Parts of a Research Proposal Essay Example For Students

Parts of a Research Proposal Essay Generally, the principal investigator, his or her department head, and an official representing the University sign the title page, In addition, the title page usually includes the Universes/s reference number for the proposal, the name of the agency to which the proposal is being submitted, the title of the proposal, the proposed starting date and budget period, the total funds requested, the name and address of the University unit submitting the proposal, and the date submitted. Some agencies van the title page to specify whether the proposal is for a new or continuing project. And some ask to which there agencies the proposal is being submitted. A good title is usually a compromise between conciseness and explicitness. Although titles should be comprehensive enough to indicate the nature Of the proposed work, they should also be brief. One good way to cut the length of titles is to avoid words that add nothing to a readers understanding such as Studies n Investigations , or Research on Some Problems in. The Abstract Every proposal, even very brief ones, should have an abstract. Some readers read only the abstract, and most readers rely on it initially to give them a quick overview tooth proposal and later to refresh their memory of its main points. Agencies often use the abstract alone in their compilations of research projects funded or in disseminating information about cutlets projects. Though it appears first, the abstract should be written last, as a c oncise summary (approximately 200 words) of the proposal. It should appear on a page by itself numbered with a small Roman numeral if the proposal has a table of contents and with an Arabic number if it does not. To present the essential meaning of the proposal, the abstract should memorize or at least Suggest the answers to all the questions mentioned in the Introduction above, except the one about cost (which is excluded on the grounds that the abstract is subject to a Wider public distribution than the rest Of the proposal). Certainly the major objectives of the project and the procedures to be followed in meeting these Objectives should be mentioned. The abstract speaks for the proposal when it is separated from it, provides the reader with his first impression of the request, and, by acting as a summary, frequently provides him also with his last. Thus it is the most important single element in the proposal. The Table of Contents, Very brief proposals with few sections ordinarily do not need a table of contents: the guiding consideration in this is the readers convenience. Long and detailed proposals may require, in addition to a table of contents, a list of illustrations (or tigers) 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. If they are brief, more than one can be put on a single page, The table of contents should list all major parts and divisions (including the abstract, even though it precedes the table of contents). Subdivisions usually need not be listed. Again, the convenience Of the reader should be the guiding consideration. The Introduction. The introduction off proposal should begin with a capsule statement Of What is being proposed and then should proceed to introduce the subject to a stranger. You should not assume that your reader is familiar with your subject. Administrators and program officers in sponsoring agencies want to get a general idea of the proposed work before passing the proposal to reviewers who can judge its technical merit. Thus the introduction should be impermissible to an informed layman. It should give enough background to enable him 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 tort some other work. Awe careful not to overstate, but do not neglect to state very specifically what the importance of your research is, In introducing the research problem, it is sometimes helpful to say what it is not, especially, if it could easily be confused with related work. You may also need to explain the underlying assumption of your research or the hypotheses you will e using. Fifth detailed exposition of the proposed research will be long or complex, the introduction may well end by specifying the order and arrangement of the sections. Such a preview helps a reviewer begin his reading with an orderly impression of the proposal and the assurance that he can get from it what he needs to know. The general tone of the introduction should reflect a sober self-confidence. A touch Of enthusiasm is not out Of place, but extravagant promises are anathema to most reviewers. The Background Section. This section may not be necessary if the proposal is elatedly simple and if the introduction can present the relevant background in a few sentences. If previous or related work must be discussed in some detail, however, or if the literature of the subject must be reviewed, a background or literature review section is desirable, A background discussion of your own previous work usually can be less detailed than the customary progress report. Here you should not attempt to account for time and money spent on previous grants but rather point your discussion to the proposed new (or continuing) research. Sufficient details should be given in his discussion (l) to 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. Some sponsors want to know also who has funded the previous work. Literature reviews should be selective and critical. Reviewers do not want to read through a voluminous working bibliography; they want to know the especially pertinent works and your evaluation of them. Modification of Piagets conservation tasks EssayThe biographical data sheets should follow immediately after the explanatory text of the personnel section, unless the agency guidelines specify a different format, gore extremely large program proposals with eight or more participants, the data sheets may be given separately in an appendix. All biographical data sheets within the proposal should be in a common format. A convenient, easily read format is illustrated in the sample following this item. These sheets should be confined to relevant information. Data on marital status, children, hobbies, civic activities, etc. Should not be included unless the sponsors instructions call or them. The list Of publications can be selected either for their pertinence to the proposed work or for their intrinsic worth. All books written and a selection Of recent or important journal articles Mitten may well be listed, but there is no need to fill several pages with a bibliography. The list can b e labeled Selected Publications, Recent Publications, or Pertinent Publications, whichever best fits the facts. The Budget Section. The budget should be worked out with the appropriate DREAD project representative. Sponsors customarily specify how budgets should be presented and vat costs are allowable. The overview given here is for preliminary guidance only. The budget section may require not only the tabular budget (a simple format is illustrated in the sample given here) but also a budget summary and explanation or budget justification if the budget is complicated or if all its details are not made completely clear by the text of the proposal. The need for consultants, for example, or the unavailability within the university of an item of equipment proposed for purchase may need to be explained. Foreign travel should be specifically detailed and justified, not combined with domestic travel, and the deed to travel to professional meetings should be tied specifically to the proposed project, if possible. Typical divisions of the tabular budget are personnel, equipment, supplies, travel, and indirect costs. Other categories, Of course, can be added as needed. The budget should make clear how the totals for each category of expenses are reached. Salary information, for example, often needs to be specified in detail: principal investigator (1/2 time for 3 months at ASS,OHO ) = 54,000. If salary totals involve two different rates (because of an anticipated increase in salary during the budget period), this should be made clear. The category of personnel includes not only the base salary or wage for each person to be employed by the project but also (listed separately) the percentage added for staff benefits. The current figure used for approximately the average cost of staff benefits is 30% of the total salaries and wages. Project representatives should be consulted on the calculation of staff benefits, because the rate may vary significantly owing to the kinds of personnel involved and the selected benefit option. A table is available from DREAD, Graduate Student Research Assistants who are to be employed on research projects for more than 1/2 time, may have part of their tuition costs covered by their unit, The remaining tuition costs must be included as a line item in the budget to the sponsor. Any costs absorbed by the University should be shown as cost sharing. A more detailed description of this procedure may be found in the Administration Of Sponsored Projects booklet available from DREAD. Indirect costs are shown as a separate category, usually as the last item before the grand total. Indirect costs are figured as a fixed percentage Of the total erect costs (modified by various exceptions). Exceptions include equipment, graduate research assistant tuition, the amount of subcontracts over $10,000, and the separate indirect cost centers: Computing Center Services, unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, and the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Laboratory. Because these fixed indirect cost percentages change each year, after negotiation with the federal government, proposal writers should consult a DREAD project representative before calculating this part of their budget. Cost sharing, which is required by many sponsors, can be shown as a separate alumna labeled IS-M, as illustrated in the sample budget. Frequently a portion of the salary of the principal investigator, paid from University funds, with its related staff benefits and indirect costs, can be used to sati$ cost-sharing requirements. To call attention to the variety of expenses that might arise in the conduct of a research project, a checklist of possible budget items is included here. This checklist suggests many of the expenses that might be appropriate to your budget, but consultation with the project representative is still very important. He can help ensure (I) that the budget has not omitted appropriate elements f cost, such as page charges for publication in professional journals, or service charges for the use Of certain University facilities (for example, surveys conducted by the Institute for Social Research), and so on; (2) that any estimates for construction, alterations, or equipment installation have been properly obtained and recorded; (3) that costs are not duplicated veneer the direct and indirect cost categories; (4) that the budget complies With any cost-sharing requirements of the sponsor; (5) that provisions are made for the escalation of costs as may be appropriate; and (6) that costs in all categories are realistically estimated.