Proposal development

Proposal DevelomentProposal Develoment

GRC || RWJFGRC || RWJF

"[T]here is too little emphasis ... on what it means to do independent research."-William Bowen and Neil Rudenstein

In Pursuit of the Ph.D. 1992

Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development

•Developing your thesis/dissertation proposal is one of your most important moments in grad school

•It also happens to be the least-institutionalized part of grad school

•Developing your thesis/dissertation proposal is one of your most important moments in grad school

•It also happens to be the least-institutionalized part of grad school


•What you’ve done to get this far:

•Excel in academic programing

•Follow a course list provided to you

•Work though a program made for you

•What you’ve done to get this far:

•Excel in academic programing

•Follow a course list provided to you

•Work though a program made for you


•Your Academic program has been like riding on a plane. Difficult, but the path has been prepared.

•Your Academic program has been like riding on a plane. Difficult, but the path has been prepared.


•From now on, you must

•Develop your own research paradigm

•Set your own path & schedule

•Determine your own criteria for success

•From now on, you must

•Develop your own research paradigm

•Set your own path & schedule

•Determine your own criteria for success

Proposal Development

•Your proposed research is like skydiving - you are in control, and your path is (mostly) your decision

•Your proposed research is like skydiving - you are in control, and your path is (mostly) your decision


•And as everyone knows, the hardest part about skydiving is jumping off a moving plane

•And as everyone knows, the hardest part about skydiving is jumping off a moving plane


•Two important things to always consider on every paragraph in the proposal:

•Are you staying focused on your research question?

•Do you have the concerns of your committee in mind?

•Two important things to always consider on every paragraph in the proposal:

•Are you staying focused on your research question?

•Do you have the concerns of your committee in mind?


•Make sure you keep your committee informed of every decision you make regarding the proposal - and make sure you clear both the big picture and details of your proposal before you put pen to paper

•Make sure you keep your committee informed of every decision you make regarding the proposal - and make sure you clear both the big picture and details of your proposal before you put pen to paper


•A good proposal has only one criteria for success - passing muster by the members of your committee

•A good proposal has only one criteria for success - passing muster by the members of your committee

OutlineOutline

•Sketch out an outline of your proposal:

•Include page length estimates, content, even citations

•A detailed outline can form a useful roadmap

•Sketch out an outline of your proposal:

•Include page length estimates, content, even citations

•A detailed outline can form a useful roadmap

MechanicsMechanics

•What’s in a proposal?

•Introduction

•Problem Statement

•Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

•Data Collection & Analytical Methods

•Significance

•Timeline

•What’s in a proposal?

•Introduction

•Problem Statement

•Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

•Data Collection & Analytical Methods

•Significance

•Timeline

MechanicsMechanics

•Introduction

•The easiest part - a simple statement of the field, the problem, and a hint at your research.

•Introduction

•The easiest part - a simple statement of the field, the problem, and a hint at your research.

Problem StatementProblem Statement

•What is the outstanding issue in your field that you seek to address?

•What is missing from the status quo?

•What is the outstanding issue in your field that you seek to address?

•What is missing from the status quo?

Problem StatementProblem Statement

•In other words, you need to pass the “so what?” test - how do you capture your audience’s interest?

•In other words, you need to pass the “so what?” test - how do you capture your audience’s interest?

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework


•What literature is relevant to the problem?

•Have a good mix of old and new articles

•Any gaps that you see in important papers?

•The most important part of this section is your analysis

•What literature is relevant to the problem?

•Have a good mix of old and new articles

•Any gaps that you see in important papers?

•The most important part of this section is your analysis


•This section does two things.

•First, it establishes the context of your work

•Second, it demonstrates how much you are invested in it.

•This section does two things.

•First, it establishes the context of your work

•Second, it demonstrates how much you are invested in it.


•Make a space for your work in your field.

•Put elegance over expanse - keep the discussion as succinct and focused as possible.

•Make a space for your work in your field.

•Put elegance over expanse - keep the discussion as succinct and focused as possible.

Data Collection MethodsData Collection Methods

•Where are you getting data?

•From who?

•Do you have permission?

•IRB?

•Where are you getting data?

•From who?

•Do you have permission?

•IRB?

Data Collection Methods

•This section should clearly convey the raw materials you will use in your work.

•This section should clearly convey the raw materials you will use in your work.

Analytical MethodsAnalytical Methods

•Quantitative? Qualitative?

•How will you assess significance?

•Quantitative? Qualitative?

•How will you assess significance?

Analytical Methods

•Your methods should do two things:

•Reinforce your potential contributions to the field

•Set expectations for what you can deliver

•Your methods should do two things:

•Reinforce your potential contributions to the field

•Set expectations for what you can deliver

SignificanceSignificance

•What are the broader impacts of your research?

•What changes?

•What are the broader impacts of your research?

•What changes?

SignificanceSignificance

•The significance section helps demonstrate that you understand the broader impacts of your work - a critical factor in any professional researcher

•The significance section helps demonstrate that you understand the broader impacts of your work - a critical factor in any professional researcher

TimelineTimeline

•“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

•“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable” - Dwight D. Eisenhower


•All of these concepts are fundamentally different than anything college or primary education has prepared you for

•All of these concepts are fundamentally different than anything college or primary education has prepared you for


•How to get started? •How to get started?


•Take a moment to write down your ideal graduation schedule. Important landmarks:

•Proposal Defense

•Completion of Data Collection

•Completion of Data Analysis

•Completion of Writing

•Take a moment to write down your ideal graduation schedule. Important landmarks:

•Proposal Defense

•Completion of Data Collection

•Completion of Data Analysis

•Completion of Writing

““In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable” - Dwight D. Eisenhowerplanning is indispensable” - Dwight D. Eisenhower


•Take a look at your schedule post-proposal - this will form the baseline for your data collection and analytical methods

•Can you accomplish your desired methodological goals with the timeline you have?

•Take a look at your schedule post-proposal - this will form the baseline for your data collection and analytical methods

•Can you accomplish your desired methodological goals with the timeline you have?


•Every literary agent and book publisher knows that the author will always be late on turning in a manuscript after a timeline is settled upon - it is no different for Masters/Doctoral students

•Every literary agent and book publisher knows that the author will always be late on turning in a manuscript after a timeline is settled upon - it is no different for Masters/Doctoral students


•Give your self more time than you think you’ll need when negotiating a timeline - it is better to overestimate and then overachieve than to underestimate and underachieve in the eyes of your committee

•Give your self more time than you think you’ll need when negotiating a timeline - it is better to overestimate and then overachieve than to underestimate and underachieve in the eyes of your committee

Research DesignResearch Design

•Your proposal is code for research design

•What are your hypotheses?

•Will the data you gather help evaluate those hypotheses?

•Will the analytical methods you use help assess the hypotheses?

•Your proposal is code for research design

•What are your hypotheses?

•Will the data you gather help evaluate those hypotheses?

•Will the analytical methods you use help assess the hypotheses?

Research Design

•Your proposal should serve as foreshadowing of how you will write a grant proposal, or oversee a larger project.

•Your proposal should serve as foreshadowing of how you will write a grant proposal, or oversee a larger project.


•Develop an Outline

•Develop a Timeline

•Keep a continuous dialog with your Committee

•Develop an Outline

•Develop a Timeline

•Keep a continuous dialog with your Committee

Technology

Proposal development