Exposé

An exposé should contain most of the following points, according to Otto Kruse:

• State of research: What findings are available so far and how should your own contribution relate to these findings?
• Problem: What theoretical, practical, empirical, social, political problem is the starting point of the work?
• Interest in knowledge (Erkenntnisinteresse): What motivates you to do this work?
• Own theoretical position: On the basis of which theory do you want to work on the problem?
• Research question (Fragestellung): What is the research question to which the work is to provide an answer?
• Objective (Zielsetzung): To what end should the work lead?
• Methodological procedure: Which work steps and which procedures should lead to the solution?
• Preliminary work: What previous work can be included in the new work? How is the work thus pre-structured?
• Source situation: Which sources exist and which should be worked on?
• Extent of material or literature research: What limits should be observed in the literature or source work?
• Preliminary analysis or evaluation of the sources: How should the sources be analysed?
• Preliminary outline: How could the material be structured in an outline?
• Timetable: By when should the main stages of the work be completed? When will it be completed? What external factors might play a role?
• Resources required: What material costs, personnel costs, travel funds and requirements for advice and guidance will be incurred?

The research question should formulate guiding questions (Leitfragen) regarding the object of study, whereas objective (Zielsetzung) concentrates what science can profit from this work.