Geography 391 - Research Proposal – Spring 2010

As you know, your research proposal is due Thursday May 6, so it's time to get started on this. You’ve all revealed areas of “focus” to me and I expect these will guide your selection of project topics. The more time you take on the front end, writing your proposal and carefully considering your research design, the better the final result, the paper and your grade will be. Don't waste time. The proposal should include:

1- A Title Page

2- An Abstract of the Project (150 words)

3- A Literature Review (2-3 pages – this can be used in the final paper)

4- A Plan of Work (including a time line)

5- A Bibliography (AT LEAST 10 REFERENCES – these should come from some library, not the internet)

References should follow the format used in articles published in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers (AAG).

Just a few words about writing...

Please adapt our late Mayor Daley's dictum about voting to your writing: write early,and write often. Know that most progress comes in revising, not drafting, sowrite and rewrite. Ask yourself:

  • Can I read this aloud and not trip over words and sentences?
  • Does this explicitly say what I really want it to say?
  • Does the first page set out the issue and the way it is to be addressed?
  • Do the section headings follow in some clear order?
  • Do I have a conclusion that concludes?

Then go back and rewrite and rewrite. Finally, when you think your work iscompleted get a strong cup of coffee, find a quiet place, and go throughyour writing sentence by sentence asking yourself:

  • What does this sentence say?
  • Does it say it clearly?
  • What does it add to the paragraph?
  • What does this paragraph add to the argument/ paper?
  • Is the structure of the paper clear?
  • Are all the references in the list of references?
  • Are all the references complete?

Writing is a craft, and like all crafts requires practice and hard labor. Craftyour writing; rework it; bend it to your will. If your writing is dull andboring, your reader will be bored and will run screaming from the room. If it is sloppy, your ideas will be lost in the clutter. Ofcourse, no matter how good your writing, your ideas will have to be good,clear, and tight. Thinking, like writing, requires hard work and discipline, but it is something that can be learned.