How to write your proposal

1. How to write your proposal EE3802

2. Proposal • You need to submit a proposal on 9-Sept • So it is the first item related to your project that you need to work on • Therefore, we will discuss how to write your proposal on first two weeks of lectures

3. When a proposal is needed? • To apply for a grant • UGC research proposal (academic staff’s major activities during summer!) • To get money from SU, Department, faculty • To take part in a competition • HSBC Young Entrepreneur awards • To inform and review • Academic development proposal of PolyU (available in PolyU web page)

4. Why you need to write a proposal for your project? • What is/are the major purpose(s) of your proposal? • To get money? • To compete? • To inform? • To review?

5. Why writing your proposal? • Gain in-depth understanding of what you’re going to do for your project! • By go through the background research • By writing the methodology • To train your writing skill • To gain knowledge in project management and planning

6. Some examples • http://www.yourtickettowork.com/selftraining/ENCap-SampleProposal.pdf • http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/workbooks/proposal.samples.html

7. Basic elements of proposal • All proposals must include certain basic information: • A suitable and relevant title • Why are you doing the project – what is the problem • What will you be doing • How will you be doing it • Who will be doing it • Where will it be done • How long will it take • How much will it cost

8. Basic elements • Depended on the purposes of the proposal emphasis will not be the same • For example • A grant application may have details related to the cost

9. Basic elements • Title • Title should be clear and concise • Relevant to the work • You now have a title but you can modify it to suit your work • You can change your project title before you submit your final report • Make sure that your project title is appropriate to your work!!!!

10. Example of a suitable title • If objective is to signal an alarm after a user falls then which is a more suitable title? • Fall prevention alarm • Fall detection alarm

11. Basic elements • Why are you doing this project • First component in your proposal • Explained by an introduction, a summary or an abstract • Problem statement

12. Summary or abstract • This is a very important part of the proposal – first impression • Since it is a summary – write it last • It should cover – objectives, need, methodology and dissemination plans • It should identify the expect outcomes of the project • Fit on one page (in your case, may be less)

13. Introduction or problem statement • States the need • Well documented description of the problem to be addressed • Why it is important • Use support information • Should describe the significance, timeliness, and importance of your project • You need a lot of background research to complete this!!!!

14. Basic elements • What will you be doing • Objectives (In point form is easier to write as well as for evaluation) • Sometimes, objectives should be quantitative so that measurement is possible

15. Objectives • Indicate the expected outcomes • To show • What you will do • How much • By when • The success of a project can be evaluated by referring to the objectives

16. Objectives • Objectives should be quantitative • For example • To produce a 100% efficient battery charger • So based on the above objective if you cannot produce a 100% efficient battery charger then you are not able to meet the objective!

17. Basic elements • How will you be doing it • Background (what have been done by others) • Methodology or plan of action

18. Background • What have been done by others • Literature survey (but not literature survey!) • A chance to learn from others • What experience do you have • If you are asking for money then you need to show your readers that you have the experiences to carry out the project • Not in your case!

19. Methods or methodology • Critical part of the proposal also the longest • A plan of action for how the objectives will be achieved • Usually starts will a description of the overall approach, its relevance, effectiveness and innovativeness • Give details on methodology and how anticipated problem will be managed

20. Evaluation • How to measure if the project has accomplished its objectives • What data will be collected, how it will be analyzed, how results will be reported

21. Basic elements • Who will be doing it • Of course it is you so not necessary in your case • Where will it be done • In your case, this is not really relevant (you will be either doing it in campus or at home?)

22. Basic elements • How long will it take • A schedule (usually presented in a form of a Grant chart) • Since your project will last for 7 months so use week or month as your unit (not day) • Try to use meaningful terms (buy components is no good)

23. Basic elements • How much will it cost • In your case, it is not too important because your proposal is not for grant application • You can spend up to $1200 so you can itemize how to spend your money

24. Basic elements • Reference list • Reference materials included in your list must be properly quoted in your proposal • Appendix if necessary

25. Examples of references • Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the egg capsules of the whelk. Nature, 210, 436-437. • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) Commonly asked questions about ozone. http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.

26. Examples of references • Turner, M. J., Martin, H. C., and Leible, R. C., “Further Development and Applications of Stiffness Method,” Matrix Methods of Structural Analysis, 1st ed., Vol. 1,Wiley, New York, 1963, pp. 6–10. • Vickers, A., “10–110 mm/hr Hypodermic Gravity Design A,” Rainfall SimulationDatabase [online database], http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/bgrg/lab.html [retrieved 15March 1998]. • “Equations, Tables, and Charts for Compressible Flow,” NACA Rept. 1135, 1953

27. Proposals • 8-15 pages • Assessed according to • Composed a feasible technical project proposal (problem identification & methodology) (40%) • Developed a good project plan (strategies, systematic approaches and scheduling) (20%) • Improved writing quality – competency on communication (20%) • Literature research (20%)

28. Tips • Figures • A picture say more than a thousand words • Figures – illustrate important aspects of the background materials, especially the overall system architecture • A well labeled figure can reduce text length (or increase text length!) • Improve proposal clarity • A flow-chart can help explaining your logic of a program • Data presented as a figure also easier to understand comparing to a table

29. Tips • Use of English • Poor grammar and spelling distract from the content of the proposal • Do spell check and grammar check • Read your proposal repeatedly before submission: your supervisor is not supposed to proof-read your proposal or reports • Try to use simple sentences and simple words

30. Exercise • Write a proposal to the HoD of EE to • Organize a study tour to USA, Canada, Egypt etc • Organize an on-line game competition • Reduce the workload of students • Try to complete the followings • Abstract, introduction, problem statement • Objectives • Cost (if any) • schedule