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What Is A Concept Paper

A concept paper is a brief document, typically 2-20 pages, that explains the importance of a research project or proposed project. It outlines the key elements in varying levels of detail depending on whether it is for an academic research project or tangible project proposal. For a research project, a concept paper typically includes the background, literature review, problem statement, objectives, methodology and timeline. For a project proposal, it focuses on the introduction, rationale, project description, needs, costs and timeline. Concept papers are preliminary documents that provide an overview of a proposal to assess its viability and garner support.

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Lemuel Jefferson Castillo
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417 views

What Is A Concept Paper

A concept paper is a brief document, typically 2-20 pages, that explains the importance of a research project or proposed project. It outlines the key elements in varying levels of detail depending on whether it is for an academic research project or tangible project proposal. For a research project, a concept paper typically includes the background, literature review, problem statement, objectives, methodology and timeline. For a project proposal, it focuses on the introduction, rationale, project description, needs, costs and timeline. Concept papers are preliminary documents that provide an overview of a proposal to assess its viability and garner support.

Uploaded by

Lemuel Jefferson Castillo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is a Concept Paper?

Concept paper is a brief document. Depending upon the requirements of a specific


academic program, the Concept Paper may range from as few as 2-3 pages to as many as 1020
pages.
The essential point of the Concept Paper is to explain the importance of a particular
research project.
The parts of a concept paper may also vary depending on the nature of the project/activity.
Below are two outlines of a concept paper based on the context.

Concept Paper for a Project


Use the following structure when you want to propose a certain tangible project in your
discipline.

1. Cover Page

• State the name of the proponents and their affiliations, the address, contact number, and email
address of the proponents, the head of the agency and his/her contact information and the date of
submission.
2. Introduction
• State the information about the funding agency to show that you understand its mission,
the mission of the agency that the proponents represent and align it to the funding agency’s
missions, the year the proponent’s agency was established, its major accomplishments, and other
details that demonstrate its capability to undertake the proposed project. As well, present and
describe other partner agencies and why they are qualified as such and provide reasons why the
funding agency should support the project.
3. Rationale or Background
• State the gap in knowledge to be addressed by the project, the problems to be solved and
the project’s significance.
4. Project Description
• State the goals and objectives of the project, present the methodology (sometimes termed
as Action Plan, Project Activities or Approach), present the timeline expressed in months and
year, state the benefits or anticipated outcomes and how success of outcomes will be evaluated.
5. Project Needs and Cost
• Outline the main budget; include the item description and amount, explain or justify how
the budget will be used and list the personnel or equipment needed for project.

Concept Paper for Academic Research


Use the following structure when you intend to present an idea or concept for a research
you would like to pursue.

1. Title Page
• State your research title, your name, your school and the date of submission.
2. Background of the Study
• Provide the current state of the field you are researching on, state the gap in knowledge
and problems to be addressed by the research, provides statistics and previous studies to prove
your claims, state the reasons why you want to investigate on the chosen topic and the theoretical
and practical implications of your proposed research.
3. Preliminary Literature Review
• Provide theoretical framework. This includes the theory that will guide you in the
conduct of your research. Another is, provide related literature that supports your topic and
related studies that will help you in conducting the research or analyzing and discussing the data.
Lastly, provide brief synthesis of the reviewed literature and studies.

4. Statement of the Problem/Objectives


• State your general problem in one sentence and your specific research questions or
objectives.
5. Abridged Methodology
• Provide the context and participants of the study, the instruments to be used, the data
collection procedure and the data analysis scheme to be used.
6. Timeline
• Provide timeline (e.g., Gantt chart) set in months and year.
7. References
• Provide a list of all books, journals, and other resources cited in your paper.
Guidelines in Writing a Concept Paper
1. Use statistics and figures when discussing the rationale for the project.
2. The budget, methodology and timeline should be clearly aligned.
3. Use no more than five pages (single-spaced) excluding the cover page. Do not
overwhelm the readers with details.
4. Never request funding for planning the proposal.
5. Adjust your language to the intended readers. Technical terms are only for scholars and
scientist readers. However, refrain from using jargon when your target readers are lay persons.
6. Be sure that basic format details, such as page numbers are incorporated.
7. Cite your references.
Ways in Explaining a Concept
1. Definition- It is a method of identifying a given term and making its meaning clearer. Its
main purpose is to clarify and explain concepts, ideas or issues by answering the question, “What
does it mean?”. You may use the following signal words for definition (as defined, for example,
for instance, is defined as, means, such as, to define and to illustrate).

2. Explication- It is a method of explanation in which sentences, verses, quotes, or passages


are taken from literary or academic work and then interpreted and explained in a detailed way.
You need to clearly present your thesis in the introduction and follow it up with a detailed
analysis of a passage or text. You may begin your body of the explication by analyzing and
explaining how the text was constructed and it should end with a concise conclusion by restating
your thesis and major arguments.

3. Clarification- It is a method of explanation in which the points are organized from a


general abstract idea to specific and concrete examples. You may use the following signal words
for clarification ( after all, as an example, consider the following, for example, for instance, in
other words, in particular, in short, namely, put another way, specifically, stated differently, that
is, to be specific, to clarify and to illustrate).

Take note that concept paper is a preliminary document for a proposal, it shows a preview
of the improvements that the proponent would like to have implemented. Concept papers can be
helpful in addressing social issues especially since they aim to show solutions to tangible issues
which plague society.

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