What is a research proposal and why is it needed?
Your research proposal is a summary of the research you intend to carry out as part of your chosen research degree.
It should outline:
- the aims of your research
- the rationale for your research (i.e. the area you’ll be investigating, what is already known, and why your research will contribute to the area)
- how you’ll conduct your research (i.e. your proposed methodology and techniques for analysis)
- a provisional time plan for the research
Preparing to write a research proposal
You don’t need to have a perfect research design and methodology at this stage – remember that you are an applicant and that if it was perfect you’d have your research degree already! However, your proposal should express you want to achieve and outline your own insight into the specific area of research you want to undertake.
At this stage of development, you should have a sound idea of the background to your study in terms of the pre-existing literature and how you can potentially make a meaningful contribution to this disciplinary field of practice.
Check your discipline for typical conventions and scholarly expectations but if you can we’d advise you to stick to the following structure as it provides a straightforward framework for your ideas:
How do you structure a research proposal?
Title
- Consider how the title will reflect what you are doing and how you'll carry out the research.
- Choose key words that will identify your research within the field.
- Avoid unnecessary ambiguity or complexity.
- Avoid overtly witty or emotive titles or those that incorporate puns.
Statement of intent
- Outline the main research objectives and a justification for them within existing research. Depending on the disciplinary nature of your work, these may take the forms of research questions or statements, hypotheses, interventions, or outline how a portfolio of creative practice might inform original research.
- Consider what kind impact your research has the potential to make in the world. Contextualise and frame this in relation to the fundamental gaps in knowledge you aspire to fill or what your research adds to your field of practice.
- Think about the timing of your work – is it manageable within the time designated for your study, or will it cover one section of this? Consider if any elements or contexts of your study are likely to change over time due to changes in policy or practice.
Literature review
- Demonstrate how you have already considered the work of other experts in the field.
- How will your own proposed work constructively align to theirs in the production of new knowledge?
- Frame and contextualise your work as though you were a piece in a jigsaw – contributing to the whole picture but occupying your own space. What implications might this have?
- Are you using the research to champion a cause or actively contest the work of others? Why?
- Within your own disciplinary expertise and the professional practice of it, where does your proposed research fit?
Research methods and methodologies
- Differentiate between methodology and methods and demonstrate your understanding of this distinction.
- Outline whether you'll be reliant on existing theoretical perspectives, or whether you’ll develop new ones, or adapt existing approaches.
- Demonstrate how you’ll align your aims and objectives with the methodology and methods. Don’t be tempted to provide lengthy insights into the philosophy underpinning approaches to research at this stage, you’ll study those during your research degree.
Timelines and operational issues
- What will the main stages of your research be and how will you do them over the course of your research degree?
- What can you do simultaneously and where are the overlaps?
- What challenges might you encounter and how might you overcome these?
Citations and references
- Support your research proposal with an appropriate citation and reference system (e.g., Vancouver, Harvard) and ensure that it’s consistent. Use these in relation to all elements of your proposal and not just the background literature.
- You may choose to acknowledge other published materials that have had a direct influence on your work (but which you haven’t cited) in the form of a short bibliography.
How long should a research proposal be?
Your research proposal should be around 1,500-2,000 words long.
What should I avoid when writing my research proposal?
Writing too much or using overly academic writing
A research proposal is intended to be a concise overview – you don't need to write a full research project yet! Your ideas can be straightforwardly articulated, and you don't need to add complexity unnecessarily, just because it is a doctoral application.
You should also try and avoid writing in an overly academic way – plain English is much more accessible and better for demonstrating your research ideas.
Citing sources incorrectly
When you’re writing about what is currently known about your proposed area of research, you’ll need to cite all your sources and explain their relevance to your work. Double check that the sources you're citing are correct and that you have written references in full.
Failing to proofread your work
It might seem obvious, but make sure you have proofread your work thoroughly before submitting your application.
Entry onto research degrees can be very competitive, and any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors may count against you if it comes down to you and another candidate. So, it’s worth giving your proposal another read through or asking a friend or family member to check it, just in case.
Further information about research degrees
See our article on everything you need to know about your research degree for further details about research proposals, including what is needed for each type of research degree, and how to apply.