PAR Project Proposal (Class Project)

PAR PROJECT PROPOSAL 

RESEARCH PROPOSAL GUIDELINES & CRITERIA Links to an external site.

Links to an external site.Note: You are welcome to work collaboratively on your project proposal (groups of 3 or more people should check in with us to review criteria ahead of time). You may also write the proposal in Spanish or English, or a combination of both, as you prefer.  

Formatting options:

• Research proposal: Write a 750-1,500 word research proposal (hypothetical or real) that introduces your research topic and states questions and objectives of your study, summarizes relevant scholarly literature in your chosen theme, describes research design and methods or conceptual frameworks you will employ, and considers possible contributions of your work. 
  • Guidelines: See Research Proposal Guidelines & Criteria  Links to an external site.

• Research presentation: You are also welcome to submit your proposal in the form of slides or another visual medium. Whereas a written proposal is primarily intended for an academic audience, a visual presentation would be more appropriate - and accessible - for a wider range of audiences with whom you might want to share your proposal (school board member, non-profit, teachers/ parents, peers, youth, community members, etc.). 

  • Guidelines: It is expected that the word count might be significantly less than a written proposal, with bullet points and visual content in place of paragraphs. Use the Research Proposal Guidelines & Criteria Links to an external site. to structure your presentation, making adjustments as needed to better communicate main points your imagined audience in mind. **Word count will vary depending on the format you chose. Regardless, all projects will be assessed on the same basic criteria and learning outcomes for this class. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to set some specific parameters for your project ideas ***

   

BASIC CRITERIA CHECKLIST 

Format will differ depending on the specific goals of your final project. Please try and include the following basic criteria in your project ensure everyone meets the same learning objectives: 

• Length: 
• Research proposal: Word count for research proposals is open-ended but should aim for around 750-1,500 words maximum. 
• Research presentations, it is expected that the word count might be significantly less than a written proposal. Use the above guidelines to structure your presentation, using bullet points and/or visual content in place of paragraphs with your imagined audience in mind. 
• Provide context: Make sure to provide necessary information for your imagined audience to understand the context and have a clear idea of relevant actors and issues your project will focus on. 
• Discuss literature on Participatory Action Research   (Main learning outcome for LATI 180)

• • Incorporate at least three PAR resources (from course materials or outside sources of your own) somewhere in your proposal and discuss how they might inform your project. Resources can include assigned readings, podcast interview segments, documentaries as well as activities or tools shared by scholar activists. 

• • Note: There is no set requirement for how you integrate PAR sources into your proposal. You might discuss principles or theoretical ideas that guide your project, compare/contrast different research processes to showcase what PAR looks like in praxis, describe how others have conducted research in other contexts to address themes relevant for your project, among many other approaches. 

• Research questions and research design: For the purposes of this class, try to center PAR principles and aims in your proposal by providing a description of what your research process might look like and/or outlining 2-3 ideas for how you plan to collect, analyze, and disseminate data for responding to your research questions 
  • • Note: This is hypothetical, so be creative!  So, you might discuss activities from the PAR EntreMundos Practitioners Guide and/or from any other PAR project we've learned about to then describe what that process might look like in the context of your project. 

• Organization and clarity

• Ask yourself: 
• Do I have clear topic sentences that help establish analytical tone (or are my paragraphs mainly descriptive/summaries of the materials)? For visual presentations, is information presented in a clear and accessible way to my audience? 
• Have I provided sufficient information for an audience who is unfamiliar with the research topic and/or PAR? 
• Does my proposal discuss how the project might offer new insights or understandings on any of the broader themes or issues raised?
• Citations: Use in-text citations or footnotes to cite all sources, including academic texts, media, and outside examples and include a works cited list at the bottom of your essay. Also, feel free to incorporate images and/or hyperlinks to relevant stories, and/or use subheadings to organize your discussion (see Items essays for examples). Include a final works cited list at the bottom of your essay (or embedded somewhere in your "product" (if you choose to make a visual presentation.
• You may follow MLA, ASA, Chicago, or any other standard  style guidelines used in the social sciences, just be consistent. You may also cite your portfolios, lecture slides, peers / class discussions in your essay using footnotes. When in doubt, cite everything always - it's good practice!