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PCH 593 - Special Project Seminar I
Professor Jung's Guidelines
for Writing the Special Project Proposal
Section 3 (Part 2 of Two Parts)

Guidelines for Sections 1 & 2 Part 1 of Guidelines for Section 3

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QUALITY INDEX

Psst - Hint... USE SUBHEADINGS

Development and Evaluation of Strategy

The purpose of this section is to describe the logistics you need to have in place before you can even begin to develop and evaluate your prototype and finalize your Product. Basically, this would require that you specify the activities you will need to perform to achieve the outcome and impact objectives you have stated in Section 1.

Working with the sample objectives set in Section 1, here goes...

Health-Outcome Goal: "To ensure those individuals identified with high-risk factors are appropriately followed up in a timely manner."

  • Health-Outcome Objective: "By March, 2002, "Your name" will develop a computerized tool to electronically store all data relevant to conduct timely follow up of high-risk individuals."
  • Health-Outcome Activity 1: Agency Parameters
    • "Permission has been given by Agency Preceptor.... (Appendix...)
    • "Role of preceptor - working closely with Special Project Advisor in development and evaluation of Product ...."
    • Explain the importance of the Agency's support for the Special Project to be developed.
  • Health-Outcome Activity 2: Department/University Parameters
    • "Letter of Intent signed by Special Project Advisor (Appendix...)
    • "Role of Special Project Advisor - (a) to oversee completion of Special Project in accordance with university & department guidelines; (b) work closely with Agency Preceptor...."
  • Health-Outcome Activity 3: Expert Parameters
    • Foundation for development, implementation & evaluation components:
      • Literature review - current theory (Summary of Section 2's pertinent sections).
      • Literature review - current practice (Summary of Section 2's pertinent sections).
      • Interview with experts.
    • Any professional support that would justify why your Product needs to be developed (Letters of support and/or permission from Agency).
  • Health-Outcome Activity 4: Target Population Parameters
    • "Content of Product will be determined by input and feedback from target populations (i.e., surveys, or other means of data collection [medical record abstraction, focus groups, etc.]), or, agencies/organizations that work with the target populations.
    • "Applicability of final Product may be limited to target population(s)...."
    • Give reasons why this would be so.

    Development of a Prototype

    The purpose of this section is to delineate the steps you will take to develop a product prototype based on the data you will be collecting from your target populations with your product development survey, or whatever other method you may be using to collect input data. Keep in mind that what you can collect with your data collection instruments is determined, in part, by the constraints, or, parameters set by the Agency, Department/University, Expert, and Target Population.

    You will have to spell out all these constraints so your readers will understand why you plan to conduct data collection in this way. You need to have an objective and associated activities for EACH target population you collect data from. This is why you should keep it as simple as possible.

    Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Goal: "To provide Agency management with the follow-up status of high-risk individuals."

    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Objective: "By February, 2002, "Your name" will conduct a product development survey to gather data from key Agency staff about what information Agency management would like to see regarding follow-up status.
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 1: Agency Parameters
      • Letters of support/permission have been obtained from Agency, or appropriate organizations to conduct product development survey (Appendix...).
      • Role of agency/organizations - provide permission that facilitates/provides access to target populations, etc.
      • Agency Development Criteria:
        • Describe how costs may have an impact on what form the Product will take, (i.e., bond vs. slick paper, no money for new software, etc.).
        • Describe how the scope of agency resources may have an impact on what form the Product will finally take (i.e., staff shortage).
        • Describe how these constraints are reflected in what data you can collect for developing your Product.
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 2: Department/University Parameters
      • "Special Project Advisor will ensure that the product development survey is properly conducted and completed, according to Department/University standards...."
      • "Special Project Advisor will ensure that the results of the product development survey will be used for developing a prototype of the Product for pilot testing."
      • Department/University Development Criteria:
        • Describe how University requirements may impact on the final product (i.e., time constraints of a semester, IRB requirements, etc.).
        • Describe how the Department's course requirements may impact on the final product (i.e., APA format, Department requirements for the Report's content, etc.).
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 3: Expert Parameters
      • "Appropriate agencies and organizations are utilized in conducting product development survey...."
      • Give reasons why these experts were chosen. Experts are experienced professionals in the field which can include those working in the Agency you are developing the product for.
      • Explain why not having these agencies/organizations as part of the product development would adversely impact on the outcome of the product development component of your Special Project.
      • Explain why not using the theories you will be using would adversely impact on the product development component of your Special Project.
      • Expert Development Criteria:
        • Describe how the theories you will use to develop your Product will make it a more meaningful product.
        • Describe how the data you collect will address components of the theories you have chosen to use to guide your efforts.
        • Describe how expert input is important for developing the Product's content.
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 4: Target Population Parameters
      • "Content of prototype will be developed based on the results of the product development survey."
      • Target Population Development Criteria:
        • Describe how input from the target population(s) is important for ensuring the Product will be appropriate (i.e., readability, cultural competency, etc.)
        • Explain how this input impacts on the form the final product will take (i.e., reading level, use of graphics, etc.).
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 5: Data Collection
      • Product Development Survey/Other data collection instruments (Actual surveys, medical record abstraction templates, scripts)[Appendix....].
      • Accompanying instruments - permission letters, cover letters (Appendix...).
      • Data collecting procedures (delineate sequence of how you plan to conduct your survey, or, other data collection procedures).
    • Behavioral/Environmental-Impact Activity 6: Data Analysis
      • Product Development Survey/Other data collection instruments - describe what you will be gathering with these instruments (i.e., qualitative data, quantitative data, etc.).
      • Software to be used - name of software.
      • Statistical analyses to be performed - frequencies, means, etc.
      • How the results from your analyses will be used to develop a prototype of the Product.

    Pretesting and Revision of a Prototype

    The purpose of this section is to delineate the steps you will be taking to pretest, or, pilot test your prototype. Based on the data you collect with your product evaluation survey, or whatever data collection instrument you will use to gather feedback during the pilot test, you will then revise the prototype to create the final product.

    PER-Impact Goal: "To enhance the ability of those in management to make decisions about the success of follow-up activities for high-risk individuals."

    • PER-Impact Objective: "By April, 2002, "Your name" will administer a product evaluation survey, as part of a pilot test of the communications tool, to Agency management, to evaluate the usefulness of sample reports generated by the computerized tool prototype."
    • PER-Impact Activity 1: Agency Parameters
      • Letters of support/permission have been obtained from Agency, or appropriate organizations to conduct evaluation/pilot test (Appendix...).
      • Role of agency/organizations - provide permission that facilitates &/or provides access to target populations, etc.
      • Agency Pilot Test/Evaluation Criteria:
        • Describe how the access provided by your Agency to target populations can impact on what kind of feedback you will get.
        • Describe how the quality of the feedback data will impact on the revision of the prototype.
    • PER-Impact Activity 2: Department/University Parameters
      • "Special Project Advisor will ensure that the evaluation/pilot test is properly conducted and completed, according to Department/University standards...."
      • "Special Project Advisor will ensure that results of the evaluation/pilot test will be used appropriately to enhance the product...."
      • Department/University Pilot Test/Evaluation Criteria:
        • Describe how IRB requirements can impact on what you can do as a pilot test.
        • Describe how the quality of the feedback data will impact the revision of the prototype.
    • PER-Impact Activity 3: Expert Parameters
      • "Appropriate agencies and organizations are utilized in the evaluation/pilot testing of the prototype...."
      • Give reasons why these experts were chosen.
      • Explain why not having these experts, agencies/organizations be part of the evaluation/pilot testing of the prototype would adversely impact on the outcome of the evaluation component of your Special Project.
      • Explain why not using the theories you will be using would adversely impact on the outcome of the evaluation component of your Special Project.
      • Expert Pilot Test/Evaluation Criteria:
        • Describe how the theories you will use to evaluate your Product will make it a more meaningful product.
        • Describe how the data you collect will address components of the theories you have chosen to use to guide your efforts.
        • Describe how expert feedback is important for evaluating the Product's content and assist in refining the Product.
    • PER-Impact Activity 4: Target Population Parameters
      • "Content of prototype will be critiqued by population(s) most likely to adopt the final product (sponsoring agency/organization,stakeholders, community group, etc.)".
      • Explain how this feedback impacts on the applicability of the final product.
      • Target Population Pilot Test/Evaluation Criteria:
        • Describe how feedback from the target populations will be used to refine your product.
        • Explain why this feedback is important for evaluating the Product.
    • PER-Impact Activity 5: Data Collection
      • Product Evaluation Survey/Other data collection instruments(i.e., actual surveys, scripts, templates)[Appendix....].
      • Accompanying instruments - permission letters, cover letters (Appendix...).
      • Data collecting procedures (delineate sequence of how you plan to conduct your survey, or other data collection procedures).
    • PER-Impact Activity 6: Data Analysis
      • Product Evaluation Survey/Other data collection instruments - describe what you will be gathering with these instruments (i.e., qualitative data, quantitative data, etc.).
      • Software to be used - name of software.
      • Statistical analyses to be performed - frequencies, means, etc.
      • Explain how the results from your analyses of this feedback will be used to refine the prototype of the Product.

    Workplan

    Your Workplan is a "Schedule of Activities" or "Timeline".

    • A simple chart is the best way to present this.
    • Here's an example:

    Activity Dec 2001 Jan 2002 Feb 2002 Mar 2002 Apr 2002 May 2002
    Conduct Product Development Survey X X
    Analyze Product Development Survey X
    Develop Prototype X
    Pilot Test Prototype & Conduct Product Evaluation Survey X
    Analyze Product Evaluation Survey X
    Modify Prototype and Develop Final Product X X
    Submit Final Product and Report to Appropriate Parties X

    (There should be more than this, like what you have to do for PCH 594 - Special Project Seminar II, but this is just to give you an idea of a simple way to present your workplan)

  • Remember - you need to complete the Special Project one month before the Spring's Graduation Day.

      Budget

      Write a narrative of your budget. You can get help with this from my Web site's Grants and Grant Writing Resources Page. Under "Grant Writing" - check out the links for A Guide to Proposal Planning & Writing (Oryx Press), Budget Template, Beginning Grant Writing - An Educator's Guide, and Proposal Checklist.

      Include a detailed itemized budget. Think of what it would cost the Agency if they were to hire someone to do what you will be doing for free.

      Your detailed itemized budget, which includes estimates of how much it would cost, should contain such line items as:

      • Direct costs:
        • Personnel
        • Fringe Benefits
        • Travel
        • Equipment
        • Supplies
        • Contractual agreements
        • Construction
        • Other
      • Indirect Costs

      To get help with estimates:

      • Talk with your Agency Preceptor about direct and indirect costs for his/ her agency.
      • Go visit Office Max, Staples, CompUSA.
      • To get an estimate of personnel costs, check my Web site's Career Page, and click on the Connecticut Occupation & Wage Estimates - at the bottom of the Web page.

      Summary

      Similar to the summaries you wrote for the previous 2 sections, think "Executive Summary." If readers read only your summary, they should know exactly what you plan to do and why.

      Bibliography

      Use APA format, which you should be able to do in your sleep by now.

      Psst - Hint... USE SUBHEADINGS

      Finishing Up Your Special Project Proposal

      Follow the Department's Guidelines regarding formatting, etc. and make sure everything is in APA format. If not, it won't get by me, and it will never get to the Department Chair.

      Appendices

      What To Include:

      • Follow Department guidelines.
      • Each appendix must be listed in the Table of Contents.
      • APPENDIX Title Page.
      • Watch your margins. Shrink all documents to conform with required margins.
      • Organize in order of implementation.
      • Start with letters of support, intent, etc.
      • Include the IRB in its entirety as a single appendix.
      • Include all data collection instruments, accompanying cover letters, etc. each as its own appendix.

      Note: It may seem repetitious, but each letter, form, script that you include in your IRB should be included as separate appendices of your final Special Project Proposal. So, if you were to remove the IRB Appendix from your Proposal it should still make sense.

      Bibliography

      • Follow Department guidelines.
      • APA format.
      • Alphabetical order.
      • Last item in the Special Project Proposal.
      • List in Table of Contents.
      • BIBLIOGRAPHY should be in caps, 2 inches from the top.
      • Only one bibliography for the entire proposal. Consolidate all the bibliographies from your sections into one main bibliography.
      • Include ALL sources you have used in preparing your proposal, whether or not you referenced it in the text.

      Links

      Betty's Home Page Site Map Index Academic Index Page

      Published on the Net: November 5, 2000
      Updated: 12/25/2022 R188

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