What are the best practices for structuring your proposal's introduction? (2024)

The first step is to clearly state what your proposal is about and what it intends to achieve. You should provide a brief overview of the main problem, question, or gap that your project addresses, and how it relates to the existing literature, knowledge, or practice in your field. You should also define the scope and limitations of your proposal, such as the specific objectives, methods, outcomes, or impacts that you plan to deliver.

The second step is to explain why your proposal is important and worth pursuing. You should demonstrate your motivation and passion for the topic, and how it reflects your personal or professional interests, values, or goals. You should also show the relevance and significance of your proposal for your audience, and how it contributes to solving a real-world problem, advancing a scientific or academic debate, or filling a gap in the literature or practice.

The third step is to establish your credibility and authority as the author of the proposal. You should highlight your qualifications, expertise, and experience in the topic, and how they inform your approach and perspective. You should also mention any previous or ongoing projects, publications, or collaborations that demonstrate your competence and reputation in the field. You should also acknowledge any potential biases, conflicts of interest, or ethical issues that may affect your proposal.

The fourth step is to provide an overview of your methodology and design for your project. You should explain the main methods, tools, or techniques that you will use to collect, analyze, or present your data or evidence. You should also describe the main features, stages, or components of your project, such as the research questions, hypotheses, variables, samples, procedures, or outcomes. You should also justify your choices and explain how they align with your objectives and research questions.

The fifth step is to state your expected results and implications of your project. You should summarize the main findings, conclusions, or recommendations that you anticipate from your data or evidence. You should also discuss the implications and applications of your results for your field, discipline, or practice, and how they address the problem, question, or gap that you identified in the first step. You should also mention any limitations, challenges, or risks that may affect your results or implications.

The sixth and final step is to provide a roadmap for the rest of the proposal. You should outline the main sections, chapters, or parts of your proposal, and how they are organized and connected. You should also indicate the main arguments, evidence, or points that you will present in each section, and how they support your overall thesis or claim. You should also provide a clear and concise summary of your main message and purpose of your proposal.

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Academic Writing

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