Proposal writing practice

1. Writing an Effective
Proposal
Muhammad Saud
Guest Lecturer
FISIP, UNAIR

2. Proposal Writing
• What is the point?
• Use a clear writing style
• Get the correct format
• Put all the bits in place
• Leave enough time to polish the
document

3. Why work to perfect the
art of proposal writing?
• Organize your thinking
• Communicate your expertise
• Impress and Conquer
• Get the Job Done!

4. Writing Style
• A clear writing style greatly in
getting your point across
• Unclear writing makes the reviewer
have to work harder, and it will
usually cost you in the end
• Start with an outline, containing
important points you want to make
for each section of the proposal
• Then, develop a single paragraph for
each point you want to make.

5. Main Structure – Research-Based
Design
• Executive Summary/ Abstract
• Hypothesis and Specific Aims
• Background and Significance
• Preliminary Studies
• Research Plan
• Legal and Regulatory Issues
• Timeline / Milestones
• Summary
• References

6. Executive Summary
• A concise, non-technical summary of
the entire document
• This summary should describe the
motivation for the work
• Brief summary of the proposed
approach
• Nothing should be here that is not in
the body of the text
• Space Limit: 300 words.

7. Hypothesis/Specific Aims
Enumerate your Hypotheses and related
Aims:
– Hypothesis I
• Aim 1
• Aim 2
– Hypothesis II
• Aim 3 (etc)
• Remember: You don't necessarily need
multiple hypotheses
• This is the most important part of a
Research-based project proposal
• Space limit: ½ page

8. Background / Significance
• This part describes the background
relevant to the problem at hand
• You also use this section to convince
the reviewer that you are aware of
the important background literature
for the problem
• You usually want to discuss what
benefits will be produced by the
proposed work
• Suggested number of pages: 2-3

9. Requirements
• Clearly identify the requirements and
constraints on your proposed design.
These might include functional or
manufacturing requirements.
• Include safety, cost and marketing
constraints, etc.
• This is the design specification for your
project
• Recommended: ½ page (might be longer
for some projects)

10. Feasibility and Summary of Design
• Briefly describe one or two possible design
approaches
• This section should convince the reviewer
that this project can be successfully
completed on time
• Be sure that your proposed design(s)
satisfy the project requirements
• Are there any financial issues?
• Suggested page length: 1-2 pages

11. Validation and Testing
• Describe your proposed techniques for
determining if the device works, and
otherwise meets your requirements
(this information will be summarized
in your Milestones)

12. Preliminary Studies
• Include any scientific or engineering content
relevant to your project
• You don't absolutely need this section, but it
usually makes for a better proposal
• If you have no preliminary data, and other data
in the literature is not critical for the feasibility of
your project, don't include this section
• Although this section frequently includes your
own preliminary data, don't be afraid to use data
published by others (appropriately referenced),
but only if you have a very good reason
• This section communicates to the reviewer your
expertise in critically understanding what is
needed for your approach to work.

13. Legal and Regulatory Issues
• What special legal or regulatory
issues do you have?
– FDA approval needed?
– IRB / IACUC approval needed ?
– societal issues involved?

14. Research Plan
• Organize your proposed experiments by
Specific Aim
– Briefly restate the Specific Aim
– Describe in detail the experiments you will
perform for this Aim.
• If you have a lot of experimental details you
want to include, put in a separate section
following this one entitled “General Methods”
• The goal for this section is to have give a
clear description of the details of your
approach to test the project hypotheses
• Suggested page length: 3-4 pages

15. Outcome
• Describe precisely what your project
will produce.
• Will be referred to (most likely) in
your Milestones
• Suggested page length: ½ page

16. Methodology
• Write your methodology in clear and
concise statement.
• Qualitative ----Quantitative
• Sample design
• How you will collect your data?
• Where you will start?

17. Timeline and Milestones
• Using a table, indicate the timeline for this
project
• Describe 2 or three Milestones for the project
– A good milestone is a quantitative
endpoint which will guarantee success for
the project
– Set reasonable dates for achievement of
your milestones

18. Summary
• Write a one-paragraph summary of
what the project will accomplish.
Highlight the benefit of the work
• Limit: one paragraph

19. References: APA Format
Example Formats
• Journal article:
– Fine, M. A., & Kurdek, L. A. (1993). Reflections on determining
authorship credit and authorship order on faculty-student
collaborations. American Psychologist, 48, 1141-1147.
• Book:
– Nicol, A. A. M., & Pexman, P. M. (1999). Presenting your
findings: A practical guide for creating tables. Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
• Book chapter:
– O'Neil, J. M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender
role journeys: Metaphor for healing, transition, and
transformation. In B. R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues
across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). New York: Springer.

20. References: APA Format
Electronic References
● Online periodical:
– Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (2000). Title of
article. Title of Periodical, xx, xxx-xxx. Retrieved month day,
year, from source (give URL).
● Online document:
– Author, A. A. (2000). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year,
from source (give URL)

21. Final Recommendations
• Give yourself enough time to get
everything in place
• You can divide up the proposal into parts
for each team-member to complete, but
have one person do a final edit for style
and language usage
• Polish, polish, polish – you will be glad
you did