animal science research proposal

Writing a research proposal

Most granting sponsors have guidelines telling what should be included in a research proposal, as well as formal requirements such as maximum number of pages with a specified font size, line spacing, number of copies to be submitted etc. Make sure to follow these guidelines in every detail! You will not be happy if your project is not even considered for further evaluation because some formalities were not fulfilled in your application.

Your research proposal will usually be reviewed and graded by a number of referees, where some of the people might be specialists in your particular research area, but several of them may not be very familiar with the area. This further stresses the need for your application to be accurate, brief and clear and emphasize essentials. You cannot expect the graders to realize that your project is important unless you manage to convince them that it is!

Essential components of a research proposal

Writing a research proposal is partly similar to writing a scientific paper; you need to define the problem, the objectives, what is known and what is not known about the problem, as well as give your research plan. Instead of presenting results, you describe the expected outcomes. You also give a time plan with short milestones and present a budget for the project. Your (and your collaborators') qualifications are verified in a "C urriculum Vitae ". Make sure you make a structured and logical proposal with suitable headings and an appealing layout.

When writing a research proposal, it is also wise to check the criteria that will be used for grading the applications. Such criteria might be relevance, scientific quality, qualifications of applicant(s), research collaboration, plan for dissemination of results, and budget in relation to project plan and funds available.

Justification, background, objectives and expected output. Define the problem and emphasize the importance and relevance of your proposed research project, and tell what is unique in your approach. Present a brief literature review (and a coherent Reference list) to show what is done already, and also identify information gaps. The objectives might be split into major and specific objectives, and also be put in a broad framework. Specify the expected outcomes and possible applications of your research.

Research plan (including equipment), time schedule and milestones. Describe the research methods and materials to be used, including methods to analyse the materials or data collected (e.g. laboratory or statistical analyses). State the facilities and equipment needed, which of these your organization can provide, and what requires funding within the research proposal. Describe the research methods so that the scientific quality of the proposal can be evaluated, but avoid describing the methods in too much detail. Relate the experiment/study to the objectives. Present a time schedule for the activities to be performed and milestones to be achieved, e.g. as a time-delivery flow chart of achievements and outputs. Note that an ethical approval might be needed for animal experiments.

Dissemination of results . Scientific results must be communicated to relevant audiences. Obviously, scientists aim for publication in scientific journals, and at international and national conferences. In applied areas of research it is as important that the results are also, but not only, communicated to the industry and various authorities outside the scientific community. Such publications must be kept in a popularized form. Many funding organizations require a good plan for publication and information of results to approve an application.

Budget. Many sponsors provide a specific budget format that you must follow, but there might be the possibility to add more details elsewhere. The budget should be credible and realistic, and clearly reflect your research plan. Some items might need specific justification. Indicate whether your organization, or maybe other donors, will cover part of the research costs. If that will be the case, your chances for a research grant might be improved; cost-sharing/matching funds are sometimes a precondition.

Collaborating institutions. Performing the research in collaboration with other institutions might strengthen your proposal, and also indicate a multi-disciplinary approach. Across-country collaboration is sometimes a requirement. Costs for the collaborating institutions may need to be considered in the budget. Evidence of collaboration, i.e. letters of support from collaborating institutions, should be included as an appendix.

Curriculum Vitae ( CV ) . It is common to add a CV as an appendix to the research proposal. Alternatively, if kept short, it may be incorporated at the end of the application. The main purpose of the CV is to provide the reviewers with such information that they can form an opinion whether the applicant(s) have the competence required to carry out the research described in a proposal. The qualifications and abilities of the principal investigator(s) are most important to describe, although CV s may also be required for the collaborating scientists. A CV must be kept brief and clear; include essentials of relevance for the application! Organize the information into categories, such as personal facts, academic education, relevant positions, main research topics, relevant publications, awards or honours received and other skills or experiences that might be of relevance for carrying out the research project. Scientists sometimes overdo the CV and harm themselves by writing a longer CV than the research proposal itself!

A CV is also required in many other situations, e.g. in applications for academic positions. The focus on research, teaching and administration or leadership merits may vary depending on the type of position and the tasks to be performed. Instructions and examples for writing a CV and related letters are easily found on the Internet.

Before delivering a research proposal, also let someone who is not in your area of discipline read it and give you her/his comments. And, remember to make a final check that all requirements set by the sponsor organization are fulfilled (including signatures required)!

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Animal Study Proposal

Introduction

The use of this sample animal study proposal is not required and is provided for the convenience of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) at Assured institutions. Sections may be added, deleted, or modified to meet the needs of individual programs.

The sample animal study proposal is provided in response to requests from many institutions that wish to develop or revise an animal care and use protocol form intended for internal institutional use. It is based on a form used by intramural NIH investigators, and was modified as the result of review of many different extramural institutional forms in order to anticipate a variety of research scenarios. Institutions may download the form and modify it to suit their own institutional program and needs.

Most institutions have instituted an animal care and use protocol form that investigators are required to complete and submit to the IACUC. There is great variation in the length, format, content, and use of these forms, and a form that serves one institution well may not necessarily prove successful at another institution. However, in general, many IACUCs have found that use of a protocol form helps research investigators to delineate the information that the IACUC requires in order to review a proposal, and also helps the IACUC to achieve greater consistency in its review. Many of these forms are available from institutional websites.

We are interested in your comments on the content of this sample animal study proposal and in your suggestions for additions, deletions, or revisions. We anticipate changes to this document as institutional comments are received and as animal research and the policies that govern it evolve. Comments should be sent to: [email protected] .

Individuals not familiar with the PHS Policy are encouraged to visit the PHS Policy Tutorial .

View the animal study proposal

• Administrative Data
• Animal Requirements
• Transportation
• Study Objectives
• Rationale for Animal Use
• Description of Experimental Design and Animal Procedures
• Pain or Distress Classification and Consideration of Alternatives
• Anesthesia, Analgesia, Tranquilization, Other Agents
• Methods of Euthanasia or Disposition of Animals at End of Study
• Hazardous Agents
• Biological Material/Animal Products for Use in Animals
• Genetically Engineered Animals
• Exemptions from Environmental Enrichment for Nonhuman Primates or Exercise for Dogs
• Field Studies
• Special Concerns or Requirements of the Study
• Principal Investigator Certifications
• Concurrences
• Final Approval
• Appendix 1 - USDA Classifications and Examples
• Attachment 1 - Explanation for USDA Classification E

Download the sample animal study proposal

If you wish to use the sample animal study proposal as a template, click one of the formats below to download.

PDF (89 KB) MS Word (123 KB)

Contact the Division of Policy and Education by phone at 301-496-7163 or e-mail to [email protected] .

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Article Contents

Introduction, experimental design: initial steps, design of the animal experiment, experimental design: final considerations.

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Practical Aspects of Experimental Design in Animal Research

Paula D. Johnson, D.V.M., M.S., is Executive Director, Southwest Association for Education in Biomedical Research, University of Arizona, Tucson; David G. Besselsen, D.V.M., Ph.D., is Veterinary Specialist and Chief, Pathology Services, University Animal Care, University of Arizona, Tucson.

• Article contents
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• Supplementary Data

Paula D. Johnson, David G. Besselsen, Practical Aspects of Experimental Design in Animal Research, ILAR Journal , Volume 43, Issue 4, 2002, Pages 202–206, https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.43.4.202

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A brief overview is presented of the key steps involved in designing a research animal experiment, with reference to resources that specifically address each topic of discussion in more detail. After an idea for a research project is conceived, a thorough review of the literature and consultation with experts in that field are pursued to refine the problem statement and to assimilate background information that is necessary for the experimental design phase. A null and an alternate hypothesis that address the problem statement are then formulated, and only then is the specific design of the experiment developed. Likely the most critical step in designing animal experiments is the identification of the most appropriate animal model to address the experimental question being asked. Other practical considerations include defining the necessary control groups, randomly assigning animals to control/treatment groups, determining the number of animals needed per group, evaluating the logistics of the actual performance of the animal experiments, and identifying the most appropriate statistical analyses and potential collaborators experienced in the area of study. All of these factors are critical to designing an experiment that will generate scientifically valid and reproducible data, which should be considered the ultimate goal of any scientific investigation.

Experimental design is obviously a critical component of the success of any research project. If all aspects of experimental design are not thoroughly addressed, scientists may reach false conclusions and pursue avenues of research that waste considerable time and resources. It is therefore critical to design scientifically sound experiments and to follow standard laboratory practices while performing these experiments to generate valid reproducible data ( Bennett et al. 1990 ; Diamond 2001 ; Holmberg 1996 ; Larsson 2001 ; Sproull 1995 ; Weber and Skillings 2000 ; Webster 1985 ; Whitcom 2000 ). Data generated by this approach should be of sufficient quality for publication in well-respected peer-reviewed journals, the major form of widespread communication and archiving experimental data in research. This article provides a brief overview of the steps involved in the design of animal experiments and some practical information that should also be considered during this process.

Literature Search

A thorough search of the scientific literature must be performed to determine what is known about the focus of the study. The search should include current and past journal articles and textbooks, as well as information available via the internet. Journal searches can be performed in any number of appropriate journal databases or indexes (e.g., MEDLINE, TOXLINE, PUBMED, NCBI, AGRICOLA). The goals of the literature search are to learn of pertinent studies and methods, identify appropriate animal models, and eliminate unnecessary duplication of research. The “3Rs” of animal research ( Russell and Burch 1959 ) should also be considered at this stage: reduction of animal numbers, refinement of methods, and replacement of animals by viable nonanimal alternatives when these exist. The literature search is also an important component of an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC 1 ) protocol submission to provide evidence that the project is not duplicative, that alternatives to the use of animals are not available, and that potentially painful procedures are justified.

Scientific Method

The core aspect of experimental design is the scientific method ( Barrow 1991 ; Kuhn 1962 ; Lawson 2002 ; Wilson 1952 ). The scientific method consists of four basic steps: (1) observation and description of a scientific phenomena, (2) formulation of the problem statement and hypothesis, (3) use of the hypothesis to predict the results of new observations, and (4) the performance of methods or procedures to test the hypothesis.

Problem Statement, Objectives, and Hypotheses

It is critical to define the problem statement, objectives, and hypotheses clearly. The problem statement should include the issue that will be addressed experimentally and its significance (e.g., potential application to human or animal health, improved understanding of biological processes). Objectives should be stated in a general description of the overall goals for the proposed experiments and the specific questions being addressed. Hypotheses should include two distinct and clearly defined outcomes for each proposed experiment (e.g., a null and an alternate hypothesis). These outcomes may be thought of as the two experimental answers to the specific question being investigated: The null hypothesis is defined as no difference between experimental groups, and the alternate hypothesis is defined as a real difference between experimental groups. Development of a clearly stated problem statement and the hypotheses are necessary to proceed to the next stage of the experimental design process, although they obviously can (and likely will) be modified as the process continues. Examples of a problem statement and various types of hypotheses follow:

Problem statement: Which diet causes more weight gain in rats: diet A or diet B?

Null hypothesis: Groups are expected to show the same results (e.g., rats on diet A will gain the same amount of weight as rats on diet B).

Alternate hypothesis: Experimental groups are expected to show different results (e.g., rats will gain more weight on diet A than diet B, or vice versa).

Nontestable hypothesis: A result cannot be easily defined or interpreted (e.g., rats on diet A will look better than rats on diet B). What does “better” mean? Its definition must be clearly stated to create a testable hypothesis.

Identification of Animal Model

In choosing the most appropriate animal models for proposed experiments, we offer the following recommendations: (1) Use the lowest animal on the phylogenic scale (in accordance with replacement, one of the 3Rs). (2) Use animals that have the species- and/or strain-specific characteristics desirable or required for the specific study proposed. (3) Consider the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining the animal model during the period of experimentation. (4) Perform a thorough literature search, network with colleagues within the selected field of study, and/or contact commercial vendors or government-supported repositories of animal models to identify a potential source of the animal model. (5) Consult with laboratory animal veterinarians before final determination of the animal model.

Identification of Potential Collaborators

The procedures required to carry out the experiments will determine what, if any, additional expertise is needed. It is important to identify and consult with potential collaborators at the beginning of project development to determine who will be working on the project and in what capacity (e.g., as coinvestigators, consultants, or technical support staff). Collaborator input into the logistics and design of the experiments and proper sample acquisition are critical to ensure the validity of the data generated. Core facilities at larger research institutions provide many services that involve highly technical procedures or require expensive equipment. Identification of existing core facilities can often lead to the development of a list of potential intramural collaborators.

Research Plan

A description of the experimental manipulations required to address the problem statement, objectives, and hypotheses should be carefully devised and documented ( Keppel 1991 ). This description should specify the experimental variables that are to be manipulated, suitable test parameters that accurately assess the effects of experimental variable manipulation, and the most appropriate methods for sample acquisition and generation of the test data. The overall practicality of the project as well as the time frame for data collection and evaluation are determined at this stage in the development process.

Practical issues that may need to be addressed include the lifespan of the animal model (for chronic studies), the anticipated progression of disease in that model (to determine appropriate time points for evaluation), the amount of personnel time available for the project, and the costs associated with performing the experiments ( De Boer et al. 1975 ). If the animals are to receive chemical or biological treatments, an appropriate method for administration must be identified (e.g., per os via the diet or in drinking water [soluble substances only], by osmotic pump, or by injection). Known or potential hazards must also be identified, and appropriate precautions to minimize risk from these hazards must be incorporated into the plan. All experimental procedures should be detailed through standard operating procedures, a requirement of good laboratory practice standards ( EPA 1989 ; FDA 1987 ).

Finally, the methods to be used for data analysis should be determined. If statistical analysis is required to document a difference between experimental groups, the appropriate statistical tests should be identified during the design stage. A conclusion will be drawn subsequently from the analysis of the data with the initial question answered and/or the hypotheses accepted or rejected. This process will ultimately lead to new questions and hypotheses being formulated, or ideas as to how to improve the experimental design.

Experimental Unit

The entity under study is the experimental unit, which could be an individual animal or a group. For example, an individual rat is considered the experimental unit when a drug therapy or surgical procedure is being tested, but an entire litter of rats is the experimental unit when an environmental teratogen is being tested. For purposes of estimating error of variance, or standard error for statistical analysis, it is necessary to consider the experimental unit ( Weber and Skillings 2000 ). Many excellent sources provide discussions of the types of experimental units and their appropriateness ( Dean and Voss 1999 ; Festing and Altman 2002 ; Keppel 1991 ; Wu and Hamada 2000 ).

N Factor: Experimental Group Size

The assignment of an appropriate number of animals to each group is critical. Although formulas to determine the proper number of animals can be found in standard statistical texts, we recommend consulting a statistician to ensure appropriate experimental design for the generation of statistically significant results ( Zolman 1993 ). Indeed, the number of animals assigned to each experimental group is often determined by the particular statistical test on the basis of the anticipated magnitude of difference between the expected outcomes for each group. The number of animals that can be grouped in standard cages is a practical consideration for determining experimental group size. For example, standard 71 sq in (460 sq cm) polycarbonate shoebox cages can house up to four adult mice, so group sizes that are divisible by four will maximize group size and minimize per diem costs.

A plethora of variables (e.g., genetic, environmental, infectious agents) can potentially affect the outcome of studies performed with animals. It is therefore critical to use control animals to minimize the impact of these extraneous variables or to recognize the possible presence of unwanted variables. In general, each individual experiment should use control groups of animals that are contrasted directly to the experimental groups of animals. Multiple types of controls include positive, negative, sham, vehicle, and comparative.

Positive Controls

In positive control groups, changes are expected. The positive control acts as a standard against which to measure difference in severity among experimental groups. An example of a positive control is a toxin administered to an animal, which results in reproducible physiological alterations or lesions. New treatments can then be used in experimental groups to determine whether these alterations may be prevented or cured. Positive controls are also used to demonstrate that a response can be detected, thereby providing some quality control on the experimental methods.

Negative Controls

Negative controls are expected to produce no change from the normal state. In the example above, the negative control would consist of animals not treated with the toxin. The purpose of the negative control is to ensure that an unknown variable is not adversely affecting the animals in the experiment, which might result in a false-positive conclusion.

Sham Controls

A sham control is used to mimic a procedure or treatment without the actual use of the procedure or test substance. A placebo is an example of a sham control used in pharmaceutical studies ( Spector 2002 ). Another example is the surgical implantation of “X” into the abdominal cavity. The treated animals would have X implanted, whereas the sham control animals would have the same surgical procedure with the abdominal cavity opened, as with the treated animals, but without having the X implanted.

Vehicle Controls

A vehicle control is used in studies in which a substance (e.g., saline or mineral oil) is used as a vehicle for a solution of the experimental compound. In a vehicle control, the supposedly innocuous substance is used alone, administered in the same manner in which it will be used with the experimental compound. When compared with the untreated control, the vehicle control will determine whether the vehicle alone causes any effects.

Comparative Controls

A comparative control is often a positive control with a known treatment that is used for a direct comparison to a different treatment. For example, when evaluating a new chemopreventive drug regime in an animal model of cancer, one would want to compare this regime to the chemopreventive drug regime currently considered “accepted practice” to determine whether the new regime improves cancer prevention in that model.

Randomization

Randomization of the animals assigned to different experimental groups must be achieved to ensure that underlying variables do not result in skewed data for each experimental group. To achieve randomization, it is necessary to begin by defining the population. A homogeneous population consists of animals that are considered to share some characteristics (e.g., age, sex, weight, breed, strain). A heterogeneous population consists of animals that may not be the same but may have some common feature. Generally, the better the definition of the group, the less variable the experimental data, although the results may be less pertinent to large broad populations. Methods commonly used to achieve randomization include the following ( Zolman 1993 ):

Identifying each animal with a unique identification number, then drawing numbers “out of a hat” and randomly assigning them in a logical fashion to different groups. For example, the first drawn number is assigned to group 1, the second to group 2, the third to group 1, the fourth to group 2, and so forth. Dice or cards may also be used to randomly assign animals to experimental groups.

Using random number tables or computer-generated numbers/sampling to achieve randomization.

Experimental Protocol Approval

Animal experimentation requires IACUC approval of an animal care and use protocol if the species used are covered under the Animal Welfare Act (regardless of funding source), the research is supported by the National Institutes of Health and involves the use of vertebrate species, or the animal care program is accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International ( Silverman et al. 2000 ). In practice, virtually all animal experiments require IACUC approval, which entails full and accurate completion of appropriate protocol forms for submission to the IACUC, followed by clarification or necessary modification of any procedures the IACUC requires. Approval must be obtained before the animal purchase or experimentation and is required before submission of a grant proposal by some funding agencies. If the research involves hazardous materials, then protocol approval from other intramural oversight committees or departments may also be required (e.g., a Biosafety Committee if infectious agents or recombinant DNA are to be used, or a Radiation Safety Committee if radioisotopes or irradiation are to be used).

Animal welfare regulations and Public Health Service policy mandate that individuals caring for or using research animals must be appropriately trained. Specifically, all personnel involved in a research project must be appropriately qualified and/or trained in the methods they will be performing for that project. The institution where the research is being performed is responsible for ensuring this training, although the actual training may occur elsewhere.

Pilot Studies

Pilot studies use a small number of animals to generate preliminary data and/or allow the procedures and techniques to be solidified and “perfected” before large-scale experimentation. These studies are commonly used with new procedures or when new compounds are tested. Preliminary data are essential to show evidence supporting the rationale of a proposal to a funding agency, thereby increasing the probability of funding for the proposal. All pilot projects must have IACUC approval, as for any animal experiment. As soon as the pilot study is completed, the IACUC representative will either give the indication to proceed to a full study or will indicate that the experimental manipulations and/or hypotheses need to be modified and evaluated by additional pilot studies.

Data Entry and Analysis

The researcher has the ultimate responsibility for collecting, entering, and analyzing the data correctly. When dealing with large volumes of data, it is especially easy for data entry errors to occur (e.g., group identifications switched, animal identifications transposed). Quality assurance procedures to identify data entry errors should be developed and incorporated into the experimental design before data analysis. This process can be accomplished by directly comparing raw (original) data for individual animals with the data entered into the computer or with compiled data for the group as a whole (to identify potential “outliers,” or data that deviates significantly from the rest of the members of a group). The analysis of the data varies depending on the type of project and the statistics required to evaluate it. Because this topic is beyond the scope of this article, we refer the reader to the many outstanding books and articles on statistical analysis ( Cobb 1998 ; Cox and Reid 2000 ; Dean and Voss 1999 ; Festing and Altman 2002 ; Lemons et al. 1997 ; Pickvance 2001 ; Wasserman and Kutner 1985 ; Wilson and Natale 2001 ; Wu and Hamada 2000 ).

Detection of flaws, in the developing or final experimental design is often achieved by several levels of review that are applicable to animal experimentation. For example, grant funding agencies and the IACUC provide input into the content and design of animal experiments during their review processes and may also serve as advisory consultants before submission of the grant proposal or animal care and use protocol. Scientific peers and the scientific literature also provide invaluable information applicable to experimental design, and these resources should be consulted throughout the experimental design process. Finally, scientific peer-reviewed journals provide a final critical evaluation of the soundness of the experimental design. The overall quality of the experimental data is evaluated and a determination is made as to whether it is worthy of publication. Obviously, discovering major experimental design deficiencies during manuscript peer review is not desirable. Therefore, pursuit of scientific peer review throughout the experimental design process should be exercised routinely to ensure the generation of valid, reproducible, and publishable data.

The steps listed below comprise a practical sequence for designing and conducting scientific studies. We recommend that investigators

Conduct a complete literature review and consult experts who have experience with the techniques proposed in an effort to become thoroughly familiar with the topic before beginning the experimental design process.

Ask a specific question and/or formulate an appropriate hypothesis. Then design the experiments to specifically address that problem/question.

Consult a biostatistician during the design phase of the project, not after performing the experiments.

Choose proper controls to ensure that only the variable of interest is evaluated. More than one control is frequently required.

Start with a small pilot project to generate preliminary data and work out procedures and techniques. Then proceed to larger scale experiments to generate statistical significance.

Modify original question and procedures, ask new questions, and begin again.

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Abbreviation used in this article: IACUC, institutional animal care and use committee.

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Guidance for applications involving animals

1. introduction.

We strongly advise you to read the following section carefully before preparing an application to ensure you include all the relevant information required in the appropriate sections of your application. In particular, you should ensure your application clearly justifies the following:

• research objectives and how the knowledge generated will advance the field
• the need to use animals and lack of realistic alternatives
• choice of species of animals to be used
• type of animal(s), for example, strain, pathogen free, sex, genetically modified or mutant
• planned experimental design and its justification
• numbers of animals and frequency of measurements and interventions to be used
• primary outcomes to be assessed
• planned statistical analyses

A compelling scientific case is essential for justifying the use of animals in research.

There have been several important initiatives aimed at raising the standard of design and reporting of animal experiments. The ARRIVE guidelines lay out criteria that you should meet in reporting animal studies so that their results and conclusions can be properly evaluated.

These criteria address a range of issues relating to:

• transparency and validity of experimental design
• the avoidance or minimisation of bias
• the adequacy of statistical aspects of the study, including statistical power and appropriate statistical analysis

Our guidance reflects the information we need to allow proper assessment of the scientific strengths and weaknesses of applications for funding involving animal use.

Where following our guidance will require additional resources, for example for animal identification such as ‘microchipping’, increased maintenance charges resulting from the randomisation procedure, or salary costs associated with obtaining statistical support, we recognise this and will support such costs where fully justified in the application.

We also require that you consider sex appropriately in research involving animals, cells and tissues. In applications involving animals, cells and tissues, you should plan to use both sexes unless there is a strong reason for not doing so, which you should detail in the application. See sex in experimental design .

2. Replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experiments

We expect you to have developed your application in accordance with the cross-funder guidance for the use of animals in research, responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research , and NC3Rs guidelines, primate accommodation, care and use .

Experiments using animals funded by MRC must comply with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), amended 2012 and any further embodiments, in:

• using the simplest possible, or least sentient, species of animal appropriate
• ensuring that distress and pain are avoided wherever possible
• employing an appropriate design and using the minimum number of animals consistent with ensuring that scientific objectives will be met

You can find advice on opportunities and techniques for implementing these principles, including the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) , on the NC3Rs website .

3. Experimental design, avoidance of bias and statistical considerations

There is a wide range of designs and approaches to animal experimentation that are appropriate depending on the objectives of the research application. In all cases, we expect you to provide well justified information in your application concerning the experimental design and its suitability to answering the research questions posed.

While we recognise that there are ethical imperatives to reduce the number of animals used, it is also unethical to conduct a study that, because of its limited size, has inadequate statistical power to robustly answer a research question.

You should therefore provide adequate justification for your choice of design and numbers of animals and interventions. It is important that you give adequate information concerning methodological issues, including (but not restricted to):

• the avoidance of bias, for example masking (blinding) of observers assessing outcomes to the group allocation in a randomised design
• how you will carry out randomisation (if used) or why it is not appropriate if you will not use it
• a clear definition of the experimental unit in the analysis and the implications of that experimental unit (that is, there is a difference between N samples from one animal, as distinct from one sample from each of N animals, or combining samples from multiple animals)
• a principled justification of the adequacy of the numbers of animals you are including to minimise the likelihood of spurious results due to the play of chance alone
• where you are using animals in multiple types of experimental approaches in a single application (for example for tissue supply, pilot experiments or more defined preclinical studies) you should provide exemplars for these types of experiment of the sex of the animals you are using, and if you are proposing only a single sex, justification for why the study fits one of the exemption categories outlined by MRC ( sex in experimental design )
• the number of different time points where you will make measurements on each animal
• a description of the statistical analysis methods that you will use, explaining how they relate to the experimental design and showing that they are appropriate for the types of data that you will collect
• an indication of the number of independent replications of each experiment you will perform with the objective of minimising the likelihood of spurious nonreplicable results (if you have no plans to independently replicate studies to within the current application, then you will need to justify this)

You will find examples of the level of detail and type of information required in experimental design for animal research: proposal examples .

In addition, the NC3Rs has developed a free online tool to guide you through the design of your experiments, helping to ensure you use the minimum number of animals consistent with your scientific objectives, methods to reduce subjective bias, and appropriate statistical analysis.

The Experimental Design Assistant will help you build a machine-readable diagram representing your experimental plan, following capture of your methodology, and allows you to generate a PDF report that provides a transparent description of the experimental design in a standardised format.

This tool can assist you in the design of experiments using both sexes of animal, tissue or cell. We encourage you to consider embedding the summary diagram of this tool into your approach, where appropriate.

4. Animal-relevant sections in the UKRI Funding Service

Information about the use of animals will be subject to scrutiny and will carry substantial weight when we assess the scientific strength of your application. Guidance on where you should address each aspect in the application is available below.

You must provide this information for all applications involving animals, regardless of whether we are requesting animal costs as part of the application.

Approach: reproducibility and statistical design

You should detail the scientific case underpinning the choice of animal model and the experimental plans in the approach section (recommended 500 words for reproducibility and statistical design).

You should outline the experimental design, including a justification of the total numbers of animals you are using, their sex, and, where appropriate, the frequency of measurements and interventions required on each animal.

You should outline planned procedures to minimise experimental bias, for example, randomisation protocols and masking (blinding), or explain why such procedures are not appropriate. You do not need to describe each experiment in detail, but you must include sufficient information that reviewers are readily able to understand the experimental plan.

You must provide a properly constructed justification of how you determined the numbers of animals to be used. In general, we expect you to seek professional statistical advice in putting this section together.

In many instances this section will include statistical power calculations based on justifiable and explicit assumptions about the anticipated size of the experimental effects. If you are not giving statistical power calculations, you should provide a principled explanation of the choice of numbers.

You can use power calculations to calculate the minimum sample size so that one can be reasonably likely to detect an effect of a given size, or to calculate the minimum effect size that is likely to be detected in a study using a given sample size.

In general, we will not consider explanations as adequate if you base them solely in terms of ‘usual practice’. You should include an overview of the planned statistical analyses and their relation to the choice of sample size.

You should provide an explanation of how and why the animal species and model you are using can address the scientific objectives and the relevance to human biology. If you are proposing a single sex study, you must give adequate justification why this is necessary.

You should include information on the sources of knockout or transgenic lines and relevant information to demonstrate the verification of lines selected.

You must clearly make the case for how the chosen design will enable you to achieve the stated objectives of the study, with reference to the information on the numbers of animals and planned statistical analyses.

In addition to the usual background and specification of the primary and secondary objectives of the study, or specific hypotheses being tested, you should clearly define the primary and secondary experimental outcomes you will assess, for example cell death, molecular markers, behavioural changes.

You do not need to describe each experiment in detail, but you must include sufficient information that reviewers are readily able to understand the design rationale and make robust judgements on the scientific case.

Research involving the use of animals

You must complete the template document in this section and give details of any procedures categorised as moderate or severe (in accordance with the maximum prospective severity rating in the Home Office licence under which the work will be carried out).

This is so that the assessment of the application can balance the importance of the potential scientific advancement with the welfare of the animals.

You must give sound scientific reasons for the use of animals and explain why there are no realistic alternatives and how the choice of species complies with ASPA. See replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experiments in section 2.

You should include the following information:

• sound scientific rationale for the use of animals
• explanation of why there are no realistic non-animal alternatives
• how the choice of species complies with the Animals (Scientific procedures) Act (1986), for knockout or transgenic lines, briefly including information on your sources and relevant information to demonstrate the verification of lines selected
• relevant information about the animals you will use (for example species, strain, sex, developmental stage, weight)

We encourage you to provide other ‘supporting information’ regarding experimental design and statistical analyses in the approach section.

The guidance below provides more detail about the information required in the approach for applications requesting the use of animals. A summary of where to put all required information regarding the use of animals in your application is in section 8 under justification of animal use .

Conducting research with animals overseas

If your project involves the use of animals overseas you must provide a statement in the ‘conducting research with animals overseas’ section of the application that confirms:

• all named applicants will adhere to all relevant national and local regulatory systems in the UK and internationally
• the research will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines laid out in the NC3Rs responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research document and the work carried out to UK welfare standards
• before starting the proposed research work, you will obtain appropriate approvals from institutional or central animal ethics committees for the experimental protocols you will adopt in your projects; we may expect successful applications to provide copies of these permissions before we release funding
• details on where the animal research will take place (UK or international) and through which funder you are seeking resources

If the research involves the use of animals (rodents, rabbits, sheep, goats, pigs, cattle xenopus) overseas, rather than in the UK, you should also complete the appropriate additional questions on the use of [species] overseas’ form , and upload to the ‘Conducting research with animals overseas’ section of the application.

Resources and costs

You may request the costs of both the animals themselves and their maintenance.

If you are planning to use animals purchased from commercial suppliers, you should, wherever possible, use UK suppliers to minimise the risk of suffering during transport. For cats, dogs and primates, you must use Home Office-approved suppliers.

If you are contracting out animal research or proposing to undertake any animal experiments as part of collaborative programmes outside the UK, please see the section below on ‘Ethical and welfare standards and review’.

If you are planning research using rhesus macaques you should obtain animals from the MRC Centre for Macaques , which will advise on costs. You should contact the centre at the earliest opportunity and ensure you inform them in the event of a successfully funded application.

Justification of resources

You should give detailed justification of the animal costs you are requesting. Where experiments involve genetically altered animals, you may include examples of the breeding strategies in the justification to support the total number of animals you are requesting. You should not include any experimental or statistical details in this section.

5. Ethical and welfare standards and review

You must ensure that you follow best practice in relation to animal husbandry and welfare. Where the work you propose is not covered by an existing project licence under ASPA, you should put your application to the local Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body for review before submission and ensure that you address any ethical and welfare issues raised.

You should be aware that the NC3Rs will be involved in the review of any MRC applications proposing to use non-human primates, cats, dogs or equines, providing advice specifically on the 3Rs and animal welfare.

If you are contracting out animal research or proposing to undertake any animal experiments as part of collaborative programmes outside the UK, you must conduct these experiments in a way that conforms to the legal and ethical practices in that country, as well as to the standards (including animal welfare) required in the UK.

Where standards are different, the more rigorous guidelines will apply. We strongly advise you to view the Choosing contractors for animal research: expectations of the major UK public funders presentation produced by the NC3Rs, which sets out our requirements and other major funding bodies’ requirements on standards of animal welfare and study design, including for preclinical studies at contract research organisations.

6. Home Office licences

You are responsible for ensuring that the appropriate Home Office licences are obtained. This will include the requirement that the local ethical review process approves the research application.

You do not have to obtain Home Office licences (or amendments to existing licences) before you submit the application. However, if we award a grant, you must have the necessary licences in place before any animal experimentation begins.

7. Mouse strains

We encourage the archiving and sharing of genetically altered mouse strains as a means of both reducing and refining animal use. We support a central repository of mouse strains, the MRC Mouse Frozen Embryo and Sperm Archive (FESA) at MRC Harwell.

FESA aims to:

• ensure that valuable mouse strains are safeguarded
• reduce the need to maintain colonies of live mice for long periods of time
• capitalise fully on the significant investment in engineering strains

You must fully justify any need for the repeated creation of pre-existing genetically modified mouse strains. If you are planning to produce genetically modified mouse strain(s), you should investigate whether suitable strains are available via FESA or elsewhere before requesting resources for creating new strains.

If you are planning on creating new genetically altered mouse strains as part of your work, you should actively consider archiving and sharing these strains via FESA. When archiving and sharing of genetically modified mice is not possible, clearly state the reasons for this in your application.

Email: [email protected]

8. Justification of animal use

If your application involves multiple experiments, for example a pilot study, tissue supply or treatment comparison, you should include the level of detail below for each type of experiment.

Experimental approach

You should include the following details of the experimental approach under ‘approach’:

• the number of experimental and control groups
• the total number of animals you will use in each experiment
• the number of animals in each experimental group
• the number of times you will measure each animal
• the number of independent replications of each experiment indicated
• any steps you will take to minimise the effects of bias when allocating animals to treatment (example randomisation procedure) and when assessing results, for example masking (blinding)

For guidance see ‘Reproducibility and statistical design’ in the application section of the main guidance for applicants and in section 4 above.

Sample size

You should include the following details of the sample size under ‘approach’:

• an explanation of how you arrived at the number of animals, including power calculations if appropriate or other supporting information to demonstrate that the findings will be robust
• details of any statistical advice sought/available

Planned statistical analyses

You should include the following details of the planned statistical analyses under ‘approach’:

• an overview of the planned statistical analyses in relation to the choice of sample size
• details of any statistical advice available

Objectives and experimental outcomes

You should include the following details of the objectives and experimental outcomes under ‘approach’:

• the primary and any secondary objectives of the study, or specific hypotheses you are testing
• the primary and secondary experimental outcomes you are assessing (for example cell death, molecular markers, behavioural changes)

Justification of the choice of species and model

You should include the following details of the justification of the choice of species and model under ‘approach’:

• an explanation of how and why the animal species and model you will use can address the scientific objectives and the relevance to human biology
• relevant information about the animals you will use (for example, species, strain, sex, developmental stage, weight)

Justification of the experimental design and statistical framework

Under ‘approach’ you should include a scientific justification of why the numbers of animals you will use, the experimental design you have chosen, and planned statistical analyses are appropriate to meet the objectives of your study.

Procedure severity

You should include the following details of procedure severity under ‘research involving the use of animals’:

• confirmation of the use of animals (this should be ticked as ‘yes’ even if you are not requesting animal costs as part of the proposal or application)
• details of any procedures categorised as moderate or severe in accordance with the maximum prospective severity rating in the Home Office licence under which you will carry out the work

For guidance see ‘Research involving the use of animals’ in section 4 above.

The need to use animals and the choice of species

You should include the following details of the need to use animals and the choice of species under ‘research involving the use of animals’:

• a sound scientific reason for the use of animals and an explanation why there are no realistic non-animal alternatives
• an explanation of how your choice of species complies with ASPA

For guidance see ‘Research involving the use of animals’ in section 4 above and ‘Replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal experiments’ in section 2 above.

Overseas animal research

Under ‘conducting research with animals overseas’ you should include confirmation that research will be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with those in the UK.

For guidance see ‘Conducting research with animals overseas’ in section 4 above.

Funding requested and explanation of funding requested

You should include the following details of funding requested and explanation of funding requested under ‘resources and cost: justification of resources ’:

• the total number of animals you are requesting and the associated purchase and upkeep costs
• overview of how you reached the figure for animal costs

You should not include experimental or statistical details in this section. However, you may include a breeding plan to demonstrate how you determined the total number of animals requested.

For guidance see ‘Resources and costs’ in section 4 above.

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Research Proposals

All new research proposals must be submitted using  CAYUSE SP .

In order to comply with reporting requirements,  all proposals with a PI, Co-I or Co-PI from the SVM will require the completion of the  SVM Supplemental Questions form .  This form must be completed and uploaded with the rest of the attachments in your proposal document.

Cayuse SP  is designed to manage research operations and provide a framework to track and report on sponsored program activities. It manages the life cycle of sponsored projects with Cayuse SP, a flexible, user-friendly Web application designed to reduce complexity, improve collaboration, and provide visibility from pre-award through post-award.

Cayuse 424  continues to be available for all Grants.gov submissions.

Please view the  training page  for guides and the training session schedule.  Recorded trainings  from the UC Davis Office of Research are available as well. 

FAQ's -  http://spark.ucdavis.edu/spark-faq/

For help, please email  [email protected]

EGReT was retired on January 15, 2021. The SVM rolled out Cayuse SP for processing new proposal development and submission beginning January 1, 2018.

Proposal Guidelines

M.s. and ph.d. research proposals:.

All ANSC graduate students must present to their advisory committees a thesis (M.S.) or dissertation (Ph.D.) research proposal for approval during the initial stages of their graduate studies. The timeline for submission is the end of the second semester for M.S. and the end of the third semester for Ph.D. students.

• Why so early in the program?   While these deadlines may seem early in comparison to some other programs, preparation of the proposal early in your graduate program will help focus your research and aid you in completing your program in a timely fashion.  Otherwise, you may jump from project to project without ever focusing on clear objectives or completing any publishable data.
• What is the goal (big picture) and why is it important?
• What is already known?
• Why do we need to know more?
• Will you have the resources (equipment, animals, and training) necessary to complete the research?
• Will your answers be valid? Will you be using the best approach to obtain the answers to your question? That is, what methods will you use and what are the appropriate statistical methods for the type of data you will obtain? How many samples/animal/replicates will you need to perform in order to obtain statistically significant results?
• How do I choose a problem to study?   Talk with your advisor!  Research is expensive so you will need to work within the parameters of your advisor’s research program unless you have your own funding. Most advisors enjoy talking science – but you should be prepared – read your advisor’s publications!  Read theses/ dissertations of previous graduate students from your lab (see online dissertation database available through library website: http://drum.lib.umd.edu/  and http://www.lib.umd.edu/dbfinder/id/UMD07254 ).

Typical terms used in research proposals include strategy, approach, hypotheses, aims, objectives, and mechanisms.  These words can be confusing to someone who hasn’t been involved in research before.

• Strategy - a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal, usually over a long period of time. More specifically, it is how a research team will meet its overall goals and objectives.
• Approach - a way of dealing with something.  In research, a cellular and molecular biology approach would mean that cellular and molecular biology techniques will be used to answer the question, while a genomics approach would focus more on evaluating genetic sequence information available in large databases.
• Hypothesis - a tentative statement that proposes a possible explanation to some phenomenon or response. A testable hypothesis should include a prediction that you can assess using techniques available to your lab. An easily testable hypothesis is “If I ask the graduate director a question which can be easily answered by looking at the ANSC website, then she will frown at me.” 
• Aim vs. objective - Though very similar, an "aim" is a general direction or intent, while an "objective" is a more specific or concrete goal or accomplishment.
• Mechanism - a natural or established process by which something takes place or is brought about. For example, the binding of a ligand to a receptor that initiates a specific cascade of intracellular events.

Example of an animal sciences-related problem:

• Problem – Fertility has decreased in dairy cows selected for high milk production.
• Significance - This has a large economic impact on dairy production.
• Question – What genes are responsible for this decrease in fertility? 
• Approach – Genomics
• Strategy – Will use the large genetic databases that are available   
• Research hypothesis – Genes that are closely linked to milk production affect reproductive success.
• Aims – 1. Identify genes that are linked to known milk production QTLs. 2. Determine whether any of these genes might be involved in reproduction.

Writing Your Proposal:

You should establish ahead of time with your committee what specific format to follow. Typically, a proposal should follow the format of a grant proposal narrative (i.e., the portion of a NIFA, NIH, or NSF grant proposal that actually describes the proposed research plan), which commonly has a page limit of 10-18 pages (depending on the agency) single spaced (11 – 12 pt Arial/Times Roman font), but your committee may request double-spaced text for readability. Some committees may request that a complete literature review be included; this will likely result in a longer proposal. A research proposal should be realistic. Usually, the M.S. proposal will propose a more limited number of objectives relating to ongoing research utilizing methods already established in the lab. A Ph.D. proposal will be more comprehensive and may involve development of new approaches and/or methodology that add more risk/innovative than the typical M.S. proposal.

A Basic Research Proposal Outline:

• Research question - Clearly state the question you will address. This is the big picture question – not the specific objectives that you will describe later. For example – “What controls lineage differentiation in the early embryo?” or “What are the basic mechanisms that limit feed digestion and utilization by dairy cattle?” or “Which genes are associated with reproductive success?”  
• Significance to knowledge - Why is it important?
• Previous research - others and your lab’s 
• Rigor of the prior research. What are the main challenges to progress? What has led to success so far and what limitations remain? What knowledge is lacking?
• Your preliminary work on the topic (if any) relating to the questions
• Reprise of your research question(s) in this context (provide specific aims)
• Specific aims (goals) and rationale
• Methods used to test the hypotheses (specific techniques, resources to be used (e.g., animals, cells, materials, etc.), number of samples and replicates needed)
• Plan for interpreting results (statistical methods)
• Expected results and potential pitfalls – technical challenges (if doesn’t work as anticipated, what is your alternative plan?)
• Timeline for completion
• References (not included in the page limits)

If you would like to see an example of a Research Proposal, the ANSC Graduate Program can provide one.  You can also ask your mentor if you can look at a previous Research Proposal from your lab; however, you want to be careful not to copy from any old examples as that will be construed as plagiarism.

If you will be using animals in your study then sufficient information must be provided within the project description to justify the rationale for involving animals, choice of species and number of animals to be used. Be aware that if you will be using animals you will need to have approval from the University’s IACUC. This approval is needed whether the animals involved are on campus or off-site at another institution (e.g., Smithsonian). Talk with your advisor about this. You should have received the appropriate training (Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), animal use, biological safety, etc.) prior to starting your research and your lab should have already obtained IACUC and ESSR approvals for the research.

Avoid plagiarism – be careful to correctly cite information and to write using your own words – do not cut and paste from others’ work.

PLAGIARISM: intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic course or exercise. III-1.00(A) UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

These resources were used in preparing this description on how to prepare a research proposal and may provide additional information on preparing a research proposal:

• http://www2.hawaii.edu/~matt/proposal.html
• http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf9891/nsf9891.htm
• http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~sfinger/advice/advice.html
• NIHproposalGuidelines (squarespace.com)
• Graduate School Writing Center | The University of Maryland Graduate School (umd.edu)

Submitting Your Research Proposal:

Graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) students are required to submit their research proposal to their advisory committee for approval.  Typically, the prepared proposal is distributed to the advisory committee in advance, followed by a meeting in which the student gives a brief presentation. The advisory committee may make valuable recommendations based on their knowledge and experience that may alter the proposal.  More often than not these recommendations help the student avoid problems that otherwise might delay execution and completion of the project. 

• Arrange a time and location for your meeting (reserve a room).
• Distribute your proposal to your committee in advance, at least 1 week in advance
• Prepare a short (20-30 minute) presentation of the proposed research. Include questions & hypotheses; methods & experimental design; preliminary data; broader context & significance of the project.
• Expect to be interrupted with questions during your presentation.

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Writing a Scientific Research Project Proposal

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Table of Contents

The importance of a well-written research proposal cannot be underestimated. Your research really is only as good as your proposal. A poorly written, or poorly conceived research proposal will doom even an otherwise worthy project. On the other hand, a well-written, high-quality proposal will increase your chances for success.

In this article, we’ll outline the basics of writing an effective scientific research proposal, including the differences between research proposals, grants and cover letters. We’ll also touch on common mistakes made when submitting research proposals, as well as a simple example or template that you can follow.

What is a scientific research proposal?

The main purpose of a scientific research proposal is to convince your audience that your project is worthwhile, and that you have the expertise and wherewithal to complete it. The elements of an effective research proposal mirror those of the research process itself, which we’ll outline below. Essentially, the research proposal should include enough information for the reader to determine if your proposed study is worth pursuing.

It is not an uncommon misunderstanding to think that a research proposal and a cover letter are the same things. However, they are different. The main difference between a research proposal vs cover letter content is distinct. Whereas the research proposal summarizes the proposal for future research, the cover letter connects you to the research, and how you are the right person to complete the proposed research.

There is also sometimes confusion around a research proposal vs grant application. Whereas a research proposal is a statement of intent, related to answering a research question, a grant application is a specific request for funding to complete the research proposed. Of course, there are elements of overlap between the two documents; it’s the purpose of the document that defines one or the other.

Scientific Research Proposal Format

Although there is no one way to write a scientific research proposal, there are specific guidelines. A lot depends on which journal you’re submitting your research proposal to, so you may need to follow their scientific research proposal template.

In general, however, there are fairly universal sections to every scientific research proposal. These include:

• Title: Make sure the title of your proposal is descriptive and concise. Make it catch and informative at the same time, avoiding dry phrases like, “An investigation…” Your title should pique the interest of the reader.
• Abstract: This is a brief (300-500 words) summary that includes the research question, your rationale for the study, and any applicable hypothesis. You should also include a brief description of your methodology, including procedures, samples, instruments, etc.
• Introduction: The opening paragraph of your research proposal is, perhaps, the most important. Here you want to introduce the research problem in a creative way, and demonstrate your understanding of the need for the research. You want the reader to think that your proposed research is current, important and relevant.
• Background: Include a brief history of the topic and link it to a contemporary context to show its relevance for today. Identify key researchers and institutions also looking at the problem
• Literature Review: This is the section that may take the longest amount of time to assemble. Here you want to synthesize prior research, and place your proposed research into the larger picture of what’s been studied in the past. You want to show your reader that your work is original, and adds to the current knowledge.
• Research Design and Methodology: This section should be very clearly and logically written and organized. You are letting your reader know that you know what you are going to do, and how. The reader should feel confident that you have the skills and knowledge needed to get the project done.
• Preliminary Implications: Here you’ll be outlining how you anticipate your research will extend current knowledge in your field. You might also want to discuss how your findings will impact future research needs.
• Conclusion: This section reinforces the significance and importance of your proposed research, and summarizes the entire proposal.
• References/Citations: Of course, you need to include a full and accurate list of any and all sources you used to write your research proposal.

Common Mistakes in Writing a Scientific Research Project Proposal

Remember, the best research proposal can be rejected if it’s not well written or is ill-conceived. The most common mistakes made include:

• Not providing the proper context for your research question or the problem
• Failing to reference landmark/key studies
• Losing focus of the research question or problem
• Not accurately presenting contributions by other researchers and institutions
• Incompletely developing a persuasive argument for the research that is being proposed
• Misplaced attention on minor points and/or not enough detail on major issues
• Sloppy, low-quality writing without effective logic and flow
• Incorrect or lapses in references and citations, and/or references not in proper format
• The proposal is too long – or too short

Scientific Research Proposal Example

There are countless examples that you can find for successful research proposals. In addition, you can also find examples of unsuccessful research proposals. Search for successful research proposals in your field, and even for your target journal, to get a good idea on what specifically your audience may be looking for.

While there’s no one example that will show you everything you need to know, looking at a few will give you a good idea of what you need to include in your own research proposal. Talk, also, to colleagues in your field, especially if you are a student or a new researcher. We can often learn from the mistakes of others. The more prepared and knowledgeable you are prior to writing your research proposal, the more likely you are to succeed.

One of the top reasons scientific research proposals are rejected is due to poor logic and flow. Check out our Language Editing Services to ensure a great proposal , that’s clear and concise, and properly referenced. Check our video for more information, and get started today.

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Any animal-based research comes with a large responsibility to provide animals with the highest level of ethical and humane care. WSU takes that responsibility very seriously and is committed to openly sharing information about its research involving animals and standards of animal care.

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• Office of Campus Veterinarian (OCV) oversees the health and welfare of animals used at WSU and administers high-level care to animals across the WSU system. OCV provides a complete range of services including veterinary care, vivarium services, training and research, and safety support while assuring compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines for laboratory animal care.
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Why animals at WSU?

Animal research yields breakthroughs that benefit us all. Discoveries such as life-saving treatment for diabetes, life support for premature babies, vaccines to prevent deadly and crippling diseases, and much more would not have been possible without animal research. WSU research findings contribute to a better understanding of health problems in animals and humans. They have profoundly improved the quality and effectiveness of veterinary care to help our animal friends live longer, healthier lives.

Animals can be critical for teaching critical skills to students. Educators at WSU also involve animals in lessons about animal care and in programs that foster compassion. For example, undergraduates in animal sciences learn hands-on with a student-managed herd of dairy cows. Veterinary students at WSU’s veterinary medicine program also utilize animals to learn life-saving skills that benefit our pets.

Oversight and compliance

All WSU research involving animals adheres to the stringent requirements of federal law.

The WSU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee  (IACUC) carefully reviews all animal research proposals before the studies begin to evaluate animal welfare and compliance with federal regulations and university policies. It has the authority to approve new animal research projects as well as stop a research project if the care or involvement of animals fails to comply with the approved protocol, regulations or IACUC policies. Additional information about IACUC can be viewed on the IACUC website.

WSU animal care programs have earned accreditation from AAALAC International, a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science. AAALAC recognizes WSU among organizations worldwide that uphold global standards of exceptional animal care and ethics.

Reducing animals in research and teaching

When WSU considers proposals for involving animals in research and teaching, it follows principles that the scientific community worldwide knows as the “3 Rs”:

• Replace  animals with other options
• Reduce the number of animals involved
• Refine tests to minimize any distress

WSU only involves animals in research when no other method of study would yield the scientific knowledge needed to address serious health and environmental problems. Whenever possible, WSU research employs alternatives to animals, such as cell cultures, tissue studies, and computer models.

In the future, biological discoveries and technological advances may ultimately eliminate the need for animal research. WSU looks forward to that time.

Animal Welfare Concern

If you suspect research/teaching animal misuse or noncompliance with federal regulations/campus policies, please report to:

• The IACUC — by email at [email protected] or through its website
• Alan Ekstrand at (509) 335-7951, [email protected]
• Office of Research Compliance Hotline at (509) 335-1289 or [email protected]

Examples of Thesis Titles About Animal Science

If you are writing thesis or dissertations about animal science you might want to consider some of these research titles.

We have put together some examples of research thesis titles in animal science.

You can follow the steps below to search for relevant research topics and work in animal science.

• Check out the Animal Science research section or
• Search for any specific keyword or topics under Animal Science in order to see previously written work that may be relevant for your research

See some sample thesis and dissertations titles about or related to animal science

(1) Recent Advances in The Application Of Biotechnology in Animal Nutrition

Biotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve plants and animals for human use. Recently, there are wide potential applications of biotechnology in the field of animal production to increase the productivity of animals through better plane of nutrition, better production and improved health conditions. View the complete document

(2) Preference of Ram Lambs Raised on Different Bedding Materials

In sheep production, the choice of bedding materials affects production, animal growth, and animal welfare; therefore a balance must exist between animal comfort, and well being, cleanliness, and efficiency. This study investigated the preference of weaned ram lambs raised on three bedding materials (Sand, Straw, and Wood shavings) and Cement floor. A total of Eight (8) ram lambs (10-15kg) were randomly housed in a pen that was subdivided into 4 areas. View completed document

(3) Growth, Reproduction, Milk Quality, Blood Profile and Carcass Characteristics of Pigs Fed Diets Containing Graded Levels of Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal

The study which lasted for thirteen months was undertaken to evaluate Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) as feed ingredient on the growth, reproduction, milk quality, blood indices and carcass characteristics of pigs. The specific objectives were to determine the impact of Moringa oleifera leaf meal fed at varying levels (0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, and 12%) on the growth rate, reproductive performance, milk quality, haematological and biochemical indices and carcass characteristics of pigs. View complete document.

(4) Analysis Of The Utilization Of Food Resources By The African Wood Mouse Hylomyscus Denniae Endorobae (Rodentia: Muridae) From Ihururu Forest, Kenya

Hylomyscus denniae endorobae is a rodent important in ecosystems as predator, prey, seed disperser, determinant of forest tree growth and structure as well as a contributor to biodiversity which subsequently plays a role in natural livelihood and national development. Fragmentation of tropical rain forest continues to pose a serious threat to species diversity, which leads to decreased natural income, primary production and general breakdown of an ecosystem. View complete document.

(5) Comparative Study On The Chemical Composition Of Cows, Goat And She Camels Colostrum During The First Three Days After Parturition

The present study was undertaken to compare the chemical composition of the colostrums of cows, goat and she camel’s species during the first three days after parturition. Camel colostrums was collected from camel research center University of Khartoum (Shambat), cows and goat colostrums collected from the department of animal production dairy farm college of agriculture studies, Sudan University of science and Technology (Shambat). View complete document.

(6) Evaluation of Neem Leaf Meal as a Protein Source for Sheep on Low Quality Forage

In Ghana the dominant sheep breed is the West African Dwarf Sheep (Djallonké). It is trypanotolerant, hardy, prolific and suitable for year round breeding but has its productivity to be less than optimal. Due to poor nutrition it has poor growth rate and reproductive performance. Therefore it is important to improve its nutrition and productivity. With a crude protein level of 20.9% as compared to other tree leaves, Neem leaves can be included in the diets of ruminants in the form of supplements. View completed document .

(7) Influence of Day Length, Dietary Protein Concentration and Season on Production, Reproductive Traits and Blood Characteristics of Indigenous Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) in Ghana

Four biological experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of season, daylength, dietary protein concentration and artificial insemination on production and reproductive traits, egg characteristics, and blood and semen characteristics of pearl Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris). The first, second and third experiments were of 52 weeks duration each and utilized a total of 60 and 60 and 24 Guinea fowls, respectively and the fourth was of 26 weeks duration carried out on 36 Guinea fowls. View complete document .

(8) The Relationships Among Nutrition, Soil Ingestion And Anthrax Occurrence In Zebra And Springbok In The Etosha National Park Of Namibia

The relationship among animal nutrition, soil ingestion and the seasonality of anthrax occurrence in zebra and springbok in the Etosha National Park of Namibia was examined. The nutrient content of zebra and springbok faeces was determined in wet and dry seasons for a period of two years. Nutrient content was also determined for a dominant grass species (Enneapogon desvauxii) eaten by zebra. View complete document

(9) Mortality in Small Ruminants and Implications for Livelihoods of Their Keepers in the Savelugu-Nanton District of the Northern Region of Ghana

Despite the many roles small ruminants play in the livelihoods of rural small holder farmers. high mortality in small ruminants has been identified as the major constraint impeding productivity, and hence the livelihoods of small ruminant keepers. In the Savelugu-Nanton district estimated losses in livestock output due to mortality of small ruminants are in the tune of 35%. The present study focuses on the implications of these losses due to mortality in small ruminants in the district and suggests ways of reducing the losses. View full document .

(10) Commercial Feed Availability as a Factor in Poultry (Chicken) Production in Sekyere District, Ashanti Region, Ghana

Commercial feed availability is essential in areas where poultry (chicken) farmers practice intensive production. A study was thus undertaken in the Sekyere West District (SWD) of Ashanti Region to determine the availability of commercial feed as a factor in chicken production. The study also assessed patronage of Agricare feed in Mampong, SWD, covering a period of 3 years (2004-2006). View full document .

(11) Effect of Egg Size and Day Length on Reproductive and Growth Performance, Egg Characteristics and Blood Profile of the Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris)

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of egg size and day length on reproductive and growth performance, egg characteristics and blood profile of indigenous guinea fowls in Ghana. The study was carried out for a period of ten (10) months. Two hundred and forty day-old keets hatched from three different egg size groups (treatments): small (23-39g); medium (40-42g) and large (43-49g) were used in the experiment. View full document .

(12) A Comparative Study of Some Performance Characteristics of Cobb and Ross Broiler Strains Fed Rations with Varying Levels of Palm Kernel Oil Residue (PKOR)

A  comparative  study  was  conducted  on  some  performance characteristics with 225 each of Cobb 500 and Ross 308 broiler chickens fed three rations in which PKOR replaced wheat bran at 0% (control), 10% and 20% levels. There were 6 treatments (of 75 birds each) and 3 replicates (of 25 birds  each),  in  a  completely  randomized  designed 2×3  factorial  experiment. The trial used 3-week old broiler chicks over a 5 week period. View full document

(13) Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistant Klebsiella Species in Poultry Feeds, Feed Ingredients and Fecal Samples in Imo State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the level of contamination of commercial poultry feed, feed ingredients and faecal samples with multi-drug resistant Klebsiella species in Imo State, Nigeria. Samples were collected from broiler starter, broiler finisher, growers and layers feed types of three feed brands labelled TFB, VFB and GFB. Faecal samples from broilers, layers and local chicken were collected from randomly selected farms, open market and local chicken in each zone using sterile swab stick to sample the chicken cloaca. View full document .

(14) Methane Production and in Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility of Wad Sheep Fed Graded Moringa Leaf Meal Based Diets

This study carried out in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta evaluates the feeding value of M. oleifera leaf meal-based (MOLM) concentrate as supplement for West African dwarf (WAD) sheep production. Five dietary concentrates were formulated with M. oleifera included at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of concentrate diet and chemical composition of the diets was determined using 25 WAD sheep (r=5). View full document .

(15) Biomass Yield and Nutritive Quality of Two Grasses in the Natural Pastures as Affected by Cutting Height and Interval in Abeokuta

This  experiment  was  conducted  to  study  the  effects  of  cutting  height  and  interval  on  the biomass  yield  and  nutritive  quality  of  Andropogon  tectorum  Schumach  and  Panicum maximum  Jacq.  in  the  natural  pasture  at  the  Federal  University  of  Agriculture,  Abeokuta from  October  2010  to  March  2011.  Two  cutting  heights:  20  and  30  cm  above  ground level  and  three  cutting  intervals:  four,  six  and  eight  weeks  were  combined  in  a  factorial arrangement  and  randomized  complete  block  design  with  three  replicates. View full document .

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