This course presents pragmatic, concrete strategies for designing and writing effective and competitive qualitative and mixed methods research proposals. We will cover principles generic to proposal design, and specific ways to communicate the aims, significance, conceptual framing, methodological details (sampling, data collection, analysis plans, and plans for optimizing validity and human subjects protections) of, and budget and budget justification for, the proposed study. We will also cover strategies for addressing those aspects of qualitative and mixed methods research designs likely to draw concern among reviewers less familiar with them, most notably the purposeful sampling frame and generalizability of study findings.

In addition to didactic instruction, handouts, and a suggested reference list, the course will also include an interactive session where participants will have the opportunity, as time permits, to ask questions about their own proposals.

This course is appropriate for graduate students and faculty in the practice disciplines (e.g., clinical psychology, education, medicine, nursing, population health, public health, social work) as well as researchers from other fields of study (e.g., sociology, anthropology).