Research Proposal Drafting Strategies

Quick Workshop of Introductions to RP

• What are some suggestions you can provide them to help them better write about their culture? Give the author a few suggestions to consider – other characteristics they may have overlooked, your own ideas about culture, etc.
• What are two questions you have about their subject of Cultural Inquiry or thesis statement?
• What are some smaller topics on their subject that relate to the thesis? Provide suggestions to your fellow writer on where they could go for research.
• What do you think makes their topic relevant to a larger world – and where can they look for examples to support their research?
• Do you know of any secondary sources (books, documentaries, articles) or primary sources (places or people, organizations in Chicago) they could go to for further research? Provide a suggestion to them.

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Synthesis: a written discussion that draws on two or more sources. Basically, in synthesis you use source material to make a larger discussion of a subject (such as a cultural inquiry), by discussing your ideas on subject along with the sources being used in.

• What is the relationship of theses sources’ main points to your own?
• How are you using these sources to understand the subject?
• What questions on subject are inspired by reading these sources?

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Synthesis and Plan of Attack for Research Proposal

Use your thesis statement you wrote for RP to contextualize what kinds of sources you plan to go after.

• Example: If you chose to look up sexuality in high school culture, what are some key topics that are relevant? What kinds of sources are you, then, going to pursue?

What are some specific sources you have already read, and what are their main points on subject?

• What “side” are the authors on? What are you going to do to find out?
• What function/ purpose does the source serve on your topic? Is the author providing historical information? Are they making theoretical arguments? Are they using theories to persuade you?

What are some other some other general viewpoints on the subject that you want to investigate? Are there other authors you already know about that write on subject? Are there specific texts? (If you have no idea, start plugging away at the computer, at EBSCO!)