Format Of Good Research Proposal Every Student Must Know

Imagine you come up with a question that you need answers for. You would probably want to search it over the web or ask your professors about it. If you are a college student, you know what research all is about. Often your professors ask you to come up with a researchable topic and write a research paper on it. But before doing so, how would you present your idea to your professor? It is obvious that your professors might want to see if the topic makes sense or not. They want to see if the chosen topic has scope or not. Also, professors or supervisors want to know what information you have gathered for the topic. To present your research topic or idea to know what the research is about, this article provides with a proper formatting for a good research proposal.

What is a Research proposal with an Example?

A research proposal is an organised academic document outlining what you intend to examine, such as your research subject. It also justifies why it is worthwhile to explore the research topic and how you intend to study it with a practical approach. In case of any issue, you can get research and dissertation proposal help from The Academic Papers UK.

The aim of the research proposal is to persuade your research advisor, board or university that your study is appropriate for the requirements of the degree programme. You must persuade them through the research proposal that your research is feasible.

For example, a research proposal on the topic, ‘Examining the factors affecting the Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy amongst the adult population in the UK’. You can see that the topic is quite narrowed down and specific.

What is the format of a research proposal?

A research proposal has a simple format.

 

Title

Your title should be succinct and clear so that it conveys what your research is about.
Introduction with background and rationale

Introduce your research topic and back it up with prior evidence. You should provide a history or background on the topic. Highlight the issues of your proposed topic and identify your discipline. Provide a compact literature review on the proposed topic and summarise key arguments and developments in the field.

 

Research objectives and questions

You should state your research questions and objectives in a research proposal explicitly, explaining what concerns and areas you will investigate and how they are important.

 

Research methodology

You should include an overview of the theoretical tools that you will use in the study. You should mention the research methodologies applicable for the intended study and a review of the benefits and drawbacks of specific methods and techniques. This section involves:

• Stating if you will employ a qualitative or quantitative strategy.
• Mentioning what methodological design you will opt for.
• The data collection methods you will use like interviews, surveys etc.
• What methods you will use to analyse your data.

Research significance

State why your research topic is significant and what impact it will have on the population. You should write the practical significance of your future results for professionals, learners and other experts in your field. Discuss the issues that your work may assist in resolving and the policies that your findings may influence. Also mention how you may use your findings in academics or other contexts, and how it can enhance or affect the environment.

 

Time Horizon and Budget

Provide an overview of the steps and timeframes for planning and developing the study in a research proposal, as well as compiling your research. If you are applying for funding in research, you require a thorough budget that provides how much each element of the project would cost. Check to see what kind of expenditures the funding organisation consents to cover. Also include only important points in your plan such:

• Cost: how much funds do you require?
• Rationale: Why is this expense required to finish the research?
• Source: How did you arrive at the figure?

List of references

You should include a bibliography of relevant publications and texts addressed in your research proposal. You should mention a collection of sources relevant to the intended research.

How do you write a Research Proposal?

Like most types of academic writings, you write a research proposal in a clear and impartial tone. It is worth noting that succinct or precise research proposals are an important aspect of academic writing but it does not mean it should be fancy. Follow the format of the research proposal above. Your reader should understand how you write a research proposal and anticipate it to follow the required format. It is critical that you explain your study proposal in a rational and transparent manner. The final part should answer any questions the reader may have while reading your research proposal.

What makes a good research proposal?

A good research proposal explains your research question in a clear way. It identifies and analyses the methods that you will use to perform your research. A successful research proposal must also position your research in the larger field of study and describe why it is significant. A proper research proposal comprises of 2000 to 3500 words and depends on how your institute's criteria want you to do it.

Where can I find a research proposal?

You can find good research proposals for every subject by using different databases, such as Google Scholar, Ebsco and Scopus. Your institutes' library can also allow you to access research proposal on multiple subjects. You can go through samples and many original research proposals available on databases that provide public access.

Conclusion

A research proposal is the key to writing a successful research paper that may also get published. Your research proposal must address the background on your research topic, the rationale and the research objectives. You should mention clear research questions and research methodology along with a proper time horizon and budget for research. A snapshot of the literature review on your research topic is also important so that you can back your topic with evidences. Thus, the format of a good research proposal every student must know involves a well-defined structure of your research proposal. You must address each section in a way that it convinces the reader to read more about it.