ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES (EAPP)

SECOND QUARTER

LESSON 1: CONCEPT PAPER AND ITS PARTS

What Is A Concept Paper?

Concept paper is an academic writing that presents a short summary that tells the reader what the
project is, why it is important, and how it will be carried out. Even if no one else ever reads it, the concept
paper helps a researcher spot hole in her or his project that might later prove fatal (Kimper, nd).

Simply put, a concept paper is a preliminary document that sets out to explain what a proposed study is
about, why it is being undertaken, and how it will be carried out. It scrutinizes a concept or idea and provides
an overview of the project a researcher wants to embark on.

Why write a Concept Paper?

Concept papers are typically prepared by entrepreneurs working on a business proposal or product, or
by students and researchers in academia. Such documents are aimed at securing feedback on a research idea
and seeking potential investors or funders.
A researcher might need to write a concept paper to obtain permission to undertake the research
project or to seek financial support for it.

to interest potential funders;

How should a Concept Paper be structured?

A concept paper could be within 5 pages for proposals for master’s or PhD projects. Concept papers
written as part of funding applications might even be up to 20 pages long. The format and flow of the paper
would depend on the type of project and expected outcome.

1. An impactful title: The title should be sufficiently informative and leave a lasting impression. It should
reflect the purpose and significance of the study. The title should not be too long (ideally within 15 words). The
title could even be in the form of a question.

2. A clear mission statement: In a few sentences, the study objective(s) or research question should be
stated. Given that the main objective of a concept paper is to convince the reader that the proposed project is
worth executing, it must convey the novelty and research rationale in a convincing manner.

3. A brief yet effective overview: A concept paper should present a survey of the problem, supported by
a preliminary literature review of the research topic. However, the review need not be too detailed. The paper
should provide a summary of what is already known about the topic and an explanation of what knowledge
gaps the research is expected to fill. Any contradictory theories may also be indicated.
An outline of the proposed methods: The methods that the researcher plans to use to answer the
research question should be described. This section would cover ethical issues (if applicable), experimental
materials and methods, the type of data to be collected, and the methods by which the data will be collected
and analyzed. The estimated time to achieve different research goals should also be indicated.

A statement of the expected implications: A concept paper would be incomplete without a concise
section on short-term and long-term impacts of the research, potential applications, impact on society and
policies, and any other future visions. Know how to write a statement of the problem in a step-by-step way.

THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF A CONCEPT PAPER

1. The first section, the Introduction, identifies how and where the applicant’s mission and the
funder’s mission intersect or align. It addresses the reasons why the funder should support projects
in the given general area. It also introduces the applicant’s partners and shows why the partners want
to participate in the project.

2. Second is the Purpose or Need or Rationale, which outlines what others have written about the
general topic and focuses on the gap in knowledge to be filled, the problem to be solved, or the need
to be addressed by the applicant’s proposed project. Similar to a literature review, this section allows
the applicant to state the purpose or need in such a way that the applicant’s project is the best
possible solution to the problem. Also, it often provides statements addressing the significance of the
project (showing why the project should be supported).

In some cases, these first two sections are merged into a Background section that both introduces
the alignment between the two organizations’ missions and provides the need statement.

3. Third is the Project Description, functioning as the solution to the problem, the answer to the need,
or the investigation that will fill the knowledge gap. In this section, the applicant addresses the
unique, unusual, distinctive, innovative, and/or novel aspects of the approach, showing why the
applicant’s team has the best solution and presenting a compelling case for funding.

The project description includes the project’s Goals and Objectives. A goal is an abstract state of
being, a condition, an end, or an aspiration while objectives are statements of measurable outcomes
that, collectively, will help the applicant measure progress toward accomplishing the project goal(s).
For example, a goal might be to improve student academic performance via a structured professional
development program for teachers, while an objective might be to offer a specific kind of workshop or
seminar on a particular topic for a defined set of teachers in a K12 school district.

The project description also includes an overview of the project’s Methodology (sometimes called
Project Activities or Action Plan or Approach). The goals, objectives, and methods (or activities) will
need to align closely with each other and will need to be accomplished within the proposed Timeline,
expressed in either months or years. The methods or activities will need to be congruent with or
based on what has been tried in the field in the past, they must be based on empirical evidence, and
they will need to be both reasonable in cost and complexity and accomplishable within the proposed
timeline. The project description typically concludes with a statement of Benefits (or Anticipated
Outcomes) along with a description of who will benefit and how.

4. The fourth section, Support or Budget, contains either (1) an outline of the main budget categories
for the requested project support or (2) a single bottom-line amount of the request and a brief
discussion of how that amount will be used. Some concept papers may not even include an amount
requested.
5. The fifth and final section provides the Contact Information of the applicant organization’s chief
executive or his/her designee authorized to make funding requests. The above is a suggested general
outline for a concept paper. Ultimately, if a given funder provides a specific template or format, the
applicant must use the prescribed structure.

MODES OR PATTERNS IN PRESENTING A CONCEPT

A concept paper may be explained through different modes or patterns. This may be in the form of definition,
explication, and explanation.

Using Definition in Developing Concept - providing the meaning of a particular word or term.

Three types of Definitions:

1. Formal Sentence Definition- This includes the term, class, and distinguishing features. Below is the
diagram presentation on formal definition.

2. Informal definitions- do not include distinguishing features. Below is the diagram presentation on informal
definition.

3. Extended definitions- are essay length texts use which used different rhetorical patterns to present the
meaning of a particular term or concept. This type of definitions do not just define but describe the concept,
compare and contrast the concept, show cause and effect relationships to provide the reader a complete
definition of term.
 Tips to clearly define your concept:

1. In formal definitions, avoid using the same term to be defined

2. In writing definitions, observe the concept of mutual exclusivity. Meaning, make sure that the features of the
term do not overlap with other similar concepts of the same class.

Example: “A skateboard is a mode of transport that has four wheels.”)

Using Explanation in Developing Concept

A concept can be developed through explanation by providing varied examples or situations in the given text or
paragraph.

Using Explication in Developing Concept

Explication provides another perspective of a concept. It interprets another work by examining the concept/s
presented. A richer explanation of the concept is given to readers through critical analysis of points raised in a
text. The diagram below shows how explication may be done.