The Environmental Justice and Sustainability Research Toolbox

Key Topics to Engage in Module:

1. Research protocols and proposals

Module Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Explain the main contents of a research protocol.
• Design a protocol for a research project.
• Case study research.
• Participatory impact evaluation.
• Identify the key components of a research proposal.
• Evaluate the contents of a research proposal.

Research Protocols (General)

• Research Ethics Review Committee (ERC). Recommended format for a 'research protocol'. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/groups/research-ethics-review-committee/recommended-format-for-a-research-protocol/
• Salkind, N. J. (2010). Protocol. In Encyclopedia of research design (Vol. 1, pp. 1133-1135). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412961288.n343
• Fathalla, M. F. & Fathalla, M. M. F. (2020) A Practical Guide for Health Researchers. WHO Regional Publications, Eastern Mediterranean Series 30.
• Rogers, P. (2014). Overview of impact evaluation, methodological briefs: Impact evaluation 1. UNICEF Office of Research, Florence. https://www.unicef-irc.org/KM/IE/impact_1.php

Research Protocols (Case Study Research)

• Mills, A. J., Durepos, G., & Wiebe, E. (2010). Case study protocol. In Encyclopedia of case study research (Vol. 1, pp. 85-86). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412957397.n32
• Goodrick, D. (2014). Comparative case studies, methodological briefs: Impact evaluation 9. UNICEF Office of Research, Florence. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/754-comparative-case-studies-methodological-briefs-impact-evaluation-no-9.html
• Yin, R. K. (2012). Case study methods. In H. Cooper, P. M. Camic, D. L. Long, A. T. Panter, D. Rindskopf, & K. J. Sher (Eds.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology, Vol. 2. Research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, neuropsychological, and biological (pp. 141–155). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13620-009
  • E-Book is available but you will need to type in your @scu email address to access it

Research Proposals (General)

• Pzreworski, A. & Salomon, F. (1995). On the Art of Writing Proposals. Social Science Research Council. 
• DeCuir-Gunby, J., & Schutz, P. (2017). Developing a mixed methods proposal: A practical guide for beginning researchers. SAGE Publications, Inc. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483399980
• Mills, J., & Birks, M. (2014). Proposing your research. In Qualitative methodology (pp.449-467). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473920163
• Suter, W. N. (2012). Writing research proposals. In Introduction to educational research: A critical thinking approach (pp. 449-467). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483384443

Research Proposals (Evaluations)

• Hug, S. E., & Aeschbach, M. (2019). Criteria for assessing grant applications: A systematic review. Palrave Communications, 6(1), 1-15.

Proposals (Examples)

• Allen, Q., Baber, L., Bell, D., Bell, D., Bell, D., ... & Solórzano, D. (2017). Chapter 9 an example of a real-world mixed methods study: the racial microaggressions study proposal. In Developing a mixed methods proposal: A practical guide for beginning researchers (pp. 151-218). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483399980

Example of Activities:

• In ETHN 165: Community-Based Research Methods, taught by Professor Fernandez, student are encouraged to engage in a brainstorming topic activity that aims to help them develop their project topic. The activity involves a set of prompts and questions to guide students' reflection, and can be accessed via this link. Instructors are encouraged to modify this activity to better serve the focus of their course content and students. https://drive.google.com/file/d/11WNzifHi5UeNehGoJQWZ0_Cw075D4LPP/view?usp=sharing
• In ENVS 101: Capstone, students put together a research protocol for IRB approval. A first step is to review Santa Clara University's office of research integrity.