Your proposed project is the core of your fellowship application. The first step in planning a strong fellowship application is to identify your short-term or long-term personal and academic goals. Identifying your goals will help you determine the kind of project you want to pursue.
To identify your goals, be sure to ask yourself the right questions.
TOC:
What do I need/want to accomplish over the coming semester/ over the coming year/ before I graduate?
What type of experience would I find most valuable and productive?
While thinking about this, be honest with yourself about what you are ready for and what your work style is:
Tip: It is helpful to think about all of the above questions within the broader context of your time here at Yale, so that you can set yourself short-term and long-term goals and manage your time accordingly. For example, it may be that you do not yet feel ready to undertake self-directed field research in a new country but undertaking a structured program of study in that country may set you on the right path to return in the future to fulfill that long-term goal.