CBLS RESEARCH PROPOSAL FORMAT

DESCRIPTION: This will be a one to two page overview of your research, written so a non-specialist can understand the logic of the research goals and methods, and including the methods to be employed. It should contain no scientific jargon and no references, and unusual terms and methods need to be briefly defined. After reading just this description, the reader should know what you are doing, why and how. Some of this information will be repeated in the body of the proposal. This description can be adapted for use in the SFSU human and animal research subject approval process.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Literature Review: The proposal must contain background information adequate for the non-expert members of your committee to fully appreciate your research. This will include scientific and clinical background, previous work in the area and unique methodologies. Subheadings and subsections are extremely useful in the portion. For the proposal, the literature review will normally be only 5 pages and have no more than 10-20 references (will be expanded and updated for the final document). Referencing uses the New England Journal of Medicine style with two exceptions: all authors must be included (no et al.) and the citations in the text need not be superscripted.

B. Rationale: A one paragraph to one page rationale will include an hypothesis as well as:

1. concise statements of the problem you are trying to solve;

2. how you will attempt to solve the problem; and

3. the potential significance of the results, including clinical relevance.

II. RESEARCH DESIGN will include:

A. A narrative of the project in the sequence in which the research segments or experiments will be performed;

B. A justification for each method or approach and for the number of samples or replicate data and the controls to be used;

C. A flow chart.

III. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION will include how you will present your results (e.g., cpm or stimulation index or percent reactivity) and how you will compare them (statistical analyses, if appropriate). You must specify what differences you will consider significant; e.g., p < 0.05, a shift in band location on a gel, a 2-fold decrease in optical density. The reproducibility of data must be assessed. You will propose a format for presentation of data; i.e., how the final figures or tables might look. (NOTE STANDARD FORMAT FOR FIGURES AND TABLES. Tables: titles on top, footnotes for additional information. Figures: title below with legend for additional information in complete sentences.) Lastly, you must speculate about the anticipated results and how they may correlate with your hypothesis.

IV. Additional sections:

A. Cover page: Include contact information and committee. See example.

B. Time line: Include a proposed, and hopefully realistic, time period for completion of each of the major parts of the research and writing. This should take into account things such as availability of clinical samples, acquiring necessary experimental expertise, real time to perform assays, etc.

C. Units: Total number and distribution of units requested for this research.

D. References: All references cited in the text must be included in the Reference section and all references in the Reference section must be cited in the text. Use the New England Journal of Medicine format with two exceptions: include all authors’ names and you need not superscript the citations.

****EXAMPLES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CBLS OFFICE****