rit in g A
W
t pa p e r
Co nc e p
ca de m ic
fo r a
e se ar ch
R
Prepared b
y:
Sir Kleene S
ison and
Ms. Vanette
Dalisay
A concept paper provides an
overview of the project, and helps
funding agencies eliminate
What is a
proposals that are likely to be
disapproved.
concept paper?
All research projects need a concept
paper: a short summary that tells the
reader what the project is, why it is
important, and how it will be carried out.
Even if no one else ever reads it, the
What is a
concept paper helps a researcher spot
holes in her or his project that might
concept paper?
later prove fatal.
Three
Definition
Ways in
Explication
explaining a
Clarification
Concept
DEFINITION
Definition is a method of identifying a given term
and making its meaning clearer. Its main purpose is
to clarify and explain concepts, ideas, and issues.
This mode of explanation contains the term to be
defined and the detailed exposition of the term
through the use of illustrations, examples and
descriptions
Three Ways in explaining
a Concept
DEFINITION
This mode of explanation contains the term to be
defined and the detailed exposition of the term
through the use of illustrations, examples and
descriptions
Definition can be presented in three
ways
INFORMAL
An informal definition is done through a parenthetical
or brief explanation.
Example:
Tocopherol (Vitamine E) is naturally found in
vegetable oil, fish, and nuts.
Definition can be presented in three
ways
FORMAL
A formal definition explains a term by incorporating the
term to be defined (species), the general category of the
term (genus), and the quality that makes the term
different from other terms in the same category
(differentia).
Example
Vitamin E is a yellow fat-soluble vitamin that
acts as an anti-oxidant .
Definition can be presented in three
ways
EXTENDED
An extended definition is a detailed way of defining a term
and is usually composed of at least one paragraph.
This type of definition incorporates various patterns and
development to explain a concept.
Definition can be presented in three
ways
EXTENDED
Example
In statistics, a sample refers to a set of observations
drawn from a population. Often, it is necessary to use
samples for research, because it is impractical to study
the whole population. For example, suppose we wanted to
know the average height of 12-year-old American boys. We
could not measure all of the 12-year-old boys in America,
but we could measure a sample of boys.
Signal
Words for Definition
As defined
For example
Is defined as
Means
Such as
To define
To illustrate
EXPLICATION
An explication is a method of explanation in which
sentences, verses, quotes, or passages are taken
from a literary or academic work and then
interpreted and explained in a detailed way
When using this technique, you need to clearly
present your thesis in the introduction and follow it
up with a detailed analysis of a passage or a text.
CLARIFICATION
Clarification is a method of explanation in which the
points are organised from a general abstract idea to
specific and concrete examples
It entails the analysis of the concept by looking at
the examples and specifying some of its
characteristics to arrive at one working definition
which can be used throughout the paper
Signal
Words for Clarification
After all
As an example
Consider the following
For instance
In other words
In particular
In short
Namely
Put another way
To be specific
To clarify
To illustrate
Concept Papers Based on the Context
Concept Concept P
aper fo
Paper for Project P
roposal
mi c Research
Acade
Structure of a Concept Title Page
Paper for Academic Background of the
Research Study
Literature Review
Statement of the
Problem
Abridged
Methodology
Timeline
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Provide a current state of the field you are
researching on
State the gap in knowledge and problems to be
addresses by the research. Provide statistics and
previous studies to prove your claim.
State the reasons why you want to investigate on the
chosen topic
State the theoretical and practical implications of your
proposed research
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
State your general problem in one sentence.
State your specific research questions or objectives.
i t in g
in W r
Mov es s :
ct i on
t ro d u th e
In i t in g
in W r y
u i de S tu d
A G f th e
un d o
k gr o
Bac
move 1 move 2 move 3
Establishing a Establishing a Occupying the
research territory niche niche
move 1
Establishing
a research
territory
Reviewing
Claiming Making topic items of
importance generalizations previous
research
By showing that the general
research area is important, central, move 1
interesting, problematic, or relevant
in some way (claiming centrality)
Describe the research problem
Recently, there has been growing interest Establishing
in…
a research
Provide evidence to support why the
topic is important to study territory
The study of … has become an
important aspect of…
Claiming
importance
move 1 Provide statements about the
current state of knowledge,
consensus, practice, or
description of phenomena
Establishing "The properties of X are still not
a research completely understood."
territory "X is a common finding in patients
with ..."
Making topic
generalizations
move 1
Establishing
a research
territory
Synthesize prior
research that
further supports
the need to study
the research
Reviewing
problem
items of
previous "Several studies have
research suggested that. … Mellark,
2017; Everdeen, 2018)."
By showing that the general
research area is important, central, move 1 Provide statements about the
current state of knowledge,
interesting, problematic, or relevant
in some way (claiming centrality) consensus, practice, or
description of phenomena
Describe the research problem
Recently, there has been growing interest Establishing "The properties of X are still not
in…
a research completely understood."
Provide evidence to support why the
topic is important to study territory "X is a common finding in patients
with ..."
The study of … has become an
important aspect of…
Synthesize prior
research that
further supports
the need to study
the research
Reviewing
Claiming Making topic problem
items of
importance generalizations previous "Several studies have
research suggested that. … (Mellark,
2017; Everdeen, 2018)."
move 2
Establishing a
niche
move 2
Counter-claiming
Establishing a Indicating a gap
niche
Question-raising
Continuing a tradition
move 2
Establishing a niche
"While Jones and Riley believe X method to be accurate,
a close examination demonstrates their method to be
Counter-claiming
flawed."
move 2
Establishing a niche
"While existing studies have clearly established X, they
have not addressed Y."
Indicating a gap
move 2
Establishing a niche
"While Jones and Morgan have established X,
these findings raise a number of questions,
Question-raising
including....”
move 2
Establishing a niche
"Earlier studies seemed to suggest X. verify this finding,
Continuing a tradition more work is needed."
move 2
Establishing a niche
"While Jones and Riley believe X method to be accurate,
a close examination demonstrates their method to be
Counter-claiming
flawed."
"While existing studies have clearly established X, they
Indicating a gap have not addressed Y."
"While Jones and Morgan have established X, these
Question-raising findings raise a number of questions, including....”
"Earlier studies seemed to suggest X. verify this
Continuing a tradition
finding, more work is needed."
move 3
Occupying
the niche
outlining purposes or stating the
move 3 nature of the present research
Occupying announcing principal findings
the niche
indicating the structure of the
research paper
outlining purposes or stating the
move 3 nature of the present research
"In this investigation, the researchers argue ..."
"The present research aims to examine..."
Occupying
the niche
move 3
Occupying announcing principal findings
the niche "This paper describes three separate studies
conducted between March 2015 and January
2016."
move 3
Occupying
the niche
indicating the structure of the
research paper
"This paper is structured as follows ..."
outlining purposes or stating the
move 3 nature of the present research
"In this investigation, the researchers argue ..."
"The present research aims to examine..."
Occupying announcing principal findings
the niche "This paper describes three separate studies
conducted between March 2015 and January
2016."
indicating the structure of the
research paper
"This paper is structured as follows ..."
References
Barrot, J. S., & Sipacio, P. J. F. (2020). Communication today: English for academic and
professional purposes. C & E Publishishing, Inc.
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential
tasks and skills. University of Michigan Press ELT.
USC Libraries. (2021, August 7). Research guides: Organizing your social sciences research
paper: The C.A.R.S. model. Research Guides at University of Southern California.
https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/CARS?
fbclid=IwAR1DQJ3RU1hLtkJuhxxJyQVPhfnqfQwL_4lAj-1WrSrQoBnVu-Y8Zt6wEjI
