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Guidelines for Writing A Research Proposal
This first section should be 1-2 paragraphs describing the topic you propose to pursue and why it is significant. This section should also identify the key concepts you will be using and the operational definition(s) of those concepts that you plan to employ. For example, if you plan to study certain aspects of terrorism - definitions of terrorism, terrorists, and perhaps of terrorist networks would be in order. If you plan to study trafficking in women and children, "trafficking" is a core concept. What is an operational definition for it? 2. Hypotheses The second section sets forth one or more hypotheses that you have formulated at the beginning of your research to provide a direction for your inquiry. These should be formulated in scientific fashion as hypotheses to be tested. 3. Methodology How are you going to pursue your research and test your hypotheses? This section should outline particular types of data you plan to gather and analyze; any particular methods you propose to use for that analysis (a chance for you Poli Sci majors to revive what you learned in POL 207). 4. Literature Review See earlier guidelines for the peacebuilding literature review. In this case, the review should concern a specific aspect of peacebuilding that is part of your research project. Examples would include democratization, the timing of elections, transitional justice, refugee return and resettlement, some specific aspect of state-building or rebuilding the economy. 5. Bibliography This is a listing of the sources you have already found related to your topic. Particularly important is the identification of several different types of sources (books, journal articles, IGO reports/documents, NGO materials, newspaper/magazine articles, Web sites, unpublished papers [see the CIAO database on the Library website] etc.). At this preliminary stage, you should have at least three different types of sources. Length? 2-4 pages including bibliography |
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