1. WRITING YOUR PROPOSAL Laura E. Mitchell, PhD Associate Dean for Research

2. RESOURCES

3. https://sph.uth.edu/research/student-research/

4. RESEARCH OFFICE Rebecca Novak –x9055, W210 Peggy Weinshilboum –x9310, W212

5. Basic writing skills Scientific writing skills Electronic and library resources Generate and catalog ideas Read and attend lectures/seminars outside of class requirements! PREPARE

6. COMMITTEES Membership – Current students>Forms>Committee Forms PhD/DrPH: Doctoral Dissertation Committee Form Timing Roles – Student – Faculty

7. Meeting schedules Proposal format – Length, content, reference/bibliography style Writing schedule Proposal feedback and revisions PLAN

8. THE PROPOSAL Background/Introduction Public Health Significance Specific Aims/Hypotheses/Objectives Methods References/Bibliography Optional Sections Preliminary data Mock-up of results https://sph.uth.tmc.edu/content/uploads/2012/02/CulminatingExperienceGuide_V2_Oct11.pdf https://sph.uth.tmc.edu/content/uploads/2012/02/Doctoral-Dissertaton-and-MS-Thesis-Guide_V1- FEB2012.pdf https://sph.uth.tmc.edu/content/uploads/2012/02/Doctoral-Dissertaton-and-MS-Thesis-Guide_V1- FEB2012.pdf Background Public Health Significance Aims/Objectives Methods WRITEWRITE

9. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION Review relevant literature State problem/need/gap Argue importance (Rationale)

10. PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNFICANCE Of your project

11. SPECIFIC AIMS Questions that will be answered Needs that will be met Gaps that will be filled

12. METHODS All proposals require methods All aims require methods

13. METHODS Provide details required for someone else to replicate your study – what you will do and how you will do it Focus on methods not software Clearly distinguish what has been done from what will be done – Use past and future tense appropriately Contract with committee

14. OPTIONAL: PRELIMINARY DATA Projects that are largely complete or that have been completed prior to writing your proposal, including work that has been submitted for publication or previously published, may not be used for your WCE/thesis/dissertation.

15. OPTIONAL: PRELIMINARY DATA If you have done work in preparation for writing your proposal, for example as part of your practicum or as a graduate research assistant, you should include a summary of the work that has already been done, in past tense.

16. OPTIONAL: RESULTS If you include this section, it should provide an outline of how your results will be presented and mock-ups of the tables and/or figures that will be used to present your data.

17. FORMAT LENGTH

18. WHAT ELSE? Committee approval UTSPH forms complete Enroll for > 3 credits – semester in which the proposal is submitted and all subsequent semesters until project is completed – does not have to be thesis/dissertation credits

19. AND… Submit to UTSPH Office of Research Obtain Institutional approvals (e.g. CPHS) ADR approval – UTSPH turn-around < 2 weeks from submission of COMPLETE packet

20. IRB Human subject research – If in doubt, check! MUST have UTHSC CPHS approval – Others approvals may also be required Approval – Student protocol – Student added to UT faculty protocol

21. PROPOSAL DEADLINES Fall 2015 – Submission: October 23 – Approval: November 13 Spring 2016 – Submission: March 4 – Approval: April 1 Summer 2016 – Submission: June 24 – Approval: July 15

22. UTSPH - Not approved Insufficient methods Insufficient information about data sources – Questions about need for IRB review What has been done/what remains to be done not clear

23. Doctoral Dissertation Awards 5/year – Fall and Spring calls for proposals Deadlines 2-3 weeks after proposal approval deadline Fall 2015, 12/10 < $2000 / research related expenditures Requirements: – Passed preliminary/qualifying exam – Approved proposal