Urban Barcode Research Program
Research Proposal Requirements

Submitted Urban Barcode Research Program proposals will be reviewed for evidence of research ability, scientific originality, and creative thinking. Projects must use DNA barcoding as an essential part of the experiments. Reagents, materials, and sequencing for a maximum of fifty samples sequenced in both directions will be provided to each team.

UBRP students will be required to participate in “virtual office hours” prior to the submission of their proposals. Student teams should discuss the proposal with their mentor, then schedule office hours with UBRP staff. Feedback from UBRP staff and mentor should be incorporated into the proposal by the students.

A. FORMAT OF THE PROPOSAL

  1. The proposal should incorporate the following components in 2 to 5 pages:
    • Introduction, surveying current literature, background and purpose of the project.
    • Specific Aims, providing the goals and approach of the experiment.
    • Methods, detailing how samples will be collected, archived, and processed to produce barcodes. If the project requires taxonomic identification independent of DNA barcoding, a clear plan must be included. Any anticipated permission needed to collect samples must also be documented.
    • Data Interpretation Plan, detailing methods for data analysis, including any planned graphical or statistical approaches.
    • References, outlines all sources used with internal citations using the APA format.
  2. The proposal must be legible and conform to the following requirements:
    • Use one of the following typefaces: Arial or Times New Roman, 11 point.
    • All margins must be 1 inch.
    • Single spaced
  3. Work submitted by students is expected to be designed with their mentor and presented in their own words. Students may receive review of their work and writing but all alterations are to be that of the students. The proposals will be reviewed using an evaluation rubric.

B.  Team Information

  1. The name, address, present grade (9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade), school/institution, state, and Zip code must be included.
  2. Each team member, i.e. students and teacher or mentor, must submit a brief biography with each proposal.