The following will serve as the essential components of your prospectus:

1. What is the central research question or thesis in the study?

2. What is so important about the question/thesis? (i.e., why is it worthy of writing about for the English 1302 audience?)

3. What have other scholars had to say about the central research question you are investigating? (This is also known as the "Review of the Literature" section of a prospectus.)

4. What do you plan as your methodology for the study?

5. What are your qualifications for carrying out this study?

6. What is your tentative schedule for completing this study?

Evaluation of the Prospectus.

The following will be my criteria for evaluating Writing 3.0:

1. How clearly organized is the prospectus?

2. How thorough has the writer been in investigating what he/she wants to study? Is the presentation of the writer's ideas convincing?

3. How specific are details about the content of the paper's potential sources, especially in the review of literature section?

4. Has the self-evaluation sheet identified how these elements have been discussed in the prospectus?

5. How clear is the style?

6. How well-arranged are the sections: overall? Within paragraphs?

7. How well-controlled is grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation?