Reader Response Sheet: Research Proposal

I. The Title

Does the proposal propose a title for the research paper. Find the title and circle it. Read the title.

Do you understand the title.

Does the title give a good idea of what the paper will be about?

Does the topic suggested by the title seem too broad? If so, indicate why:

Does the topic suggested by the title seem too narro? If so, indicate why.

Does the title indicate what kind of paper it might be:

Mostly factual, empirical and informative research?

Will the paper have an argument of some kind?

Will the paper offer a critique or criticism?

Will the papeer offer an analysis (taking apart a complex problem or question to get to the bottom of it)

II. The Introduction

The introduction should consist of one or two or even three paragraphs. The purpose of these paragraphs is to offer more detail about the topic (what exactly will it cover, what are its boundaries) and to suggest why the topic is important to the author and to the reader.

Read the introduction and then ask:

Does the topic seem clearly outline?

Do you see areas for further research?

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for the author?

Are you convinced of the general importance of the topic. Put the importance of the topic into your own words in three or four sentences,

III. Middle Section

The middle section will indicate how much research the author has so far done and should supply information about what the topic is and its importance.

This section should have no fewer than 8 citations. Each citation should include the name of the article, book, or web site; the author of the article, book, or web site; the day of publication of the book, article or web site. All citations of periodicals should indicate the name of the periodical in which the article appeared. All web sites should include a URL for the web site.

Each citation should be immediately followed by a one or two sentence abstract of the book, article, or web site.

Look over the citations and ask yourself the following questions:

Do the citations indicate a healthy mix of refereed materials (books, articles, and web sites) and possibly unrefereed websites? (remember any idiot with a burr up his behind can post stuff to the web; cautioned must be exercised. Also beware of information supplied by any web site trying to sell something.)

Are you able to tell from the citations how recently the materials were published. Or how up to date does the research appear?

Can you tell from the citations if articles cited were journalism (newspapers or weekly magazines like Time or Newsweek), were from general interest periodicals like The New Yorker or Harpers, or from scholarly or academic periodicals?

Write a brief evaluation of the citations based on the above questions.

IV.. The Conclusion

The conclusion should indicate the author's satisfaction with the research so far done or any research that needs further to be done. The conclusion should not be written until after the author has received a reader response to his or her proposal. Evaluations of the reader responses should be included in the conclusion.