Paper 2 Prospectus Guidelines
Due Date: Friday, October 10 at Noon Posted on Your Blog.
Length: 700 Words
Sources: Must have at least 2 scholarly sources and 1 non-web source. Other sources encouraged.
I. Description
The first writing step in working on your Board Games and Culture Paper is to create a Prospectus in which you propose a topic to me. The Prospectus is basically a document in which you describe your topic, the reason for your interest, your planned approach to research, and any sources you have already found. I want you to do the prospectus in several sections. Please label your sections as I do here:
Section 1: Address to the editor
In this section pretend that you are writing to an editor of a serial publication (like a magazine or journal) describing your project and trying to convince them why you think your article would fit in their magazine. I strongly suggest finding an actual magazine or journal to have in mind and mentioning it here.
You will want to start this section out "Dear Editor." Start by describing your topic and its importance, then discuss what you plan to explore or argue or investigate with your paper. Why is this topic relevant? What else about the topic are you going to research? What other areas of study relate to your paper?
Section 2: Working Thesis
In 1-2 sentences, state concisely what your working thesis is for the paper. This does not have to be a final version of the thesis, just an idea of where you are headed. In fact, I would suspect and even expect that your thesis will change as you do more and more research and as you develop your ideas more thoroughly.
Section 3: Your Sources
This section is a brief explanation of what sources you have toward your paper already. You must provide 2 scholarly sources that you've already found toward the paper as well as 1 non-web source. Provide the citation for each entry. Below each citation, explain how the article relates to your paper. Provide 1 direct quote from the source that demonstrates how the sources is useful, as well.
Section 4: Research Plan
Give a brief description of where else you plan to look for research. Get creative, and remember that research sometimes requires getting out into the world and finding out things yourself!
II. Grading
This assignment will be graded toward your blog and your 2nd paper:
- You will get 100 points toward your blog grade (in other words, credit for a single blog) if it is posted by the deadline and meets the bolded requirements at the top of this page.
- You will get a grade out of 125 as well. This will count as 5% of your 2nd paper grade (it is out of 2500; 5% of 2500 = 125).
- If your prospectus is not satisfactorily completed, you will have to do another one or revise the one you've done. Reasons why this may happen: your topic is too big for the paper, you did not find accurate or adequate sources, your research is not within the realm of possibility, you do not put adequate effort into the proposal, or the topic could be much better refined.
Length: 700 Words
Sources: Must have at least 2 scholarly sources and 1 non-web source. Other sources encouraged.
I. Description
The first writing step in working on your Board Games and Culture Paper is to create a Prospectus in which you propose a topic to me. The Prospectus is basically a document in which you describe your topic, the reason for your interest, your planned approach to research, and any sources you have already found. I want you to do the prospectus in several sections. Please label your sections as I do here:
Section 1: Address to the editor
In this section pretend that you are writing to an editor of a serial publication (like a magazine or journal) describing your project and trying to convince them why you think your article would fit in their magazine. I strongly suggest finding an actual magazine or journal to have in mind and mentioning it here.
You will want to start this section out "Dear Editor." Start by describing your topic and its importance, then discuss what you plan to explore or argue or investigate with your paper. Why is this topic relevant? What else about the topic are you going to research? What other areas of study relate to your paper?
Section 2: Working Thesis
In 1-2 sentences, state concisely what your working thesis is for the paper. This does not have to be a final version of the thesis, just an idea of where you are headed. In fact, I would suspect and even expect that your thesis will change as you do more and more research and as you develop your ideas more thoroughly.
Section 3: Your Sources
This section is a brief explanation of what sources you have toward your paper already. You must provide 2 scholarly sources that you've already found toward the paper as well as 1 non-web source. Provide the citation for each entry. Below each citation, explain how the article relates to your paper. Provide 1 direct quote from the source that demonstrates how the sources is useful, as well.
Section 4: Research Plan
Give a brief description of where else you plan to look for research. Get creative, and remember that research sometimes requires getting out into the world and finding out things yourself!
II. Grading
This assignment will be graded toward your blog and your 2nd paper:
- You will get 100 points toward your blog grade (in other words, credit for a single blog) if it is posted by the deadline and meets the bolded requirements at the top of this page.
- You will get a grade out of 125 as well. This will count as 5% of your 2nd paper grade (it is out of 2500; 5% of 2500 = 125).
- If your prospectus is not satisfactorily completed, you will have to do another one or revise the one you've done. Reasons why this may happen: your topic is too big for the paper, you did not find accurate or adequate sources, your research is not within the realm of possibility, you do not put adequate effort into the proposal, or the topic could be much better refined.