Writing An Effective Proposal

To support those early in their career or new to the ASBH community, the Program Committee has put together a list of a few helpful guidelines to consider when preparing your Annual Conference proposal. While successful submissions depend on a number of factors, including topic selection and timeliness, here are some ways that you can prepare a more effective proposal: 

1. Get to the point. Many proposal submissions waste their available word count providing too much context for their topic, leaving little space to make a point or explain what makes the proposal unique.
2. Talk about your approach. Many proposals explain a given topic without providing information as to the proposed presentation’s perspective, thesis, or goals. Be sure to mention your perspective and methodology. 
3. Demonstrate that your work is significant. Show that (for example) your research is generalizable beyond the scope of your study and that your presentation would be of interest to those outside of your institution.
4. Offer more information about your panel’s makeup. While abstracts must not include any identifying information, you may include an explanation of your choice of panelists and their disciplinary backgrounds. For example, you may mention that you formed the panel to give a voice to diverse stakeholders or patients.
5. Make sure that your proposal is novel. If it is a topic that has been discussed in the field, state how your proposal adds to the existing dialogue. For example, state how your proposal offers a new perspective, or makes use of a format that can add new insights.