AAPM&R-RPC: Resident’s
Research Packet
Research Proposals
A
research proposal should be written before starting any new project. The
proposal is usually used by Institutional Review Boards and required to get
funding for any research project (even from in-house sources). Even if your
institution doesn’t require a formal proposal, we suggest that you write
one. Writing a proposal forces one to think about the details of the project
and can solidify the research design. Furthermore, it is easier to write the final paper when you have a good
proposal from which to work.
The
general format for a research proposal is very similar to that of a scientific
paper. The first section is an introduction,
which outlines why you are going to do the project,
briefly reviews related research and states what is unique about the
proposed project. A background
section is often included next. The literature is reviewed in this section and
related to the proposed project. The methods
section is the heart of the proposal. As in any scientific paper, the methods
section should be detailed enough to allow another person to replicate the
work. The fourth section reports preliminary
results (if you have any), or you can have a “predicted results” section where you discuss what format you
plan for your data and describe your method of analysis. Finally, a discussion
section is usually included to emphasize important points, mention problems
that may occur, explain how you will deal with anticipated problems, and
generally sell the project. A proposed budget is usually included also, and references should be listed at the end, as with any paper.
One
additional element that accompanies the proposal for any clinical research
project is the informed consent
form. Whenever humans are involved as research subjects (patients,
controls, “normals”), they must sign a written statement indicating that
the research project was explained, i.e. the purpose was identified; the
risks, benefits, and procedures to be done listed; the payment understood (if
applicable); and persons involved identified with someone listed as the
project contact. The format of a consent form may vary. You can generally
follow the guidelines listed by your institution. The key is to keep things
simple! The goal is to give the reader a layman’s synopsis of your entire
proposal. Thus, medical jargon must be kept to a minimum. Remember, before
signing, your subject should be able to read it, and, more importantly,
understand it.
Grant applications are specialized forms of research proposals. The
funding agency usually will be very specific about what to include and how
long each section can be. Remember that grants are very competitive these
days. Be extremely careful with your organization, thought development, and
detail when writing a grant.
For more
help in writing a proposal, a number of useful references are listed below.
Some do’s and don’ts for writing a successful proposal are listed on the
next few pages. These tips came primarily from The
Handicapped Funding Directory by Richard Eckstein.
References On Proposal and
Grant Writing
-
Coley SM, et al.
Proposal writing. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2000.
-
Locke LF, et al.
Proposals that work:
a guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2000.
-
Sherman TA, et
al. Modern technical writing.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.; 1990.
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