TITLE OF PROJECT (This title doesn’t have to be final.

It can be refined
as you work on it and start writing the article. )

ENVR 504 RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSAL

GROUP MEMBERS:
NAME: ROLL NO.:

DATE: _____/_____/2020
NAME: ROLL NO.:

INSTRUCTIONS – Delete these… This is a template for a research proposal. This is meant to be simple 2-4 pages
overview to help you articulate what you plan to tackle in this semester. The culmination of your project will be a
complete manuscript intended for mock submission to a target journal. The journal does have to be an appropriate
outlet for your work, but you are NOT expected to meet the same standards in terms of novelty or rigor. For our
purposes it is enough that you choose the right journal and follow its structure and formats.

1. QUESTION / PROBLEM

In as little as 1-2 sentences, but no more then 1-2 paragraphs, describe the question or problem that your research is
posing and seeking to address. Don’t digress here how you will address the problem! Save that for below.

2. IDEA / HYPOTHESIS

Very concisely articulate your idea for how to address the question or problem you posed above. If your question is
applied or methodological it may not be necessary to pose a formal hypothesis. However, if your problem is more
theoretical or might have broader scientific applicability, it might be helpful to pose a hypothesis you will test.

3. NOVELTY / SCIENTIFIC ORIGINALITY

In order to be publishable, work generally needs to be scientifically original. In one to two sentences, explain how
your proposed research is novel and/or original. You may be producing a new spatial analysis method or model, or
you may simply be applying an existing method in a new place or to a new problem. You will not need to meet the
same standards of novelty that the actual journal editors would hold you to for this class. However, you do need to
make some claim as to the novelty.

4. METHODS

4.1 DATA ACQUISITION, ORGANIZATION & PREPARATION

You will probably not have enough time in five short weeks to go design and undertake your own data acquisition
campaign. As such you will likely have to leverage existing data sources (either your own, from someone else, or
publicly available). Describe what data you will need to undertake your project, where you will acquire it from, what
preparation of it you will need to undertake (e.g. making rasters orthogonal or merging tiles together for just your
study area), and you will organize your data to prepare for your analysis.

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4.2 SPATIAL ANALYSIS METHODS

A requisite of the project is that you use some advanced spatial analysis methods to address the problem or question
you pose. Provide enough detail on the specific spatial methods and techniques you will use so that I can give you
feedback regarding appropriateness and feasibility with respect to the problem you posed and how much time you
have. Please identify specific GIS workflows, geoprocessing tasks, etc. you will undertake to complete your analyses.
Making a map IS NOT a spatial analysis and not enough to meet the requirements of this class. However,
undertaking simple analyses is sufficient. Please provide appropriate citations to any supporting methods you intend
to use.

4.3 OTHER METHODS

To actually complete most projects, some other non-spatial analysis methods are often required. These can include
basic statistical analyses, other types of modeling (e.g. regression modeling), analytical calculations, etc. Please
provide a brief description and appropriate citations of all other methods you anticipate using to address your
problem.

5. PURPOSE OF YOUR PROJECT

You will be graded relative to how well you address the purpose you pose in your manuscript. The key is to set a
realistic goal/purpose (even if post-hoc) that can be reasonably accomplished during the semester time. In no more
than 2-3 sentences, articulate the purpose of your project. This may be as simple as addressing the question or
problem you posed above using the methods you describe above. Whatever it is, you need to be able to articulate it
clearly.

6. PLAN OF ATTACK

Please provide a detailed bulleted schedule (considering your other course deadlines and life) of what you plan to do,
how long you think it will take and when you need to get it done by. If you want, you can create a Gantt as discussed
in class, (see below) using https://app.gantter.com, you are welcome to, but not required to.

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7. TARGET JOURNAL

List the full name of the target journal.

In 1 – 2 Sentences, explain how your project fits the aims and scopes of the journal. Note that your choice of a target
journal will define your audience. When submitting the article to a journal you are requested to explain why you think
that your work is related to the scope of that journal. So, write here that justification so later you have it complete
already.

Provide a URL to the aims and scope of the journal.

8. REFERENCES

Provide appropriate references to any cited literature here. It will be preferable that you use MENDELEY to manage
your references.