How to Write a Research Proposal in Ecology A Complete Guide to a Successful Assignment

How to Write a Research Proposal in Ecology A Complete Guide to a Successful Assignment Writing a proposal is a crucial step in the course of any research, because without a successful proposal the project in question will simply not come to be. It is especially true in the case of ecology papers. Conservation efforts and environment protection are an extremely hot topic these days, and at any given moment, there are likely to be dozens of similar propositions. It is your job to make your work attractive enough to be chosen over all the alternatives. What Is a Research Proposal: General Characteristics and Goals A research proposal provides a short summary of your proposed research that allows the reader to make conclusions about its originality, viability and relevance. It defines the major questions or issues you intend to address, outlines the general area that your research covers and describes the context of your work (existing studies and debates on this and related topics). The structure of a proposal can vary: different disciplines, colleges and departments have their own preferences. However, a few things remain unchanged: 1. A Research Proposal Is not an Article Writing peer-reviewed articles and writing proposals follow completely different patterns, and the experience you may already have in the field of academic writing can be misleading when you attempt to prepare a proposal. Articles traditionally begin with a detailed elaboration of the background against which you carry out the research. You should carefully describe your theory or hypothesis and the methods you are using. Although a proposal should mention all these things, they are not at the forefront. You should understand your proposal as a marketing pitch – its main goal is not to describe your proposed research, but to persuade the reader that this research is worth pursuing. 2. Study the Guidelines If you think it is obvious, then you will be amazed how many proposals are rejected simply because their authors do not bother to pay close attention to instructions. Don’t start drafting the proposal with the intention of fitting it to the guidelines later. Pay close attention to every word: In addition to technical things like font size and section titles, they contain hints to what, how and where you should write and what you should not include at all. 3. You Are Just as Important as Your Research The examiners evaluate not just your research – they evaluate you as well. Do you have the necessary skills and expertise? Do you have any experience with the research methods you intend to use? Do you have sufficient background knowledge in this field of study? You have to prove not just that your research proposal is sound, but that you can successfully carry it out, too. 4. Put Special Effort in the Title Remember that you are selling your research, and every marketer knows that if you have not grabbed the customer’s attention by a catchy title, then you have already lost him/her. Make sure your title: Does not contain questions. You don’t have anything to show yet, so questions only add up to ambiguity; Is easily comprehensible. You should drive your message home, not make it appear more scientific-like; Is laconic and straightforward. If you cannot make it short, probably your research idea is too vague; Shows why anybody should care. Make it immediately obvious that there are better reasons to do this research than your being interested in it. 5. Do not Beat about the Bush This is the most important aspect of writing a research proposal. Get to what exactly you propose to do as soon as possible, providing as little background as you can get away with. The examiner is not interested in the context and the theoretical construct of the issue you intend to address. He/she wants to know the gist of the proposed research and see why it is exciting. If you spend half the paper setting up the background, you may not bother about proceeding further – the reader has already lost all interest. How to Select a Suitable Topic for Your Research Proposal in Ecology 1. Define the General Direction Ecology is a discipline that covers a lot of ground, and unless you have a very definite idea of what you want to write about, you cannot waste time randomly stumbling around trying to come up with a topic. Usually this stage isn’t very difficult, as your research direction has to be connected to the overall theme of your current course. Try to identify a direction that appeals to you or has connection to your previous research. For example, if the course is mainly dedicated to conservation and reintroduction efforts, you can narrow it down to a particular region – e.g., Australia. 2. Do a Literature Review Once you know in what direction to move, you can start gathering the sources and checking out the existing body of knowledge on the chosen field of study. The easiest way to do it is to choose a few keywords related to the subject matter, and run searches with them using academic resource search engines and databases. Some examples include BioOne (dedicated to ecology and environmental science) and Jurn, DeepDyve and Google Scholar (multidisciplinary ones). You can also get help from your research supervisor or a library assistant. 3. Identify the Gap in the Knowledge Study the literature and check if there are any noticeable gaps in the existing knowledge on the subject. Literature review will help you understand what studies have already been done and if there are ideas, issues or problems that haven’t been addressed or require deeper research/another methodological approach. For example, if you encounter a research dedicated to the success of koala reintroduction efforts in the Mt. Lofty Ranges region of Australia, you can zero in on the fact that the population living there, although relatively large, descends from just six animals that were reintroduced to the area in 1965, which makes it highly inbred. 4. Single out the Problem and Prepare a Purpose Statement Now that you’ve identified a meaningful gap in the research, it is time to identify the problem you intend to tackle and answer 4 whys: Why it is important; Why you chose this subject; Why you believe you have the necessary qualification; Why others should care about the topic. The mere existence of the gap in the knowledge does not mean the topic is worth researching. There should be a problem worth researching: one that promises real results and is feasible in terms of expense/return ratio. Now you are ready to select a topic; here are a few examples: Koala Conservation Effort: The Issue of Inbreeding among the Mt. Lofty Ranges Population; Use of Fracked Gas in Cooking: Potential Ecological and Health Risks and Viable Alternatives; Coral Reef Die-Off in the Gulf of Mexico: Most Common Causes and Potential Countermeasures; Contamination of T. Testudinum Seagrass with Microplastic: Potential Implications for Marine Ecosystems; The Influence of Agriculture-Caused Greening in the Level of CO2 Emissions in India and China. Writing a Research Proposal in Ecology: A Step-by-Step Breakdown A research proposal doesn’t have a predetermined structure – different disciplines, universities, departments and even faculty members have their own regulations and preferences. Sometimes you receive a detailed template to follow, sometimes your supervisor gives you a general structure, sometimes it can even be relatively freeform. Anyway, the structure we show here is just an example of what you usually have to include in an ecology research proposal – if the guidelines you got from your university are different, you should follow them. This structure can help you better understand what goes where. How long your research proposal is to be fully depends on the college guidelines. It may range from just a few hundred words to a few thousand. 1. Title We have already talked about the title above. There is only one thing to add – do not try too hard to make it an ideal fit for your future research. Currently the title’s job is to attract attention and persuade the assessor to accept it. You will have time to revise it to better reflect the nature of your work while you do the research – after it is accepted. 2. Abstract A short and to the point statement of the nature of your proposed research, usually about 100 words or 3-4 sentences. Identify the problem or an issue you want to address in as few words and as straightforwardly as possible. 3. Context No research exists in isolation, and here you should show the current state of the field of study and how well you are versed in it. Provide a general report on what is currently known, what is the general consensus among the scholars, whether there were any recent debates on the topic. This way you both lay the groundwork of your research, explaining the existing state to those who may be unfamiliar with it, and show your acquaintance with the literature on the subject. If you use any direct citations from the literature you’ve gathered at this point, quote them according to the guidelines you have received. Usually it is enough to mention the author’s surname and the publication date (e.g., â€Å"It has been mentioned in a recent study on carbon monoxide emissions in the North Atlantic region (Nylan, 2017)†). 4. Questions Narrow the field of research down to the definite, concrete questions you are going to answer. Examiners often reject proposals because they are too vague and broad, which makes them unfeasible to complete in the allotted timeframe or with the relatively limited resources. For example, if you study the effects of microplastic on marine life, you may narrow it down and focus specifically on the lifecycle of parrotfish, its single yet common representative. 5. Methodology Your research should be not just feasible and important; you should also carry it out using suitable methods. In this section, you describe how you will approach your task. Tell if your research will be primarily library-based or you are going to do field work. Which libraries are you going to use? What kind of empirical data are you going to collect? How will you do it, and what methods will you use to process and analyze it? Is your expertise enough to use these methods in order to provide trustworthy results? 6. Significance and Originality Although your research has to be firmly grounded in the existing knowledge on the subject, it shouldn’t just rehash what is already proven. In this section you explain why your research is novel, how it expands and adds to what is known on the subject, how it can help further investigations in it and how it affects other disciplines. 7. Bibliography/ This is simply the list of all the sources of information you have used so far or intend to use in your research. Don’t try to create a comprehensive list of everything written on the topic – your current bibliography does not limit what you can later use in your work. Post-Writing Stage: How to Polish Your Ecology Research Proposal The quality of your proposal defines whether your research will be accepted. In a sense, it even determines the course of your future career, especially if it is your first fully independent research project. Therefore, don’t be in a hurry to submit it once you’ve finished writing. Take your time and apply some post-writing polish. 1. Check Grammar, Syntax and Spelling You may believe that at your academic level you don’t have to bother about such trivial things. However, chances are that you overestimate your mastery of English. Even experienced academic writers make mistakes, and few things spoil the impression more than an obvious blunder you’ve missed. At the very least, use a grammar-checking tool. Better yet, hire an editor or a proofreader. 2. Check if Your Research Question Is Alright Is it narrow enough? Is your proposal in general feasible? Do you manage to convey your interest and excitement about your research? Have somebody you trust read your proposal and ask him/her what impression it makes. 3. Check for Plagiarism Are you sure nobody did this research before? Check your sources once again. In addition, make sure you have properly quoted all your literature and listed it in the bibliography. 4. Check for Style A research proposal’s style should be simple and straightforward. Ideally, even somebody who does not know anything about ecology should be able to grasp its meaning. Therefore, avoid long and complex sentences, unnecessarily complicated words and jargon. 5. Check the Guidelines Did you strictly follow all the guidelines? Reread them once again and go over the entire proposal with a fine-toothed comb. Lack of compliance with instructions can get even an otherwise very promising proposal rejected. If even after carefully using this guide your supervisor says that your research proposal needs additional work, don’t be discouraged – it is perfectly normal. Moreover, it is a good sign – if your supervisor doesn’t outright reject it, it means that its core is sound. Usually a research proposal goes through 3 to 4 iterations before it is finally accepted. Follow the steps above, listen to what your advisor has to say, and your efforts will eventually pay off.

The Impact of Digital Marketing on Consumer Behaviour Essay

The Impact of Digital Marketing on Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example This study sought to determine the influence of digital marketing on consumer buying behaviour. Specifically, this research sought to attain the following objectives: 1. To determine the change in customer buying behaviour brought about by digital marketing among internet and mobile users in the UAE market. 2. To analyse the consumers’ attitude towards interactive digital advertising. 3. To examine the academic literature related to consumer attitude and digital marketing, thereby establishing the relation between both the concepts. For a marketer, communicating with customers anywhere at any time is an essential way to effectively promote products and services. Nowadays, this type of marketing communication has been revolutionized by the development and innovation of digital technology. According to Stewart, digital technology has paved way for immediate interaction between marketers and consumers through digital advertising. In the study done by Radzeviciute & Sliburyte, it was revealed that the most common form of digital marketing tool is the short messages where photographic images can be transferred to computer, mobile phones, and online community. With this, four sub-types of digital marketing strategies were also identified and these are the internet-based and email advertising, and mobile-phone-based SMS- and MMS-type advertising. Over the years, the growth and development of digital marketing has largely been due to its precision, personalization, precision, measurability, easy targeting, and customization.

Change management of large scale enterprise Essay

Change management of large scale enterprise - Essay Example From the onset, it is important to note that enterprises exist to give value to their stakeholders through the operation in an atmosphere that gives value, while at the same time minimizing risks and the responsible utilization of the resources available. In an environment that is rapidly changing, the faster setting of directions and faster reaction to the change is essential as well as the sharing of the decision-making among stakeholders. Business enterprises that want to ensure that are successful implement overarching systems of governance in order to achieve business aims at all levels of operation and that IT governance practices and IT outcome are correlated in the sense that stronger IT governance practices give better IT governance outcomes. Business enterprises in general are complicated entities that must incorporate technological and financial systems operating in a dynamic market and business circumstances that are not certain requiring change management from time to ti me. Most of these businesses are large-scale with a distributed system characterized by highly complex that involves the interaction of many aspects including humans, services, applications and devices. Due to this complexity, enterprises may have inefficiencies such as unnecessary human labour and under-utilized information technology devices and the lack of modelling or optimization of the operations of the business. This leads to delays and latencies that may be caused by traffic bottlenecks and engineering or design that is imperfect that therefore requires the businesses to change or evolve into better forms that exhibits improved performance. In our research paper, we review the business enterprises as large-scale and distributed system with specific dynamics exhibiting a typical behaviour of which adaptability or system change is the key to the viability of the business. To pursue this, we postulate that the longevity of a business enterprise is determined by its ability to a dapt to changes over a long duration of time, depending on either the natural systems or the artificial systems that are dictated by intelligent but conscious decisions in line with the market conditions. Whereas previous work have focused on the structural features of information technology governance, there are concepts of IT governance that must be endeavoured in order to appreciate IT governance process and enterprise change. It is notable that regardless of the market dynamism, effective IT governance can only be achieved through the strategic integration of both IT and business decisions and the establishment of collaborative relationships amongst the stakeholders concerned. Therefore, the question that begs to be answered is what procedure or mechanism is necessary in the IT governance in the current business environment. Past studies have only focused on the structural mechanisms and ignoring process mechanisms that have resulted in partial leading to limited understanding o f IT governance. However, present studies address the social and procedural mechanisms for the governance of IT that makes it easier for any person attempting to manage large-scale enterprise change.

707 discussion 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

707 discussion 2 - Assignment Example In addition, tethered PHR also offers patients’ access to medical information and can therefore promote self-care for better quality of health (Health IT, 2013). PHR influence health information exchange though provision of data bank on a patient’s information, from a patient’s records. It therefore promotes communication between a patient and healthcare personnel, with the patient as the source of information. An electronic health record, however, is a maintained database by healthcare facility that uses electronic systems and offers access of the information to authorized care personnel or care facilities. The system therefore facilitates exchange of among healthcare facilities, departments, or healthcare personnel. Consequently, PHR has the advantage of facilitated communication for diagnosis and timely care delivery (Health IT, 2013) while electronic health records has the advantages of minimizing chances of medical mistakes and ensuring appropriate care through updating care personnel (Medicare, n.d.). The main disadvantage of PHR is its limited scope of information transfer and possible unreliability of information source , a patient who may lack medical expertise, while the main disadvantage of electronic health records is possible breach of confidentiality and privacy due to information access by multiple personnel and at multiple access points. Health IT. (2013). Are there different types of personal health records (PHRs)? Health IT. Retrieved from:

Syrian Unrest Essay Example for Free

Syrian Unrest Essay The Syria unrest, which has been going on since March of 2011 is an uprising by a rebel group against a governing party in Syria. The main objectives of the rebels are to overthrow current president, Bashar-al-asshad. In April of 2011, the president deployed the army, still loyal to president asshad whose family lineage has been ruling Syria for decades, to open fire on any protesters. The rebels, in retaliation, formed their own group of armed troops mainly consisting of ex-soldiers and weapon users. The clashes now happen in no particular area but in several parts of the country. The president terms the rebellion group â€Å"as armed terrorist groups and foreign mercenaries. The protesters have received aid and support from many foreign nations including the United States of America and many Arab nations. The Arab league suspended Syria’s membership in their constituency because of the government’s response to the matters at hand. It was recently brought to light by the United nations in the start of 2013 that the total number of casualties involving this situation exceeded 60,000. Half of these are assumed to be civilians. In a chance to get away from the war and destruction, To seek refuge several local Syrians have fled to neighbouring Arab nations and are warmly welcomed by these nations. However, it is said that the captured rebels have been subjected to high levels of mental and physical torture. Tens of thousands simple civilians as well have been imprisoned as security measures by the government forces. The Syrian unrest has gotten from bad to worse with unrest that, at the moment, seems to not be going anywhere. The only hope of the Syrians to get back their country and their nation is to have an external source taking drastic measures to repair the irreparable damage.

Free College Essays - An Analysis of Solo by Jack Higgins :: Solo Essays

An Analysis of Solo This book, in my opinion, is a very good example of a serial killer, and his ironic demise.   The book begins with an example of serial killing, where a powerful, influential man is killed by an assassin.   The book, after the killing, follows the killer to an unusual place-a concert hall. There it is found that the killer is internationally famous concert pianist John Mikali.      Ã‚  Ã‚   This man, Mikali, has been tormented by death and pain all of his life. His family has been based through a stout naval history, as his father, and relatives past have all been commanders and captains of great naval ships. The one break in the chain was his Grandfather and him, John, who is a concert pianist.   John is clever but physcotic, because his hobby, as gruesome as it may seem, is killing.   It began one day when his nanny was killed.   It seemed she was killed by a hit and run driver.   John, who loved his nanny so much, decided to get revenge, and revenge he did.   He killed the man who had been driving the car.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The book starts out, as said, with a killing and then by revealing the killer.   Then the book goes into a story of the life of the man Mikali. His mother and father had been killed at sea, and the only people he had left were his nanny and his aunt. The book gives an accurate description of his life and times before his incredible hobby.      Ã‚  Ã‚   After the book describes Mikali's background, which itself is filled with death, the book goes into the current life of Mikali and how he got to where he is.   Mikali discovered his great talent in music at a very early age.   His grand-father, who is the only blood relative he has left, is committed to his grand-son.   He gives his son the best schooling in the form of music he loves the most: the Piano.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The book after it has dealt with the past then goes into the present. Using this method, it resembles a time line:       MIKALI'S DEEP PAST--------RECENT PAST---------PRESENT TIME      Ã‚  Ã‚   After the recent past, in which Mikali has killed over 30 well known and influential people all around the globe.   He uses his influential piano connections to travel all around the globe.

The Simpsons: an Imperfect Ideal Family

The Simpsons: An Imperfect Ideal Family The essay The Simpsons: An Imperfect Ideal Family was a paper written by Eliezer Van Allen explaining how the popular T. V show The Simpsons was not so unrealistic and impractical as many Americans had thought it to be. In fact, The Simpsons was, more or less, a â€Å"â€Å"cracked-mirror version† of our own imperfect but lovable selves† just in a cartoon, sitcom type form.This essay talks about how The Simpsons family often reflects the way many current families live and how, although many individual characteristics in a family member may not always be the best, as a whole a family will often come together and help one another constructing a strong family bond. Although Van Allen over exaggerates the obstacles of the everyday life, he refers to The Simpsons as a â€Å"nuclear† resemblance of the typical 20th century family.Throughout the essay, Van Allen often uses many literary techniques/ rhetorical devices to help the r eader understand the effectiveness of the piece. Humour is used when Van Allen makes a personal connection to the fact that at the beginning of each Simpsons episode, the Simpsons family all run to the couch and sit in their â€Å"specific† spot, just like his own. He refers to this as a â€Å"mirror image of my couch-dwelling family†.Having this humour presented in the essay allows for the reader to stay attentive and wanting to read more, as humour often keeps the reader interested. This often allows for the reader to have more of a connection with the author and to get more of a feel of what the authors thinking process is. Allegory is present throughout the essay as Bert and Lisa’s everyday behaviour allegorically teaches the lessons of the average American. For instance, in â€Å"Bart Sells His Soul† love and concern is shown by Lisa’s actions as she cares for him and always has his back.This contributes to the effectiveness of the piece becau se although many family members (individually) may not always be the best and act to their morals, as a family, everyone works together and helps each other’s weaknesses become strengths and will grow off the strengthens of one another, creating a family, as outlined by Richard Corliss, â€Å"they stick together with one another through thick and thin†. As a reader, this is thought to give the essay â€Å"personality† and with that comes good T.V reviews as viewers become attached and are able to relate to their own family/ real life scenarios. Periodic sentence is present when Van Allen refers to Matt Groening, The Simpsons creator, when he states â€Å"I knew that other kids were going to get serious and go on and be professional†¦ I never wanted to go to an office and carry a briefcase†, as it is only clear at the end of the sentence what Groening meant by that. He knew that â€Å"carrying a briefcase† wasn’t for him so he created a new way to express his talents and his passions.This contributes to the effectiveness of the piece because it forces the reader to keep reading to find out what the author was trying to say, and without doing so the main point of what the author is trying to get across is confusing and may often be misunderstood. Throughout the essay many literary terms/ rhetorical devices are present; these are just a few of many that really stuck out to me. Before reading Van Allen’s paper, I had never thought of The Simpsons in the way he had portrayed it, or the way Groening explained the story behind it.It wasn’t until fully reading and understanding Van Allen’s essay that I started to click into the logic behind the mirror image ideology that The Simpsons family portrayed of the typical 20th century American family. I felt that throughout the essay Van Allen supported his point of how The Simpsons portrayed the average 20th century family very well. He made a lot of person al connections that both any reader and I could easily relate too. For example, he talked about how The Simpsons was â€Å"that† T.V show for him and his family that they felt was the mirror-image of their family life. How they all ran to the T. V to watch The Simpsons episode that was coming on next, just how The Simpsons family does at the beginning of each episode. He also talked about how now a days, individual family members don’t always act appropriate and may have some horrible individual traits, from Bart’s rebelliousness, to Homer’s stupidity and foolishness, but as a group and family together they make the best come out in each other.No family has perfect kids or perfect parents but it’s the love and care that one another share, that matters most. This is taught throughout Van Allen’s essay about The Simpsons family in comparison to the average family now a day. To me, family means to always be there for another and always have eac h others back. Unlike friends, you can’t choose your family. You know that as much as they might get on your nerves sometimes, you must look past that, and find the good in what you are blessed with.While reading Van Allen’s essay I felt that I could relate to a lot of what he was saying and found it very easy to understand what he was trying to get across, which kept me wanting to read more. I strongly agree with Van Allen’s point on how The Simpsons is a character formatted sitcom version of the typical 20th century family. Overall, reading this essay has made me think about how much more relatable and relevant some of shows on T. V actually are. Every time I turn on the T.V and go to watch a sitcom type show especially, it makes me think about any possible story line or lesson that may be hidden behind the show that may benefit me in any way. Van Allen’s essay has made me truly appreciate the hard work and effort gone into such a show, as The Simpsons would have been the last show I would have thought to have a message behind it. All in all, Van Allen`s essay has given T. V shows a whole new outcome, as in how they are looked upon and I am more understanding of the meanings behind the â€Å"hidden messages† in our simple day to day shows.