Virtual Reality

This is a writing proposal essay, the topic is: Virtual reality as a way to treat mental and emotional conditions (PTSD, depression)

DESCRIPTION:

For this assignment you are beginning the makings of an academic research project. As we’ll discuss throughout the term, formal, written academic research projects usually begin with an introduction that proposes to solve a problem while selling the reader on your ability, and in some cases, your qualifications, to do so. The tasks you’ll be completing as part of this project can easily be modified to write successful grant applications, peer-reviewed journal articles, or even an unsolicited request for some type of institutional change.

For our course, your proposal will serve as the foundation of your literature review and annotated bibliography assignment (and later, your presentation). The proposal step essentially tells me about your plans, and in the process, requires you to narrow your topic and scope.

PURPOSE:

1. To stimulate your thinking and planning for the three final assignments: literature review, annotated bibliography, and presentation.
2. To give you practice writing proposals and provide you with relevant writing samples you might use when applying for jobs.

SKILLS:

1. Identify a narrowly defined and specific research question.

2. Explain the necessary background of the research question in such a way that a general audience of college-educated, non-specialist readers can understand.

3. Organize your ideas into a clear, easy-to-read, and concise document.

4. Consider and develop sub-questions to further define the parameters of your research question.

CRITERIA AND TASKS:

Instructions:

In your proposal, you need to first identify a research question that your project seeks to answer. Choose your project topic based on your college major or minor, or at the very least, something of interest to you that is also academic in nature.

Here are the givens:

• This proposal is solicited by me, your instructor, so you are addressing me
• You may write in first person (but don’t confuse this with using a conversational tone)
• This is an informal proposal (formatted like a memo). Hence, the shorter page length and lack of executive summary. See the samples posted in Module Two.
• You will be working as an individual
• Your project need not be scientific in nature, meaning, if your field is in the humanities, that’s fair game

The format of your proposal ultimately depends on your topic, but here is a general format:

• Introduction
• Statement of Research Problem
• Proposed Solution (to write a lit review and annotated bibliography)***
• Scope (what are the parameters of your project? In other words, what will you focus on and what will you NOT focus on?)
• Methods/Approach (what kind of databases will you use? Any particular journals?)
• Qualifications – tell me about yourself
• Conclusion

Please note I have restricted the file types to .doc, .docx, and .pdf.