DataSchoolStateGraduation Rate (%)% of Classes Under 20Student/Faculty RatioAlumni Giving Rate (%)Boston CollegeMA85391325Brandeis UniversityMA7968833Brown UniversityRI9360840California Institute of TechnologyCA8565346Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA75671028Case Western Reserve UniversityOH7252831College of William and MaryVA89451227Columbia UniversityNY9069731Cornell UniversityNY91721335Dartmouth CollegeNH94611053Duke UniversityNC9268845Emory UniversityGA8465737Georgetown UniversityDC91541029Harvard UniversityMA9773846John Hopkins UniversityMD8964927Lehigh UniversityPA81551140Massachusetts Inst. of TechnologyMA9265644New York UniversityNY72631313Northwestern UniversityIL9066830Pennsylvania State UniversityPA80321921Princeton UniversityNJ9568567Rice UniversityTX9262840Stanford UniversityCA9269734Tufts UniversityMA8767929Tulane UniversityLA72561217U. of California-BerleleyCA83581718U. of California-DavisCA7432197U. of California-IrvineCA7442209U. of California-Los AngelesCA78411813U. of California-San DiegoCA8048198U. of California-Santa BarbaraCA70452012U. of ChicagoIL8465436U. of FloridaFL67312319U. of Illinois-Urbana ChampaignIL77291523U. of Michigan-Ann ArborMI83511513U. of North Carolina-Chapel HillNC82401626U. of Notre DameIN94531349U. of PennsylvaniaPA9065741U. of RochesterNY76631023U. of Southern CaliforniaCA70531322U. of Texas-AustinTX66392113U. of VirginiaVA92441328U. of WashingtonWA70371212U. of Wisconsin-MadisonWI73371313Vanderbuilt UniversityTN8268931Wake Forest UniversityNC82591138Washington University - St. LouisMO8673733Yale UniversityCT9477750 Sheet2 Sheet3 NAME _____________________________________ Unacceptable Below Expectations Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations 0 1-2 3-4 5 Title No title is included. Title does not describe what proposal is about, shows an opinion, is same as research question, or is otherwise inappropriate. Title is succinct and describes what the proposal is about. Title meets expectations and is innovative or clever. 2 Abstract No abstract is included. Abstract is too short or too long. Does not include the required elements. Abtract is about 200 words and includes all three required elements: project’s purpose, what you will do in your project, and what you hope to gain from your project. Abstract meets expectations, and is written in a compelling way, without grammatical or spelling errors. 3 Problem Statement No problem statement is included. Problem statement is much too short or too long. Does not include the required elements. Problem statement is about 2 pages long. It uses statistics, examples, news articles, or other ways to show importance of topic. Citations to the research literature are minimal. Problem is a social problem that can be addressed or understood better through research. Argument summarized in students' own words. Problem statement meets expectations and is written in a clear and compelling way, without grammat.

1. DataSchoolStateGraduation Rate (%)% of Classes Under
20Student/Faculty RatioAlumni Giving Rate (%)Boston
CollegeMA85391325Brandeis UniversityMA7968833Brown
UniversityRI9360840California Institute of
TechnologyCA8565346Carnegie Mellon
UniversityPA75671028Case Western Reserve
UniversityOH7252831College of William and
MaryVA89451227Columbia UniversityNY9069731Cornell
UniversityNY91721335Dartmouth CollegeNH94611053Duke
UniversityNC9268845Emory UniversityGA8465737Georgetown
UniversityDC91541029Harvard UniversityMA9773846John
Hopkins UniversityMD8964927Lehigh
UniversityPA81551140Massachusetts Inst. of
TechnologyMA9265644New York
UniversityNY72631313Northwestern
UniversityIL9066830Pennsylvania State
UniversityPA80321921Princeton UniversityNJ9568567Rice
UniversityTX9262840Stanford UniversityCA9269734Tufts
UniversityMA8767929Tulane UniversityLA72561217U. of
California-BerleleyCA83581718U. of California-
DavisCA7432197U. of California-IrvineCA7442209U. of
California-Los AngelesCA78411813U. of California-San
DiegoCA8048198U. of California-Santa BarbaraCA70452012U.
of ChicagoIL8465436U. of FloridaFL67312319U. of Illinois-
Urbana ChampaignIL77291523U. of Michigan-Ann
ArborMI83511513U. of North Carolina-Chapel
HillNC82401626U. of Notre DameIN94531349U. of
PennsylvaniaPA9065741U. of RochesterNY76631023U. of
Southern CaliforniaCA70531322U. of Texas-
AustinTX66392113U. of VirginiaVA92441328U. of
WashingtonWA70371212U. of Wisconsin-
MadisonWI73371313Vanderbuilt UniversityTN8268931Wake
Forest UniversityNC82591138Washington University - St.
LouisMO8673733Yale UniversityCT9477750

2. Sheet2
Sheet3
NAME _____________________________________
Unacceptable Below Expectations Meets Expectations Exceeds
Expectations
0 1-2 3-4 5
Title No title is included.
Title does not describe
what proposal is about,
shows an opinion, is same
as research question, or is
otherwise inappropriate.
Title is succinct and describes
what the proposal is about.
Title meets expectations and is
innovative or clever.
2
Abstract No abstract is included.
Abstract is too shortor too
long. Does not include the
required elements.
Abtract is about 200 words
and includes all three
required elements: project’s
purpose, what you will do in

3. your project, and what you
hope to gain from your
project.
Abstract meets expectations,
and is written in a compelling
way, without grammatical or
spelling errors.
3
Problem Statement
No problem statement is
included.
Problem statement is
much too shortor too long.
Does not include the
required elements.
Problem statement is about 2
pages long. It uses statistics,
examples, news articles, or
otherways to show
importance of topic. Citations
to the research literature are
minimal. Problem is a social
problem that can be
addressed or understood
better through research.
Argument summarized in
students' own words.
Problem statement meets
expectations and is written in a
clear and compelling way,

4. without grammatical or spelling
errors. Uses multiple sources of
information well to make a
convincing argument.
4
Literature Review
No literature review is
included.
Literature review is much
too shortor too long. It
uses direct quotes from
source material, does not
include enough or the right
kinds of sources. Is written
in the style of annotated
bibliography.
Literature review is about 3
pages long. It explains what
research has been conducted
on this topicand why your
angle on the issueis
warranted. Four or more
published articles or
published books are cited.
(more is better). Wikipediais
not cited. Direct quotations
are not used. Findings
summarize in student's own
words.
Literature review meets
expectations and is written in a

5. clear and compelling way,
without grammatical or spelling
errors. More than four sources
are cited. Student organizes
literature review by sometopic
area and not a study by study
description.
4
Research Questions
No research questions
are included or they are
not in question format.
Research questions are in
question format. Section is
much too long or too
short. Little or no
description is provided.
Research questions are in
question format and section
is 1-2 pages long. Includes
explanatory information
about why questions were
selected and how they will
add to the literature, why
they will help to address the
problem, and how they will
help to inform policy or
practice on the topic.
Research questions section
meets expectations and also
discusses operationalization of

6. key concepts, is written in a
clear and compelling way,
without grammatical or spelling
errors. Links back to problem
statement and literature review.
4
Reference List and Citations
No reference list is
included.
Reference list citation
format is haphazard or not
all citations are listed.
All citations are included in
reference list and citation
format is not ASA.
All citations are included in
reference list, citation format is
ASA and thereare in-text
citations.
3
TOTAL SCORE
LETTER GRADE
LATE PAPER ADJUSTED
LETTER GRADE (ONE LETTER
GRADE OFF)

7. TotalScore Weight
NAME _____________________________________
Inadequate Below Expectations Meets Expectations Exceeds
Expectations
0 1-2 3-4 5
Data Collection
No data collection plan is
included.
Data collection plan does
not say whether data are
primary or secondary,
qualitative or quantitative
(or both). Incomplete
description of data
collection process.
Data collection plan is about
2 pages and includes whether
data are primary or
secondary, qualitative or
quantitative (or both).
Includes a detailed
description of the data
collection process, including
community engagement.
Meets expectations and also
includes a sample of questions
from data collection tools

8. (existing or new). Is clear and
compelling, without
grammatical and spelling errors.
6
Selection of Subjects
No selection of subjects
is included.
Selection of subjects does
not fully describe the
research population and
the research sample.
Selection of subjects section
is 1-2 pages and describes:
the research population, the
sample population, how you
will recruit subjects or where
your data come from,
sampling strategy, incentives
or payments you will offer
and why.
Selection of subjects section
meets expectations and also
issues of validity and reliability.
Is clear and compelling, without
grammatical and spelling errors.
4
Ethical Concerns
No ethical concerns are
included.

9. Ethical concerns are
included but only one of
theseitems is discussed:1)
protections for research
subjects, 2) IRB, 3)
confidentiality and
anonymity, 4) ethical
considerations for the
research itself(for example,
if study is conducting an
experiment or working in a
community). If secondary
data, explanation of ethical
concerns does not address
each of theseareas. With
secondary data, discussion
can be shorter than 1 page.
Ethical concerns section is
about a page and discusses 2
or more of the items. If
secondary data, explanation
of ethical concerns addresses
2 or more of theseareas.
With secondary data,
discussion can be shorter
than 1 page.
Ethical concerns section
includes all of 4 of the items. If
secondary data, explanation of
ethical concerns addresses 2 or
more of theseareas. With
secondary data, discussion can
be shorter than 1 page. Is clear

10. and compelling, without
grammatical and spelling errors.
3
Data Analysis Plan
No data analysis plan is
included.
Data analysis plan is too
shortor does not include
enough information.
Data analysis plan is about 2
pages and includes
information about the kinds
of analysis you plan to do. If
qualitative analysis, talks
about coding and themes. If
quantitative analysis, talks
about descriptive statistics
and possibly regression
analysis here.
Data analysis plan meets
expectations and includes more
detail. For qualitative analysis,
shows a larger list of the types
of codes that will be used and
how they will be analyzed. For
quantitative projects, includes
the specific descriptive statistics
(univariate or bivariate)
planned. Can include table
shells. Is clear and compelling,
without grammatical and

11. spelling errors.
4
Dissemination Plan
No dissemination plan is
included.
Dissemination plan does
not consider multiple
stakeholders who might be
interested in the findings.
Dissemination plan is about a
page and includes more than
one group of stakeholders for
dissemination and describes
why or how research product
will engage the audience.
Dissemination plan meets
expectations and includes more
than one type of product that is
tailored to specific audiences.
Describes why or how each
specific product will engage
each specific audience. Is clear
and compelling, without
grammatical and spelling errors.
2
Reference List
No reference list is
included.

12. Reference list citation
format is haphazard or not
all citations are listed.
All citations are included in
reference list and citation
format is not ASA and/or
thereare not in-text citations.
All citations are included in
reference list, citation format is
ASA and thereare in-text
citations.
1
TOTAL SCORE
LETTER GRADE
LATE PAPER ADJUSTED
LETTER GRADE (ONE
LETTER GRADE OFF )
TotalScore Weight
Re
se
ar
ch
D
es
ig
n
is

13. 4
-5
p
ag
es
to
ta
l
Research design: This is often the longest part of the research
proposal. It could be 3-4 pages long. It is where you lay out
how
you will use research to study the questions you have proposed.
You may use any of the research methodologies we discussed in
class, and if your questions warrant, you may use more than
one.
More and more, researchers today use “multiple methods” so
that
they can validate the findings from say a survey with a set of
more
in-depth interviews with a selected set of respondents. In the
research design section, you should have three main parts.
• Data collection. What forms of data will you plan to use?
Are you using primary or secondary data? Is it qualitative or
quantitative (or both)? Tell the reader a little about the data.
For instance, if you are using an existing survey, what kinds
of questions do it ask about? If you are conducting
interviews, give some example questions you might focus on
or some topic areas you will cover. Talk about any
community engagement in your data collection plans.

14. • Research subjects. Who are your research subjects or
what population will your research cover? If you are
collecting your own data, how will you recruit these
subjects? Is the study voluntary? Will you pay them for their
time? How much? If you are using secondary data, what
was the sample and when were the data collected? If you
are doing a survey, how will you ensure that you have a
large enough sample size and response rate for your
analysis?
• Ethical concerns. What ethical protections will you put in
place for your research subjects? Are your data anonymous
(you don’t know who the subjects are – data are de-
identified)? Are you promising confidentiality (you know who
they are, but you won’t share their names or any individual-
level information in your reporting)? Are you going to file an
IRB? Are there ethical considerations in terms of how you
are doing the research, like if you’re doing an experiment will
people be denied services that could help them? How do
you justify that?
Data analysis plans: This section should be 2-3 pages talking
about your plans for data analysis. What kinds of analyses do
you plan to do? Think about the data you’ve collected and what
are the best ways to analyze it. This would be a good place to
talk about things like subgroup analysis, reliability and validity,
and any limitations of your approach. For instance, if you’re
studying people in one community, a limitation might be that
your
findings are not generalizable to other communities with
different

15. characteristics.
Dissemination plans: This should be about a page. This is
where you sell why it is that different audiences would be
interested in learning about your findings. Who might benefit
from
seeing the results of your research? Would policymakers learn
from it, or possibly service providers or practitioners? Do you
plan to write a long report, a short brief, a series of short briefs,
offer presentations (for whom)?
Reference List: At the end of the proposal you should have a
section called References that includes a full citation to every
source material you use in your proposal. The list should be
alphabetized by last name. If you use two sources from the
same
author, put the more current one first. We will be using the
American Sociological Association’s manual of style for the
citations (see link above). Here are some examples:
For a book:
Bursik, Robert J., Jr. and Harold G. Grasmick. 1993.
Neighborhoods and Crime: The Dimensions of Effective
Community Control. New York: Lexington Books.
For a journal article:
Aseltine, Robert H., Jr. and Ronald C. Kessler. 1993. “Marital
Disruption and Depression in a Community Sample.” Journal of
Health and Social Behavior 34(3):237-51. [Note: that is
volume(number):pages]
For an article with an online location:

16. Schafer, Daniel W. and Fred L. Ramsey. 2003. “Teaching and
the
Craft of Data Analysis.” Journal of Statistics Education (11)1.
Retrieved December 12, 2006 (http://www.amstat.org/
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
publications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
.
For a website:
American Sociology Association. 2006. “Status Committees.”
Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.
Retrieved
December 12, 2006 (http://www.asanet.org/
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
cs/root/leftnav/committees/committees).
http://www.amstat.org/%0Dpublications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
http://www.amstat.org/%0Dpublications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
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http://www.amstat.org/%0Dpublications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
http://www.amstat.org/%0Dpublications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
http://www.amstat.org/%0Dpublications/jse/v11n1/schafer.html)
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