Name: __________________ Topic: ______________________ Score: ___/20

Research Proposal Component of Research Assignment

 I. What I am Looking For In a Written Research Proposal:

A. Interesting Choice of Topic – Makes me want to read your proposal

B. Narrow Topic – Specific enough topic to be presentable in 8 minutes

C. Focused Purpose – Become an Expert on your topic? Inform fellow students?

D. Basic Preliminary Understanding of Topic - Shows that you have a good start

F. Well-Hatched Research Plan – Know exactly what to look for and where to find it

G. Completeness and Detail – Well researched, concise, and to the point – no “fluff”

H. Correct Spelling and Grammar – College-level writing requires this of you

I. Consists of at least 400 words – Four paragraphs (see A-D below); Up to 700 words OK

II. Five-Component Grading Rubric of the Research Proposal Paper

___ A. Topic Title and Opening Topic Statement Paragraph (3 points)

1. Proposal must have a written title of the research topic at top of paper.

2. In the first sentence or two of your proposal, you need to specifically state ALL the subtopics

you will be covering within your chosen topic one sentence. For example, if you are covering

whales, you need to state exactly what about whales you will actually cover (no way you have

time to research everything about whales).

3. You may include an attention-getting statement in your opening paragraph to enhance your

topic statement.

4. Reader should have a very clear idea what you are proposing to research after reading your

topic paragraph

5. Note that this is a research PROPOSAL – NOT a research paper where you have already

done all the research, and are presenting all your findings.

____B. Purpose of Research Paragraph (4 points)

1. Clearly state the answers to the following questions (several sentences):

a. Why did you choose this particular topic? – Importance to you and/or class?

b. What do you hope to learn from your research?

____C. Topic Description Paragraph – (3 points)

1. Provide a general background description of topic (several sentences):

a. What is it? – Where is it? – What does it do? – Importance?

b. Pretend that the reader knows virtually nothing about the topic.

2. DON’T write a big, long description of topic, like you already finished the research

____D. The Research Plan Paragraph (10 points)

1. Clearly describe how you plan to carry out your research – VERY IMPORTANT.

2. You must include the following 2 Key Components of your research effort:

a. List ALL the specific types of data will you need to collect concerning your topic.

b. List ALL the specific places that you will need to look to find your topic data.

3. You need to be very specific about WHAT and WHERE – for example, you need to be

way more specific than just listing “everything whales”, “Library” and “Internet”.

____E. Writing Quality (Subtraction of up to 5 points possible)

1. Points will be detracted for poor quality, concerning the following four categories:

a. Legibility b. Organization c. Spelling d. Grammar

_____ F. Total Earned Points (out of 20 possible points)