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Application Process
Step 1: Write a Proposal
NOTE: This is a description for how to apply for General USP funding. If you want to apply to a specific program, i.e. INBRE, Beckman Scholars, etc. please visit that programs webpage by clicking on the appropriate link to the left.
"I probably wouldn't have done research if it hadn't been for the USP program."
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-Jeremy Mitchell, senior, chemical engineering |
The Application Process |
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| Before your fill out an online application you should work with your mentor to write a 5- page Project Description! Read on for details. |
| Getting Started with an Idea |
Once you have worked with your mentor to develop an idea for a research or creative project, you will begin the application process by writing a proposal. Your proposal should not exceed five typed, double-spaced pages and should include the following sections:
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Introduction
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Background (please briefly address the following):
*How your project contributes to research/scholarship in
your field. Please be sure to cite any relevant sources you
have discovered in your background research for the
project.
*How your project contributes to your academic and/or
career goals.
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Methodology or Creative Techniques
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Time Schedule
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Collaboration with Faculty Sponsor
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NEW! Brief statement of previous research experience. If you have conducted research previously, please include a brief summary of your project and the results/progress you made on that project. If the research was funded, please identify the funding source (USP, INBRE, MSGC, Mentor Funded, etc.) This can be included as an ADDITIONAL page, and will not be counted toward the 5 page maximum for the regular research proposal.
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| Introduction |
| Provide a statement of the objective(s) and the anticipated significance of the work. What problems will be investigated? What hypothesis will be tested? Describe the creative endeavor. We suggest that the Introduction begin with a brief description of the project in general terms before the more technical aspects of the project are discussed. |
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| Background |
| Provide a brief review of the work that has been done in the project area together with complete references in appropriate professional style. This section should also include any personal information about you that would indicate to the reviewers your qualifications for successfully completing this project. |
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| Methodology or Creative Techniques |
| Provide a detailed description of the research methods or creative techniques that you will use in the project. This should include a justification for the specific approach that you will use. For example, how do the methods answer the questions that have been posed, test the hypothesis, or lead to the desired goal? |
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| Time Schedule |
| Provide dates for the initiation and completion of each phase of the project. Attempt to lay out a reasonable schedule taking into consideration all phases of the research and the writing of the final report. |
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| Collaboration with a Faculty Sponsor |
| Provide a description of the way you and your faculty sponsor will collaborate on the project. The faculty sponsor should play a significant role in responding to your ideas, providing advice for new directions and resources, discussing the implications of the results, and reading drafts of the final report. Will there be regularly scheduled meetings between you and your sponsor? Explain how the project relates to the ongoing work of your sponsor, if this is the case. |
NOTE: If your project involves human subjects you will most likely need to obtain permission from the MSU Institutional Review Board (IRB). Please visit their homepage for additional information and be sure to start this process as early as possible to minimize any negative impacts on your ability to complete your project.
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