Dietel-McLaughlin / WR 13300 & 13200 / Fall 2011

Research Essay Proposal

Directions: After completing your concept map, please complete the following proposal and exploratory draft.
A printed copy of your completed concept map, proposal, and exploratory draft is due IN CLASS on
Tuesday, 10/25. I will meet with you individually in the library to grade and discuss these documents,
which will be factored into your final research paper grade (5 points for the concept map, 5 points for the
proposal, and 5 points for the exploratory draft). To get full points, these items should be detailed and
should reflect your careful thinking and planning.
Your Name ________________________________
Research Question(s) _____________________________________________________________________
Working Thesis ___________________________________________________________________________
Possible Main Points in Support of Your Thesis (i.e., your claims, reasoning, and evidence):
1) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence to support this point _________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence to support this point _________________________________________________
3) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence to support this point _________________________________________________
4) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence to support this point _________________________________________________
Possible Objections to Your Thesis (or any of the points mentioned above):
1) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence that might be used to support this CA: _________________________________
Flaws in/response to this CA: __________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence that might be used to support this CA: _________________________________
Flaws in/response to this CA: __________________________________________________
A Few Possible Sources (give specific titles/authors):
1) ___________________________________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________________
3) ___________________________________________________________________________

Dietel-McLaughlin / WR 13300 & 13200 / Fall 2011

Exploratory Draft (type and attach to the rest of the proposal):

First section: You should begin with something like In this paper I plan to, followed by argue that, propose a
solution to, speculate about the causes for, or whatever you plan to accomplish with your essay. Also explain
why this topic is interesting to you and why you think its important that other people know about it. You should
provide relevant background information to show the need for and importance of the research you are proposing.
Second section: Talk a little bit about your intended audience and what that audience has at stake in the
controversy you are researching. Who will benefit from your research? Who is in a position to be persuaded?
How do you plan to convince that audience to agree with you?
Third section: Discuss what sources youve found and what other ones you would like to look for. What kind of
information will your audience expect? How will you accommodate those expectations? How are you going to
integrate source material from the course? Where are you having trouble finding information?
Fourth section: Share any concerns or questions you have about this project. Where do you think you might run
into problems? Put some thought into this the more specific you are about your questions, the more I will be
able to point you toward some answers.