Writing Your JPC Research Proposal

Purpose of a Proposal• Introduces your topic• Tells anyone who

reads it why you want to do the research - Why it is important?

• Addresses the “so what” factor • Proposes a question to study

Purpose of a Proposal • What you are going to

do and how you are going to go about the work?

• How you are going to analyze what you find?

• A good proposal presents sufficient material to convince readers that the study is worth doing that you know what you’re doing

Elements of a Proposal• Identify the Problem • Relevant Literature (informs the problem)• Question (how you will address the problem)• Methods (your strategy for answering the

question, includes a discussion of how you will collect and analyze your data)JPC proposals should also describe the

service aspect of their project

Example JPC Proposal Is the problem clearly stated?What is the research question/hypothesis?What methods will they use to address this hypothesis?What data will they collect and how will they analyze their

data? What are the intended outcomes of the study? Are they

clear?Will it benefit the community and if so how?Do the authors clearly describe what they are going to do?

The JPC application

• Application formBudgetProposal narrativeJPC team member application

The JPC application (continued) • Recommendation letter from faculty advisor• Project endorsement letter from community

partner• Unofficial transcripts•Preliminary work plan

Considerations• Audience• Requirements from application – Follow

instructions!• Writing (style and grammar)• Role of the community partner

“I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter.”

Blaise Pascal, 17th-century French philosopher and mathematician

Tips for a Successful Proposal• Work in collaboration with your faculty

advisor• Answer the “W” questions, Who, What,

When, Where• Have someone unfamiliar with your project

read your proposal• Be specific about outputs and outcomes

Tips for a Successful Proposal• Community partners should be involved at the

earliest stages • Research processes and outcomes should

benefit the community• Productive partnerships between researchers

and community members should be encouraged to last beyond the life of the project

Questions

Brian Cullaty Assistant to the Vice Provost for Academic Programs

(434) 924-3306brc7q@virginia.edu