Q2 Lesson 9: WRITING A CONCEPT PAPER

CONCEPT PAPER
 It provides an overview of the project and helps funding agencies eliminate proposals that are likely
to be disapproved.
 It helps save time and effort for both the proponents and the funding agencies.
 It can be helpful in addressing social issues especially since they aim to show solutions to tangible
issues which plague the society.

USES OF A CONCEPT PAPER

1. It serves as a foundation of the full proposal
2. It helps determine whether a certain project is feasible or not.
3. It is used to pique the interest of the potential funding agencies.
4. It is used to obtain informal feedback on the ideas prior to preparing the full potential.

THREE WAYS IN EXPLAINING A CONCEPT

Before writing a concept paper, you have to learn how to explain the concepts first by accomplishing
the following:
1. Definition
 It is the method of identifying a given term and making its meaning clearer.
 Its purpose is to clarify and explain concepts, ideas, and issues by answering the question “What does
it mean?”
 It uses illustrations, examples and description in defining the terms and the its detailed exposition.

 DEFINITION IS PRESENTED IN THREE WAYS

i. Informal Definition – done through a parenthetical or brief explanation.
ii. Formal Definition – explains a term by incorporating the term to be defined.
iii. Extended Definition – detailed way of determining a term and is usually composed of at least one
paragraph. It incorporates various patterns of development to explain a given concept.

i. Informal Definition
e.g. Tocopherol (Vitamin E) is naturally found in vegetable oil, fish and nuts.

ii. Formal Definition

e.g. Vitamin E is a light yellow fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an anti-oxidant.

iii. Extended Definition

e.g. Subsequent to materials design is the promotion of learning materials. Learning materials refer to both
printed and non-printed objects or items that teachers and learners use to facilitate language learning.
Nowadays, materials are becoming more and more sophisticated, incorporating authentic language sample and
realias that help make a connection between classrooms and real-life activities. They also incorporate
information and communication technology (ICT), role plays,

Signal words for Definition

as defined for instance means to define
for example is defined as such as to illustrate

2. Explication
 It is a method of explanation in which sentences, verses, quotes, or passage are taken from a literary
or academic work and then interpreted and explained in a detailed way.
 It needs to clearly present the thesis in the introduction and follow it up by analyzing and explaining
how the text was constructed.
 It should end with a concise conclusion by restating the thesis and major arguments.
 Explication of “The Road Not Taken”
The poem titled “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is about a man reflecting on a choice he once
made. While the outcome of this choice is not implied to be positive or negative, the speaker notes that the
choice in itself and the consequences of that choice have made a huge difference in the way his life has
unfolded.
The poem is about the importance of choices. The poem begins with the speaker regretting that he
could have not been two people so he could have at some point in his life taken two roads instead of being
confined to one. He looked as far as he could to see what was ahead on one of the roads he could have taken,
but he was limited to seeing only as far as where it turned and disappeared in the bushes. In the second stanza,
he says that he took the other road because it was grassy and was possibly better because it was less travelled,
though not much more than the other road. The third stanza says that both roads were covered by leaves that
had been walked on infrequently, to the extent that the leaves covering them had not been made black from
tramping feet. He also says he continued on the road he chose, and because he knew that on letting leads to
another (“way leads on to way”) he doubted he would ever return to his part of the road. Finally, he says that
he will tell the story when he is much older. (“Somewhere ages and ages hence”) that he had the choice of
taking one road over another, and having taken the one he did made a big difference in his life.
An Excerpt from: http://efford.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/8/3/13833564/poetryexplicaionexample.doc

3. Clarification
 It is a method of explanation in which the points are organized from a general abstract idea to
specific and concrete examples.
 It entails the analysis of the concept by looking at the examples and specifying some if its
characteristics to arrive at one working definition which can be used throughout the paper.

Signal words for Clarification

after all for instance namely that is
as an example in other words put another way to be specific
consider the in particular specifically to clarify
following
for example in short stated differently to illustrate

Sample Clarification Text

Justice is a broad concept which encompasses a wide set of ideas, most of which also branch out into
smaller notions. For instance, it can refer to the sentencing of a criminal based on due process. When an
individual gets what he deserves, even outside the hands of the law, it also considered justice in some contexts.
This may come in the form of vigilante justice, in which a person dissatisfied with the system doles out
punishment to wrong-doers. Poetic justice is also another related concept which is used in literature to show
how the good is rewarded while bad forces always meet a grim end. In the context of this paper, justice will be
clearly delineated into any instance in which the law is successfully and fairly applied to an individual,
resulting in either an arrest or a release. To illustrate, if a thief is caught and tried in court through due process,
and is found guilty and then sentenced accordingly, it can be said that justice was served. However, if the same
thief is caught in the act of the band of villagers and was beaten right then and there, it will be considered
justice in the context of the paper, as the process has not undergone due process.

PARTS OF A CONCEPT PAPER FOR PROJECT

1. Cover Page.
 State the name of the proponents and their affiliations.
 State the addresses, contact numbers, and email addresses of the proponents.
 State the head of the agency and his/her contact information.
 State the date of submission
2. Introduction
 State the information about the funding agency to show that you understand its mission.
 State the mission of the agency that the proponents represent and align it to the funding agency’s
mission. Also, state the year the proponents represent and align it to the funding agency’s mission
 and the year the proponents’ agency was established, its major accomplishments, and other details
that demonstrate its capability to undertake the proposed project.
 Present and describe other partner agencies and why they are qualified as such.
 Provide reasons why the funding agency should support the project.
3. Rationale or Background
 State the gap in knowledge to be addressed by the project.
 State the problems to be solved.
 State the project’s significance.
4. Project Description
 State the goals and objectives of the project.
 Present the methodology (e.g., Action Plan, Project Activities or Approach)
 Present the timeline expressed in months and year.
 State the benefits or anticipated outcomes.
 State how success of outcomes will be evaluated.
5. Project Needs and Cost
 Outline the main budget; include the item description and amount.
 Explain or justify how the budget will be used.
 List the personnel or equipment needed for the project.

PARTS OF A CONCEPT PAPER FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH

1. Title Page
 State your research title.
 State your name and school.
 State the date of submission.
2. Background of the Study
 Provide the current state of the field you are researching on.
 State the gap in knowledge and problems to be addressed by the research.
 Provide statistics and previous studies to prove your claims.
 State the reasons why you want to investigate on the chosen topic.
 State the theoretical and practical implications of your proposed research.
3. Preliminary Literature Review
 Provide a theoretical framework which includes the theory that will guide you in the conduct of
your research.
 Provide related literature that supports your topic.
 Provide related studies that will help you in conducting the research or analyzing and discussing
data.
 Provide a brief synthesis of the reviewed literature and studies
4. Statement of the Problem
 State your general problem in one sentence.
 State your specific research questions or objectives.
5. Abridged Methodology
 Provide the context and participants of the study.
 Provide the instruments to be used.
 Provide the data collection procedure.
 Provide the data analysis scheme to be used.
6. Timeline
 Provide a timeline set in months and year.
7. References
 Provide a list of all books, journals, and other resources cited in your paper.
GUIDELINES IN WRITING A CONCEPT PAPER
1. Cost and methodology should be reasonable.
2. The budget, methodology and timeline should be clearly aligned.
3. Use statistics and figures when discussing the rationale for the project.
4. Use no more than five pages (single spaced) excluding the cover page. Do not overwhelm the readers
with details.
5. Never request funding for planning the proposal.
6. Adjust your language to the intended readers. You may use technical terms if readers are scholars and
scientists. However, refrain from using jargon when your target readers are lay persons.
7. Include the overview of the budget if it is required. If not, then skip the budget section. In pace of this,
you may simply include the type of support you may need such as personnel travel and communication,
and equipment.
8. Be sure that basic format details, such as page numbers, are incorporated.
9. Cite your references