This document provides guidance on writing a research proposal. It outlines selecting a clear and focused research topic that identifies a problem, keywords, and a sentence combining the keywords. Topics should be novel, current, and represent the research contents. An introduction note is developed from the keywords covering the importance of the topic, current issues, affected crop stages, and importance of the proposed mechanism. Funding agencies both local and international are identified. The document instructs writing an introductory note using the identified points and practicing topic selection and developing a one page introductory note by the next week.

1. Exercise of Scientific Writing and
Research Proposal

2. Research Proposal
• Research is costly activity
• There is a number of funding/donor agencies
providing funds for research
• Every funding agency has its own format for
project/proposal/ application submission
• To start writing research proposal we have to
select a research topic
• Then we have to identify a suitable donor
• And then we have to start writing a proposal

3. Selection of Topic
• Selection of Topic has following steps
• Identify a problem/ Issue
– Crop, Current issues (may be basic or applied in nature), aspect needs
more attention,
• Identifying keywords related to problem/Issue
– Wheat, Water scarcity, Early vegetative Phase, Plant/cell/molecular
Level etc.
• Making a sentence/topic by using identified keywords
– eg)
– Identification of wheat plant drought tolerance mechanism during
vegetative phase
– NOTE: Every student has to select a topic of own
and submit it today

4. Qualities of Research Topic
• It should be clear & focused:
– The topic should have clarity and should reflect the thought of researcher
• Well defined:
– It should not be ambiguous
• Novel:
– The topic should point something novel i.e. issue, method, equipment use etc.
• Current importance
– The issue of Current relevance like climate change, water shortage, increasing
temperature etc.
• Represent contents of the Research
– THE topic should be phrased in such a way that any reader have some idea
about research contents
• Language:
– Grammar and word usage should be proper
• Titling
– Use title case,

5. Selection of Funding Agency
There are number of funding agencies locally
and internationally
• Local include
• Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC)
• Pakistan Science Foundation
• ALP – Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
• International:
• IFS: International Foundation for Science

6. How to Start Writing
• Go to section where we identified key word
related to problem
• We selected “Wheat, Water scarcity, Early vegetative Phase,
Plant/cell/molecular Level etc.
• Introductory Note will start from Importance of crop, its usage, economic
impact, etc
• Then water scarcity, its current situation, effect on crop growth and
productivity, extent of losses due to water scarcity etc
• Then why Early vegetative phase is selected ? water/rain is less available
during this phase, how water shortage impact it?
• What plant mechanism is going to help plant during water shortage? We may
select Cell Membrane Stability
• NOW we have the points to make our
Introductory Note

7. The Points are
1. Importance of crop selected, its usage, economic impact, etc.
2. The Selected issue (Water scarcity or any other selected), its current
situation, effect on crop growth and productivity, extent of losses due to
the problem
3. Stage of crop which is affected most and why?
4. Importance of Mechanism supposed to support the plant.

8. PRACTICE FOR TODAY
– Make a topic of your own (submit it today)
– Visit websites of donor agencies
– An Introductory Note regarding the topic
(Free to write one page note till next week)