MQP Resources and FAQs
How can I prepare for my PW MQP?
- Consult previous Professional Writing MQPs as examples.
- Consider taking WR 4111 Research Methods in Writing the year before your MQP takes place (to prepare for it) or during your MQP (to support it).
- Plan ahead & brainstorm early (see “MQP Questions to consider” below).
- Begin drafting your MQP Preliminary Preferences during the year before your MQP takes place. You will be asked to provide these preferences in the spring before your MQP begins.
- Example: For an MQP that takes place from August 2021 to May 2022, you will be asked to submit your MQP Preliminary Preferences in early spring 2021.
- For guidance, consult “What Should My MQP Preliminary Preferences Include?” section below.
MQP Questions to Consider:
- Conceptual Questions:
- Which topic(s) are you interested in pursuing in a larger research project?
- Which research question and/or problem would you like to address?
- Which type of project interests you?
- If you are a double major, how might you answer the above questions in a way that ties your majors together?
- Which prior training and preparation do you have that will help you pursue this topic and/or type of project?
- Which types of deliverables might this kind of project produce that connect with Professional Writing?
- Options include but are not limited to: review articles, manuals, reports, genre analyses.
- Your PW MQP advisor will work with you to determine which types of deliverables suit your project.
- Logistical Questions:
- When will you complete the MQP?
- Is it an interdisciplinary 4/3 MQP (i.e., common for double majors) or a PW-only 3/3 MQP?
- How quickly will you complete the MQP (i.e., over how many terms)?
- Are you interested in having a specific PW faculty member be your MQP advisor?
What should my MQP Preliminary Preferences include?
Your MQP Preliminary Preferences can be as brief or long as you like. At a minimum you should provide at least one detailed paragraph (i.e., at least 3-5 sentences) that includes:
- an idea (or two, or three) of the type of project (high-level topic) you might be interested in pursuing
- a list of PW advisors with whom you would like to work
It may be helpful to think of this as an initial Project Proposal. This proposal might include:
- a specific research topic and/or question you would be interested in pursuing
- a problem statement and/or a supporting rationale that explains this project’s exigence (i.e., Why this topic/question/project? Why pursue it now? Who might be invested in and/or benefit from its outcome, besides you and your advisors?)
- any additional information that can help the PW faculty understand how you are prepared to pursue this kind of project (e.g., previous coursework; related academic and/or professional training and experiences; methods and methodologies you might use; deliverables you’re interested in creating)
- any additional information about an existing project/team you’re hoping to work on
- Example: PW double majors often have the opportunity in their other major to work on an existing project and/or team to complete their MQP. In those cases, your PW faculty advisor can help you find a way to apply a PW-approach to that project in order to complete your 4/3-unit interdisciplinary MQP.
Points to bear in mind as you develop your MQP Preliminary Preferences:
- None of these preferences are set in stone or guaranteed. Your Preliminary Preferences are used for planning and coordinating the MQPs; they are a starting point. The PW faculty will use these preferences to coordinate the MQPs and to work with you on developing a feasible MQP.
- Most PW majors are double majors who complete 4/3 MQPs. This means that PW faculty typically work with each student to develop a combined MQP that works with an advisor from your other major.
What is the difference between a 3/3-unit MQP and a 4/3-unit MQP?
- PW majors can choose whether to complete a 3/3-unit or 4/3-unit MQP.
- 3/3-unit: typical for PW single majors. The entire MQP has a PW focus.
- 4/3-unit: typical for PW double majors. The MQP is interdisciplinary. It combines two majors in one project, and it has at least one advisor from each discipline (e.g., a 4/3 MQP for a BME/PW double major would have a BME advisor and a PW advisor).
Can I complete a 4/3-unit MQP in 3 terms or fewer?
Yes. Typically, 4/3-unit MQPs take place over four terms (i.e., A-D term of an academic year). However, it all depends on the MQP (i.e., the project, the student, the advisors). If it is feasible for you to complete the MQP in 3 terms or fewer, you can do that as long as you have identified a faculty member who is willing to do that.
Sample MQP timeline for a 4/3-unit, double-major MQP
- Fall 2021: You begin thinking through questions that will help you plan your possible MQP (see “MQP Questions to Consider” below). You use this time to try identifying a complex but feasible research topic/problem you are interested in addressing in your MQP. If you will be completing a 4/3 MQP that combines two majors, think about how this project might do that.
- Early Spring 2022: You are asked to submit an initial project proposal for your MQP (typically only one paragraph). This is only a proposal; nothing is set in stone.
- Late Spring to Summer 2022: You are assigned to a PW faculty advisor. Depending on how you and your advisor schedule this work, you may have already mapped out an initial project plan with them
- Mid-August 2022: You meet with your PW faculty advisor to begin your MQP.
- August 2022 – May 2023: You complete your MQP as a 4/3-unit, double-major MQP. You complete 1/3 unit each term (I.e., 1/3 in A2022, 1/3 in B2022, etc.).