Proposal, Overall


GOALS	Write, present, critique, revise your proposal for the course project.
CONTENT	Proposals contain a thesis, description of the line of inquiry and surrounding area-context (topos=area, topic or field), along with identifying the major figures involved and citations of the significant sources already in hand.
OBJECTIVES	To think about the heart and soul of this project, and get those thoughts down into words -- clearly explained and a direction not only described, but the journey begun.
EXPERTISE GAINED	Mastery & total control over a project from the beginning. Well, total control seldom happens and may not be desirable at the beginning stages (inflexibility issues here, not counting the growing need for control-freak support groups and 'Loosen-Up' therapy) -- the expertise is to gain is an ability to move from feelings/ideas to the definable; from defining to refining (which often leads to re-defining) as researching and writing progresses.
OUTCOMES	A 1-2 page proposal of the project with a thesis, some of the major sources cited and some of the topics outlined.
ASSIGNMENT	1.) Write your proposal 2.) Print it, hand it in, get feedback, incorporate feedback as appropriate, revise, get feedback, incorporate, revise, revise, revise. 3.) Present your response and HELPFUL critique to others' proposals, i.e., flaws exist not in and for themselves, but to create solutions. Your critiques of others should ALWAYS aim to redeem the flaws.

It may not seem like it, but this person's proposal is taking shape.

Much unconscious thinking (contradiction in terms?) goes on AFTER reading by placing the book under the pillow. Osmosis will:

seep knowledge from book to brain,
seep knowledge from brain to book,

neither either! Better to rely on sleep, not seep! Then write.

RUBRIC:

	CRITERIA - - - - - - STANDARDS - - - - - -

	Needs Revision	Good-to-go
Research	Few useful citations or links, too much empty space	Citations/links reflect depth, scholarship and go to the heart of the issues
Topic	Superficial, encyclopedic, lacks details & focus, grasp of significance is tenuous	Has depth , control of detail, focus reveals the importance of the topic
Thesis	Too wide/narrow in scope; not well related to Topic	Do-able scope, interesting/useful, focuses the reader and the project
Development	Neither profits from nor gives helpful feedback	Helpful Feedback given, and used feedback to good advantage
Line of Inquiry	Direction and methodology are unclear; unsure about how to proceed; language is not that of scholarship	Unites Topic with Thesis by indicating method or the relationship of issues; future direction is clear, a scholarly approach
(Click here for definition, characteristics of a proposal.