Hanging the Picture, Part II

I finished Hanging the Picture, Part I by stating that you, as an interdisciplinary writer, need to choose a topic narrow enough to analyze and discuss thoroughly without digging yourself into a disciplinary hole. In other words, it's important to balance focus with interdisciplinarity in your writing. If this sounds difficult, don't worry - even the most specific topic can benefit from an interdisciplinary approach. It just takes some strategic planning. Fortunately, there are two elements of the writing process that will help you out here: the working thesis and the research prospectus.


As stated in the accessible and handy MALS Writing Center, a working thesis "is a proposed answer to a focused research question" and "the main point of your argument that you develop throughout your paper." A working thesis is like the captain of your paper: you should refer to it frequently to make sure you're on the right track for your mission. It guides your decisions for choosing evidence from the appropriate disciplines and articulating your stance on an issue, which makes it helpful (if not vital) for developing an outline and identifying holes in your argument. A good working thesis not only answers the "So What ?" question but also provides you with direction and focus. 


The other essential tool for keeping you in an interdisciplinary frame of mind is the research prospectus. A prospectus is something like a business plan for your paper, and should include the following: 

• A brief description and introduction of your topic
• A paragraph or two stating what you already know about your topic
• Your primary research question; that is, what question are you answering with your....
• Working thesis - a tentative answer to your research question
• An outline of the evidence and types of evidence you plan to use to develop your thesis, including:
• A description of specific preselected sources containing the evidence including the disciplinary (or interdisciplinary) approach these sources represent
• A statement of other types of sources you plan to consult to develop your thesis
• A description of sources that present a dissenting or anomalous argument to your working thesis
• Acknowledgment of any known or foreseen counter-arguments or anomalies to your argument
• Justification of your proposed argument's significance (a.k.a. the "So What?" test)- explain why your working thesis is interesting and helpful to your scholarly community.

As you can see from this list, a prospectus forces you to think critically about your stance on a topic and the research necessary to provide a solid argument. It also sets your working thesis in action by linking your claim to some evidence. While your working thesis provides the focus for your paper, the prospectus helps you thoughtfully implement an interdisciplinary approach. After you've written a prospectus, you should have a pretty good idea about what you need to do to find evidence in the appropriate, strategically-chosen disciplines for your paper. 


If the thought of writing a paper about your paper - especially when you have three seminar papers, a job, a house to clean, etc. - makes you want to reach through the screen and give me a noogie, I can understand.  But TRUST me - forcing yourself to think about these things listed above early in the writing process will prevent you from wasting time and energy later! 


With a solid working thesis and a thoughtful research prospectus, you'll be well on your way to an insightful, interdisciplinary discussion of even the most complex topic. That's what makes MALS so fun - you get to examine (or reexamine) topics in a whole new way. The trick is to always remain aware of the direction you are taking in your writing and research.