STAGE ONE: PROPOSAL

The first stage in writing a research paper this semester is to present the Instructor (that’s me) with a single-page proposal that includes a) a working title; followed by b) a short plan, abstract, or thesis statement of 100-200 words; and c) a list of the first sources you intend to read and use in your writing. Follow these steps.

DEADLINES: You should aim to submit the Proposal (Stage 1) as soon as possible. That will allow me to give you feedback, and then we can discuss your project in office hours. Then you can start Stage 2, which is to write a draft paper. If possible, please aim to submit a completed draft of the whole paper (5-7 pages double-space in New Times Roman 12 point) before the Thanksgiving break. That would allow me to return it to you with an initial grade and enough time to revise and resubmit, if needed. (For papers handed in after the Thanksgiving break, I cannot guarantee that there will be enough time for me to return a paper and for you to resubmit it before the end of the semester.)

STEPS

1. INSPIRATION. In this course we are covering many subjects, trends, places, eras, events, and people. Choose something that most interests you, for example a single event or development. Try to be precise. As an example, your idea might jump out of no more than one section of one chapter of The American Yawp or other course readings; perhaps even just one sentence or image. You should then re-read the most relevant other course material to acquire more depth and context, focusing on passages relevant to your chosen event/crisis/trend or development.
   
2. QUESTION. Formulate a first question relating to your subject. Your question should point to further research. It might be restricted to one period. (Example: How did people in free states respond to the increasing power of the Southern planter class?) It might extend to other periods. (Example: How did views of the Civil War change over time? How was the Civil War viewed during the Progressive Era, compared to Reconstruction? How was history used to advance different agendas?) It might be comparative. (Example: How did slavery in Brazil differ from the United States?)
   
3. RESEARCH. After you formulate your first question clearly, search and find at least two secondary sources on your subject. These must be scholarly books or journal articles that you can find in the library or CCNY databases. Articles should be from peer-reviewed academic journals. Primary sources should be authentic and relevant to the subject. You might begin your search with Google Scholar or the other basic online resources here. Wikipedia articles are allowed if you follow the sources they provide. Check article abstracts to see if they are relevant.
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   Examples of Search Resources
   Google Scholar
   World Cat
   Google Books – Advanced Search
   CCNY databases – You need to be logged in to the library. For example: scroll down to New York Times – Historical Edition.
   See below for a presentation on “Library Search Guidelines.”
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4. LIST SOURCES. Once you have found at least three relevant articles or books and a couple of relevant primary sources (materials from the era you are researching), you can add bibliographic information to your proposal:
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   Use the following citation formats:
   -> For articles: Last Name, First Name. (Year.) “Title of Article, Including Subtitle.” Journal Title, Issue Number, pages.
   -> For books: Last Name, First Name. (Year.) Title of Book. Include Subtitle. Publisher: City of Publication.
   ***
5. READING AND NOTES. Read and write notes on your secondary sources. How are these works relevant to your question? What have you learned from them?
   
6. PRIMARY SOURCES. You might find these at the Yawp site, or in the USSO course site resources for primary sources, or through a library database, or in a newspaper archive. In treating primary sources, you should ask questions like the following: Who is speaking? What is their purpose in writing? What is their role in the world? Are they trustworthy, or rather: on what matters can they be trusted, and on what not? To whom are they speaking? What is their intended audience? Against whom are they speaking? Is this part of an ongoing debate or controversy? What is the context? What are their basic beliefs and values?
   
7. Let it rest. Think for a while.
   
8. FORMULATE THESIS & ARGUMENT IN BRIEF. What evidence will you use? Write an outline. Attempt to write an introductory paragraph for your paper.
   
9. TITLE. What seems like a good title for your paper? I find that the working title helps to keep you on track. After every few steps, ask yourself: What is my title now? Ask yourself again when you finish your paper: What is the right title for what I have actually written?
   
10. SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO INSTRUCTOR. If you’ve gone through these steps you are definitely ready to submit your proposal to the Instructor, and you are probably halfway to finishing your short research paper. Put the working title, abstract paragraph, andl list of sources on one page. Send it to the Instructor by e-mail as a PDF attachment. Pester him in the next class to get your office hour time. Bring a printed copy to make sure. Probably we will be able to discuss your proposal right then and there.
    
    Library Search Basics
    
    Download the Powerpoint presentation on “Searching Basics for Writing U.S. History Papers” by the CCNY History Librarian, Prof. Daisy Dominguez. Once you can formulate your topic clearly, you can contact a librarian or the class instructor for help in the search.