Gladys Reichard Scholarship

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The proposal, as outlined here, follows a format typical of that required by many funding agencies. You should aim for a clearly written proposal that outlines in specific terms what you hope to do. You want to be well-organized and eloquent, but jargon-free. The language should be strong and confident; where possible state "I will..." instead of "I hope..." or "I wish...".

Your full proposal (maximum 5 pages, including all parts noted here) must include the following sections by the due date in order to be considered for this competition:
I. A Cover Sheet (maximum 1 page);
II. A Project Proposal (including budget and working bibliography; note that in specific sections we've provided guidelines for maximum length, offering you the flexibility to determine the length of the remaining sections according to your specific needs) (together 2-3 pages, the text double-spaced, the bibliography single-spaced); and
III. A Human Subjects Protection Statement (1-2 pages double-spaced)
These should be organized in the order described below.

All materials must be typed, with one inch margins, and set in 12 point type.

Should you have any immediate questions, please feel free to contact the Department Chair (Prof. Sharp, 854-5428/ LSharp@Barnard.edu) or any other faculty member in the Department.

I. Cover or Title Sheet (maximum 1 page) Proposal Title. This should state clearly the focus of your research. Poetic titles are fine, but beware: you don't want to use something that is so obscure that the review committee cannot identify your purpose. YOUR NAME should appear below the title.

Abstract/Summary (up to 150 words): Begin with a brief and straightforward description of the project. This statement should identify the most important feature(s), aim(s), and goal(s) of our research. In addition, identify your informants and your primary data collection methods. It is always a good idea to write this last--only after you have written the body of the proposal will you know what to include here.

* * *

II. The Project Proposal (this begins on a new page; 2-3 pages total for all parts listed here)

Introduction: Here you introduce the reader to your topic. The opening sentence should be particularly strong, since it is a topic sentence for the entire proposal. Briefly pose the problem (or phenomena) you wish to investigate and your understanding of its anthropological significance. This paragraph should be a strong introduction for the next sections.

Background: Here you clarify for the reader what has been done so far by other researchers: include a brief literature review (identifying the most relevant texts for your topic and making their significance clear) and a statement about what it is you hope to add to the existing body of literature. The sources cited here should be included in your working bibliography. In addition, you want to discuss your biographical position within the project (as an active participant, new member, complete outsider, etc.).

Project Description: This is the meat (or tofu) of the proposal, a comprehensive explanation of its purpose and objectives. Consider these questions: Why do you wish to investigate your topic? What makes it so compelling? What sorts of questions and/or hypotheses drive your research? What do you want to accomplish? Be realistic! Be sure to include information on WHERE you will do your research and WHO and WHAT will be the focus of our group.

Methodology: This is often the hardest part of the proposal to write even for the most seasoned of anthropologists. Please be specific and detailed in your description of data collection methods. Since this grant focuses specifically on ethnographic research, your methods must be especially strong and clearly articulated. An assumption is that interviewing and participant-observation will be central to your research. This does not mean, however, that you should necessarily limit yourself to these techniques--other categories of data collection may be helpful, too. Thus, ask yourself this--how does your methodology address the major issues and questions you have identified? Be clear about how you will operate in the field. If you will rely on participant-observation, how, where, and when? During interviews, how many informants will you need? How will you identify them? Categorize them (i.e. by socioeconomic parameters such as gender, age, ethnicity, age, class, etc.--and/or by "member-recognized" categories)? Present a reasonable scope of ethnographic activities in accordance with your resources at the time.

Time Table (note that a few sentences will probably do here): Describe the schedule you will lay out for yourself over the course of the weeks and/or months to follow in such a way that it is clear you can carry out this project successfully.

Special Qualifications (again, a few sentences only): This section is optional, and should be brief if you choose to include it. This is where you may wish to stress your language fluency, should you plan to conduct research in a language other than English; explain where you plan to live while conducting research; and/or outline any current contacts you might already have that you feel will help you accomplish this project successfully.

Conclusion: Provide a quick wrap-up expressing your confidence in carrying out this proposal. You can also use this section to add anything else you wish to tell the proposal reviewers.

Budget: Please itemize on a separate page the expenses you anticipate you will incur during your research and justify in a sentence or two each category. Keep in mind that this grant does not cover salary but, rather, is designed to assist you with, for example, travel costs, writing, computer, and/or photographic supplies, etc. You will be asked to submit receipts at the end of your research period so please be certain to keep these in a safe place.

Bibliography of References Cited: Be sure to include not only book titles but also up-to-date articles and/or book chapters from academic sources. In most cases, your authors should be anthropologists or, more generally, social scientists. In composing this bibliography, follow AAA guidelines (for instructions see a current issue of the journal American Anthropologist).

III. Human Subjects Protection Statement (2 pages maximum) This is where you describe the ethical issues relevant to your project. For greater details see the follow page. Please note that if you are funded you may not begin your project until you have completed the on-line RASCAL tutorial on-line. Please see this link. 

<< Back