Step 4. Submit A Final Proposal.
Your final research proposal needs to have the following sections/format:
Title page with abstract (see sample on page 4)
An abstract is a very short summary of your paper. Aim for 3-5 sentences.
Introduction (.5 to 1.5 pages) (the elements of an introduction have a distinct order, which is why these points are numbered)
Introduce your topic in a broad way
Situate your research question within this broad topic
Address the “who cares?” question. Make an argument for why your research question matters.
In the context of your answer to the “who cares?” question, summarize the contribution that your research will make.
Provide a roadmap of the structure of the paper
“In the first section of this paper, I…” “In the following section, I…”
Literature Review (4-5 pages)
Minimum of 10 peer-reviewed sources directly relevant to your research question
How have other scholars addressed your research question?
What methods and approaches have they used?
What results have they found and conclusions have they drawn?
If they are addressing a related, but different question than you are asking, how have they framed their research question?
What gaps in the literature have scholars identified?
How does all of this relate to your research project?
At the end of your literature review, explain how your research project will contribute to the literature.
Remember that a literature review is not just a broad stock-taking of the literature on your topic. Rather, it is tailored to your research question and it strategically opens a space for you to assert how your research contributes to the literature. It is another way of articulating why your research is important.
Research Design (4-5 pages)
What approach will you use to answer your research question?
What method will you use to answer your research question?
Provide specific details about how you will go about your research.
Explain how you will evaluate your results.
Explain what you expect to find in your research or what specific findings would mean for your hypothetical argument.
Alternative Research Design (.5 page – 1 page)
Write a short summary of how you could address your research question using a different methodology than the one you are proposing.
This section will be much less detailed than your primary research design. Focus on how this research would differ from your primary research design.
If you believe that no other methodology is appropriate for answering your research question, then justify this position in this section. [Though it would be unusual to not be able to answer a question with multiple different methods.]
Resources and Timeline (can be quite short, around .25-.5 page)
Think about what it would take to actually embark on this research. Write up what resources you would need and how long you think the research would take. (No right answer here. I just want you to think about practicability questions.)
Works Cited
Must be properly formatted and use correct citations in APSA format (you have the APSA citation guide)
Appendices (if applicable)
Mandatory Formatting Guidelines
Word document
12-point Times New Roman Font
“normal” or “moderate” margins in Word
Page numbers in bottom right corner
Citation style: APSA
Free of grammar and spelling mistakes
