《学术论文写作》课程考试卷

1、Final exam paper for the course of academic paper writing1st term, academic year of 2010-2011COURSE NO.: 063W13A00 Name:_Students No.: _ Examiner: Wang Hongyang Score: _NINGBO UNIVERSITYBA Thesis Proposal (for English Majors)Proposal Title: _1. Research Questions (General & Specific)1) Within th

2、is area, what would you like to investigate? Please include at least one possible research question here; and2) What are your reasons for choosing this proposed research project? (These might be theoretical, professional or both.)Give a short summary on the research topic that you have identified -

3、not more than one page. Focus on the new, current and relevant aspects of your topic. Remember, the most important aspect of a research proposal is clarity on the research topic.You should choose a topic which can be investigated through appropriate and valid methods and for which research material

4、is available. Your greatest challenge might be narrowing the topic down. This challenge often occurs with topics that are still relatively unfamiliar. Do a lot of general reading, and, if possible, discuss your topic with your supervisor.2. Related WorksIt can also be titled as Review of research li

5、terature. Give a short and precise overview about the current state of research that is immediately connected with your own research project. Name the most important contributions of other academics.The proposal should contain a clear and logical discussion of the theoretical scope or of the framewo

6、rk of ideas that will be used to back the research. The proposal needs to show that you are fully conversant with the ideas you are dealing with and that you grasp their methodological implications.Your research review should indicate an open problem which then will be the motive for your project. S

7、tate clearly how your own research will contribute to the existing research.3. Research Methodology/DesignYou should give detailed information about your intended research procedure during the given time. Anyone who reads your proposal will want to know 1) the theoretical framework of your research,

8、2) the scope of research subjects (e.g., students, linguistic features, pragmatic strategies, social issues),3) the sources and quality of evidence you will consult (incl. cross-sectional or longitudinal, quantitative or qualitative, interpretative or empirical, methods of data collection), and4) th

9、e analytical technique you will employ (e.g., statistical, interpretive; )Note: This is the central part of your research outline. It may well fill half of the space of your proposal. Depending on the topic, suitable research strategies should be defined to ensure that enough and adequate empirical

10、data will be gathered for a successful research project. You will describe the intended methods of data gathering, the controls you will introduce, the statistical methods to be used, the type of literature or documentary analysis to be followed and so on.4. Possible ChallengesIf possible, state you

11、r expected results and output of the study. That will help you clarify your research design. Consider possible challenges or difficulties you are likely to encounter at the present and/or future stage of your thesis writing. E.g., low accessibility to certain references or research data.5. Proposed

12、Timelines with MilestonesGive information about your estimated time table (if possible in table form), indicating the sequence of research phases and the time that you will probably need for each phase. Take into account that at this stage, it can only be estimated, but make clear that you have an idea about the time span that will be needed for each step.6. Key Referen