HIST 49963
Kerstetter
Prospectus

Your prospectus or research proposal should explain your topic, offer your working thesis, and outline your research agenda. Specifically, your prospectus should include at least the following, not necessarily in this order:

* topic definition;

* historical context and significance;

* historical question to be addressed;

* tentative thesis;

* period of study (date range); and,

* significant primary source collections to be consulted, as well as location and plan for research, and important secondary sources (the more specific, the better) and plan for finding and consulting them.

An effective prospectus will tell its reader what the author will do, how she/he will do it, and why it's important. This can probably be accomplished in one or two paragraphs. Please present the research plan in a separate paragraph.