Research Proposal First find a Research Question!

! Proposal as a means of communication The proposal is a communication to those who give approval and disburse budget. Therefore the proposal must be clear and comprehensive.

The reviewers will have 3-main questions when they read the proposal: 1. Is the research worth doing? 2. Is the research design coherent? 3. Can the researcher carry out it?
Hints: 1. Address innovation wherever possible. 2. Confirm results with multiple approaches.

Topic Analysis

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 and reviewers from cognate disciplines

Core Components of Research Proposals A description of the research question A statement of why theI problem is important A review of relevant literature A description of the proposed methodology A brief about the budget A time frame/time-line of activities
Or in plain terms 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? What would be the budget How long will it take?

Title of Research Project

(should contain names, institution, area of research, key words, full address, e-mail,)
Good
Concise title that gives reviewer a general sense of what you are investigating For example:
Hydraulic Performance and improvement of commercial water saving devices in water conservation

Title of Research Project Importance

The very first thing that will capture everyone's eye is the title of the proposal Think of a title that is concise and informative, at the same time. Do not make it too elaborate Title should be brief, it should be accurate, descriptive and comprehensive, clearly indicating the subject of the investigation. The title should be understandable so that it bears a connection with the subject matter throughout.

Caution !!

Caution !!

Title of Research Project

Reject
Too long and technical of a title will not gain the reviewers attention or interest. Too short and broad a title will make the reviewer too critical of grant. Example:
Determining the mechanism of action of Bcl-2 family members in regulating apoptotic signaling complexes within the mitochondria leading to a cure in cancers
Caution !! Caution !!

Co-applicants/Co-investigators
This could be strength if you are a junior investigator with a limited track record. If the PI lack specific skills (required for the specific proposal), a co-applicant can bring these skills to the research project.
List all awards/fellowships especially awards directly related to proposed research area List all publications (preferably as first author) in the last five years

Caution !!

Applicants CV details:

Caution !!

Reject if CV details have

No evidence of research activity or track record
All middle authors for referred publications It is a weakness to add a co-PI if they just give you a name without expert knowledge in the proposed area of research. Example: You want to involve a person who is Doctorate but not in the proposed research area
Caution !! Caution !!

CV (Pub.+ Project) + referee Queries

Offer Relevant Samples of Your Work: One of the most effective ways to convince your client/reviewer is to show some of the projects that you have successfully completed and that are related to the project for which you are writing the proposal. It will create a good impression and chances are higher of your proposal getting better attention. List of Publications, reports, patents, and completed sponsored projects as PI or CI You will be judged based on your strength. Although the price that you bid for the project matters a lot

What draws the reviewers clients attention towards your proposal is your answer to the questions asked by the reviewers. Incorporate appropriate suggestions in the project proposal. It is also the best way to show your reviewers that you listen to them and can meet their needs effectively

Abstract/Statement of Proposal
It's an important part included in the outline for research paper. Give a short summary of the research problem (topic and methodology) that you have identified not more than 20 to 25 lines. The reviewer comes to know your skills and efforts from the abstract and classify the research proposal in Basic/applied/product development catagory Do not elaborate too much on the abstract as the body is yet to be written. Consult with your professor/Industry expert in the research area before finalizing

Note:

with hundreds of proposals/busy schedule it is difficult for your prospective reviewer to go through the several numbers of pages in each proposal and judge them. Hence, many people only evaluate the first page of the proposals and shortlist them. In such a scenario, you can understand the importance of your executive summary for your proposal, including budget, other crucial details of project

Introduction
A. provides readers with the background information, research area, focuses the objectives for the project proposal B. The introduction to the project description should tell the reviewer what the principal investigator wants to do and should demonstrate the relationship of the proposed project to the interests of the potential funding source

You have to convince members of the scientific community that you have identified a scientific problem with a theoretical background and methodical way to solve it within a realistic framework of time and expenses. With your research, you will add a new aspect to the scientific knowledge

Hint:

Your research proposal should have at least 3, but not more than about 20 pages. It should have an agreeable layout "typeface and line spacing (times new roman text: 11size)

Introduction how to WRITE ?

1. The introduction of a 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. 2. Be very focus on the area which you have selected for your investigation. Illustrate with typical diagrams, merits/demerits of existing knowledge/design/patents etc. 3. Identify research focus area of the sponsoring agency and compare your project with the purposes/objectives of the sponsors (How

does the proposed project relate to the sponsor's interests?)

This is because there are a lot of criteria that needs to be followed and fulfilled before your proposal gets acknowledgement. 4. Ensure that you, your project, and/or the University are eligible (w.r.t Age limit, area of proposal, ) to apply for research funding. 5. Take Assistance: Discuss your project with colleagues/Professor who have applied to the same sponsor or who are known to be successful proposal writers. Take their advices and if necessary follow their suggestions.
Hint: You have to prove to the panel that you are capable of making an original and worthwhile contribution to that particular area of knowledge

Review of Literature
Part of a research proposal.
The literature review ensures that prior work has been done in this field and you have to give credit to authors and scientists who have already done a similar kind of work. To demonstrate that you have read appropriately within your subject area (including existing patents with your critical comments). It also reflects your ability to analyze the facts accurately and your sense of understanding. A good literature review generally contains an argument
Hint: What has already been done in the area of your proposed research project?

Caution !!

Caution !!

The Literature Review is Not

A bibliography A series of descriptions of pieces of previous research with no apparent connection to each other or your research project area Literature review (both National and International) not to exceed one third of the proposal.

Caution !!

Caution !!

Objectives:
Care to be taken in writing objectives While writing the objectives try such that they must be measurable or to answer the following queries. specifiable in some way so as to know the completion.

What do you want to achieve?

This will facilitate the intentions clearly and it also sets useful criteria The objectives are valuable to for evaluation purpose. whom?

Each objective must be clear with indication to broad and specific Are they measurable? measurable out put and possible to accomplish in the specified time Are they realistic in terms of frame. time and available resources?

For example project on oilseeds the objectives are : Development of policy strategies for sustainable development of edible oil to meet oil seeds requirement in the country by 2020AD.

Objectives of the Project should

Good Limit specific aims to 2-3 only Always give what your expected results will be (Ex. Improvement in design, new correlations, energy efficient technology, cost effectiveness etc.)

be concise and clear outline of the academic aims that you want to achieve through your project.
Highlight why the intended research is important and to justify the effort of doing the research. Address feasibility that numerical computations will be supported by experiments to a limited extent.
Hint: well defined objectives, significance of the study?

SO far, the proposal has identified a particular problem, ascertained the need for its study and presented desired Objectives aimed at its solution.

Now, in the Methodology section, it is time to tell both how and when the anticipated objectives will be accomplished. A thoroughly detailed plan of work will enable a reviewer to evaluate more accurately the principal investigators capabilities

Methodology Section will contain the following

Hypothesis Research design, Experimental set-up Sampling/study area Measurement instruments Data collection procedures Data analysis (statistical approach)

Methodology: The procedures section is really the heart of

the research proposal. The activities should be described with detail as possible (both time and space) while maintaining the continuity between them
What equipments, samplings you have panned to use in the research project. Data analysis procedure
The proposer should, in this section, justify the funds needed for various items such as the use of equipments (while measuring activity), consultants, supplies, travel needs, so that the budget part will not look as a surprise at the end of the proposal If the methodology contains intrinsic limitations, the principal investigator should alert reviewers The facilities available at the host institution to be mentioned clearly (requisite infrastructure, water, power, computers, printer etc.)
Hint: What is the main method you will use to carry out the research?

What Reviewers will look in Methodology part

It may well fill half of the space of your proposal. You should give detailed information about your intended research procedure during the given time. Anyone who reads your proposal, wants to know the sources and quality of evidence you will consult, the analytical technique you will employ, and the timetable you will follow. You will describe methods of data gathering, the controls you will introduce (variable matrix), the statistical methods to be used, the type of literature or documentary analysis to be followed and so on.

Time Frame Estimation for each stage of the proposed project

Be realistic no vice researchers tend to underestimate how long the stages of research will take
Develop a realistic step-by-step timeline for your research i.e. a Gantt or PERT Chart
Report Submission to DST Industry Interaction & Travel Improvement in Design Numerical Computation Experiments Calibration of Instruments Project Preparation Recruitment Progress Report every 6-months, & Final Submission of Report
initial discussi on Aerator discussion Shower head discussion

Final discussion

Aerator improvement

Shower head improvement

Recommendations

A commercial CFD code will be used to Compare the existing performance of Aerators & Shower heads as water saving devices

Time in Months

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

Years of Project 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year

Budget
Give summary budget. Give year wise and activity wise budget in detail. Justify costly equipments (with quotations) and other facilities. Include inland travel for literature review, visit to other laboratories, paper presentation, preferably not more than Rs.10000/year. Contingency grant (20% of the project cost) will includes consumables, purchase of books, other materials required for research labour cost, maintenance cost. Include institute over head charge up to 10% of project cost. The various budgets should match the details given in the work program. Avoid over budgeting, as under utilization will be a negative remark.

Budget
Good
Give a detailed account of where you will be spending the money. Approximately one third of the budget should go to supplies.

Reject
Graduate students should not be used in budget support since it is an easy target for reduction due to alternative funding sources. Do not justify spending all the budget on personnel.

Overall Conclusion
Reviewers will not be experts in your field of research. Make the proposal accessible to them. Get your proposal read by a colleague or someone in your area of research. They might find problems that reviewers will find. Attachments: Give a list of other documents attached to your proposal.

Bottom Line is Always try to find out exactly what the funding

Give the Referees list (if asked in the project format) Good
Choose referees in your field of research Choose a scientist/colleague that will be objective but not too critical of the science.

Reject
Do not choose close collaborators Do not choose competitors in your field with divergent views. Do not choose the top scientists in your field since they will not respond and will be too critical in general.

Research Cycle
Research is a systematic process by which we find the answer to the proposed question
Research Questions Literature Review

Conclusion

Research Hypotheses Formulation

Interpretation of the Results

Testing Hypotheses Methodology

Analyze Data

Generation of Data

Clarity is fundamental for good research

results
The accompanying text needs to point out what can be seen in the figures and tables but should not repeat the information there. Some journals may limit the number of tables and figures because they are expensive to prepare for printing. The results section should contain no discussion or interpretation of the findings. Just give me facts.

III How to write a research report

Conclusion
State the conclusion of your project Relate your conclusion with your objective Describe the future research that you have not achieved or beyond the scope.

Conclusion
Summarize the purpose of the study The contribution of your study
Why should you conduct this study What is the different between your study with the previous one