Research Paper Proposal
PROPOSAL:
In no more than 2 double-spaced pages (Times New Roman, size 12 font, one-inch margins)
you will:
o Briefly describe and explain your research topic and its importance. You should
describe why you think this topic is particularly relevant to our course and why it is
an important area of study. (INTRODUCTION)
o Clearly present and explain your central research question and/or purpose of your
project. Make sure to think about and discuss the sociological relevance of your
proposed topic and why it is important, generally, within society.
(THESIS/PROBLEM STATEMENT)
o Offer suggestions of relevant topics you will need to provide literature review
material on in order to contextualize your research. (LITERATURE REVIEW)
o Identify your method for locating sources of data. In other words, what search
engine will you use? What search terms?
o Identify two (2) specific scholarly journals that you believe will be most helpful for
you. Explain why these sources of data are appropriate for your research question
and how they will help you to answer your question. Within each of the journals
you’ve located, identify at least one specific journal article (title and author) and
explain its relevance to your proposed topic.
Choosing a Research Topic and Question
Your research topic and question must relate to the topic of criminology through a
sociological lens, but beyond this requirement there are no limitations on the topic that you
choose. If you are feeling stuck, I recommend that you look through the topics in the
syllabus to help you to begin to determine what you are most interested in studying.