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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Research

“I want to research diabetes management techniques, but I need scientifically proven approaches to reference in my proposal.”

Conducting research involves backing up claims with standardized procedures and solid evidence. For research proposals, this means collecting peer-reviewed resources for citations. This example describes how Evidence-Based Resources (EBRs) can support a research proposal for a study on diabetes management.

1. Identify the need.

Managing diabetes can be difficult for patients, and this has a major impact on health outcomes.

2. See how the need aligns with national goals.

Improving diabetes management at the individual level is the first step toward achieving relevant Healthy People 2030 objectives. Check out all of the Diabetes objectives to find the ones that will be most useful in your research proposal.

3. Explore EBRs related to your goals.

From an objective’s overview page, find related EBRs by choosing the Evidence-Based Resources tab in the left-hand navigation menu. Look for EBRs that will best support your case in your research proposal. Check out the systematic reviews in particular. Including them in your proposal is a good way to highlight proven diabetes management strategies — and discuss any gaps you plan to address in your research.

4. Draft your research proposal.

4. Draft your research proposal.

As you draft the background section and rationale for your proposed research, cite the relevant EBRs you found as supporting evidence.

5. Track relevant objectives.

Regardless of whether you get approval or funding to proceed with your research, make sure to track progress toward relevant Healthy People 2030 objective targets. That way you’ll be up to date on the latest data, which is important for current or future research projects. You can even set up a custom list to track specific objectives.