Develop a draft of your research proposal’s (3-4 pages):
Topic: Affirmative Action: Can racial balance in business, education, and the military be achieved without policies that promote Affirmative Action (You are free to select a different research topic) Also, It depends on you on how many sources you want to use 2,3, or 4.
Statement of the Problem
This should introduce the topic and discuss why it is important and why it is worth studying from a social science perspective (meaning more than just your personal interest). Questions to consider include, but are not limited to:
How might the results of your research shape public policy to be more effective?
How might it help people make improved decisions?
How might it increase our understanding of society and how it functions.
Review of the Literature
This will include a thorough, concise, and succinct review of the relevant literature. All literature referred to should be cited using a common citation format (APA, MLA, Chicago) with either in-text or footnoted citations. When you quote a source directly, indicate the page number where the quote is located. Your review of the literature should address:
What have others said about the topic?
What theories have been proposed to explain the relationships examined?
What / how has previous research examined the topic?
Are the results of the past research consistent / different? Why?
You can review an example of a research proposal hereDownload example of a research proposal here. Also, you can review an additional reading on constructing a literature review – Cresswell – Literature Reviews.pdfDownload Cresswell – Literature Reviews.pdf
(Required) Locate and read a news article about a survey or poll conducted within the past year (feel free to find one relevant to your research proposal topic). Pay attention to the methodology used (you will probably have to look up the survey itself to find this). Provide the following:
The title and URL/Link for the news article and a link to the survey report itself
Summarize the findings of the poll/survey in one to two paragraphs
In one to two paragraphs critique the news article on the survey. Does the writer note the limitations of the survey (e.g. margin of error)? Are any generalizations or interpretations made that are not supported by the survey results themselves? Why or why not?
