MARE 103MOP Proposal Lecture

A proposal is a plan for a project.

In science and industry, it generally is written in such a way as to convince an employer or agency to fund or support that project.

The ability to write an effective proposal will be a useful skill in your scientific career.

What is a proposal?

Parts of a proposal?Proposal will differ depending upon type of MOP project:1)Research Project2)Internship3)Special Topics

Title pageAbstract (Project Summary) Table of Contents Project Narrative (usually page limit)

Introduction (include objectives here)Methods and materials DeliverablesReferences

Budget & Budget NarrativeCurriculum vitae for all project personnel

Will Differ with Project

Title pageAbstract (Project Summary) Table of Contents Project Narrative (usually page limit)

Introduction (include objectives here)Methods and materials DeliverablesReferences

Budget & Budget NarrativeCurriculum vitae for all project personnel

Parts of a proposal?

Title Page

Also called Project Summary

It should be a very short summary of your proposal, no more than one page. Write the abstract last, and place it after your title page

Usually has specific word count

Abstract

This section describes the background, intended scope, and significance of your proposed project.

A detailed introduction in your proposal can easily be adapted to the introduction to your final report.

Introduction

What is already known about the subject matter of your project?

Describe work previously done by others which has led up to your project.

Proposal should be based upon primary literature.

What is the significance of your project?

Introduction

Why is the project worth doing?

What are your objectives for the project?

What do you hope to accomplish?

Indicate who will benefit from your results

Introduction

“The objectives of the proposed work are to…”

Direction effort is place in

Aim of the study

Goals of the study

Basically answers “What is the point”

Objectives

Explain how you intend to accomplish the objectives you detailed in your introduction.

Describe the materials you will need and the methods in which you will use them.

Should be based upon scientific literature

Materials & Methods

Need to provide detailed timetable - include all aspects/milestones in the project

Materials & Methods

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May (1) X X (2) X X (3) X X (4) X X (5) X (6) X X X (7) X X

Project initiatedJan-2011

Samples CollectedFeb 2011

Data AnalyzedMar 2011

Report WrittenApril 2011

Data PresentedMay 2011

Final ReportJune 2011

What resources will you need to carry out the project- facilities, supplies, specimens, computers, money, etc.

Justify here the major items you include the budget section.

Also estimate the resource of your time

Materials & Methods

1) Research Project – as described; similar format to research paper

2) Internship – Describe how and what you will do as part of your internship; these will be specifics from the advertisement or description – essentially job duties etc.

3) Special Topics – specific to the techniques necessary to complete the project including things like: photographic techniques, video recording and editing, writing, construction, program development, curriculum development, etc.

Materials & Methods

Budget & JustificationBudget Outline: Request Match

Personnel

Student Research Assistants (wages and fringe) 5,000

PI Turner's effort (salary and applicable cost share

fringe)

9,166

Travel

Vessel use for sample collection 2,000

Vehicle use for sample collection 500

Supplies

Laboratory Supplies (processing supplies) 2,500

Field Supplies (Nets, GPS unit) 1,500

Laboratory Analyses

250 samples @ $10/sample 2,500

Tracking Studies

VEMCO VR2W Ultrasonic Receivers 8 @ $1410/each 11,280

VEMCO V7 & V9 Coded Transmitters 23 @ $350/each 8,050

Total Direct 33,330 9,166

10% Overhead (DAR rate) 3,333

Grand total 36,663 9,166

Budget & JustificationBudget Justification: Student research assistants will be required to conduct the proposed study in the timeline previously stated. $10,000 has been allocated to hire 2-4 student research assistants. Pay scales will be assessed based upon experience and academic (undergraduate/graduate) standing. We will require several cruises aboard our research vessel (RV 4-Winds) at a rate of $600/day ($3,000). We will also require travel to other research sites for shore based sample collection using UHH vehicles. The average distance traveled will be 50 miles (100 miles round trip) at a cost of $0.50/mile and we estimate the need for 10 trips ($1,000). Laboratory supplies will be required for processing fish and otoliths and include such items at dissecting tools, knives, sample bags, and supplies for otolith processing (saws, media, slides, etc) at a total of $2,500. Field supplies will be required for conducting fish collections and include extra spears, bags and floats, 2 GPS units, spear gear, nets/traps, and tank fills at an estimated cost of $1,500. We will require a large chest freezer for sample storage and archive at a cost of $1,000. Finally we will require a laptop computer for use in the field at a cost of $1,000. This will allow us to process fish on site and minimize the waste in returning whole carcasses to the laboratory. Similarly this will become important with multiple students charged with data collection in that we will have a mobile computer for data entry.

Used in project management to describe a tangible or intangible object produced as a result of the project that is intended to be delivered to a customer

Could be a report, a document, a “thing” (model, facility, team, program) or any other building block of an overall project

This section is where you describe how you will demonstrate that you have met your objectives.

Deliverables

Your deliverables must be tangible; for example, they may include a written final report, or they may include a product such as a slide show, a poster, a video, a piece of art work, or a performance.

Products such as these must be accompanied by an abstract, at least, and possibly by written material that reflects upon the experience or gives insight into the project.

Deliverables

Deliverables1) Research Project – report, manuscript,

publication, presentation2) Internship – Photos, projects, media,

programs, tangible products3) Special Topics – relates specifically to the

project but typically tangible products

This section is a bibliography of the literature you have cited.

It is critical that this section be extensive

Must understand the literature to propose that there is a gap for your proposed research to fill

Literature Cited

Literature Cited1) Research Project – peer reviewed journal

articles, textbooks, technical reports2) Internship – documents produced by

organization you work for/with3) Special Topics – technical manuals or

guides, handbooks, etc.

A curriculum vita, or CV, is similar to a resume, but is more extensive, and summarizes your personal information and background as evidence of how you are qualified to undertake this project.

Curriculum Vita / Project Personnel

How Best to Learn?

1) write proposals2) work with people who have written “successful” proposals3) carefully consider reviewers’ comments of your proposals4) write more proposals