SUBMISSION OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR UNDING

AGENCIES
Research proposal:
• Research proposal is an overall plan scheme, structure and
strategy designed to research questions
• It should outline various tasks planned to fulfill research
objectives
• Reveals strengths and weaknesses of planned approach
(i) Basic knowledge of funding agencies
• Most funding agencies require research proposal in order to be
considered for funding
• Agencies often have annual deadlines and specific proposal guidelines
o After deadline, proposals evaluated by agency staff and peer review
committees
o Evaluated and ranked on specific criteria
• If funded, researcher usually provides agency with annual or
semiannual updates on research progress, and a final report
There are 3 questions will be asked by interviewer or research committee
board
• Is proposed problem significant? Is research appropriate to this funding
agency?
• Are the researchers qualified to conduct proposed research?
• Are the budget, timelines, and resources proposed realistic to complete
the research?
(ii) ORGANIZATION OF PROPOSAL:

Page # 1:
Research Proposal – Title
(60-120 Characters)

<Department Name>
<full postal address of University>
Page # 2:
1. Project Title :_____________________________________________
2. Principal Investigator :_____________________________________
Name, Designation:____________________________________
Complete postal address:________________________________
Phone Number :_______________________________________
E-mail Id:_____________________________________________
3. Co-principal Investigator: (if applicable)
Name, Designation:____________________________________
Complete postal address:________________________________
Phone Number :_______________________________________
E-mail Id:_____________________________________________
4. Institution:__________________________
5. Project Summary :
(2 paragraphs)

6. Keywords: (5 to 8)
Page #3 to ~#10: Technical details
Technical details of the project may be expressed in analytical manner.
It should be explained in detail as follows:
1. Introduction – including a brief literature review
• Introduction nothing but a shadow of the problem
• Origin of the proposal (specify year of the problem proposed)
• Definition of the problem
• Literature review – divided into 3 parts
 Pioneering work, development work and recent development
(till 2019)
o Status of research and developments in the subject (social
objectives fulfillment)
 International status
 National status
2. Objectives / Research questions of the study
o Primary objectives
o Subsidiary objectives – less than primary objectives
3. Theoretical framework that underpins your study
o Main and associative objectives
4. Concepted framework which constitutes basic of the study
o Complementary work to theoretical
5. Hypothesis to be tested (if applicable)
o If you say 5 objectives that should be tested (tally with
objective specific)
o Statistical hypothesis – there is a significance difference in
the relief time between two drugs curing an ailment.
6. Research design adopted
o Characteristics of population, sample design and sample
size
o Data collection instruments, pilot studies
o Data processing procedures (used for empirical studies)
7. Testing of the study
o Efficiency test, reliability test and experiment test
o Ethical issues involved in study and how to solve the
issues (mostly in medical research)
8. Problems and limitations
9. Institutional resources
o Computers, library resources, other equipment
10. Personnel
o Experts available with proposed investigation
group/institution in the subject
o Description of people involved
o Demonstrate qualifications and distribution of work among
personnel
11. Patent details
o Domestic and International patent details
12. Work plan
o Academic
o Administrative
o Methodology (design)
o Organization of work elements
o Time schedule
o Suggested plan of action
Proposed time schedule for activities
o When all major project tasks will be conducted
and completed
o Identifying all necessary tasks and creating
realistic schedule for completion
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th year

Q1… Q1… Q1… Q1…

Q2… Q2… Q2… Q2…
Q3… Q3… Q3… Q3…
Q4… Q4… Q4… Q4…
 Budget Estimate Summary
DIRECT COSTS*
(note: no over projection 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year
1. Personnel Salaries and Wages . . . .
2. Fringe benefits (recurring) . . . .
3. Consultants and Contracts . . . .
4. Travel . . . .
5. Supplies and materials . . . .
6. Communications (Telephone, . . . .
postage, etc)
7. Equipment (Purchase) . . . .
8. Other (Equipment rental, . . . .
etc.) overhead costs
TOTAL . . . .
15. Summary of the project (minimum 1 page)
• First and Second paragraph – primary objective
• Third paragraph – subsidiary objective
16. Anticipated results and conclusion
• Description of expected benefits
• Re-emphasize context and value
17. Annexure
• Any other relevant information
 Resumes of key personnel
 Letters of support
 Institutional descriptions
• Similar project details
18. BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Harvard System – popular referencing system which lists

books and periodicals
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – unique alphanumeric
string assigned by a registration agency
• Journal article, book, conference paper, URL
Submission of research articles for publication
in reputed journals
• Research article must be well written, efficiently organized,
and easy to follow
• It must be free from spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and
other writing errors
• If it was found deficient in style, form or clarity, it will most
likely be rejected and returned
 Organization of research article: (25 pages, 12-
point Times New Roman)
 Title Page
• Paper title
• Student name, e-mail id and Professor/mentor’s name,
email id
 Abstract – 1 paragraph summary of the following
•Problem to be investigated (1 or 2 sentences)
• Purpose of the study (1 or 2 sentences)
• Methods (1 or 2 sentences)
• Major results (1 or 2 sentences if applicable)
• Interpretations (1 or 2 sentences)
• Implications (1 sentence)
 Key terms – up-to 7 phrases that are central and specific to
Introduction - Information needed to understand rest of
the paper
• Define terms and concepts
• Objectives / research questions
• Status of research and developments in the subject
• Relevance and significance of research
Methods and materials – details in order to repeat the
experiment and reproduce the results
• Sampling technique
• Protocol for collecting data
• Statistical analysis techniques used
Results – key results without interpreting their meaning.
• Use text, tables and figures to summarize
Discussion – section to interpret the results
• Restate the major issues discussed in the introduction and
interpret them
Acknowledgements
• Thanks the people/organizations that have supported the
research
• Acknowledge funding sources where applicable
References
• Harvard System-popular referencing system which lists books
and periodicals
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – unique alphanumeric string
assigned by a registration agency
• Journal article, book, conference paper, URL
(ii) Different aspects to be followed in submission of research
articles for publications
 Familiarize yourself with potential publications
 Read academic journals related to your field of study
 Search online for published research papers, conference
papers, and journal articles
 Ask a colleague or professor for a suggested reading list
 Choose the publication that best suits your research article
 Prepare your research article
 Ask a colleague and professor to review your research article
 Revise your article
 Submit your article
 Keep trying
 Thesis writing

• ‘Thesis’ – word came from Greek

• Thesis is an intellectual proposition and involves conducting
original research
• Thesis is the acquisition and dissemination of new knowledge
• It is not a dairy of work done
• ‘Synopsis’ is an outline of thesis highlighting important results
 Thesis Layout: (approximate statistics)

• 274 pages
• Cover page & Title page + Declaration + Bonafide
certificate + Acknowledgement
• Table of Contents + Abstract + List of Tables + List of
Figures + List of Symbols and Abbreviations
• 9 Chapters + 2 Appendices + Bibliography
 40 subsections, 85 pictures, 21 tables, 205
references
 63099-66620 words in the printed version (not
including words in pictures and tables)
• Writing period: Feb-June
 Acknowledgement:

1 to 2 pages with double spacing

• Thank the people / organizations that have supported the

research
Abstract: 1 to 2 pages with double spacing

• Problem to be investigated (2 to 3 sentences)

• Purpose of the study (3 to 4 sentences)
• Methods (2 to 3 sentences)
• Major results (2 to 3 sentences)
• Interpretations (2 sentences)
• Implications (2 sentences)
Chapters

Chapter 1 – Introduction – information needed to understand the research

problem
o Define terms and concepts
o Introduce structure of thesis
o Relevance and significance of research

Chapter 2 – Background
o Demonstrate wider appreciation (context)
o Provide motivation

Chapter 3 – Literature Survey

o Related work and critical assessment

Chapter 4 to 6 – Analysis, design, implementation and interpretation of

results
o Methods and materials – details in order to repeat the experiment

and reproduce the results

 Cont…
Chapter 7 – Critical assessment of own work
o Hypothesis must tally with stated objectives
o Demonstrate precision and thoroughness
o Comparison with closer rival

Chapter 8 – Recommendations for further work

o Suggest how it would make sense to extend your work in the future
o Applying your work to related research

Chapter 9 – Summary and Conclusions

o Summarize salient contributions of your work
o Justify that your work constitutes a contribution to the literature worthy of a
awarding a degree
Appendices: give supplementary information
• Computer programs used to obtain the results
• Guidelines to setup equipment
• Tables of raw data and standards
• Vitae-short biography of the research scholar
• List of Publications - papers published by research scholar
during the period of search

Bibliography : PhD thesis, journal article, book, conference paper,

URL
[
 RESEARCH REPORT WRITING

• Research report is the ultimate output of the research problem.

• ‘Report’ is writing made with specific intention of relaying

information in a presentable form and used to display results of an
experiment.
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE WRITING RESEARCH
REPORT
 Organization of research report: (20 – 30 pages)

1. Title Page (60 to 120 characters)

• Should indicate the purpose of research, time and location
• Example : Socio Economic condition of people living in India (2013-14)

2. Table of contents (Not exceeding list of 6 chapters)

• Indicate organization of report by listing the various chapters and
page number
• If the report contains large number of tables and figures, they can also
be listed (optional)
Summary (3 Paragraphs in 15 to 20 lines)
• Researcher must distill the essentials from a technical research effort
and present them in a style which catches the imagination of a
reader

Introduction (1 page)
•Provide an overall picture of research topic and how the present
problem fits into the picture
•Researcher must point out what contribution his research making till
existing body of research
•Researcher must show that this particular investigation has not done before
OBJECTIVES (1 Page ) – research questions
• Primary objectives
• Subsidiary objectives – less than primary objectives

METHODOLOGY (15 TO 24 pages)

• Determination of Sample Size
• Sampling techniques to be adopted
• Data collection techniques
• In case experiments conducted in laboratory, provide the material and
methods.
• Good methodology tells the reader about the technical aspects of the
study.
FINDINGS (1 page ) – major part of the report
• Must provide essential details of statistical analysis
• Should contain hypothesis formulated, focused argument and
structural model
• Should be organized in a way that makes it easier for the readers to
group them
LIMITATIONS (1 page)
• Every study has flaws
• Equally important to understand the limitations
• Scope of further research

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (2 pages)

• In conclusion, summarize salient contributions of your work
• Recommendations should have statements which have implications
for policy and decision making.
 ELEMENTS OF STYLE

• ‘Style’ is the mode of expressing thoughts in writing or speaking by

arranging words considered with respect to clearness and
effectiveness
• Styles provide guidelines for writing, including, punctuation,
quotation, and documentation of sources.

• “The Elements of Style” (1918 by Strunk and White) is a prescriptive

American English writing style guide.
o Rules of usage: grammar and punctuation
o Matters of form: thesis, design, composition
o Do not overwrite and overstate
o Use active voice, put positive statements
o Avoid use of qualifiers – rather, very, little, pretty
o Avoid foreign languages
 Cont…
• Research Paper writing style and disciplines:
o Harvard – parenthetical referencing (author-year-style)
MLA (Modern Language Association) – Literature, arts and humanities
APA (American Psychology Association) – Psychology, nursing, education,
business and other social sciences
o Vancouver – medical and biomedical field
o IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)–
engineering disciplines
o CMS (Chicago Manual of Style) – Novels, poetry, short stories,
education
 ORAL DEFENSE (Oral Examination)

• Oral defense is a 35-45 minutes of questioning from the research

committee following your presentation

• Defense should summarize thesis (same order of heading followed

from thesis)

• Chairperson has control, guests may attend

• May pass, pass with modifications, ….

 GENERAL GUIDELINES

• Present enough information for members to understand your

research and implications.
• Focus mainly on findings and conclusions
• Also include suggestions for future research
• Satisfy your advisor first and foremost
• Decision made and communicated regarding required
modifications to the manuscript
 After the final defense

• Make required changes to your manuscript and consult with your

chairperson
• Obtain clearance (signatures) from committee members
• Submit final manuscript to …… office for final clearance – required
3 to 4 week
• Submit copies desired for binding (minimum of 4) and complete
copyright application form
 Essentials of communication skills

• Communication is the activity of conveying information through

exchange of messages by speech, visuals, writing or behavior

• The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has

been accomplished
 Components of communication

Context – reason for communication

• Internal – company wants to discuss an idea to its employees, either
in writing or verbal
• External – some query from stakeholders in email, telephone, letter,
verbal, etc

Sender (encoder) – writer / speaker

• Sender choose words, pictures that express the objective in real sense
 Cont..
Message
• Verbal – written or spoken
• Non – verbal – gestures, facial expressions, body movement, posture
• Pictorial – diagrams, charts, graphs, pictures, objects
• Aural – tone of your voice, variations in pitch and volume, other vocal
variety
Medium – Channel
• Writing or non-verbal
Receiver (decoder) – to whom the message is being sent
• Reader or listener
Feedback – success or …. of message
• Response / reaction of receiver after receiving message
 Essentials of effective communication

• Encourage creative and critical thinking

• Understand information needs, cultural background and subject
knowledge
• Handle interpersonal relations
• Take appropriate decisions
• Good impression and impact to gain professional development
• Keep It Simple, Selene! Don’t load with acronyms, excessive text, or
complicated figures.
ORAL PRESENTATION
o Making a good oral presentation is an art that involves attention to
needs of your audience, careful planning and attention to
delivery

ATTRIBUTES OF GOOD ORAL COMMUNICATION:

o Sound and sound combinations
o Stress, Rhythm and Intonation
o Speed: pausing
o Clarity of articulation
o Voice modulation: volume & pitch variation – avoiding “monotonous”
speech
• Preparation (8 minute talk is equivalent to 4 double spaced pages
in 12-pt
o Analyze your action
o Define what action you want them to take
o Arrange your argument to move them
• Visual Aids
o Maps, Photos, film clips, graphs, diagrams, and charts) can enhance a
presentation
• Handouts
o A handouts consists of name, title, data, abstract, outline and
bibliography of references
• Practice (inform, not overwhelm)
o Speak out loud yourself using your visual aids
o Adhere to your time limit
• Delivery Tips
o Adequate eye contact- size of the audience, never let them out of your
sight
o Interpersonal communication
o Professionalism and enthusiasm
o At the end, summarize main points and have a confident and clear
conclusion
• Fear and Nervousness
o Accept nervousness for what it is
o A good preparation will increase your self-confidence
• Evaluation
o Noting down important points arising out of discussion
o Keep a possible evaluation in mind
 POSTER PRESENTATION
• Poster presentation advertises your project
• It combines text and graphics to present research information in
an interesting and accessibly way
• A poster presentation allows you to interact one-on-one with
people interested in your research
• Poster sessions allow for 2 hours or more of discussion with
interested visitors

Characteristics of good posters:

• Posters are permanent, portable and well-sequenced (Ordered)
• Posters can be simple or very elaborate (Focused)
• Posters can be used alone or in a series to tell a story (Graphic)
 POSTER CONTENT:
• Paper size : A0 (1180 x 841 mm)
• Title (96 pt)
• Authors(s) / Institution(s) (72 pt)
• Abstract (36 pt)
• Introduction and Purpose (36 pt)
• Methodology (24 pt)
• Tables (24 pt)
• Graphs (24 pt)
• Pictures (24 pt)
• Data and Results (24 pt)
• Summary and Conclusion (24 pt)
• References and Acknowledgements (optional) (18 pt)
POSTER PRESENTATION GUIDELINES:
• Keep text brief
• Keep figures simple (a picture is work a thousand words)
• Should be readable to someone standing at a distance of 6 feet
• Use appropriate blank space between words, sections and
figures
• Horizontal posters will only fit the boards
(4-ft. high x 8-ft. wide free standing)

LIMITATIONS OF POSTER PRESENTATION

• Posters tend to contain too much detail
• Transporting them can be difficult
• The more elaborate posters require extensive preparation and
can be quite costly
 TAILORING PRESENTATION TO TARGET AUDIENCE
Effective presentation attributes:
• Content – relevant, Informative, Illustrative, Factual and
Observation
• Presenters Voice Delivery – Tone, Modulate, Pause, volume
and Language
• Presenter – Animated, Body language, Attire, Listening and
Seeing
 SIX STEP APPROACH FOR SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION
• Plan – Market analysis and fundamental thinking
• Organize – framework, skeleton of the package
• Support – material developed
• Stage – head off, presenter identifies facilities, equipment,
and schedules
• Deliver – Show time, convey information, ideas and
propositions
• Follow-up – take care of loose ends, apply lessons learned
toward a better job
Do’s and Don’ts in presentations:
 VISUAL DELIVERY

• Visual delivery (visual aid) will enhance a presentation by adding

impact and strengthening audience involvement
o To connect with audience
o To direct and hold attention of audiences
o To enhance audiences’ understanding and memory by easily
digestible information
• Needs advance preparation and should be operated with
efficiency.
 COMMON VISUAL AIDS
• Whiteboards and Interactive Whiteboards
• Flip chart – low cost, low tech solution
• Recording interactive meetings and brainstorming sessions
• Collecting ideas and responses from audiences
• Good for spontaneous summaries
• Over-head projector (OHP) – older, still be effective for large and small groups
• Displays can be prepared on acetates, both in written and graphic form
• Slides – arrange in correct order
• Good blackout Is required for images
• Eye contact with audiences may lost
• Video – training purposes
• DVD, online sources
• PowerPoint or other presentation software – most common
• Use less visual effects
• Handouts – main points of a presentation
• Place them on seats prior to start or giving them out at end of presentation
• PowerPoint automatically generates handouts.