Students who have successfully finished their Applied projects often write that along with proactive diligence and flexible adaptation to uncontrollable variables, the key to Applied success lies in the prompt development of a clear and detailed project Proposal. Many are wondering: “what topic should I pick?”  Maybe there is an ongoing or upcoming project at work in that you can develop or implement; possibly there was a topic during the master’s program that you wanted to learn more about; possibly a hot health issue or a cool policy topic that you have an opinion about or want to poll others to get a sense of what a population is thinking about – there are endless possibilities for your project! If you are stuck and need an idea, we are more than happy to brainstorm with you. Extra effort now will considerably smooth your project progress, so develop this document with care, and be as specific as possible throughout this formal delineation of your project and its where, why, what, how, and when.

Instructions

View the HCR 593 Proposal Template: HCR 593 – Applied Project Proposal Template_DRAFT Update 13Mar2024 CLEAN-1.docx

The preliminary proposal should be formatted as follows:

Style is equally as important as content. It is critical to write clearly and concisely and pay close attention to grammar and spelling. Avoid colloquialisms and slang. Avoid careless mistakes. The proposal should be well-written and proofread carefully. Poorly written proposals will be returned for revision.

The proposal should be written in a serious and matter-of-fact tone, as you find in a peer-reviewed journal article. Refrain from stating personal opinions or any personal narrative outside of the personal statement.

As you prepare your applied project proposal, using the provided template, think about the following including all of the following:

Provide a one-sentence description that defines your project. Save the specifics for the sections below; here, simply label the big picture. Start thinking of terms/acronyms that you may need to define.

Clarify the location and the most relevant background there – the “where” – of your proposed project. Clearly specify the “arena” for this project. As appropriate (different project types involve differing ranges of external contact), include mention of any key agencies, departments, and/or parties involved. If your project is primarily analytical (e.g. analyzing an organization, a group, a process, a body of rhetoric or literature, etc.), specify the genres and types of research materials you will be exploring.

Identify the main issues that you have chosen to address and justify their importance – the “why” of your project. Clarify the problem, or “opportunity,” at the setting named above, and explain the relevance of addressing this problem or opportunity.

State your targeted outcomes for this project – the “what” – of your project.  What, exactly, are you going to acquire, accomplish, produce, and/or deliver? Note that the broader goals (e.g. “to improve communication between departments”) are identified earlier, under “Relevance.” By contrast, in this section you must name the specific and concrete – if possible, measurable – accomplishments (external and personal) intended of your project.

Describe your proposed game plan – the “how” – through which you plan to obtain the outcomes described above.  That is, how will you go about accomplishing the objectives you defined in the previous section?  Provide an overview of your planned approach to reaching your stated objectives, and also list any essential resources (material and human!) you will need in order to succeed.  Be clear on how and when (during this project or at a later time) your project will be implemented. Also, include a specific manner of project evaluation. How will you determine your level of success? What will you measure? Whose evaluative input will you seek?