Question
A research proposal is an overview of the argument contained in your working thesis statement, sometimes called a hypothesis. It is not based on research,
A research proposal is an overview of the argument contained in your working thesis statement, sometimes called a hypothesis. It is not based on research, but on what you already know, or think you know, about your topic.
If done well, a research proposal will almost serve as a preliminary outline of your paper. It offers your working thesis (hypothesis) and explanation, which should list the points you want to make. The sub-points are the main points of your paper. And the objections represent the other side of the argument.
This is a good time to reconsider the initial thoughts you had earlier in the module about your thesis (or hypothesis): do you need to rewrite it? If you have trouble filling in the sections below, an improperly formed thesis might be the problem.
Write a research paper proposal with 5 parts:
Working Thesis: a one-sentence paragraph; no introduction is necessary.
Explanation: a statement that includes the points you think you will be discussing in your paper.
Subpoints: each sub-point explains more fully a point mentioned in your explanation.
Possible Objections: a brief discussion of the opposition’s point of view.
Reply to Objections: your brief answer to the opposition.
Your research proposal should look like the five parts listed above. The number of sub-points may vary, but if you have only two, you may not have enough material for a good paper. For a simple undergraduate paper, limit your sub-points to 4 or 5.
The point of this exercise is to give you a focus, to force you to think about your topic independently of any research you may do or have done. This will probably serve as a basis for your paper, although it is quite likely that, once you begin your research, some of your ideas will change. That is the point of research: working to find an answer to a question!
Although your early research may have given you some great information, it is not necessary to rely on research for a good research proposal: you are simply outlining the argument that you expect to make in your final paper.
A good research proposal follows the standard format described in this module.
Save your research proposal as lastname_firstinitial_M1A3.doc and submit it to the M1: Assignment 3 Dropbox by Week 1, Day 6. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.
Assignment 3 Grading Criteria | Maximum Points |
Working Thesis (making your claim clear) | 12 |
Explanation (what do you expect to cover in your argument) | 12 |
Sub-points (explaining the points covered above) | 14 |
Possible Objections (what does the “other side” think) | 16 |
Response to Objections (how do you plan to answer those objections listed above) | 16 |
Format (have you presented this information in APA style, and in a way that your reader can easily follow) | 10 |
Usage and Mechanics: Grammar, Spelling, Sentence Structure | 10 |
Style: Audience, Voice, Word Choice | 10 |
Total: | 100 |
How can you know if you have done well with this assignment?
This criteria: | Is well written if: |
Working Thesis (making your claim clear) | You state your thesis (your main point) in a single, declarative sentence that can be argued using scholarly research. Your thesis is neither too narrow nor too broad. You use no conjunctions. |
Explanation (what do you expect to cover in your argument) | You offer a short overview of the main points that you expect to cover in your paper. |
Subpoints (explaining the points covered above in detail) | You expand on your overview, with a statement of what you already know about the subject that supports your claim, as well as areas where you will need to do research to fill in your knowledge. |
Possible Objections (What does the “other side” think?) | You fairly and completely offer the strongest arguments against your position. |
Response to Objections (How do you plan to answer those objections to your thesis listed above?) | You offer your possible responses to the objections listed above. You avoid fallacious argumentation and note the areas where the other side is correct. |
Format (Have you followed APA style, and presented this information in a way that your reader can easily follow?) | Your proposal is saved in Microsoft Word®, with an APA style title page. You have five headings (THESIS, EXPLANATION, SUBPOINTS, OBJECTIONS, REPLY TO OBJECTIONS) in capital letters and in the order listed here. |
Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation, voice, and word choice. (Are you presenting this work in an academic manner?) | You use appropriate language, avoiding wordiness, while giving the reader all necessary information. You have no spelling, punctuation, sentence, apostrophe, or homophone errors. You remain in the third person voice. |
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