Proposal Checklist | Research Affairs

Adapted from the University of Washington Researcher's Guide. Used with permission.

Address the research goals in specific terms (defined objectives that can be reached rather than generalizations)?
Avoid vague terms such as "describe the process of...", "characterize the phenomenon of...", or "elucidate the mechanism for..."?
State hypotheses where appropriate?
Begin with an introductory statement that provides a mini-background?
Seem clearly related to each other?
Avoid being a fishing expedition (collecting data with no clear indication of how it will be used)?
Present a do-able body of work rather than being too broad or ambitious?

Begin with a clear statement of the general problem to be addressed?
Compare, contrast, and critique what others have done (not just catalog it)?
Show how existing work (literature and/or preliminary data) lays the groundwork for the proposal?
Cite original literature rather than reviews whenever possible?
Avoid citing so many papers that the PI comes across as unselective?
Explain how the studies will fill a gap or solve a problem?
Raise questions that the reviewers might pose, then answer them immediately?
End with a summary of the main points?

Include only data pertinent to the proposal?
Demonstrate the PI's expertise with the techniques and methods to be used?
Use clear, readable graphs or charts instead of tables or text whenever possible?
Avoid putting too many curves on one graph?
Assure that curves on graphs are distinguishable from each other after photocopying?
Provide graphs with legends and labels that make them understandable, separate from adjacent text?
Use appropriate statistics?
Summarize findings at the end of each section and state their importance?
End with an overall summary?

First give an overview of the experimental design, then give details of the methods?
Relate the design and methods back to each specific aim?
Use diagrams and flowcharts to explain complex protocols?
Give enough detail to demonstrate adequate knowledge without crowding page limits?
Make good use of space by referring to standard methods papers or protocol books where appropriate?
Make good use of space by referring to the preliminary data section when methods are described there?
Give examples of expected results and how they will interpreted?
Anticipate pitfalls and explain how they will be dealt with?
Provide a time line that proves that the project is not overly ambitious?