A Guide to the ALM Thesis - iSites - Harvard University

Chapter 3: The Research Proposal | 37
itself. Remember that it must fit on the spine of your bound copy. Use key words that will make the thesis easily
searchable by others.
Here are some examples of poorly worded titles that were effectively revised:
Original:
Revised:
“An Investigation of the Possibility of Improving the Tax Method of Many
Massachusetts Cities and Towns for Raising Revenue to Cover Rising Expenses for
Public School Education in Those Same Cities and Towns” (Too wordy)
“Improving Education Funding through Local Tax Revenues in Five Massachusetts
Municipalities”
Original: “The Need for World Order” (Too vague)
Revised: “The Peace-Keeping Role of the United Nations in Lebanon since 1980”
Original: “Why, How, and When Did Black Readers Respond to the Works of Erskine Caldwell?”
(Asks a multi-layered question)
Revised: “The Black Critical Response to Erskine Caldwell’s Literary Works from 1931 to 1940”
Original:
Revised:
“Some Aspects of Animal Behavior in Monkeys” (Too vague)
“Group-Foraging Behavior in Cercopithecus erythrotis”
2. Research Problem
The statement of the research problem should be precise. Unless the problem includes specific subproblems,
this section will not normally exceed two to four pages. The first paragraph of this section should briefly introduce
or set in context the subject of your research. Then, simply state the problem or question the research will explore.
Later, in the “Background” section of the proposal, you can describe more fully the sources to be used in
analyzing this position and making the argument.
The statement of the research problem must include a clear question, a suggested hypothesis, supporting
evidence (that is types of sources with which to test and/or validate the hypothesis), and the conclusions
and broader implications of your research. It cannot simply present a description, like a book report. It
should begin by asking a significant question, such as “Why did John F. Kennedy win the 1960 presidential
election?” It should then present an answer to that question—an answer referred to as the “hypothesis,” from
the Greek word meaning “to suppose”—such as “John F. Kennedy won the election because of his superior
performance in television debates.” Next, it includes the evidence in favor of the hypothesis and shows logical
flaws in alternative hypotheses. Finally, the conclusion of the study shows that you have considered the further
ramifications of your hypothesis, in light of the evidence: “Kennedy won the election principally because of his
television performance but also because of superior campaign polling—a dual emphasis that would reshape the
nature of all subsequent US presidential campaigns.”
When we refer to the conclusions you anticipate reaching, we mean the broader implications of your hypothesis,
the “so what?” of your project’s findings. We do not mean that, as in ordinary expository writing, you should
merely reiterate your hypothesis to conclude your paper.
You do not, of course, actually have to present all of the evidence here (one paragraph or even two is far too
short for that). You should, however, indicate what kind of evidence you intend to rely on and present an
example or two to illustrate exactly how you expect the evidence to corroborate your hypothesis. In other words,
the brief statement of the research problem should be like a road map, showing both where you intend to go
and how you intend to get there.
A Guide to the ALM Thesis