Assignment Overview
A proposal is a persuasive document pitching an idea. In academia, people write proposals for research papers, conference presentations, articles, and books, allowing the audience (usually an editor or professor) to gauge the appropriateness of an idea and offer feedback. In the professional world, proposals allow a client or supervisor to evaluate a possible idea.
In this assignment, you will write a short proposal (2 double-spaced pages) for your research topic idea in regards to the landmark you will research this semester. Your proposal will include the sections detailed below; please use these as headings in composing your own proposal.
Topic Criteria
As discussed in class, Your Landmark Should:
- Be in New York City and accessible to You (you have to do a site visit)
- Be significant enough to have articles and books written about it (you have to do outside research)
- Invoke your passion and curiosity (you should—ideally—want to read more)
- Resonate with your life story in some way (you should have experiences you can reflect on)
- Appeal to a broad audience of nonfiction readers (other people care about it and want to know more)
Proposal Sections
Overview: Describe your landmark, and provide necessary context. In this section, you will cite at least two sources to show you are starting to engage with the conversation around your topic (and there are sources available). How is this topic relevant given the aims of the landmark I-Search assignment? Why does this topic matter? What does this topic help us understand about New York City? (Note: This will be the longest section).
Personal Connection: What is the topic’s link to your life?
Site Observation: Discuss how you plan to observe the site. What day will you go? How will you take notes / pictures?
Research Questions: List 3-4 well-developed research questions about your landmark.
Feedback Questions: List any questions you have for me on your topic or the research process.
Working Bibliography: Create a MLA Bibliography for your 2 sources from the Overview Section (Note: you can add more than 2 if you have others).
Details
Due Date: Tuesday, June 14th
Length: Two double-spaced page(s), 11-12 pt font MLA format.
Grading: I’ll be looking for a clear description of a topic that meets the criteria above, thorough engagement with each required section, and strong prose. As always, feel free to stop by office hours or set up an appointment if you have any questions. I’m happy to help!
