Research Topic Abstract
Assignment
An abstract of the research project, which will ultimately serve as the introduction to your final essay
In this assignment, you will describe your research topic. If you think about the research project as being like building a house, consider this assignment as forming the foundation.
You probably will revise that foundation as you do more research and deepen your knowledge of your topic. Nevertheless, it helps to build your knowledge with some ideas already in place.
Here’s what to do:
Name your topic and provide some descriptive details
Identify some of the main ideas you hope to explore and how you plan to explore them
Discuss what you hope to achieve with the research
Keep in mind that the abstract will evolve over the coming weeks, but you will use it as the introduction for the final research project.
You will likely make a number of arguments about your topic. What is “an argument”?
It is your informed point of view on the issue you are writing about, based on the research you have done. A good argument will:
Analyze key opinions on the issue;
Compare and contrast differing points of view; and
Show in a nutshell how you have reached your unique point of view.