Short Assignment 4

Preliminary Research Proposal & Reflections (2-3 pp.) In no more than three (3) double-spaced, typed pages, brainstorm some issues that impact a particular community that you might like to research. Though this issue can concern a community that you’re not a part of, the assignment might work best if you choose something that directly impacts you (as you’ll likely be more invested in it). For this and future assignments, the majority of your research should be scholarly research if possible. Your proposal should have two main parts, as follows: Part 1: Potential Research Topics In this section of the assignment, you need to do the following:

o List at least three (3) issues that you are interested in researching further. These issues should be focused to a particular community or sub-set of a community, which should also be noted.

o Explain what different disciplinary knowledges pertain to each topic to your knowledge, and what you don’t yet know about this topic. You do not need to do any research for this, these should just be your impressions. In other words, where would you look for scholarly research on these issues?

o Explain what the significance of each issue is. In other words, why would a general audience care about this? Part 2: Reflection In this section, reflect on the following:

o What is your position in relation to the issues you’re considering researching? In other words, how do you think your position as researcher could impact your research and reporting on each issue?

o Why do you, personally, care about these issues? What attachments do you have that may have a bearing on your approach? Do you also have professional interest in these topics? Do you already have an opinion about it?

Goal: Start thinking through things that you would be interested in researching for a formal, research-driven assignment in Unit 2. Structure: You can compose this as a list or in paragraph-structured prose — whatever makes sense to you is fine! Examples: Some examples that you may find interesting:

• Voting districts in Madison and the electoral impact • Hometown poverty rate and impacts on physical health of impoverished populations • How and when to learn a different language most easily • Sexual violence on American college campuses • Social experience of racial minorities in American PWIs • Rate of particular drug use (of a particular drug) in your hometown or home state and health impacts

Due: Thursday, March 12th in hard copy