1. The Research Proposal: What is it? Why do I write one? How do I write one? Gary Smith Professor, Earth & Planetary Sciences Director, Office of Support for Effective Teaching gsmith@unm.edu

2. Find someone in the room that you don’t know and sit next to them. 2 minutes: By yourself, think about how you’d describe your research project to your partner. Think “brief” - this is your “elevator speech”. 2 minutes each: Describe your projects to one another.

3. What questions did you want to ask when you were listening to the other researcher describe his or her project?

4. How many of you thought of … “Why” questions? Why would this project be worthwhile? Why does my partner want to do this project? “How” questions? How can you get this information/data? How can you do this kind of work? “Who” questions? Who will you work with on this project? Who does this kind of research? What other questions did you come up with?

5. Why write a research proposal? Preparation to successfully do the research. A guide to what needs to be done –Can (should) have flexibility In the “real world”: –Obtain funds –Win contracts

6. The research proposal explains the research project WHAT is your motivation? –problem and/or hypothesis WHAT will you do? HOW will you do it? –research plan WHY do it? –significance The most essential ingredients:

7. The research proposal explains the research project WHERE will you do it? WHO will do it with you? WHEN will you do it? (HOW MUCH will it cost?) The most essential ingredients

8. How do I get started with my proposal? 1.Understand 1.Understand the problem/hypothesis that drives the research. 2.Find out what is already known that is relevant to the problem/hypothesis and clarify what remains to be done. 3.Understand the types of new information/data that you need to acquire in order to complete the research AND how to acquire it (laboratory work, interviews, observations, archival research, etc.) 4.Identify who you will need help from (and permissions from) in order to acquire the information/data that you need.

9. A Possible Proposal Outline TitleTitle Introduction to problem/hypothesisIntroduction to problem/hypothesis Background information (Previous Work)Background information (Previous Work) Research planResearch plan Work plan/ScheduleWork plan/Schedule SignificanceSignificance (Budget)(Budget)