How to be a good wife

How to be a good wife

Many readers of this page sent me condolences after they read my tributes to Trust newspapers’ late managing editor, Sulaiman Mohammed and my late brother-in-law Abubakar Abdullahi Yusuf, last month.

But one such message came with more than just the condolences, it came with a request to please write and advise women to be kinder. I replied and asked ‘kinder to who?’ But Malam M M (names withheld to guard against domestic retribution) just answered that women should be advised to be better generally. In response to his request, I am presenting the following piece I got from www.hubpages.com. Hope it answers the request. 
Do you want to know how to keep your husband happy? Here are some of the qualities a man looks for in his wife.
1) Be pleasant: It is said that ‘we need to treat others the way we want ourselves to be treated’. Never be rude to our husband, family and friends. Be warm, kind, positive, understanding and friendly. Work to be pleasant toward your husband. Don’t be one of those people who make everyone around feel bad just because they have had a hard day. Welcome your husband with a smile when he comes home instead of a sour face. A good wife honors her hubby by keeping a pleasant tone in her voice, a happy smile on her face and a neat and clean appearance. Listen to him talk about his day especially if it was a difficult one.
2) Treat your Husband with Respect: If you expect respect from others we need to treat others with respect too. Haven’t we all heard ‘Give respect and take respect’? Respect can be reflected in the way one talks and behaves. Always speak in a loving way and refrain from speaking in a harsh manner. A good wife respects her hubby and she never chooses to belittle or humiliate or otherwise harm him in private or in public.
3) Communicate: Communication is the key to a good and solid marriage. Do not hide things from your husband or keep secrets after marriage. Be honest with him. Find time to sit and talk with your husband on a daily basis even if it is for only half an hour. If you let things bottle up and feel that you cannot share anything with him, then your marriage is in trouble. Be a good listener when your husband is talking. You may have a dozen important things to tell him but allow him to talk first. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems the moment he comes back from work. Good Communication also helps to build trust and strengthen your relationship. After marriage the wife and husband are a team or partners. Do not take any major decisions about the family without consulting with him. Fights or problems may happen in between the two but do not let the world know about it rather solve it between yourselves. Do not resort to name calling, hitting, breaking dishes or anything else when you lose your temper.
4) Be Supportive: A husband expects his wife’s support and understanding, especially in times of troubles. A good wife loves her hubby through his successes and failures and provides reassurance when he’s feeling down. She is a nurturer and an equal partner in the marriage. Support your husband in all stages of his career and life. Do not belittle your man or hurt his ego. It is often said that ‘a wife can make a man or break a man’. There’s no quicker way to build resentment in your man than to criticize him or belittle him especially in front of others. Be proud of him on his accomplishments and genuinely compliment him. If you do this you can expect your husband to behave with you in the same manner and also respect you more for your support and thoughtfulness. When you don’t agree with him respectfully let him know you don’t agree.
5) Do not nag: No man would like a nagging wife. If you want to get your own way ask him nicely. Many wives think that is the only way to get her husband to do things is by nagging. But the truth is that your nagging can create unwanted rift or can make things worse between the two of you. Your husband is a grown man with his own thoughts and desires. Just because you think he should be doing something particular doesn’t mean he has to do it.
6) Give him his space: As a wife you need to understand that your husband has a life other than you also. He has his family, friends and colleagues who  are part of his life too. He may also have some hobbies he is involved in. Don’t expect his undivided attention. Don’t stop him if he wants to go out and hang out with his friends sometimes.
7) Keep him happy in bed: Sexual intimacy is one of the most essential things in any marriage. When you please your man, he would be obliged to please you too. Please your man in bed. If you cannot keep your man happy in bed he may go where he can get it. After all, a man is a man! According to research, the major reason why men cheat is mostly physical whereas for a woman it is emotional.
8) Plan Surprises: Men like surprises too. It can be anything like organizing his birthday party without him knowing about it or planning a special night of passion by playing a seductress. Your surprises do not have to be elaborate and can be as simple as making him his favorite snack or any of his favorite dishes once in a while even if you would rather eat something else.
9) Express your love and appreciation often: Men like praises and appreciation. Make the best of your time together. They like to hear the words ‘I love you’ too. Also join him in activities that he’s interested in even though you would prefer to do something else. Give him a thoughtful gift once in a while. Make it a point never to forget the special days in his life. Pamper him very often, especially when he is at home. You can cook for him or give him a good massage. Making him dependent on you by doing his chores when he is at home is not a bad idea. Let him miss you and think about you when you are not around. Don’t withhold affection.
10) Honesty, Loyalty and Dedication: A good wife should be honest, loyal and dedicated to her husband. Marriage is a lifelong commitment.
11) Prepare yourself: A good wife honors her hubby by keeping a pleasant tone in her voice, a happy smile on her face and a neat and clean appearance. Take special care about your appearance every day. Include exercises in your daily routine. Be hygienic. Some woman feel that since they are married why they should dress up or take care of their appearance. A man likes his wife to smell good. If you are unhealthy or not presentable your man may cheat on you behind your back.
12) Prepare the House: Maintain a clean house all the time. Clear away the clutter and spend time decorating the house. Apart from this, be wise with money and take all the responsibilities of a wife seriously, without complains.

7 Simple Ways to Get Slim Naturally

 Looking for ways to get slim naturally? If you want to lose weight, but don’t want to take diet pills or follow some ridiculous diet (cabbage, anyone?), you need to learn how people can get slim naturally, without much effort.

If you have to spend too much time to lose weight, you’re likely to give up and go back to your regular habits because they are easier. The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to learn the little tricks that make losing weight easy. Take a look at these seven simple ways to get slim naturally (say that 10 times fast!):

1. Eat five times a day, starting with breakfast. Many people try to skip breakfast, thinking that they are saving themselves some calories. This rarely works — they end up overeating at other times of the day. In the morning, your body has gone without food for several hours while you were sleeping. It needs that energy to get started. By eating five small meals each day, starting with breakfast, you’ll stoke the fires of your metabolism, making it easier to lose weight.
See: Calories Per Meal Calculator
2. Drink more water. Surprisingly, many people reach for food when their body is actually thirsty. Water also helps your body to flush things out, helping you get slim. Drink at least 8 bottles of water per day and try to drink more if you are particularly active or it is a hot day. This will keep you hydrated.
See: 7 Reasons To Give Water the Respect It Deserves
3. Grab a piece of fruit. Before you leave your house, be sure to take an apple or banana with you. When you’re out and about, you may not have access to healthy snacks when you get hungry. This could lead you straight to the drive-through. However, if you have a piece of fruit with you, you’ll have something to hold you over until you get home.
4. Eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full. Your brain can take up to 20 minutes to realize that your stomach is full. Because of this, you should make sure to stop eating before you eat too much. It helps if you eat slowly instead of scarfing down a full meal in 5 minutes.
See: You Need to Slow Down to Lose Weight
5. Watch your portion sizes. Eating too much can negatively affect your plans to lose weight. When you don’t watch how much you eat, you’ll gain weight instead of losing it. People that stay naturally slim eat smaller portions.
6. Don’t drink your calories. Whether your poison is energy drinks, lattes, sugary sodas, or even juice, beverages can contain a lot of calories and they don’t make you full. Swap these out for low- or no-calorie beverages and you’ll get slim naturally.
See: How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat

7. Eat cake. Or chocolate. Or potato chips. Whatever “bad” snack is your favorite, it’s OK to eat it sometimes, in normal sized portions. Naturally slim people allow themselves a few indulgences because they know that this tends to prevent the overindulging that occurs when you deprive yourself.
By using the about ways to get slim naturally, you’ll be well on your way to losing weight in a healthy way!

Choosing To Be Happy

Choosing To Be Happy

A popular greeting card attributes this quote to Henry David Thoreau: "Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."

With all due respect to the author of Walden, that just isn't so, according to a growing number of psychologists. You can choose to be happy, they say. You can chase down that elusive butterfly and get it to sit on your shoulder. How? In part, by simply making the effort to monitor the workings of your mind.

Research has shown that your talent for happiness is, to a large degree, determined by your genes. Psychology professor David T. Lykken, author of Happiness: Its Nature and Nurture, says that "trying to be happier is like trying to be taller." We each have a "happiness set point," he argues, and move away from it only slightly.

And yet, psychologists who study happiness -- including Lykken -- believe we can pursue happiness. We can do this by thwarting negative emotions such as pessimism, resentment, and anger. And we can foster positive emotions, such as empathy, serenity, and especially gratitude.

Happiness Strategy # 1: Don't Worry, Choose Happy

The first step, however, is to make a conscious choice to boost your happiness. In his book, The Conquest of Happiness, published in 1930, the philosopher Bertrand Russell had this to say: "Happiness is not, except in very rare cases, something that drops into the mouth, like a ripe fruit. ... Happiness must be, for most men and women, an achievement rather than a gift of the gods, and in this achievement, effort, both inward and outward, must play a great part."

Today, psychologists who study happiness heartily agree. The intention to be happy is the first of The 9 Choices of Happy People listed by authors Rick Foster and Greg Hicks in their book of the same name.

"Intention is the active desire and commitment to be happy," they write. "It's the decision to consciously choose attitudes and behaviors that lead to happiness over unhappiness."

Tom G. Stevens, PhD, titled his book with the bold assertion, You Can Choose to Be Happy. "Choose to make happiness a top goal," Stevens tells WebMD. "Choose to take advantage of opportunities to learn how to be happy. For example, reprogram your beliefs and values. Learn good self-management skills, good interpersonal skills, and good career-related skills. Choose to be in environments and around people that increase your probability of happiness. The persons who become the happiest and grow the most are those who also make truth and their own personal growth primary values."

In short, we may be born with a happiness "set point," as Lykken calls it, but we are not stuck there. Happiness also depends on how we manage our emotions and our relationships with others.

Strategies for Happiness: 7 Steps to Becoming a Happier Person 

Happiness Strategy # 1: Don't Worry, Choose Happy continued...

Jon Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis, teaches positive psychology. He actually assigns his students to make themselves happier during the semester.

"They have to say exactly what technique they will use," says Haidt, a professor at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville. "They may choose to be more forgiving or more grateful. They may learn to identify negative thoughts so they can challenge them. For example, when someone crosses you, in your mind you build a case against that person, but that's very damaging to relationships. So they may learn to shut up their inner lawyer and stop building these cases against people."

Once you've decided to be happier, you can choose strategies for achieving happiness. Psychologists who study happiness tend to agree on ones like these.

Happiness Strategy #2: Cultivate Gratitude

In his book, Authentic Happiness, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman encourages readers to perform a daily "gratitude exercise." It involves listing a few things that make them grateful. This shifts people away from bitterness and despair, he says, and promotes happiness.

Happiness Strategy #3: Foster Forgiveness

Holding a grudge and nursing grievances can affect physical as well as mental health, according to a rapidly growing body of research. One way to curtail these kinds of feelings is to foster forgiveness. This reduces the power of bad events to create bitterness and resentment, say Michael McCullough and Robert Emmons, happiness researchers who edited The Psychology of Happiness.

In his book, Five Steps to Forgiveness, clinical psychologist Everett Worthington Jr. offers a 5-step process he calls REACH. First, recall the hurt. Then empathize and try to understand the act from the perpetrator's point of view. Be altruistic by recalling a time in your life when you were forgiven. Commit to putting your forgiveness into words. You can do this either in a letter to the person you're forgiving or in your journal. Finally, try to hold on to the forgiveness. Don't dwell on your anger, hurt, and desire for vengeance.

The alternative to forgiveness is mulling over a transgression. This is a form of chronic stress, says Worthington.

"Rumination is the mental health bad boy," Worthington tells WebMD. "It's associated with almost everything bad in the mental health field -- obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety -- probably hives, too."

Happiness Strategy #4: Counteract Negative Thoughts and Feelings

As Jon Haidt puts it, improve your mental hygiene. In The Happiness Hypothesis, Haidt compares the mind to a man riding an elephant. The elephant represents the powerful thoughts and feelings -- mostly unconscious -- that drive your behavior. The man, although much weaker, can exert control over the elephant, just as you can exert control over negative thoughts and feelings.

"The key is a commitment to doing the things necessary to retrain the elephant," Haidt says. "And the evidence suggests there's a lot you can do. It just takes work."

For example, you can practice meditation, rhythmic breathing, yoga, or relaxation techniques to quell anxiety and promote serenity. You can learn to recognize and challenge thoughts you have about being inadequate and helpless.

"If you learn techniques for identifying negative thoughts, then it's easier to challenge them," Haidt said. "Sometimes just reading David Burns' book, Feeling Good, can have a positive effect."

Happiness Strategy #5: Remember, Money Can't Buy Happiness

Research shows that once income climbs above the poverty level, more money brings very little extra happiness. Yet, "we keep assuming that because things aren't bringing us happiness, they're the wrong things, rather than recognizing that the pursuit itself is futile," writes Daniel Gilbert in his book, Stumbling on Happiness. "Regardless of what we achieve in the pursuit of stuff, it's never going to bring about an enduring state of happiness."

Happiness Strategy #6: Foster Friendship

There are few better antidotes to unhappiness than close friendships with people who care about you, says David G. Myers, author of The Pursuit of Happiness. One Australian study found that people over 70 who had the strongest network of friends lived much longer.

"Sadly, our increasingly individualistic society suffers from impoverished social connections, which some psychologists believe is a cause of today's epidemic levels of depression," Myers writes. "The social ties that bind also provide support in difficult times."

Happiness Strategy #7: Engage in Meaningful Activities

People are seldom happier, says psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, than when they're in the "flow." This is a state in which your mind becomes thoroughly absorbed in a meaningful task that challenges your abilities. Yet, he has found that the most common leisure time activity -- watching TV -- produces some of the lowest levels of happiness.

To get more out of life, we need to put more into it, says Csikszentmihalyi. "Active leisure that helps a person grow does not come easily," he writes in Finding Flow. "Each of the flow-producing activities requires an initial investment of attention before it begins to be enjoyable."

So it turns out that happiness can be a matter of choice -- not just luck. Some people are lucky enough to possess genes that foster happiness. However, certain thought patterns and interpersonal skills definitely help people become an "epicure of experience," says David Lykken, whose name, in Norwegian, means "the happiness."

 

How to Be Beautiful in 7 Simple Steps

How to Be Beautiful in 7 Steps

Beauty is not a one-size-fits-all description. We all have different skin types, hair types, body types, likes and dislikes. Some are tall, some are short, some are thin and some are naturally heavy. We truly believe that every single person can be beautiful each day with a tiny bit of effort and a little confidence.

Cheese! How Do Your Teeth Look?

If you're a heavy coffee drinker or red wine is your drink of choice, chances are good you could use a little whitening action on your teeth. (Guilty!) You don't have to go all out with in-office whitening if you don't want to. Simply use a whitening toothpaste or whitening strips.
Beauty Tip: When it comes to getting your picture taken, smile with your teeth! You may not like your teeth, they may be a little crooked or not as white as you'd like, but you will always look more natural and beautiful if you smile for your pictures with a genuine teeth-showing smile even if your teeth aren't perfect.

When It Comes to Makeup, Think Classic, Not Trendy

Sometimes when you're looking at fashion magazines or beauty blogs (or heaven forbid, fashion week!) you come away thinking you need to stock up on the latest trends - be it green eye liner or shiny wet looking lipstick. Stick with the classics for a truly beautiful look because so often the trends leave you looking older.
Beauty Tip: One sure way to look back at a photo and cringe is by overdoing your eyes and your lips. Pick one and do it right. Then, leave the other more natural. If you're going for the hot cat-eye look, play down the lips with a sheer or nude. Do you love red lipstick? Play down the eyes with simply some mascara and sheer shadow.

Skip Tanning

You might think that a tan makes you look more beautiful than your pale bff, but if you keep tanning, you'll watch yourself get older in the mirror while your bff looks like she didn't age a day. Don't believe me? Check out the girls at your next high school. The ones who spent too much time in the sun are the ones with the crows feet. Sun exposure is the #1 cause of aging skin.
Beauty Tip: Self-tanners are totally safe, as long as you are remembering to protect your skin from the sun with daily sunscreen applied multiple times. They are so great these days that once you get your application method down (practice in the spring before you bare all) you won't even be able to tell the difference.

How Does Your Skin Look?

All it takes is a pimple, wrinkle, large pores or ashy skin to bring down your confidence level. That's why taking care of your skin daily is important.Cleanse, exfoliate,  moisturize and protect against the sun on a regular basis - head to toe. You'll get rid of ashy skin, your pores will stay unclogged and your skin will stay younger looking with moisturizer and SPF.
Beauty Tip: If you don't wear sunglasses every time you're outside, start today. Wearing sunglasses will help reduce your likely hood of getting crows feet.

Dress in Clothes That Make You (Not the Mannequin) Look Good

This is huge, friends. It is so hard to pull off a trend if you don't have the perfect body for the trend. Ask the people who jumped at jeggings when they first came out and soon realized they were never ever meant to wear jeggings. (I may have been one of them.)
When it comes to fashion trends, pick the ones that suite your body and sprinkle the things that can fall in without making you look ridiculous. Accessorize with trendy items of the season and stick with the clothes that make your body look good. Not everyone should be wearing low-cut jeans (Hello muffin top), neon 80's re-runs or animal prints. Ask a real friend for her opinion and don't be offended by what she has to say.
Beauty Tip: Pintrest is a great place for clothing inspiration. People pin wardrobes all of the time. I typically find a wardrobe, scoff at the price and then have fun trying to recreate it in a price point that fits my budget. Sometimes all that is needed is what I have in my closet already paired with a killer belt.

Take Care of Your Nails

You could be doing everything right, the right wardrobe, the right hair color, the perfect shoes, but if your nails are jagged and chipped, you've lost it. I don't mean you have to polish your nails every other day, but simply keeping your nails filed, at uniform shape and clear of chipped polish will be worth it. Keeping your nails short and slightly squared is what's hot right now.
Beauty Tip: Your hands are your biggest age-teller. Have you ever seen a woman with the face of a 30 year old but the hands of a 40 year old? Use your excess skin care products on your hands to help slow down their aging. Also, sunscreen them daily, as well.

Find a Good Stylist and Visit on a Regular Basis

Two things that will kill your look is going to a new stylist each time you need a haircut and not going until it's a dire emergency. Look at your co-workers or friends hair and if you see someone who always has good hair, ask for her stylist's info. It's always good to give a stylist a few visits to see how he or she does once you've shared your long-term goal. Don't wait for split ends to take over your hair, either. This will only lead to desperation to pick the first stylist who can get you in and more taken off than you really wanted.
Beauty Tip: Sick of your long hair? Considering cutting it short? Before you decide to cut your hair short, there are some things you should consider. Are you going take the time in the morning to do your hair? What about ponytails? Are you going to miss them? Anyone can pull off short hair, but be sure cutting it off is not a desperate plea for a change. Sometimes all that is needed is a color boost or bangs.

 

How to Create a Facebook Page that Gets "Likes"

10 Steps to Create a Facebook Page that Gets "Likes"

Anyone with a Facebook account can create a Facebook Page within minutes. It’s free and easy. However, creating a Facebook Page and creating a great Facebook Page are two very different things. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a web designer, programmer, marketing expert, or technology guru to create an irresistible Facebook Page.
Following are 10 simple steps that you can take to create a great Facebook Page that motivates people to click the “like” button.

1. Choose a great username.

The username you choose for your Facebook Page will also appear in the URL for your page. There are already a lot of Facebook Pages, so your first choice might not be available. That’s why it’s critical that you create a Facebook Page and get your username as soon as possible. Even if you don’t plan to aggressively use Facebook today, you might want to in the future. Get your username now, so you’ll have it when you need it.

2. Give the key details in the About section.

Your Facebook Page includes a small About section where you can include a couple of sentences about your business or organization. Make sure you include the most important information about what you offer to your audience, so they instantly understand why your page should matter to them.
Also, it’s extremely important that you include your website URL in this section of your page. Otherwise, it gets buried in the full About description that’s not visible unless a person clicks on the About link on your Facebook Page (discussed in #3 below). Make it easy for people to learn more about your business or organization by making sure your URL is visible in the top-level About section.

3. Provide as many details as possible in the full About description.

Once your Facebook Page is live, you can log into your account and click the Edit Info button to add details and content. Fill in as much basic information as you can to tell your entire story and fully explain what your business or organization does, where you’re located, how to get in touch with you, and so on.
All of this information appears in the full About description that people see when they click on the top-level About link on your Facebook Page. If someone is interested enough to click this link to view your full description, you want to make sure they find as much information as possible.

4. Capture attention with a fantastic cover photo visual.

Choose a cover photo that is visually dynamic, capture’s people’s attention, and lures them in to take a closer look at your Page content. Don’t forget that you can include a marketing message in your cover photo. Just be sure to follow Facebook’s current guidelines related to cover photos, which you can find in Facebook Page Help.

5. Choose an appropriate profile photo.

Your profile photo is the smaller image that appears on your Facebook Page and as your avatar on all posts and photos you publish on Facebook. Make sure the photo you use is one that accurately reflects your brand, because the more people see it, the more they’ll recognize it and associate it with your brand.

6. Make sure the most important apps are visible.

Add apps to your Facebook Page to provide more diverse content and experiences to your audience, and make sure your four most important apps are listed first. These are the ones that will be automatically visible in the app thumbnails section of your Facebook Page beneath your cover photo.

6. Ask your Facebook friends to like your Facebook Page.

Once your Page is setup, use the handy invite option to invite all of your Facebook friends (or a group of your Facebook friends) to like your Facebook Page via a Facebook direct message. This is a great way to get the ball rolling and start building a following.

7. Create some content to make your Page look useful.

Start creating useful, meaningful, interesting, or entertaining content that your target audience wants to read and see. This includes photos and posts (be sure to tag people in both). Also, enter milestones and add content to apps used on your page such as events, videos, and so on. A Page without content is one that no one will like.

8. Feed your online content to automatically publish on your Facebook Page.

Don’t have time to publish a lot of content on your Facebook Page? No problem. You can automate some publishing by feeding your blog posts and Twitter updates to your Facebook Page. There are external tools that you can use to set this up such as Twitterfeed as well as some tools integrated with Facebook such as RSS Graffiti.

9. Promote your Facebook Page.

Use Facebook social plugins to enable people to like your page directly from your website and blog or to like your website or blog content and share it on their own Facebook profiles with a single click. There are also social plugins that enable you to show your Facebook Page updates on your blog or website.

10. Offer something extra or exclusive on your Facebook Page.

There is little incentive for people to like your Facebook Page or return to it after their first visit if you don’t offer useful, meaningful, interesting, or entertaining content and experiences. Not only should your posts be useful, but you should also create content and experiences that visitors can’t get anywhere else. For example, offer a discount for your Page fans or hold a contest and give away a great prize to one of your Page fans. Get creative and find ways to acknowledge your fans and reward them for their loyalty.

 

How to create a facebook account

How to create a facebook account

1.First Go to Facebook.com for sign up.
Fill the  form and Click on "sign up" button.(See the screen-shot bellow)

• First Name- Enter Your First Name.
• Last Name-Enter Your last name.
• Your Email- Enter your E-mail Address(Conformation code/link send to this e-mail).
• Re-enter Email-Enter your Email Again.(THat is to check your typing mistakes)
• New Password-Enter a new password for Your Facebook account.(To make your password  use numbers,letters,symbols,etc..(like: #isbeth.45@new) .And Make sure that your password is easier remember  for future logins.)
• I-am-Select your grander from the box.
• Birthday-Enter your birthday (You can hide your birthday from your friends by changing fb settings).
• Then click on  "Sign Up" button.

 

• After that you can see the  Next step. In this step you can  add your friends from other networks(Gmail,yahoo,skype,etc...)

(Eg: you can connect  to your gmail Account and send emails to your friends for invite )

 

• If you don't need click "Skip this"button.
  
• Step 2- Then Fill your information to make your profile. (on this step you can find your friends  easier. (facebook show some friends suggestions list after that step.That Friend  list get by your provid information  (same school/samework places, etc..). 
• Then Click on "Save and Continue" button.
• If you think skip simply  click "Skip This" button.

• Then  Upload your sweet, lovely,beautiful,hansom ,pretty  photo to your facebook profile.Click   "upload a photo" button and select some picture from your computer.And Click "Upload" button.

 

• Now you are complete  99%. Check your E-mail and click on the link that can conform your new facebook account.(send to you from faebook to your providing email)

Now you Create your Facebook profile Successfully.

How to write a research proposal

These recommendations do not guarantee a successful research application!
They are intended to help you conceptualize and prepare a research proposal,
giving the process structure and a timetable for you to develop. Good luck!
When applying for a research grant or a study scholarship, you are expected to
hand in a "detailed and precise description of study or research proposal as well as information on any previous study or research projects of particular relevance to a decision of award."
The purpose of the proposal is to ensure that

• the candidates have done sufficient preliminary reading/research
  in the area of their interest
• that they have thought about the issues involved and are able to provide more than a broad description of the topic which they are planning to research.

The proposal is not a fixed blueprint. One cannot predict one's findings beforehand or mechanically stick to an argument since the research will inevitably alter or even unseat one's initial expectations. There is no fixed formula for writing a proposal.
However, your challenge is to convince members of the scientific community that you

• have identified a scientific problem
• have a theoretical background and a methodical approach to solve the problem
• within a realistic time frame and at reasonable expenses.

With your research you will add a new aspect to the scientific discourse.
First, consult your advisor on length, layout (typeface, line spacing, font, etc.), format, as well as a table of contents and page numbers. Members of the selection committee may have to read a large number of research proposals so good construction and legibility of your proposal is to your advantage.
Title Page:

• Personal data (name, academic title, your position at your own university, date of
  birth, nationality, your contact information, institutional contact.
• (Working) Title of your planned dissertation or research report.
  words in the title should be chosen with great care, and their association with one another must be carefully considered. While the title should be brief, it should be accurate, descriptive and comprehensive, clearly indicating the subject of the investigation.

In order to develop a clear title, you must also be clear about the focus of your research!
Strive for the title to be ten words or 60 characters: focus on or incorporate keywords that reference the classification of the research subject

• Indicate a realistic time frame toward project completion,
  followed by the name(s) of your supervisor(s), the university department where you hope to do your research and, if applicable, information about other academics with whom you plan to collaborate.
• Refer to successfully funded projects to determine whether your topic fits with the granting organization's mission and to mimic their title/proposal structure

Abstract/summary statement of the research project:
This one page summary focuses on the research topic, its new, current and relevant aspects. Strive for clarity; your greatest challenge might be narrowing the topic
Review of research literature
A short and precise overview about the current state of research that is immediately
connected with your research project.

• Reference the most important contributions of other scientists.
• Discuss the theoretical scope or the framework of ideas that will be used to back the research.
• Demonstrate that you are fully conversant with the ideas you are dealing with and that you
  grasp their methodological implications.
• Indicate the open problem which then will be the motive for your project. State clearly how your research will contribute to the existing research.

Your history/preparation
Summarize the most important impact of your own work on the topic (if applicable).
Attach copies of your own publications that might be seen in relation to your research project.
Objective of the research project
Give a concise and clear outline of the academic (possibly also non-academic, e.g. social and political) objectives that you want to achieve through your project. Your proposal
needs to show why the intended research is important and justifies the search effort. Here you outline the significance (theoretical or practical) or relevance
of the topic.
Such justification may either be of an empirical nature (you hope to add to, or extend
an existing body of knowledge) or of a theoretical nature (you hope to elucidate contentious
areas in a body of knowledge or to provide new conceptual insights into such
knowledge). All research is part of a larger scholarly enterprise and candidates should
be able to argue for the value and positioning of their work.
Outline the project
This is the central part of your research outline.

• Detail your research procedure within the given time.
• List sources and quality of evidence you will consult, the analytical technique you will employ, and the timetable you will follow.
  Depending on the topic, suitable research strategies should be defined to ensure
  that enough and adequate empirical data will be gathered for a successful research project.
• Describe the intended methods of data gathering, the controls you will introduce, the statistical methods to be used, the type of literature or documentary analysis to be followed, etc.

Consider your work to be a Work-in-Progress and allow yourself a flexible planning:
Stay ready to revise the proposal according to new insights and newly aroused questions
and keep on modifying the working hypothesis according to new insights while
formulating the proposal and the working hypothesis. Once you have a useful
working hypothesis, concentrate on pursuing the project within the limits of the topic.
Timetable
Develop a time table (if possible in table form), indicating the sequence of research phases and the time that you will probably need for each phase. Take into account that at this stage, it can only be estimated, but make clear that you have an idea about the time span that will be needed for each step.
Selective research bibliographyList academic works mentioned in your research outline as well as other important works to which you will refer during your research
Attachments:
List other documents attached to your proposal.
References, CV, etc.
Editing:
Once you have finished the conceptual work on your proposal, go through a careful
editing stage
Writing/presentation style:

1. Verify that the title, the abstract and the content of your proposal clearly correspond to each other!
2. Maintain a clear structure,
   an intuitive navigational style throughout the document with headings and summaries, enabling the reader to quickly reference where they are for future commenting;
   (Have a reader skim your document to verify)
3. Summarize significant issues and make no assumptions where possible.
4. Keep a reasonable, clear, declarative writing style (active verbs!) throughout the document;
5. Breakup the narrative with bulleted lists, visuals, etc. demonstrating a command of abstract concepts and relationships
   Use white space to highlight and emphasize important sections
6. Make sure your proposal does not contain any grammatical/spelling mistakes or typos; engage a proofreader;
7. Request an experienced academic to proofread your proposal in order to ensure the proposal conforms to institutional and international academic standards.

Partially adapted with permission from
Olk, Dr. Harald. (October 2009). How to Write a Research Proposal. In Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Dienst (DAAD). Retrieved January 28, 2011

Common rejection reasons *

The National Institute of Health (NIH) analyzed the reasons why over 700 research proposal applications were denied. Their findings as to the cause of rejection are worth reviewing:

1. Nature of the Problem (18%)
   1. It is doubtful that new or useful information
      will result from the project (14%).
   2. The basic hypothesis is unsound (3.5%).
   3. The proposed research is scientifically premature due to the present inadequacy of supporting knowledge (0.6%).
2. Approach to the Problem (38.9%)
   1. The research plan is nebulous, diffuse
      and not presented in concrete detail (8.6%).
   2. The planned research is not adequately controlled (3.7%).
   3. Greater care in planning is needed (25.2%).
      1. The research plan has not been carefully designed (11.8%).
      2. The proposed methods will not yield accurate results (8.8%).
      3. The procedures to be used should be spelled out
       in more detail (4.6%).
   4. A more thorough statistical treatment is needed (0.7%).
   5. The proposed tests require more individual subjects
      than the number given (0.7%).
3. Competence of the Investigators (38.2%)
   1. The applicants need to acquire greater familiarity with the
      pertinent literature (7.2%).
   2. The problems to be investigated are more complex than the
      applicants realize (10.5%).
   3. The applicants propose to enter an area of research for which
      they are not adequately trained (12.8%).
   4. The principal investigator intends to give actual responsibility
      for the direction of a complex project to an inexperienced
      co-investigator (0.9%).
   5. The reviewers do not have sufficient confidence in the applicants
      to approve the present application, largely based on the past
      efforts of the applicants (6.8%).
4. Conditions of the Research Environment (4.8%)
   1. The investigators will be required to devote too much time to
      teaching or other non-research duties (0.9%).
   2. Better liaison is needed with colleagues in collateral disciplines (0.4%).
   3. Requested expansion on continuation of a currently supported research project would result in failure to achieve the main goal of the work (3.5%).

Based on the above analysis,
a carefully designed, well reasoned proposal will overcome these common pitfalls. It also represents and important credibility statement about the investigator.

The Bureau of Occupational and Vocational Education comparable study.

Based on a sample of 353 research grant applications:
-- 18% forgot to number the pages.
-- 73% forgot to include a table of contents.
-- 81% had no abstract.
-- 92% failed to provide resumes of proposed consultants.
-- 25% had no resume for the principal investigator.
-- 66% included no plan for project evaluation.
-- 17% forgot to identify the project director by name.
-- 20% failed to list the objectives of the project.