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How to write your proposal. When a proposal is needed?. To apply for a grant UGC research proposal (academic staff’s major activities during summer!) To get money from SU, Department, faculty To take part in a competition HSBC Young Entrepreneur awards To inform and review
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When a proposal is needed? • To apply for a grant • UGC research proposal (academic staff’s major activities during summer!) • To get money from SU, Department, faculty • To take part in a competition • HSBC Young Entrepreneur awards • To inform and review • Academic development proposal
Why you need to write a proposal? • What is/are the major purpose(s) of your proposal? • To get money? • To compete? • To inform? • To review?
Proposal • Proposal comes in different forms • Example – competition/grant application may have a form to complete
Why writing your proposal? • Gain in-depth understanding of what you’re going to do! • By go through the background research • By writing the methodology • To train your writing skill • To gain knowledge in project management and planning
Some examples • http://www.yourtickettowork.com/selftraining/ENCap-SampleProposal.pdf • http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/workbooks/proposal.samples.html
Basic elements of proposal • All proposals must include certain basic information: • A suitable and relevant title • Why are you doing the project – what is the problem • What will you be doing • How will you be doing it • Who will be doing it • Where will it be done • How long will it take • How much will it cost
Basic elements • Depended on the purposes of the proposal emphasis will not be the same • For example • A grant application may have details related to the cost
Basic elements • Title • Title should be clear and concise • Relevant to the work
Basic elements • Why are you doing this project • First component in your proposal • Explained by an introduction, a summary or an abstract • Problem statement
Summary or abstract • This is a very important part of the proposal – first impression • Since it is a summary – write it last • It should cover – objectives, need, methodology and dissemination plans • It should identify the expect outcomes of the project • Fit on one page (in your case, may be less)
Introduction or problem statement • States the need • Well documented description of the problem to be addressed • Why it is important • Use support information • Should describe the significance, timeliness, and importance of your project
Basic elements • What will you be doing • Objectives (In point form is easier to write as well as for evaluation) • Sometimes, objectives should be quantitative so that measurement is possible
Objectives • Indicate the expected outcomes • To show • What you will do • How much • By when • The success of a project can be evaluated by referring to the objectives
Objectives • Objectives should be quantitative • For example • To produce a 100% efficient battery charger • So based on the above objective if you cannot produce a 100% efficient battery charger then you are not able to meet the objective!
Basic elements • How will you be doing it • Background (what have been done by others) • Methodology or plan of action
Background • What have been done by others • Literature survey (but not literature survey!) • A chance to learn from others • What experience do you have • If you are asking for money then you need to show your readers that you have the experiences to carry out the project • Not in your case!
Methods or methodology • Critical part of the proposal also longest • A plan of action for how the objectives will be achieved • Usually starts will a description of the overall approach, its relevance, effectiveness and innovativeness • Give details on methodology and how anticipated problem will be managed
Evaluation • How to measure if the project has accomplished its objectives • What data will be collected, how it will be analyzed, how results will be reported
Basic elements • Who will be doing it • Of course it is you so not necessary in your case • Where will it be done • In your case, this is not really relevant (you will be either doing it in campus or at home?)
Basic elements • How long will it take • A schedule (usually presented in a form of a Gantt chart) • Since your project will last for 7/8 months so use week or month as your unit (not day) • Try to use meaningful terms (buy components is no good)
Basic elements • How much will it cost • In your case, it is not too important because your proposal is not for grant application • You can spend up to $1200 so you can itemize how to spend your money
Basic elements • Reference list • Reference materials included in your list must be properly quoted in your proposal • Appendix if necessary • Do you remember how to use the software system to generate a reference list?
Examples of references • Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the egg capsules of the whelk. Nature, 210, 436-437. • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) Commonly asked questions about ozone. http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.
Examples of references • Turner, M. J., Martin, H. C., and Leible, R. C., “Further Development and Applications of Stiffness Method,” Matrix Methods of Structural Analysis, 1st ed., Vol. 1, Wiley, New York, 1963, pp. 6–10. • Vickers, A., “10–110 mm/hr Hypodermic Gravity Design A,” Rainfall Simulation Database [online database], http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/bgrg/lab.html [retrieved 15 March 1998]. • “Equations, Tables, and Charts for Compressible Flow,” NACA Rept. 1135, 1953
Proposals • 15-20 pages • Assessed according to • Composed a feasible technical project proposal (problem identification & methodology) (40%) • Developed a good project plan (strategies, systematic approaches and scheduling) (20%) • Improved writing quality – competency on communication (20%) • Literature research (20%)
Tips • Figures • A picture say more than a thousand words • Figures – illustrate important aspects of the background materials, especially the overall system architecture • A well labeled figure can reduce text length (or increase text length!) • Improve proposal clarity • A flow-chart can help explaining your logic of a program • Data presented as a figure also easier to understand comparing to a table
Tips • Use of English • Poor grammar and spelling distract from the content of the proposal • Do spell check and grammar check • Read your proposal repeatedly before submission: your supervisor is not supposed to proof-read your proposal or reports • Try to use simple sentences and simple words
Exercise • Write a proposal to the HoD of EE to • Organize a study tour to USA, Canada, Egypt etc • Organize an on-line game competition • Reduce the workload of students • Try to complete the followings • Abstract, introduction, problem statement • Objectives • Cost (if any) • schedule