Introduction to Academic Writing – Key Elements of a Research Proposal in One Page
写Research Proposal的一个简洁模板

Hey, it’s Dr. Liu here with Better LIFE Research TIPS. In this video, I will show you a simple model that can help us to prepare a research proposal. This model requires us to generate an outline of our research proposal, all in one page, with four paragraphs that link to each other. The four paragraphs highlight the key elements of a research proposal. If we are able to develop an one page outline of our research proposal using this model, the rest of our research activities would be much easier.

A research proposal often takes the form of persuasion. First, we need to convince the readers that we have a good idea. Second, we need to convince them that we have a feasible plan to realize that idea, and we are ready to go. So, in the 4-paragraph model, we use the first paragraph to convince the readers that we have a good idea. Then we use the second paragraph to provide our idea of solution, and the third paragraph to show our commitment to the process of the solution, providing evidences that we are ready to go. And in the last paragraph, we reinforce that our idea is good by emphasizing the benefit of the study. So the whole logic follows the general pattern of “problem, solution, and benefit”. The first paragraph presents the problem, the second and the third paragraphs provide the solution, and the forth paragraph emphasizes the benefit.

The primary purpose of the first paragraph is to convince our readers that there is a specific “critical need” that we should address in order to solve a well recognized problem. The key is to provide a convincing argument for that “critical need”. In the first paragraph, although we usually follow the pattern of “from general to specific”, we do not want to be too general in the first sentence, because the target readers of a research proposal are usually experts and professionals in the field, and they usually already have most of the background knowledge. Our first sentence should be a “hook” sentence that can immediately draw attention from an expert, and therefore it should be specific enough, and it should clearly present a problem that is well recognized by the research community. It should describe the problem in a way that will allow the readers to be able to quickly connect the problem to the “critical need” that is proposed by us. Therefore, we do not want to bore our readers or delay their understanding by iterating common background knowledge that everybody knows.

Following the first sentence, we should try to use 3 to 4 sentences to summarize important known and unknown related to the problem, and to inform our readers with everything they need to know to understand the “critical need”. We’d better demonstrate that we are knowledgeable on the topic using only 3 to 4 sentences. But the most important thing is, these 3 to 4 sentences should provide a logical point of view on the topic, and they must lead to a conclusion that there is a “critical need” that we should address in order to solve the problem that is presented in the first sentence. The last sentence of the first paragraph is the heart of the whole proposal, because it is the concluding sentence that clearly identifies the “critical need”, and the whole proposal is based on that “critical need”.

The purpose of the second paragraph is to convince our readers that we have the solution to address the “critical need” identified in the first paragraph. The whole set of solution may include the long term goal, the objectives of the proposed study, and the optional central hypothesis, from broad to narrow. The long term goal is the broadest, and it projects continuum of our professional activities beyond the proposed study. But it would be nice if we can describe our long term goal in a way that matches the mission of the funding agency. The objectives of the proposed study are more focused, and they should match the “critical need” identified in the first paragraph.

And we should provide a rationale that explains how do the objectives lead to the long term goal. The central hypothesis is most narrow. It is a proposed explanation which needs to be tested. It can be used to serve the objectives and it is optional. The key of the whole second paragraph is that, we should provide a strong rationale to justify our objectives, explaining why and how the objectives can serve the “critical need” and contribute to the long term goal. This justification may be optional in a final research paper, but it is essential in a research proposal.

In the third paragraph, we spell out the approach to realize the objectives defined in the second paragraph. We may list the specific tasks. Each task should serve one of the objectives. And it would be nice to avoid having the feasibility of one task dependent upon outcomes of other tasks. That would make our plan more robust. Sometimes we may need to identify potential challenges or pitfalls, and make contingency plans accordingly. The key of the third paragraph is to demonstrate that we are reliable and well organized. Not only we have a good idea, which has been presented in the first paragraph, but also we have a feasible plan to realize that idea. Lack of detailed actionable plan may be the #1 reason that a proposal is declined.

In the last paragraph, we reinforce that our idea is good by emphasizing the benefit of the proposed study. We should be explicit about how the expected outcomes will address the identified “critical need”, and how the expected contributions will match the mission of the funding agency. Sometimes we may need to paraphrase the same idea that we have used to describe the significance of the study in the first and the second paragraphs, but we’d better say it in diverse angles. It would be nice if we are able to provide examples of various ways, in which our study would contribute. What are the possible outcomes of the study? What will become possible after the study is completed? The key of the last paragraph is to inform the funding agency both the certainty and possibilities on the return of their investment.

So this is the one page and four-paragraph model that can help to prepare a research proposal. This one page outline would be very useful, both for communication with cooperators, or program directors in the funding agency, and also for ourselves during the proposal preparation process.

Thanks for watching, I am Dr. Liu with research tips for the underdogs. Writing research proposal is a key skill needed for a research career. Until next time, let’s keep practicing to obtain more support for our research life.

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