Template For Socio-behavioural Sciences (Nutrition and Pharmacy)
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
Title of Research Proposal
Student Name
(Supervisor)
Date
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. ii
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................iii
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ iv
List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. v
Hypothesis ............................................................................................................................. #
Objectives .............................................................................................................................. #
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ #
Heading 1 ......................................................................................................... #
Subheading 1 ............................................................................................. #
Heading 2 ......................................................................................................... #
Subheading 2 ............................................................................................. #
Methods and Procedures ....................................................................................................... #
Analytical Method 1 .......................................................................................... #
Assay 1 ............................................................................................................. #
Statistical Analysis ............................................................................................ #
Results ................................................................................................................................... #
Experiment 1..................................................................................................... #
Experiment 2..................................................................................................... #
Discussion ............................................................................................................................. #
Heading 1 .................................................................................................................... #
Subheading 1.................................................................................................... #
Heading 2 .................................................................................................................... #
Subheading 2.................................................................................................... #
Future Work ........................................................................................................................... #
ii
Heading 1 ......................................................................................................... #
Heading 2 ......................................................................................................... #
Timeline ................................................................................................................................. #
References ............................................................................................................................ #
iii
List of Figures
Figure 1. Title 1 ...................................................................................................................... #
Figure 2. Title 2 ...................................................................................................................... #
Figure 3. Title 3 ...................................................................................................................... #
Figure 4. Title 4 ...................................................................................................................... #
iv
List of Tables
Table 1. Title 1 ....................................................................................................................... #
Table 2. Title 2 ....................................................................................................................... #
Table 3. Title 3 ....................................................................................................................... #
Table 4. Title 4 ....................................................................................................................... #
v
List of Abbreviations
vi
Hypothesis
 You may have more than one hypothesis statement or one global hypothesis
statement. The statement(s) should be worded in a manner that results in a testable
statement.
Objectives
 The objective statements should clearly identify what you need to do to test your
hypothesis statement.
1. To determine …
2. To establish …
3. To identify …
Introduction
 Provide a paragraph that gives an overview of the major premise of your research (i.e.
what you intend to discover and why this is important)
Heading 1
 Include basic background information that is well referenced. Use a reference manager
system. If you do not have a reference manager software program you can use the
online RefWorks available through the library. You should bolster the introduction
section with each advisory committee report to continue building your literature review.
Subheading 1
Heading 2
Subheading 2
1
Methods and Procedures
 Identify the methods and protocols that will or have been used in accomplishing the
goals identified in objectives 1 to 3. Be sure to clearly outline the method of sampling
(random sample (explain method), sequential subjects, volunteers, etc) and allocation
if a comparative study is undertaken.
 Always include a statement indicating that your protocols have been approved by the
appropriate ethics board and be sure to explain the steps taken to ensure privacy and
confidentiality if it is not easily conveyed in the methods / procedures section.
Statistical Analysis
 Always include this section even if you will only use descriptive statistics (i.e. mean ±
SD).
 Statistical methods should be clearly explained. For example, all statistical tests
should be stated along with their intended use for the data. If regression is used, the
steps used to build the final model must be outlined, especially if the dependent
variable is a major / primary outcome of interest.
Results
 Use appropriate and well-formatted tables and figures (you might as well format tables
and figures according to Graduate Studies guidelines at this point). Table and Figures
should contain sufficient information to indicate how the data was generated as well as
the results expressed. Each table and figure should be able to stand alone without the
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need to refer to the text of the results section.
 Use appropriate statistics and indicate significance with the actual P value.
For students whose body of work cannot easily be formatted under the same headings,
it is acceptable to state objectives separately and repeat the headings (introduction,
methods and procedures, results)
Discussion
 The discussion should indicate your interpretation of your results and you should place
your interpretation into the context of the known literature.
Heading 1
Subheading 1
Heading 2
Subheading 2
Future Work
 Briefly but clearly indicate what experiments/literature review you need to do to
complete your program of studies.
Heading 1
Heading 2
3
Timeline
 Identify a timeline for completion of the remaining experiments and when you believe
you will have your Permission-to-Write or Defense if appropriate.
References
 You have a choice of either using numbers within the text with the number
corresponding to the order of appearance of the reference or use in text Author/Year
citation with the reference list in alphabetical order.
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