Articulate a Topic for Investigation

Research Proposal

Purpose: The research proposal is designed to orient you to your research focus by asking you to articulate a topic for investigation; it also introduces you to the genre of proposal writing and establishes the relationship between sophisticated use of sources and strong research writing.

Subject: You are free to choose your own topic for this research project (excluding those previously restricted), and it should be one that interests you or appeals to you in some way. The proposal is a promise of sorts, for you'll develop this topic into your major research-based argument. Realize, however, as you work on your topic, that the specifics of your research may cause you to modify your topic. This is perfectly acceptable and, in fact, normal. Research and writing are processes of discovery.

What is a research Proposal: Research proposals are commonly used in a wide variety of disciplines and professions as a means of developing agendas for research communities, securing funding for a study, publicizing plans for inquiry and field research, and testing the interest of potential audience in a given project. Therefore, the genre, organization, and contents of the research proposal differ in many important ways from other kinds of popular and academic writing. In the proposal itself, you need to explain your interest in your chosen subject and establish a set of questions to guide your inquiry. You also need to delineate the timeline for your research and writing process. Although this part may seem obvious, it is crucial to time management and in helping to shape the scope and range of your research.