Enhancing the Quality of Evidence in EvidenceBased Research Proposals

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Enhancing the Quality of Evidence in
Evidence-Based Research Proposals

• Judy Carta, Ph.D.
• Juniper Gardens Childrens Project
• University of Kansas
• carta_at_ukans.edu

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Purpose

• Identifying some of the most common mistakes made
  by writers of research proposals
• Learning how to avoid them

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Mistakes to avoid in writing research proposals

• Losing readers interest because topic isnt
  compelling
• Taking too long to get to the point
• Not stating purpose/objectives clearly
• Inadequately specifying and measuring the
  intervention
• Not having a clear and theoretically strong
  measurement plan

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Common mistakes continued

• Not having a sample from which you can generalize
  your findings
• Having a weak design
• Inadequately specifying how data will be analyzed
  and how analysis will answer the research
  questions
• Not being clear in lay out of proposal
• Not following directions in the RFP

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Losing readers interest

• Readers palms should be sweaty by the end of the
  first page
• If you know the area well enough, you should be
  able to make it compelling
• Be clear about laying out
• the larger problem
• the specific issue youre trying to tackle
• how what youre proposing will make a significant
  contribution to solving the problem

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Taking too long to get to the point

• By the third page, the reader should have a
  general idea of the focus of your proposal
• Just lay out a clear paragraph of purpose before
  youve laid out the entire intro
• Mini-introduction
• Purpose
• Full introduction

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Not stating purpose and objectives clearly

• Pay special attention to crafting these-every
  word is important
• Objectives help reader know that you have a clear
  plan to gather the necessary data and translate
  it to address the issue you laid out
• Objectives should flow easily from the
  introduction and provide a skeleton for the
  methods

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Inadequately specifying the intervention

• Reader should have a very clear sense of what
  youre going to do, who will be implementing, how
  they will be trained
• You should have a means of measuring
  implementation throughout the study (baseline,
  during, post)
• You should also have a way of measuring what the
  control group gets

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Not having a strong measurement plan

• Measures must align with research questions (how
  will you answer the questions using the measures)
• Measures must capture the construct being
  targeted (for intervention)
• Include a timetable for measures
• Select the strongest measures that are
  appropriate for the population you are studying
• Include information about psychometrics

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Sampling problems

• Sample should allow you to generalize to a larger
  population-external validity
• Sample should have the same characteristics of
  the population to which you want to generalize
  your findings
• Watch out for convenience samples
• Sample should be large enough so that you can
  demonstrate effects
• Learn about effect sizes and power analysis

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Weak or Unspecified Design

• Include a design section when possible
• Graphic depiction of design is worth the space if
  available
• If you cant do a randomized trial, consider
  methods for demonstrating equivalence of groups
• Obtaining pretest measures to allow for
  statistical control
• Matching groups on critical characteristics

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Inadequate Description of Data Analysis

• Be sure to include a section on data analysis
• Be sure its clear how analysis will address
  research questions and will lead to answers that
  respond to issues laid out in the introduction
• Obtain expert consultation if you need it

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Proposal is hard to follow

• Headings should follow prescribed order or
• Headings should follow Reviewers Criteria or
• You should provide guide for reviewers showing
  page numbers where theyll find key sections

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Not following directions in the RFP

• Be sure you go over each sentence and follow it
  carefully.
• Check carefully whenever the RFP says must

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Five Important Hints for Writing Proposals

• Allow yourself to walk in reviewers sandals
• Learn your topic well so you know the right
  questions to ask
• Offer up a good argument
• Have the best science
• Always follow directions!