ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with a self-evaluation tool for critiquing design research proposals. Once research proposal has been deemed satisfactory, it can serve as a framework, or organizer, for conducting the design study. Benefit of a well-written proposal is that it can help frame reports of design research. The task of writing a research proposal is a challenging one and, for many, this seems especially daunting when it comes to educational design research. Identification of problems constitutes essential, but insufficient, preparation for writing a cogent research proposal. While some ideas may be refined while writing the proposal, clear, concise writing can only be done once a strong sense of the project has started to take shape. The chapter describes the research instruments, insofar as they are known at the time of proposal writing. Educational design research is conducted with the dual aims of contributing to theoretical understanding and to practice; both the scientific and practical relevance are described.
