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USD One Million
Follow up: SYLFF Plus Programmes: SRA,SYLFF prize,
SYLFF Leadership, Voices
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Source: Nippon Foundation
Administered by : Tokyo Foundation
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First Indian University
44 countries 69 institutions
 Each
year 3-4 fellowships are given
 29 fellowships given till date
 Highest valued fellowship in India
 Governed by the SYLFF Steering Committee
 Fellows are guided by SYLFF Mentors
 Office
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Research
Course work participation by fellows
Regional Forum
Workshop
Seminars
Exchange Visits
Social Outreach Programmes
Joyashree Roy
Project Director
JU-SYLFF Programme
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FAQ + FOC (frequently observed confusion)
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Enthusiasm because of the opportunity
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But lack of orientation/training
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Confusion
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Essay? Report? What topic? How to select the topic?
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PORUA THEKE GABESAK
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Taught mind
vs.
Research mind
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Some time-tested special techniques to be followed
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To ask questions, contradict, provide new explanation,
analysis, views, and directions…..
How to Write a Convincing
SYLFF (Research) Proposal
 To
address the Mission/Objective of the SYLFF
project
 DO YOU
 This
 This
KNOW?
is an Interactive Session
Research Orientation Session is about
asking insightful questions
 Thinking
mind
 Unending
questioning…
 Questioning
 Do
our existing realities
we accept them as they are and live in
complacence? Or, do we start questioning
them?
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To encourage independent research projects
To identify and understand social problems
Thinking within and going beyond disciplinary
boundaries
To nurture Leadership qualities: vision, innovation,
proactive thought processes
Problem solving attitude
Good peer-reviewed publishable analysis
The purpose of research is to answer “a” question.
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“A question” that is interesting
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Not to collect information without “a question”
1. Identify a problem
2. Ask a clear question
3. Limit the scope of the research
4. Say what is known and not known about the problem
5. Identify the skills and information needed to answer the question
6. Select the methods needed to collect & analyse the
data/information
7. Explain the kind of results expected and how they will be presented
8. Specify the timeline of research
 [Interactive]
 [Show
multi-disciplinary elements]
Some examples
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Violence against women
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Confusion around Economic system’s functioning
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Growing Social conflicts
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Inequality in growing affluence
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Growing environmental problems
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Rights vs. Access to basic services
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Governance: Democracy
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Migration
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Globalisation
Interaction with JU-SYLFF fellows to discuss their
research questions
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Choose only one question that deserves special
attention
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Will be interesting to larger audience
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Will produce results that will be new
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This is essentially what drives the goal of research;
the hypothesis needs to be tested…
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Environment induced migration
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Investment situation? What is in it for West Bengal?
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Migrants and cultural identity: Punjab and Bengal
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Globalisation and changing retail supply chain in India and
Africa
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Access to Health services : Prevention vs. cure
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Globalisation and Indian youths
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Literature review
Only relevant ones
• Relevant literature
• Show what is said
• Identify gaps
• Show your proposed contribution
Interactive sessions to discuss some examples
• Decide the goal of study
• Decide the objective of the study
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Subject skill, methodology
Types of information needed:
Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative,
Ethnographic, Archival
Source of information
New skills needed/training required?
Discussion with existing SYLFF Fellows to learn from
their experience
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Policy implication
Prescriptive vs implicative
Expected result
Possible user
Contribution to the existing literature
Deliverable: Journal/ Paper
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Make a chart
To follow work with rigorous discipline
To show value addition at each step
To focus on the scope of the research
Monthly/quarterly/biannual/annual review of research
To guarantee a timely completion of research work
undertaken
year 1
Literature survey
Objective firming up
Analytical Framework
Information collection
Analysis
Year 2
Year 3
General Writing Tips
Writing to Inform -- Writing to Persuade
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Appeals to the Goal of your readers!
This means you have to know about SYLFF (look up JUSYLFF website/ contact existing fellows/ get in touch
with the program assistant) as much as you can.
You can find out more at www.jusylffprogram.org.in
 Think
about your readers before and
while you are writing
You need to identify their interest by:
 finding out the SYLFF Focus
 finding out SYLFF Priorities
You can find this information by visiting JUSYLFF website, other SYLFF websites, TKFD
website, talking to Project Director, and the
SYLFF Fellows
 Make
your writing as easy to read as you
can:
• use simple words
• use short, direct sentences
• use short paragraphs
• use sub-heads
• use bullets
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Put points positively -- avoid negatives
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Write as briefly as you can
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Re-read and edit your work
 Projects
can have a theoretical or an
applied orientation
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Projects can be Desk Studies (e.g. modelling work,
case studies), or On-Site Activities.
Interactive Session– Discussions with
SYLFF Fellows
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Social Change?
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Contemporary or allied to contemporary issues?
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Tradition ?
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Sustainability of developmental (economic, political,
social, cultural….) process in general?
Multidisciplinary approach? E.g. past Fellows’ work
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Try the colon trick:
A colon makes a title short, snappy, easy to say
Some examples are:
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Impact of Coastal Inundation: Case of Sagar Island
Small and Medium Enterprises in India:An Analysis
of Funding Risks, Risk Mitigants and Sustainable
Development
 Inter-state
River Water Disputes in India:
Institutions and Mechanisms
 Performing the Political: Left Culture in West
Bengal
 Negotiating Informality: Changing Face of the
Footpaths in Kolkata, 1975 – 2005
 Coffee House to Barista: A Study of Cultural
Change
 Un-gendering Sports:Towards a Revaluation of the
Female Athletes in India
Offer a moderate, realistic timeline
within which you can deliver the
promised outputs and thereby contribute
to the existing literature.
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Use each day from today to write the proposal
Sleep on draft, then re-read, and edit it
Think, think and think…
Write, read, re-write, re-read…
Make final revisions
Get approvals from peers
Fill up form with immense care
Keep to the deadline and submit the Application Form
on time

www.sandeeonline.org
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eepsea.org
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columbia.edu/cu/cup
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worldbank.org/rad
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nber.org
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wider.unu.edu
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ssrn.com
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ideas.repec.org
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iber.berkeley.edu
ipcc.ch
unfccc.it
worldbank.org
developmentgoals.org
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Publication in International and National Journals.
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Presentations at Seminars
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Winning Erasmus Mundus, Fulbright Scholarships, etc.
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Chance to conduct advanced research in Mexico,
Canada, Australia, Japan, US, Egypt, Netherlands,
England, Sri Lanka, etc.
Representations in the Global SYLFF Council
 Any
A
questions, please?
Researcher/Potential Researcher has an
infinitely long list of questions…