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What Is a Case Study?
When you’re performing research as part of your job or for a school assignment, you’ll probably come across case studies that help you to learn more about the topic at hand. But what is a case study and why are they helpful? Read on to learn all about case studies.
Deep Dive into a Topic
At face value, a case study is a deep dive into a topic. Case studies can be found in many fields, particularly across the social sciences and medicine. When you conduct a case study, you create a body of research based on an inquiry and related data from analysis of a group, individual or controlled research environment.
As a researcher, you can benefit from the analysis of case studies similar to inquiries you’re currently studying. Researchers often rely on case studies to answer questions that basic information and standard diagnostics cannot address.
Study a Pattern
One of the main objectives of a case study is to find a pattern that answers whatever the initial inquiry seeks to find. This might be a question about why college students are prone to certain eating habits or what mental health problems afflict house fire survivors. The researcher then collects data, either through observation or data research, and starts connecting the dots to find underlying behaviors or impacts of the sample group’s behavior.
Gather Evidence
During the study period, the researcher gathers evidence to back the observed patterns and future claims that’ll be derived from the data. Since case studies are usually presented in the professional environment, it’s not enough to simply have a theory and observational notes to back up a claim. Instead, the researcher must provide evidence to support the body of study and the resulting conclusions.
Present Findings
As the study progresses, the researcher develops a solid case to present to peers or a governing body. Case study presentation is important because it legitimizes the body of research and opens the findings to a broader analysis that may end up drawing a conclusion that’s more true to the data than what one or two researchers might establish. The presentation might be formal or casual, depending on the case study itself.
Draw Conclusions
Once the body of research is established, it’s time to draw conclusions from the case study. As with all social sciences studies, conclusions from one researcher shouldn’t necessarily be taken as gospel, but they’re helpful for advancing the body of knowledge in a given field. For that purpose, they’re an invaluable way of gathering new material and presenting ideas that others in the field can learn from and expand upon.
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Case Study Proposal Template
Used 5,077 times
Prepared by: [Sender.FirstName]
[Sender.LastName]
[Sender.Company]
Prepared for: [Client.FirstName]
[Client.LastName]
[Client.Company]
Cover Letter
Dear [Client.FirstName] ,
It’s been a pleasure being your service provider for the past (Years) years, and we’re excited to know that you’re planning to be featured in one of our case studies.
Before the process begins, I wanted to personally thank you for agreeing to be part of our case study, and I’d like to briefly explain why we’re doing this.
The mission of [Sender.Company] has always been to provide outstanding service to all of our customers. And as we grow, we need social proof to attest to our skills so that we can continue partnering with clients like you and further extend our business operations.
This study synthesizes how our service has helped you achieve exceptional results, and we hope your experience with us thus far aligns with that statement.
With this case study, we plan to discuss challenges that [Client.Company] faced, the proposed methodology [Sender.Company] put forth to address them, the impact of our solutions and measurable outcomes that followed.
I hope this provides sufficient background on how the case study not only helps define our ongoing business model and where we are headed, but how it also frames a business achievement for you, our trusted client.
The attached proposal discusses our process in further detail. It will provide a step-by-step summary of how we plan to write the case study.
[Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName]
[Sender.Company]
Introduction
We are thrilled to hear that [Client.Company] is interested in being featured as one of [Sender.Company] ’s case studies! Our case studies are an excellent opportunity to highlight all the success stories of those who have benefited from our [Specific.Product/Service] .
This case study is also a great way to showcase [Client.Company] . It allows current or potential customers to recognize similar pain points and see how [Client.Company] benefited from
solving them by using our solution. In this document, you will gain a better understanding of what you can expect from [Sender.Company] throughout the case study creation process.
Below, I have outlined the project, such as timeframes, what kind of questions you can expect, and the approval process for all deliverables. We thank you again for your support. Without customers like you, we would not be able to spread the word about [Sender.Company] !
Case Study Process
What to expect.
Start to finish, the entire process should take [Time.Period] depending on you and your team’s availability and turnaround time of drafts. Your involvement will require approximately [Hours.Number] hours of your time. This includes completion of any forms and questionnaires, a short phone interview (if necessary), and review and sign-off on draft versions of the case study.
Once [Client.FirstName] [Client.LastName] has signed off on this proposal, [Sender.FirstName] will be sending a questionnaire to [Client.Email] . Based on your responses, we may set up a follow-up call to elaborate or dig deeper into your answers.
When we have gathered all your responses, along with any other relevant information about [Client.Company] , we will put together a case study draft which [Sender.FirstName] will send to [Client.FirstName] to review for accuracy. [Sender.FirstName] will also notify you once the case study is finalized and will send you a link to where the case study is on our website, along with any other promotional material where your information has been used.
Proposed Title And Case Study Direction
Proposed title: (name of the suggested title).
Since this case study is extremely niche, it will be used to target our BoFu (bottom of the funnel) prospects to inform them of the similar results they, too, can achieve with our product. This is going to be an exploratory case study and we will use questionnaires and phone interviews as research methods.
Our prime goal is to address three areas: challenges, solutions, and key outcomes. Challenges refer to the problems you faced before using the services of [Sender.Company] , solutions refer to the areas in which [Sender.Company] was able to assist, and key outcomes refer to the results you saw after using [Sender.Company] ’s services.
We also plan to repurpose this case study time and again (meaning that its content will be refreshed to meet SEO requirements, and we will be promoting this case study using our social channels, email newsletters, blogs, advertising content, and other marketing materials).
Sample Questions
Below you will find some questions that you should be prepared to answer on the questionnaire and if necessary, during a phone interview.
Please note that the aforementioned call will be of around (X) minutes to (X) hour(s), and the amount of questions may increase if the amount of relevant subject matter increases during the interview. The interview time can be discussed by both parties and confirmed at a later date depending upon their time zone differences and to make it as convenient as possible for you and your team.
Past Case Studies and Client Testimonials
Here are the links to some of our recently published case studies. The case study that we will create with you will follow a similar structure:
Link to Case Study 1
Link to Case Study 2
Link to Case Study 3
And here are a few testimonials from clients who have been featured in our case studies:
Client Testimonial 1
Client Testimonial 2
Client Testimonial 3
Terms and Conditions
[Client.Company] agrees that all rights regarding the publication and the usage of the case study content are reserved with [Sender.Company] . [Sender.Company] is the rightful owner of the case study and its content.
[Client.Company] agrees that there is no form of compensation (monetary or otherwise) involved, and [Client.Company] agrees to be a part of the case study with no expectation of payment.
[Client.Company] agrees that once the case study is published, it can be edited or taken down as per [Sender.Client] ’s discretion.
[Client.Company] can use the case study for marketing material and other activities only with the written consent of [Sender.Company] .
If under any circumstances [Client.Company] does not wish to be a part of the case study process after signing the contract, they will need to inform [Sender.Company] (X) days prior to the interview.
In case of any disputes, all matters will be under the [Sender.State] , [Sender.Company] local laws and jurisdiction for review.
[Client.Company] promises to provide accurate information and [Sender.Company] agrees to publish all information as provided in good faith and with utmost accuracy.
[Client.Company] agrees that [Sender.Company] is only responsible for publishing the case study. If any liabilities arise due to inaccurate information provided by [Client.Company] , [Sender.Company] will not be responsible for any repercussions that may occur in the wake of its publication.
Both parties agree to enter into the contract with the professional relationship of “client” and “service provider.”
Matters discussed in regard to this case study will remain confidential, unless otherwise specified. Confidential information pertains to the information that has not been published or is being put in the case study.
Your signature below indicates acceptance of this Case Study Proposal and entrance into a contractual agreement with [Sender.Company] beginning on the signature date below. Your story and logo will primarily be featured on our customer page on [Sender.Company] 's website. We may also repurpose parts of the story in our sales collateral and proposals, on our blog, or create a small testimonial.
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Articles / How to Write a Case Study Document /
How to Write a Case Study Document
Did you know? Proposal Packs are designed for writing complex studies as well as proposals with pre-written templates, samples, graphic design options and automation software.
Do you need to describe in detail the effectiveness of a project, or document the situation or experiences of an individual or a group of people? This sort of detailed study is called a case study.
Case studies are used to test hypotheses, help plan for real-world problems, and generate a discussion of potential needs and solutions, among other things.
For example, a pharmaceutical company might do a case study to determine how a group of individuals has benefited from a drug therapy, or a school administrator might do a case study to show whether or not individual students have benefited from tutoring programs.
Case study reports are usually complete standalone documents. However, if you write business proposals or grant applications, you may find that including summaries of case studies within your proposal can show how your product or service has benefited groups or provided the solution to needs in the past. And if you write business proposals, you may already be aware of a product called Proposal Kit. But you might not realize that Proposal Kit includes everything you need to write all sorts of studies and reports, too.
Each case study report should include these sections within the body of the report:
- Goal(s) of the study. Do you want to determine whether a past process, product, or service has been successful in order to modify it for future use? Are you trying to determine if there's a need for a product or service among a certain group of people, or show the benefits of a project your organization has done in the past?
- A hypothesis or proposition you want to test. Depending on your organization, this might be demonstrating that a group has a specific need or that recipients of a product or service benefited in measurable ways.
- The specific questions you want to answer. These will be derived from the goals and hypothesis of the study.
- The methodology (how information was collected). This might include interviews, measurements, sampling, and so forth. Be sure to include all relevant details such as schedules, dates and times, locations, and personnel who performed the collection. You may want to summarize this information in the body of the report and include details in an appendix.
- Participants. How did you select participants or subjects for the study? What is each participant's background and history?
- The data that was or will be collected. Depending on what you are studying, this section could include videos, transcripts of interviews, collections of documents, descriptions of test results, recorded observations - all kinds of topics could go in this section. If your data is extensive, you may want to summarize it in the body of your report and provide the details in an appendix.
- Analysis of the data. This section is likely to include statistical summaries and patterns found in the data.
- Conclusions. Were your questions answered? Did the study meet the goals? Was the hypothesis supported or refuted? What are the implications for the future?
As with any report, you'll start off with a Title Page and a Table of Contents (Proposal Kit can produce one for you). You'll probably want to include a summary of the important summary points, too, for the high-level readers who will only skim your report. After the body of the report, you may need all sorts of appendices, too - lists of statistics, diagrams, charts, a bibliography or list of sources, and so forth. Proposal Kit will contain all of the individual topics used to flesh out the details of your study.
Remember to always keep your readers in mind. What do they know about you and the study? What do you need to tell them so they can judge the results? You may need to include background information about your organization, the resumes of personnel who participated, your training or education credentials, and so forth.
- Feasibility Study Sample
- Case Study Sample
It's important that your case study sounds professional, so be sure to proofread every page. If possible, get someone who is unfamiliar with the study to read and comment on your work. It's always a good idea to choose a reviewer with a similar background to your readers so that he or she can ask appropriate questions and provide useful comments to improve your report.
After you have all the information written for your proposal, work on making your document visually appealing. Add some color and graphics by incorporating your company logo, using colored borders, and selecting custom bullet points and fonts that match your business's style. Learn how to effectively select colors for a winning business proposal.
You also want your report to look professional, too. Proposal Kit can help with that because it allows you to choose from a variety of graphic designs.
There's no need to start each section of your case study report by staring at a blank page. Proposal Kit includes templates for all the topics mentioned in this article. Each template includes instructions and examples of information to include on that page to give you a jump start on writing. And Proposal Kit includes samples of all kinds of proposals and studies, too. You'll find yourself using the product for business documents and reports of all kinds.
How to Write a Case Study
This video demonstrates how to use Proposal Kit to create a customized case study document. While Proposal Kit is typically used to write proposals, quotes and business plans it can also create many types of business documents such as case studies.
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How to Write a Research Proposal: Template, Format, Tips
Learn how to write a research proposal that makes you stand out from the crowd, get the funding you need, and gain entry into your dream academic institution.
John McTale
14 minute read
You’ve put a lot of thought into that research project. You know it’s importan. The problem? Nobody else does. And no one is willing to fund it. Yet.
Research proposals are nerve-racking, notoriously difficult to write, and for good reason - they have a major impact on your academic career.
The best institutions and labs have thousands of talented researchers fighting to get in. And their most powerful weapon to get ahead of the pack is their research proposal.
So, how do you write a proposal that helps you outperform other applicants?
This guide will help you write stress-free research proposals that land the funding you deserve and launch your academic career .
What is a research proposal?
A research proposal is a formal academic document that outlines your research project and requests support for that project: either by funding or agreeing to supervise your research.
The main objective of a research proposal is to explain what you’re planning to research and why it’s worth researching. Research proposals are most commonly used in academia or across non-academic scientific organizations. Of course, no two research proposals are identical—in fact, those can vary greatly depending on the level of study you’re at, your field, or the exact nature of your project.
Still, there are some general requirements that all great proposals have to meet and must-have sections to include. This article will focus particularly on writing research proposals for academic grants at postgraduate level or PhD applications. However, even if you’re writing a thesis or a dissertation proposal, most of the same rules apply—it’s just that your proposal might not have to be as detailed and comprehensive. Speaking of which...
How long should a research proposal be?
Most research proposals in humanities and social sciences are between 10 and 25 pages long. Technical or scientific proposals might require you to include detailed specifications and more supporting documentation and can therefore be significantly longer. That said, each institution might have its own guidelines and requirements for research proposals and those often include the word count range. If that’s the case, you obviously have to play by the rules.
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Alright, we covered the theoretical part. Time for some practical knowledge!
Here’s how to write a research proposal:
1. write an introduction to present the subject of your research.
“Wow, I can’t wait to see the outcome of this study!” This is the kind of response you want your research proposal introduction to receive. How to make that happen? Outline your research proposal intro around these four key issues:
What is the research problem?
Who is this problem relevant to (general society, fellow researchers, specialized professionals, etc.)?
What is currently known about the problem and what key pieces are missing from the current state of knowledge?
Why should anyone care about the potential outcomes?
The easiest way to write a captivating intro to a research proposal is to follow a four-paragraph format, where each paragraph addresses one of these questions. Let’s see a practical example. (Yes, I made it up, but it works as a convenient point of reference.)
Sample outline for a research proposal introduction
The problem Investigating the impact of remote work on new joiners to previously in-house teams. Who it’s relevant to Human resources professionals, workspace psychologists, working population, business management specialists and scholars. What’s currently known There is existing research about the impact of remote work on team morale and productivity, but no research has been centered around people joining fully-remote teams that had previously worked in-house and the implications of such a situation for new employees' mental health and sense of belonging. Why should anyone care? In the era of COVID, many offices have switched to remote-only work yet they’re still hiring new employees. The findings of this study might suggest a need to change onboarding practices and HR management techniques in order to aid employee satisfaction which, in turn, can help improve work performance, NPS scores and overall business results.
2. Explain the Context and Background
Whether or not you’ll need this section depends on how detailed your proposal is. If a research problem at hand is particularly complicated or advanced, it’s usually best to add this section. It will usually be entitled “Background and Significance,” or “Rationale.” For shorter proposals, most of the actual background will have been already included in the introduction. How to write the “Background” section of a research proposal?
Describe the broader area of research that your project fits into.
Focus on the gaps in existing studies and explain the need to fill these gaps. That said…
Show how your research will build upon existing knowledge.
Explain your hypothesis and the rationale behind it.
Establish the limits of your study (in other words, explain what the research is not about).
Finally, reiterate why your research is important and what benefits it can reap. In other words, provide the answer to the dreaded “So what?” question.
If your research project is complex and highly technical, describing the background in a separate section is particularly helpful: this way, you can make your introduction follow a free-flowing, “sexy” narrative, and let the “Background” part do the heavy lifting. That said— Don’t make this part too detailed either. Assume you’re dealing with a very busy reader who won’t have the time to get into your methodology and timeline but still wants some hard evidence behind the relevance of your project.
3. Provide a Detailed Literature Review
Arguably, the most important (and, yes, you guessed it, the most difficult) part of the whole document— One where you have to prove that you know *all* there is to know about the topic of interest and that your research will help advance the whole field of study. The Literature Review section is, in essence, a mini-dissertation. It has to follow a logical progression and put forward the argument for your study in relation to existing research: describe and summarize what has already been discussed and demonstrate that your research goes beyond that. In the digital era of easy access to information , it might be difficult to discuss all of the existing research on your subject in the Literature Review so be critical about what studies or papers you choose to include.
But there’s a handy set of rules to help you pick the right ones—the gold standard for academic Literature Review. It’s called “ the five Cs ” and refers to the following practices:
Cite directly from the sources to avoid digressions and drifting away from the actual literature.
Compare different theories or arguments (in arts and humanities), methodologies and findings (in sciences and tech).
Contrast the approaches discussed above: highlight the main differences and areas of disagreement among scholars in the field.
Critique the research of the past. Don’t shy away from pointing out inaccuracies, mutually exclusive findings, or controversies. At the same time, give credit where it’s due. Identify the findings you find most convincing, reliable, or accurate.
Connect the whole of the literature reviewed to your own project. Are you basing your assumptions on any previous findings? Is your goal to confront, challenge, or even debunk certain pieces of research? Either way, you need to prove that your study will be intertwined with existing ones, not floating in an academic void.
How to structure your Literature Review?
The easiest and most reader-friendly way to format the Literature Review section is to devote each paragraph to a separate piece of literature.
For scientific projects, it’s best to go from the more general to the more specific studies.
For projects in arts and humanities, a historical (or chronological) progression is the most commonly-used method as it helps develop an easy-to-follow narrative.
The hard part? DONE. (No, it really is). All of what comes next boils down to technicalities and formal requirements. If they’re sold on your vision by now, you just need to show how you’re planning to achieve what you set out to do.
4. List Your Key Aims and Objectives
This section can be called “Research Questions,” or just “Aims and Objectives.” Compared to the previous ones, it should be very succinct and to-the-point. Whether you need to write about your aims and objectives or formulate those as research questions usually depends on the formal requirements of the institution to which you’re applying. The key aspect of getting this part right is distinguishing between the three: an aim, an objective, and a research question. Here’s how:
Aims describe what you want to achieve. An aim is usually stated in a broad term.
Objectives are the specific, measurable outputs you need to produce in order to achieve your aim. There are usually multiple objectives associated with a single aim.
Questions are a slightly more specific way to formulate your objectives—in essence, very similar in meaning, just slightly different in format.
Again, here’s a practical example. And again, it’s simplified and not based on actual research, just here to let you better understand the disambiguation.
Sample research aims and objectives for a research proposal
Research Aim
To understand the importance of the quality of food in school canteens on the nutritional health of children aged 6–10. Objectives:
Investigate the weekly menus across 28 school canteens in New Jersey with a focus on key nutritional ingredients and portion sizes.
Conduct desk-research of state policies regulating nutrition in primary schools.
Interview the parents of children participating in the study about their children’s nutritional habits outside of school.
Evaluate the key health-related metrics in children participating in the study.
As I mentioned, if such are the formal requirements, your objectives can easily be translated into research questions. For instance: “Conduct desk-research of state policies regulating nutrition in primary schools.” Becomes: “What state-wide policies regulating nutrition in primary schools are there in place in the state of New Jersey?”
Remember the five Cs of literature review? When it comes to your research objectives and questions, there’s another handy acronym to serve as a sanity check for you: SMART . It stands for:
Specific: is the objective well-defined and can be achieved with a singular action?
Measurable: will you end up with quantified, verifiable data?
Achievable: considering your resources and capacity, is it realistic for you to reach your objective?
Relevant: does this objective actually contribute to your research aim?
Timebound: do you have enough time to complete this objective, in relation to the overall timeline of your project?
5. Outline the Research Methods and Design
The grant decision makers already know what you’re trying to achieve and have a general idea about how you’re planning to achieve that. This section should prove to them that you’re well equipped (both in terms of your skills and resources) to conduct the research. The main goal is to convince the reader that your methods are adequate and appropriate for the specific topic. Any idea why “specific” is in bold? Well, this is one of those parts of a research proposal that differs the most across different documents. There’s an ideal methodology for any particular academic project and no two kinds of research design are the same. Make sure your methodology matches all of your desired outcomes.
Some usual components of the Research Methods section include:
Research type:
Qualitative or quantitative,
Collecting original data or basing your research on primary and secondary sources,
Descriptive, correlational, or experimental.
Population and sample:
The whole population of individuals or entities that meet eligibility criteria to be included in your research,
The subset of the population that is going to be included in the particular study.
Data collection:
What methods ( surveys , clinical analysis, biochemical analysis, interviews, experiments) will you use?
Why are those methods optimal for achieving the desired objectives?
How can you ensure that the chosen method eliminates bias?
Data analysis:
How will you sort and code the data obtained?
What tools, algorithms, or techniques will you use to analyze the data?
Operational issues:
How much time will you need to collect the research material?
How are you planning to gain access to the desired set of data or information?
What obstacles might you encounter and how will you overcome them?
Now, I can’t stress that enough— This part of a research proposal will vary the most from one proposal to another. The outline above will work good for sciences (both social and exact), perhaps not equally great for arts and humanities. At the end of the day, you know your project better than anyone else. You’ll need to make the judgement call as to what methods are best.
6. (Optional) Discuss Ethical Considerations
No, this part isn’t optional because you might just disregard ethics or choose to be the evil scientist. But let’s face it— There aren’t going to be many ethical issues to consider if you’re investigating the vector shapes of tree leaves’ shadows (I kid you not, it’s a legit research issue, my friend did his PhD in Physics about it and absolutely killed it). But if your research has to do with humans, especially in fields such as medicine or psychology, it might introduce ethical problems in data collection , not often encountered by other researchers. You need to take extra care to protect your participants’ rights, get their explicit consent to process the data, as well as consult the research project with the authorities of your academic institution—for that purpose, your proposal needs to contain detailed information regarding these aspects.
7. Present Preliminary or Desired Implications and Contribution to Knowledge
This is the last argument-based part of your proposal. After that, everything will be about “boring” technicalities. This also means, it’s your last chance to convince the decision makers to back your project. Think about it this way— You already explained what exactly is going to be the scope of your project. You detailed the current state of knowledge and identified the most important gaps. You told them what you’re hoping to find out and how you’re planning to do it. Now, talk about the actual, feasible difference your finding can make. How your research can influence the future of the field, or even the very narrow niche. In other words, describe the implications of your research such as:
How can your research challenge the current underlying assumptions on the subject matter?
How can it inform future research and what new areas of research can it propel?
What will the influence of your research be on policy decisions?
What sorts of individuals, organizations, or other entities can your research benefit?
What will be improved and optimized on the basis of your research?
All that while keeping one crucial thing in mind— Talking about the practical implications of your study shouldn’t sound like daydreaming. However “preliminary” or “desired” the said implications are, you need to base those on very clear evidence. In short, this section is about:
Reiterating the gaps in the current state of knowledge.
Showing how you’ll contribute to a new understanding of certain problems or even a scientific breakthrough.
Clearly showing how your findings can be acted upon and what feasible change those actions will bring about.
And yes, it does sound lofty, but it’s true. As a researcher, you’re expanding the scope of human comprehension! Don’t shy away from highlighting the actual change you can bring to the world (or even just your narrow field, it’s just as valuable).
8. Detail Your Budget and Funding Requirements
If you do have a supervisor already, it’s best to consult this part with them. They’ve most likely submitted similar documents to the institution you’re reaching out to and will be able to provide invaluable insights on how much you can realistically expect to get paid. If you’re at a different stage of the application process, here are the key elements you should include in the funding requirements section:
Operational costs: materials, equipment, access to labs, any software you might need, etc.
Travel costs: including transportation, accommodation, and living costs.
Staff: if you’ll need human assistants to help you carry out your research, you’ll most likely need to pay them. It might be the case that junior researchers or students will be able to help you to obtain necessary credits for graduation, but it’s still a cost for their institution you’ll need to include in the budget.
Allowance: you’ll most likely have to give up on other duties that help you pay bills (be that teaching, publishing, or administrative work) but you still need those bills paid. Treat your allowance as a regular salary you need to make a living.
Note: if possible, do leave yourself some wiggle room and request for conditional extra allowance for unpredictable disasters, delays, or unexpected cost rises.
9. Provide a Timetable
Certain grant schemes come with predefined timetables (e.g. placements offered for 3, 6, or 9 months) and in such cases there’s no need for a very detailed timeline—all you need to do is convince them that the period of time for which you’ll be receiving funding is sufficient for you to complete the project. When you’re writing a proposal for a standalone project, detailing a timeline can help support your budget. The most common format is, you guessed it, a table. Divide your research into stages, list, in bullet points, what actions you’ll need to take at each stage, and list rough deadlines. I know I don’t have to tell you that but please, keep Murphy's Law in mind. Perhaps not everything that can go wrong will, but, well, expect the unexpected and be conservative with deadlines. All in all, it's easier to explain why you no longer need 3 months worth of funding than it is to ask for 6 months’ extra allowance. Don’t let delays derail your project. That’s all I have to say.
10. End with a List of Citations
This one really is self-explanatory, isn’t it. As a scholar, you need to cite the sources you’re referring to (no matter how harshly critical you are of some of those:)). Citations in research proposals can either be included in the form of references (so only the pieces of literature you actually cited) or bibliography (everything that informed your proposal). As is the case with many other elements of the proposal, the correct format depends almost exclusively on the institution you’re applying to, so make sure to check it with them or consult with your supervisor about which one is preferred. The same goes for the style of referencing. Most US universities use APA or Chicago style but each has its own set of rules and preferences. Double-check with the list of guidelines on their website. When in doubt, reach out to the head of the department you’re wishing to work with. (No, using the wrong style won’t ruin your chances but I don’t think I need to tell you how particular certain academics are so let’s not step on any toes, shall we?)
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To sum up, this is what a typical research proposal should include:
Introduction
Context and Background
Literature Review
Aims and Objectives or Research Questions
Methods and Design
Ethical Considerations
Contributions to Knowledge or Implications
Writing a research proposal can be hard and feel like a never-ending process. It really isn’t much different from writing an actual thesis or dissertation. Yup, this is my roundabout way of saying: don’t get disheartened. Allow yourself a few months up to half a year to complete your proposal, follow the steps outlined in this guide and, whenever in doubt, remember to reach out to senior researchers for help. Keeping my fingers crossed for your proposal!
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Assignment for EDG 6363: Practicum in Learning Research
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- 1. Runninghead:A CASE STUDY OFAN ACADEMICSUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFERSTUDENTS 1 A Case Study of an Academic Success Course for Undergraduate Transfer Students: Research Proposal EDG 6363: Practicum in Learning Research – Dr. Jim Klein Florida State University Dawn Fae Adolfson November 28, 2019
- 2. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 2 Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 Context of the Problem...................................................................................................................3 Literature Review ...........................................................................................................................4 Purposes and Questions..................................................................................................................7 Method............................................................................................................................................ 8 Research Design.............................................................................................................................8 Participants....................................................................................................................................8 Materials........................................................................................................................................9 Procedures...................................................................................................................................11 Measures...........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 13 References..................................................................................................................................... 15 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 17
- 3. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 3 Introduction This research proposal details a case study to investigate an academic success course designed for undergraduate transfer students at Florida State University (FSU). For many students looking to earn their bachelor’s degree, the transfer route can provide many advantages but at the same time many challenges, such as transfer shock. Therefore, the purpose of this course is to increase transfer student academic success, reduce feelings of transfer shock, and improve student persistence and ultimately graduation. This proposal will present the context of the problem, the study’s purpose and research questions, a brief review of the literature, and the research method. Context of the Problem Although all students experience challenges during their undergraduate education, students that transfer from one institution to another institution before completing their degree, referred to as transfer students, face unique challenges that could impact their academic success, retention, and graduation. These challenges and potential negative impacts on the transfer student are referred to as transfer shock. FSU developed the office of Transfer Student Services in 2018 to provide specialized services for the population of transfer students at the university. As part of the effort, the office developed an academic success course, SLS 3140: Academic Success Strategies for Transfer Students. The purpose of this course was to provide transfer students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their coursework at FSU. Also, transfer students whose GPA drops below 2.0 at FSU, and thus are placed under academic probation, are required to take this course as part of the retention and recovery effort. On end-of-course evaluations, students are satisfied with
- 4. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 4 the course, but it remains to be known how this course affects the transfer students’ transfer shock, retention and graduation from FSU. Literature Review Transfer shock was first defined in the literature as a transfer student’s drop in GPA in their first semester at the new institution. Later researchers expanded the definition of transfer shock to also include student attrition and graduation from the institution. (Ivins, Copenhaver, & Koclanes, 2017). For this study, transfer shock is operationalized as the transfer student’s change in GPA at the new institution, their retention or attrition at the receiving institution, and the students’ challenges adjusting to the new institution as related to the ideas of adult transitional theory and culture shock. The phenomenon of transfer shock is based in the adult transitional theory and culture shock. Adult transitional theory describes transition “as a period in-between moments of stability, initiated by the move between two socio-cultural systems, and in which a person is aware of changes in their environment that cause an internal re-adjustment” (Ivins, Copenhaver, & Koclanes, 2017, p. 245). Transfer shock is related to culture shock as well because it can also cause feelings of anxiety in the transfer students due to the unfamiliarity of the new institution. Ivins, Copenhaver, & Koclanes (2017) report that culture shock could have a serious impact on an individual in their new environment and can cause feelings of “paranoia, irritability, depression, lowered self-esteem, communication issues, disorderly internal beliefs and values, and isolation” (p. 246). Researchers examine various predictors of transfer shock and transfer students’ academic success and persistence such as gender (Duggan & Pickering, 2008; Ishitani, 2008;
- 5. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 5 Nadasen & List, 2016), race (Duggan & Pickering, 2008; Glass & Harrington, 2002; Ishitani, 2008), transfer credit hours (Ishitani, 2008), and age group (Ishitani, 2008; Nadasen & List, 2016). Ishitani (2008) analyzed a longitudinal data set from an institution to examine the relationship between transfer students’ GPA scores and demographics with their persistence behavior and retention. In the study, the researcher grouped the transfer students based on how many credits they previously completed, and the results demonstrated that “sophomore and junior transfer students were retained at higher rates than native and freshman transfer students” (Ishitani, 2008, p. 416). Therefore, it may seemthat the time in which transfer students make their transition may impact their persistence at the receiving institution. Duggan and Pickering (2008) developed a survey called the Transfer Student Survey (TSS) to predict which students would most likely have academic difficulty after transferring to a new institution. This survey was based on a survey originally designed for studying urban freshman, but was revised and validated to study the noncognitive, cognitive, and demographic variables that could predict academic success and persistence. In their research, Duggan and Pickering (2008) determined that demographic variables such as age, gender, and race and ethnicity were not significant predictors of transfer student success and persistence. However, the study did confirm that a noncognitive variable could be used to predict academic success and persistence. This noncognitive variable is a probation score that was calculated by determining the academic difficulty a student could have based on their results on the TSS. Many researchers have also investigated the relationship between the transfer students’ GPA and their retention and graduation at the university. Ishitani (2008) analyzed how transfer students’ GPA correlates with their persistence behavior and discovered that
- 6. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 6 higher semester GPAs were positively correlated with higher persistence rates. Glass & Harrington (2002) confirmed that transfer shock did occur among transfer as represented in a decrease of 0.37 points of their mean semester GPA but also noticed that transfer students’ GPA later recovered and were not significantly different from native students. In that study, the researchers observed that retention rates for transfer students and native students showed a similar decline towards graduation, so it was not clear whether transfer shock had an effect on transfer students’ graduation. Other researchers investigated transfer students’ perceptions on the transfer process and their feelings of transfer shock. Davies & Casey (1999) conducted focus group interviews with transfer students to examine their transfer experience and discovered that students reported challenges with adjusting to campus life, lack of individual attention by professors, and increased coursework demand. Townsend & Wilson (2006) believe that transfer students may need more support and assistance fromthe receiving institution than they are given. Their qualitative study discovered that transfer students did not receive relevant information from orientation, they got more assistance fromtheir community college than the receiving institution that they were transferring to, and they did not have much engagement with their faculty or interaction on campus. Both researchers (Davies & Casey, 1999; Townsend & Wilson, 2006) did not investigate the relationship between student reported challenges and their academic success and retention at the receiving institution. Flaga (2006) conducted a qualitative research study that investigated students’ transfer experience over their first and second semesters at the receiving institution. As a result of the interviews, Flaga (2006) recommended various institutional supports for transfer students to
- 7. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 7 assist their transfer experience and alleviate feelings of transfer shock. These supports included encouraging campus involvement, inform students of campus resources, and encouraging informal support services such as mentoring programs. This study did not investigate the potential support of offering an academic success course to transfer students, however, these supports could be incorporated in such as a course. Purposes and Questions Previous literature has investigated students’ perceptions of the transfer experience and also how GPA is correlated with their academic success, but the outcomes of the new academic skills course, SLS 3140: Academic Success Strategies for Transfer Students, are unclear. Also, since SLS 3140 is a new course at the university, administrators and teachers of the course will be interested to see the results of a case study to evaluate the effectiveness of the course and how it can be improved and revised. The purpose of this study is to describe how SLS 3140 assists transfer students at FSU with their persistence at the institution, academic success, and their feelings of transfer shock by conducting a case study analysis of students that take the course. The study will strive to answer two research questions: How does SLS 3140 assist undergraduate transfer students with their persistence and academic success? How do transfer students perceive that taking SLS 3140 impacted their feelings of transfer shock and their academic skills? How do the instructors of SLS 3140 perceive the effectiveness of SLS 3140 to impact transfer students’ persistence, academic success, and transfer shock?
- 8. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 8 Method Research Design This study will implement a case study research design. Since this study focuses on one specific course offered at a university, a case study is most appropriate. Case studies provide useful data about a particular situation, class, program, or technology about students’ perceptions, reactions, and outcomes. Although case study data cannot be generalized, the results of the study can be used to design future experiments (Savenye & Robinson, 2013). The focus of this case study is the SLS 3140 course, entitled “academic success strategies for transfer students,” and is worth 1 credit at the institution. It was designed to assist transfer students with improving their academic skills to meet the expectations of a large research university. Also, it was designed to assist transfer students under academic probation to analyze their previous challenges, why they have failed courses, and implement new strategies to be successful during the rest of their undergraduate career. The purpose of the course is to encourage transfer student persistence and academic success at the institution. An abbreviated syllabus of SLS 3140 is located in the Appendix. Participants The participants will include all students enrolled in the SLS 3140 that consent to the research study. This population includes new transfer students that are encouraged at orientation to take the course in their first semester at the institution, in addition to transfer students that are under academic probation. This probation is placed upon students at the institution whose GPA falls below 2.0 and they are given one semester to recover their GPA. The course was recently mandated to transfer students under academic probation.
- 9. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 9 The students that take the course are diverse in their age, race and ethnicity, sex, and majors at the university. However, they have in common that they have completed some credits of their undergraduate degree at another institution, most often a community or state college. Demographics and the number of credits transferred will be collected by all participants so that the case study results can show the diversity of the student cohort. Also, the instructors of SLS 3140 will participate in the study to be able to describe their own perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the course, its modules, and assignments. The instructors include the program coordinator, who is a full-time non-tenured faculty member at the university, and various graduate assistants, who are doctorate students in various education fields. The primary researcher of this case study is also an instructor of SLS 3140 and therefore the sections that she teaches will be excluded from this study to avoid bias. Materials & Measures The case study will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to create a multiple method approach to best answer the research questions. The materials and measures include a student survey, teacher survey, interviews with students and teachers, an artifact analysis, and classroom observations. The student survey, the Transfer Student Survey (TSS), was designed to predict transfer students’ academic success and persistence by measuring noncognitive, cognitive, and demographic variables of transfer students (Duggan & Pickering, 2008). The TSS was developed out of the Transition to College Inventory (TCI) that identified freshman student needs. Duggan and Pickering (2008) used the TSS in their research to “explore barriers to success and persistence and identify those transfer students who were at risk” (p.439). The noncognitive
- 10. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 10 variable predicts whether or not the student will experience academic challenges at the transfer institution based on the students’ self-reported perceptions on their attitudes, experiences, motivations, and academic skills and abilities. The items on the survey use a 4- point Likert scale. The students will complete this survey at the beginning and end of the semester so that their results could be compared to see if any of their perceptions have changed during the semester. The teacher survey will ask the teachers to evaluate their own teaching abilities. The items will use a 5-point Likert scale and ask the teachers to evaluate how well they have taught each module in the course and how well their teaching aligns with the course’s learning objectives. The survey will also collect demographic information from the teachers such as their educational experience, teaching experience, and how long they have been teaching SLS 3140. A stratified sample of students will complete a semi-structured interview at the end of the course. The purpose of these interviews is to collect the students’ perceptions on how the course impacted their feelings of transfer shock and their academic skills. The interview will include questions like, “Tell me a time that was stressful this semester,” “what was your most challenging moment,” and “which academic skills have you learned or improved this semester by taking SLS 3140?” Each teacher of SLS 3140 will be interviewed at the beginning, middle, and end of each semester during the study. During these interviews, the teachers will be asked to elaborate on their experiences teaching the course and how they perceive the course has impacted their particular students. One requirement of the course is that the students meet with their SLS 3140 instructor at least three times during the semester for personal academic consultations.
- 11. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 11 Therefore, the instructors will be asked to provide examples from these consultations about how the course and learning modules have been helping their students. The researcher will complete an artifact analysis of student submitted course assignments and online discussion boards. The assignments to be studied include the beginning and end of semester student reflection papers, notes from their personal academic consultations, and their portfolio assignments. The student portfolio will include assignments such as their time and task management plans, example of notes taken in another class, and goals they’ve created for the semester. Also, any discussion boards posted in the online learning management systemwill be studied. Finally, the researcher will conduct classroom observations in the various sections of SLS 3140 offered each semester of the study. During these observations, the researcher will take notes on the teacher’s lecture, learning activities, student-student interactions, and questions that the students ask. Procedures This case study will collect data over multiple semesters to be able to have an in-depth perspective of the course. The purpose of the study will be presented to the students in-person in each section of the class. Students will be asked to consent to the study and they will be offered extra credit in the course to incentivize their participation. They will also be notified that participating or not participating in the study will have no negative consequences on their grade in the course. Also, the researcher will notify the students that they can withdraw from the study at any time and if they drop or withdraw the SLS 3140 course, they will be removed from the study.
- 12. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 12 First, the researcher will administer the TSS to all participants at the beginning of the semester, at least within the first two weeks. The researcher will request permission from the course instructor to use 30 minutes of class time to administer the surveys on the second day of class. The participants will complete the surveys at the end of the class session so that students that are not participating can leave early. The TSS will collect demographic data, number of transfer credits and whether the student is in the first semester, and thus a new transfer student, or under academic probation due to already earning a GPA less than 2.0 in courses at the receiving institution. At the beginning, middle, and end of the semester, the researcher will interview each of the instructors of SLS 3140 to learn about their plans for the semester, their teaching style, and how the instructor plans to achieve the course learning objectives and impact the students’ academic success and transfer shock. For both the teacher and student interviews, the researcher will select an appropriate space on campus to conduct the interviews, such as in a private study room. The interviews should last no longer than one hour. The researcher will record and transcribe the interviews so that they can be later coded and analyzed. During the semester, the researcher will observe multiple class sessions fromeach of the instructors of SLS 3140. Since not every section taught by every teacher could be observed. An observation schedule will be established so that each class module is observed, and each instructor is observed multiple times throughout the semester. The instructors will be notified that the researcher will observe the class multiple times throughout the semester, however, the instructor will not know the specific dates of observation.
- 13. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 13 At the end of the semester, the researcher will administer the TSS again to the study participants at the end of the second to last or last class of the semester. Also, the researcher will ask the students to volunteer for a semi-structured interview to be conducted after the last class period. Once all the volunteers for interviews have been collected each semester, a stratified sample will be selected for interviews to have appropriate representation of the semester cohort in regard to age, gender, race and ethnicity, and new and probation transfer students. A different stratified sample of students will be interviewed each semester of the study. The researcher will collect other relevant student data from the course LMS site and institutional reports, such as the participants’ semester GPA, overall GPA, next semester enrollment, grade in the SLS 3140 course, and whether they are in good standing or not with the university (good standing is having an institutional GPA of at least 2.0). Also, with permission from the participants, the researcher will collect relevant course assignments for an artifact analysis. These assignments would include the students’ initial and final reflection papers, the personal academic consultation meeting notes, and their final portfolio. Conclusion This research proposal describes a case study to investigate the SLS 3140: Academic Success Strategies for Transfer Students course. The purpose of the study is to describe how SLS 3140 assists transfer students with their persistence, academic success, and their feelings of transfer shock. The limitation of this study is that it is only a case study and the results cannot be generalized to another transfer student population. However, the results can be used to further improve the course at FSU to ensure that the course is meeting its goals. If the study
- 14. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 14 discovers areas for improvement, then the course could be revised, and another case study or investigation could be completed with an iterative instructional systems approach. The research could also inform further research into best instructional practices for undergraduate transfer student success.
- 15. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 15 References Davies, T. G. & Casey, K. (1999). Transfer student experiences: Comparing their academic and social lives at the community college and university. College Student Journal, 33(1). Duggan, M. H. & Pickering, J. W. (2008). Barriers to transfer student academic success and retention. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice, 9(4), 437-459. doi:10.2190/CS.9.4.c Flaga, C. T. (2006). The process of transition for community college transfer students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30(1), 3-19. doi:10.1080/10668920500248845 Glass, J. C. & Harrington, A. R. (2002). Academic performance of community college transfer students and “native” students at a large state university. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 26(5), 415-430. doi:10.1080/02776770290041774 Ishitani, T. T. (2008). How do transfers survive after “transfer shock”? A longitudinal study of transfer student departure at a four-year institution. Research in Higher Education, 49(5), 403-419. doi:10.1007/s11162-008-9091-x Ivins, T., Copenhaver, K., & Koclanes, A. (2017). Adult transitional theory and transfer shock in higher education: practices from the literature. Reference Services Review, 45(2), 244- 257. doi:10.1108/RSR-08-2016-0048 Nadasen, D. & List, A. (2016). Using community college prior academic performance to predict re-enrollment at a four-year online university. Online Learning, 20(2), 120-133. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1105933
- 16. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 16 Savenye, W. C. & Robinson, R. S. (2013). Qualitative research issues and methods: An introduction for educational technologists. In Jonassen, D. & Driscoll, M. (Eds.), The Handbook of Research for Educational Communication and Technologies, (1045-1071). New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410609519 Townsend, B. K. & Wilson, K. (2006). “A hand hold for a little bit”: Factors facilitating the success of community college transfer students to a large research university. Journal of College Student Development, 47(4), 439-456. doi:10.1353/csd.2006.0052
- 17. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 17 Appendix The abbreviated course syllabus is detailed below. It explains the course purpose, learning objectives, course assignments, and module topics. Course Description: This course is especially designed for transfer students who seek to improve their academic outcomes. It focuses on the development and application of classroom, life, and engagement practices necessary for successfully navigating the increased scholastic expectations of a research university. Students will reflect on and adjust formerly unsuccessful strategies and choices. Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. Reflect critically on past assumptions, prior learning, prior thinking, and prior behavior. 2. Set realistic academic and career goals and establish benchmarks to measure progress toward those goals. 3. Apply appropriate learning strategies according to their own learning styles and course content. 4. Monitor their own progress toward learning, identify areas of need, and utilize appropriate campus resources to support and reach desired outcomes. 5. Develop a comprehensive calendar and strategy to prepare for the requirements of any course, including exams, papers, projects, or presentations. 6. Select appropriate learning and networking experiences to address identified areas of need, enhance the transfer experience, and prepare for future professional and academic opportunities.
- 18. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 18 Pre-requisites or Co-requisites: Students should be undergraduate students who have transferred into Florida State University from another institution with 45 or more earned credit hours. Required Texts, Readings, and/or other Resources: There is no assigned textbook for this course. Any assigned readings will be distributed by the instructor or will be available via Canvas. Students should have a separate spiral notebook or 3-ring binder for each course on his/her schedule. Students may be asked to purchase index cards, post-it notes, highlighters, or other study, time management, and organization aids during the semester. Each student is expected to have access to a calendar or organizer to record and keep track of important deadlines, assignments, and personal appointments. Students may select any form of planner including a physical calendar, notebook, smartphone, Google Calendar, or any other approved example. Teaching Strategies: The methods of instruction for this course include lecture, large and small group discussion, audio-visual, on-campus field experiences, and guest speakers. Field/Clinical Activities: Students will be required to utilize assigned campus resources and reflect on those experiences, for example, visiting the academic advisor, utilizing office hours, attending support workshops, or engaging in tutoring/supplemental instruction sessions. Course Assignments: Analysis of Course Demands (5 points): This is an assignment designed for students to have a broad, general overview of their academic workload this semester in order to assist themwith anticipating any challenges.
- 19. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 19 Self-Assessment and Reflection (10 points): Students will write a reflective essay analyzing their previous educational experiences and expectations for success. Semester Calendar (10 points): Students will submit a calendar for September- December that highlights important events, exams, and deadlines for major assignments. Task Management Plan #1 (10 points): Students will submit a detailed two-week plan to detail their daily obligations, routines, and time(s) allocated to class, homework, and studying. Making Notes (15 points): Students will submit well-developed notes and a graphic organizer for an assigned chapter. Mid-Term Advising and Office Hours (20 points): Students will demonstrate utilization of appropriate campus support services provided to assist in their achievement: o Students will document their attendance at two scheduled meetings with their academic advisor and facilitate that meeting using strategies discussed in class. They must maintain and submit evidence of these meetings by submitting a signed meeting log/advising sheet or email confirmations of the meeting from the advisor. o Students will schedule an appointment to meet with at least two of their instructors outside of SLS 3140 during office hours, via Skype, or via phone and facilitate that meeting using strategies discussed in class. Personal Academic Consultations (PACs) (30 points): Students are required to schedule three (3) appointments this term with the instructor of this course to discuss individual
- 20. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 20 experiences with their academics, review course progress up to that point, and develop a corrective plan (if necessary). Meetings will be scheduled via an appointment campaign link in an email. ClassroomParticipation (55 points): Students will participate in a variety of classroom activities throughout the semester, which can include in-class group work, pre-class discussion questions, online surveys, pop quizzes, and other activities. They will be evaluated on active participation, contributions to class discussions, and constructive feedback. Five points are earned each class period and can be deducted for various reasons, including, but not limited to: 1) lack of participation in group activities; 2) unresponsiveness to instructor questions or open refusal to actively engage in classroom discussions; or 3) evidence of lackluster or unprofessional attitude during group activities. Specialized Transfer Experience (60 points): Students will choose ONE specialized experience to pursue for their semester project from the following choices and will prepare a reflective and evaluative report on that experience. Detailed requirements and instructions for each option are available on the course Canvas site: o Immersion: Students will participate in at least three campus events with a Registered Student Organization (RSO) (http://www.nolecentral.fsu.edu) or SGA Agency (http://www.sga.fsu.edu/agencies.shtml) that does not represent a current identity. o Service Learning: Students will participate in 5-10 hours of community service in an area related to their major.
- 21. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 21 o Personal Leadership Philosophy: Students will use assessment results and the results of an interview with a model leader to develop a leadership philosophy reflective of their core values and beliefs. o ProfessioNole Ready Certificate (Career Center): Students will complete the PRC program to achieve career readiness and provide evidence of completion. o Transfer Success Initiative: Teams of 2-3 students will develop a professional proposal for an event, program, initiative, or NEW workshop for transfer students. o Academic and Professional Skills Development: Students will attend at least 15 workshops or participate in at least 15 hours of tutoring during the semester in several key areas of success, such as career, grad school prep, classroomskills, or technology. Final Learning Portfolio (70 points): The portfolio is designed for students to demonstrate what they have learned about classroom success, self-regulated learning, study management, and themselves as learners by reflecting on and analyzing assignments from their semester courses that demonstrate a mastery of course concepts and progress toward their own learning goals. This assignment offers students an opportunity to articulate the knowledge they have acquired, reflect on that knowledge, and then transfer that new learning to their future development as a scholar. Detailed requirements and instructions for each assignment are available on the course Canvas site.
- 22. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 22 o Evidence of Reflection (10 pts) Final Reflection Paper: Students will demonstrate their ability to reflect on their learning, growth, and development as an academic scholar in a final reflective essay. They will assess their progress toward their desired goals, skills, and behaviors that they identify as priorities for change/attainment. o Evidence of Skills (20 pts) Note-taking/Graphic Organizers: Throughout this semester students will be learning different learning, classroom, and study strategies. They should be practicing these study strategies in their courses in order to determine what works BEST for each of them as a learner. This section of the portfolio is an opportunity to demonstrate competency and mastery of the study strategies learned in this class. Students will submit scanned samples of originally-created notes, graphic organizers, and/or study aids (each sample MUST be labeled with course number, course name, date, and the instructor’s name). o Evidence of Support (30 pts) Career Advising, Self-Care, and Office Hours: Students will demonstrate utilization of appropriate campus support services provided to assist in their achievement: After attending a resume workshop or resume critique meeting, students will submit a professional resume that has been reviewed by a Career Center professional in their college or at the Career Center. Students will schedule an appointment to meet with at least two of their instructors outside of SLS 3140 via email or phone and facilitate that
- 23. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 23 meeting using strategies discussed in class. They must provide evidence of these meetings with email confirmations from the instructors. Students will document their attendance at a health/wellness or college life coaching consultation on campus. Completion of Project Resilience (http://strong.fsu.edu) as a self-care initiative can substitute. o Evidence of Planning (10 pts) Task Management Plan #2: Students will submit a detailed two-week study management calendar at the end of the semester to demonstrate time and task management, planning skills, and test preparation skills. Topical Course Outline: 1. Self-Regulated Learning, Goal Setting, & Motivation 2. Managing Tasks & Using Time Wisely 3. Active Reading, Active Listening, & Developing Notes and Graphic Organizers 4. Preparing for Exams & Maximizing Office Hours 5. Maximizing Campus Resources & Self-Care 6. Academic Leadership & Initiative 7. Scholarly Thinking & Analysis 8. Career & Graduate School Planning
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- How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates
How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates
Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on January 3, 2023.
A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.
The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:
Introduction
Literature review.
- Research design
Reference list
While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.
Table of contents
Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, frequently asked questions about research proposals.
Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .
In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.
Research proposal length
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
- Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
- Example research proposal #2: “Making Healthy Connections: Mentoring, Monitoring and Measurement”
- Example research proposal #3: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
- The proposed title of your project
- Your supervisor’s name
- Your institution and department
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
- Introduce your topic
- Give necessary background and context
- Outline your problem statement and research questions
To guide your introduction , include information about:
- Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
- How much is already known about the topic
- What is missing from this current knowledge
- What new insights your research will contribute
- Why you believe this research is worth doing
As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
- Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
- Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
- Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
- Improving best practices
- Informing policymaking decisions
- Strengthening a theory or model
- Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
- Creating a basis for future research
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
- Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
- Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
- Source : how did you calculate the amount?
To determine your budget, think about:
- Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
- Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
- Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, January 03). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/
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Research Proposal: A case study: Low volume production in manufacturing companies and its impacts on the buyer-supplier relationship. MBA Project
This research proposal aims to present the academic structure to be used for the development of the MBA project dissertation, which is a major requirement to obtain the master degree at University of West London. The dissertation will be carried out as soon as the proposal is approved.
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(e.g. survey, modeling, case study …).
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Thus, the purpose of this multiple qualitative case study is.
Research Proposal: A case study: Low volume production in manufacturing companies and its impacts on the buyer-supplier relationship. MBA Project.
Since the generalisation of findings generated by case study research is challenging (Silverman, 2005, p. 126), this study will focus on theory building without