This assignment requires 7 fully developed and supported sections, as outlined in Organization. The minimum word count is 650 words total.
Length/Sources: You should include the 5 sources that you collected for your annotated bibliography and list them in section 6 of the research proposal. For this assignment only: you do not need to worry about including a hanging indent for your reference citations. However, please plan to use MLA formatting for the order and structure of the citations.
ENG102_MH_V5 | Writing Assignment 3: Research Proposal
Sign-up For StraighterLine Updates
© 2023 StraighterLine. All rights reserved
Assignment Guide: Research Proposal
Assignment OverviewAssignment Overview What is a research proposal?
A research proposal is written not only to introduce your audience to your research topic, but also to convince or persuade your audience that your topic is worth exploring, that your research question is worth considering, and that your claim is supported by credible evidence.
What kind of research proposal will I be writing?
It’s important to acknowledge that there are many kinds of research proposals and that each kind serves a different purpose. For example, some research proposals aim to seek “approval” for a research study while other proposals aim to engage their intended audience in putting forth the relevancy of a research project—offering details to help the audience gain familiarity with the topic of study and the evolving the claim. The latter of the two described proposals is the one you will be crafting: a research proposal designed to share your research plan and the route you will take to convey a convincing claim.
Does my research proposal need to be approved before I can move forward onto other research steps?
No. Your proposal will not face an approval or no approval; rather, the research proposal will be returned to you with helpful feedback to aid you in developing your researched argument essay. In many ways, your research proposal is the first light your argument sees and the initial feedback you receive will help you set your directional course as you move forward. Later missteps can be avoided if your proposal is sound and well-developed. One might posit that the research proposal is an opportunity for a writer who is embarking on a research journey to fully process the trajectory of their argument.
Last modified: Tuesday, May 3, 2022, 2:04 PM
ABOUT US CAREERS PARTNERS PRESS BLOG
Questions? Call Toll Free (877) 787-8375 or Chat with an Enrollment Counselor
Email Get Updates
Live Chat (877) 787-8375Courses College Credit Credit Transfer My Line Help Center My Account 0
,
ENG102_MH_V5 | Writing Assignment 3: Research Proposal
Sign-up For StraighterLine Updates
© 2023 StraighterLine. All rights reserved
Assignment Prompt: Research Proposal Overview
The research proposal provides a space for you to share the reasons why you want to study your chosen topic and helps you determine the parameters of your future writing project, including your research question(s), rationale, summary, predictions, list of reviewed sources, and a strategy for next steps. This assignment serves two purposes: it provides a blueprint–or a working plan–for your future essay, and it helps you to establish topical boundaries, as you begin to narrow your research focus.
Expectations
The research proposal aims to develop your ability to navigate a complex research and review process. This assignment will help you to:
Collect and organize source material
Practice MLA formatting
Organize your ideas coherently and concisely
Synthesize your own ideas with the ideas from sources
Practice presenting information to readers in manageable chunks
Engage in self-reflection and planning processes
Requirements This assignment requires 7 fully developed and supported sections, as outlined in Organization. The minimum word count is 650 words total. (Please note: there is an error in the instructional video–only 7 sections are required.)
*If the above requirements are not met, your assignment may be returned with no grade and a resubmission will be required.
Length/Sources: You should include the 5 sources that you collected for your annotated bibliography and list them in section 6 of the research proposal. For this assignment only: you do not need to worry about including a hanging indent for your reference citations. However, please plan to use MLA formatting for the order and structure of the citations.
Organization: Your proposal should include the following 7 components, and should be presented using the organizer required for this assignment. Check out the table below for important information about the content and conditions of each component.
ComponentContent Conditions
Proposed Topic
In this section, you will describe the topic that you want to study, including any important issues that you will address, in regards to that topic.
Aim for 1-2 complete and concise sentences. You want to be very specific here, with a nicely narrowed focus.
Question(s) In this section, you will present the question(s) that you are using to investigate your topic and discuss why these questions are the ones that you have decided to use to guide your progress.
Aim for 4 complete and concise questions. Taking on more than that will broaden your scope too much.
Rationale In this paragraph, you will share why this topic interests you, and what led to you investigating it. Aim for a fully developed and supported paragraph, with at least 4-5 sentences.
Summary In this paragraph, you will share some of the parameters for your project: What are the specific supporting points you are considering, and why? Is there anything you are not planning on covering? Why/why not?
Aim for a fully developed and supported paragraph, with at least 4-5 sentences.
Prediction In this paragraph, you will predict what you will learn from your investigation of your topic–what do you think you will discover? Why do you think this information will be important? Do you expect to find any gaps in information?
Aim for a fully developed and supported paragraph, with at least 4-5 sentences.
List of Reviewed Sources
In this section, you will include the list of the 5 sources you collected for your annotated bibliography. Be sure to use MLA formatting for these reference citations. However, you do not need to worry about using the hanging indent.
Explanation In this paragraph, you will describe why readers should care about your topic. What makes your topic important? Why is this an issue that everyone needs to know about?
Aim for a fully developed and supported paragraph, with at least 4-5 sentences.
Document Formatting: MLA formatting: Heading (name, assignment name, course name, date), original title, header (page numbers), line-spacing (single or double-spaced), 1” margins, 12-point font size, and Times New Roman or other sans-serif font.
Genre/Style: Formal analysis using a 7-section graphic organizer. Although this is a multimodal assignment, your writing should be in complete sentences and include academic tone and structure.
Organizer Please copy and paste this organizer into a Word document and fill out each row on the right with information specific to your topic and research project. The requirements for the content of each section are outlined in the Research Proposal Prompt.
You should still plan to use formal MLA style for this assignment, including a MLA title page and header.
Proposed Topic
Question(s)
Rationale
Summary
Prediction
List of Reviewed Sources
Explanation
Last modified: Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 9:48 AM
ABOUT US CAREERS PARTNERS PRESS BLOG
Questions? Call Toll Free (877) 787-8375 or Chat with an Enrollment Counselor
Email Get Updates
Live Chat (877) 787-8375Courses College Credit Credit Transfer My Line Help Center My Account 0
,
ENG102_MH_V5 | Writing Assignment 3: Research Proposal
Sign-up For StraighterLine Updates
© 2023 StraighterLine. All rights reserved
Grading Guide: Research Proposal ENG 102 Rubric: Research Proposal
Grading Requirements: This assignment requires 7 fully developed sections and a minimum word count of 650.
Reporting Criteria Scoring Criteria
0-1 Points 2 Points 3 Points
Proposed Topic (15%)
(0 or 3 points)
In this section, describe the studied topic, including any important issues that will be addressed, in regards to that topic.
There is no proposed topic. N/A
Proposes the topic to be studied in 1-2 complete sentences.
Questions (15%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, present the questions that are used to investigate the topic and discuss why these questions are the ones that are used to guide the research project.
There are 2 or less questions that are incomplete or missing a discussion.
Includes 3 or more complete and concise questions; discusses why these questions are being used to guide the research project.
Includes 4 or more complete and concise questions; discusses why these questions are being used to guide the research project.
Rationale (15%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, share why this topic is of interest and what led to its investigation.
Includes 2 or less sentences, and discusses why the topic is being studied and investigated.
Includes at least 3 or more sentences, and discusses why the topic is being studied and investigated.
Includes at least 4-5 sentences, and discusses why the topic is being studied and investigated.
Summary (15%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, share some of the parameters for the project: What are the specific supporting points of consideration, and why? Is there anything that will not be covered? Why/why not?
Includes 2 or less sentences, and may or may not discuss why the topic is being studied and investigated.
Summarizes what is being investigated (how, what and why) in at least 3 sentences.
Summarizes what is being investigated (how, what and why) in at least 4-5 sentences.
Prediction (10%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, predict what will be learned from the investigation of the topic–what will be discovered? Why is this information important? Should gaps in information be anticipated?
Includes 2 or less sentences, and may or may not include topic predictions.
Predicts what is being investigated (how, what and why) in at least 3 sentences.
Predicts what is being investigated (how, what and why) in at least 4-5 sentences.
List of Reviewed Sources (10%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, include the list of the 5 sources that will be collected for the annotated bibliography.
*For this assignment only: you do not need to worry about including a hanging indent for your reference citations. However, please plan to use MLA formatting for the order and structure of the citations.
There is 1 or less reviewed source and/or there is no attempt made to use MLA formatting guidelines.
List of at least 3-4 reviewed sources with an attempt to correctly use MLA formatting guidelines.
List of 5 reviewed sources with an attempt to correctly use MLA formatting guidelines.
Explanation (15%)
(0-3 points)
In this section, describe why readers should care about the topic. What makes the topic important? Why is this an issue that everyone needs to know about?
The topic is not sufficiently explored. Adequately explores the importance of the topic. Thoroughly explores the importance of
the topic.
Formatting (5%)
(0-3 points)
MLA formatting: Heading (name, assignment name, course name, date), original title, header (page numbers), line-spacing (single or double-spaced), 1” margins, and 12-point font size.
Meets very few formatting requirements.
Meets most formatting requirements. Meets all formatting requirements.
Last modified: Monday, December 5, 2022, 5:01 PM
ABOUT US CAREERS PARTNERS PRESS BLOG
Questions? Call Toll Free (877) 787-8375 or Chat with an Enrollment Counselor
Email Get Updates
Live Chat (877) 787-8375Courses College Credit Credit Transfer My Line Help Center My Account 0
,
ENG102_MH_V5 | Writing Assignment 3: Research Proposal
Sign-up For StraighterLine Updates
© 2023 StraighterLine. All rights reserved
Example: Color-Coded Research Proposal Last Name 1
First Name Last Name
English Composition II
Research Proposal
2 October 2021
Research Proposal
Proposed
Elements Discussion/Exploration
Proposed
Topic
My proposed topic is the importance of mental health for children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. I
want to focus on children in elementary school, so between the ages of 5 years and 11 years. I want to look at how being
confined within the home for online school and having to wear masks when back in school face-to-face have negatively
affected their mental health. I also want to see how schools have responded to making the mental health of these students
a priority and what mental health experts suggest parents can do to make their children’s mental health a priority.
Questions
1. How has being confined to home for online school early in the pandemic negatively affected the mental health of students
between the ages of 5 and 11?
2. How has wearing masks in the classroom negatively affected the mental health of students between the ages of 5 and 11?
3. How have schools responded to making the mental health of these students a priority?
4. What do mental health experts suggest parents can do to make their children’s mental health a priority?
Rationale
I want to study this topic because I have children of my own between the ages of 5 and 11, and I want to better understand
how this pandemic has negatively affected their mental health and what schools/myself can do to best help my children
cope. I am also training to be an elementary school teacher so I want to learn what I can do as a future teacher to best help
students with their mental health. I hope to use this research to better understand the mental health struggles children
between the ages of 5 and 11 and to better help students of this age to have positive mental health experiences.
Summary
I am investigating the negative effects of online learning and wearing face masks in the classroom has had on students
between the ages of 5 and 11 years during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. I am also investigating how
schools and parents can prioritize the mental health of these students. I will be researching mental health studies regarding
this topic and what schools across the country are doing to prioritize the mental health of these students. I will look at school
district websites for their mental health prioritization plans. Additionally, I will be reviewing the advice mental health experts
are giving to parents to help prioritize the mental health of their children in this age range. I want to use peer-reviewed
evidence, school district examples, and mental health expert advice to understand how this pandemic has negatively
affected students between the ages of 5 and 11 years in terms of educational experiences and learn what is being done and
what can be done to prioritize their mental health at school and at home.
Prediction
I predict that I will learn a lot of useful information from this investigation in terms of how the mental health of students
between the ages of 5 and 11 years has been negatively affected by educational experiences connected with the pandemic.
I will also see how school districts across the country are prioritizing the mental health of these students. I may learn ways
that school districts are using or are not using the data that I have encountered to prioritize the mental health of these
students. I predict that I will learn useful ways to prioritize the health of my own children from mental health experts.
Reviewed
Sources
Caspani, Maria, & Beier, Hannah. “U.S. schools turn focus to mental health of students reeling from pandemic,” Reuters, 6
May 2021, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-schools-turn-focus-mental-health-students-reeling-pandemic-2021-
05-06/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
Devine, Rory. “Students Push SDUSD to Make Mental Health Part of Core Curriculum,” NBC San Diego, 27 May 2021,
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/students-push-sdusd-to-have-mental-health-part-of-curriculum/2616850/.
Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
Garcia, Emma, & Weiss, Elaine. “COVID-19 and student performance, equity, and U.S. education policy: Lessons from pre-
pandemic research to inform relief, recovery, and rebuilding.” Education Policy Institute, 10 Sept. 2020,
https://www.epi.org/publication/the-consequences-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-for-education-performance-and-equity-
in-the-united-states-what-can-we-learn-from-pre-pandemic-research-to-inform-relief-recovery-and-rebuilding/.
Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
Hegeman, Roxana. “Kansas schools prioritize mental health for pandemic aid,” AP, 26 Aug. 2021,
https://apnews.com/article/business-health-education-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-
115fa64f8f1222c237999df2da488ca7. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
Stringer, Heather. “Zoom school’s mental health toll on kids: Academic and social development are likely to slip during
online learning for many students,” American Psychological Association, 13 Oct. 2020,
https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/online-learning-mental-health. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
United States of America Department of Education: Office for Civil Rights. “Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts
of COVID-19 on America’s Students,” U.S. Department of Education, 9 June 2021,
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/20210608-impacts-of-covid19.pdf. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021.
Explanation
This topic is important because many elementary school children have had their mental health negatively impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic, particularly due to their educational experiences. To come out of the pandemic with coping strategies
for their mental health and an understanding of the importance of positive mental health, students between the ages of 5
and 11 need support from their schools and their parents. School administrators, teachers, and parents should all care
about this topic. Schools are responsible for keeping their students safe and promoting healthy habits extending to mental
health. Parents are even more responsible than schools for this. Prioritizing the mental health of these students needs to be
a community effort between schools and parents.
Last modified: Tuesday, June 7, 2022, 2:23 PM
ABOUT US CAREERS PARTNERS PRESS BLOG
Questions? Call Toll Free (877) 787-8375 or Chat with an Enrollment Counselor
Email Get Updates
Live Chat (877) 787-8375Courses College Credit Credit Transfer My Line Help Center My Account 0
