How can I write a proposal for my research topic?

A research proposal is usually about 200-250 words and outlines what you plan to research and write about in a research paper. One format is as follows:

Start by filling out the subject headings below. 

• Discipline (ie, sociology, history, education, etc)


• Subject (ie, alcohol use, social media, etc.)


• Context (ie, for alcohol use: Prohibition)


• Topic (ie, the effect of Prohibition on alcohol consumption in the U.S.)


• Research questions: (ie, did Prohibition lead to less or more alcohol consumption? Why? What does this tell us about legistlating social change? etc.)


• Draft thesis: Here you would state your preliminary opinion on the topic. (ie: Prohibition led to increased alcohol use as people rebelled against the ban.) Note that this thesis can and will change as you do more research. 

 In the formal proposal, you would include the following (you can rearrange the order):

1. Your topic and some brief background on it.


2. Research questions you plan to address.


3. Your rationale for pursuing this research.


4. Your draft thesis statement. 


5. Some sources you plan to explore. Ideally, this would include both primary and secondary sources.