Write a brief essay that addresses the following questions. It should be about 2-3 pages long, but you may use more space.
1) What research question or problem do you intend to address?
2) Why is the topic interesting to you?
3) How far along are you in your thinking and research? What do you expect to discover?
4) Are you ready to formulate a thesis (if so, what is it)? Are you considering a non-thesis based project (if so, elaborate)?
Finally, attach a bibliography of sources that includes all the required sources (see the paper prompt). Write short annotations for these required sources. An annotation is a sentence or two briefly describing what the source is about and indicating its usefulness or your response to it (whether you found it relevant and helpful, too technical, etc). If you locate additional sources, indicate these (provide annotations only if you have already read them, but list them even if you have not yet read them). Maintain a proper balance of print and online sources (generally no more the one third online, see below). Note that articles located through sources like ATLA are not online sources; they are online versions of print sources.
Grading Criteria:
A) Concisely articulates a focused research question or problem.
B) Briefly but adequately explains the writer’s interest in the question.
C) Provides some idea of what the paper is likely to be about (expected results of research).
D) Identifies difficulties or uncertainties that may require more thinking and/or research.
E) Bibliography has appropriate balance of print and online sources. (If online sources exceed one third of total sources, the prospectus convincingly explains why this is appropriate.) NOTE: You are not required to use any sources beyond those available from class or specifically required by the prompt.
The required sources for the paper are listed and annotated. Annotations provide some evaluation of the quality and usefulness (or lack thereof) of each required source. Additional sources need not be annotated if they have not yet been read.
Sources are cited properly using any accepted citation method. Just be consistent and provide complete information (for any source: author [or editor, translator], title, date of publication; for journals also: journal title, volume number, pages(s); for books: place of publication, publisher; for website: url address; for interviews with people: name of interviewee, date of interview). See style guide for further details. NOTE that the New Oxofrd Annotated Bible may be cited by the abbreviation NOAB.