Good and Fail Proposal

Good and Fail Proposal

Written by Catherine Dawson in A Practical Guide to Research Methods. Oxford: How To Content.2007. pp. 64-65

 

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PROPOSAL?
- Relevance, either to the work of the funding body or to the student’s course.
- The research is unique, or offers new insight or development.
- The title, aims and objectives are all clear and succinct.
- Comprehensive and thorough background research and literature review has been undertaken.
- There is a good match between the issues to be addressed and the approach being adopted.
- The researcher demonstrates relevant background knowledge and/or experience.
- Timetable, resources and budget have all been worked out thoroughly, with most eventualities covered.
- Useful policy and practice implications.

REASONS WHY RESEARCH PROPOSALS FAIL
- Aims and objectives are unclear or vague.
- There is a mismatch between the approach being adopted and the issues to be addressed.
- The overall plan is too ambitious and difficult to achieve in the timescale.
- The researcher does not seem to have conducted enough in-depth background research.
- Problem is of insufficient importance.
- Information about the data collection method is insufficiently detailed.
- Information about the data analysis method is insufficiently detailed.
- Timescale is inappropriate or unrealistic.
- Resources and budget have not been carefully thought out.