How To Add A Research Services To Word

How to Write a Inquiry Proposal | Guide and Template

Published on May ii, 2019 by Shona McCombes. Revised on April 23, 2022.

Structure of a research proposal

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it'due south important, and how you volition do the enquiry. The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals should contain at least these elements:

Cover page
Introduction
Literature review
Research design
Reference listing

There may be some variation in how the sections are named or divided, but the overall goals are always the aforementioned. This article takes you through a basic enquiry proposal template and explains what you demand to include in each part.

Purpose of a research proposal

Academics often have to write research proposals to become funding for their projects. As a student, y'all might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application, or you lot might need to submit one before you lot start writing your thesis or dissertation.

All research proposals are designed to persuade someone—such as a funding body, educational institution, or supervisor—that your projection is worthwhile.

Research proposal aims
Relevance	Convince the reader that your project is interesting, original and important
Context	Bear witness that you are familiar with the field, you understand the electric current land of research on the topic, and your ideas have a potent bookish basis
Approach	Make a instance for your methodology, showing that you have advisedly idea about the data, tools and procedures you will need to conduct the inquiry
Feasibility	Confirm that the project is possible within the practical constraints of the plan, institution or funding

How long is a inquiry proposal?

The length of a research proposal varies dramatically. A bachelor's or primary'south thesis proposal tin be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations and inquiry funding are often very long and detailed.

Although yous write it before yous begin the research, the proposal's construction usually looks like a shorter version of a thesis or dissertation (but without the results and word sections).

Download the research proposal template

Title page

Similar your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a championship page that includes:

The proposed title of your project
Your name
Your supervisor'southward name
The institution and department

Cheque with the department or funding body to run into if at that place are whatever specific formatting requirements.

Abstract and tabular array of contents

If your proposal is very long, you lot might also have to include an abstract and a table of contents to help the reader navigate the certificate.

What is your plagiarism score?

Compare your paper with over 60 billion web pages and 30 meg publications.

All-time plagiarism checker of 2021
Plagiarism study & percent
Largest plagiarism database

Scribbr Plagiarism Checker

Introduction

The offset role of your proposal is the initial pitch for your projection, and then make certain information technology succinctly explains what you desire to do and why. Information technology should:

Introduce the topic
Give background and context
Outline your problem statement and research question(south)

Some important questions to guide your introduction include:

Who has an interest in the topic (eastward.one thousand. scientists, practitioners, policymakers, item members of society)?
How much is already known about the trouble?
What is missing from electric current knowledge?
What new insights will your research contribute?
Why is this inquiry worth doing?

If your proposal is very long, you might include separate sections with more than detailed information on the background and context, problem statement, aims and objectives, and importance of the research.

Literature review

It's of import to show that you're familiar with the near important research on your topic. A strong literature review convinces the reader that your projection has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. Information technology also shows that you're not but repeating what other people accept already done or said.

In this department, aim to demonstrate exactly how your project will contribute to conversations in the field.

Compare and dissimilarity: what are the main theories, methods, debates and controversies?
Be disquisitional: what are the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches?
Show how your enquiry fits in: how will you lot build on, challenge, or synthesize the work of others?

If y'all're not sure where to begin, read our guide on how to write a literature review.

Research pattern and methods

Post-obit the literature review, it'southward a expert idea to restate your main objectives, bringing the focus dorsum to your own project. The research design or methodology section should describe the overall approach and practical steps you lot volition take to respond your enquiry questions.

Methodology in a research proposal
Research type	Volition you do qualitative or quantitative inquiry? Will you collect original data or work with primary or secondary sources? Is your research design descriptive, correlational, or experimental?
Population and sample	Exactly what or who will you study (e.g. loftier school students in New York; Scottish newspaper archives 1976-80)? How will you select subjects or sources (due east.g. random sampling, case studies)? When and where will y'all collect the data?
Research methods	What tools and procedures will you lot use (east.g. surveys, interviews, observations, experiments) to collect and analyze data? Why are these the best methods to answer your research questions?
Practicalities	How much time volition you need to collect the information? How will you gain access to participants or sources? Practice you foresee any potential obstacles, and how will you lot address them?

Brand sure non to but write a listing of methods. Aim to make an statement for why this is the near appropriate, valid and reliable approach to answering your questions.

Implications and contribution to knowledge

To cease your proposal on a strong note, y'all tin explore the potential implications of the research for theory or practice, and emphasize again what yous aim to contribute to existing noesis on the topic. For case, your results might take implications for:

Improving processes in a specific location or field
Informing policy objectives
Strengthening a theory or model
Challenging popular or scientific assumptions
Creating a footing for further research

Reference list or bibliography

Your research proposal must include proper citations for every source y'all take used, and full publication details should e'er be included in the reference listing. To create citations quickly and easily, you can utilise our free APA citation generator.

In some cases, yous might be asked to include a bibliography. This is a list of all the sources y'all consulted in preparing the proposal, even ones you did non cite in the text, and sometimes also other relevant sources that you plan to read. The aim is to show the full range of literature that volition support your inquiry projection.

Inquiry schedule

In some cases, you might have to include a detailed timeline of the project, explaining exactly what you will do at each stage and how long information technology volition take. Bank check the requirements of your programme or funding body to run across if this is required.

Example research schedule
Enquiry phase	Objectives	Deadline
1. Background research and literature review	Meet with supervisor for initial discussion Conduct a more extensive review of relevant literature Refine the enquiry questions Develop a theoretical framework	20th February
2. Research design planning	Design questionnaires Identify online and offline channels for recruiting participants Finalize sampling methods and data assay methods	13th March
3. Data drove and preparation	Recruit participants and send out questionnaires Conduct semi-structured interviews with selected participants Transcribe and code interviews and clean survey data	24th April
4. Data analysis	Statistically analyze survey data Comport thematic analysis of interview transcripts Typhoon the results and discussion chapters	22nd May
5. Writing	Complete a total thesis draft Meet with supervisor to discuss feedback and revisions	17th July
6. Revision	Redraft based on feedback Get supervisor approval for terminal draft Proofread Impress, bind and submit	28th August

Budget

If you are applying for research funding, you will probably as well have to include a detailed upkeep that shows how much each function of the projection will cost.

Make sure to check what blazon of costs the funding body volition hold to comprehend, and merely include relevant items in your upkeep. For each detail, include:

Cost: exactly how much money do you need?
Justification: why is this toll necessary to complete the inquiry?
Source: how did yous calculate the amount?

To determine your upkeep, think nearly:

Travel costs: practise yous need to go to specific locations to collect data? How volition you get there, how long will you spend there, and what will you practise there (e.g. interviews, archival research)?
Materials: do yous demand access to any tools or technologies? Are at that place training or installation costs?
Assistance: exercise you lot need to hire inquiry administration for the project? What will they do and how much will you pay them? Will yous outsource any other tasks such equally transcription?
Fourth dimension: do you need to accept leave from regular duties such as teaching? How much will you need to embrace the time spent on the research?

Revisions and Proofreading

Equally in any other slice of academic writing, it's essential to redraft, edit and proofread your research proposal before you submit it. If y'all have the opportunity, enquire a supervisor or colleague for feedback.

For the all-time chance of approval, you might want to consider using a professional proofreading service to get rid of language errors, check your proposal's structure, and amend your academic fashion.

Is this commodity helpful?

You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...