How to write a good undergraduate research proposal

Starteddevelop your interestsfind a labdevelop a projectlibrary resourcesworking with facultyfind an opportunityadvisingadvising at ourcalendar of eventsproposal writinginformational videossample grant proposalsgrants & programsacademic year research grantsacademic year urg advancedsummer research grantsresearch assistant program (urap)summer urg advancedlanguage grantscircumnavigator grantconference travel grantsundergraduate research & arts expoarts, humanities, and social sciences workshopbeckman scholars programresearch peer mentorsfinding a lab workshopscience research workshoppresent your researchundergraduate research & arts expoconference travel grantschicago area symposiumnu journaltedx northwesterncreative arts festivalblogsaboutmissionpeoplecontact al writing is its own writing required for a research proposal is not like other, more familiar, forms of writing. Readers of your proposal want to know:The questions you hope to your project relates to other work that has already been done on the plans for answering these ulars and details that show you are well prepared and likely to complete this you plan to spend the money. Note: a budget is not submitted for summer undergraduate research grants, which are lump-sum living stipends. From your faculty, and also from the advisors at the our, who are happy to read through prepared to write multiple proposal should be clear, concise, and based on specifics. The basic structure of the grant proposal stays the same, no matter what your project is about or what discipline you are based proposal should clearly answer the following questions:Why is this project needed? The first section of your proposal, you need to justify that the topic warrants the work you intend to do. Show what is already known, how your project fits in, and how it will move the research further down the are two ways you demonstrate the project is needed. Proposal introduction is part abstract for your entire project and part commercial pitching its value. You must set the frame for the entire proposal, but naming and claiming your project at the very to write your introduction until after you complete the three arguments the best bits of your three arguments to write a single opening paragraph.

How to write a research proposal undergraduate

Most importantly: tell the reader what you specifically propose to do; tell the reader why this matters to you and to the ces for specific our the resources below to demystify the process and put together the strongest possible ng a research proposal (188. Meetings with your faculty sponsor/advisor are your greatest resource for valuable feedback and advice as you refine your project and ng at the office of undergraduate research – for general questions or specific advising for office of undergraduate research programs. The office of fellowships offers guidance on applications for programs external to homea-z /home/skills and resources/proposals. 12-15t22:53:24+00: proposal examplesexample 1example 2example 3example 4example 5types of research proposalsin all sectors (academe, government, and the private sector), research scientists typically seek and obtain competitive funding for their research projects by writing and submitting research proposals for consideration by the funding source. There are two kinds of research proposals:Solicitedsolicited proposals are those that are written and submitted in response to the issuance of a “request for proposals” (rfp), a document that identifies a specific research problem of interest to the funding agency for which they are specifically seeking a solution. If the funding agency or company is interested, they may then request that the investigator submit a full proposal for consideration of citedunsolicited proposals are those proposals that are submitted by an investigator in response to a “general call” for proposals that is issued by a funding agency or company in a field or area of majority of funding agencies issue calls for proposals which have firmly established deadlines and for which the format of the proposals is fairly well defined. Today most funding agencies have searchable websites where they post detailed information concerning their grant e of a research proposalthe purpose of a proposal is to sell your idea to the funding agency. This means that the investigator must convince the funding agency that:The problem is significant and worthy of studythe technical approach is novel and likely to yield resultsthe investigator and his/her research team is/are the right group of individuals to carry out and accomplish the work described in the research proposaltypical proposal formattitlethe title of your proposal should be short, accurate, and clear. Abstractas in a technical paper, the proposal abstract should “abstract” the project for the reader.

It should be a brief (100 – 200 words), tightly worded summary of the project, its objectives, the problem’s significance, the project’s scope, the methods that will be employed, the identity and relevant technical expertise of the research team, and the results that are expected to result. Be sure to write this section last so that its content indeed abstracts your uctionthe introduction section should introduce the research problem, its significance, and the technical approach your work will take to investigate/solve the problem. It should introduce the research team that will carry out the oundthis section should present a concise review of the primary literature relevant to your proposed research efforts. Infrastructure (instrumentation, methodology, collaborations) that will take science in exciting new inary studiesif the project builds on past studies from your laboratory, then you should include a brief section outlining what you have already accomplished and explain how these results relate to the work outlined in the present proposal. Specific information that should be contained in this section includes information on the research team and its technical expertise as it relates to the project, a realistic timeline, description of the specific experiments that will be accomplished together with alternate plans in case of potential difficulties/challenges. If more than one person will do the work described in the proposal then a division of labor should be provided together with an explanation of why each person is best qualified to do the work described. Some people underestimate the importance of working through a budget in advance of writing the actual grant proposal. An important budget request in most grants is the salary for the personnel who will carry out the research on the project. Academic faculty, who usually receive academic year ( 9-mos typically) salary from their institutions, often supplement their salary (summer salary) by carrying out external research benefits refers to the costs incurred by your institution/employer in providing group health insurance, retirement, unemployment, workers compensation, fica (medicare), etc.

Undergraduate salaries are not normally assessed fringe benefits when the student is supported during the academic als and supplies include a wide range of items such as laboratory supplies, chemical reagents, research animals, computer software and supplies, instrumentation. If you intend to attend a professional meeting in order to present the results of your research, you may include the anticipated cost of traveling to and attending the meeting in your budget request. Many funding sources place strict limitations on travel so be sure to research this carefully before making your tractor costs. Their institution may assess its own indirect costs and those will also need to be included in your budget request to the funding ct costs on the other hand are the facilities and administrative costs that are incurred by your institution/employer in support of your research activities. They provide useful information on the education, technical expertise, and research productivity of the principal investigator. Do not embellish your ixthis ancillary section should be used only to provide secondary information that is relevant to the research project. For example, if you are collaborating with another investigator, it is appropriate to obtain a letter from him/her indicating his/her willingness to collaborate and detailing what specific support (personnel, equipment, research materials, results, etc. And animal subjectsif your project involves experimentation on either animals or people, you will need to obtain approval for your project through your institution’s office of institutional l suggestionsdon’t be afraid to ask your advisor or other scientists if you can read copies of their successfully funded is no substitute for a good idea. In terms of the work being technically sound, make sure that you research it before you begin writing.

Don’t make any implicit assumptions about your reviewers including their technical expertise, what they know about you and your work, the conditions under which they will read your proposal, etc. If you don’t follow the directions, don’t be surprised if your proposal is returned to you your proposal to address all of the review criteria of the grant writing your proposal well in advance of the deadline for tation and written expression count. Don’t fault the reviewers for equating a poorly written and poorly proofed proposal with evidence of a sloppy scientist likely incapable of carrying out a quality project if your advisor, a friend, and/or colleague to review your proposal (be sure to provide them with a copy of the funding agency’s review criteria) before submitting it and when you receive their feedback modify your proposal your proposal is not funded, seek feedback. Perseverance is everything when it comes to research funding – just about everyone has submitted a proposal that didn’t get :  homea-z /home/skills and resources/proposals. Perseverance is everything when it comes to research funding – just about everyone has submitted a proposal that didn’t get : g research research funding: writing successful ng for a fellowship or grant for a summer research project? Read the guidelines below and attend information sessions and workshops to help you write a winning proposal! By the undergraduate research support office and the thompson writing ines for writing research g rubric for summer funding the undergraduate research grant writing support site for examples, advice from students, and other feedback from the duke reader project or the writing ation sessions and n 1: what is a successful research grant proposal? Feb 16 6-7pm soc sci order to help you understand how to write a good first draft, we will discuss what’s expected in a proposal. We will look at some proposals from prior years that got funded, and some that didn'al workshop n 2: revising your proposal to make it , feb 22 11:30 - 1 on west - old chem , feb 23  11:30 - 1 on east - carr you want a good shot at getting your research funded, you’ll need to get feedback on your draft and then do some serious revision.

Then we’ll break up into guided groups so everyone can get some feedback on 2-3 of the most important aspects of their proposals. Attendees must bring 3 copies of their proposal y research ch jobs on honors theses in ch opps in biology & ch opps in the social programs and funding ors of academic undergraduate research society (durs). Scholars es, duke's undergraduate research libraries y college directors of undergraduate  school of engineering directors of undergraduate raduate research support , nc y & research for contacting g research ines for urs programs.