Al-balawi 6 Are Graphic Novels Literature: MAUS: a Survivor’s Tale as a Model Literature has an ever-broadening definition. Oxford advanced learner’s English dictionary defines literature as a piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. With such a broad definition who is to say that newspapers, graffiti, advertisement and even shopping lists are not literature. For many years graphic novels have been considered immature and lacking of literary qualities and the debate of whether or not they are a form of literature has been put on pause. After the winning of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale with Pulitzer’s literary prize, and Alan Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen being listed as one of all-time best novels by Time magazine, the subject has been opened for debate again. This research aims to address the highly controversial topic of whether graphic novels are literature or not, and intends to answer the question by conducting a study on Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The presented research will try to answer the main question Are Graphic Novels Literature?. The research will study Maus: a Survivor’s Tale by applying elements of literature such as plot, symbols, characters, themes, tone and setting. Review of the literature: Budick, Emily Miller. "SECTION II. Golems, Ghosts, Idols, and Messiahs: Complicated Mourning and the Intertextual Construction of a Jewish Symptom." Jewish Literature and Culture: The Subject of Holocaust Fiction. N.p.: Indiana UP, 2015. 121-83. In section two Psychoanalytic Listening and Fictions of the Holocaust of this book, the writer provides an analytical review of Maus as one of the best works in Jewish literature. The book gives new information and details regarding Maus and its writer Art Spiegelman which will be of benefit to the research. Chute, Hillary. “Comics as Literature? Reading Graphic Narrative.” PMLA, vol. 123, no. 2, 2008, pp. 452–465. This article argues the case of graphic novels as a literary genre. The article views the debates surrounding graphic novels in general and the different critical opinions about them. The article also provides information on the history and background of graphic novels in general. This article will equip the research with the different views regarding the debate around graphic novels along with new information regarding its history. Grimwood, Marita. Holocaust Literature of the Second Generation. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. This book reveals a detailed analysis of literary works written by or about the second generation of Holocaust survivors and one of which is Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The book discusses Maus from the historical and biographical perspective thus provides new information regarding Maus’ themes and characters. Park, Hye S. "Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale: A Bibliographic Essay." Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studie.

1. Al-balawi 6
Are Graphic Novels Literature: MAUS: a Survivor’s Tale as a
Model
Literature has an ever-broadening definition. Oxford
advanced learner’s English dictionary defines literature as a
piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. With such a
broad definition who is to say that newspapers, graffiti,
advertisement and even shopping lists are not literature. For
many years graphic novels have been considered immature and
lacking of literary qualities and the debate of whether or not
they are a form of literature has been put on pause. After the
winning of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s
Tale with Pulitzer’s literary prize, and Alan Moore’s graphic
novel Watchmen being listed as one of all-time best novels by
Time magazine, the subject has been opened for debate again.
This research aims to address the highly controversial
topic of whether graphic novels are literature or not, and intends
to answer the question by conducting a study on Art
Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The
presented research will try to answer the main question Are
Graphic Novels Literature?. The research will study Maus: a
Survivor’s Tale by applying elements of literature such as plot,
symbols, characters, themes, tone and setting.

2. Review of the literature:
Budick, Emily Miller. "SECTION II. Golems, Ghosts, Idols, and
Messiahs: Complicated Mourning and the Intertextual
Construction of a Jewish Symptom." Jewish Literature and
Culture: The Subject of Holocaust Fiction. N.p.: Indiana UP,
2015. 121-83.
In section two Psychoanalytic Listening and Fictions of the
Holocaust of this book, the writer provides an analytical review
of Maus as one of the best works in Jewish literature. The book
gives new information and details regarding Maus and its writer
Art Spiegelman which will be of benefit to the research.
Chute, Hillary. “Comics as Literature? Reading Graphic
Narrative.” PMLA, vol. 123, no. 2, 2008, pp. 452–465.
This article argues the case of graphic novels as a literary
genre. The article views the debates surrounding graphic novels
in general and the different critical opinions about them. The
article also provides information on the history and background
of graphic novels in general. This article will equip the research
with the different views regarding the debate around graphic
novels along with new information regarding its history.
Grimwood, Marita. Holocaust Literature of the Second
Generation. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
This book reveals a detailed analysis of literary works
written by or about the second generation of Holocaust
survivors and one of which is Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The
book discusses Maus from the historical and biographical
perspective thus provides new information regarding Maus’
themes and characters.

3. Park, Hye S. "Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale: A
Bibliographic Essay." Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of
Jewish Studies, vol. 29, no. 2, 2011., pp. 146.
A thematic criticism of Maus: a Survivor’s Tale, the article
provides a useful summary of the studies currently available on
Maus. Covering topics such as critics’ opinions and an analysis
of Maus; thus the article will help provide critical views and
discussions regarding this graphic novel.
Mullan, John. How Novels Work. Oxford UP, 2006.
This book establishes ground floor for evaluating novels in
general through the demonstrating of literature elements. The
book focuses mainly on the works done in the last ten years
prior to its publishing. It doesn’t only feature traditional
elements known by most novel readers such as plot and
character but rather new not so known elements such as
prolepsis and amplification. The book opens the reader eyes to
new techniques used in modern day literature. This book will
help the research analytical study on graphic novels.
Rothberg, Michael, and Art Spiegelman. ""We Were Talking
Jewish": Art Spiegelman's "Maus" as "Holocaust" Production."
Contemporary Literature, vol.35, no.4 (1994): 661-87. 20 Oct.
2016.
This article illustrates a detailed analysis and critical
discussion of Art Spiegelman’s Maus: Survivor’s Tale and its
relation to Holocaust and Jewish literature. Which is important
information for the research.
Pagliaro, Michael. "Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words?
Determining the Criteria for Graphic Novels with Literary
Merit." English Journal, vol. 103, no. 4, 2014., pp. 31-45.
This journal details a principle and a method by which
graphic novels can be evaluated for literary merit. The journal
also highlights information regarding the rule of imagery in

4. graphic novels in general. Thus the journal will help the
research analysis of the graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale.
Pedri, Nancy, and Laurence Petit. Picturing the Language of
Images. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013.
This book is a collection of thirty-three previously
unpublished essays discussing the interaction between words
and images. The book covers a variety of media such as
literature, painting, film and comics from the 18th century to
the present time. The collection focuses on specific works one
of which is Art Spiegelman’s Maus. The book will help the
research by providing new information regarding Maus and the
argument of graphic novels as a form of literature.
Weiner, Robert G. Marvel Graphic Novels and Related
Publications: An Annotated Guide to Comics. Prose Novels,
Children's Books, Articles, Criticism and Reference Works,
1965-2005. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2008. Print.
In addition to the book being aimed towards marvel’s own
graphic novels and comics, the book also documents the history
and evolution of the genre in clarity. Robert takes his reader
step by step into the making of graphic novels. The book will be
of great benefit to the research as it will provide the historical
background of the graphic novel and establishes a better
understanding of the genre.
Interview with Art Spiegelman - Talk to Al Jazeera. Perf. Art
Spiegelman and John Seigenthaler. Aljazeera America, 2015.
Art Spiegelman - Talk to Al Jazeera. Aljazeera America, 11
Sept. 2015. 19 Oct. 2016.
Aljazeera media network televised interview with Maus’
writer and artist Art Spiegelman. In the interview Spiegelman is
asked questions not only concerning his novel and the holocaust
but also his life. This interview will provide details of the
writer’s biography and views which are needed for this

5. research.
Methodology:
The research aims to answer the question “Are graphic
novels literature?” and intends to do so by conducting an
analytical study on the graphic novel Maus. In the research the
elements of literature will be applied to the novel.
Outline of the paper:
Introduction:
In this section of the research graphic novels will be
introduced with the biography of Art Spiegelman the writer of
Maus: a survivor’s tale the model chosen for this research and a
summary of Maus’ plot. The introduction will also include the
definition the graphic novel genre and will explore the history
and origins of graphic novels and its association with Maus the
model chosen for this research. Along with critics’ opinions
regarding graphic novels in general and Maus: a Survivor’s Tale
in particular.
Chapter one: plot, symbols and setting.
Chapter one of the research will explore the plot, symbols
and setting of Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. Maus takes its readers
on the emotional heartbreaking journey of its main character
Vladek. In Maus Vladek a polish Jew is interviewed by his son
Art who aims to make a comic book about his father’s surviving
story, the graphic novel doesn’t only cover the events of the
holocaust its self but the years leading up to world war II and
the years after surviving the hunting memories of the tragic war.
Perhaps the most obvious and most striking Symbolism in Maus
is portraying the Nazis as cats and the Jews as mice; but why
did the author choose this symbolism, what does it represent,
and what message does it carry?

6. Chapter two: Characters, themes and images.
Maus is the story of Art Spiegelman’s troubled relationship
with his father a polish Jew and a holocaust survivor. In Maus
Art interviews his father about his experiences prior and post to
World War II. In the story Art is forced to live under the impact
of the holocaust left in his parents. He learns about a brother he
never met and has to deal with the painful memory of his
mother’s suicide. In chapter two the research will view the
characters and themes such as guilt and blame. What is
Vladek’s guilt?, whose story is Maus?, who is the real
survivor?. Chapter two will also address the matter of using
images in the graphic novel Maus. To what extant can these
images help carry the story?
Conclusion
The conclusion will restate the results of the research aiming
to prove the presence of literary elements such as plot, symbols,
characters and themes in the graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s
Tale; thus answering the main question are graphic novels
literature?
Textual Exegesis Paper: The purpose of this assignment is to
interpret a central passages of philosophical texts as a careful
reader of them. Explaining difficult material in your own words
is a skill of life. In essence, you must restate in your own words
the major points raised in the texts under analysis. For this
reason, I have chosen a first part and a second part. You must
type two pages minimum about the Allegory of the Cave and

7. two pages minimum about on Socrates’s refutation of the 2nd
and 3rd definitions of piety (the pleasing and loving Gods
conception of piety) in Socrates’s Dialogue with Euthyphro in
the second part. There’s no maximum, but only a minimum of
four pages double-spaced. I will only accept MS word files in
the dropbox, no other file formats will suffice.
The Assignment is Due on 2/11 11:59 PM.
You may adopt MLA, APA, or Chicago Manual Style. You must
cite in one of these formats. Failure to cite will result in marks
off. Failure to cite properly will result in marks off. Your paper
should be double-spaced with 1 inch margins all around.
Part 1: Summarize the main levels of the cave and reference the
text when you do so. What is the lowest forms of knowledge in
the cave? What is the highest form of knowledge in the cave?
What do you take the symbolism of shadow and sun to be in the
Allegory of the Cave?
Part 2: How does Socrates refute the 2nd and 3rd definition of
Piety? Explain Euthyphro’s definition and Socrates rebuttal of
both moments. Give textual support from the source text. Be
sure to explain why Socrates’s rebuttals are so effective.
Hint: A good textual exegesis is written to the target audience
of the generally educated person who knows nothing about what
you are writing about; the target audience for any assignment is
NEVER me, the professor. We use writing to see how much you
know and how well you understood the readings. That’s why
you write to the generally educated person who knows nothing
about this topic. This strategy holds for most college writing
assignments in other classes.
1. Make sure the paper is carefully proofread.
2. Explain key moments of the argument.
3. Citing some textual passages directly will enhance your
ability to show you know where to find support for the claims

8. you are making about the texts in question.
4. Remember that 30% of your grade rests on being able to
effectively execute this assignment. It’s impossible not to do
the readings and do this assignment well. Understanding the
material and being able to write about reinforce each other.
5. Do not share your work with other people, even to help guide
them. If you want to help, read another person’s paper and then
make comments. Sad to say, I have had to fail students who
were naïve in thinking someone else wouldn’t replicate their
work word for word, and then I am forced to fail both of you. I
will use the turnitin.com feature for plagiarism in the dropbox
and this should be recognized before you turn in any work in
D2L (not just my class).
2
Dr. Suzan Fakahani Research
Methods (Lane694)
How to Write a Proposal
Why write a Research Proposal?
The research proposal will need to be written in such a way as
to demonstrate your intellectual and communicative
competence, your expertise so far in your particular area of
study and your potential contribution to knowledge. You will
need to prove that something is genuinely at stake in your
enquiry and so justify the academic and financial support and
resources you are seeking. It is crucial that your proposal is
well written and makes the case clearly and convincingly. Make
sure that there are no errors in spelling, punctuation or syntax,
as you need to convince your reader that you can WRITE. The
quality of your writing is almost as important as what you say.
A good Research proposal has an additional advantage; with

9. appropriate revisions, the chapters in the proposal can give you
a start on similar sections for the research paper. Good work on
the proposal has two advantages: planning for effective resource
use when doing the project, and getting a jump ahead on the
final report.
Some faculty use the project proposal as an informal "Contract"
to establish an agreement about the content and limits of the
final project report..
Basic Sections of a Proposal
In addition to specifying the needed allocation of resources to
complete the project, proposals have four major sections:
1. Title: the title should give a clear idea of your topic as it
currently stands: you may well change it once engaged in your
research.
2. Introduction (Thesis Statement)
3. Literature Review (or Background)
4. Methodology
5. Conclusion
The "Introduction" tells the reader
1) what your project is about?
2) why the project is worth doing? and
3) why your project is a good topic for fulfilling the objectives
of the course requirement.
The Introduction must also state clearly and completely the
specific objectives of your project -- in some detail, what you
intend to accomplish (Thesis Statement: this first sentence or
short paragraph should explain in clear language the aims, focus
and argument of your research as well as the field and primary
sources it will cover).

10. The "Literature Review" tells your reader (your advisor) what
the state of the art in your topic is. You probably should tackle
the "Literature Review" first since mastering it will give you
the background you need to write other sections.
The "Methodology" lays out the method you have selected to
conduct your research. It is the body of the proposal; referring
methodically to the secondary sources and identified gaps, this
section should mention methodology, chapter content and
breakdown
How to start?What is a research question? The research question
is your object of study. It is a question, a problem worth basing
your paper around.
After a reasonable amount of time you should be able to explain
in one (long) sentence the central question which your research
addresses. Why do you need to identify dilemmas or gaps or
problems? Your research question should posit a problem or a
controversial issue, one that is still under debate or has not yet
been pinpointed. Your work will need to be new and interesting.
The question may be based on a hunch, an insight, a
contradiction, a noted gap or flaw or unquestioned assumption
in your subject area. In order to do this, you need to make the
transition from a broad topic to specific focused research
question(s). For example, focusing on how the Spanish films of
the 1980s and 1990s mediate and represent the political climate
of the time can be narrowed to specific kinds of films. You
have started to understand your topic better, although there are
lots of things that still puzzle you. This is a good sign that your
topic has the necessary complexity. You begin to elaborate
arguments and generate insights guided by a series of unfolding
questions.
The following questions will help you in the process:
· What would you like to investigate about your topic? Which
aspects? Why?
· Are there any problems or issues that strike you? Why?

11. · Which are the unresolved dilemmas that you may have come
across?
· Which of these dilemmas / problems would be worth pursuing?
Why?
· Can you take an idea and distill it into a question? Develop
filters (what?, so what?, why?, how?) so you will be able to turn
your idea into a 'provisional' research question, a proposition or
hypothesis that will give you a clearer focus. A question that
will help you focus your research strategy. The question may
lead you to discover, to explore, to explain, to describe.
If you are not ready yet, take the research question through the
problems or gaps or dilemmas indicated above and generate
some more ideas. The outcome may be new ideas or sub-
questions to your original proposition. Use your imagination
and your experience.
· What would you like to demonstrate? Why?
· How is your research going to be different from previous
findings, i.e. in its specific approach, in the aspect(s) of the
topic explored or in the theories applied?
· In what way(s) does your question allow you to test different
ideas?
· How does your question allow you to make critical use of
published sources?
· Keep your question under review! You can expect your
research question(s) to evolve and change during your study. Be
prepared to change direction, or develop more than one
question. You will learn as time goes on and improve your

12. question at each point and turn. You will streamline your
research, your ideas, your analyses, your evidence. Also your
needs will change and your skills will develop.
The thesis statement
Have you thought of writing a potential answer to your research
question? Although you are still working on a tentative or
hypothetical proposal, writing a brief thesis or dissertation
statement or a kind of possible answer to the research question
might help you focus more. Also a thesis statement is the
essential first step in writing your research proposal.
· What is the controlling idea of your research question?
· Have you considered the What, Why, How and So What of
your research question?
· Have you thought about the concepts, issues and contexts
surrounding your topic?
· What is the purpose of your research? Why is it important?
· What are the short and/or long-term objectives?
· What contribution to knowledge will your research make?
· what is the overall objective or purpose of your project?
Literature Review (or Background)
A literature review or critical survey is the next important task
in developing your proposal. To show your advisor that you
know what your talking about concerning your project, you need
to demonstrate that you know the background and context of
your topic. Good questions to answer in this section are:

13. · What kinds of research have been done before ?
· How have others gone about trying to solve problems you
want to tackle, and in what ways will your approach build on
and vary from previous work?
· Think of the background section as the place where you
identify and discuss the most important books, articles, or any
other kind of source materials for your project. If you wanted to
bring another student up to date on what you're doing, what
would be the most important thing to read?
· A well written review will provide a sense of critical issues
and debates which form the background for your own original
work.
Everything in your literature review section should be
mentioned in your bibliography, BUT not everything in the
bibliography is important enough to be mentioned in the
literature review. In other words, this section is a comment on
the most valuable material you have identified which you will
need to assimilate to do your project. The literature review thus
provides a guide to all material you list separately as footnotes
or bibliography.
Mythodology
The procedure or the methodology is the heart of the proposal
because it must tell the reader how you propose to carry out
your project. It must convince your advisor (or in industry your
manager or potential client) that you clearly understand your
task, have a logical time plan for solving your problems, and
have identified all the resources you need.This third stage of
your proposal process (Methodology) is about detailing how you
will carry out your research. It is your opportunity to specify
what you will be looking at, the way you will engage with the
primary material of your project and how you intend to do this.
The methodology section of your proposal will specify in detail

14. the research operations and instruments you intend to employ to
address your research question(s) or test your hypotheses. This
stage is about using your research proposal to demonstrate
feasibility. Of course, if you are proposing a more traditional
e.g. literary critical thesis, then there may be less to say as
regards methodology than if your proposal involves amassing
quantitative or qualitative raw data (for example via interviews
or questionnaire analysis). When outlining your methodology
ask yourself the following questions:
· in what ways can your chosen methodology be applied to your
proposed materials?
· can you show that your methods can be used to explore your
key problem satisfactorily?
· how will you convince the reader of your research proposal
that your approach is the most appropriate one?
2
Dr. Suzan Fakahani Research
Methods (Lane694)
How to Write a Proposal
Why write a Research Proposal?
The research proposal will need to be written in such a way as
to demonstrate your intellectual and communicative
competence, your expertise so far in your particular area of
study and your potential contribution to knowledge. You will
need to prove that something is genuinely at stake in your
enquiry and so justify the academic and financial support and
resources you are seeking. It is crucial that your proposal is

15. well written and makes the case clearly and convincingly. Make
sure that there are no errors in spelling, punctuation or syntax,
as you need to convince your reader that you can WRITE. The
quality of your writing is almost as important as what you say.
A good Research proposal has an additional advantage; with
appropriate revisions, the chapters in the proposal can give you
a start on similar sections for the research paper. Good work on
the proposal has two advantages: planning for effective resource
use when doing the project, and getting a jump ahead on the
final report.
Some faculty use the project proposal as an informal "Contract"
to establish an agreement about the content and limits of the
final project report..
Basic Sections of a Proposal
In addition to specifying the needed allocation of resources to
complete the project, proposals have four major sections:
1. Title: the title should give a clear idea of your topic as it
currently stands: you may well change it once engaged in your
research.
2. Introduction (Thesis Statement)
3. Literature Review (or Background)
4. Methodology
5. Conclusion
The "Introduction" tells the reader
1) what your project is about?
2) why the project is worth doing? and
3) why your project is a good topic for fulfilling the objectives
of the course requirement.
The Introduction must also state clearly and completely the

16. specific objectives of your project -- in some detail, what you
intend to accomplish (Thesis Statement: this first sentence or
short paragraph should explain in clear language the aims, focus
and argument of your research as well as the field and primary
sources it will cover).
The "Literature Review" tells your reader (your advisor) what
the state of the art in your topic is. You probably should tackle
the "Literature Review" first since mastering it will give you
the background you need to write other sections.
The "Methodology" lays out the method you have selected to
conduct your research. It is the body of the proposal; referring
methodically to the secondary sources and identified gaps, this
section should mention methodology, chapter content and
breakdown
How to start?What is a research question? The research question
is your object of study. It is a question, a problem worth basing
your paper around.
After a reasonable amount of time you should be able to explain
in one (long) sentence the central question which your research
addresses. Why do you need to identify dilemmas or gaps or
problems? Your research question should posit a problem or a
controversial issue, one that is still under debate or has not yet
been pinpointed. Your work will need to be new and interesting.
The question may be based on a hunch, an insight, a
contradiction, a noted gap or flaw or unquestioned assumption
in your subject area. In order to do this, you need to make the
transition from a broad topic to specific focused research
question(s). For example, focusing on how the Spanish films of
the 1980s and 1990s mediate and represent the political climate
of the time can be narrowed to specific kinds of films. You
have started to understand your topic better, although there are
lots of things that still puzzle you. This is a good sign that your
topic has the necessary complexity. You begin to elaborate
arguments and generate insights guided by a series of unfolding
questions.

17. The following questions will help you in the process:
· What would you like to investigate about your topic? Which
aspects? Why?
· Are there any problems or issues that strike you? Why?
· Which are the unresolved dilemmas that you may have come
across?
· Which of these dilemmas / problems would be worth pursuing?
Why?
· Can you take an idea and distill it into a question? Develop
filters (what?, so what?, why?, how?) so you will be able to turn
your idea into a 'provisional' research question, a proposition or
hypothesis that will give you a clearer focus. A question that
will help you focus your research strategy. The question may
lead you to discover, to explore, to explain, to describe.
If you are not ready yet, take the research question through the
problems or gaps or dilemmas indicated above and generate
some more ideas. The outcome may be new ideas or sub-
questions to your original proposition. Use your imagination
and your experience.
· What would you like to demonstrate? Why?
· How is your research going to be different from previous
findings, i.e. in its specific approach, in the aspect(s) of the
topic explored or in the theories applied?
· In what way(s) does your question allow you to test different
ideas?
· How does your question allow you to make critical use of
published sources?

18. · Keep your question under review! You can expect your
research question(s) to evolve and change during your study. Be
prepared to change direction, or develop more than one
question. You will learn as time goes on and improve your
question at each point and turn. You will streamline your
research, your ideas, your analyses, your evidence. Also your
needs will change and your skills will develop.
The thesis statement
Have you thought of writing a potential answer to your research
question? Although you are still working on a tentative or
hypothetical proposal, writing a brief thesis or dissertation
statement or a kind of possible answer to the research question
might help you focus more. Also a thesis statement is the
essential first step in writing your research proposal.
· What is the controlling idea of your research question?
· Have you considered the What, Why, How and So What of
your research question?
· Have you thought about the concepts, issues and contexts
surrounding your topic?
· What is the purpose of your research? Why is it important?
· What are the short and/or long-term objectives?
· What contribution to knowledge will your research make?
· what is the overall objective or purpose of your project?
Literature Review (or Background)

19. A literature review or critical survey is the next important task
in developing your proposal. To show your advisor that you
know what your talking about concerning your project, you need
to demonstrate that you know the background and context of
your topic. Good questions to answer in this section are:
· What kinds of research have been done before ?
· How have others gone about trying to solve problems you
want to tackle, and in what ways will your approach build on
and vary from previous work?
· Think of the background section as the place where you
identify and discuss the most important books, articles, or any
other kind of source materials for your project. If you wanted to
bring another student up to date on what you're doing, what
would be the most important thing to read?
· A well written review will provide a sense of critical issues
and debates which form the background for your own original
work.
Everything in your literature review section should be
mentioned in your bibliography, BUT not everything in the
bibliography is important enough to be mentioned in the
literature review. In other words, this section is a comment on
the most valuable material you have identified which you will
need to assimilate to do your project. The literature review thus
provides a guide to all material you list separately as footnotes
or bibliography.
Mythodology
The procedure or the methodology is the heart of the proposal
because it must tell the reader how you propose to carry out
your project. It must convince your advisor (or in industry your
manager or potential client) that you clearly understand your
task, have a logical time plan for solving your problems, and
have identified all the resources you need.This third stage of

20. your proposal process (Methodology) is about detailing how you
will carry out your research. It is your opportunity to specify
what you will be looking at, the way you will engage with the
primary material of your project and how you intend to do this.
The methodology section of your proposal will specify in detail
the research operations and instruments you intend to employ to
address your research question(s) or test your hypotheses. This
stage is about using your research proposal to demonstrate
feasibility. Of course, if you are proposing a more traditional
e.g. literary critical thesis, then there may be less to say as
regards methodology than if your proposal involves amassing
quantitative or qualitative raw data (for example via interviews
or questionnaire analysis). When outlining your methodology
ask yourself the following questions:
· in what ways can your chosen methodology be applied to your
proposed materials?
· can you show that your methods can be used to explore your
key problem satisfactorily?
· how will you convince the reader of your research proposal
that your approach is the most appropriate one?