picking the right topic

8/2/2019 Picking the Right Topic

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T r a i n e r s T r a in i n g W o r k s h op on P r o j e c t P r opo s a lDeve l opm en t a n d Re s ou r c e Gen e r a t i on

PROJECT PROPOSAL PREPARATION

PICKING THE RIGHT TOPIC

Cesar G. Della, Ed.D.

Director, Research & Devt.


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Se s s io n 0 1

Picking theRight Topic and GeneralWriting Tips



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1.Selecting topics attractive to international

donors2. Making a project manageable3. Establishing partnership4. Balancing risk and return in a project

5. General writing tips

In this session . . .


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The first step . . .

Picking a good topic is

the very first step indesigning a project!

SELECTING TOPICS ATTRACTIVETO INTERNATIONAL DONORS


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Important to be worth doing Internally approved by management

Useful and seen as a priority byproject beneficiaries Manageable - can yield results within

a limited period with reasonable inputs

Attractive to partners Balances risks and returns

Topics that attract donors . ..


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Important to be worth doing . . .

1.What is new?

2.How will it solve an urgent problem?

3.Who will benefit as a result of thisproject and in what way?

S O W H A T ?


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Internally approved bymanagementRDE projects should Contribute significantly in knowledge and

impact

Be integrated with local programs

Be linked with the regional and national

agriculture development plan

Be supported by management and peers


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Con v i n c e d on o r t h a tben e f ic i a r ie s n ee d ou t pu t ss ough t : Talk to farmers and communities! Ask them what they want! Meet their needs Involve them in the design phase Document their reactions on theproposal

Useful to beneficiaries


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Manageable topicD i s c u s s in y ou r d e s ig n g r ou p :Project duration

How long? Can it show results in time? Can it be phased?

Project size (scale): Is it cheap/expensive? Big budget needed? Number of partners


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Manageable topicD i s c u s s in y ou r d e s ig n g r ou p : Project sites:

Number? Pilot project?Accessibility? Peace and order?

Management issues: Consultations? Involvement of LGUs/partners?


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Establishing partnership

Don o r s l ik e p a r t n e r s h i p p r o j e c t s :

Assemble a competent design andimplementation team

Include partners from donors countries

Treat partners with respect; involve themin every aspect of the project


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Establishing partnershipDon o r s l ik e p a r t n e r s h i p p r o j e c t s :

Prove your/partners comparativeadvantage

Provecompetence of staff (experienceand qualifications) and access to

stakeholdersB e p r epa r ed f o r r e j e c t io n .


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Balancing risk and returns Donors support projects with low risks

and high potential returns

In considering a topic,Estimate the risk and potential returns

How likely will project succeed?

What impact will be achieved?Reject topics with high risk and low

returns


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Convincing tit les

A good title should be catchy,

informative, and distinctive Two-part titles are popular:

1st part: short, snappy, easy to say

2nd part: serious and informative


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Samples: Fishes for the Future:Identification and

characterization of endangered aquatic species inselected tropical sites

Why Do the Chickens Die?Developing low-cost andsimple technologies for aflatoxin estimation in food

and feeds Reaching the Unreached:A Virtual Academy for the

Semi-Arid Tropics

Convincing tit les


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Samples: Helping People Help Themselves: Initiating

Community-Based Management Project in LegaspiCity

Better Food for Better Health: Showcasing NatureFarming Technology System

Cacao-Coco Tandem:An Integrated Cropping

Approach in the Province of Zamboanga Del Norte Training the Trainers: Re-energizing Human

Resources for the Philippine Agricultural ExtensionSystem

Convincing tit les


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General writ ing tips

Th i nk abou t y ou r dono r b e f o r e andwh i l e y ou a r e w r it in g : Donors needs. Spoon-feed your reader. Make message

easy to read


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General writ ing tips

This means you need to know

as much as you can about them

Ap pea l t o t he se l f - i n t e re s t o f you rdono r s !


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Donors interestDonors are the readers of your

proposals.

Identify agencys priorities Find out donors likes and dislikes

Through your donor intelligence unit

Surf donor sites

Confer with donor staff


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Plan before you write P repa r e an ou t l in e What are you writing? Who will read it? What is its your purpose?

What is the topic?


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Write in order to be easily readUse s im p l e , c onc r e t e , s pe c i f i cwo r d s Use do Instead of accomplish

part component

help facilitate

long lengthy

so accordingly

six several car vehicle

Never use: aforementioned, hereinunder, atthis point in time, it should be pointed out


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Write in order . . .Use s im p l e , d i r e c t , s ho r t s en t ence s

Use only as many words as needed

Use sho r t p a r ag r aphs , p l en t y o fwh i t e sp a c e and s ub he ad s One idea per paragraph Pictures and headlines to break up text Large margins

Bold text/italics to highlight Bullets, graphs, tables, if necessary


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Making writing readable

Use t he a c t iv e v o i c e ( s ub j e c t t a ke sd i r e c t a c t i on )Examples:The technician planted the experimental plots.The farmers rarely consult their technicians.

Donors strictly screen project proposals.


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Making writing . . .A pa s s i v e s en t ence is one i n w h i ch a

sub j e c t i s a c t ed u pon :Examples

The experimental plots were planted by the

technician.

The technicians are rarely consulted by thefarmers.

Project proposals are strictly screened by

donors.


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To inform or to persuade?

Write with your head

Write to conveyinformation

Write clearly andlogically

Example: project report

Writing to persuade

Write with your heart

Write to persuade yourdonor to do something

Write with urgency and

passionExample: project proposal

Writing to inform


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Writing with passion Use strong words like: urgent, vital,

essential, new

Avoid vague words like: possibly,perhaps, under certain circumstances

Use short and sharp sentences to conveyyour message

Put statements in a positive form


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Donors are the readersof your proposals

Let your love of your topic come out

through your writing

Write with passion!


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T r a i n e r s T r a in i n g W o r k s h op on P r o j e c t P r opo s a l

Maram ingSa l ama t !

picking the right topic

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