The (Short!) Topic Proposal
Your topic proposal should include the following THREE elements:
- A descriptive statement of your TOPIC
- “I will study…” (one sentence)
- Explanation of your CONCEPTUAL QUESTION
- “Because I want to find out what/why/how…” (one sentence)
- Explication of the CONCEPTUAL SIGNIFICANCE of your topic
- “In order to help readers understand whether…” (one sentence)
- I.e. an answer to the question “So what?” or “Why should I care?”
The Outline
Effective outlines will excel in each of the following:
- Conveying the logical progression of your argument
- Making clear the proposed structure of the essay overall
- Making clear the proposed structure of individual paragraphs
- Making clear the logical relationship between each of your proposed paragraphs
- Indicating the evidence on which each of your main points depends
- Citing the specific passages/artifacts/remains on which you are relying
- Identifying the most relevant details in those passages/artifacts/remains
- Indicating how you are reading/interpreting those details
Formal Specifications
The topic proposal and outline should…
- be at least 750 words in length (approx. 3 pages);
- be typed in 12-point font, with double spacing of lines;
- have a title (but there is no need for a title page);
- include a bibliography of modern scholarly works (n.b.: you are not expected to consult any works beyond those on the syllabus).
Submission Details
The topic proposal and outline is due after session 19.
Assessment Criteria
- Is the project viable?
- Is the project interesting? (Is the question critically minded and sufficiently probing?)
- Are the proposal and outline well written and generally polished?
