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Developing an effectiveresearch proposal

Jo Hargreaves

Senior Project Officer, NCVER

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Topics� Expectations and functions of a

proposal

� Some common pitfalls

� Unpacking the sections of a proposal

� Strategies and tactics to improve aproposal

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Aims of this session� To provide researchers, and other

interested individuals, with some keyinsights into developing effectiveresearch proposals

� To provide strategies and tactics whichwill improve your chance of success

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Expectations and functionsof a proposalProbability of approval will depend on:

� the clarity and thoroughness of yourproposal

� evidence of your understanding of theissues

� your prior experience and knowledgein undertaking similar work

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Expectations and functions

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Expectations and functionsThe P’s and C’s

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Expectations and functionsThe P’s and C’s

� phase and communication

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Expectations and functionsThe P’s and C’s

� phase and communication

� process and context

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Expectations and functionsThe P’s and C’s

� phase and communication

� process and context

� product and clarity

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Expectations and functionsThe P’s and C’s

� phase and communication

� process and context

� product and clarity

� plan and contract

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Expectations and functionsFour main functions:

� what the proposed research is about

� what we will learn from it and why it isimportant

� what the research is trying to find outor achieve

� how it will go about doing that

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Expectations and functions� The proposal should not need the

researcher’s presence to interpret ormake sense of what is being said

� It is an argument which needs to havea coherent line of reasoning andinternal consistency

(Punch, 2000)

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NCVER’s evaluation criteria

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NCVER’s evaluation criteria� Demonstrated knowledge

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NCVER’s evaluation criteria� Demonstrated knowledge

� Proposed research

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NCVER’s evaluation criteria� Demonstrated knowledge

� Proposed research

� Methodology

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NCVER’s evaluation criteria� Demonstrated knowledge

� Proposed research

� Methodology

� Research experience and expertise

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Reader’s expectations� Readers need to have sufficient

information in the proposal to makean informed judgement

� is the proposed research ‘do-able’(realistic)?

� can the proponent do it - and whatevidence is given?

� if done - will it produce a successfuloutcome and what will we learn?

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Some common responses

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Some common responses� “Proponent does not have a grasp of

the issues”

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Some common responses� “Proponent does not have a grasp of

the issues”

� “I'm not convinced the researchquestions will fully address the purposeof the research”

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Some common responses� “Proponent does not have a grasp of

the issues”

� “I'm not convinced the researchquestions will fully address the purposeof the research”

� “Interesting - but what is it going to tellus that we don’t already know?”

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Some common responses� “Proponent does not have a grasp of

the issues”

� “I'm not convinced the researchquestions will fully address the purposeof the research”

� “Interesting - but what is it going to tellus that we don’t already know?”

� “I'm just not convinced this is going towork”

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More common responses

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More common responses� “Not enough detail here - how many

people are they interviewing, whatindustries are covered, and whatabout the practitioners?”

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More common responses� “Not enough detail here - how many

people are they interviewing, whatindustries are covered, and whatabout the practitioners?”

� “It is not clear that the methodproposed will deliver the desiredoutcome”

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More common responses� “Not enough detail here - how many

people are they interviewing, whatindustries are covered, and whatabout the practitioners?”

� “It is not clear that the methodproposed will deliver the desiredoutcome”

� “What evidence is there that they havethe right skills and experience to dothis?”

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Avoid the following pitfalls� Rationale is weak

� Writing is vague

� Outcomes are uncertain

� Do not have relevant experience

� Project is too large or ‘ambitious’

� Project is too limited

� Does not represent value for money

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Unpacking the variouselements of a proposal

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Conceptual framework� What the research is trying to find out,

do or achieve - research questions

� How the research proposes to answerthe question (s) - methods

� Why the research is worth doing -context and outcomes

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Sections of a proposal� Background and context

� Purpose statement

� Research questions

� Methodology

� Outcomes

� Supporting documentation

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Background and context

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Background and context� Review of relevant literature

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Background and context� Review of relevant literature

� Context

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Background and context� Review of relevant literature

� Context

� Aims

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Background and context� Review of relevant literature

� Context

� Aims

� Significance

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Research purpose statement� A concise statement of the need or

problem

� How you know this is important

� What you intend to do about it

Succinctly answer the questions:

� “why are you doing it…and…so what?”

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Research questions� Central to the research proposal

� Need to be precise

� Put thought into them and come backto them!

� General and specific questions

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Methodology� Wide variety of methods possible

� Must specify and justify your researchmethods and how you will interpret theresults

� Not just a list of research tasks

� Make it clear what you intend to doand how

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Tips for your methodology section

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Tips for your methodology section� Link your methodology back to the

needs you identified in your backgroundand purpose statement

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Tips for your methodology section� Link your methodology back to the

needs you identified in your backgroundand purpose statement

� Align your research questions andmethods

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Tips for your methodology section� Link your methodology back to the

needs you identified in your backgroundand purpose statement

� Align your research questions andmethods

� Clearly present innovative aspects ofyour methodology

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Outcomes and outputs� State what you expect the research to

yield

� Specify what you will produce

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Tips…..� Make sure your plan stacks up with the

declared aim

� Explain how the plan will work - useflowcharts

� Leave the reader with something(positive) to remember!

� Be as succinct as possible

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And let’s not forget...� Titles

� Budgets

� Project team and steering committees

� Addressing the guidelines

� Writing style

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Title of your research

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

� Clear, concise and unambiguous

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

� Clear, concise and unambiguous

� Keep it short

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

� Clear, concise and unambiguous

� Keep it short

� Title should not be a summary of yourresearch!

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

� Clear, concise and unambiguous

� Keep it short

� Title should not be a summary of yourresearch!

� Capture the focus of your research

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Title of your research� Create a lasting first impression

� Clear, concise and unambiguous

� Keep it short

� Title should not be a summary of yourresearch!

� Capture the focus of your research

� Most important words should come first

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Remove unnecessary words:

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Remove unnecessary words:

� The systematic development of a localinitiative to create a learning centre forcommunity education

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Remove unnecessary words:

� The systematic development of a localinitiative to create a learning centre forcommunity education

� A local learning centre for communityeducation

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Budgets� Realistic

� Consistent with research activities

� Transparent

� Within any guidelines

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Project team and steeringcommittees

� Specify roles clearly

� Enlist the support of a steeringcommittee

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Writing style

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

� Use short paragraphs

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

� Use short paragraphs

� Use good, plain English

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

� Use short paragraphs

� Use good, plain English

� Structure your points

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

� Use short paragraphs

� Use good, plain English

� Structure your points

� Impress the reader with clear thoughtand reasoning

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Writing style� Keep sentences short

� Use short paragraphs

� Use good, plain English

� Structure your points

� Impress the reader with clear thoughtand reasoning

� Avoid acronyms

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Dealing with different types ofresearch methods

� Research studies will vary from tightlyplanned and structured to unfolding, oraction research

� The distinction is important when itcomes to research questions andarticulating your plan in the proposal

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Specificresearchquestions

Structureddesign

Data pre-structured

Generalopen-endedquestions

Loosedesign

Data notpre-structured

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Conceptual frameworkcontinuum

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Tips to increase success

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

� Excite!

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

� Excite!

� Influence

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

� Excite!

� Influence

� Establish credibility

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

� Excite!

� Influence

� Establish credibility

� Build confidence

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Tips to increase success

� Comply with the guidelines

� Excite!

� Influence

� Establish credibility

� Build confidence

� Differentiate