Guideline for Proposal Writing

Instructions for research proposal construction

Biomedical Sciences Program, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences

The following topics will be used for submission of the thesis proposal.

1. Proposal title (English and Thai)

2. Principal investigator
3. Advisors/Co-advisors
Goals*
4. Background and problems
Hypotheses*
5. Literature reviews
6. Objectives
7. Scope of the study
8. Research methodology
9. Statistical analyses
Primary results*
Expected results*
10. Research plan
11. Facilities
12. Budget
13. Expected outputs
14. Expected outcomes
Limitations*
15. References
16. Ethics review

The proposal should be neatly typed, 1.5 spaced throughout, on pages of A4 size by
using Form GS. AHS.1, and has at least 17 sub-topics as shown above. The student can
provide the additional sub-topic (*) if they are influenced to a considering of the Proposal
Committee. Please read Instructions for research proposal construction carefully for
completing each section of the prescribed format. The proposal must be written in English
using Time New Romans (Cordia UPC for Title in Thai). One copy of research proposals

1
 Guideline for Proposal Writing

must be submitted to the graduate division of Faculty of Allied Health Sciences with all
related forms at least two weeks before the thesis proposal defense.

1. Title of the project

The title given to the research proposal should describe the scope of work in
specific, clear and concise manner.
2. Principal Investigator
The name and address of the principal investigator (PI) should be stated. The
address should be a mailing/forwarding address where communication to PI can be
facilitated.
Example:
Principal Investigator: Mr. Sahajet Doodee Student ID 50002008
Field of Study: Master of Science Program in Biomedical Sciences
E-mail address: ahsnueducation@hotmail.com
Tel: 055-261-936-7 ext. 6229, 6262
3. Advisors and co-advisors
In case of the thesis proposal, the names and addresses of thesis advisor(s) and
co-advisor(s) should be stated here. The names of co-advisor(s) who will participate in the
project should be also mentioned. In case of the project developed for the qualifying exam, it
is not necessary to state the name of the thesis advisor. The advisors can be someone else
whom the applicant requires for consultation regarding the project. The advisors and co-
researchers are either the staff of Naresuan University or an outsider.
Example:
1. Prof.. ……………………… Major advisor
2. Dr. ………………………… Co-advisor
3. Dr. ………………………… Co-advisor
4. Goals
Specify and describe the goals of the research project. What the impacts are
obtained from the study. The goals should cover objects and outcomes of the research project.
5. Background and problems
This denotes the description of the background concerning the research topic
selected for study which is the essential basis for development of a research proposal. It

2
 Guideline for Proposal Writing

identifies the important specific research, questions that need to be answered by the proposed
research.
6. Hypotheses
Describe the hypothesis of the research project related to the research questions.

7. A review of literature
The details in previous or related work (if present) should be discussed in this
part. It is essential to specify how the proposed research differs from what has been
accomplished by the others. If this proposed research is a continuing study of the researcher,
it may be essential to show the promising results in this section as well as a statement telling
why the previous work needs to be continued.
A brief synthesis of literature and other information is required. If detailed
review is presented, it should be put in and appendix.
8. Objectives
Clearly and concisely list purposes of the proposed study. The general
objectives or purposes of the research identify in general terms what is to be accomplished by
the research project and why. Objectives related to the studied questions which the
researchers want to answer are needed to be specified.
9. Scope of the study
Simplify the scope of your study including purpose of the study, sample
group, method and instrument used, and time period of the study.
10. Research methodology
Describe here what will be done (observation work, field trials, laboratory
experiments, participant observation, surveys etc) and how it will be done, including the
following points:
- Methods and activities to be carried out to solve the problems and answer the
questions stated in “the statement of problem” Which parameters will be studied and which
measurements will be taken; which data will be collected and how. Do not simply quote
references to a publication to substitute for a methodology description unless you are
referring to a basic technique which is well-known to non-specialists in your field as well as
specialist.
- Criteria for choosing sites and samples, sampling methods and sample sizes.

3
 Guideline for Proposal Writing

- Details on the experimental design. Plot layout and sizes (or equivalent
information), treatments, replication and statistical methods to be used to analyze data should
be included.
- If you will use a questionnaire in your research, you are requested to send a
draft copy of your questionnaire to the graduate committee with the completed application
form.
11. Statistical analyses
Define the statistical method utilizations in this study and explain the reason to
choose those of data analysis.
12. Primary results
Provide the primary results from the pilot study if you have done.
13. Expected results
Indicate the expected results related to the specific aims or objectives.
14. Research plan
A research plan should cover a research period of 1-3 years. A time frame of
each activity in the proposed research should be illustrated in table which the column on the
left, note the major phases/activities of your research, To the right, mark the boxes that
indicate during which months you will be engaged in the activity. Month 1 corresponds to the
first month of your proposed project.
Example
1st year (….,….to…,…)
Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2st year (….,…..to…,….)

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

15. Facilities
List here equipment and facilities, etc. necessary for your project which will
be provided by the institution where the work will be carried out.

4
 Guideline for Proposal Writing

16. Budget
An estimated amount of funding must be categorized into the followings
groups: Personnel (allowance to be paid), Major equipment, Supplies, Travel, Data analysis
cost, and Miscellaneous expenditures.
Items Amount (Baht)
1. ……………….. ………………
Total

17. Expected outputs

State output such as publication, patents, and new intervention that you
expected from this project.
18. Expected outcomes
The outcomes will be obtained when the research project finished.
19. Limitations
Indicate the limitations of the study and describe the necessary.
20. References
Write the references following the instruction of the Naresuan Graduate
School.
21. Ethics review
Describe how the research project related to human or animal subjects.

***************************