Part One: Course Pamphlet

The Project Proposal

Developing a viable project proposal can take considerable effort. Some students will not have a clear idea of where, or how, to begin. Other students will be undecided what research methodology to adopt, how to collect data or which cultural factors may come into play that are relevant to their topic. Still others will want to know how they might acquire funding for their intended project with a view to implementing the design, or sharing the results by means of publication or other forms of dissemination.

Because the range of questions prospective students may have in designing a research project is immense, it is recommended that you borrow Research for the Helping Professions (1996). Written by William K. Wilkinson and Keith McNeil this book personalizes the journey taken by a fictional graduate student who raises, and then answers, many of the questions that might arise in your development of a research project. Written for human service professionals the use of this textbook as a reference tool or guide may greatly enrich your learning experience. Simply written and clearly presented Research for the Helping Professions or comparable resources may assist you at the earliest stage of your thinking about doing your own research. Consulting a book about research that has been designed and written for the helping professions is strongly recommended prior to your submission of a project proposal. You may borrow this book from the university by contacting Library Services. The complete reference for the book follows.

• William K. Wilkinson and Keith McNeil. Research for the Helping Professions. Nelson Canada, 1996.

If you have a project supervisor in mind, contact him or her for availability and suggestions. By making these preliminary arrangements, you will be able to provide an informative and detailed project proposal. The more developed the initial proposal is, the more likely it is that the feedback will be detailed and helpful.

Note: While Athabasca University offers several project courses within the Human Services program, only one may be taken at a time. Upon completion of a research project course such as Project Design I, a student is eligible to enrol in another research project course. See the university Calendar for the list of all such courses.