Template for Proposal due Nov 2 by 10pm

Template for Paper Proposal

A proposal is just that, at least in terms of paper writing.: you will state your intention, at this point, to write about a specific topic for your final paper and presentation. In a proposal, you will want to provide an adequate account of what kind of work you have done so far that has led you to choose your topic as well as to present the relevance, i.e., how does it fit in with the critical work that has already been done on your particular author(s). You will also want to put forward questions you have about your topic, areas that you haven’t clarified yet, or any other concerns you may have that you wish to receive comments and direction from me or the class. There are really two purposes for the proposal. One is that you begin formulating your ideas about your paper early on--at least a month before the due date. That helps you in the rereading of the works in question, so that you will be rereading with an eye toward how they fit into your topic. Two, I will need to accept that proposal before you move forward. In doing so, I will give you suggestions about narrowing your topic, and approaches to organizing the paper and presentation, or (unlikely) suggest a different topic or stance. Please present your proposal using the following template:

1. Working Title of Paper (centered) Working thesis, statement, argument --whatever you wish to call the focus of your paper--that statement around which the paper is built. Organization and direction of the paper.
   
2. You are not yet ready to provide an outline, but how do perceive this paper in terms of development of your statement? Your preliminary work in this area will help you to think about the scope of your paper: is it too wide? Have you proposed a book-length topic? Is it too narrow? How quickly will you exhaust what you have to say about your idea?
   
3. Sources: please provide a bibliography with very brief annotations (3 sentences) about the content. Problems/questions: at this point in your project, what do you still need to find out?
   
4. As you have worked your way through your proposal, what issues would you like to talk out with someone so that you can clarify your thinking about your paper?
   
5. Why are you writing about this topic? How does it add to the work already done on the authors and their works? How does it enhance your own understanding about the issues that have come up in class?