Research Requirements: You may have to do research for this project.
• Other Requirements: Choosing a topic for your research paper.
• Questions: Come see me in my office, or ask in class.
Directions:
Propose the topic and argument you want to explore for the research paper and also the paper you want to write. Your proposal must argue for the privilege of pursuing this topic. In other words, tell me why this topic is important enough to pursue and why it worth spending your resources (your time, energy, and effort, the librarian’s help, my comments and assistance, etc.).
Tasks:
1. First, read the Research Paper assignment. There are limitatations about your topic, and also requirements for research. Whatever you propose must fit these limitations and requirements. If your proposal does not address these requirements, you will have to start over with a different topic.
2. Come up with a research question or a goal for the research. Do yourself a favor and pick something that interests you; you’ll be spending a great deal of time reading and writing about this issue. You don’t want to be bored or uninterested.
3. Do a little preliminary research on the topic. Is this issue really an issue? Is there research out there that can help you? You can also do a little research by talking to professors who teach the classes relevant to your profession (or the professionals in that profession), or, if you choose the student option, you can talk to professionals at the university who deal with the problem. (Hint: an interview can be used as a source for the research paper as well.)
4. You must have a thesis. This thesis must argue for your pursuit of this topic: “I will write my research paper on the inability of former students to buy houses after college in order to propose better management of financial aid loans.”
5. Draft the proposal. Your proposal must include:
a. Your topic. Be as specific as you can (not “financial aid” but “reductions in federal financial aid programs” or, even better, “the effects of reductions in federal financial aid programs on first-generation college students”). You should also describe the problem you want to research in some detail.
b. The importance of your topic. Argue for the priviledge of studying this topic. Why is it especially important and relevant? Why should you be allowed to use class resources (time, assignments) to work on this project? What are the benefits of studying this problem? Also, why is the topic important to your audience (your professor and fellow students)?
c. How you intend to approach the topic. How do you intend to approach and analyze this topic? For example, if you intend to write about the effects of financial aid reductions on first-generation students, do you intend to study it from an educational point of view (the effects on their studies), a social point of view (the effects on their present and future places in society), or an economic point of view (the effects on their finances, present and future)?
d. Your plan. Demonstrate that the proposal is feasible. Convince me that you can do this paper in the time allowed with the available resources.

Talk about your process. What is your working thesis? How, specifically, do you intend to research this paper? How do you plan to organize the information? How do you intend to support the thesis?

Show me that your plan will address the requirements and needs of the research paper assignment (and your own work).

Your plan can also include a work plan or time table: show me you’ve thought the process through and can do everything you need to.

e. Your needs. Not tools or time (all writing requires both), but what we can discuss on the discussion boards or what we can go over together to help you.
f. A Works Cited, if necessary. If you use research, you must cite it properly and include a Works Cited page. (If you include a proposed Works Cited, you’ll also get a head start on some upcoming assignments.) Use Chapters 11-13 (or Chapters 14-16 for APA) to help you; you can also post questions on the discussion boards about citing and creating a works cited page. You must present your sources in correct MLA or APA format not both.
6. You may divide the proposal into sections. Many proposals are presented that way. Use clear headings, and be consistent in how you use them. Chapter 21 can help you.
7. Revise the paper at least twice. It won’t come out right the first time. I guarantee it. And merely proofreading won’t make the sort of qualitative changes to organization, focus, wording, and style that your paper will need. Everyone’s paper needs this kind of work, mine included—you’re not alone.
8. At last, proofread.
Purpose: This assignment is designed to help you
• Begin your work on the research paper assignment. This is a first step in a series of assignments that lead up to the research paper.
• Narrow your topic and focus to something feasible and arguable.
• Focus your upcoming research.
• Practice making persuasive proposals. You will almost certainly need this skill on the job, even if you only make proposals orally (i.e., “We ought to rearrange the cubicles this way so we can all see out the window”).
• Practice good argumentation. Your research paper will also be an argument. So will every cover letter / job application you ever write.
• Work on paragraph focus, organization, and flow.
• Practice MLA citation format, both internally and on works cited pages.
Successful proprosals will
• Argue convincingly for a topic that fits the Research Paper assignment in an organized fashion.
• Maintain its focus on its argument.
• Support its ideas with logic, good argument, and evidence.
• Express ideas clearly and concisely.
• Create focused and organized paragraphs with clear topic sentences.
• Use correct MLA citation format, both for internal citations and for Works Cited entries.
• Quote, paraphrase, and summarize the sources correctly, including internal MLA citation.
• Use good writing mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, sentence structure).
• Meet all other assignment requirements (word count, due date, number of entries, use of MLA citation format, etc.).