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eginner who has not yet learnt the art of writing successful research proposalsbut who wishes to acquire this art in due course.TYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALSDepending upon the type, it is possible that research proposals and applicationsfor research grants can differ quite considerably. There are, for example, anumber of different types of research grants that are made by an organizationsuch as the Human Sciences Research Council such as ad hoc grants, grants forcontract projects, for senior researchers, for larger research projects, and for theestablishment of research units. It is also possible to submit research proposalsto certain government departments for financial or other support. Organizationsin the private sector, such as the mining houses and other large corporations,are at times prepared to support meritorious projects that are submitted to them.A final type of research proposal that should be mentioned here is that which isprepared by a prospective Master’s or Doctoral student.In the case of each of the preceding types of research proposals, there areusually instructions in which the requirements with which the researchproposal or application for a grant has to comply, are spelled out. It is of theutmost importance that the requirements that are indicated in such instructionsbe complied with in the finest detail by an applicant who would wish his or herapplication to succeed. The length of any proposal will probably be positivelycorrelated with the amount of money that is at stake, and also with howcomplicated or extensive the proposed research project is.Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaINITIAL PREPARATIONSThe preparations that are required before a research proposal is submitted, arelikely to vary from one case to the next. In the case of a research proposal inwhich the work is to be undertaken in a foreign country and that has to befunded by some organization in that country, it would, for example, be of theutmost importance to make a thorough study of the culture surrounding theawarding of research grants in that country. Fortunately, literature on this topicis available as indicated in the reference list at the end of this chapter.Before the researcher is in a position to submit his or her research proposal as apolished document, a good deal of work would have gone into it. He or shewould have obtained the most recent information and established the currentrequirements for the submission of such proposals by means ofcorrespondence, a telephone call, or even a personal interview. The applicantwould also have established quite clearly that the project that he or she wishesto undertake is, in fact, one that falls into the category of projects supported bythe funding organization concerned. By the time that the proposal177