McLaughlin / WR 13300 / Spr 2015

Research Essay Proposal/Exploratory Draft

Due In Class on 3/17; worth 10 points in the total score for your research paper
Directions: Complete the following proposal and exploratory draft for your research project (you may
type on a separate document, if you wish). A printed copy of your proposal and exploratory draft is due
IN CLASS on Tuesday, 3/17. I will meet with students individually to grade and discuss these documents,
which will be factored into your final research paper grade. To earn full points, these items should be
detailed and should reflect your careful thinking about your project.
Part 1: Research Proposal
YOUR NAME:
Chris Hull
TOPIC (I am studying):
I am studying how the development of dating apps like Tinder impacts dating relationships and how
Social Media can be used to enhance a pure relationship.
RESEARCH QUESTION(S) (because I want to find out)
I want to find out if Tinder and Social Media sites are changing dating and, if so, how they are creating
change. Questions:
1. Is Tinder capable of starting a life-long (martial) relationship?
2. Does Social Media enhance or degrade dating relationships?
3. Is Social Media a proper place to explicitly express feelings for a significant other? Or it is
merely a venue for indirect expression (i.e. indirect tweeting)?
AUDIENCE & SIGNIFICANCE (in order to help _______ understand)
Im studying this topic in order to help Christian college bachelors and bachelorettes on Social Media
understand the impact Social Media can have on their current and future relationships.
CONTEXT (This issue is important and timely because)
This issue is important and timely because Social Media continues to proliferate among college students
and new dating Social Media apps like Tinder are expediting the dating process.
EXHIBIT (To illustrate my discussion of ______, I plan to focus on _______):
To illustrate my discussion of dating apps like Tinders impact on dating relationships, I plan to focus on
Tinder in particular about how it works, whom it works for, why it works, and when it works, to focus on
how Tinder is a means to the change of dating, and to focus on how dating is changed because of sites
like Tinder. Then, I will transition into what this means for the Christian college students looking for pure
love, and how Social Media can possibly enhance a relationship grounded in pure love.
KEY SOURCES FOUND SO FAR:
MLA citation

Bhattacharya, Shaoni. "Swipe and Burn." New

Scientist 225.3002 (2015): 30-3. Print.
Goodboy, Alan K., and Melanie BoothButterfield. "Love Styles and Desire for
Closeness in Romantic Relationships.(Author

Type of source? News

article? Scholarly
journal article? Book?
Website? Other?
Journal article
Journal article

What does the source offer your project?

Background? Statistics? Theory?
Argument? Counterargument? Example?
Statistics behind physical consequences of
using Tinder.
Background information on styles of
loving.

McLaughlin / WR 13300 / Spr 2015

Abstract)(Report)." Psychological
reports 105.1 (2009): 191. Print.
Hornae, Mia. App Tinder Changing
Relationship Dynamics., 2014. Print.
Wood, Molly. "Led by Tinder, the Mobile
Dating Game Surges." The New York Times:
B8(L). 02/05; 2015/3 2015. Print.

University Newspapers
Journal article
Newspaper article

Background information on how Tinder

changes dating.
Background information on Tinders unique
audience.

Part 2: Exploratory Draft

1) You should begin with a statement of what you hope to accomplish with the project, and with
what audience (e.g., I plan to argue that the NCAA must revise its existing social media policy in
order to combat the recent increase in recruiting violations). Explain why you find this topic
interesting and important. Provide relevant background information to show the existing
conversation around your topic and the new perspective you hope to offer through your project.
2) Identify and discuss the intended audience for this project and what this audience has at stake in
the topic you are researching. Questions to help you identify an audience: Who will benefit? Who
will lose something? Who is in a position to be persuaded to follow the new course of
thinking/action for which you plan to argue?
3) How do you imagine your essay unfolding at this point? What are the distinct claims/points you
anticipate making in order to convince your audience of your arguments quality and relevance?
Provide a tentative outline.
4) Discuss what sources youve found so far and what other ones you would like to look for. What
kind of evidence will your audience expect? How will you accommodate those expectations?
Who do you anticipate might disagree with you, and why? What evidence will they likely point
to?
5) Fifth section: Share any concerns or questions you have about the project. Where do you
anticipate running into problems?
I plan to argue that Christian college students should not use Social Media and dating apps like
Tinder in order to combat the detrimental changes these Internet avenues are having on college
dating relationships and on the pursuit of pure love. I find this topic interesting and important
because I hear about my friends Tinder dates that seem to have no pure spark and that seem to
never start or end well. Its important to note how college dating has changed for the worse and
how pure love from a Christian standpoint is diminishing in Christian college students. Tinder has
created an entirely new audience for online dating, which especially includes 18 to 25 year olds
(Wood). Tinder generates 15 million matches a day (Bhattacharya). The new perspective I hope to
offer is that pure love can be resurrected and that it can be enhanced by Social Media, if used
properly.
The intended audience is specifically Christian college bachelors and bachelorettes. These folks
have grown up in the faith and hopefully in a married household where the ideal vision of
Christian love is displayed. With Social Media proliferating and dating apps being used more and
more, these Christians looking for pure love have ultimately that love at stake. Hopefully,
Christian college students looking for pure love will benefit. Christian college students who arent
looking for pure love, meaning that they are on Tinder, will lose the happiness that could be

McLaughlin / WR 13300 / Spr 2015

finding by not using the dating app. I hope to be able to persuade those at stake to realize that
Tinder is not the avenue for finding pure love, but at the same time help those at stake notice that
Social Media can enhance a pure relationship.
1. I imagine my essay beginning with what Tinder is and how it has changed college dating
in general.
2. Then, I imagine my essay transitioning into showing how this change is for the worse
when it comes to Christian college students looking for pure love.
3. Next, I imagine my essay referencing what pure Christian love is supposed to be like.
4. Finally, I imagine showing how Social Media can enhance pure love, if used properly.
Ive found sources on how Tinder works, why it works, whom it works for, and when it works.
Additionally, I have found sources over the consequences that can result from using Tinder. Im
still looking for more sources on Christian love, other than the Bible. I think my audience will
expect statistics about Tinder and Christian doctrines about pure love. I plan to accommodate
those expectations by providing relevant source material. I think people that have had successful
relationships that started from Tinder, which led to them experiencing pure love, will disagree
with me. I imagine thatd point to case studies of successful relationships, and potentially faults in
my explanation of Christian love.
At first, I just wanted to talk about how dating should be in general, which I plan to touch on, but
I didnt think I could write enough about that. So, I have moved on to talking about pure Christian
dating, which has narrowed my audience and my search parameters. Therefore, Im a little bit
concerned about preaching. I want to be able to persuade my audience, but I dont want them to
feel like they are reading a sermon. I want to be able to provide relevant information and sources
to what Im saying, which Im having a little trouble doing at the moment.