Proposal writing form continues.

Today I am in the library working on my proposal form. After spending hours staring at the screen yesterday I am trying not to panic as I often have a habit of over complicating simple processes. Below is the criteria of the project.


Submission Date/Time:

9/2/16 The Research Proposal – (2 copies -  1 submitted in hard copy to the school office; 1 electronic copy to Mark Creamer m.creamer@salford.ac.uk).

Submitting this on time and with care contributes to the practical criteria relating to: Evidence of appropriate professional attitude with the technician team and supervisor...

Research Proposal – What should you include?

·         The aims and objectives of the project - What are you setting out to explore, analyse or investigate through your project?

·         The historical /social/aesthetic/ theoretical context of the project - How does your project fit into wider cultural debates and previous experimentation in your areas of study or performance?

·         Your investigative approaches, both practical and research-based - How are you going to set about exploring your areas of interest in a way that is most appropriate for you, your project and your intended audience? What existing research and creative process may be useful to you?

·         A basic, provisional schedule – taking account of time and resources

·         An initial reading list of texts, and stimuli…that are informing the investigation and the creative process.

After being told to keep our proposal forms as open as possible I decided that I would tweak my target audience slightly. My original idea was to design a piece specifically for medical students. This had, not only overwhelmed from day one, but also limited me from affecting more people. As one of my solid aims is to 'improve empathy' I would like to write a piece that could be used for numerous different people. The term that seemed to fully encapsulate my intended audience was 'caregivers'. This means my piece will be designed for those working direct from the NHS, students, those working alongside charities and members of the general public that are caring for a family member or friend. 

Things finally began to slot into place although it did take me around 8 hours to write the aim and objective. I have cognitive problems so often find I get extremely frustrated at myself but I knew I had the determination to sit there till I had perfected statements. I came up with the following: 

Aim/s:

What are you setting out to explore, analyse or investigate through your project?

I am setting out to explore how radio drama could be used as a tool to help utilize and improve empathy between patients suffering from an invisible illness and their caregivers.

Objectives:

What concrete activities and research are you going to undertake to achieve this aim/these aims?

The concrete activities and research I am going to undertake to achieve these aims will involve reading documents, books, articles and will also involve interviews with practicing professionals, charities such as ‘Mind’ and ‘AYME’ and patients themselves suffering with an invisible illness. I will need to have a solid understanding of the importance and role empathy plays when a patient is receiving support with an invisible illness. It will also require me to delve into why I have chosen utilize radio drama and why it would be the most effective and accessible art form to use; some of these reasons include its ease in dissemination and that it is the simplest way to reach a lot of people from varying backgrounds. This means it is the most straightforward way for me explore my aim of improving empathy for those with a hidden disability, practically. 

Overall I am pleased with my project aim and objectives. It seems to encompass what I would like to explore and achieve and will also form the plan for the rest of my project.