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This chapter discusses writing the research proposal and obtaining funding. It includes tips on how to navigate towards funding for a research proposal, and begins by stressing the importance of having a research idea. It also highlights the fact that despite having a good research idea, that does not guarantee that a researcher will get the funding he or she requires.

This chapter addresses the researcher who is considering whether grounded theory is appropriate for his or her study. It begins with a brief discussion of when qualitative methods such as those in grounded theory are most helpful. It then describes in more depth the basic characteristics and key components of grounded theory that were introduced in Chapter 1. It discusses how each of them can be used in the consideration of when to use grounded theory, and how the various characteristics of grounded theory impact problem formulation and study design. Then three exemplar grounded theory studies in social work are used to illustrate these characteristics and key components. Finally, the development of a research proposal in grounded theory research is discussed. Several suggested exercises follow the chapter.

The lives of most social researchers are dominated by the recurrent need to produce research proposals. This is particularly so for contract researchers — people who must raise their own salaries in addition to the direct costs of the research. For contract researchers, a research proposal is essentially a job application: failure of the proposal to secure funding means unemployment. For researchers whose contracts do not require the continual re-financing of their own jobs, the research proposal plays an important role as professional justification: the measure of a ‘good’ researcher is the number of research proposals successfully funded; or, to put it another way, the ‘failure’ to raise money is an easy invitation to professional criticism. This chapter presents the author's account of her first attempt to obtaining funding for the Social Support and Pregnancy Outcome project.

A research problem originates when the researcher considers the situation as complex, confusing and needs to probe into the way in which it can be resolved. The chapter discusses methods of selection of a problem by looking to incongruities and gaps and choice on the basis of personal interests, social relevance, and availability of time, fund and research materials. To define is to zero down the research problem. It next focuses on the drafting of a research proposal and research design, its importance, content and steps. Through this discussion it focuses on 3 questions: How to conduct literature review? What is its importance? How to contextualise a discussion in relation to the existing body of knowledge? It also discusses the formulation of a hypothesis, its importance and verification in light of vast data collected in the course of research. From the beginning to the final stage how intellectual activity is to be carried on in a systematic manner is the theme of this chapter.

This chapter focuses on how to write research proposals for qualitative Internet research. It discusses the flexible adaptation of research plans in the face of emergent online events, and the diverse forms of fieldsite that can result. This chapter encompasses research designs involving documentary analysis, interviews, and ethnography, beginning with the problem of choosing a fieldsite. It examines the role of theoretical concepts in shaping research. It also covers the practices of data collection and storage required of the online qualitative researcher; the different forms of online presence and interaction in which they might engage; and the ethical concerns that various forms of Internet research design may raise.

This chapter takes a conceptual look at the issues associated with funding academic research. It begins with a paradox: when agencies funding scientific research emphasize basic research over translational projects, they are criticized for their impracticality, but when they emphasize near-term mission-oriented R&D projects, they are criticized for crowding out what industry would have done otherwise and backing redundant efforts. A model in which the supply of and demand for public funds plays out in a world where private funding sources also exist is presented. The choices regarding funding sources—and the impact of publicly imposed requirements around disclosure—will vary not only with the scientific merit of the research proposal, but also with the immediacy of its applicability to commercial uses. The chapter gives a fresh insight into the subtle ways that public and private funding interact, and the role that government policy (e.g., mandating openness) plays in shaping the production and use of knowledge.

In many ways it’s a reflection of yourself as a researcher and an insight into your proposed work. A poorly written proposal has the ability to wreck a project and embarrass the researcher before it has even begun. Similarly, a well-constructed proposal bodes well for the success of the project and displays the researcher in a good light amongst their peers and supervisors. The research proposal identifies: • What the topic is, both in terms of background and the individual area of interest. • What you plan to accomplish and why it needs doing. • What in particular you are trying to find out, i.e. the research question. • How you will get the answer to your question, i.e. your methodology. • What others will learn from it and why it is worth learning. • How long it will take. • How much money it will cost. Through your research proposal you are attempting to convince potential supporters that your project is worth doing, you are scientifically competent to run it, and are in possession of the necessary management skills to ensure its completion. The proposal concisely describes the key elements of the study process, although in sufficient depth to permit evaluation. It is a stand-alone document that must contain evidence of an answerable question, demonstrate your grasp of the literature, and also clearly show that your methodology is sound. A research time-table is required to demonstrate a realistic appreciation of how the study will progress through time. The research proposal serves many purposes to many different parties. Amongst these purposes, some of the key ones are: • Acting as a route map and timetable for all involved in your project. • Giving a clear overview of your planned work to ensure favourable decision at ethical review. • Gaining funding to carry out your proposed study. • Securing a place to undertake a higher scientific degree. • Being an opportunity to ‘blow your own trumpet’ on paper. Although there are several bodies who will be obliged to see your proposal, there is a reasonable chance it will end up being wider read than this, so a coherent piece of work will reflect well on you.

This chapter begins by recalling the puzzles and the research questions set out at the beginning of the book and summarizing the main findings. Subsequently, it outlines the contributions of the research to the literature. Finally, some caveats and proposals for further research are put forward.

This chapter outlines the process of writing up a study, sharing it with communities of interest, and positioning it within the literature. In preparing to write up the findings, one should return to the original iteration of information on the research. This may be in the form of a research proposal, grant application, or dissertation prospectus. Initially, sections from the existing document, such as the introduction to the study, literature review, and discussion of methods, can serve as a placeholder on the front end of the draft. Also, using existing documents the researcher can include a discussion of the following: research results, implications, relationship to the literature on the topic, and conclusion. In this manner, as the discussion of the research continues to be a source of public engagement, the interpretation may extend beyond the original summary.

This chapter focuses on the logistical preparation and planning needed to conduct successfully a field study on reptiles, with emphasis on the need for flexibility when working with often uncooperative animals under conditions that are always unpredictable and frequently frustrating. Well thought-out research proposals are thus critical in doing field work in conservation. Keeping a record of daily work activities—i.e. field notes—is likewise essential for research; as are data sheets—which act as a mechanism of ‘quality control’, allow recording of the field data in a quick and efficient way, and facilitate the transcription of the data from the data sheets to the computer program used for later data analysis. Site documentation can also complement this process. Lastly, the chapter offers some tips on archiving and data backup.

Among the proposed explanations for the decline in hours in America and Britain since the midnineteenth century, the author identifies the influence of trade unions as the principal cause and offers evidence for this assessment. The author summarizes the arguments earlier in the book including the distinction between nominal hours and effective hours, the relevance of work effort, and the two expressions for the production function that allow hours to affect output in a flexible fashion. The author presents conjectures regarding the shape of workers’ labor supply functions. Although economists usually assume that employers are well-informed about the production function in their workplace, their strong resistance to cuts in hours suggests otherwise. The author suggests means by which employers can become better informed. Proposals are offered for further research on hours of work.