Write an essay on the topic about women migrant workers abused in jobs in California. If you can narrow it down it would be great!
Research Proposal: Prompt
A thesis-driven, prospectus of a research project, which identifies a problem related to the topic you have chosen to research and creates a plan for the research work you will complete in the next ten weeks.
A research proposal serves an important function in both educational and institutional research settings. In some cases, proposals clarify a current research goal and identify a timeline for a research project. In other cases, a proposal makes a case for the importance of a project in order to secure funding. In WR 39C, the Research Proposal defines a pressing problem, and demonstrates (through cited evidence) that this is a problem that must be solved. The Research Proposal is the first step in declaring your research, and includes following sections:
1) Introduction: (Length: usually one paragraph) This section introduces a specific, current problem in the topic being researched (a problem that has not currently been solved), and identifies the nature and scope of this problem. This introduction must include a focused thesis that argues why this particular problem is pressing and important (and, remember, there may be many different problems related to this topic, depending on your perspective and/or values).
2) Background/Context: (Length: Usually three to four paragraphs) This section is sometimes called a “statement of the problem,” and explains the background and context of the problem. This includes, but is not limited to, why this problem exists, where the problem is occurring, the players involved in the problem, as well as the primary business, economic, cultural, social, and/or political failures that shape the problem. This section should expand on the definition of the problem offered in the Introduction, and, using specific, cited evidence, provide detailed picture of the current situation related to the problem at hand. Make sure to quote or paraphrase from at least three current, relevant sources, and to cite them according to MLA guidelines, to support any claims made in this section.
3) Research Questions: (Length: Usually one to two paragraphs) Since research proposals identify research goals, one requirement of this proposal is that you must begin to plan out a research agenda for the next two essays. In a nutshell, while the Background/Context section demonstrates what you’ve already learned, the Research Question section is your opportunity to list what you do not yet know about the problem you wish to research. In this section, you will list the questions that will help you identify pressing questions about the problem (the who, what, where, why, when and how of the problem). NOTE: This section will help direct your path toward both the historical analysis and advocacy project you will write later in this quarter.
This section must also offer at least one cause of the problem, and identify what sorts of research questions you’ll need to ask to begin to understand the history of the problem. For this, it’s important that you list the specific questions that will help you determine how this problem started, what factors might have contributed to the problem, what individuals or groups might have been connected to the problem’s development, etc.
Then, since your research proposal must discuss a problem that has not yet been solved, your next set of questions should begin to help you explore why this problem is currently without a solution, as well as who is currently interested in working towards a solution. This section should include explicit research questions that you can use to determine the answers you will need.
The point is to begin to determine from your preliminary research what additional questions you think will need to answer to fulfill the requirements of your next two essays and to let these questions guide the next phase of your research.
4) Review of the Research: (Length: Usually one paragraph) This final section will provide a brief review of the research undertaken so far, including a short statement of your research methodology, and a projection of your next research steps.
Your instructor will provide models of the kinds of analysis you will be writing. This research proposal will help direct your research path the rest of the quarter, so defining the problem, researching some of its history, and finding out who’s involved in this problem will be crucial to your success in both the Historical Analysis and Advocacy essays.
You must quote from at least three (3) sources in the proposal. However, you will include a Working Bibliography of all of the sources you have found up to this point.
