we did a verbal proposal so i dont have a copy of my proposal but i did write down a list of things in my journal of what you would need to include;
aim Just a genearl overview of what you are intended to study (basically your area of interest) and what you hope to get out of it - this would also be the perfect place to mention what questions you would be addressing from teh syllubus (in the what is history section there are the 4 questions - who are the historians / what is the purpose of history / how has history been constructed and recorded over time / why have the appraoches to the contrustrtion of history changed over time?)
you could also mention any personal aims that you have in relation to the project - ie. wanting to become a better organised student
focus question - what is the intial question that you will be investigating (make sure this has relevence to histiography - how historians view/debate your particular issue) - i.e How do the different schools of thought view hitler's invovlement in the hollocuast?
enquiry questions - otherwise knwon as focus questions which are aimed at keeping you on track thorughout the year - so you have your big essay quesion which you are exploring plus these little ones - they can be as simple as
- what is the main argument of the intentionalist school of history?
- what is the main argument of the functionalist school of history?
- how do these arguments differ?
- What are teh similarities?
they are basically a preliminary checklist so at the end of teh essay - when you have got tired of reading and checking your work you can say okay well the essay addressed all the enquiry questions
Research Intentions here you would talk about the intended evidence that you will be looking at - your topic may allow you to use films, documentaries, archeological evidence, anicent or modern written sources, diaries, personal memories - make a list of the types of historical evidence that you think that you will be looking at - if you have any preliminary titiles or ideas - say you were doing the JFK case - you may want to use a certain documetnary you saw on the History Channel - you can make a note of that here
This also includes methodology which is basically what method you are goign to be using to approach the essay - here is wehre i discussed possible sources
another good thing to include is a calander of important dates - find out now when it is due - and make up a time line of when you wnat to have various task done - this would include;
-initial research completed
-first draft completed
-first drafted edited
-extra research needed
- second draft
and so on
so that is a overview of some of the basis that yoru proposal should include