Today’s Plan:
- Proposal Expectations
- Dowd and Bensimon reading notes and questions
- CUE’s Syllabus Review Protocol
- Reading Homework
Proposal Expectations
Original project description:
Around week 9 of the course, I will ask you to submit a 750 word proposal for a final research project. I will meet with everyone individually or in groups to discuss the purpose of their research and help them develop a research question. I expect research projects will have a primary and secondary component (meaning, you will read some things and conduct some research), though every project will be likely be different. Research projects can also go back and explore figures, ideas, or arguments identified in our historic readings.
My expectation is that you have read one or two sources (50-60 pages) beyond our course readings to inform your proposal.
In terms of formatting the proposal, I think this is probably a good time to familiarize you with the barebones components of a grant proposal form. Let’s look at Dr Karen’s Foolproof Grant Template. Let’s also look at some sample undergraduate proposals from Northwestern University. Finally, let’s look at unco’s Office of Undergraduate Research page (especially the Summer Stipend requirements.
Ok, now let’s work collectively to assemble a generic template for this proposal.
Dowd and Bensimon
Since this was a first read for me, I kept notes in Evernote.
CUE Syllabus Review Protocol
I wanted to spend a bit of time trying to put Dowd and Bensimon’s research protocols into practice. I believe chapter 3 gives us the best example of how to approach implementation. I found a copy of the Center for Urban Education’s Syllabus Review Protocol online. Let’s review a few key parts of chapter 3.
Working in groups of 3, I would like you to analyze some sample syllabi using the CUE’s SRP.
Homework
For next class, I would like you to read Nussbaum, chapters 3 and 5. Most of the research we have examined in this second part of the class is either quantitative or qualitative. Nussbaum’s is more hermeneutic, and I would like to expose you to a strong example of hermeneutic research before you draft your proposals.
