Prospectus: Background

In the prospectus background section, it is common to have literally a list of relevant studies. However, keep in mind if you choose to do it this way, it must include information as to how each article relates to your study. You need to provide a representative list of scholarship and findings that support the main assertions in the problem statement, highlighting their relationship to the topic (e.g., “The variable XX was studied with a similar sample by Smith (2010) and Johnson (2008),” or “Jones’s (2011) examination of industry leaders showed similar trends in the same key segments”).

Think of this section as a way to demonstrate you have done your homework on the topic and are demonstrating it to the reader. Make sure you include references you have cited earlier in the paper and how they relate to your study. When the reader finishes this section they should feel convinced you have done a good preliminary literature check and have identified the most relevant research for your study.

Next time, we will work on the framework of your study. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu