Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
To guide your introduction , include information about:
As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
? or ? , , or research design? | |
, )? ? | |
, , , )? | |
? |
To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
Research phase | Objectives | Deadline |
---|---|---|
1. Background research and literature review | 20th January | |
2. Research design planning | and data analysis methods | 13th February |
3. Data collection and preparation | with selected participants and code interviews | 24th March |
4. Data analysis | of interview transcripts | 22nd April |
5. Writing | 17th June | |
6. Revision | final work | 28th July |
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
To determine your budget, think about:
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved July 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/
Other students also liked, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".
I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”
Our free dissertation/thesis proposal template covers the core essential ingredients for a strong research proposal. It includes clear explanations of what you need to address in each section, as well as straightforward examples and links to further resources.
The research proposal template covers the following core elements:
The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.
PS – if you’d like a high-level template for the entire thesis, you can we’ve got that too .
What types of research proposals can this template be used for.
The proposal template follows the standard format for academic research projects, which means it will be suitable for the vast majority of dissertations and theses (especially those within the sciences), whether they are qualitative or quantitative in terms of design.
Keep in mind that the exact requirements for the introduction chapter/section will vary between universities and degree programs. These are typically minor, but it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.
This template can be used for a research project at any level of study. Doctoral-level projects typically require the research proposal to be more extensive/comprehensive, but the structure will typically remain the same.
The length of a research proposal varies by institution and subject, but as a ballpark, it’s usually between 1,500 and 3,000 words.
To be safe, it’s best to check with your university if they have any preferences or requirements in terms of minimum and maximum word count for the research propsal.
You don’t need to go into the fine details of your methodology, but this section should be detailed enough to demonstrate that your research approach is feasible and will address your research questions effectively. Be sure to include your intended methods for data collection and analysis.
Generally, yes. This can strengthen your proposal by demonstrating the feasibility of your research. However, make sure that your pilot study is approved by your university before collecting any data.
Yes, you’re welcome to share this template in its original format (no editing allowed). If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, we kindly request that you reference this page as your source.
The research proposal template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.
Yes, we do. We are constantly developing our collection of free resources to help students complete their dissertations and theses. You can view all of our template resources here .
Yes, you’re welcome to get in touch with us to discuss our private coaching services .
The template provides step-by-step guidance for each section of your research proposal, but if you’d like to learn more about how to write up a high-quality research proposal, check out the rest of our free proposal-related resources:
You can also visit the Grad Coach blog for more proposal-related resources.
If you’d prefer 1-on-1 support with your research proposal, have a look at our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the research process, step by step.
Call for Applications for PostDoc/PhD/MPhil Scholarships
Applications are invited from highly motivated and qualified individuals for PostDocs and postgraduate (PhD & MPhil) scholarships available at the Department of History and Political Studies and Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1 September 2024
The scholarships, beginning in the 2024/2025 Academic Year, are part of a DANIDA-funded research project entitled ‘Multiple Waterscapes in Urban Ghana (MUWUG).’ MUWUG is an international research collaboration between the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, the University of Copenhagen, the Danish Institute for International Studies, and the Geneva Water Hub. Led by an interdisciplinary team of scholars with expertise in African studies, history, politics, urban planning, water studies, economics, and anthropology, MUWUG will deliver new policy-relevant knowledge on urban adaptation under conditions of climate change. The project investigates how poorer residents in different parts of Ghana’s second city, Kumasi, access clean drinking water under conditions of climate change.
The project examines what poorer people in Kumasi do to get clean water and whether this depends on which part of the city they live in. It focuses on three types of urban sites in Kumasi that represent different configurations of residents and businesses and different social histories and dynamics:
The study of these sites employs a combination of ethnographic and archival methods and draws from various disciplinary backgrounds.
Applications are invited for the following under-listed positions/scholarships. The scholarships are available from 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The granting of the scholarship carries with it enrolment as an MPhil/PhD student at the School of Graduate Studies and the Department of History and Political Studies/Planning.
MUWUG invites applications from emerging scholars with a humanities and social sciences background. Based in the Department of History & Political Studies, the MUWUG postdoctoral scholarship is for three years, subject to yearly evaluation of tasks fulfilled. The proposal for a postdoc position can take the shape of studies that cut across the three sites’ typologies with a thematic focus (e.g., gender, politics, history). The scholarship aims to provide space for deepening research skills and further scholarly training for the two postdoctoral researchers.
A MUWUG postdoctoral researcher is expected to
All applications must be submitted in a single PDF file to ([email protected]). The application must include the following enclosures:
The MUWUG PhD scholarships provide students with strong research training at an international level to undertake research, development, and teaching assignments. These qualifications open a window of opportunity to various careers within the private and public sectors. One of the three Ph.D. scholarships will focus on policy analysis. The overall PhD programme includes drafting a PhD thesis, active participation in research networks, the scholarly life of the departments and the research project (MUWUG), PhD courses, teaching, and other forms of knowledge dissemination.
Applications to the PhD programmes based in the Departments of History & Political Studies and the Department of Planning, qualify an applicant to apply for the MUWUG Scholarships.
The PhD applicants to these programmes must meet the programme requirements at the respective department boards.
Only successful applicants from the Departmental admission list would be invited for an interview for the MUWUG Scholarships.
All applications must be submitted in a single PDF file to ( [email protected] ). The application must include the following enclosures:
MUWUG will undertake a consumer survey of households and conduct technical mapping and assessment of water sources across the three study sites. Two MPhil candidates will be engaged in the project under the supervision of senior researchers.
MPhil 1 - Economics
An element of the project will involve a consumer survey will be conducted across 2250 households in the three study sites. It will be a stratified random sample, stratified by type of user. The survey will provide data on the differentiated economy of water provision and consumption.
MPhil 2 – Engineering (preferably Water management)
An element of the project will involve mapping, which will include bi-monthly recordings of water quality over two years, capturing variation within and between years.
The application deadline is 1 September 2024.
Any applications emailed or received after the deadline will not be considered. However, changes may be made to the submitted application until the deadline.
If you have questions concerning the MUWUG project, please contact:
Prof. George Bob-Milliar ( [email protected] ). Department of History and Political Studies KNUST, Kumasi.
Celebrating Food Science and Technology at 20 - Participate and Support
Call for Applications for Ketewa Biara Nsua (KBN) for the 2024/2025 Academic Year
Call for Applications for KNUST Bursary for the 2024/2025 Academic Year
Shortlisted Candidates for Vice-Chancellor's Students' Excellence Awards (VCSEA) 2024
Call for Applications for Appointments as Lecturers
Call for Applications for Appointments as Research Support Fellows
Call for Applications for Appointments as Volta River Authority (VRA) Research Chairs
Professorial Inaugural Lecture by Professor Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko
Call for Applications for Appointment as Food Scientist/Technologist/R&D Scientist (KTP Associate)
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Therefore, in a good research proposal you will need to demonstrate two main things: 1. that you are capable of independent critical thinking and analysis. 2. that you are capable of communicating your ideas clearly. Applying for a PhD is like applying for a job, you are not applying for a taught programme.
How to Write a PhD Proposal. 1. Introduction. A PhD proposal is a focused document that int roduces your PhD study idea and seeks to. convince the reader that your idea is interesting, original ...
PhD proposal is an outline of your proposed project. It needs to: Define a clear question and approach to answering it. Highlight its originality and/or significance. Explain how it adds to, develops (or challenges) existing literature in the field. Persuade potential supervisors of the importance of the work, and why you are the right person ...
he spine of your proposal and later, in your thesis. The following fe. t. ps may help you to write your research questions:1. C. oose a topic that interests you and your readers.2. Make an investigation on your topic by going through scholarly jour. als and see what questions are raised by your peers. Take note of.
Guidance for PhD applicants Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. The 1,500 word research proposal is an important element of your application to doctoral study, whether full-time or part-time. It offers you the opportunity to outline the research you intend to conduct, including how you plan to go about it, and how your research might ...
Writing your proposal Whether you are limited to one page (as part of a university application form or an enquiry form) or are required to produce something more substantial for an external funder, the rules about writing a good research proposal are the same. You want to stand out from the crowd and have the best chance of being selected.
Structuring a PhD proposal. 1. Title A title should summarize the main idea of the project. Include key words in the title, that can already draw in potential supervisors. 2. Abstract (250 -500 words) An abstract is a condensed version of your proposal, which includes the most important information. State why you wish to embark on the project.
A PhD proposal is an outline of your proposed research that is designed to: Formulate and define a clear, interesting research question; this may take the form of a hypothesis to be tested, or an open-ended enquiry. Establish the relevance and value of the proposed research question in the context of current academic thinking, highlighting its ...
Written by Mark Bennett. You'll need to write a research proposal if you're submitting your own project plan as part of a PhD application. A good PhD proposal outlines the scope and significance of your topic and explains how you plan to research it. It's helpful to think about the proposal like this: if the rest of your application explains ...
3. Writing the Research Proposal: Guidelines 3.1 Introduction This document provides guidelines for writing the research proposal at MA as well as at PhD level. Please take note of the following before you work carefully through it: The detailed, 3 000-word proposal should not be confused with the short three-
The research proposal is one of the mandatory parts of your research master's. Within this proposal, you describe a study that has the duration of a PhD-project. First you select a research paper as the basis for your proposal. You first need to completely understand this paper in order to come up with new questions and hypotheses.
Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template. If you're getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals, you've come to the right place. In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals, one for a Master's-level project, and one for a PhD-level ...
A research proposal should present your idea or question and expected outcomes with clarity and definition - the what. It should also make a case for why your question is significant and what value it will bring to your discipline - the why. What it shouldn't do is answer the question - that's what your research will do.
In general, however, your research proposal should aim to cover the following points: • The overall theme of your research topic, and why it is of interest to you. Why you believe that your research is worth doing, in terms of its contribution to knowledge and/or impact. • The hypothesis(ses) that you intend to test, or the research ...
All applicants for a PhD or MSc by Research must submit a research proposal as part of their application. Applicants must use the template form below for their research proposal. This research proposal should then be submitted online as part of your application. Please use Calibri size 11 font size and do not change the paragraph spacing ...
Guidance on how to write a Research Degree proposal (Masters By Research/PhD) 1 The essentials of writing a proposal As part of the application process, candidates are required to submit a research proposal with a maximum of 1000 words (Masters by Research) or 1000-2000 words (PhD). Assessors of research degree proposals pay a particular ...
A PhD proposal is a an outline of your proposed project that is designed to: Define a clear question and approach to answering it. Highlight its originality and/or significance. Explain how it ...
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
Abstract and Figures. The present document provides guidelines for writing an excellent and relevant research proposal at MSc as well as at PhD level. Writing a meticulous proposal will help ...
It is important to remember that a PhD is a 3 year project (plus 1 additional year for writing up if necessary) or in some cases (if accepted on a part-time basis) a 5 year project (plus 2 additional years for writing up if necessary). Structuring a PhD Research Proposal A generic PhD proposal structure could include:
What's Included: Research Proposal Template. Our free dissertation/thesis proposal template covers the core essential ingredients for a strong research proposal. It includes clear explanations of what you need to address in each section, as well as straightforward examples and links to further resources. The research proposal template covers ...
Style: If space allows, provide a clear project title. Structure your text - if allowed use section headings. Present the information in short paragraphs rather than a solid block of text. Write short sentences. If allowed, provide images/charts/diagrams to help break up the text.
47 likes, 0 comments - phd_pdf_scholarship on June 27, 2024: "How to write a research proposal for Ph.D. & Postdoc? Follow @phd_pdf_scholarship for research related guidance and research opportunities from best in the fields.欄 헪헵헮혁혀헔헽헽 헧헲헹헲헴헿헮헺 헟헶헻헸헲헱헜헻 All links on Instagram BIO All links on Instagram BIO All links on Instagram BIO #research # ...
All applications must be submitted in a single PDF file to ([email protected]). The application must include the following enclosures: Cover letter detailing your motivation and background for applying for the specific PhD project. Proposal description (maximum 5 pages/12,000 keystrokes including space but excluding bibliography). CV
Abstract. The attached text is a specimen of a template for a PhD Research Proposal. It has been written in the form of a research proposal so that the interested readers may convert it to their ...
tool helpful for writing principles that effectively guided the AI patient to recreate their past case (µ= 6.04, σ= 1.06). With the tool, most found it easy to convert their thoughts and feedback on the AI patient's behavior into principles (µ= 6.12, σ= 1.13). Counselors felt they could efficiently write principles (µ= 6.3, σ= 1.29 ...