The following can be a guide for you to write your proposal.

The typed in Blue ink Moc RP proposal is an example for you to

understand how you can proceed.
The proposal can be divided into five separate parts. Each one is described in detail
below.
Fill in each answer as you go, and count up how many words you have
These notes will form your first draft.
Then you will have some first feedback and you will see examples of A+ completed
proposals, you can finalise your work.
ASK! It is important that you ask your teacher for help if you dont know what to do at
any point.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

PART ONE Your initial ideas for

the research
1. What is your topic for the Research
Process? This can be written as either a
statement (e.g. The effects of homework
completion on school grades), or it can be
written as a question (e.g. How does
stormwater pollution affect the birds living
in the Salisbury wetlands?).

2. Describe the processes you went

through to choose your topic. This
paragraph-long answer should cover things
like:
how long it took you to decide on
your topic, all the different topics you
considered researching first, the
arguments
for
and
against
researching each topic,
how you made your final choice, how
you determined that the topic was
appropriate (that there were enough
things you didnt know about the
topic and could research, and that it
was challenging enough to research),
what skills you hope to develop, and
what knowledge you hope to develop
by completing this research.

PART TWO Demonstrating how

you have considered, identified
and defined your research topic
3. Explain how your chosen topic is
personally interesting and/or relevant
to you

4. Demonstrate the processes used to

refine your question: What aspects of
your question did you focus on in order to
make your research question very clear? In
what ways is it specific? For example does
your question refer to a particular time,
location, person/culture or is it more
general? Would someone reading your
question be sure exactly what you are
intending to find out? Can you clarify it any
further? Give details:

PART THREE Choosing a capability

that is relevant to your research
5. Apart from Learning, which of the
other four SACE capabilities relate to
your chosen topic?

6. Which capability have you chosen

as your second choice (after
Learning)?

7. How does this capability relate to

your chosen topic and why does it
interest you?

8. Describe your current level of

knowledge / ability with this
capability:

9. Explain how you think you can

develop your knowledge / skill
regarding this chosen capability
during the Research Project.

PART FOUR Negotiating processes for working with others.

There will be some people you have to work with during this research project, and other
people you could work with if appropriate for your topic.
People you must work with:
Your Research Project teacher
People you could work with:
Other students, e.g. to survey them, video them, get help (they take a video of you
doing an interview or experiment), or to get feedback on your work
Other teachers, e.g. for advice, expert help, to be taught a new skill or concept, to
draft a survey
Other adults, for all the above reasons, and also for career advice, work
experience, feedback
10. List which people you plan to work
with for this topic, and explain how
they can help you:

11. How often do you plan to meet or

work with each of these people? (E.g.
Research Project teacher = in set lesson
times, local Vet for careers information =
one 30 min interview, Chem teacher =
double prac lesson)

PART FIVE Considering and selecting research processes which are

appropriate:
(Valid, Ethical and Manageable)
Your teacher can provide you with many examples of TYPES of research, e.g.
Action, participatory, family, subject-based, technological and enterprise types of
research.
Your teacher can also provide you with examples of different research PROCESSES /
METHODS, e.g.
Take notes, keep a journal, conduct an interview, survey peers or adults, contact an
expert in your area of interest, take photographs, collect artefacts, take and edit a video,
collect maps, keep a diary, collect letters and other documents, scan family photos
medals and passports, create a timeline, use the internet, visit a library, keep a logbook,
draw diagrams, document procedures used in experiments, record your improvement in
playing a musical instrument, use an encyclopaedia, collect newspaper articles,
interview a teacher
To demonstrate that your topic is challenging, more than just a few research
processes should be selected!
12. Which research processes do you
plan to use and why? In what way are
your chosen methods for finding and
collecting information, or learning new
skills, appropriate to your research
question? Are there any other research
processes which could more successfully

find the answer/s to your research project

topic/question?

Your research needs to be ethical as well. This means that it will not adversely affect
other people, impact on the environment, negatively affect animals, or anything else!
This is something you need to think about very carefully. You could impact other people
by: collecting personal information and not keeping it private, collecting or publishing
information/data that is biased or racist/sexist/etc, taking photos or video without
permission, or using someone elses work without permission or acknowledgement
(plagiarism).
13. Identify any ways your research
may impact on yourself, other
people, animals or the environment,
and work out ways you could
minimise these risks.

If you believe there arent any ethical

concerns involved with your planned
research project, you still need to explain
why you think this is the case and provide
details in the box above.

14. You must be able to show that

the research processes you have
selected are manageable. This means
that you will have enough time to
complete all parts of your research, that
you wont be prohibited from carrying out
your planned research due to costs being
too high, and that the research processes

you have selected are safe for yourself

and any other person involved to carry
out. Provide details about this below:

STUDENT EXEMPLAR # 1 What

grade do you think this
proposal would have been
given?