1. How to Write a Winning Research Proposal
Prof. Dr. Benyamin Kusumoputro
Computational Intelligence Research Lab.
Faculty of Computer Science
University of Indonesia

2. Principal Components of Research Proposals
Problem
Solver
Research Design
Properly fit with sponsorship view points
Represented by examiners (refer the winning proposals)

3. Weaknesses in Research Proposals
Research Problem
Unfocused Research Theme (difficult to evaluate)
Problem Statement too complex
Unimportant Methods (see reference)
Limited relevance, benefits
Not properly fit with sponsorship
Represented by examiners (refer the winning proposals)

4. Weaknesses in Research Proposals
Research Design
Unfocused Research Design (difficult to evaluate)
Inappropriate design, produce impossible data
Inappropriate procedures for problem
Lacking controls
Not properly fit with sponsorship
Represented by examiners (refer the winning proposals

5. Proposal Characteristics
Straightforward document
No extraneous or irreverent material
The first words are the most important
Not a literary production
Clear, sharp and precise
economy of words; no rambling sentences
Clearly organized
Structurally outline your thinking (heading etc)

6. Components of the Research Proposal
First Part
Research Problem Description
Research Objectives
Literature Review
Importance/Benefits of the Study
Research Design
Second Part
Deliverables
Schedule
Facilities and Special Resources
References
Budget Appendix

7. 1. Problem Statement What is the ‘Current Status of Problem’
Current Problem, Current Methods, Current Analysis,
Scope of your focus on ‘Current Status of Problem’ (nationally, internationally)
Why change the ‘current status’ and how
What the dilemma behind (current methods, analysis)
Why we like to change (current methods, analysis)
How we change the ‘Current Status’
Brief explanation, explain thoroughly in methods

8. Tricks on Writing Problem Statement
Reread and adjust your proposal to the ‘need of the problem’ of the sponsor
Convince the ‘sponsor’ to continue reading your proposal
Your method ‘self explanatory’ about ‘your ability’ to solve the problem

9. Purpose of the Problem Statement
Clearly write your own ‘angle’ on the problem
Clearly state the reason behind your proposal
Specifies the condition(s) you want to change
Supported by evidence (prior research by you)
Show your prior research on the topic (results, publish paper)
Even if the problem is obvious, your reviewers want to know how clearly you can state it

10. 2. Research Objectives How you like to change ‘current status’
state your hypotheses clearly
give the reviewer a concrete, achievable goal
Verify the consistency of the proposal
checking to see that each objective is discussed in the research design, data analysis and results sections

11. Tricks on Research Objectives
Flows naturally from Problem Statement to Research Objectives
Focus, concise and logically explained
Consistent with your ability in the real problem (track record, publish paper etc)
Take a look at the winning proposal for each sponsorship… reflecting their ‘way of thinking’
Scope of the Sponsor about those ideas (your idea and ability must be properly match)

12. Purpose of the Research Objectives Section
Specify the outcome of your project, the end product(s)
Keep you objectives
Specific: indicate precisely what you intend to change through your project
Measurable –what you accept as proof of project success
Logical – how each objective contributes to systematically to achieving your overall goal

13. Writing Tips for Objectives Section
Don’t confuse your objectives (ends) with you methods (means).
A good objective emphasizes what will be done, whereas a method will explain why or how it will be done.
Include goals (ultimate) and objectives (immediate)

14. 3. Literature Review
Recent or historically significant research studies
Always refer to the original source
Discuss how the literature applies, show the weaknesses in the design, discuss how you would avoid similar problems
Where is your position on this issue
How is your idea different/better?
Write down what you already gain in the first session of this workshop

15. 4. Importance/Benefits of the Study
Importance of the doing the study
Time and Place, Facilities
What are the potential impact on
Research community
Applications community
If you find this difficult to write, then most likely you have not understood the problem

16. 5. Research Design What you are going to do in technical terms.
May contain many subsections
Be specific about what research methodology you will use and why
Provide details of your proposed solutions to the problem and sub-problems
Provide information for tasks such as sample selection, data collection, instrumentation, validation, procedures etc

17. Purpose of the Research Design
Describes your project activities in detail
Indicates how your objective will be accomplished
Description should include the sequence, flow, and interrelationship of activities
It should discuss the risks of your method, and indicate why your success is probable
Relate what is unique about your approach.

18. Writing Tips for Research Design
Begin with your objectives
Describe the precise steps you will follow to carry out each objective, including what will be done, and who will do it.
Keep asking and answering the “What’s next?” question.
Once you have determined the sequence of events, derive into a time-and-task chart

19. 5. References Up-to-date Highly relevant with the problem
Original source
First Order : Journal Publications and Books
Second Order : Proceeding Publications
Third Order : Technical Report
Don’t include private communications
Don’t cite support for common knowledge (weakening yourself)

20. Reference and Citation
Carefully relate your new work to existing work, show how your work builds on previous knowledge, and how it differs from other relevant results.
References – demonstrate the claims of new, knowledge of the research area, pointers to background reading

21. 6. Schedule Include the major phases of the project
exploratory studies, data analysis, report generation

22. 7. Deliverables Measurement instruments Algorithms
Computer programs / prototypes
Comparative evaluation
Other technical reports

23. 8. Budget and Resources Access to special systems or computers
specialized computer algorithms
Itemized Budget
Budget Narrative
This part is usually an appendix.

24. Suggested Organization
Title, Abstract, Keywords
Introduction and Overview
Background information; problem statement
Hypotheses and objectives
Assumptions and delimitations
Importance and benefits
Related Work/Literature Review
Research Design and Methodology
Plan of Work and Outcomes
Conclusions and Future Work
References
Budget (appendix)

25. Strengthening Your Proposal
Review checklist for features of proposal
Peer Review before submit

26. Guide to Writing the Research Proposal

27. 5 Key Questions to Answer in Your Problem Statement
Does your problem statement:
Demonstrate a precise understanding of the problem you are attempting to solve?
Clearly convey the focus of your project early in the narrative?
Indicate the relationship of your project to a larger set of problems and justify why your particular focus has been chosen?
Demonstrate that your problem is feasible to solve?
Make others what to read it further?

28. 5 Key Questions to Answer for Purpose and Objectives
Does this section
Clearly describe your project’s objective, hypotheses and/or research question?
Bury them in a morass of narrative?
Demonstrate that your objectives are important, significant and timely?
Include objectives that comprehensively describe the intended outcomes of the project?
State objectives, hypothesis or questions in a way they can be evaluated or tested later

29. Key Questions to Answer for Research Design/Data Analysis
Does the research design and data analysis section
Describe why analysis is needed in the project?
Clearly identify the purpose of your analysis?
Demonstrate that an appropriate analysis procedure is included for each project objective
Provide a general organizational plan or model?
Demonstrate what information will be needed to complete the analysis, the potential sources and the instruments that will be used to collect it.

30. Additional Considerations

31. Scientific Writing Prosaic Clear, accurate, but not dull
To the point –but not over condensing
Ego less – you are writing for the readers not yourself

32. Scientific Tone Objective and accurate To inform not entertain
Do not over qualify – modify every claim with caveats and cautions
Use examples if they aid in clarification
Use to contrast a new idea with some impossibly bad alternative, to put the new idea in a favorable light

33. Scientific Motivation
Brief summaries at the beginning and end of each section
The connection between one paragraph and the next should be obvious
Make sure your reader has sufficient knowledge to understand what follows

34. Citation Style References should not be anonymous
Other work [6] -> Marsden [6] has …
In self-references, readers should know that you are using yourself to support your argument not independent authorities
Avoid unnecessary discussion of references, Several authors …., we cite …

35. Citation style
Ordinal-number style, name-and-date style, superscripted ordinal numbers, and strings.
Use anyone, but use one!
Entries ordered
By appearance of citation
alphabetically

36. Acknowledgements Anyone who made a contribution
Advice, proofreading, technical support, funding resources
Don’t list your family, unless they really contributed to the scientific contents

37. Ethics Don’t Present opinions as fact Distort truths Plagiarize
Imply that previously published results are original
Papers available on the internet – authors put out an informal publication and becomes accepted as a formal. It is expected that the informal version will be removed