Preparing Your Concept Paper

Preparing your Concept Paper

A concept paper is a document prepared and written by a researcher before starting their research project with the purpose of explaining what the study is about, why it is important and the methods that will be used.

The Research Concept Paper is completed prior to the research proposal and serves as a development tool and summary of the planned study.

It is a brief document that may range from as few as two to three pages.

The essential point of the Concept Paper is to explain the importance of a particular research project.

The primary aim of a research concept paper is to present convincingly that the proposed project is worth doing.

What are the Main Elements of a Research Concept Paper?

Title page - provides a tentative title of the research project. The title should be a stand-alone statement that can fully describe the project by summarizing the main idea.

The title should concisely identify the variables being investigated and the relationship among those variables.

Words should serve a useful purpose; avoid words that do not add substance or words that are misleading.

The title of the Concept Paper may become the title of the research project.