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3 Reflective Research Proposal

Heather Levine

Cohort 2024

Learning Objectives

Course objectives: Identify valid issues for research. Formulate research questions that aid in exploration and analysis. Synthesize a variety of viewpoints to develop an individual argument position. Students will create a research proposal that makes an argument about why the student’s chosen topic is a relevant and appropriate topic for the research project. Students can choose the method they wish to present this information (video, infographic, written assignment), as long as it meets the requirements on the rubric. Students must be able to make a valid argument about how they are personally connected to and interested in their research topic and show how they will use research questions to begin their research using library resources. HIP: Capstone course and project, writing-intensive courses 

Purpose/Rationale

Students have the ability to choose their method of presenting their information, my hope is that they can demonstrate their learning in a way that suits their learning style best. I am asking them to have a personal stake in their research topic so that the research becomes personal to them as well, thus being more meaningful overall and hopefully renewable rather than disposable. 

Instructions

After you have conducted some preliminary research and narrowed the topic for your research paper, you will create a Reflective Research Proposal. You may present this information as a 2–3-page essay, a 1–2-page infographic, or a 2–3-minute video. Think of your research proposal as an argument in itself—your job is to convince me why your chosen topic is one that will make for a good, final argument essay. Your research proposal should answer the following questions:

  1. What do you want to write about?
  2. Why do you want to write about it?
  3. What do you already know about your topic?
  4. What do you hope to learn about your topic?
  5. What do you think will be the most valuable sources of information for your topic? (Be specific—do not just say, “The library databases.”)
  6. What is your current opinion on your topic? What are some other opinions that exist on your topic?
  7. How are you personally connected to this topic?
  8. What are some possible research questions associated with your topic?
  9. What are some possible audiences for your topic? Why are these the specific audiences that you have in mind? (Again, be specific. Do not just say, “everyone.”)
  10. Feel free to explore or pose any other questions you might have about your topic?

Answering these questions may require that you do a bit of preliminary research about your topic. While not appropriate sources for your final paper, places like Wikipedia and other information you find on Google can be good places to do preliminary research. You will use this same topic for Essay #3—The Exploratory Essay, The Annotated Bibliography, and Essay #4—The Researched Argument Essay, so make sure that it is a topic you are interested in. Due to time constraints, you will not be permitted to change your topic. Do your preliminary research ahead of time to make sure this is a topic you want to stick with.

Format Requirements

The research proposal should be presented as a 2–3-page essay, a 1–2-page infographic, or 2–3-minute video. 

Rubric/Criteria

Students will be graded based on a rubric that outlines overall assignment requirements (page or video length), use of research questions and library resources, development, and discussion of the research process. Students will receive a final rubric with their formal assignment sheet. This assignment is worth 5% of the final grade. 

License

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This work (Reflective Research Proposal by Heather Levine) is free of known copyright restrictions.

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