (how research was conducted, how source reached its conclusions)
The limitations or biases of the text (mention if a source is outdated, questions about credentials, conflicts of interest, or other reasons source may be reliable, unreliable, or of limited value for purpose)
Compare and contrast to other sources in bibliography (point to agreement or disagreement, or to note minor or major deviations between your sources)
Style and Format
Project proposals require specific kinds of information that are explained in a brisk and concise fashion. As a persuasive genre, a proposal should assure readers that you have an abiding interest and scholarly investment in the topic at hand.
Annotations are written in a concise, accurate, and informative manner. The style and organization of your annotated entries should be consistent, and every word and sentence should be advancing all or part of the relevant information (use the bulleted items in the assignment directions as a guide).
Be true to the source first (the bulk of the entry). Your comments or evaluations should come after (minimal compared to the summary) and should be clearly marked as your contribution. Readers should not confuse what your source says with what you say. Use appropriate documentation style and format the assignment according to your chosen citation and formatting guidelines.
Requirements: Project Proposal should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced, properly formatted. Annotations should be 1-2 significant paragraphs for each entry. Submit as a Word document on Canvas.
