Proposal Tips for Students

1. Proposal Tips for Students Anil Hira SFU, Fall 2005

2. Beginning Research • Conceptualization • Know the theories & the history: step 1 • Don’t try to be cute or overestimate your skill/knowl level, but still be innovative • Avoid theorizing • Find a niche/outlet/audience & a hook • Be true to your own instincts • Set yourself up for the future

3. Ideas on External Funding • Select source BEFORE writing • Sine qua non of funding for area studies projects • Depth vs. spread problem- which outlets • Importance of mentors-trailblazers • Fit of proposal/your bcgkrd. with organization’s current goals; chic vs. dependable • Time investment and deadlines pressures intense • Benefits of independence; clear proof of importance of prob; knowl. of lit; clear fwork of analysis; clear methodology; “deliverables;” unique contribution • Why should we give you free money? • SFU dbase: http://fas.sfu.ca/projects/GradAwards

4. Preparing a Proposal • Know your topic inside and out • How does it fit w/I your own overall l-t objectives? • Choosing a committee • What are the gaps/edges of the literature, and how can you add to it? What is missing/contradictory in the lit? • What would be a logical progression of steps for answering the questions you’ve identified? • Is the data available- can you answer the question? • Do you have the lang/contacts/guidance? • What is your end goal for what will be produced? How will it help academics/devt. professionals/society at large?

5. Overview of Proposal • Have a very clear thesis/proposal that is specific, matches what you can clearly accomplish, and • abs. need for field res. funding; outputs; what acad.s/socy will get out of the proposal • Lit. review comprehensive- schools of thought • examples, contradictions, etc • Conceptual Framework- what are key issues, variables/actors and their interrelationships? • Have v. clear hypos.; variables/data; proxy var.s • Methodology- must match rest of proposal; be widely known, and clearly can yield a.s to q.s • All must mesh together v. coherently

6. Elements of a good proposal • Objective • clear statement of purpose, problem involved, relevance • Lit. Review • mega-citation; demonstrate knowledge specialization • Lit-review: short-cut: review articles; edited vol.s • tailoring lit-reviews for outlet • how the lit. review works with your conceptual fwork • Conceptualization • definitions (differences in); main issues; main actors • what is known and what isn’t • hypothesized causes/effects • hypothesized relationships

7. Elements of a good proposal • Outline • creates the logical str. of your argument, thus ensuring linkages and coherence • serves as a segmented work-plan • Forces translation of overall framework to conceptual, empirical application • Methodology • How exactly I will marry theory to empirical reality • Why my method is best (combo) fr. poss. alternatives • How I will conduct my research • How I will operationalize my concepts, and test my hypotheses • I have permission/cooperation from parties or data

8. Proposals, Other Considerations • Peer Review • Know who knows what • Get enough but not too much • Leave space in b/t: The Project cycle • Ethics • Budget • What is a reasonable expense? • Using line-item budgets • Ways to work in contingencies

9. Proposals and the Thesis • A good proposal will serve as the basic lit review and planning doc for a thesis • The proposal will lay out your methodology and thus justify the ultimate findings • In this sense, the proposal is more impt. than the thesis itself **It takes a combo of time and hard work. Persistence and segmentation are keys