How to Write a Research Proposal - Structure and Guidelines

To obtain any higher degree of education, you will be required to write a research paper as a part of your final project. A research proposal is written before you write your research paper. It is a description of your research topic and the details of your paper. There is a particular format for writing a research proposal. To learn more about what a research proposal is, go through this article.

Table of Contents

• What Is the Purpose of a Research Proposal?
• Structure of a Research Proposal
  • Abstract and Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Aims and Objectives
  • Background Significance
  • Literature Review
  • Research Design and Methodology
  • Research Questions
  • Suppositions and Implications
  • Conclusion
  • Bibliography
• Tips to Write a Research Proposal
• Frequently Asked Questions on Writing a Research Proposal

What Is the Purpose of a Research Proposal?

The purpose of writing a research proposal is to present the plan for the research. It can also be written as a proposal for the research project’s funding. First, a research proposal is sent to the guide or mentor for approval. Only after their approval can you proceed with the research.

No matter what your reasons are for drafting a research proposal, the format remains the same. The researcher portrays how and why the research topic is relevant to the field. They explain the research gap and the ways to fill up the research gap. A research proposal also proves that the author can conduct the research and make a significant contribution to the field’s current status. To do this, your research proposal must detail your academic history and credentials and also establish the academic worth of your proposed ideas.

Listed below are the important things to be covered in a research proposal.

• The research methodology
• The research tools and procedures to be used by the researcher to collect and analyse the data
• Explanation of how the research can fit the budget and other restrictions imposed by the institution, department, or academic program

Structure of a Research Proposal

A research proposal must include the following.

• Abstract and Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Aims and Objectives
• Background Significance
• Literature Review
• Research Design and Methodology
• Research Questions
• Suppositions and Implications
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Abstract and Table of Contents

An abstract and table of contents are added at the beginning of the research proposal, just before the introduction. An abstract talks about the research in brief. It can also include keywords used in the proposal towards the end.

Introduction

Like in any other academic writing, the introduction of a research proposal introduces your research idea. It covers the research problem and the questions it raises. The introduction provides the context for your research. It must be precise and must cover all the relevant information. Be careful not to make it look like all the information is crammed into one paragraph.

Aims and Objectives

This is an important section of a research proposal. This is where you explain your objectives for conducting the research and what you intend to achieve through it. This will help the reader understand your point of view more clearly. Mention the objectives in bullet points.

Background Significance

This is the section where you explain why the research is essential and how it is related to the field. You have to also explain the research problems and why you have to work on them here.

Literature Review

The literature review plays a vital role in a research proposal. In this section, you will explain information related to the study from books, articles and other sources. The main objective here is to establish the research gap.

Research Design and Methodology

After the literature review, the important thing to discuss in the research proposal is the research methodology and the design of your research. In this section, you will mention about,

• The type of research to be conducted – qualitative or quantitative. You will have to mention if the data is collected originally by you or if you are analysing other researchers’ works.
• You will also have to explain if you are conducting an experimental, correlational, or descriptive type of research.
• Discuss the data you are working with. If you are conducting social science research, for example, you will have to describe the demographic you are looking at. You must also explain how you will choose your subjects and collect data from them.
• Also, explain the tools to be used while conducting the research. It can be surveys, interviews, videos, etc.

After looking at your research and the type of research, you can also add information regarding the budget, time frame, and obstacles.

Research Questions

Research questions direct you to stick to the research and not deviate from it at any point. It can be two to four or five questions that you seek to find answers to with your research.

Suppositions and Implications

Although you will not know the findings of your research until you’ve completed it, you should have a clear sense of how your work will benefit your field before you begin. This section of your research proposal is likely the most important because it expresses why your research is vital. You can explain the below-given points in this section.

• How your research will create the foundation for future research.
• How it can be challenging to the already existing theories.
• How it adds practical value to the practitioners, researchers, teachers, etc.
• The problems that you may have to work on and fix.
• Policies that can be impacted by your findings.
• How your findings can be implemented in academics, and how they can transform the system.

Primarily this section talks about the value that your research can add. Rather than talking about the exact result or exact answer, you can discuss the expected outcomes.

Conclusion

The conclusion contains the overall summary of the proposal. Make sure you do not end it abruptly.

Bibliography

A bibliography plays a crucial role in a research paper as well as a research proposal. It is the list of sources you have referred to and cited to avoid plagiarism and copyright issues. At times, the full list of the bibliography is not needed. In such a case, we can just add the reference list. You can seek help from your guide or supervisor for the correct format.

Tips to Write a Research Proposal

• Include all the information regarding the final research paper to make it understandable to the supervisor, guide, etc.
• Citations play a major role. Cite every source you have referred to and used.
• Follow one format of writing, e.g. MLA format, APA format, etc. Consult with your guide and find out which format you have to follow to write your research proposal.
• Establish a strong argument for your research proposal because your objective is to make your reader say “Yes” to your proposal.
• Proofread and edit it to avoid any possible errors.