Writing Effective Research
Proposals
Getting my research funded!
Philippine National Health Research System
Davao City
August 12,2009
Applying for a job
• Be definite about what you want
• Get to know the company or organization –
what the organization needs
• Package yourself – match what you want
with what the organization wants
You’re Hired!
Getting my research funded!
Applying for a job
Getting my research
funded!
• What you want
• What do you want to do
---topic, research question
• What the organization wants
• What the funding agency
wants
• Packaging
• Writing Effective Research
Proposals
You’re Hired!
You’re Funded
What do I want to do?
• Topic
• Research Question
• Objectives
Research Question
• Adapted from a handout
▫ produced by NCSALL Practitioner Research Group
on Learner Motivation, Retention, and Persistence,
1998
▫ Accessed on Jan 13, 2006 at
www.aelweb.vcu.edu/publicatins/research/meetings/meeting1/session
• How to formulate a research question? Research
Bites. University of NSW, August 2002
What makes a good research
question?
Reading Material 1
• addresses a need or a problem
that you encounter as a
practitioner
• doesn’t need to be unique, but
it must be important to you
and your practice
• challenges you to learn
• researchable
Material 2: FINER
Feasible
I nteresting
Novel
Ethical
Relevant
What makes a good research
question?
Reading Material 1
Material 2: FINER
• Doable
• Inspires you
• Not too general
• Not too narrow
• Cannot be answered by a “yes”
or “no”
Feasible
I nteresting
Novel
Ethical
Relevant
Types of good research questions
Material 1
Material 2
• What’s going on here...?
• Descriptive
• Analytical [Observational
Studies]
• What happens when....?
▫ Trying out a new strategy
▫ Involves an intervention/s
• Analytical
▫ Experimental
▫ Quasi-experimental
10
Analytical Research Questions
Independent Variable
[Intervention/Exposure]
Psyllium fiber
Dependent Variable
(Outcome)
Total Cholesterol
Diet, Exercise, Age, Gender, Concomitant Medications
Analytical Research Questions
P
I
C
O
•
•
•
•
Patient [or Problem]
Intervention [Exposure-- PECO]
Comparison Intervention [Control]
Outcomes
• PICOM
• PECOM
What happens if psyllium fiber is added to a dietexercise regimen for hypercholesteolemia?
PICO
P
Patients with hypercholesterolemia
I
Psyllium fiber + diet-exercise regimen
C
Diet-Exercise Regimen
O
????
What happens to total cholesterol if psyllium
fiber is added to a diet-exercise regimen for
hypercholesteolemia?
What happens to total cholesterol if psyllium
fiber is added to a diet-exercise regimen for
hypercholesteolemia?
PICO
P
Patients with hypercholesterolemia
I
Psyllium fiber + diet-exercise regimen
C
Diet-Exercise Regimen
O
Total cholesterol
M
????
In a randomized controlled trial, what happens
to total cholesterol if psyllium fiber is added to a
diet-exercise regimen for hypercholesteolemia?
Getting my research funded!
Applying for a job
• What you want
Getting my research
funded!
• What do you want to do
---topic, research question
• What the organization wants
• What the funding agency
wants
• Packaging
You’re Hired!
• Writing Effective Research
Proposals
You’re Funded
What does the funding agency wants?
Funding Agency
Research Priorities
WHO-Tropical Disease Research
Tropical Diseases
Global Fund
TB, Malaria and HIV
Commission on Higher Education
Education [best teaching methods, brain
drain, administrative aspects of
education etc
USAID
Programs for Mindanao
PNHRS
NUHRA
Getting my research funded!
Applying for a job
• What you want
Getting my research
funded!
• What do you want to do
---topic, research question
• What the organization wants
• What the funding agency
wants
• Packaging
You’re Hired!
• Writing Effective
Research Proposals
You’re Funded
Writing Effective Proposals
• Visit website of your target funding agency
• Requirements
▫ Format of the research proposal
▫ Details
 Process of screening
 Short-listing
 Deadlines
▫ Other aspects [knowledge translation, layman’s
version of your proposal]
• After submission, visit website or inquire from office
re status of your proposal
Pan-American Health Organization
• Guide for writing a research protocol
• http://www.paho.org/English/HDP/HDR/RPG/Pro
on July 23, 2007
BASIC OUTLINE OF A RESEARCH PROTOCOL
TITLE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT
PROJECT SUMMARY
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM (scientific justification)
JUSTIFICATION AND USE OF THE RESULTS (final objectives, applicability)
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK (argumentation, possible answers, hypothesis)
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES (general and specific)
METHODOLOGY
Operational Definitions (operationalization)
Type of Study and General Design
Universe of Study, Sample Selection and Size, Unit of Analysis and Observation, Selection Criteria
Proposed Intervention (if applicable)
Data Collection Procedures, Instruments Used, and Methods for Data Quality Control
Procedures to Ensure Ethical Considerations in Research with Human Subjects
PLAN FOR ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Methods and Models of Data Analysis according to Types of Variables
Programs to be Used for Data Analysis
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
TIMETABLE
BUDGET
ANNEXES (Data collection instruments, elaboration on methods and procedures to be used, etc.)
Workshop
• Write your Research Question – PICOM/PECOM
• Write the Introduction of your proposal –PAHO
Guide
▫ Statement of the Problem
▫ Justification and Use of Results [Knowledge
Translation]
▫ Theoretical Framework
• Write your Research Objectives