Research Proposal Requirements Title of Project:

Give your project a working title, which may or may not become the title of your paper.

Statement of purpose:
Explain what you hope your research will find or show. State your question or series of questions before you begin your research. After you have conducted significant research you should be able to answer your question(s) in one or two sentences, which may become the thesis of the final paper.

Background:
Explain your interest in and experience with this topic. Describe any previous research you have conducted on this or related topics, any classes you have taken on this or related topics, or any reading you have already done in the field. If you have personal experience that has led you to want to do more research, describe that here too.

Significance:
Explain why this topic is worth considering, or this question or series of questions is worth answering. Consider the following questions: why should your instructor let you select this topic? what do you hope to learn from it? what will this new knowledge add to the field of knowledge that already exists on this topic? what new perspective will you bring to the topic? what use might your final research paper have for others in this field or in the general public?

Research plan:
Describe the kind of research you will conduct to complete this project (library research, internet research, interviews, observations, etc.) Explain how you will conduct your research in as much detail as possible.

Problems:
Describe the problems you expect to encounter and how you hope to solve them. For example, texts might be unavailable, necessitating travel to other libraries or use of inter-library loan facilities; people you had hoped to interview might be unavailable or unwilling to participate, necessitating that you select other interviewees or change the focus; internet sites might be down or no longer available, etc. (Try to imagine every probable problem so that you have contingency plans and the project doesn't become derailed.)

RAFT:
Define the rhetorical situation for your proposed research writing. While the topic will have been presented in prior sections of the proposal, this section will give you the opportunity to describe the format and audience that you envision for the writing. R(ole)= ; A(udience)= ; F(ormat)= ; T(opic)=

Annotated Bibliography:
This section should present the sources that you have consulted as background reading (or as you have listened in on a written conversation on your topic). The Annotated Bibliography should reflect appropriate sources for your writing plan and should follow guidelines on Annotated Bibliography handout.

Sandra Jamieson, Drew University. 1999 Adapted from material written by Rebecca Moore Howard and Sandra Jamieson.

WHAT IS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

ANNOTATIONS VS. ABSTRACTS

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they expose the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority. THE PROCESS Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research. First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style. Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

SAMPLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRY Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995. Print. Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Lamott, a successful author, offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach. Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.
Copyright 1995-2010 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University.

Last revised 10 September 2010 [MOE] Michael Engle, Amy Blumenthal, and Tony Cosgrave Olin Reference, Research & Learning Services URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm