Academic Research Essay Proposal

Internet and Social Media

   Thinking About Your Topic 

•Your proposal introduces your research topic, thesis, and other preliminary ideas.

•This is the topic in which you will write your final argumentative research paper, so it’s a good idea to find a topic in which you are interested.

•You must choose a arguable topic. 

• Scholarly research must support the topic.

•Since this assignment builds up to your academic research essay, please read the Academic Research Essay assignment description.

 What is an academic research essay proposal? 

•This proposal explains preliminary ideas for a research essay.

•It organizes your main ideas in outline format.

•It also explains and elaborates on what you know and what you do not know about your topic.

•It helps establish a research plan, an annotated bibliography, and an essay draft.

 The Academic Research Essay Proposal 

•The proposal should consist of a preliminary essay outline that consists of:

•A tentative thesis statement

•At least three reasons to support the thesis statement

•An opposing view

•The proposal also answers the following questions:

•What are additional questions that most interest you and might help you develop your claim?

•What might be some additional ideas that back up/support your claim?

•What prior beliefs, assumptions, preconceptions, ideas, or prejudices might be brought to this project?

•What personal experiences may have shaped the way you feel?  

 Thinking About Your Thesis 

•Remember that a thesis is a position that presents an “argument” regarding a controversial, debatable statement.

•A solid thesis has two parts:

• 1. Premise or premises are reasons for the claim. They are typically “since” statements.

•2. Conclusion is a support behind the reason. This is a “therefore” statement.

•Example: Since my grandmother died, I should be excused from class.

•Example: In the Twilight series, Isabella Swann’s irrational obsession with Edward Cullen drives the toxic and dangerous relationship between the two. 

 Thinking About Reasons 

•After you establish your thesis, you need to think of ideas that deconstruct the thesis into smaller arguments.

•These ideas are your reasons 

–Think of them as the “why’s” or “becauses” that support your thesis

•Your reasons consist of your body-paragraph topic sentences.

•After your thesis, you should include at least three reasons in your outline.

 Think About An Opposing View & a Rebuttal for the Opposing View 

•You need to think of at least one opposing view that you will develop into a paragraph

•For now, you will list the opposing view in your outline

•An opposing view is an argument that objects to your thesis statement.

•You must follow with a rebuttal of the opposing view.

 Outline Sample 

•The outline portion of your proposal should look like the following:

•Ex. Tentative Thesis: The death penalty is an archaic, cruel practice.

•3 Tentative Supporting Reasons/Main Points:

•1. Death penalty can be considered murder.

•2. Botched death penalty instances that have resulted in cruel and unusual punishment.

•3.  History of many convicted "murderers" have been wrongly accused, and have been sentenced to die unjustly.

•Opposing View: On the contrary, some may argue that keeping convicted murderers in prison for life proves too expensive and burdensome to taxpayers. 

•Rebuttal to the opposing view: Even though keeping murderers in prison for life remains costly, a dollar amount should not be placed on a human life, regardless of a person’s wrongdoing.

 Answering Proposal Questions 

•The outline consists of the most difficult part of the proposal but will be used as a springboard for your other assignments and essay.

•Finish the proposal by answering the questions on the assignment handout.