Foundation Year Program

2016-2017

Research Project Proposal Guidelines

Format:
Paper size: A4 (297mm x 210mm)
Margins: right-hand edge: 40mm
Other edges: 20mm
Footer: page numbers: bottom centre
Page numbers: begin on the Introduction
page
Cover Page: format will be provided

Header: Student name and ID number

on every page
Font: Arial
Heading font size: 18 pt. Bold
Sub-heading font size: 14 pt. Bold
Body font size: 12 pt.
Line spacing: 2.0/double

Style:
The proposal must demonstrate an awareness of and ability to use academic style.
Subheadings should be used for each section (introduction, research questions etc.)

Section 1
Working Title: (must be written as a question)
Make sure the focus is clear and it is grammatically correct. The title must
involve evaluation, not just description.
Introduction: (guide: 200 words)
Your introduction should have three parts.
1 Describe and refine your topic. (60 words)
2 Justify why your topic is relevant to contemporary society and your subject
pathway. (80 words)
3 End your introduction with a thesis statement. Clearly state your focus,
qualification, position/claim and reason for the position/claim. (60 words)

Section 2
List of Research Questions:

Provide five specific research questions that you would like to address with your
project.
Present the simple, basic questions first and progress to the more specific ones. Make
sure you have questions for each section of your project outline.

List of Assumptions:
Provide a list of five assumptions that you are making going into your research.

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Foundation Year Program

2016-2017

Section 3
Outline of Main Ideas (not including Introduction and Conclusion):
(You can use, for example, the alpha-numeric, decimal, or full sentence style of outline)

Provide specific detail and ideas in bullet points. Include key words and terms where
necessary to show you have done your reading and know your topic.
Think about the logical structure of the project make sure it flows from start to finish
in order to develop your argument. Make sure it all relates to your thesis statement and
allows your project title to be answered. Make sure you explicitly mention evaluation.
You should make reference to your sources in this outline.

Section 4
Annotated Sources: (guide: 150 words for each)
Provide annotations for three sources. These should include:
1 An evaluation including the type of publication and the authors
qualifications, experience and reputation leading into judgement of the
source.
2 A brief summary including the thesis of the source, main findings,
important examples, methodology used and intended audience.
3 Location of the source in the literature of the field. This would usually
involve comparison with other sources.
4 Indication of how the source will be used.

NB: In this section you should use the two sources that you annotated for your
Proposal Presentation unless tutor feedback questions the suitability of one or
both of those sources.

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