TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND NATURAL RESOURCES
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSAL OUTLINE
1. TITLE: The project title should be descriptive of the scope of the research, but
it should be no longer than necessary. The use of phrases such as "Studies
of ...", "Investigations in Relation to ...", or "Research dealing with ..." should
not be included in titles. A title should be a concise, clear and specific
statement of the research that is proposed.
2. DATE OF PROPOSAL INITIATION: This is the date for initiation of research
that is being described. The date of preparation of the Research Project
Proposal should not be confused with the date of initiation of research.
3. EXPECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: Determine a date that is reasonable to
expect that the stated objectives will be satisfied, with respect to procedures,
funding and date of publication of results.
4. PERSONNEL: Use initials and last name for the following: A) Principal
investigator (only one); B) Co-Workers; C) Cooperators; and D) Advisors.
Individuals listed should be potential authors on publications resulting from
the project.
5. COOPERATING AGENCIES AND/OR DEPARTMENTS: This section should
include a list of agencies and/or departments that have been contacted to
provide assistance in this research project. The list should consider the
assistance by the agencies and/or departments to satisfy the objectives and
procedures in the plan of work.
6. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF PROBLEM AND JUSTIFICATION FOR
RESEARCH: This section of the proposal should describe the problem(s)
being addressed and its importance. The following questions should be
answered:
a. What is the general problem or the broad problem area the proposed
research is addressing?
b. What is the specific research problem or need? Why is this a
researchable problem?
c. What is the importance of the problem to the
region/State/Nation/World?
d. What are the benefits which may result from the proposed research?
e. What preliminary data or literature has been collected that demonstrate
and support this project proposal for funding?
Answers to "a" should provide the background or the setting for the
researchable problem. It gives the larger picture into which the specific
researchable problem fits. Answers to "b" should narrow the perspective of
the problem to a set of issues on which knowledge is needed. Items in “c,”
and “d” should identify what knowledge is needed, the reasons the
knowledge is needed, and by whom it is needed, and the potential purposes
it could serve. To complete the Introduction, answers to parts a, b, c, and d
should be supported by a review of previous work, findings, and/or state of
the art. This review is an abstract or a summary of relevant literature which
provides background information on the problem. The review should provide
answers to the following:
7. OBJECTIVES: The objectives are the nucleus of the Research Project
Proposal. The objectives should be stated in two parts: A) Overall/General
objective (it is the central objective of the research and flows directly from the
specific problem); and B) Specific objectives (constitute a set of subobjectives that contribute to accomplishment of the general objective). The
objectives identify the goals of the research, not the means of accomplishing
the goals. The objectives should be organized in a logical sequence in order
of their priority and end with those which may depend upon the success in
meeting a higher priority objective first.
8. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: This part of the proposal should provide a
summary review of the research literature that is relevant to the study being
proposed. Its basic purpose is to provide the base of knowledge on what we
have already learned about matters that are addressed in the proposed
research.
9. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: Where appropriate, this section should
provide a theoretical analysis of the specific researchable problem that the
proposed research addresses. The central purpose of conceptual framework
is to ensure examination of the problem with appropriate concepts or theories.
10. HYPOTHESES: Hypotheses are assumptions about a research problem that
are subject to testing. The hypotheses should govern the research to be
conducted. Once a problem has been theoretically analyzed, the hypotheses
should provide the foundation for the objectives and the experimental design/
methods and procedures used to conduct the research.
11. METHODS AND PROCEDURES OR APPROACH: This section should
include an indication of the process that will be used to address the
objectives. If applicable, a statement or discussion of preliminary data would
be beneficial. The procedures should parallel the objectives and follow the
same order such that they can be related (e.g., "Objective (2) will be achieved
by ..."). It should give a definite and detailed plan of research with methods of
analysis, rather than a mere program of work. As far as possible, it should
show details of measurements to be used, data to be obtained, statistical
design, laboratory procedures, analytical procedures and methods of
interpreting results.
12. BUDGET: The budget should include an itemization of funding source(s) and
expenses for the project. Only items associated with a dollar value should be
shown in the budget, except that the principal investigator should be listed in
all budgets. The budget should be shown on a separate page.
13. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION: Each item shown as an expense in the budget
should be explained on a separate page, immediately following the budget
page. An explanation for each expense item could include the reason for the
expenditure, why it is an expense to the project, the number of units involved
and the cost per unit.
14. INTERNAL ROUTING SHEET: Upon completion of a Research Project
Proposal for external funding or sponsorship, an Internal Routing Sheet
should be attached as a cover sheet to the original copy of the proposal.