Research Design and Proposal Writing in Spatial Science

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Contents
Authors and Model Proposal Contributors
1 Spatial Science and Its Traditions
	1.1 What is Spatial Science?
	1.2 The Place of the Spatial Science
	1.3 Spatialized Disciplines
		1.3.1 Spatial Science Beyond the Academy
	1.4 The Scientific Method and Other Ways of Knowing
		1.4.1 Empiricism
		1.4.2 Logical-Positivism
		1.4.3 Behavioralism
		1.4.4 Humanism
		1.4.5 Structuralism and Post-Structuralism
	1.5 Organization of the Book
	1.6 Closing Thoughts
	References
2 Literature Reviews
	2.1 The Process
	2.2 Finding the Literature
	2.3 Conceptual and Methodological Reviews
	2.4 The Write Up
	2.5 Narrowing
	2.6 Differentiating the Purpose of the Literature Review
	2.7 MA/MS Thesis
	2.8 Doctoral Dissertation
	2.9 Research Articles
	2.10 Review Articles
	2.11 Conclusion
	References
3 Research Questions
	3.1 Importance of Research Questions
	3.2 Identifying Research Questions
	3.3 Qualities of an Effective Research Question and Hypothesis
	3.4 Types of Research Questions
	3.5 New Ways of Thinking
	3.6 “Bonding” with One’s Research Objectives
	3.7 Conclusion
	References
4 Data and Methods in Spatial Science
	4.1 Understanding Data
	4.2 The Hierarchy of Data Sources
	4.3 Quantitative and Qualitative Data
		4.3.1 Intensive and Extensive Approaches in Spatial Science
	4.4 Ethics in Data Collection
	4.5 Big Data, Data Science and Data Mining
	4.6 Sampling and Statistics
	4.7 How to Present the Data and Analysis Portions of Your Study
	4.8 Conclusion
	References
5 Graduate Degree Proposals
	5.1 Graduate Committee
	5.2 Topic Selection
		5.2.1 Proposals are Contracts
	5.3 Graduate Proposal Structure
		5.3.1 Literature Review
		5.3.2 Methods
		5.3.3 Expected Results and Conclusions
		5.3.4 Preliminary Studies
	5.4 Proposal Defense
		5.4.1 Presentation
		5.4.2 Rethinking Thesis and Dissertations: Innovations and Challenges
	5.5 Conclusion
	References
6 Grants and Grant Writing
	6.1 Opportunity and Challenge
	6.2 Extramural Grants and Funding Agencies
		6.2.1 RFPs and NRAs
		6.2.2 Proposal Review
		6.2.3 Funding Cycles
		6.2.4 Foundations and Fellowships
	6.3 Contracts
	6.4 Sheltered Competitions & Earmarks
	6.5 Intramural Grants
	6.6 Administration of Grants and Contracts
	6.7 Proposal Structure
		6.7.1 Project Summary
		6.7.2 Introduction
		6.7.3 Literature Review and Background
		6.7.4 Methods
		6.7.5 Expected Results
		6.7.6 Budget and Budget Justification
		6.7.7 References
		6.7.8 CVs and Bio-Sketches
	6.8 Dissemination of Results
	6.9 Final Agency Reports
	6.10 How to Deal with Rejection
	Reference
7 Disseminating Research
	7.1 Traditional Formats
		7.1.1 Presentations
		7.1.2 Posters
		7.1.3 Articles
		7.1.4 Proceedings
		7.1.5 Research Notes
		7.1.6 Monographs
	7.2 Emerging Venues
		7.2.1 E-Journals
		7.2.2 Working Papers and Technical Reports
		7.2.3 Information Sharing
		7.2.4 Illustrated Papers
		7.2.5 Web Research Aggregators and Resources
	7.3 Outreach
	7.4 The Problem with Spatial Science Research
	References
8 Reflections on Proposal Writing in Spatial Science
	References
9 Model Proposals
	9.1 Online Resources
10 Thesis I: Human Systems
	10.1 Research Questions
	10.2 Evansville and Green Policy
	10.3 Literature Review
		10.3.1 Human-Environment Interactions
		10.3.2 Supervised Classification
		10.3.3 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index
		10.3.4 Regression Analysis
	10.4 Study Area
	10.5 Methods and Analysis
		10.5.1 Remote Sensing
		10.5.2 GIS
	10.6 Expected Results
	References
	Refelection
11 Thesis II: Human Systems-Mixed Methods
	11.1 Understanding Forestry Policies in Malaysia
	11.2 Conceptual Framework
	11.3 Research Questions
	11.4 Research Methods
		11.4.1 Data Collection
		11.4.2 Data Analysis
	11.5 Feasibility Assessment
	Appendix I—Timeline
	Appendix II—Budget
	References
	Reflection
12 Dissertation I: Human–Environment Interactions
	12.1 Statement of Purpose
	12.2 Literature Review
		12.2.1 Spatial Distribution
		12.2.2 Political Ecology of Environmental Disamenities
		12.2.3 Social Movements
		12.2.4 Environmental Activism
		12.2.5 Place Attachment
		12.2.6 Social Capital
		12.2.7 Race
		12.2.8 The Environment Speaks: Agency of the Non-human
		12.2.9 Non-human Agency and Local Knowledge
	12.3 Summary and Contributions
		12.3.1 Hypotheses
	12.4 Data and Methodology
		12.4.1 Study Areas
		12.4.2 Quantitative Analysis: GIS and Environmental Justice
		12.4.3 Environmental Disamenities
		12.4.4 Qualitative Analyses: Historical Assessment of Study Areas
		12.4.5 Perceptions of Risks and Health Outcomes
		12.4.6 Drivers of Activism
		12.4.7 Qualitative Geographic Information Systems
	12.5 Expected Results
		12.5.1 Non-human Factors
		12.5.2 Perceptions, Place, Race, and Social Capital
	12.6 Implications
	References
	Reflection
13 Dissertation II: Geo-Techniques
	13.1 Accuracy of Neural Network Classifiers in Humid Tropical Areas
		13.1.1 Problem Statement
		13.1.2 Limitations of Current Classifiers
		13.1.3 Alternative Classifiers
		13.1.4 Special Feature Extraction
		13.1.5 Adaptation to New Sensors
		13.1.6 Objectives and Hypotheses
		13.1.7 Development of Neural Networks
		13.1.8 Previous Knowledge of Neural Network Classifiers
		13.1.9 Applications of Neural Networks in Tropical Land Cover Study
		13.1.10 Study Area
		13.1.11 Remotely Sensed Data
		13.1.12 Hybridized Approach
		13.1.13 Expected Results
	References
	Reflection
14 Dissertation III: Physical Systems
	14.1 Variation in Wetland Stream Morphology
	14.2 Literature Review
		14.2.1 The Kankakee Watershed
		14.2.2 Identification of Possible Study Streams
		14.2.3 Site One: Fish Creek
	14.3 Methods
		14.3.1 Field Surveying of Streams
	14.4 Specific Morphological Feature Comparisons
		14.4.1 Planform Morphology
		14.4.2 Additional Planform Morphology Relationships
		14.4.3 Cross-Section Morphology
		14.4.4 Additional Cross-Section Morphology Relationships
		14.4.5 Bed Morphology
		14.4.6 Additional Bed Morphology Relationships
	14.5 Evaluation Procedure
	References
	Reflection
15 Extramural Grant I: Collaborative Research and Outreach
	15.1 Earth and Energy Systems: GLOBE Protocol Research and Outreach, NSF GLOBE Program
	15.2 Objectives
	15.3 Background
		15.3.1 Our Team
		15.3.2 Global Change and Remote Sensing Workshop and Student Observation Program
		15.3.3 Cloud Awareness Webcast
	15.4 Scientific Investigations
		15.4.1 Surface Temperatures
		15.4.2 Clouds
		15.4.3 Cloud Cover Versus Snow Cover
		15.4.4 Soil Temperature and Soil Moisture
	15.5 Student Observations
		15.5.1 Cloud Cover and Cloud Type
		15.5.2 Snow
		15.5.3 Air Temperature
		15.5.4 Surface Temperature
		15.5.5 Soil Protocols
		15.5.6 Soil Temperature
		15.5.7 Soil Moisture
		15.5.8 Advanced: Continuous Air Temperature and Soil Temperature Monitoring
		15.5.9 Evaluation of New and Modified Protocols
	15.6 Educational Observations
		15.6.1 Relevance to School Curriculum at Selected Grade Levels
		15.6.2 Expected Learning Outcomes
		15.6.3 NSF Results from Prior Support
		15.6.4 Management Plan and Timeline
	References
	Reflection
16 Extramural Grant II: Instrumentation
	16.1 Acquisition of AISA+ Hyperspectral Sensor
		16.1.1 Remote Sensing Technologies
		16.1.2 Remote Sensing at Indiana State University
		16.1.3 Current Research at Indiana State University
		16.1.4 Impact of Infrastructure Projects
		16.1.5 Utilization Plan
	References
	Reflection
17 Extramural III: Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant
	17.1 Long-Term Reconstruction of Oak Mast in the Southern Appalachian Region
		17.1.1 Background
		17.1.2 Research Objectives
		17.1.3 Study Area and Methods
		17.1.4 Significance of Research
	References
	Reflection
18 Extramural IV: Training and Development
	18.1 Building Capacity for Geospatial Technologies in Tanzania: A Collaboration Between BYU and the College of African Wildlife Management
	18.2 Partnership Overview
		18.2.1 Partnering Institution
		18.2.2 BYU-CAWM University Relations
		18.2.3 Partnership Design
		18.2.4 Project Leadership Team
	18.3 Collaboration Timeline
	18.4 Description of Partnership Activities
		18.4.1 Workshop Content Areas and Instructional Strategies
		18.4.2 Description of Activities
	18.5 Project Evaluation
	18.6 Anticipated Results
	References
	Reflection
19 Extramural V: Non-profit Organizations
	19.1 World Atlas of Beer
	19.2 Budget Narrative
		19.2.1 Geographic Locations of Fieldwork
	Reflection
20 Intramural Grants
	20.1 The Politics of Weather: Voter Turnout in Kentucky
		20.1.1 Objective
		20.1.2 Literature
		20.1.3 Study Area
		20.1.4 The Data
		20.1.5 The Model
		20.1.6 Anticipated Results
	References
	Reflection