Write a Research Proposal to get approval for a research plan; the results of the research will be topic of the Feasibility Report Project. You will propose to research possible solutions for a problem faced by UHD students or City of Houston residents. You will be responding to a request for proposals.
]”]’The document should be 3 to 6 pages single-spaced, typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins all around. Use section headings in a contrasting 14- or 16-point font such as Arial. Provide a 10-point, underlined header on every page to identify author and page numbers. Include all required sections & contents. Give credit to sources in MLA style.
Note: 3 pages means 3 full pages from the Intro to the Conclusion. Front and back matter does not count toward the page minimum. Two and a half pages is not 3 pages. Two pages and one line is not three pages. You need three pages of content to meet the minimum.]
Abstract summarizes a problem and proposed research plan to find a solution or set of solutions.
Introduction describes what the team wants to do and what the proposal contains. Include Background on the problem. Cover the specifics of what you plan to do – how you plan to research the problem. Include specific goals and objectives as well as criteria for evaluating your degree of success in the end at examining and judging all possible solutions.
Methods section tells how you will complete the research project successfully. Are the methods appropriate for the problem being addressed?
Schedule explains how deadlines will be met.
Qualifications section explains your credentials and how your skills will enable them to successfully complete the proposed project?
Conclusion reviews the proposal contents and ensures that the document closes appropriately.
Works Cited page must use MLA style for all references and sources of information or graphics.
Rubric
Proposal Rubric
Proposal Rubric
Notes:
In a Research Proposal, you identify a problem and how it came about and whom it affects and how serious it is. You provide research (from print sources and/or interviews) to establish that the problem exists. Then you propose to solve the problem. You may provide a range of possible solutions that you plan to examine to see which one is best. You must provide a viable plan of research to determine what solution is best for UHD or the city to implement. You should explain why you have the credentials/skills/knowledge to be the best person to work on this problem. You do NOT provide the one best solution in the proposal. You explain the methods (library research, internet research of other college campuses, interviews with people in authority on campus, surveys of students and/or faculty on campus, visits to other campuses, observations, etc.) that you will use to gather information needed to understand and solve the problem. You will NOT propose a solution – you will propose a plan of research.
This means that the proposal focuses on a problem and not on a single solution. Remember that a problem is not a matter of what we want (e.g., we want the library to stay open 24 hours a day) but what we lack/what is needed (e.g., evening students do not have access to library resources via the Internet or in person during hours when they are not in class or at work). For instance: “we need more police around campus” is not a problem but a possible solution to a problem involving crime on campus. On the other hand, “there is too much crime on campus” is a problem that could be solved in a number of ways (more police, more emergency call boxes, more student awareness of how not to be a crime victim, etc). Do not confuse a solution with a problem. Also, “the bookstore needs to be open later hours” is not a problem – it is one possible solution to the problem that “night students cannot buy their books at the bookstore without taking time off from work”. A solution to that problem might be buying books online instead of at the bookstore. So keep the difference between problems and solutions in mind when defining your problem in your proposal.
A lack of something that you want is not a problem. I don’t have a million dollars, is that a problem that needs research to solve it? Of course not. So saying that UHD lacks something is not necessarily a problem – maybe we do not need that thing.
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDocument Design
Document design and formatting are appropriate
[document is 3 to 6 pages, has 1-inch margins all around, includes all of the required sections, has single-spaced paragraphs in 12-point Times New Roman font, has section headings in a contrasting 14- or 16- point font such as Ariel or Helvetica, includes a 10-point, underlined header on every page for identification of authors and page numbers.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAbstract
The Abstract adequately summarizes a real problem/rationale for research.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIntroduction
The Introduction fully describes the subject, aim/purpose, topics that will be covered, scope and limits of the proposal. It provides a descriptive overview of the research activities/problem solving the team wants to pursue and what the proposal contains. State the purpose of the project clearly & concisely. The background on the problem or need should be adequately explained in the introduction so
that the reader understands the context of the problem and how serious the problem is. The introduction should gain the reader’s attention.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMethods
The Methods section adequately describes how the project is set up and conducted and why it was done that way. Your methods should be explained clearly enough that others could use your descriptions to repeat your research and get the same results that you did. Why are these methods being used? How will conducting these tasks get answers to questions being asked or find the solutions that meet the needs of project (the objectives)?
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSchedule
Schedule explains how deadlines will be met and what will be done by when?
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeQualifications
Qualifications section adequately discusses your
credentials and how your skills will enable you to successfully complete the proposed research project. All supporting materials that do not belong in the body of the proposal (e.g., résumés, large graphs, etc.) are appropriately placed in an Appendix.
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeConclusion
The Conclusion should summarize the proposal contents and close appropriately with a positive and confident tone clearly and concisely interprets the facts/findings/results.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMechanics
The final document free of grammar, style, or mechanical distractions. The document follows standard grammatical conventions, punctuation, and spelling. The document provides citations that are in
correct form for academic field and are complete.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStyle
The document displays effective sentence structure and variety. Diction and tone are appropriate to audience. Works Cited page adheres to current MLA standards.
10 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOverall quality
The final document is easily readable, usable, and visually appealing. The proposal provides the reader with clearly written, usable information concerning how the research project will find a solution to the problem. Quality and scope of the topic are appropriate to the target audience, purpose, and assigned genre. Paragraphs distinguish main and supporting ideas. Transitions are used. Sources are cited.
20 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
20 pts
Total Points: 100
