Engl161 Research Proposal Uic

The Research Proposal

Here's what is required: (1,000 to 1,200 words/approximately 3 to 4 pages)

Paragraphs 1 and 2: Introduce your Philosophical Problem or Set of Questions. After having done some intensive preliminary reading on your topic (your philosophical problem or question), you should be in a good position to write up a Research Proposal of two to three pages. The Research Proposal should describe the problem or question (or set of questions) in general terms: what is it that philosophers (and people like you) are trying to understand, why is it so puzzling, and why does it matter? For example, if you are proposing to research the famous Mind-Body Problem, explain what the difficulty is: we have something that seems obviously physical--made of matter and energy--and we also have something that seems to be non-physic-al--consciousness, thoughts, feelings, and so on; what are the questions that follow? Why are these questions so hard to answer? What possible answers have been proposed? Why are those answers not very satisfactory? Could there be something wrong with the way we are asking these questions? Are we taking something for granted that we really should be investigating more carefully? Why does any of this matter? Does the way people think about this problem make any difference in their lives? Does it make any difference for other areas of study (e.g., psychology, sociology, religion) or for human society in general? Your first couple of paragraphs should provide the reader with enough background--and a basic understanding of the problem--so that he or she is also drawn into the problem and made aware of its significance. Perhaps your reader has never thought about this particular aspect of existence before; you need to persuade him or her not only that the problem is important, but also that it is very interesting to think about, and that your paper will constitute a fascinating, enlightening, and even entertaining study. Make it clear that it is in your reader's interest to "sponsor" your research so that he or she may learn more.

Paragraph 3: Identify Conflicting Viewpoints. After one or two paragraphs devoted in this way to fleshing out the problem or set of questions, write another paragraph that attempts to identify all of the conflicting viewpoints among the philosophers who have seriously considered the problem. Usually each viewpoint has been given a name over time; for example, concerning the Mind-Body Problem, some of the viewpoints--or theories--that have emerged throughout Western philosophical history are named Materialism, Idealism, Dualism, Dual-Aspect Theory, and so on. Briefly explain what each viewpoint claims--how it attempts to solve the problem or answer the question--and identify which philosophers have been associated with each one. You may not entirely understand these viewpoints yet yourself, but that's all right--this is only a first draft and your very first consideration of these difficulties. Things will become clearer as you proceed with your research. For now, just try to get a handle on the basic problem or question and the range of theories proposed to date.

Paragraph 4: Explore Your Personal Interest in the Problem. In the following paragraph, ex-plain what particularly interests you about the question, why you, yourself, find it a compelling question, and what further questions you would like to find answers to in the course of your research. From a more personal point of view, consider the implications of the problem and the possible consequences--for you--of adopting this or that solution to it. What would your life be like if you decided, for instance, that Materialism is the answer to the Mind-Body Problem? Would you have to give up your belief in Free Will, or in God, or in Morality? What would that be like? Try to show the reader, by your own example, that "ideas have consequences" in the real world and that, therefore, it is important for us to think carefully about what we believe about the nature of reality and of ourselves. Allow yourself a lot of leeway in this paragraph to contemplate the complexity and significance of your topic, ask plenty of questions, and try to bring out the human dimension. Try to find a personal connection to your topic--something that will make your research interesting and meaningful to you, not just as a student "cranking out" an assignment, but rather as a curious and concerned human being who has a personal desire to understand something about an important problem or question. Remember that this research project is not going to be just a "report," a (re-)presentation of facts and the ideas of others (although it will certainly include such things); rather, it will end up as a synthesis of information from your point of view (your unique perspective), the ultimate object of which is to provide the basis for a presentation of your own interpretations, ideas, theories, and arguments. You will ultimately be using all of the skills of summary, analysis, synthesis, and argumentation (among other skills) in order to engage formally in an intellectual "conversation" that has been going on for some time (probably centuries, possibly millennia) and that will probably continue for a while longer (in some cases, a good long while). Think of it as a chance to consider a problem in some depth, and to "weigh in" or "get your two cents in"--to "go on the record" with your own carefully considered views.  

Paragraph 5: Write Up a General Research Plan. Suggest a tentative Research Plan or "game plan": What kinds of resources do you intend to use in order to gather your particular synthesis of pertinent information? Such resources may include our course books, general and specialized encyclopedias, specialized dictionaries, single-author books, books that are compilations of essays, scholarly journals, popular or "borderline" magazines, CD-ROMS, videos, audio tapes, interviews, newspapers, archival materials, and reliable sources found on the World Wide Web (the Internet). Try to identify particular databases (collections of journals and magazines) that will most likely be useful for your philosophical research. For your Annotated Bibliography, you will have already found at least ten significant sources (over and above any or all of our four texts); without simply repeating all of the titles and annotations, provide a general summary of what you have found so far, mention some specific titles that promise to be particularly useful (and for what, specifically), and consider the sort of information you are going to need to find for the various sections of your Composite Research Paper.

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