The Training to Engaged Research Group
in partnership with
The Arab Council for the Social Sciences
TEN TIPS AND TEN QUESTIONS FOR PROPOSAL WRITING (ENGLISH)
Funded by a generous grant from the Foundation to Promote Open Society
Proposal Writing Workshops
Suad Joseph
University of California, Davis
TEN TIPS AND TEN QUESTIONS FOR PROPOSAL WRITING
Ten Tips:
l. The question you want to answer is your research problem.
2. The answer to your research question is your hypothesis.
3. The set of logically connected assumptions that are necessary to make your answer to the question plausible is your theory.
4. How the research question has been answered before by others is your literature review. This is also the basis of the alternative hypothesis.
5. What is missing in how others have answered this question is your statement of need.
6. Why it is important to answer this question is your statement of significance.
7. The steps you will take to answer the question is your methodology.
8. How you will know that you have answered the question is your evaluation techniques.
9. How long it will take you to answer the question is your time table.
10. How much it will cost to answer the question is your budget.
Ten Questions:
1. What = the research problem
2. Answer = hypothesis
3. Why this answer == theory
4. Other answers == literature review
5. Why other answers inadequate == need.
6. Why answer this question == significance
7. How to answer == methods
8. How you know you have answered == evaluation
9. How long to answer == time table
10. How much cost to answer == budget