This document provides guidance on key elements to include in a research paper proposal: 1) Explain your interest in the topic and how it will benefit your education. 2) Keep your thesis statement to 1-2 sentences answering a "how" or "why" question rather than "who, what, when, where". 3) Consider how you will present supporting material for your thesis through defining terms, evidence, opposing views, comparisons. 4) Select a specific intended audience to define the appropriate level of information and presentation of viewpoints.

1. My Major and why writing about this topic will be beneficial to me: Write why
you are specifically interested in this topic and how it will benefit advancing your
education. As I state in another post, “Steps to Writing a Winning Term Paper
Using Reference Software” you must have an active interest in your subject
(amongst other things) otherwise you will struggle writing your paper and your
statements will lack conviction.
My thesis: Keep in mind that your thesis should only be a sentence or two long and
it is an answer to a specific relevant question; it isn’t a question. Often your thesis
will be more effective if it answers a how or why question instead of a who, what,
when or where query.
Approachto the subject of my paper: There are several ways you can present
material in your paper in supportof your thesis statement. Will you have to define
certain terms? Will you include anecdotal evidence? Will you include opposing
views and comparing and contrasting them to your views? You want to think of a
logical, orderly fashion in which you will lay out your research paper so it
transitions well from thesis to conclusion. Your choice of target audience should
influence your approach.
Intended audience: Selecting a specific intended audience will define the level of
education and biases of your readers. It will alter the information you include in
your research paper and how you present your viewpoints. When selecting an
audience, target a demographic that has your level of education, but doesn’t
necessarily have your background or major. While organizing your thoughts, think
to yourself, “What do I need to explain to this audience to help them understand
this topic?”
Graphs or charts: Graphs and charts are a way to visually supportyour written
analysis and data. They are not intended to be filler to help you reach your page
count requirement. Most professors do notcount them towards meeting that goal.
Make sure you cite your charts and graphs from other sources using the proper
formatting style.
Documentation Style: Your professorwill usually assign the APA, MLA or other
formatting style to you. If you are unsure what style you should be using, ask them.
If they don’tassign a style, the type of class you are preparing your research paper
for usually will. Don’t forget; when it’s time to write your paper, there are MLA

2. and APA format software products that can greatly diminish your time formatting
the document.
Kinds of sources I will use and why they will benefit my paper: Professors like to
see a balanced approachto selecting types of sources for your paper. If you are
struggling finding good sources for your research paper while creating your
proposal, it’s a good indication you should pick another topic. When you state the
types of sources you will be using, include how these sources will strengthen your
paper. Contents of research proposal
Tentative List of References: Your professorwill often give you a minimum
number of references for you to include as a tentative list of references for your
research paper proposal. This will be higher than the actual number of references
you include in your final paper since you likely will not use all of those on your
tentative list. Your professorwants to see if you know how to select appropriate
sources within your field. Check with your professorif you need to get their
approval to use sources in your final paper that you did not include on your
tentative list.