Paper 3
You will be writing a proposal to the National Geographic Society for archaeological fieldwork at your chosen study site or area for a single field season (2-3 months). The proposal should be written with other archaeologists as well as non-specialists in mind.
Each proposal should include three parts:
1. An abstract of the proposed research (100-120 words).
2. A project description (2,000 words) that should include:
Project Objectives/Research Questions
Theoretical or substantive questions.
The study area/site.Previous Work
Should be BRIEF and demonstrate a strong control of relevant literature (cite relevant references).
May include a statement about questions raised by previous work (that justify current project).Proposed Project
Methodology.
What kinds of evidence do you need to collect to answer the research questions?
What techniques will you use to collect this evidence?
What is the timetable for your work?
Needs to be realistic (I realize this is hard to evaluate without a lot of experience. Give your best estimate).
Linking arguments: what are the links between material remains/patterns and actions? In other words, how will you evaluate your results in terms of your research questions?Significance
Why should anyone care about this project?
Relevance to anthropology (e.g., ongoing theoretical debates).
Relevance beyond anthropology.
Remember that a proposal is a piece of persuasive writing. You are trying to convince the reviewers that: (1) you have interesting and important questions to ask; (2) you know how to answer them with archaeological research; (3) the project is feasible; and (4) you are well-prepared to do the work and will be a responsible researcher. Put in (crude) economic terms, they want to know that you will be a good investment.
With these criteria in mind, you will be graded on:
1. Strength of the research questions.
Can you frame your questions in anthropological terms and show their theoretical or substantive significance?2. Organization and clarity.
A proposal needs to be tightly argued and worded. You don't have a lot of space to make your case, and you need to make it powerfully and clearly. Links between questions, methods, and evaluation need to be explicit. Avoid the temptation to ramble or to pad the proposal with unnecessary detail.3. Style and format.
Remember that the proposal reflects who you are as a professional (or soon-to-be professional) in your chosen field. The tone should be formal (but need not be dry!). PROOFREAD and have a friend proofread your work as well. Follow the guidelines for length. A sloppy proposal (or one that is too short or too long) makes a poor impression (and may be returned for revision without being reviewed). NOTE: Examples of other research proposals by Penn State faculty and graduate students are available for you to look at in Carpenter 409.