Writing a Concept Paper

DEFINING CONCEPT PAPER

 CONCEPT PAPER

A concept paper is an academic written

discourse that explains a concept, often about
something that the writer is thoroughly familiar
with and passionate about.
Usually, a concept paper is the preliminary part
of an academic research, written to obtain
permission to undertake the research project or
to obtain funding for it.
CONCEPT PAPER

Concept papers are summaries of projects or

issues that reflect the interests, experience and
expertise of the writer or organization. Concept
papers generally serve the purpose of providing
in-depth discussion of a topic that the writer has
a strong position on, usually with the intent of
obtaining funding for that project from donors.
3 WAYS OF EXPLAINING A
CONCEPT

1. DEFINITION
It is a method of identifying a given term and
making is meaning clearer. Its main purpose is
to clarify and explain concepts, ideas and issues
by answering the question, “What does it
mean?”
 A. DEFINITION

A definition can be presented in three ways:

formal, informal and extended.
1. 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)
 DEFINITION

Examples:

1. Vitamin E is a light yellow-fat soluble vitamin

that acts as an antioxidant.
2. Biology is a natural science concerned with
the study of life and living organisms.
 DEFINITION

2. Informal definition - done through a

parenthetical or brief explanation.

Example: Tocopherol (Vitamin E) is naturally

found in vegetable oil, fish and nuts.
 DEFINITION

3. Extended definition – a detailed way of

defining a term and is usually composed of at
least one paragraph. This type of definition
incorporates various patterns of development
(formal and informal, comparison and contrast,
etymology, and analogy to explain a concept.
 Example:
Compassion is the ability to understand another person's misfortunes.
It is kindness, tenderness, mercy, pity, and sympathy. A nurse may have
compassion for an irritable patient by understanding that the illness may be
the cause of that patient's behavior and by treating that patient with kindness
and sympathy. An airline stewardess displays compassion for her passenger",
by considering the fact that they may be nervous about flying and by
answering their questions in a patient, sympathetic manner. In the same way,
a judge may have compassion for a Juvenile offender by taking his age into
consideration and setting the punishment accordingly. Compassion is not
merely a verbal expression of sorrow. It is not begrudgingly contributing
money to charitable causes out of a sense of duty. Compassion is putting
yourself in another person's situation and treating that person the way you
would want to be treated (Source: Donald et al. 1978:200).
B. EXPLICATION

It 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 text.
 EXPLICATION

Example:
Here is the last stanza of Robert Frost's "The Road
Not Taken," and a possible explication.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
 EXPLICATION
The speaker in the poem uses the word "sigh" to signify possible future
regret for the decision that he made when faced with two paths. While the poem
focuses on two physical paths-roads diverging in a "yellow wood," the speaker is
alluding to metaphorical paths-two possible choices that will alter the course of
his life.
The speaker states that he "took the one less traveled by," which means
that he chose the less popular path. The hesitation in the speaker ("and I-I took
the one less traveled by") also denotes the possibility that he will regret his
choice. The final line of the poem, "And that has made all the difference" is
vague. The word "difference" can carry a positive or negative connotation. The
poet deliberately leaves the reader with an ambiguity-was the difference positive
or negative. Regardless, what the poet, through the speaker's description of the
two roads, is attempting to convey is that the decision was monumental.
C. CLARIFICATION

It is a method of explanation in which the points are

organized 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.
CLARIFICATION
 CLARIFICATION
Example:
Justice is a broad concept which encompasses a wide set of ideas, most of which also
branch out into smaller notions. For instance, it can refer to the sentencing of a criminal
based on due process. When an individual gets what he deserves, even outside the hands of
the law, it is also considered justice in some contexts. This may come in the form of vigilante
justice, in which a person dissatisfied with the system doles out punishment to wrong-doers.
Poetic justice is also another related concept which is used in literature to show how the good
is always rewarded while bad forces always meet a grim end.
In the context of this paper; justice will be clearly delineated into any instance in
which the law is successfully and fairly applied to an individual, resulting in either an arrest or a
release. To illustrate, if a thief is caught and tried in court through due process, and is found
to be guilty and then sentenced accordingly, it can be said that justice was served. However;
if the same thief is caught in the act by a band of villagers and was beaten right then and
there, it will be considered justice in the context of the paper; as the process has not
undergone due process.
CONCEPT PAPER FORMAT

Cover Page
Introduction
Purpose
Project Description
Goals and Objectives/Research Questions
Methodology and Timelines
Benefits/Anticipated Outcomes
Support Needed & Costs
Contact Information
References
WRITNG CONCEPT PAPERS

The first section (INTRODUCTION) should include

some information about the funding agency. You
need to demonstrate that you have done your
homework and understand the mission of the funding
agency and the types of projects that they support.
Then you need to identify the agency you represent
and how the missions of your agency and the funding
agency mesh. Describe any partner agencies that will
be involved and their interest in the project.
WRITNG CONCEPT PAPERS

Next describe the question that needs to be

addressed (PURPOSE). Briefly provide supporting
documentation for the importance of addressing this
question, problem or need. If you have statistical
data, use it; numbers are always convincing. In
short, indicate why anyone should care! This may
sound harsh, but when you are close to a particular
issue, it is easy to forget that everyone does not
understand the situation as well as you.
 Example

It is estimated that more than 5 billion people have access to mobile phone
devices and that out of this figure about a third of the population is
based in local areas. Further, the village-based businesses do not have
immediately access to the physical money banking system as they are
located kilometers away. Porter (2011) notes that in order for businesses to
achieve and sustain superior performance, they must be able to implement
systems that are competitively superior. Budree and Williams (2013,
September) and Namada (2018) established that the areas with large number
of low-income earners experienced low uptake technological
advancements and businesses in these locations are not keen on leveraging
on technology. The concept will therefore be intended to identify the
salient factors that local businesses can apply in leveraging on
mobile payment methods to gain competitive advantage.
WRITNG CONCEPT PAPERS

Next describe your project: what your agency plans to

do, why this is a unique approach, and who will
benefit (PROJECT DESCRIPTION). Briefly describe
your basic goal/s and objectives or state your
research questions.

A goal is statement describing a broad or abstract

intent, state or condition. An objective is a statement
of measurable outcomes that relate to the goal.
WRITNG CONCEPT PAPERS

Give an overview of your METHODOLOGY--

how the project will be carried out--and any
innovative approaches, techniques, or processes
that will be used. Make sure that the goals,
objectives, and methods relate to each other.
Include general timelines for what you hope to
accomplish. Describe the anticipated benefits
and who will benefit.
 WRITNG TIPS

• Try to be brief, concise, and clear. Concept

papers should not be longer than five pages. Don’t
overwhelm the reader with detail, and avoid
sounding vague or unsure about what you want to
accomplish.

• Be positive and definite. Instead of saying an

objective “may be accomplished,” indicate that the
objective “will be accomplished” by a certain time.
 WRITNG TIPS

• Consider your audience. If your concept paper is going

to be reviewed by scientists in your field, scientific terms
and technical jargon may be acceptable. However, if your
proposal is being reviewed by generalists or lay persons,
this type of language will not communicate your ideas
effectively.

• Only include budgetary information if it is

specifically requested (Support). Generally describe
the types of support you need, e.g, personnel, travel,
equipment, etc.
 WRITNG TIPS

• Finally, appearance is important. This concept paper

represents you! The type size should be large enough to
read easily, and margins should be standard size. Check
for spelling errors before submission.

• Attention to detail is important. Number all pages.

Place your name and date in the header. Include your
contact information with the concept paper (Contact).
CONCEPT PAPER FORMAT

Cover Page
Introduction
Purpose
Project Description
Goals and Objectives/Research Questions
Methodology and Timelines
Benefits/Anticipated Outcomes
Support Needed & Costs
Contact Information
References