Well, if your class requires you to write this proposal, probably a rubric is provided with grading criteria... right? The important thing is to tailor it to the guidelines they give you.
However, if this is for a research paper, you should propose research questions to answer -- prhaps through a review of literature.
You should propose questions, and spend some time telling why it is important to answer them. Then, tell what methods you will use. What are you writing an essay about?
Kevin, EssayForum.com