how do you write a conceptual paper

How to write a concept paper effectively

• 1. An impactful title: The title should be sufficiently informative and leave a lasting impression. ...
• 2. A clear mission statement: In a few sentences, the study objective (s) or research question should be stated. ...
• 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. ...

Full Answer

What is the structure of a concept paper?

Typically, a concept paper contains the following elements:

1. A title which is usually in the form of a question.
2. A brief overview of the research topic, including a summary of what is already known about that topic.
3. A brief statement of the research question that the project will seek to answer. ...
4. An explanation of why this research question is important and why this project is worth writing.

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What does concept paper mean?

Concept papers generally serve the purpose of providing in-depth discussion of a topic that the writer has a strong position on, usually with the intent of obtaining funding for that project from donors. The terms "concept paper" and "proposal" are often used interchangeably as they can be used for the same function.

How to write a conceptual research paper?

How to make a conceptual framework

• Choose your topic. Decide on what will be your research topic. ...
• Make your research question. Unlike the topic, which can be a broad area of study, the research question must be specific. ...
• Do a literature review. ...
• Identify the important variables of your study and their relationship. ...
• Generate the conceptual framework. ...

How to write a good capstone paper?

Tips to Write a Capstone Paper

• Strictly follow the given instructions. ...
• Make sure that you have applied the right structure. ...
• Create a powerful thesis statement that will show you potential.
• Plan your time wisely. ...
• Pick reliable sources only. ...
• Pay attention to the layout. ...
• Stick to one single style of writing and tone. ...

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How do you structure a conceptual paper?

A general structure could be: Introduction (Explaining the need of and international relevance of the paper and a few statements about the existing literature)...Abstract.Introduction.Literature review.Theoretical foundation and hypothesis development.Implications.Conclusion and limitations.

What is a conceptual paper?

Conceptual papers are thought provoking papers that challenge current thinking and practice and propose new approaches and models for application.

What are the 7 parts of concept paper?

While there is no standard format for a Concept Paper, generally the following information is given:Name of the Organization.Title of the Proposed Project.Potential Donor.Context (not more than 300 words)Rationale for the Proposed Project.Project Goals and Objectives.Project Strategy/ Listing of Project Activities.More items...

What is concept paper and example?

A concept paper is a brief paper written by a university student around a research question before undertaking the research. The paper is about two or three pages long and provides key details about the research, such as the question, purpose, and methods.

What is the main purpose of a concept paper?

The purpose of a concept paper is to lay out the basics of a grant proposal so that everyone involved in planning and implementation (from your organization or a partner's) agrees on what will be in the proposal. This promotes good relationships and helps you get letters of commitment from your partners, as well.

Is conceptual paper qualitative or quantitative?

A conceptual paper is a study that does not analyze any data. It is contrasted with an empirical study, one that analyzes data, whether quantitative (numerical, e.g. statistics) or qualitative (non-numerical, e.g. interviews).

What are the 5 key elements of a concept paper?

The fundamental elements of a Concept Paper are project vision, project scope, project targets, timeline and milestones and project management.

What is introduction in a concept paper?

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.

How many pages does a concept paper have?

The Concept paper is a brief document. Depending upon the requirements of the specific school or academic program, the Concept Paper may range from as few as 2-3 pages to as many as 10-20 pages. The essential point of the Concept Paper is to explain the importance of a particular research project.

What are the 3 ways in explaining a concept paper?

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, and issues. Definition can be presented in 3 ways: informal, formal, or extended.

What are the characteristics of a good concept paper?

A clear description of the topic. Include a brief summary of background information on the topic. A clear statement of purpose and specific research/evaluation questions the project will answer. A statement of why these research/evaluation questions are important to answer.

What is the maximum words to be used in writing a concept paper?

Concept Papers should be brief and contain a maximum of 2500 words and 1-3 figures and/or tables.

What is the difference between a conceptual paper and a review paper?

A review paper succinctly reviews recent progress in a particular topic and summarises the current state of knowledge. It is based solely on other published and existing articles. And unlike a theoretical paper, a conceptual paper often seeks to bridge the gaps in theories and to link across disciplines.

What is the difference between concept paper and research paper?

A concept paper is about a topic of your interest which you would like to explore further while carrying out research, while a research paper is the output of your work. It is more than the summation of your sources, collage of information about a topic, and more of a literature review of that subject.

What is conceptual or theoretical paper?

Conceptual papers typically focus on proposing new relationships among constructs; the purpose is thus to develop logical and complete arguments about these associations rather than testing them empirically (Gilson and Goldberg 2015).

How do you know if an article is conceptual?

By definition, a conceptual paper doesn't present original data…but it must present an original concept. It synthesises knowledge from previous work on a particular topic, and presents it in a new context to provide a springboard for new research that will fill knowledge gaps.

What is a Concept Paper?

A concept paper is a short document 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.

How long is a concept paper?

The concept paper format is usually between 2 and 3 pages in length for students writing proposals for undergraduate, master’s or PhD projects. Concept papers written as part of funding applications may be over 20 pages in length.

What are the three scenarios in which you may need to write a concept paper?

The three main scenarios in which you may need to write a concept paper are if you are: A final year undergraduate or master’s student preparing to start a research project with a supervisor. A student submitting a research proposal to pursue a PhD project under the supervision of a professor. A principal investigator submitting a proposal ...

What is the primary aim of a research concept paper?

The primary aim of a research concept paper is to convince the reader that the proposed research project is worth doing. This means that the reader should first agree that the research study is novel and interesting. They should be convinced that there is a need for this research and that the research aims and questions are appropriate.

What is the overarching research aim of your proposed study?

The overarching research aim of your proposed study and the objectives and/or questions you will address to achieve this aim. Align all of these with the problem statement; i.e. write each research question as a clear response to addressing the limitations and gaps identified from previous literature. Also give a clear description of your primary hypothesis.

What should be included in a concept paper?

This includes laboratory equipment, computer software, questionnaires, types of tests, and other means of gathering and interpreting data . The researchers should state how they will prepare the tools and how they will authenticate the information. This section should also include the target population, type of data, and the timeline for the research. Researchers should provide all the information of their methodology. Try asking the questions who, what, where, when, and how to write a complete research methodology for the concept paper. Some concept paper outlines can also include a research timeline. This is basically a timeline of how long the research will last.

What is a concept paper?

This document is a summary of a research study that students and professionals will undertake. The concept paper should provide the study’s purpose, background, and research questions. The goal of this document is to capture the reader’s interest and provide information that shows the research’s merit. The researchers should view a concept paper as a proposal and write it to make the readers support the study.

How long should a concept paper be?

A standard concept paper format will be around two to three pages long. Undergraduates and post-graduate students typically write in this type of concept paper format. For researchers in specific fields that are looking for funding, their proposal document can be over 20 pages long. Since the definition of a concept paper states that it is a summary of a research study, most documents will need to provide complete information that will lengthen the page count. The documents that take 20 pages long often give multiple background information of related studies to emphasize the importance of the researcher’s endeavors. Papers for dissertation and research papers tend to be shorter since they are not asking for monetary funding and their topics are less complex. Individuals should look at sample papers to find the perfect format for their papers.

What format should a concept paper be cited in?

Individuals can also use in-text citations in the aim and need section and background section. When writing the reference list, make sure to use a consistent format. Individuals can look at sample papers to find reference list formats. For students, they should ask their professors which referencing format to use. The common formats are APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard styles.

How long does a research paper last?

These research and studies are often lengthy and time-consuming. A research study can last for one to two years, it can even exceed this time depending on the field and complexity of the research study. However, before they can write these lengthy documents, they will first need to create a concept paper for dissertation and research.

How to write an objective section in a concept paper?

Researchers should use consistent phrasing when stating the objectives in a concept paper. Use the word “To” at the beginning of each objective statement. Avoid using statements that are in question format. Before the researchers state the objectives, they should restate the thesis statement in a paragraph before the lists of objectives. Most concept paper examples will show a list type objective section. It will be easier for the reader to recognize the objective in this format.

How can video games help students write essays?

The teacher used character images, famous video game quotes, and great writing lines to inspire students to think of essay topics (Jones, 2018). The students that are interested in games were able to freely discuss topics and ideas. They use articles from game journalists to back up their claims during open discussions. This report shows that some educators are already recognizing the ability of video games to act as a teaching tool for writing essays and other written works.

What is a conceptual framework?

A conceptual framework is a written or visual representation of an expected relationship between variables. Variables are simply the characteristics or properties that you want to study.

How to visualize cause and effect?

To visualize our expected cause-and-effect relationship, we will use the basic design components of boxes and arrows. Each variable appears in a box. To indicate a causal relationship, each arrow should start from the independent variable (the cause) and point to the dependent variable (the effect).

Should you construct a conceptual framework before collecting data?

You should construct a conceptual framework before you begin collecting data. It is often represented in a visual format.

How to explain a concept in an essay?

How to Write an Essay Explaining a Concept 1 First, what you need to do is to present the main idea. Make it a point that your audience or readers will be familiar with the given concept. Provide its background or origin in order for them to get to know it better. 2 Second, present your supporting topics. Make at least three to five paragraphs in order to build a good foundation for your arguments. 3 Lastly, provide a summary writing skills of your explanation. Make a brief two to three sentence paragraph presenting your conclusion.

What Is a Concept Essay?

A concept essay is a type of a literary essay piece that is used to present an idea or a topic with the sole purpose of providing a clear definition and explanation. Their usual content are those topics that may have previously been presented but were not given with full emphasis. Others are controversial and timely issues that raises questions but are not given full answers.

How to write an effective essay?

An effective essay is one that presents a more relevant topic. You need to choose the right topic first before you start writing. Do your research. You have to back up your claims with factual information from reliable sources. Present at least three to four points for reference. Create your outline.

How to make a good argumentative essay?

Second, present your supporting topics. Make at least three to five paragraphs in order to build a good foundation for your arguments.

Why is it so hard to write an essay?

And the most difficult part is how to make it appealing to the readers. Knowing how to start an essay is even more difficult because you have to find the right inspiration to write.

Do conceptual pieces need to be at the construct level?

Unlike a theory paper, conceptual pieces need not propose new theory at the construct level ( Cropanzano, 2009 ), but rather they seek to bridge existing theories in interesting ways, link work across disciplines, provide multi-level insights, and broaden the scope of our thinking.

Do conceptual papers have data?

The simplest question to answer is that of whether conceptual papers are simply papers without data. Yes, conceptual papers do not have data, because their focus is on integration and proposing new relationships among constructs. Thus, the onus is on developing logical and complete arguments for associations rather than testing them empirically. The “but not quite” part of the response to this question centers on the fact that there are plenty of papers that have no data, but which, nonetheless are not what we would consider conceptual papers.

What is conceptual paper?

By definition, a conceptual paper doesn’t present original data …but it must present an original concept. It synthesises knowledge from previous work on a particular topic, and presents it in a new context to provide a springboard for new research that will fill knowledge gaps.

What is the hardest scientific paper to publish?

Scientific disciplines grow from new concepts, ideas, theories and expert opinions, not just data. But conceptual papers are the hardest kind of scientific paper to publish. Too many researchers…seem to think that any non-empirical paper is simply an essay and devoid of deeper scholarship. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Should conceptual papers follow the status quo?

Conceptual papers shouldn’t follow the status quo; they need to show how moving beyond the current norm will enhance knowledge. Most researchers have experienced the struggle to get a conceptual paper published. I’ve co-authored two conceptual papers and I’m currently battling to get a third into existence.

Do scientists write conceptual papers?

Scientists aren’t trained to write (and therefore review) conceptual papers. Concepts are embedded in context and based on expert opinion. Yet the current paradigm in science training and practice is facts/evidence-based. As scientists, we’re trained not to have opinions and to control context out of experiments.

Do conceptual papers need to produce data?

Conceptual papers DON’T NEED TO PRODUCE DATA. “But meta-analysis!…” One of the most common criticisms from reviewers that I’ve experienced is that we haven’t produced data to back up our ‘new idea’. Conceptual papers aren’t about data, they’re about context.