Write a cover letter. Include the title and content of the hypothesis proposal, the name of the grant applied for or the permission-granting department, your name, date, credentials, professional title, home and work addresses, telephone numbers and names of institutions or sites where you will conduct the research.
Write an abstract. This is a one-page, clear and concise summary of the hypothesis proposal. Include the title of the proposal, the name of the principal investigator, the name of the applicant's organization or institution, the purpose of the study and rationale, the methods and the significance.
Specify the specific aim. This section is the most important element of the hypothesis proposal, because it offers details about the problem that you will address.
Indicate the significance. This section defines the importance of the problem you will study. Include a statement of the problem, any background information, a summary of the literature on the problem and an indication of gaps in existing knowledge.
Explain your methods. Communicate your research plan clearly, concisely and completely in this section. List a systematic set of instructions for performing the study. Outline your strategy, indicate how you will accomplish the specific aims and how you will collect data and detail the methods you will use.
Provide a timetable that specifies dates for all activities for the proposed research.
Specify your budget. Describe the financial requirements for each period of the study.
Provide biographical sketches of all key personnel involved in the study. This information gives the reviewers a reasonable degree of confidence that you can complete the project.