A Format for Research Proposals
by Jeffrey Stern, Graduate Student, Program in Social Networks, School of Social Sciences,
University of California Irvine. This advice is at http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~jstern/
University of California Irvine. This advice is at http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~jstern/
Jeffrey Stern offers these simple and straightforward set of considerations for a student preparing to submit a research proposal:
Abstract
The ProblemA paragraph summarizing your topic of research, who or what will be the object of data collection, how the data will be collected, how it will be analyzed, and what results you expect (possible outcomes).
Background to the Problem"What problem do I want to address or what question(s) do I want to answer?"
- Elaborate on the variables and their relationships.
Research Design"Why is this problem or question important?"
"Who else has worked on this or similar problems?"
"What methods were used?"
"What were the results or conclusions of previous research?"
- In this section, show the relevance of your research to other research that has been done.
Expected Results"How will I limit my study?"
"What data do I need to collect?"
"What methods will I use to collect the data and how will I justify them?"
- In this section, show how you will avoid doing it all.
References"How will I analyze my data?"
"What results do I expect from my research?"
- In this section, elaborate on how you will use your data to answer your research question(s), to make generalizations, to defend assertions, to examine possible alternative outcomes to construct a plausible argument.
Make sure these follow a recognised format, and do so consistently.
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A proposal is a request for support of sponsored research, instruction, or extension projects. Good proposals quickly and easily answer the following questions:
- What
do you want to do, how much will it cost, and how much time will it take?
- How
does the proposed project relate to the sponsor's interests?
- What
difference will the project make to: your university, your students, your
discipline, the state, the nation, or any other concerned parties?
- What
has already been done in the area of your project?
- How do
you plan to do it?
- How
will the results be evaluated?
- Why
should you, rather than someone else, do this project?
These questions will be answered in different ways and
receive different emphases depending on the nature of the proposed project and
on the agency to which the proposal is being submitted. Most agencies provide
detailed instructions or guidelines concerning the preparation of proposals
(and, in some cases, forms on which proposals are to be typed); obviously, such
guidelines should be studied carefully before you begin writing the draft.
Solicited proposals
Submitted in response to a specific solicitation issued by a
sponsor. Such solicitations, typically called Request for Proposals (RFP), or
Request for Quotations (RFQ), are usually specific in their requirements
regarding format and technical content, and may stipulate certain award terms
and conditions. Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) are not considered formal
solicitations.
Unsolicited proposals
Submitted to a sponsor that has not issued a specific
solicitation but is believed by the investigator to have an interest in the
subject.
Preproposals
Requested when a sponsor wishes to minimize an applicant's
effort in preparing a full proposal. Preproposals are usually in the form of a
letter of intent or brief abstract. After the preproposal is reviewed, the
sponsor notifies the investigator if a full proposal is warranted.
Continuation or non-competing proposals
Confirm the original proposal and funding requirements of a
multi-year project for which the sponsor has already provided funding for an
initial period (normally one year). Continued support is usually contingent on
satisfactory work progress and the availability of funds.
Renewal or competing proposals
Are requests for continued support for an existing project
that is about to terminate, and, from the sponsor's viewpoint, generally have
the same status as an unsolicited proposal.
Proposals for sponsored activities generally follow a
similar format, although there are variations depending upon whether the
proposer is seeking support for a research grant, a training grant, or a
conference or curriculum development project. The following outline covers the
primary components of a research proposal. Your proposal will be a variation on
this basic theme.
- Title
Page: Most sponsoring agencies specify the format for the title page,
and some provide special forms to summarize basic administrative and
fiscal data for the project. Titles should be comprehensive enough to
indicate the nature of the proposed work, but also be brief.
- Abstract:
The funder may use the abstract to make preliminary decisions about the
proposal. An effective summary states the problem addressed by the
applicant, identifies the solution, and specifies the objectives and
methods of the project. This summary should also outline funding
requirements and describe the applicant’s expertise.
- Table
of Contents: Very brief proposals with few sections ordinarily do not
need a table of contents; the guiding consideration in this is the
reader's convenience. Long and detailed proposals may require, in addition
to a table of contents, a list of illustrations (or figures) and a list of
tables. If all of these are included, they should follow the order
mentioned, and each should be numbered with lower-case Roman numerals. The
table of contents should list all major parts and divisions (including the
abstract, even though it precedes the table of contents).
- Introduction (including
Statement of Problem, Purpose of Research, and Significance of Research):
The introduction of a proposal should begin with a capsule statement of
what is being proposed and then should proceed to introduce the subject to
a stranger. It should give enough background to enable an informed layman
to place your particular research problem in a context of common knowledge
and should show how its solution will advance the field or be important
for some other work. The statement describes the significance of the
problem(s), referring to appropriate studies or statistics.
- Background (including
Literature Survey): Be sure to (1) make clear what the research problem is
and exactly what has been accomplished; (2) to give evidence of your own
competence in the field; and (3) to show why the previous work needs to be
continued. The literature review should be selective and critical.
Discussions of work done by others should therefore lead the reader to a
clear impression of how you will be building upon what has already been
done and how your work differs from theirs.
- Description
of Proposed Research (including Method or Approach): The
comprehensive explanation of the proposed research is addressed not to
laymen but to other specialists in your field. This section is the heart
of the proposal and is the primary concern of the technical reviewers.
Remember as you lay out the research design to (1) be realistic about what
can be accomplished. (2) be explicit about any assumptions or hypotheses
the research method rests upon. (3) be clear about the focus of the
research. (4) be as detailed as possible about the schedule of the
proposed work. (5) be specific about the means of evaluating the data or
the conclusions. (6) be certain that the connection between the research
objectives and the research method is evident. (7) spell out preliminary
work developing an analytical method or laying groundwork as Phase 1. At
the end of that phase you will be able to report that you have accomplished
something and are ready to undertake Phase 2.
- Description
of Relevant Institutional Resources: In general this section details
the resources available to the proposed project and, if possible, shows
why the sponsor should select this University and this investigator for
this particular research. Some relevant points may be the institution's
demonstrated competence in the pertinent research area, its abundance of
experts in related areas that may indirectly benefit the project, its
supportive services that will directly benefit the project, and its unique
or unusual research facilities or instruments available to the
project.
- List
of References: The style of the bibliographical item itself depends on
the disciplinary field. The main consideration is consistency; whatever
style is chosen should be followed scrupulously throughout.
- Personnel:
This section usually consists of two parts: an explanation of the proposed
personnel arrangements and the biographical data sheets for each of the
main contributors to the project. The explanation should specify how many
persons at what percentage of time and in what academic categories will be
participating in the project. If the program is complex and involves
people from other departments or colleges, the organization of the staff
and the lines of responsibility should be made clear. Any student
participation, paid or unpaid, should be mentioned, and the nature of the
proposed contribution detailed. If any persons must be hired for the
project, say so, and explain why, unless the need for persons not already
available within the University is self-evident.
- Budget:
Sponsors customarily specify how budgets should be presented and what
costs are allowable. The budget delineates the costs to be met by the
funding source, including personnel, non-personnel, administrative, and
overhead expenses. The budget also specifies items paid for by other
funding sources. Includes justifications for requested expenditures.
Proposal Writing Assistance at the University of Illinois
Conducts proposal writing workshops, offers one-on-one
reviews and critiques, and provides guidance in all areas of study.
Offers proposal writing tips as well as general writing
assistance in all disciplines and at all stages of the writing process.
Writing Guides
Matthew McGranaghan, University of Hawai'i
Adam Przeworski and Frank Salomon, Social Science Research
Council
Institute of International Studies, University of
California, Berkeley
A site dedicated to helping students write research and
grant proposals for conducting empirical social-scientific fieldwork. Includes
a useful suggested
proposal-writing timeline.
Proposal Template
Composed by Nelson L. Eby, in collaboration with Dr.
Douglas Degelman, Professor of Psychology, Vanguard University of Southern
California. The template may need to be modified for your specific program.
Proposal Examples
An APA-style proposal by Douglas Degelman, Ph.D. and Martin
Lorenzo Harris, Ph.D., from Vanguard University of Southern California.
Dissertation proposal preparation in Instructional Systems
Technology by John B. Keller, at the University of Indiana.
This page showcases dissertation proposals in a range of
subjects, from Classics to Chemical Engineering.
Two students' dissertation research proposals.
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