Due: Sunday 11/14

This should be a document 1-2 pages in length that includes the following parts:

1. What question(s) you plan to address
2. The data set you will use
3. A group plan

You will submit your proposal on Gradescope using the group submission feature, just like prior group submissions.

Part 1: Introduction and Research Questions

Your proposal should begin by introducing your topic in general and then defining one or more research questions. Research questions are the guiding questions you want to answer or problems you want to solve in your project. Your research question(s) should be (1) substantial, (2) feasible, and (3) relevant.

1. Substantial research questions require more than a surface-level analysis (more than just computing basic summary statistics on readily available datasets, for example).
2. Feasible research questions can actually be addressed by four or five team members over the course of approximately six weeks using data you can access.
3. Relevant research questions address a subject of importance and interest within the scientific community or broader society.

You should provide a brief justification of your research question(s) with respect to each of these three points.

Part 2: Data Sources

Your project should deal with real data. We provide pointers to some data sources in the Project Ideas section of the group formation post, but you are welcome and encouraged to look for your own data sources. After your introduction and research questions, your proposal should discuss the data you will use to answer your research questions. Be as specific as possible: name the datasets you will use and how you will access them or specify where you will look for the relevant datasets and why you expect to be successful in finding them. You should also briefly justify why the data you plan to obtain will be relevant and appropriate for addressing your research questions. Searching for data sources as you refine your research questions is likely to be the most time-consuming part of preparing your proposal and is crucial for a good start on your project, so do not put it off.

Part 3: Group Plan

This should be similar to group 2’s plan and answers items 3 through 7. You of course can also have a team name (item 2).

Feedback and Grading Rubric

Proposals will be evaluated on the following criterion-based rubric. Proposals satisfying all criteria will receive full credit. Formative feedback (comments and suggestions) will also be provided for each proposal.

1. Satisfies general directions (length, on-time pdf submission, group submission, etc.)
2. Includes a brief introduction to the topic of interest
3. Poses one or more concrete research questions
4. Provides a reasonable justification that research questions are substantial
5. Provides a reasonable justification that research questions are feasible
6. Provides a reasonable justification that research questions are relevant
7. Includes one or more specific datasets or reasonable discussion of how to locate data
8. Provides reasonable justification that data sources are appropriate for research questions
9. Has a group plan that addresses (1) how you will communicate, (2) when, (3) where, and (4) how you will work together, and (5) a proposal of what happens if a team member cannot finish their planned work.