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Research Proposals
In depth knowledge of a research area.
Articulate major unanswered questions or gaps in
knowledge in a research area.
Describe experimental approaches & data analysis
that test specific hypotheses and/or address
unanswered questions in a research area.
Proposal organizational format is directed at telling the
reader what questions/hypotheses you are addressing,
why the findings/answers are important and what
experimental approaches will be employed to obtain the
findings.
1. Hypothesis-driven
2. Hypothesis-generating
3. Methods development
Three broad classes of research proposals
Specific Aims
Background and Significance
Experimental Design and Methods
Three essential sections
Specific Aims
- A stand-alone description of the problems/
hypotheses that will be examined, and usually
includes a discussion of how the findings would
advance the field.
- A listing of what lines of investigation will be
used in the study and what will be learned.
Three essential sections
The Specific Aims has three components
1. Background narrative (like an abstract) that
provides a context for the questions that will
be addressed.
2. List of the questions /how the questions
will be addressed.
3. Discussion of the significance of the results
that will be obtained.
General background Specific background Novel finding Model to explain finding Goal & what will be learned
Listing of the Aims
(Here as a list of declarative statements.)
The listing of Aims or subAims can be either as
declarative statements or as a question or
a hypothesis.
Aim 3. Determine if LIREs in the lin-28 3 ’UTR are required for developmental timing of the L2-L3 transition during larval development. Are the LIREs in the lin-28 3 ’UTR required for developmental timing of the L2-L3 transition during larval development? I hypothesize that the lin-28 3 ’UTR is required for developmental timing of the L2-L3 transition during larval development.
Description of the significance of the findings, if
the proposed studies are successfully completed.
(Need not be a separate section, can be imbedded into the narrative.)
Background and Significance
Move from general to specific. Use headings to divide sections. Employ figures & tables to facilitate explanation.
General background context More specific background, essential info Importance of lin-28 3 ’UTR What proposal will focus on Another pathway that needs to be explored
In the Experimental Section, each Aim or subAim
should have four components
1. Rationale for the experiment
2. Experimental plan and controls
3. Interpretations
4. Alternative approaches and limitations
Ok to use these as heading. But more informative to have headings telling the reader what is the experiment, question or hypotheses that is being examined in the next section. Overall rational
Logic for what will be done General outline of experiment (limit the detail) Controls Typos!! Should be lin-4(lf);lin-14(lf)
Heading indicates question to be addressed in this section Presents overall approach, but not lost in experimental details
Expected result, given the model Reasonable possibility if expected result not found Anticipates potential pitfall Illustrates what is necessary to obtain reliable data
Example continued
An experimental approach for testing the hypothesis:
a) Determine if the cytoplasmic domain of Glut8 binds to ATGx, using the yeast two-hybrid screen. b) Identify small regions of Glut8 and ATGx that are responsible for binding, using the reverse yeast two-hybrid system. c) From the regions/amino acids of Glut8 and of ATGx responsible for binding, generate transgenes that contain alanine mutations in these sites, which should block binding but retain other functions (these are alanine-scanning, separation of function mutations). Test each mutant transgene in liver cells, lacking the corresponding endogenous gene product, for constitutive autophagy. For your class proposal
1) From the literature, find an area of interest
where there are open questions or gaps in knowledge.
2) Derive one or more testable hypotheses related
to the open questions/ gaps in knowledge.
3) Assemble an experimental approach that addresses
the hypotheses and any predictions that might arise
from the hypotheses.
For your class proposal
1) From the literature, find an area of interest
where there are open questions or gaps in knowledge.
2) Derive one or more testable hypotheses related
to the open questions/ gaps in knowledge.
3) Assemble an experimental approach that addresses
the hypotheses and any predictions that might arise
from the hypotheses.
Advanced Genetics students:
Approach should include at least some genetic analysis.
- Look at successful proposals.
- Have a good idea.
- Know the literature, issues, questions/controversies in the area.
- Instead of just feedback, try feed forward, where you discuss your ideas with others before beginning the writing process.
- Place the work in a broader perspective, indicating significance.
- Use clear and concise writing style.
- Proofread - zero tolerance for typos, formatting & citation errors
- Critique your own proposal.
- Have other critique your proposal.
- Prepare your proposal early. General Tips
