Author: Izaz Ul Islam
What is a research proposal?
A research proposal is a formal document commonly required in higher education, particularly when seeking funding for a Ph.D. It serves as a summary of your intended research, outlining the central questions and your planned approach to addressing them.
Definition
A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research.
You’ll need to set out the issues that are central to the topic area and how you intend to address them with your research. To do this, you’ll need to give the following:
- Identify the broader field of study related to your research.
- Summarize existing knowledge on the topic.
- Include a literature review highlighting recent scholarly discussions.
What is the purpose of a research proposal?
Essentially, you are trying to persuade your institution that you and your project are worth investing their time and money into.
It is the opportunity for you to demonstrate that you have the aptitude for this level of research by showing that you can articulate complex ideas:
- Clearly
- Concisely
- Critically
It also helps you to find the right supervisor to oversee your research. When you’re writing your research proposal, you should always have this in the back of your mind.
This is the document that potential supervisors will use in determining the legitimacy of your research and, consequently, whether they will invest in you or not. It is therefore incredibly important that you spend some time on getting it right.
How long should a research proposal be?
While length requirements vary, aim for conciseness while covering all essential details.
- Bachelor’s or master’s proposals: Typically, a few pages.
- Ph.D. proposals: Often longer, spanning dozens of pages.
What should be included in a research proposal?
When you’re writing your proposal, keep in mind its purpose and why you’re writing it. It, therefore, needs to clearly explain the relevance of your research and its context with other discussions on the topic. You need to then explain what approach you will take and why it is feasible.
Generally, your structure should look something like this:
Research proposal structure
- Title Page
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Research Design
- Implications
- References
If you follow this structure, you’ll have a comprehensive and coherent proposal that looks and feels professional, without missing out on anything important. We’ll take a deep dive into each of these areas one by one next.
1. The Title page
The title page might vary slightly per your area of study, but as a general point, your title page should contain the following:
The title page should feature:
- The working title of your project.
- Your name and your supervisor’s name.
- Your institution and department.
2. Introduction
The introduction is crucial to your research proposal as it is your first opportunity to hook the reader in. A good introduction section will introduce your project and its relevance to the field of study.
This section sets the stage for your research. Address the following questions:
- What is your research topic, and why is it important?
- How does it relate to the field?
- What is already known about the topic?
- Who will benefit from your findings?
- What key questions will your research answer?
- How will your work contribute to the field?
A strong introduction establishes your expertise and the significance of your project.
3. Literature Review
The literature review section answers the question who else is talking about your proposed research topic.
Demonstrate how your research fits into existing scholarly conversations. To compile a thorough literature review:
- Explore academic sources like books and journals.
- Review abstracts and bibliographies for relevant works.
- Identify heavily cited or seminal studies.
- Look for gaps, trends, debates, or contradictions in the literature.
4. Research Design
This is where you get down to the real meat of your research proposal. It should be a discussion about the overall approach you plan on taking, and the practical steps you’ll follow in answering the research questions you’ve posed.
So, what should you discuss here? Some of the key things you will need to discuss at this point are:
Research design key questions
- What form will your research take? Is it qualitative/quantitative/mixed? Will your research be primary or secondary?
- What sources will you use? Who or what will you be studying as part of your research.
- Document your research method. How are you practically going to carry out your research? What tools will you need? What procedures will you use?
- Any practicality issues you foresee. Do you think there will be any obstacles to your anticipated timescale? What resources will you require in carrying out your research?
5. Implications
Explain the potential impact of your research:
- Will it confirm or challenge existing theories?
- Could it pave the way for future studies?
- What outcomes do you anticipate?
6. Reference List
Include all cited sources in a properly formatted reference list. Keeping track of references from the start will save time later.
By following this structure, you’ll create a professional and comprehensive research proposal that effectively communicates your ideas and goals.
Read More: The Scholar’s Guide to Review Articles
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