Instructions: Prospectus
In a one-page, double-spaced document, address the following questions:
1. What is the general topic you plan to explore in your research paper? What is your research question? What argument do you plan to make?
2. What research and information do you plan to use to support your argument?
3. Why is your argument new, significant, worth studying, or otherwise important? Imagine you are trying to get your project accepted for publication. Why should a publisher accept this paper? What will this project add to the scholarship that already exists?
Do not number your answers. The prospectus should be written in paragraph form.
FORMAT/ORGANIZATION
1. You should use first-person POV.
2. A one-page prospectus often includes three paragraphs that address the questions listed above. An effective, easy way to organize this document would be to use three paragraphs—one for each set of questions listed above.
3. You should include an APA title page and page numbers for each page of your document. Your APA title page should include a working title. Format the title like this: Research Prospectus: Rural Culture in the Postmodern World. This is merely an example. Use a title that reflects the content of your proposed final paper.
4. You may refer to specific sources within the body of the prospectus, but this is not required. If you refer to sources, you should include enough information to give credit to the source.
GOAL OF THE ASSIGNMENT
1. Identify an academic topic, formulate a researchable question, and plan a project/paper appropriate for audience, purpose, and context.
NOTES/RESOURCES
A prospectus is often called a “proposal.” These words are interchangeable.
Chapter 3 of Palmquist discusses research prospectuses/proposals. An example is included, but it is much longer than what I am asking you to do. Still, Chapter 3 is an excellent resource.
A sample prospectus is posted in Canvas.
