| I. | The Research Project |
| A. Title |
| B. Abstract |
| II. | The Research Plan |
| A. Specific aims |
| B. Research hypotheses |
| C. Timeline for specific objectives |
| III. | Background and Significance |
| A. Rationale and supporting theories for the project |
| B. Existing knowledge and related studies |
| C. Uniqueness of proposed methods |
| D. Prior experience/qualifications of the investigator that support the project |
| IV. | Research Design and Methods |
| A. Subjects |
| 1. Characteristics |
| 2. Sampling methods |
| 3. Exclusion/inclusion |
| B. Materials |
| 1. Instruments |
| 2. Validation/reliability |
| C. Procedures and Methods |
| 1. Overview of study design |
| 2. Specific interventions or observations |
| 3. Data collection and storage |
| 4. Potential limitations, alternative procedures, precautions |
| D. Data analysis/reduction |
| V. | Budget justification |
| A. Personnel |
| B. Equipment |
| C. Space |
| D. Direct Costs |
| E. Overhead |
| VI. | Assurances |
| A. Human subject protections, IRB |
| B. Animal use, IACUC |
| C. Administrative/Institutional approval |