Lesson 7: Writing a Concept Paper | EAPP

Summary

This lesson focuses on writing a concept paper, crucial for academic and professional purposes. It defines the concept paper as a tool for identifying and explaining ideas before conducting research. The script discusses its purposes, such as providing a project overview or attracting funding. It outlines how to explain concepts through definition, explication, and clarification, and introduces various patterns of development for concept papers. Essential elements like introduction, project description, and contact information are highlighted, along with practical guidelines for writing, including limiting the paper to five pages and avoiding jargon.

Takeaways

• 📝 A concept paper is an academic or research document that identifies and explains a specific idea or concept related to a scholarly field before conducting research.
• 🎯 Concept papers serve multiple purposes, including providing a foundation for a full proposal, determining the feasibility of a project, attracting potential funding, and obtaining early feedback.
• 🤔 To explain a concept, one can use definitions, explication, or clarification, with definitions further divided into formal, informal, and extended types.
• 🌳 Examples of defining a concept include formal definitions (using genus and differential), informal definitions (contextual use of terms), and extended definitions (using analogies and comparisons).
• 📈 Patterns of development in a concept paper include defining, describing, comparing, contrasting, classifying, illustrating, narrating, explaining, and analyzing cause and effect.
• 📋 Key elements of a concept paper are the introduction, purpose or rationale, project description, required support, and contact information.
• ✍️ When writing a concept paper, ensure visibility, clarity on methodology and timeline, and include necessary statistics and figures to support the proposal.
• 🚫 Avoid requesting funding for the planning stage in a concept paper, and refrain from using jargon that may not be understood by the targeted readers.
• 📑 Keep the concept paper concise, ideally to five pages or less, and include essential details such as page numbers and citations for references.
• 🔍 The script provides a comprehensive guide on writing concept papers, emphasizing the importance of clarity, brevity, and the inclusion of key elements to effectively communicate the concept.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of a concept paper?

A concept paper primarily serves to identify and explain a particular idea or specific concept, often related to a scholarly field or discipline, before conducting research. It supports the rationale or purpose of conducting a research and presents information to help people understand a particular concept or idea.

Can concept papers be used in professional settings?

Yes, concept papers are not only used in academic settings but also in professional settings. Entrepreneurs, for example, may use them to propose projects or programs to potential funding agencies or interested groups.

What are the different purposes of writing a concept paper?

Concept papers can serve multiple purposes: they can form the foundation of a full proposal, help determine the feasibility of a project, attract interest and support from potential funding agencies, and provide a platform to obtain informal feedback on ideas before preparing a full proposal.

How does one explain a concept in a concept paper?

A concept can be explained through various methods such as giving a definition, explication, or clarification. These involve identifying the term, interpreting sentences or passages from academic work, and analyzing the concept with examples, respectively.

What are the different types of definitions used to explain a concept?

There are three types of definitions: formal, informal, and extended. Formal definitions provide the genus and differential of a term, informal definitions describe how a term is used in a specific context, and extended definitions are used for profound and abstract concepts, often employing analogies, metaphors, comparisons, and other descriptive techniques.

What patterns of development can be used when writing a concept paper?

Patterns of development in a concept paper include defining, describing, comparing, creating analogies, contrasting, classifying, illustrating, narrating, explaining, analyzing cause and effect, and listing.

What are the essential elements that should be included in a concept paper?

The essential elements of a concept paper include an introduction presenting the concept, a section identifying the purpose or need, a project description, an outline of the required support or budget, and contact information for the author.

What are some guidelines for writing a concept paper?

Guidelines for writing a concept paper include ensuring the project's visibility, clearly mentioning the budget, methodology, and timeline, using statistics and figures to support the rationale, limiting the paper to five pages or less, avoiding jargon, and including an overview of the budget and references.

Why is it important to limit a concept paper to five pages or less?

Limiting a concept paper to five pages or less helps to avoid overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details and ensures that only necessary and important information is included, which is more likely to capture the interest of the readers or reviewers.

Why should jargon be avoided when writing a concept paper, especially if the targeted readers are not professionals?

Jargon should be avoided when the targeted readers are not professionals because it can be confusing and may not be understood by those outside the specific field. Using layman's terms or familiar words ensures clarity and accessibility of the concept paper to a broader audience.