Research Proposal
Format
- A cover page is unnecessary due to it being a Blackboard submission
- 11 or 12-point font, Times New Roman (or similar)
- approx. 1 page (subject area + bibliography)
- use the sub-headings & structure as shown below
(i) SUBJECT AREA (5 marks)
For the major (argumentative) essay component, you will be researching & analyzing a topic of your own choice. Your topic should include a Canadian aspect of some kind. Whether you choose to explore an issue, trend, problem, movement, debate or controversy, you must evaluate the topic's overall SOCIAL IMPORTANCE & IMPACT on individuals, communities & society-at-large.
- For this proposal, first list a general category of interest. Use the material in your textbooks, class activities, the newspaper, Internet searches or personal interests as inspiration).
- From this general category, then narrow the subject to one specific issue, situation, problem or debate within the larger category. You want to avoid a topic that is too broad or else you won't be able to adequately analyze it in the space of the final essay.
- Lastly, in one sentence, explain how you will focus the topic & what particular themes/aspects you will concentrate on for discussion in your essay (these may shift somewhat over time).
Part One should end up looking like this:
(1) General category: Disability [→ a word or two]
(2) Specific subject: Residential Construction & Accessibility [→ a set of more specific words or phrases]
(3) Particular focus: I will focus on the trend of renovating homes to be accessible for people with physical disabilities - for example, by installing ramps, lower-height cabinets, & automation.
[→ one full sentence describing the purpose of your research, providing possible themes & examples]
- Do various keyword searches to find sources on your topic (published after 2000); create an alphabetized APA bibliography
- List a minimum of 4 (or more!) resources on your topic FROM THE LIBRARY DATABASES only.