Proposals arrive in Offers. Each states scope, milestones, fee, deadline and revision allowance.
Compare these, in this order
- Scope. Does the proposal describe the work you asked for, or a generic version of it? An expert who restates your methodology in their own words has read the brief.
- Method. Is the approach appropriate, and does the expert explain why?
- Milestones. Are the phases real checkpoints you could assess?
- Revisions. How many are included, and within what scope?
- Deadline. Realistic, or suspiciously fast?
- Fee. Last, not first.
Warning signs
- A fee far below every other proposal. Research takes the time it takes.
- A promise of a specific result rather than a specific analysis. Nobody can honestly promise your hypothesis will be supported.
- A suggestion to move off Researchor, which removes escrow and dispute protection and breaches the Terms of Service.
- Reluctance to explain the method in plain language.
Before you accept
Message the expert. A short exchange about approach tells you more than the proposal text. Accepting forms a contract on the proposal's terms, so make sure those terms say what you think they say.