Six-sentence and 3-citation research proposals

Concision is rare when communicating about science. Research proposals are lengthy for a variety of reasons, and it would be ironic to list them all here. Introduction sections, for example, often occupy paragraphs when a few sentences could set up the issue.

The variety of recommended approaches to writing proposals^1-5 suggests there is no single best option. However, research proposals can be presented in 6 sentences and 3 citations (Box 1). Brief research proposals can help writers and readers organize their thinking. Unlike abstracts, the purpose of these brief summaries is not to occupy less room or to stand in for full proposals. (Abstracts were introduced in the 1800s for situations where the full article was only available in another language or to briefly summarize presentations in minute books.⁶) Some full-length funding proposals include a brief summary that is limited by word count; here we propose a concise format for proposals and explain the rationale for each element. The purposes of brief summaries are to focus the writing on the project’s vital elements and to allow assessors of the proposal to quickly and critically examine it. This format can be used by trainees and their supervisors to develop and communicate a proposed project in a standardized and purposeful manner that enables effective reflection, evaluation, and feedback. The brief research proposal can enhance family medicine training through navigating, contextualizing, and adding to the medical literature.

Box 1. Elements of 6-sentence and 3-citation brief research proposals.

Research question

The 1-sentence research question should identify the following:

• the population of interest,

• the intervention or exposure,

• the comparator,

• the main outcome, and

• the type of conclusion that will be drawn from the findings (“associated with” vs “causes”)

Design of proposed study

State the study design with any needed qualifiers. Common study designs are observational studies (including cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies), clinical trials, and qualitative studies

Most relevant systematic review or other knowledge synthesis

In 1 sentence, summarize the findings and conclusion of the most relevant systematic review to your research question. Provide the citation. The ideal systematic review will

• address a research question similar to yours with respect to the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome;

• be recent (eg, published within the past 5 years); and

• be credible and reliable

Most similar study to your proposed study

In 1 sentence, summarize the design, setting, size, and main findings of the study most similar to the proposed one. Provide the citation. The ideal most similar study will address a research question similar to yours with respect to the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome

Value of proposed study

In 1 sentence, explain how your study will add to the literature, given the evidence already provided by the most relevant systematic review and the most similar study

Importance of proposed study

In 1 sentence, summarize the prevalence and implications of the condition or issue addressed by the research question. Provide a citation

How to write a brief proposal

Full-length proposals often place too much emphasis on the background section, adding unnecessary detail and sometimes exaggerating the prevalence of a condition or risk factor. Some writers embellish introduction sections, perhaps to demonstrate that they are aware of many relevant studies. A strong command of the literature can be conveyed by correctly identifying the most relevant study to the research question.

Research question and study design. The brief summary starts not with the background or introduction but with the research question. This places the emphasis on the proposed study. A specific and well-evolved research question often implicitly provides needed background information. When combined with the study design, the research question will usually provide a clear picture of what actions are being proposed. Information about the study setting can be included in the design section.

Knowledge synthesis and most similar study. Searching for the most relevant systematic review or knowledge synthesis prompts the writer to determine the current scope of the literature on the project topic. Selecting the most similar study to the proposed study encourages the writer to consider how their work will contribute to the literature and whether it is really needed. The most similar study could be one that was included in the most relevant knowledge synthesis, or it could be the one published most recently.

Value of proposed study. The writer then summarizes the value of the proposed study by synthesizing the data in the most relevant systematic review or knowledge synthesis. This section is an opportunity to address limitations of the previous 2 sections that summarize the literature in case they leave out something relevant, such as an important study with negative or surprising results.

Importance of proposed study. While the value of the study refers to how it will add to the literature, the section on importance is meant to summarize the study’s potential wider effects, including changes in clinical practice or policy. This section is intentionally placed last to avoid exaggerating the importance of a proposed study that is unlikely to contribute substantially.

Limitations and strengths of the brief approach

This approach has several limitations. A research proposal may seem viable based on a brief summary when it is not, for example, because the data needed to complete the study may not be available. However, the brief summary may bring issues to the surface that should be reviewed in depth. Brief summaries that are incomplete may give a false impression of the proposed study’s benefits. For example, if a very similar study is left out of the brief summary, the proposed project may falsely appear to be novel. We have not proven that this tool is better than other approaches, although our experience suggests it is valuable.

We have had positive experiences using these brief summaries for proposals for family medicine residency academic projects at Unity Health Toronto in Ontario. While family medicine residents are sometimes less interested in developing traditional research skills, the ability to navigate medical literature and critically analyze studies is essential. This particular approach to research proposals—emphasizing brevity and clarity—is especially well suited for family medicine residency programs. This is because family medicine encompasses a breadth of clinical topics and offers the opportunity to embark on a variety of types of projects, ranging from building or joining clinical research projects to summarizing clinical practice guidelines. This approach helps standardize the contribution of residents and establishes personal meaning, scope, and focus for residents and their supervisors.

Educational scholarship, such as cognitive load theory, supports the idea that distilling complex tasks into more streamlined processes can enhance learning and improve outcomes by allowing learners to focus on the most important elements.^7,8 This method not only helps residents distill the most relevant information quickly but also ensures that their clinical decisions are grounded in solid evidence. By honing these skills, residents can confidently manage the diverse challenges they encounter in practice, even if they are not directly contributing to the research literature.