Post on 02-Apr-2018
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How to Write aResearch Proposal
Biological Communication SkillsNagaraj Sitaram
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Purpose of theResearch Proposal
Why do I Need a Research Proposal?
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Why do I Need a Research Proposal?
To convince others of the value of yourresearch
To demonstrate expertise
To demonstrate competency
To serve as a contract
To assistyou as a planning tool
To meet the requirements of Biol 3920
To Demonstrate a Working Knowledge ofthe Process
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Who will Evaluate my Proposal?
Review committees
Review panels
Individual reviewers Specialists/Generalists
Research proposals are often reviewed
by a mixture of experts in the field andreviewers from cognate disciplines
In Biol 3920 the Instructor Evaluates
your Proposal
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When should theProposal be Written?
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When should the Proposal be Written?
A research proposal (particularly at thepostgraduate level) is an iterative process
A substantial amount of work has to bedone before a proposal can be written
Some institutions assume that a researchproposal will be written over six or evennine months
Seek advice on your draft from facultyand peers
For Biol 3920 it becomes part of Mid-term
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Core Components ofResearch Proposals
Make sure that these aremeaningful, not mechanistic
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General Core Elements
A description of the researchquestion
A statement of why the problem isimportant
A review of relevant literature
A description of the proposed
methodology
A time frame/time-line of activities
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Or in plain English...
What do you want to do?
Why do you want to do it?
Why is it important?
Who has done similar work?
How are you going to do it? How long will it take?
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Additional Componentsof Research Proposals
Depending on the Project butfor Biol 3920 here is the outline
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Prop_Format_S04.htmlhttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Prop_Format_S04.html7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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Depending on the project... A budget
A description of how the research findingswill be disseminated
An outline of team membersresponsibilities
Capability statement of investigator(s)
Ethical statement Possible problems
Other information required by fundingagency...
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Always try to find out exactlywhat thefunding agency or organization expectsin a proposal, and do it forBiol 3920
Bottom Line is
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Prop_Format_S04.htmlhttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Prop_Format_S04.html7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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Core components
Describing the Research Question First find a Research Question!
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Describing theResearch Question
Where can I find a Research Question?
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First find a Research Question!
Researchers get their questions from
many different places... Observation of the World
Concern with Theory
Previous Research or Lab Project Practical concerns
Personal interest
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Choosing a Research Question A broad research area is not a
research question
Formulate a number of possible
questions, and weigh up the pros and
cons
The proposal must reflect that the
issues have been thought through
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Criteria for Choosing Include... Access to information
Access to resources
Theoretical background
Value of research Researchers skills
Is question big/small enough
External requirements Overall probability of successful completion
Interest to researcher
Time constraints, i.e. only one semester!
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Topic Analysis:attribute grids
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Setting the Limits: Definitions
Provide explicit definitions for keyconcepts
Terms dont always have singlemeanings understood in the same wayby all
Dont under-or-overestimate yourreaders/audence
Dont provide mechanistic dictionary
definitions of all terms
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Sample Definitions
A dependent variable is a variable that is influenced
by another variable.
The term ethics in research has been used todescribe a variety of practices relating to scientific
social and moral responsibility. For purposes of this
study, the term will be used to refer specificallyto the
formal set of practices and responsibilities outlined inDoe (1999).
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Setting the Limits: Boundaries Specify the limits of the research in a
way which makes in clear what is
andi s not
to be studied, through, forexample,
definitions
time spans geographical boundaries
other limits as appropriate to the fieldof study
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Setting the Limits: an example
How have North America mining
regulations changed with regardto environmental policy over theyears, and what has been the
impact of these changes onfreshwater ecosystem integrity?
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Setting the Limits: example (cont.) Restrict to mining environmental
regulations
Define mining environmental regulations
(e.g. as Act or Public Law only)
Restrict study to uraniummining
Restrict period (e.g. 1935 - 1990)
Restrict impact to effect of uranium
production on the ecological integrity of
freshwater stream communities
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Setting the Limits: a revised example
How did United States Public Law
92-500 (Clean Water Act) regulatinguranium mine waste dischargesinfluence the ecological integrity of
freshwater stream communities inNorth America between 1935 and1990 ?
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Class discussion
Refining research questions
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Literature Review
What is the Purpose?
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Purpose of the Literature Review Provides a conceptual framework for the
research
Provides an integrated overview of the field ofstudy
Helps establish a need for the research
May help clarify the research problem
Helps to demonstrate researchers familiaritywith the area under consideration (theory and /or methods)
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Skills Needed to Produce a Literature Review
Surveying a comprehensive range of existingmaterial and sources in the general areas ofyour study
Selecting those that will be most relevant andsignificant for your particular project
Understanding and analyzing the centralfindings and arguments
Synthesizing the findings and integrating theminto the research proposal
A good literature review generally contains anargument
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How to Write a Literature Review
Indicate the ways in which the authors you arereviewing will be relevant to your research (information;theory; methodology)
Demonstrate that you understand the similarities and
differences between these works and paradigms(Where do they stand in relation to each other? Wheredoes your research stand in relation to them?)
The works that you refer to should reflect recent
scholarship as well as those considered to be ofseminal importance
If the study is cross-disciplinary or comparative youneed to describe how the different areas of researchcan be drawn together in a meaningful way
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Questions to Help you in Compiling a
Literature Review
What are the broad bodies of literature thathave relevance for your research topic (localand international)?
What theoretical model(s) relate to yourresearch topic?
What theories, methods & results haveprevious researchers in your field produced?What is the history of your area of study?
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Questions to Help you in Compiling a
Literature Review (cont.) What are the most recent findings in your
area of study?
What gaps or contradictions exist amongthese findings?
What new research questions do these
findings suggest? What structure suits my literature review
best?
What should I leave out?
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The Literature Review is Not
Part of the research project (although theremay be an ongoing review of literaturethroughout the project, funding agencies expect
a solid preliminary review to have been carriedout before a proposal is submitted).
A bibliography
A series of descriptions of pieces of previousresearch with no apparent connection to each
other or your project
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Significance of theResearch
Why do research so what?
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Research Must Convey Value Practical value in solving problems
Value to policy development Contribution to theory Contribution to body of knowledge
within discipline Funding agencies often specify the
nature of the value they are lookingfor in research.
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Methodology
Whats so important about
Methods and Materials?
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What does the methodology section do?
What should it contain? The methodology section shows the reader
how you are going to set about looking foranswers to the research question (including, ifappropriate, materials and methods to beused)
It must include enough detail to demonstratethat you are competent and the project isfeasible
The proposed methods must be appropriate tothe type of research
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Methodology section: traditional
empirical* environmental research
Hypothesis
Research design Sampling/study area
Measurement instruments
Data collection procedures Data analysis (statistical approach)
*Based solely on experiment and observation, nottheory
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Empirical Research MethodologyFormat: a caveat Appropriate for traditional empirical
research Dont force either the terminology or the
methods of empirical research onto
proposals for other types of research
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Time Frame/Time-line
Why all the fuss about Time-lines?
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Time Frames Be realistic - novice researchers
tend to underestimate how long thestages of research will take
Develop a realistic step-by-steptimeline for your research i.e. a
Gantt or PERT Chart
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Timeline/Gantt_1.gifhttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Timeline/Gantt_1.gif7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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AdditionalComponents
For example, Budget, Disseminatingresults, Your qualifications/capability,QA/QC, to mention a few
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Budget
Most every research proposal requires one!For Biol 3920 see Budget Format
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Dr_Os_Budget2_S01_Nsf.xlshttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Dr_Os_Budget2_S01_Nsf.xls7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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Budget Include a detailed budget
breakdown, if required
Follow the requirements of theorganization to which you are
submitting the proposal
Identify any other agencies or
organizations participating
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Budget:Detail exampleSalaries & Wages
Research Assistance
Two full-time research assistants (Jr.or Sr. undergrad), 2 x 32 days @$120/day = $ 7680
Two part-time research assistants, 2
x 25 days @ $100/day = $5000
One part-time research assistant, 12days @ $70 = $840
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Budget:Detail example (Cont.) Benefits
Travel
Non-expendables
Expendables
Total Direct Cost
Indirect Cost Total Project Cost
[Note: will be discussed in class Example]
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Biol_3920_Budget_Example_F06.htmhttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Biol_3920_Budget_Example_F06.htm7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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DisseminatingResearch Results
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Disseminating Results Section If funding agencies want to fund valuable
research, they also want to see that theresearch results will be disseminated
If research is intended to assist a
community, it is of little use to publish itonly as an internal research report
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Team MembersResponsibilities
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Team Members
Responsibilities Section
Give an overview of what section(s)of the project each team member
will be responsible for not simply
a list of team members names
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CapabilityStatement/Qualifications
Found in every research proposal
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Qualification Statement List your qualifications focus of
those that uniquely qualify you to dothe research
For Biol 3920 we will develop a
resume for this section of theproposal
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Statement of Completion
If you have completed this Presentation please
place link to the posted page, make a paper copy,complete and submit to the instructor before
leaving class today:
http://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Proposal_Signature_Completion_F06.htmhttp://iweb.tntech.edu/elmorgan/392/Research_Proposal/Biol_3920_Res_Proposal_Signature_Completion_F06.htm7/27/2019 Refer3 Why Research Proposal
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Sample EvaluationCriteria (optional)
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Sample evaluation criteriaCategory 1. Quality of the research proposal
1.1 Problem Identification:
1.1.1 Is the problem/line of inquiry clearly identified?
1.1.2 Has appropriate literature been examined in order toprovide a background to the problem?
1.1.3 Have other relevant sources been used to identify theproblem?
1.1.4 Are the aims and/or objectives of the inquiry clearlyspecified?
Is the hypothesis/ese clearly stated, testable, falsified?
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Sample evaluation criteria (cont.)1.2 Approach:
1.2.1 To what extent are the conceptual frameworkand theoretical assumptions clearly stated?
1.2.2 Is the project design, methods of datacollection and analysis appropriate to the aims of the
research?
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Sample evaluation criteria (cont.) 1.3 Significance:
1.3.1 To what extent will the research make an originalcontribution or be an innovative application of
knowledge to its disciplinary field and/or acrossdisciplines?
1.3.2 Is the proposed research a new line of inquiry?
1.3.3 Is the proposed research likely to promote furtherinvestigation within and/or across disciplines andfields?
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Sample evaluation criteria (cont.) 1.4 Feasibility:
1.4.1 Do the preliminary data and the availableresources support the feasibility of the project?
1.4.2 Does the researchers track record or potential,support his/her ability to successfully accomplish theproject?
1.5 Budget:
1.5.1 Is the budget justified in relation to theproposed research activities?
1.5.2 Does the project include a plan for researchand budget management?
S l l ti it i ( t )
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Sample evaluation criteria (cont.)Category 2. Impact of the proposed research
2.1 Within the research community:
2.1.1 Does the research promote teaching or does it have the potential todo so?
2.1.2 Does the research project promote research training?
2.1.3 Does the project include the participation of researchers, junior
researchers and postgraduate students from historically disadvantagedinstitutions, race and gender groups?
2.1.4 Is the research likely to create networks and partnerships locally,regionally and/or internationally?
2.1.5 Is the research likely to promote the acquisition of new databases,
literature collections, computer software and hardware or to promote thedevelopment of existing databases and literature collections?
2.1.6 Is there a plan to disseminate the research findings within thediscipline and across disciplines?
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Sample evaluation criteria (cont.)2.2 Outside the research community:
2.2.1 Is there a plan to disseminate the researchfindings amongst stakeholders and the wider public?
2.2.3 Does the research project have a potentialsocial impact, i.e. promote problem solving, social
policy development or evaluation, etc.?