Why a proposal

1
Why a proposal?

• Background research needed to precisely define
  the objectives of your work
• Present a clear, documented justification for a)
  objective and b) approach to meeting it
• Detailed work plan for the project
• Elicit feedback from client and advisors early in
  the project
• Head start on your report
• Training

2
Parts of a research proposal

• Problem Statement
• Precise description of the problem
• Literature Review
• Necessary background to understand the problem,
  including what is already known
• Why is this a doable problem
• Why is it a problem
• Why do we think we can help to solve it
• Why this approach(es) to solving the problem
• Methods
• Data (sources, collection approach)
• Step by step description of how you will answer
  the question or meet objective
• Presentation of alternative solutions and
  criteria and approach used to evaluate them

3
Beginning Problem Formulation

• Define the Need - some situation that is not as
  it could be
• Client Need -Societal Need
• - note that client may not have articulated this
  or even realize think about what the barriers
  are to fulfilling a stated desire
• Constraints
• Things that must be considered in getting a need
  met - costs, uncertainty (climate change?),
  time frame
• Iteratively process to refine what the need
  actually is

4

• Example
• Stated Client Desire to encourage Green Roofs in
  Southern California
• Need - Information on potential benefits of
  green roofs? - Can general research be used? What
  is different about LA - plants? Storm water
  runoff? - refinement of need. Information on
  types of feasible roof design parameters and
  costs quantify potential storm water runoff
  reduction,
• Constraints Focus on green roofs rather than
  other storm water reduction techniques
• Note how this would look different if we began
  with a Societal Need reduce storm water
  pollution in LA, with a constraint being dont
  build treatment plants

5
Hints for Brainstorming

• Note the general areas and then narrow
• What are physical, economic, social components
  of the need
• Define the system boundaries, components,
  interactions between them and context/environment
• What is your system (physical, economic, social
  components) and environment
• What is the client need

6
Your role

• Take responsibility for your work and for the
  whole group
• Respect your own expertise, intuition,
  contributions
• Which means paying attention and thinking about
  how what other people in the group present
  connects to what you are doing, thinking saying,
  writing
• Actively listen - if something doesnt make sense
  ask even if its not your area of specialization
• Be respectful but direct clarify both what you
  like and what you dont like be specific

7
Roles in the group

• Take notes
• Lead discussion
• Coordinate meetings
• Primary contact with Client

8
Problem Statement (Locke et al., 2000, Proposals
that Work)
Problem -the experience we have when an
unsatisfactory situation is encountered
(Estimates of Salmon populations, based on catch
and science-based population studies, suggest
that populations have been declining in the Snake
River. The local watershed council has argued
that dams have caused this decline by increasing
stream temperature but other groups argue that
increases in stream temperature associated with
dams are not significant enough to impact fish.
Neither group has provided science-based
information to support their claims) Question -
a statement about what you wish to know about an
unsatisfactory situation (Do dams on the Snake
River increase summer stream temperature enough
to increase Salmon mortality or decrease Salmon
reproduction rates?) note this is a different
question from are dams the major cause of Salmon
population decline?) OR Objective - a
statement of the purpose of a research project
(Determine the optimal flow release strategy at
dam X given the need to maintain stream
temperature about mortality thresholds for Salmon
and irrigation requirements for local
farmers Purpose -explicit intention of the
investigator to accumulate data in such a way as
to answer the research question - (Model stream
temperatures at 3 locations downstream of dams.
Model will be used to estimate stream temperature
with and without dam for the past 10 years and
determine whether there is a significant increase
in frequency of stream temperature above
biological thresholds for Salmon mortality and
reproduction with dams) Another purpose might be
(Analyze stream temperature data for pre and post
dam to see if there is a significant increase in
the frequency of stream temperature greater than
biological thresholds for ..)
9
For next week Draft of Problem Statement - 1pg
from each group List of Questions that need to
be answered to refine problem statement include
questions for client and questions requiring
literature research - 1pg from each group Go to
Career Resource Room at Career Services to
complete BARC cards and receive instructions on
how to access and take the Myers-Briggs by
Wednesday, April 9. Students will need to
complete the assessment no later than midnight
that same day. Very important Inform the peer
in the Career Resource Room that they are taking
the Myers-Briggs for a class.