Research Plan You have a job to do. A good approach to solving this problem is to make a plan and follow it through. So, in brief, describe your project (your topic). Then, explain what you want to find out about it. You should pose this as a question, which should be relatively easy, given that your topic should be debatable. An example: Did the terrible headcold Thomas Middleton had in the spring of 1616 and the sinus pressure he endured possibly influence his ability to rhyme? This is called your research question. It is perhaps the most important thing for you to attend to this semester. If you pose a good question, and then answer it, you have succeeded. The answer to your question is the thesis of your paper. Next, discuss how you intend to research the primary and secondary sources relevant to your topic. Give an estimated timeline for the different phases of your research and writing process. And please—really—do all this in less than one page.