phd research proposal introduction

How To Write A Research Proposal

A Straightforward How-To Guide (With Examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | August 2019 (Updated April 2023)

Writing up a strong research proposal for a dissertation or thesis is much like a marriage proposal. It’s a task that calls on you to win somebody over and persuade them that what you’re planning is a great idea. An idea they’re happy to say ‘yes’ to. This means that your dissertation proposal needs to be   persuasive ,   attractive   and well-planned. In this post, I’ll show you how to write a winning dissertation proposal, from scratch.

Before you start:

– Understand exactly what a research proposal is – Ask yourself these 4 questions

The 5 essential ingredients:

• The title/topic
• The introduction chapter
• The scope/delimitations
• Preliminary literature review
• Design/ methodology
• Practical considerations and risks 

What Is A Research Proposal?

The research proposal is literally that: a written document that communicates what you propose to research, in a concise format. It’s where you put all that stuff that’s spinning around in your head down on to paper, in a logical, convincing fashion.

Convincing   is the keyword here, as your research proposal needs to convince the assessor that your research is   clearly articulated   (i.e., a clear research question) ,   worth doing   (i.e., is unique and valuable enough to justify the effort), and   doable   within the restrictions you’ll face (time limits, budget, skill limits, etc.). If your proposal does not address these three criteria, your research won’t be approved, no matter how “exciting” the research idea might be.

PS – if you’re completely new to proposal writing, we’ve got a detailed walkthrough video covering two successful research proposals here . 

How do I know I’m ready?

Before starting the writing process, you need to   ask yourself 4 important questions .  If you can’t answer them succinctly and confidently, you’re not ready – you need to go back and think more deeply about your dissertation topic .

You should be able to answer the following 4 questions before starting your dissertation or thesis research proposal:

• WHAT is my main research question? (the topic)
• WHO cares and why is this important? (the justification)
• WHAT data would I need to answer this question, and how will I analyse it? (the research design)
• HOW will I manage the completion of this research, within the given timelines? (project and risk management)

If you can’t answer these questions clearly and concisely,   you’re not yet ready   to write your research proposal – revisit our   post on choosing a topic .

If you can, that’s great – it’s time to start writing up your dissertation proposal. Next, I’ll discuss what needs to go into your research proposal, and how to structure it all into an intuitive, convincing document with a linear narrative.

The 5 Essential Ingredients

Research proposals can vary in style between institutions and disciplines, but here I’ll share with you a   handy 5-section structure   you can use. These 5 sections directly address the core questions we spoke about earlier, ensuring that you present a convincing proposal. If your institution already provides a proposal template, there will likely be substantial overlap with this, so you’ll still get value from reading on.

For each section discussed below, make sure you use headers and sub-headers (ideally, numbered headers) to help the reader navigate through your document, and to support them when they need to revisit a previous section. Don’t just present an endless wall of text, paragraph after paragraph after paragraph…

Top Tip:   Use MS Word Styles to format headings. This will allow you to be clear about whether a sub-heading is level 2, 3, or 4. Additionally, you can view your document in ‘outline view’ which will show you only your headings. This makes it much easier to check your structure, shift things around and make decisions about where a section needs to sit. You can also generate a 100% accurate table of contents using Word’s automatic functionality.

Ingredient #1 – Topic/Title Header

Your research proposal’s title should be your main research question in its simplest form, possibly with a sub-heading providing basic details on the specifics of the study. For example:

“Compliance with equality legislation in the charity sector: a study of the ‘reasonable adjustments’ made in three London care homes”

As you can see, this title provides a clear indication of what the research is about, in broad terms. It paints a high-level picture for the first-time reader, which gives them a taste of what to expect.   Always aim for a clear, concise title . Don’t feel the need to capture every detail of your research in your title – your proposal will fill in the gaps.

Need a helping hand?

Ingredient #2 – Introduction

In this section of your research proposal, you’ll expand on what you’ve communicated in the title, by providing a few paragraphs which offer more detail about your research topic. Importantly, the focus here is the   topic   – what will you research and why is that worth researching? This is not the place to discuss methodology, practicalities, etc. – you’ll do that later.

You should cover the following:

• An overview of the   broad area   you’ll be researching – introduce the reader to key concepts and language
• An explanation of the   specific (narrower) area   you’ll be focusing, and why you’ll be focusing there
• Your research   aims   and   objectives
• Your   research question (s) and sub-questions (if applicable)

Importantly, you should aim to use short sentences and plain language – don’t babble on with extensive jargon, acronyms and complex language. Assume that the reader is an intelligent layman – not a subject area specialist (even if they are). Remember that the   best writing is writing that can be easily understood   and digested. Keep it simple.

Note that some universities may want some extra bits and pieces in your introduction section. For example, personal development objectives, a structural outline, etc. Check your brief to see if there are any other details they expect in your proposal, and make sure you find a place for these.

Ingredient #3 – Scope

Next, you’ll need to specify what the scope of your research will be – this is also known as the delimitations . In other words, you need to make it clear what you will be covering and, more importantly, what you won’t be covering in your research. Simply put, this is about ring fencing your research topic so that you have a laser-sharp focus.

All too often, students feel the need to go broad and try to address as many issues as possible, in the interest of producing comprehensive research. Whilst this is admirable, it’s a mistake. By tightly refining your scope, you’ll enable yourself to   go deep   with your research, which is what you need to earn good marks. If your scope is too broad, you’re likely going to land up with superficial research (which won’t earn marks), so don’t be afraid to narrow things down.

Ingredient #4 – Literature Review

In this section of your research proposal, you need to provide a (relatively) brief discussion of the existing literature. Naturally, this will not be as comprehensive as the literature review in your actual dissertation, but it will lay the foundation for that. In fact, if you put in the effort at this stage, you’ll make your life a lot easier when it’s time to write your actual literature review chapter.

There are a few things you need to achieve in this section:

• Demonstrate that you’ve done your reading and are   familiar with the current state of the research   in your topic area.
• Show that   there’s a clear gap   for your specific research – i.e., show that your topic is sufficiently unique and will add value to the existing research.
• Show how the existing research has shaped your thinking regarding   research design . For example, you might use scales or questionnaires from previous studies.

When you write up your literature review, keep these three objectives front of mind, especially number two (revealing the gap in the literature), so that your literature review has a   clear purpose and direction . Everything you write should be contributing towards one (or more) of these objectives in some way. If it doesn’t, you need to ask yourself whether it’s truly needed.

Top Tip:  Don’t fall into the trap of just describing the main pieces of literature, for example, “A says this, B says that, C also says that…” and so on. Merely describing the literature provides no value. Instead, you need to   synthesise   it, and use it to address the three objectives above.

Ingredient #5 – Research Methodology

Now that you’ve clearly explained both your intended research topic (in the introduction) and the existing research it will draw on (in the literature review section), it’s time to get practical and explain exactly how you’ll be carrying out your own research. In other words, your research methodology.

In this section, you’ll need to   answer two critical questions :

• How   will you design your research? I.e., what research methodology will you adopt, what will your sample be, how will you collect data, etc.
• Why   have you chosen this design? I.e., why does this approach suit your specific research aims, objectives and questions?

In other words, this is not just about explaining WHAT you’ll be doing, it’s also about explaining WHY. In fact, the   justification is the most important part , because that justification is how you demonstrate a good understanding of research design (which is what assessors want to see).

Some essential design choices you need to cover in your research proposal include:

• Your intended research philosophy (e.g., positivism, interpretivism or pragmatism )
• What methodological approach you’ll be taking (e.g., qualitative , quantitative or mixed )
• The details of your sample (e.g., sample size, who they are, who they represent, etc.)
• What data you plan to collect (i.e. data about what, in what form?)
• How you plan to collect it (e.g., surveys , interviews , focus groups, etc.)
• How you plan to analyse it (e.g., regression analysis, thematic analysis , etc.)
• Ethical adherence (i.e., does this research satisfy all ethical requirements of your institution, or does it need further approval?)

This list is not exhaustive – these are just some core attributes of research design. Check with your institution what level of detail they expect. The “ research onion ” by Saunders et al (2009) provides a good summary of the various design choices you ultimately need to make – you can   read more about that here .

Don’t forget the practicalities…

In addition to the technical aspects, you will need to address the   practical   side of the project. In other words, you need to explain   what resources you’ll need   (e.g., time, money, access to equipment or software, etc.) and how you intend to secure these resources. You need to show that your project is feasible, so any “make or break” type resources need to already be secured. The success or failure of your project cannot depend on some resource which you’re not yet sure you have access to.

Another part of the practicalities discussion is   project and risk management . In other words, you need to show that you have a clear project plan to tackle your research with. Some key questions to address:

• What are the timelines for each phase of your project?
• Are the time allocations reasonable?
• What happens if something takes longer than anticipated (risk management)?
• What happens if you don’t get the response rate you expect?

A good way to demonstrate that you’ve thought this through is to include a Gantt chart and a risk register (in the appendix if word count is a problem). With these two tools, you can show that you’ve got a clear, feasible plan, and you’ve thought about and accounted for the potential risks.

Tip – Be honest about the potential difficulties – but show that you are anticipating solutions and workarounds. This is much more impressive to an assessor than an unrealistically optimistic proposal which does not anticipate any challenges whatsoever.

Final Touches: Read And Simplify

The final step is to edit and proofread your proposal – very carefully. It sounds obvious, but all too often poor editing and proofreading ruin a good proposal. Nothing is more off-putting for an assessor than a poorly edited, typo-strewn document. It sends the message that you either do not pay attention to detail, or just don’t care. Neither of these are good messages. Put the effort into editing and proofreading your proposal (or pay someone to do it for you) – it will pay dividends.

When you’re editing, watch out for ‘academese’. Many students can speak simply, passionately and clearly about their dissertation topic – but become incomprehensible the moment they turn the laptop on. You are not required to write in any kind of special, formal, complex language when you write academic work. Sure, there may be technical terms, jargon specific to your discipline, shorthand terms and so on. But, apart from those,   keep your written language very close to natural spoken language   – just as you would speak in the classroom. Imagine that you are explaining your project plans to your classmates or a family member. Remember, write for the intelligent layman, not the subject matter experts. Plain-language, concise writing is what wins hearts and minds – and marks!

Let’s Recap: Research Proposal 101

And there you have it – how to write your dissertation or thesis research proposal, from the title page to the final proof. Here’s a quick recap of the key takeaways:

• The purpose of the research proposal is to   convince   – therefore, you need to make a clear, concise argument of why your research is both worth doing and doable.
• Make sure you can ask the critical what, who, and how questions of your research   before   you put pen to paper.
• Title – provides the first taste of your research, in broad terms
• Introduction – explains what you’ll be researching in more detail
• Scope – explains the boundaries of your research
• Literature review – explains how your research fits into the existing research and why it’s unique and valuable
• Research methodology – explains and justifies how you will carry out your own research

Hopefully, this post has helped you better understand how to write up a winning research proposal. If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog . If your university doesn’t provide any template for your proposal, you might want to try out our free research proposal template .

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling Udemy Course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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30 Comments

Thank you so much for the valuable insight that you have given, especially on the research proposal. That is what I have managed to cover. I still need to go back to the other parts as I got disturbed while still listening to Derek’s audio on you-tube. I am inspired. I will definitely continue with Grad-coach guidance on You-tube.

Thanks for the kind words :). All the best with your proposal.

First of all, thanks a lot for making such a wonderful presentation. The video was really useful and gave me a very clear insight of how a research proposal has to be written. I shall try implementing these ideas in my RP.

Once again, I thank you for this content.

I found reading your outline on writing research proposal very beneficial. I wish there was a way of submitting my draft proposal to you guys for critiquing before I submit to the institution.

Hi Bonginkosi

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, we do provide a review service. The best starting point is to have a chat with one of our coaches here: https://gradcoach.com/book/new/ .

Hello team GRADCOACH, may God bless you so much. I was totally green in research. Am so happy for your free superb tutorials and resources. Once again thank you so much Derek and his team.

You’re welcome, Erick. Good luck with your research proposal 🙂

thank you for the information. its precise and on point.

Really a remarkable piece of writing and great source of guidance for the researchers. GOD BLESS YOU for your guidance. Regards

Thanks so much for your guidance. It is easy and comprehensive the way you explain the steps for a winning research proposal.

Thank you guys so much for the rich post. I enjoyed and learn from every word in it. My problem now is how to get into your platform wherein I can always seek help on things related to my research work ? Secondly, I wish to find out if there is a way I can send my tentative proposal to you guys for examination before I take to my supervisor Once again thanks very much for the insights

Thanks for your kind words, Desire.

If you are based in a country where Grad Coach’s paid services are available, you can book a consultation by clicking the “Book” button in the top right.

Best of luck with your studies.

May God bless you team for the wonderful work you are doing,

If I have a topic, Can I submit it to you so that you can draft a proposal for me?? As I am expecting to go for masters degree in the near future.

Thanks for your comment. We definitely cannot draft a proposal for you, as that would constitute academic misconduct. The proposal needs to be your own work. We can coach you through the process, but it needs to be your own work and your own writing.

Best of luck with your research!

I found a lot of many essential concepts from your material. it is real a road map to write a research proposal. so thanks a lot. If there is any update material on your hand on MBA please forward to me.

GradCoach is a professional website that presents support and helps for MBA student like me through the useful online information on the page and with my 1-on-1 online coaching with the amazing and professional PhD Kerryen.

Thank you Kerryen so much for the support and help 🙂

I really recommend dealing with such a reliable services provider like Gradcoah and a coach like Kerryen.

Hi, Am happy for your service and effort to help students and researchers, Please, i have been given an assignment on research for strategic development, the task one is to formulate a research proposal to support the strategic development of a business area, my issue here is how to go about it, especially the topic or title and introduction. Please, i would like to know if you could help me and how much is the charge.

This content is practical, valuable, and just great!

Thank you very much!

Hi Derek, Thank you for the valuable presentation. It is very helpful especially for beginners like me. I am just starting my PhD.

This is quite instructive and research proposal made simple. Can I have a research proposal template?

Great! Thanks for rescuing me, because I had no former knowledge in this topic. But with this piece of information, I am now secured. Thank you once more.

I enjoyed listening to your video on how to write a proposal. I think I will be able to write a winning proposal with your advice. I wish you were to be my supervisor.

Dear Derek Jansen,

Thank you for your great content. I couldn’t learn these topics in MBA, but now I learned from GradCoach. Really appreciate your efforts….

From Afghanistan!

I have got very essential inputs for startup of my dissertation proposal. Well organized properly communicated with video presentation. Thank you for the presentation.

Wow, this is absolutely amazing guys. Thank you so much for the fruitful presentation, you’ve made my research much easier.

this helps me a lot. thank you all so much for impacting in us. may god richly bless you all

How I wish I’d learn about Grad Coach earlier. I’ve been stumbling around writing and rewriting! Now I have concise clear directions on how to put this thing together. Thank you!

Fantastic!! Thank You for this very concise yet comprehensive guidance.

Even if I am poor in English I would like to thank you very much.

Thank you very much, this is very insightful.

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How to Write a PhD Research Proposal

• Applying to a PhD
• A research proposal summarises your intended research.
• Your research proposal is used to confirm you understand the topic, and that the university has the expertise to support your study.
• The length of a research proposal varies. It is usually specified by either the programme requirements or the supervisor upon request. 1500 to 3500 words is common.
• The typical research proposal structure consists of: Title, Abstract, Background and Rationale, Research Aims and Objectives, Research Design and Methodology, Timetable, and a Bibliography.

What is a Research Proposal?

A research proposal is a supporting document that may be required when applying to a research degree. It summarises your intended research by outlining what your research questions are, why they’re important to your field and what knowledge gaps surround your topic. It also outlines your research in terms of your aims, methods and proposed timetable .

What Is It Used for and Why Is It Important?

A research proposal will be used to:

• Confirm whether you understand the topic and can communicate complex ideas.
• Confirm whether the university has adequate expertise to support you in your research topic.
• Apply for funding or research grants to external bodies.

How Long Should a PhD Research Proposal Be?

Some universities will specify a word count all students will need to adhere to. You will typically find these in the description of the PhD listing. If they haven’t stated a word count limit, you should contact the potential supervisor to clarify whether there are any requirements. If not, aim for 1500 to 3500 words (3 to 7 pages).

Your title should indicate clearly what your research question is. It needs to be simple and to the point; if the reader needs to read further into your proposal to understand your question, your working title isn’t clear enough.

Directly below your title, state the topic your research question relates to. Whether you include this information at the top of your proposal or insert a dedicated title page is your choice and will come down to personal preference.

2. Abstract

If your research proposal is over 2000 words, consider providing an abstract. Your abstract should summarise your question, why it’s important to your field and how you intend to answer it; in other words, explain your research context.

Only include crucial information in this section – 250 words should be sufficient to get across your main points.

3. Background & Rationale

First, specify which subject area your research problem falls in. This will help set the context of your study and will help the reader anticipate the direction of your proposed research.

Following this, include a literature review . A literature review summarises the existing knowledge which surrounds your research topic. This should include a discussion of the theories, models and bodies of text which directly relate to your research problem. As well as discussing the information available, discuss those which aren’t. In other words, identify what the current gaps in knowledge are and discuss how this will influence your research. Your aim here is to convince the potential supervisor and funding providers of why your intended research is worth investing time and money into.

Last, discuss the key debates and developments currently at the centre of your research area.

4. Research Aims & Objectives

Identify the aims and objectives of your research. The aims are the problems your project intends to solve; the objectives are the measurable steps and outcomes required to achieve the aim.

In outlining your aims and objectives, you will need to explain why your proposed research is worth exploring. Consider these aspects:

• Will your research solve a problem?
• Will your research address a current gap in knowledge?
• Will your research have any social or practical benefits?

If you fail to address the above questions, it’s unlikely they will accept your proposal – all PhD research projects must show originality and value to be considered.

5. Research Design and Methodology

The following structure is recommended when discussing your research design:

• Sample/Population – Discuss your sample size, target populations, specimen types etc.
• Methods – What research methods have you considered, how did you evaluate them and how did you decide on your chosen one?
• Data Collection – How are you going to collect and validate your data? Are there any limitations?
• Data Analysis – How are you going to interpret your results and obtain a meaningful conclusion from them?
• Ethical Considerations – Are there any potential implications associated with your research approach? This could either be to research participants or to your field as a whole on the outcome of your findings (i.e. if you’re researching a particularly controversial area). How are you going to monitor for these implications and what types of preventive steps will you need to put into place?

6. Timetable

We’ve outlined the various stages of a PhD and the approximate duration of a PhD programme which you can refer to when designing your own research study.

7. Bibliography

Plagiarism is taken seriously across all academic levels, but even more so for doctorates. Therefore, ensure you reference the existing literature you have used in writing your PhD proposal. Besides this, try to adopt the same referencing style as the University you’re applying to uses. You can easily find this information in the PhD Thesis formatting guidelines published on the University’s website.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Questions & Answers

Here are answers to some of the most common questions we’re asked about the Research Proposal:

Can You Change a Research Proposal?

Yes, your PhD research proposal outlines the start of your project only. It’s well accepted that the direction of your research will develop with time, therefore, you can revise it at later dates.

Can the Potential Supervisor Review My Draft Proposal?

Whether the potential supervisor will review your draft will depend on the individual. However, it is highly advisable that you at least attempt to discuss your draft with them. Even if they can’t review it, they may provide you with useful information regarding their department’s expertise which could help shape your PhD proposal. For example, you may amend your methodology should you come to learn that their laboratory is better equipped for an alternative method.

How Should I Structure and Format My Proposal?

Ensure you follow the same order as the headings given above. This is the most logical structure and will be the order your proposed supervisor will expect.

Most universities don’t provide formatting requirements for research proposals on the basis that they are a supporting document only, however, we recommend that you follow the same format they require for their PhD thesis submissions. This will give your reader familiarity and their guidelines should be readily available on their website.

Last, try to have someone within the same academic field or discipline area to review your proposal. The key is to confirm that they understand the importance of your work and how you intend to execute it. If they don’t, it’s likely a sign you need to rewrite some of your sections to be more coherent.

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How to write a research proposal

What is a research proposal.

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.

Why is it important?

Research proposals are significant because Another reason why it formally outlines your intended research. Which means you need to provide details on how you will go about your research, including:

• your approach and methodology
• timeline and feasibility
• all other considerations needed to progress your research, such as resources.

Think of it as a tool that will help you clarify your idea and make conducting your research easier.

How long should it be?

Usually no more than 2000 words, but check the requirements of your degree, and your supervisor or research coordinator.

Presenting your idea clearly and concisely demonstrates that you can write this way – an attribute of a potential research candidate that is valued by assessors.

What should it include?

Project title.

Your title should clearly indicate what your proposed research is about.

Research supervisor

State the name, department and faculty or school of the academic who has agreed to supervise you. Rest assured, your research supervisor will work with you to refine your research proposal ahead of submission to ensure it meets the needs of your discipline.

Proposed mode of research

Describe your proposed mode of research. Which may be closely linked to your discipline, and is where you will describe the style or format of your research, e.g. data, field research, composition, written work, social performance and mixed media etc. 

This is not required for research in the sciences, but your research supervisor will be able to guide you on discipline-specific requirements.

Aims and objectives

What are you trying to achieve with your research? What is the purpose? This section should reference why you're applying for a research degree. Are you addressing a gap in the current research? Do you want to look at a theory more closely and test it out? Is there something you're trying to prove or disprove? To help you clarify this, think about the potential outcome of your research if you were successful – that is your aim. Make sure that this is a focused statement.

Your objectives will be your aim broken down – the steps to achieving the intended outcome. They are the smaller proof points that will underpin your research's purpose. Be logical in the order of how you present these so that each succeeds the previous, i.e. if you need to achieve 'a' before 'b' before 'c', then make sure you order your objectives a, b, c.

A concise summary of what your research is about. It outlines the key aspects of what you will investigate as well as the expected outcomes. It briefly covers the what, why and how of your research. 

A good way to evaluate if you have written a strong synopsis, is to get somebody to read it without reading the rest of your research proposal. Would they know what your research is about?

Now that you have your question clarified, it is time to explain the why. Here, you need to demonstrate an understanding of the current research climate in your area of interest.

Providing context around your research topic through a literature review will show the assessor that you understand current dialogue around your research, and what is published.

Demonstrate you have a strong understanding of the key topics, significant studies and notable researchers in your area of research and how these have contributed to the current landscape.

Expected research contribution

In this section, you should consider the following:

• Why is your research question or hypothesis worth asking?
• How is the current research lacking or falling short?
• What impact will your research have on the discipline?
• Will you be extending an area of knowledge, applying it to new contexts, solving a problem, testing a theory, or challenging an existing one?
• Establish why your research is important by convincing your audience there is a gap.
• What will be the outcome of your research contribution?
• Demonstrate both your current level of knowledge and how the pursuit of your question or hypothesis will create a new understanding and generate new information.
• Show how your research is innovative and original.

Draw links between your research and the faculty or school you are applying at, and explain why you have chosen your supervisor, and what research have they or their school done to reinforce and support your own work. Cite these reasons to demonstrate how your research will benefit and contribute to the current body of knowledge.

Proposed methodology

Provide an overview of the methodology and techniques you will use to conduct your research. Cover what materials and equipment you will use, what theoretical frameworks will you draw on, and how will you collect data.

Highlight why you have chosen this particular methodology, but also why others may not have been as suitable. You need to demonstrate that you have put thought into your approach and why it's the most appropriate way to carry out your research. 

It should also highlight potential limitations you anticipate, feasibility within time and other constraints, ethical considerations and how you will address these, as well as general resources.

A work plan is a critical component of your research proposal because it indicates the feasibility of completion within the timeframe and supports you in achieving your objectives throughout your degree.

Consider the milestones you aim to achieve at each stage of your research. A PhD or master's degree by research can take two to four years of full-time study to complete. It might be helpful to offer year one in detail and the following years in broader terms. Ultimately you have to show that your research is likely to be both original and finished – and that you understand the time involved.

Provide details of the resources you will need to carry out your research project. Consider equipment, fieldwork expenses, travel and a proposed budget, to indicate how realistic your research proposal is in terms of financial requirements and whether any adjustments are needed.

Bibliography

Provide a list of references that you've made throughout your research proposal. 

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How to write a good PhD proposal

Study tips Published 3 Mar, 2022  ·  5-minute read

Want to make sure your research degree starts smoothly? We spoke with 2 PhD candidates about overcoming this initial hurdle. Here’s their advice for how to write a good PhD proposal.

Writing your research proposal is an integral part of commencing a PhD with many schools and institutes, so it can feel rather intimidating. After all, how you come up with your PhD proposal could be the difference between your supervisor getting on board or giving your project a miss.

Let’s explore how to make a PhD research proposal with UQ candidates Chelsea Janke and Sarah Kendall. 

Look at PhD proposal examples

Look at other PhD proposals that have been successful. Ask current students if you can look at theirs.

Nobody’s asking you to reinvent the wheel when it comes to writing your PhD proposal – leave that for your actual thesis. For now, while you’re just working out how to write a PhD proposal, examples are a great starting point.

Chelsea knows this step is easier if you’ve got a friend who is already doing a PhD, but there are other ways to find a good example or template.

“Look at other PhD proposals that have been successful,” she says.

“Ask current students if you can look at theirs.”

“If you don’t know anyone doing their PhD, look online to get an idea of how they should be structured.”

What makes this tricky is that proposals can vary greatly by field and disciplinary norms, so you should check with your proposed supervisor to see if they have a specific format or list of criteria to follow. Part of writing a good PhD proposal is submitting it in a style that's familiar to the people who will read and (hopefully) become excited by it and want to bring you into their research area.

Here are some of the key factors to consider when structuring your proposal:

• meeting the expected word count (this can range from a 1-page maximum to a 3,000-word minimum depending on your supervisor and research area)
• making your bibliography as detailed as necessary
• outlining the research questions you’ll be trying to solve/answer
• discussing the impact your research could have on your field
• conducting preliminary analysis of existing research on the topic
• documenting details of the methods and data sources you’ll use in your research
• introducing your supervisor(s)  and how their experience relates to your project.

Please note this isn't a universal list of things you need in your PhD research proposal. Depending on your supervisor's requirements, some of these items may be unnecessary or there may be other inclusions not listed here.

Ask your planned supervisor for advice

Alright, here’s the thing. If sending your research proposal is your first point of contact with your prospective supervisor, you’ve jumped the gun a little.

You should have at least one researcher partially on board with your project before delving too deep into your proposal. This ensures you’re not potentially spending time and effort on an idea that no one has any appetite for. Plus, it unlocks a helpful guide who can assist with your proposal.

PhD research isn’t like Shark Tank – you’re allowed to confer with academics and secure their support before you pitch your thesis to them. Discover how to choose the right PhD supervisor for you.

For a time-efficient strategy, Chelsea recommends you approach your potential supervisor(s) and find out if:

• they have time to supervise you
• they have any funds to help pay for your research (even with a stipend scholarship , your research activities may require extra money)
• their research interests align with yours (you’ll ideally discover a mutual ground where you both benefit from the project).

“The best way to approach would be to send an email briefly outlining who you are, your background, and what your research interests are,” says Chelsea.

“Once you’ve spoken to a potential supervisor, then you can start drafting a proposal and you can even ask for their input.”

Chelsea's approach here works well with some academics, but keep in mind that other supervisors will want to see a research proposal straight away. If you're not sure of your proposed supervisor's preferences, you may like to cover both bases with an introductory email that has a draft of your research proposal attached.

Sarah agrees that your prospective supervisor is your most valuable resource for understanding how to write a research proposal for a PhD application.

“My biggest tip for writing a research proposal is to ask your proposed supervisor for help,” says Sarah.

“Or if this isn’t possible, ask another academic who has had experience writing research proposals.”

“They’ll be able to tell you what to include or what you need to improve on.”

Find the 'why' and focus on it

One of the key aspects of your research proposal is emphasising why your project is important and should be funded.

Your PhD proposal should include your major question, your planned methods, the sources you’ll cite, and plenty of other nitty gritty details. But perhaps the most important element of your proposal is its purpose – the reason you want to do this research and why the results will be meaningful.

In Sarah’s opinion, highlighting the 'why' of your project is vital for your research proposal.

“From my perspective, one of the key aspects of your research proposal is emphasising why your project is important and should be funded,” she says.

“Not only does this impact whether your application is likely to be successful, but it could also impact your likelihood of getting a scholarship .”

Imagine you only had 60 seconds to explain your planned research to someone. Would you prefer they remember how your project could change the world, or the statistical models you’ll be using to do it? (Of course, you’ve got 2,000 words rather than 60 seconds, so do make sure to include those little details as well – just put the why stuff first.)

Proofread your proposal, then proof it again

As a PhD candidate, your attention to detail is going to be integral to your success. Start practising it now by making sure your research proposal is perfect.

Chelsea and Sarah both acknowledge that clarity and writing quality should never be overlooked in a PhD proposal. This starts with double-checking that the questions of your thesis are obvious and unambiguous, followed by revising the rest of your proposal.

“Make sure your research questions are really clear,” says Sarah.

“Ensure all the writing is clear and grammatically correct,” adds Chelsea.

“A supervisor is not going to be overly keen on a prospective student if their writing is poor.”

It might sound harsh, but it’s fair. So, proofread your proposal multiple times – including after you get it back from your supervisor with any feedback and notes. When you think you’ve got the final, FINAL draft saved, sleep on it and read it one more time the next morning.

Still feeling a little overwhelmed by your research proposal? Stay motivated with these reasons why a PhD is worth the effort .

Want to learn more from Chelsea and Sarah? Easy:

• Read about Chelsea’s award-winning PhD thesis on keeping crops healthy.
• Read Sarah’s series on becoming a law academic .

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Writing your research proposal

A doctoral research degree is the highest academic qualification that a student can achieve. The guidance provided in these articles will help you apply for one of the two main types of research degree offered by The Open University.

A traditional PhD, a Doctor of Philosophy, usually studied full-time, prepares candidates for a career in Higher Education.    

A Professional Doctorate is usually studied part-time by mid- to late-career professionals. While it may lead to a career in Higher Education, it aims to improve and develop professional practice.  

We offer two Professional Doctorates:  

• A Doctorate in Education, the EdD and
• a Doctorate in Health and Social Care, the DHSC.

  Achieving a doctorate, whether a PhD, EdD or DHSC confers the title Dr.  

Why write a Research Proposal?  

To be accepted onto a PhD / Professional Doctorate (PD) programme in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS) at The Open University, you are required to submit a research proposal. Your proposal will  outline the research project you would like to pursue if you’re offered a place.  

When reviewing your proposal, there are three broad considerations that those responsible for admission onto the programme will bear in mind:    

1.     Is this PhD / PD research proposal worthwhile?

2.     Is this PhD / PD candidate capable of completing a doctorate at this university?

3.     Is this PhD / PD research proposal feasible?  

Writing activity: in your notebook, outline your response to each of the questions below based on how you would persuade someone with responsibility for admission onto a doctoral programme to offer you a place:

• What is your proposed research about & why is it worthy of three or more years of your time to study?
• What skills, knowledge and experience do you bring to this research – If you are considering a PhD, evidence of your suitability will be located in your academic record for the Prof Doc your academic record will need to be complemented by professional experience.
• Can you map out the different stages of your project, and how you will complete it studying i) full-time for three years ii) part-time for four years.

The first sections of the proposal - the introduction, the research question and the context are aimed at addressing considerations one and two.  

Your Introduction

Your Introduction will provide a clear and succinct summary of your proposal. It will include a title, research aims and research question(s), all of which allows your reader to understand immediately what the research is about and what it is intended to accomplish. We recommend that you have one main research question with two or three sub research questions. Sub research questions are usually implied by, or embedded within, your main research question.  

Please introduce your research proposal by completing the following sentences in your notebook: I am interested in the subject of ………………. because ……………… The issue that I see as needing investigation is ………………. because ………………. Therefore, my proposed research will answer or explore [add one main research question and two sub research questions] …... I am particularly well suited to researching this issue because ………………. So in this proposal I will ………………. Completing these prompts may feel challenging at this stage and you are encouraged to return to these notes as you work through this page.

Research questions are central to your study. While we are used to asking and answering questions on a daily basis, the research question is quite specific. As well as identifying an issue about which your enthusiasm will last for anything from 3 – 8 years, you also need a question that offers the right scope, is clear and allows for a meaningful answer.  

Research questions matter. They are like the compass you use to find your way through a complicated terrain towards a specific destination. 

A good research proposal centres around a good research question. Your question will determine all other aspects of your research – from the literature you engage with, the methodology you adopt and ultimately, the contribution your research makes to the existing understanding of a subject. How you ask your question, or the kinds of question you ask, matters because there is a direct connection between question and method.  

You may be inclined to think in simplistic terms about methods as either quantitative or qualitative. We will discuss methodology in more detail in section three. At this point, it is more helpful to think of your methods in terms of the kinds of data you aim to generate. Mostly, this falls into two broad categories, qualitative and quantitative (sometimes these can be mixed). Many academics question this distinction and suggest the methodology categories are better understood as unstructured or structured.  

For example, let’s imagine you are asking a group of people about their sugary snack preferences.  

You may choose to interview people and transcribe what they say are their motivations, feelings and experiences about a particular sugary snack choice. You are most likely to do this with a small group of people as it is time consuming to analyse interview data.  

Alternatively, you may choose to question a number of people at some distance to yourself via a questionnaire, asking higher level questions about the choices they make and why.

Once you have a question that you are comfortable with, the rest of your proposal is devoted to explaining, exploring and elaborating your research question. It is probable that your question will change through the course of your study.  

At this early stage it sets a broad direction for what to do next: but you are not bound to it if your understanding of your subject develops, your question may need to change to reflect that deeper understanding. This is one of the few sections where there is a significant difference between what is asked from PhD candidates in contrast to what is asked from those intending to study a PD. There are three broad contexts for your research proposal.  

If you are considering a PD, the first context for your proposal is professional:

This context is of particular interest to anyone intending to apply for the professional doctorate. It is, however, also relevant if you are applying for a PhD with a subject focus on education, health, social care, languages and linguistics and related fields of study.  

You need to ensure your reader has a full understanding of your professional context and how your research question emerges from that context. This might involve exploring the specific institution within which your professionalism is grounded – a school or a care home.  It might also involve thinking beyond your institution, drawing in discussion of national policy, international trends, or professional commitments. There may be several different contexts that shape your research proposal. These must be fully explored and explained.  

Postgraduate researcher talks about research questions, context and why it mattered

The second context for your proposal is you and your life:

Your research proposal must be based on a subject about which you are enthused and have some degree of knowledge. This enthusiasm is best conveyed by introducing your motivations for wanting to undertake the research.  Here you can explore questions such as – what particular problem, dilemma, concern or conundrum your proposal will explore – from a personal perspective. Why does this excite you? Why would this matter to anyone other than you, or anyone who is outside of your specific institution i.e. your school, your care home.  

It may be helpful here to introduce your positionality . That is, let your reader know where you stand in relation to your proposed study. You are invited to offer a discussion of how you are situated in relation to the study being undertaken and how your situation influences your approach to the study.  

The third context for your doctoral proposal is the literature:

All research is grounded in the literature surrounding your subject. A legitimate research question emerges from an identified contribution your work has the potential to make to the extant knowledge on your chosen subject. We usually refer to this as finding a gap in the literature. This context is explored in more detail in the second article.

You can search for material that will help with your literature review and your research methodology using The Open University’s Open Access Research repository  and other open access literature.

Before moving to the next article ‘Defining your Research Methodology’, you might like to explore more about postgraduate study with these links:  

• Professional Doctorate Hub  
• What is a Professional Doctorate? 
• Are you ready to study for a Professional Doctorate? 
• The impact of a Professional Doctorate

Applying to study for a PhD in psychology

• Succeeding in postgraduate study - OpenLearn - Open University
• Are you ready for postgraduate study? - OpenLearn - Open University
• Postgraduate fees and funding | Open University
• Engaging with postgraduate research: education, childhood & youth - OpenLearn - Open University

We want you to do more than just read this series of articles. Our purpose is to help you draft a research proposal. With this in mind, please have a pen and paper (or your laptop and a notebook) close by and pause to read and take notes, or engage with the activities we suggest. You will not have authored your research proposal at the end of these articles, but you will have detailed notes and ideas to help you begin your first draft.

More articles from the research proposal collection

Defining your research methodology

Your research methodology is the approach you will take to guide your research process and explain why you use particular methods. This article explains more.

Level: 1 Introductory

Addressing ethical issues in your research proposal

This article explores the ethical issues that may arise in your proposed study during your doctoral research degree.

Writing your proposal and preparing for your interview

The final article looks at writing your research proposal - from the introduction through to citations and referencing - as well as preparing for your interview.

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This free course, Are you ready for postgraduate study, will help you to become familiar with the requirements and demands of postgraduate study and ensure you are ready to develop the skills and confidence to pursue your learning further.

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This free course, Succeeding in postgraduate study, will help you to become familiar with the requirements and demands of postgraduate study and to develop the skills and confidence to pursue your learning further.

This free OpenLearn course is for psychology students and graduates who are interested in PhD study at some future point. Even if you have met PhD students and heard about their projects, it is likely that you have only a vague idea of what PhD study entails. This course is intended to give you more information.

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Research Voyage

Research Tips and Infromation

Art of writing Doctoral (PhD.) Research Proposal to Universities

Introduction

Language point of view, domain point of view, how to write abstract for phd proposal, how to write a literature review for phd proposal.

• How to Write Problem Statement and   Objectives for PhD Proposal?

How to Write a Method Section for PhD Proposal?

How to draw activity chart section for phd proposal, how to write ethical considerations in research proposal, how to outline the preliminary work carried out for the phd proposal, how to write the conclusion section for the phd proposal, how to write the references section for the phd proposal, appendices (if applicable) for phd research proposal, final thoughts.

Universities require Ph.D. applicants to submit a research proposal before accepting a candidate for a Ph.D. admission. A research proposal is a comprehensive document of around 4000-5000  words, giving a broad overview of the research that a research scholar is willing to pursue.

A research proposal will help a research scholar to give shape to his innovative ideas and prepare an outline that he would like to follow during his Ph.D. studies.

In a research proposal, the candidate needs to provide details on what motivated the candidate to take up research in the specified domain; which research papers support his research problem under consideration; what objectives can be achieved within the time frame defined by the university;  how will he go about research, including approach and methodology; timeline and feasibility as well as any other considerations that must be made to progress the research, such as computing and machinery resources.

Many universities provide guidelines on writing research proposals that will help a research scholar to structure his ideas and meet the requirements of a specific university. Regardless of university-specific requirements, most of the research proposals usually include:

Here are the key sections typically included in a PhD research proposal:

• Title: A concise and descriptive title that reflects the focus of the research proposal.
• Abstract: A brief summary of the research proposal, highlighting the research problem, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• Introduction: Provides an overview of the research project, background information on the research area, and justification for the significance and relevance of the proposed research.
• Literature Review: An in-depth review and analysis of existing literature and research relevant to the proposed research topic, highlighting the current knowledge, gaps, and research questions.
• Research Questions or Objectives: Clearly states the specific research questions or objectives that the study aims to address and investigate.
• Methodology: Describes the research design, methods, data collection techniques, and analytical approaches that will be used to address the research questions or objectives.
• Expected Outcomes: Specifies the anticipated outcomes, contributions, and potential impacts of the proposed research.
• Timeline: Presents a detailed timeline or Gantt chart outlining the planned activities and milestones for the research project, including estimated completion dates for each phase.
• Ethical Considerations: Discusses any ethical considerations associated with the research, such as participant consent, data privacy, or potential risks, and outlines how these will be addressed.
• Budget: Provides a budgetary breakdown of the resources required for conducting the research, including any funding sources or external support.
• References: Lists all the references cited throughout the research proposal, following the referencing style or conventions specified by the institution or field.
• Appendices (if applicable): Includes any additional supporting materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or data samples, that are relevant to the research proposal.

It’s important to note that the specific structure and naming of sections may vary depending on the institution, field of study, and specific guidelines provided by the research program or department. Let us discuss these sections one by one.

Please note before submitting the research proposal just check whether you have few research publications in your name. The reason being, most of the universities keep research publications as one of the parameter for selection. If you have not published yet , please refer to my article on ” How to write a research paper ” . If you already have a conference paper , that you can extend it to a journal paper by referring to my article on Extending a “Conference Paper to Journal Paper”

How to Write a Research Proposal Title?

The research title plays a vital role in obtaining approval for a PhD research proposal. It serves as a decisive factor that can capture the attention of the reader and convey the essence of the research. When assigning a title, it is essential to consider both language and domain perspectives.

From a language point of view, the title should be concise, avoiding redundancy and unnecessary phrasing. Capitalizing key elements and using familiar abbreviations can enhance clarity.

From a domain perspective, the title should accurately reflect the research area, whether it is within a core technology domain or a multidisciplinary field.

Additionally, incorporating relevant keywords and terms specific to the research discipline can further enhance the title’s effectiveness.

The following points should be considered from a language point of view while assigning the title for a research proposal.

• As a general guideline, try to keep your Title between 50 and 150 characters so that it can be easily remembered.
• Avoid redundant phrasing, such as, “A Study of,”,” An Analysis of”, “A Study to Investigate the…,” or “A Review of the….” or similar constructions.
• Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the Title.[e.g. “Design of New and Efficient Algorithms for Robot Path Planning”].
• Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly known. [e.g.: “Addressing HIV Issues Through Community Counselling” can be one of the Titles as HIV is an abbreviation well known. Whereas “Application of NN in  Solving Pathological Issues in Pomegranate Plant”  Here NN (Neural Network) is not known to many, which may lead to ambiguity.

A researcher begins his research voyage by selecting the research domain –  the area in which he intends to carry out his research.  The research domain can be

• Simply the core technology domain such as Cloud Computing, Big Data Analytics, or Image Processing where the researcher intends to add or improve framework or algorithms for the domain itself, or
• A multidisciplinary domain such as Cloud Computing in Agriculture; Image Processing in Health Care or Data Analytics for E-Commerce, etc.

The researcher may work in specific sub-domains such as Pathology in Agriculture, PAAS architecture in Cloud, Liver Cancer in Health care etc. While selecting the Title of the research proposal,  the domains and sub-domains of the research proposal should be clearly part of the Title as it makes things more clear for the adjudication panel about the topic of the research proposal.

The following points should also be considered from a research domain point of view while assigning the Research Title

• Titles should describe what the research is about – they should give the reader a clear idea as to what the paper is about.
• The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight the research problem under investigation.
• Ensure that your Title includes keywords and terms which are commonly used within your research discipline.[e.g.  “ Development of Machine Learning Algorithms for  Grape Leaf Image Analysis ” ]

An abstract should usually be no longer than half a page, and provide a brief summary of what you are going to cover in your research proposal. Now how to fit the critical points from the entire proposal— why the research will be carried out, what the objectives are, how these will be addressed with different methodologies and what are the expected outcomes—into a paragraph of just 200-300 words. It’s not an easy task, but here’s a 08-step guide that should make it easier:

i. Start writing the abstract only after completing the proposal write-up.

ii. Explain the domain, subdomain and historical development in the subdomain in 20-40 words.

iii. List the major challenges identified ( from the research gap of the survey section) in 20-40 words.

iv. Explain the objectives you have set for the research in 20-40 words.

v. Describe the Methodology you will be using to solve the problem in  30-50 words.

vi. Explain how the results will be compared and analyzed.

vii. Make sure that the abstract does not contain new information, undefined abbreviations or group names or a discussion of previous literature or reference citations.

viii. There must be consistency between the information presented in the abstract and in the proposal.

Title: Development of a Deep Learning-Based Object Detection System for Autonomous Vehicles

This abstract provides a concise summary of the research proposal focused on developing a deep learning-based object detection system for autonomous vehicles. The abstract highlights the domain, major challenges, objectives, methodology, and result analysis, adhering to the guidelines for length and content.

“In the field of autonomous vehicles, this research proposal explores the development of a deep learning-based object detection system. The subdomain of computer vision and its historical development form the foundation of this study. Identified challenges, including accuracy and real-time performance, drive the research objectives. The proposed methodology involves training convolutional neural networks on large-scale datasets and evaluating performance metrics. Results will be compared and analyzed using established benchmarks. It is important to maintain consistency between the abstract and the proposal, avoiding new information, undefined abbreviations, or references. For a comprehensive understanding, please refer to the full blog post on writing abstracts.”

Note: The word count for the abstract in this example is within the specified range of 200-300 words.

How to Write an Introduction for PhD Proposal?

The introduction gives an overview of the research project you propose to carry out. It explains the background of the work, focusing briefly on the major issues of its knowledge domain and clarifying why these issues are worthy of attention.

It then proceeds with the concise presentation of the research statement. The research statement should capture both the essence of the proposal and its delimiting boundaries and should be followed by a clarification of the extent to which you expect its outcomes to represent an advance in the knowledge domain you have described.

The introduction should cite all relevant references pertaining to the major issues described, and it should close with a brief description of each one of the sections that follow.

The reader, by the end of the introduction, should know exactly what research issue you are trying to solve with your proposal. State the intent of your study, including the research question and your unique methodology to solve the problem.

The introduction should describe important results that you have found or hope to find. The introduction leads the reader from a general research issue or problem to your specific area of research. For more details, you can visit my blog post on Introduction.

Title: Enhancing Network Security through Machine Learning-Based Intrusion Detection Systems

Introduction:

The introduction of this research proposal provides an overview of the project, focusing on the background, major issues within the knowledge domain of network security, and the significance of addressing these issues. It includes a concise research statement, clarifying the boundaries of the proposal and the expected advancement in the knowledge domain. The introduction cites relevant references and provides a brief description of subsequent sections, aiming to guide the reader’s understanding of the research.

“In the realm of network security, this research proposal aims to enhance the protection of computer networks by employing machine learning-based intrusion detection systems. The background highlights the increasing threats and vulnerabilities in network environments, emphasizing the need for effective security measures. The research statement encapsulates the essence of the proposal, delineating the boundaries of the study and emphasizing its potential contribution to the knowledge domain.

Through an extensive review of relevant literature, the major issues in network security are discussed, supporting the motivation for this research. The subsequent sections will delve into the proposed methodology, including the training of machine learning models on diverse network data and the evaluation of their performance. Important results obtained or anticipated will be presented, with a focus on the novel insights and advancements they can offer in the field of network security.”

By the end of the introduction, the reader will have a clear understanding of the research problem being addressed, along with the research question and the unique methodology proposed to solve it. The introduction acts as a bridge, leading the reader from a general research issue to the specific area of network security. For a comprehensive understanding, please refer to the full blog post on writing introductions.

Start your introduction with a short history. There can be two possibilities to start an introduction. One way is to tell your readers whether was there a seminal paper, research funding, special event, or invention of an algorithm which spurred the development of the field under investigation.

For example,  one option is, the introduction of Big Data gave a new impetus to the storage and analysis of huge data sets.

Another option can be, the first paragraphs of your introduction should be a historical narrative, from the very first research in the field to the current day with key statistics describing the development of the field.

Here in both cases introduce the keywords of the field and describe what the various keywords mean.

Examples of both approaches mentioned above:

• Approach 1: Introduction influenced by a seminal paper or event

Title: Exploring the Applications of Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management

To establish the context and significance of the research topic concerning the applications of blockchain technology in supply chain management, the introduction begins with a reference to a seminal event that spurred the development of the field.

“Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System’ by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 laid the foundation for the transformative potential of blockchain technology. This groundbreaking work introduced the concept of a decentralized and secure ledger, inspiring a paradigm shift in various industries, including supply chain management.”

• Approach 2: Historical narrative approach

Title: Evolution of Natural Language Processing: From Early Language Models to Contemporary Deep Learning Techniques

In this research proposal focusing on the evolution of natural language processing (NLP), the introduction adopts a historical narrative approach to highlight the development of the field, from its inception to the current era of deep learning.

“The journey of natural language processing (NLP) dates back to the early days of computing when researchers began exploring methods to enable machines to understand and process human language. From the earliest rule-based language models to the emergence of statistical approaches in the 1990s, NLP has witnessed significant advancements over the years. With the advent of deep learning techniques and the availability of large-scale annotated datasets, the field has experienced a renaissance, achieving remarkable progress in tasks such as machine translation, sentiment analysis, and question-answering systems.”

In both cases, the introduction provides historical context and introduces keywords and concepts relevant to the research topic. The choice between these approaches depends on the specific research field and the availability of significant events, seminal papers, or milestones that have influenced its development.

The literature review demonstrates the applicant’s knowledge of the main research achievements in the area of study. You should pay attention to providing some of the key references in your area of research which requires extensive research on your part.

Provide an overview of existing thinking about and/or research into your research problem. Identify a gap, problem or unresolved issue in the existing knowledge/research that your research can fill or identify a research focus that will be useful.  Here your citations are crucial.  For keeping track of the survey papers one can use Zotero which I personally use. Try to survey the papers in which the authors are authoritative in the domain of your research.

The challenge here is to pick representative papers from within the research area and summarize them concisely. There can be a vast amount of papers available and a survey has limited space to capture the key work in the field.

The papers selected should be a mix of papers including the base paper in the selected domain to the most recently published paper. The author needs to go through abstracts and conclusions for a relatively large number of papers and select a subset that covers the selected topic area for detailed reading and presentation in the survey.

Identifying the papers having higher citations and which are published in conferences and journals of high reputation will have to be given higher priority for selection. Each survey should have its own analysis of the significance of the approach and the results presented in each paper.  For more details on literature review, you can visit my blog post on how to write survey paper.

The aim of this literature review is to explore the existing research on privacy challenges in blockchain-based systems. By analyzing key papers and identifying research gaps, this review aims to contribute to the understanding of privacy concerns in decentralized technologies.

Surveyed Papers:

• Paper Title: “Privacy-Preserving Transaction Mechanisms in Blockchain: A Comparative Study” Authors: Smith, J.; Johnson, A.; Brown, L. Publication: Journal of Blockchain Research, 2019Summary: This paper compares various privacy-preserving transaction mechanisms in blockchain, including ring signatures, zero-knowledge proofs, and confidential transactions. It evaluates their effectiveness in protecting user privacy and highlights the trade-offs between privacy and scalability. Gap Identified: While the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of existing privacy mechanisms, it lacks discussion on the impact of these mechanisms on blockchain network performance and resource requirements.
• Paper Title: “Address Reuse Vulnerabilities in Blockchain Systems: An Empirical Analysis” Authors: Lee, C.; Wang, S.; Zhang, H. Publication: International Conference on Security and Privacy in Blockchain, 2020Summary: This empirical study investigates the vulnerabilities associated with address reuse in blockchain systems. It analyzes real-world transaction data and demonstrates the risks of privacy leakage and deanonymization attacks. The paper proposes countermeasures to mitigate these vulnerabilities. Gap Identified: While the paper focuses on the risks of address reuse, it does not explore the effectiveness of different mitigation strategies or evaluate their impact on transaction throughput and computational overhead.
• Paper Title: “Privacy Regulations and Compliance Challenges in Blockchain: A Systematic Review” Authors: Garcia, M.; Rodriguez, P.; Martinez, E. Publication: IEEE International Conference on Blockchain, 2021Summary: This systematic review examines the legal and regulatory challenges associated with privacy in blockchain systems. It analyzes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and explores the implications for blockchain-based data processing. The paper highlights the need for enhanced privacy compliance mechanisms. Gap Identified: While the paper provides an overview of privacy regulations, it lacks a comprehensive analysis of the technical solutions available to ensure compliance with GDPR requirements. Further exploration of privacy-enhancing techniques within the context of legal frameworks is needed.

Identified Gaps and Future Directions:

• Evaluation of Privacy-Scalability Trade-Offs: Future research should focus on quantifying the impact of privacy-enhancing techniques on the scalability and performance of blockchain networks. This will help identify optimal trade-offs between privacy and system efficiency.
• Integration of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies: There is a need for research that explores the integration of multiple privacy-preserving mechanisms to achieve enhanced privacy in blockchain systems. Investigations into interoperability and compatibility issues can contribute to more robust privacy solutions.
• Privacy in Emerging Blockchain Applications: Further studies should investigate privacy challenges and solutions in specific domains such as supply chain management, healthcare, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Understanding the unique privacy requirements of these contexts will facilitate the development of tailored privacy mechanisms.

How to Write Problem Statement and   Objectives for PhD Proposal?

The maiden task in writing a research proposal is to identify the “Research problem” that will be solved during the course of the research. Basically, a research problem identifies a gap/flaw/deviation in the existing system which needs further study/experimentation/analysis.

The statement of the problem briefly addresses the question: What is the problem that the research will address? The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision-making.

Research objectives divide the problem statements in to set of sub-problems. Each sub-problem forms a separate research objective.  It is advisable to have a minimum of 03 and maximum of 04 objectives can be set for the  PhD proposal. Each objective must be defined in such a way that the solution for the objective can be achievable within a span of 4-6 months.

Example: Problem Statement

The main objective of this work is to design novel and efficient algorithms for a  visually guided wheeled autonomous Robot that can explore an unknown or partially  known 3D environment, construct navigation maps, identify objects of interest and  plan paths. It is also aimed at reducing the uncertainties of real-life situations that  can cause problems for Robot navigation.  This problem involves four main objectives:

1. Efficient representation of the navigational environment to handle environmen tal uncertainties.

2. An appropriate mechanism to identify objects of interest from the sensors with  quick response time.

3. Predicting the motion of moving objects within the navigational environment.

4. Design of a control scheme for Robot navigation.

It must be emphasized that these tasks are in no way independent of each other.  The design of a Robot controller is dependent on the nature of the available knowledge  of the Robot’s immediate surroundings as well as the large-scale structure of the  environment. The richer and more accurate this knowledge is, the easier it becomes  to a suitable control algorithm.

Acquiring this knowledge, from sensory data is a challenging problem as it involves uncertainty. The prediction of the future position and trajectory of a moving object is dependent on how well the objects in the environment are sensed by the Robot.

The navigation system developed here is applicable to any indoor environment consisting of rooms, corridors and doorways, which are accessible by a wheeled platform. This behaviour is mainly but is not limited to personal and Service Robots.

The method section of a research proposal represents the technical steps involved in conducting the research. Details about the methods focus on characterizing and defining them, explaining your chosen techniques, and providing a full account of the procedures used for selecting, collecting and analyzing the data.

The methods section of a research proposal should fully explain the reasons for choosing a specific methodology or technique . Also, it’s essential that the researcher describes the specific research methods of data collection he is going to use , whether they are primary or secondary data collection.

The methods the researcher chooses should have a clear connection with the overall research approach and he needs to explain the reasons for choosing the research techniques in his study, and how they help you towards understanding his study’s purpose.

You can refer to my post in, the writing methodology section for more details.

Research Approach:

This study adopts a supervised learning approach to develop a sentiment analysis algorithm. It involves training a machine learning model on labeled data to classify text into positive, negative, or neutral sentiments.

Data Collection and Preprocessing:

• Dataset Selection: A widely used sentiment analysis dataset, such as the IMDb movie reviews dataset, will be selected. It consists of a large collection of movie reviews along with their corresponding sentiment labels.
• Data Cleaning: The text data will be preprocessed by removing punctuation, stop words, and performing tokenization to obtain a clean representation of the text.
• Feature Extraction: Text features will be extracted using techniques such as bag-of-words or word embeddings to represent the input text data numerically.

Algorithm Development:

• Model Selection: Several machine learning models, such as Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), will be considered for sentiment analysis.
• Model Training: The selected models will be trained using the labeled dataset. The dataset will be split into training and validation sets for model training and evaluation, respectively.
• Hyperparameter Tuning: Hyperparameters of the models, such as regularization parameters or learning rates, will be tuned using techniques like grid search or Bayesian optimization to improve the model’s performance.

Evaluation and Performance Metrics:

• Model Evaluation: The trained models will be evaluated on the validation set using appropriate evaluation metrics, such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score, to assess their performance in sentiment classification.
• Cross-Validation: To ensure the robustness of the models, k-fold cross-validation will be performed, where the dataset will be divided into k subsets and the models will be trained and evaluated k times using different train-test splits.
• Comparative Analysis: The performance of different models will be compared based on their evaluation metrics to identify the most effective algorithm for sentiment analysis.

Implementation and Testing:

• Implementation: The selected machine learning algorithm will be implemented using a suitable programming language, such as Python, along with relevant libraries such as scikit-learn or TensorFlow.
• Testing: The developed algorithm will be tested on unseen data, such as a separate test dataset or real-time user-generated text, to assess its generalization capability and real-world performance.

Ethical Considerations: This study will adhere to ethical guidelines by ensuring data privacy and confidentiality. It will use publicly available datasets or appropriately anonymized data to avoid potential privacy concerns.

By employing a supervised learning approach and utilizing standard machine learning models, this research aims to develop an accurate sentiment analysis algorithm for text classification. The dataset selection, data preprocessing, algorithm development, and evaluation procedures outlined above will provide a systematic methodology for building and assessing the performance of the sentiment analysis model.

Please note that this is an illustrative example, and the specific methods and techniques may vary depending on the specific research problem and objectives in the computer science domain.

In this section of the research proposal, the researcher should provide a detailed description of the planned activities and tasks that will be carried out as part of the research project. This includes the literature that will be explored in-depth, principles or theorems that will be formulated and proven, experiments that will be conducted, sub-systems that will be built, systems integrations that will be performed, and tests that will be accomplished. It is also desirable to establish specific milestones and timelines to track progress and ensure the research project stays on schedule.

Here’s an example of how the description and timeline section could be presented in a computer science research proposal:

Description and Timeline:

• Literature Review: Conduct an in-depth review of relevant research papers, books, and articles in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. (Duration: 2 months)
• Formulation of Principles: Develop and formulate new principles and algorithms for optimizing deep neural networks. (Duration: 3 months)
• Experimental Setup: Set up the necessary hardware and software environment for conducting experiments. (Duration: 1 month)
• Data Collection: Gather and preprocess datasets for training and evaluation purposes. (Duration: 2 weeks)
• Algorithm Implementation: Implement the proposed algorithms and techniques using Python and TensorFlow. (Duration: 4 months)
• Experiments and Evaluation: Conduct experiments to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the developed algorithms. (Duration: 2 months)
• Analysis and Results: Analyze the experimental results, interpret findings, and draw conclusions. (Duration: 1 month)
• Writing and Documentation: Prepare the research report, including the introduction, methodology, results, and conclusion sections. (Duration: 2 months)

Example: Gantt Chart for PhD Work Proposal

Discuss any ethical considerations associated with the research, such as participant consent, data privacy, or potential risks, and outlines how these will be addressed.

It involves discussing any potential ethical issues that may arise during the research process and outlining how these issues will be addressed to ensure the rights and well-being of participants and the integrity of the research.

Here are some key elements to consider when discussing ethical considerations:

• Participant Consent: Explain how informed consent will be obtained from participants, ensuring that they understand the purpose of the study, their rights, and any potential risks involved. Describe the procedures for obtaining and documenting consent.
• Confidentiality and Data Privacy: Discuss how participant confidentiality and data privacy will be protected throughout the research process. Explain how data will be collected, stored, and anonymized to ensure that participants’ identities are kept confidential.
• Data Protection: Outline measures to protect personal data and comply with relevant data protection regulations or guidelines. Discuss how data will be securely stored, accessed, and shared, including any measures to prevent unauthorized access or breaches.
• Potential Risks and Mitigation: Identify any potential risks or harm that participants may encounter during the research, and describe the steps that will be taken to minimize or mitigate these risks. This may involve ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of participants and providing appropriate support or referrals if needed.
• Ethical Approval: If required by your institution, mention whether you have obtained or plan to seek ethical approval from the relevant research ethics committee or institutional review board. Provide details about the ethical review process and any necessary approvals obtained.
• Compliance with Regulations and Guidelines: Discuss how the proposed research will comply with any applicable ethical guidelines, codes of conduct, or regulatory frameworks specific to your field of study or the location of the research.

It is important to approach ethical considerations with sensitivity and transparency, demonstrating a clear commitment to upholding ethical standards in your research. By addressing these ethical considerations, you demonstrate your commitment to conducting responsible and ethical research.

This section of the research proposal gives a concise outline of the work carried out so far and the progress made towards the objectives of the project.

Here the researcher has to showcase his passion towards the research proposal he has selected through some preliminary work carried out so far. Preliminary work can be gathering data regarding infrastructure/software requirements, collection of standard data sets, implementation of the existing algorithms for the proposed work etc.

If the researcher has already got some preliminary results then he should provide them in a  simplified manner that helps support the rest of the proposal. If the researcher has submitted/presented some survey paper or work paper, then that should be highlighted. This section should concentrate on the parts that contribute specifically to the goals of the proposal, avoiding detailed descriptions.

Preliminary Work:

• Data Gathering: Extensive data collection has been carried out to gather the required information regarding user preferences, item attributes, and historical interactions. This includes scraping data from online platforms, accessing publicly available datasets, and designing surveys to gather user feedback.
• Infrastructure and Software Requirements: The necessary infrastructure and software tools for the recommendation system have been identified and set up. This includes configuring the required servers, databases, and software frameworks like Apache Spark or TensorFlow for efficient data processing and modeling.

Implementation of Existing Algorithms:

• Literature Review: A comprehensive literature review has been conducted to understand the state-of-the-art recommendation algorithms and their applicability to the proposed research. Key algorithms such as collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, and matrix factorization have been studied in detail.
• Algorithm Implementation: Several existing recommendation algorithms have been implemented as a baseline for comparison. This includes coding and testing algorithms in Python using appropriate libraries such as scikit-learn or TensorFlow. Preliminary results have been obtained to assess their performance on the collected data.

Survey and Work Paper:

• Survey Paper: A survey paper focusing on the advancements in recommendation systems, specifically in the domain of personalized music recommendations, has been submitted to a prestigious conference. The paper provides an overview of existing techniques and identifies research gaps that the proposed work aims to address.
• Work Paper: A work-in-progress paper detailing the initial findings and experiments conducted has been presented at a relevant workshop. The paper highlights the challenges faced in implementing recommendation algorithms and provides insights into the potential improvements that can be made.

Results Summary: The preliminary results obtained from the implemented recommendation algorithms indicate promising performance in terms of accuracy and relevance of recommendations. However, further analysis and evaluation are required to fine-tune the algorithms and optimize their performance. The obtained results serve as a strong foundation for the proposed research, demonstrating the feasibility and potential impact of the recommendation system.

It is important to note that the progress section of the research proposal provides a concise overview of the work carried out so far, emphasizing the aspects that directly contribute to the research objectives. The mentioned preliminary work, algorithm implementation, and dissemination of research findings demonstrate the researcher’s dedication and expertise in the field, laying the groundwork for the proposed research project.

The conclusion briefly restates the objectives of the research proposal, recap the research approach the researcher plans to follow, and clarifies in a few words what he is expecting to find out, why it is scientifically valuable, and how he is going to validate the results.

Example : The control loop for motion planning comprising sensing, planning and acting has not yet been closed for mobile Robots in dynamic environments. Researchers have put lots of effort into this topic and a number of algorithms have been developed. Based on the literature survey, it is felt that the Area-based disparity matching in Stereovision and dynamic path planning algorithms deserves more investigation. The proposed work intends to apply machine learning techniques to these algorithms. Further research in these areas using could bring better results for motion planning and overcome the existing problems.

In the reference section of a research proposal, it is important to list all the sources that have been cited or referenced throughout the document. The purpose of this section is to provide proper credit to the original authors and to enable readers to locate and access the cited works for further reading and verification. The specific referencing conventions or citation styles to be followed may vary depending on the field or academic institution. Here’s an example of how the reference section could be structured in a computer science research proposal:

References:

• Smith, J. D., & Johnson, A. (2018). A Comprehensive Survey of Machine Learning Techniques for Sentiment Analysis. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 25(1), 45-78.
• Doe, R., Johnson, B., & Williams, C. (2020). Deep Neural Networks for Image Classification: A Review. Proceedings of the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), 123-135.
• Brown, L., et al. (2019). Data Privacy in Cloud Computing: A Comparative Study. IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 7(2), 210-225.
• Anderson, K., & Thompson, S. (2017). Parallel Processing Algorithms for Big Data Analytics. ACM Transactions on Parallel Computing, 44(3), 567-582.
• Johnson, M. (2016). Surveying Techniques for Wireless Sensor Networks. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 245-258.

Please note that the example provided above is not exhaustive and should be tailored to include the specific references and citation style requirements of the research proposal. It is essential to follow the referencing guidelines provided by your academic institution or the specific style guide recommended in your field of study, such as APA, MLA, IEEE, or ACM. Consistency in formatting, citation order, and bibliographic details (such as author names, publication year, title, journal/conference name, volume/issue/page numbers, etc.) is crucial to ensure accuracy and integrity in citing the relevant sources.

For more details, you can refer to my previous blog on writing references .

Includes any additional supporting materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or data samples, that are relevant to the research proposal.

The Appendices section of a research proposal is used to include any additional supporting materials that are relevant to the proposal but are too detailed or lengthy to be included in the main body of the document. Here are some examples of what can be included in the appendices:

• Questionnaires or Surveys: If your research involves collecting data through questionnaires or surveys, you can include the full questionnaire or survey instrument in the appendices. This allows readers to see the exact questions that will be asked and provides transparency regarding data collection methods.

Example: Appendix A: Survey Questionnaire

• Interview Guides: If your research involves conducting interviews, you can include the interview guide or interview protocol in the appendices. This outlines the questions and prompts that will be used during the interview process.

Example: Appendix B: Interview Guide

• Data Samples or Examples: If your research involves data analysis, you may include sample data sets or examples in the appendices. This allows readers to understand the type of data that will be analyzed and provides clarity on the analysis techniques.

Example: Appendix C: Sample Data Set

• Consent Forms: If your research involves human participants, you can include the consent forms or information sheets that participants will be required to read and sign. This ensures transparency and demonstrates that you have considered ethical considerations.

Example: Appendix D: Participant Consent Form

• Additional Supporting Documentation: Depending on the nature of your research, there may be other relevant materials that support your proposal. This could include charts, graphs, diagrams, maps, or any other supplementary materials that provide additional context or evidence.

Example: Appendix E: Supporting Diagrams

Including appendices allows you to provide comprehensive supporting materials that enhance the understanding and credibility of your research proposal. It is important to label each appendix with a clear title (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B) and refer to the appendices within the main body of the proposal when necessary.

Research proposal is a crucial component of the Ph.D. application process, as it provides the candidate with an opportunity to showcase their potential as a researcher and demonstrate their preparedness for independent research.

The document is a comprehensive outline of the research problem, methodology, timeline, feasibility, and other essential aspects that the candidate intends to explore during their Ph.D. studies. Writing a well-structured research proposal not only helps the candidate to clarify their research objectives and goals but also enables them to get feedback and support from their peers and advisors.

Therefore, it is essential for Ph.D. applicants to put in the necessary effort and time to create a compelling research proposal that reflects their research potential and aligns with the university’s requirements.

After submitting the proposal the candidate will be called for making presentation on the PhD proposal. I have written a separate blog post on ” How to make PhD proposal presentation to the University” . This blog post also provides a template for the PhD proposal presentation.

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• Indian J Anaesth
• v.60(9); 2016 Sep

How to write a research proposal?

Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Devika Rani Duggappa

Writing the proposal of a research work in the present era is a challenging task due to the constantly evolving trends in the qualitative research design and the need to incorporate medical advances into the methodology. The proposal is a detailed plan or ‘blueprint’ for the intended study, and once it is completed, the research project should flow smoothly. Even today, many of the proposals at post-graduate evaluation committees and application proposals for funding are substandard. A search was conducted with keywords such as research proposal, writing proposal and qualitative using search engines, namely, PubMed and Google Scholar, and an attempt has been made to provide broad guidelines for writing a scientifically appropriate research proposal.

INTRODUCTION

A clean, well-thought-out proposal forms the backbone for the research itself and hence becomes the most important step in the process of conduct of research.[ 1 ] The objective of preparing a research proposal would be to obtain approvals from various committees including ethics committee [details under ‘Research methodology II’ section [ Table 1 ] in this issue of IJA) and to request for grants. However, there are very few universally accepted guidelines for preparation of a good quality research proposal. A search was performed with keywords such as research proposal, funding, qualitative and writing proposals using search engines, namely, PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus.

Five ‘C’s while writing a literature review

BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

A proposal needs to show how your work fits into what is already known about the topic and what new paradigm will it add to the literature, while specifying the question that the research will answer, establishing its significance, and the implications of the answer.[ 2 ] The proposal must be capable of convincing the evaluation committee about the credibility, achievability, practicality and reproducibility (repeatability) of the research design.[ 3 ] Four categories of audience with different expectations may be present in the evaluation committees, namely academic colleagues, policy-makers, practitioners and lay audiences who evaluate the research proposal. Tips for preparation of a good research proposal include; ‘be practical, be persuasive, make broader links, aim for crystal clarity and plan before you write’. A researcher must be balanced, with a realistic understanding of what can be achieved. Being persuasive implies that researcher must be able to convince other researchers, research funding agencies, educational institutions and supervisors that the research is worth getting approval. The aim of the researcher should be clearly stated in simple language that describes the research in a way that non-specialists can comprehend, without use of jargons. The proposal must not only demonstrate that it is based on an intelligent understanding of the existing literature but also show that the writer has thought about the time needed to conduct each stage of the research.[ 4 , 5 ]

CONTENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

The contents or formats of a research proposal vary depending on the requirements of evaluation committee and are generally provided by the evaluation committee or the institution.

In general, a cover page should contain the (i) title of the proposal, (ii) name and affiliation of the researcher (principal investigator) and co-investigators, (iii) institutional affiliation (degree of the investigator and the name of institution where the study will be performed), details of contact such as phone numbers, E-mail id's and lines for signatures of investigators.

The main contents of the proposal may be presented under the following headings: (i) introduction, (ii) review of literature, (iii) aims and objectives, (iv) research design and methods, (v) ethical considerations, (vi) budget, (vii) appendices and (viii) citations.[ 4 ]

Introduction

It is also sometimes termed as ‘need for study’ or ‘abstract’. Introduction is an initial pitch of an idea; it sets the scene and puts the research in context.[ 6 ] The introduction should be designed to create interest in the reader about the topic and proposal. It should convey to the reader, what you want to do, what necessitates the study and your passion for the topic.[ 7 ] Some questions that can be used to assess the significance of the study are: (i) Who has an interest in the domain of inquiry? (ii) What do we already know about the topic? (iii) What has not been answered adequately in previous research and practice? (iv) How will this research add to knowledge, practice and policy in this area? Some of the evaluation committees, expect the last two questions, elaborated under a separate heading of ‘background and significance’.[ 8 ] Introduction should also contain the hypothesis behind the research design. If hypothesis cannot be constructed, the line of inquiry to be used in the research must be indicated.

Review of literature

It refers to all sources of scientific evidence pertaining to the topic in interest. In the present era of digitalisation and easy accessibility, there is an enormous amount of relevant data available, making it a challenge for the researcher to include all of it in his/her review.[ 9 ] It is crucial to structure this section intelligently so that the reader can grasp the argument related to your study in relation to that of other researchers, while still demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. It is preferable to summarise each article in a paragraph, highlighting the details pertinent to the topic of interest. The progression of review can move from the more general to the more focused studies, or a historical progression can be used to develop the story, without making it exhaustive.[ 1 ] Literature should include supporting data, disagreements and controversies. Five ‘C's may be kept in mind while writing a literature review[ 10 ] [ Table 1 ].

Aims and objectives

The research purpose (or goal or aim) gives a broad indication of what the researcher wishes to achieve in the research. The hypothesis to be tested can be the aim of the study. The objectives related to parameters or tools used to achieve the aim are generally categorised as primary and secondary objectives.

Research design and method

The objective here is to convince the reader that the overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem and to impress upon the reader that the methodology/sources chosen are appropriate for the specific topic. It should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.

In this section, the methods and sources used to conduct the research must be discussed, including specific references to sites, databases, key texts or authors that will be indispensable to the project. There should be specific mention about the methodological approaches to be undertaken to gather information, about the techniques to be used to analyse it and about the tests of external validity to which researcher is committed.[ 10 , 11 ]

The components of this section include the following:[ 4 ]

Population and sample

Population refers to all the elements (individuals, objects or substances) that meet certain criteria for inclusion in a given universe,[ 12 ] and sample refers to subset of population which meets the inclusion criteria for enrolment into the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria should be clearly defined. The details pertaining to sample size are discussed in the article “Sample size calculation: Basic priniciples” published in this issue of IJA.

Data collection

The researcher is expected to give a detailed account of the methodology adopted for collection of data, which include the time frame required for the research. The methodology should be tested for its validity and ensure that, in pursuit of achieving the results, the participant's life is not jeopardised. The author should anticipate and acknowledge any potential barrier and pitfall in carrying out the research design and explain plans to address them, thereby avoiding lacunae due to incomplete data collection. If the researcher is planning to acquire data through interviews or questionnaires, copy of the questions used for the same should be attached as an annexure with the proposal.

Rigor (soundness of the research)

This addresses the strength of the research with respect to its neutrality, consistency and applicability. Rigor must be reflected throughout the proposal.

It refers to the robustness of a research method against bias. The author should convey the measures taken to avoid bias, viz. blinding and randomisation, in an elaborate way, thus ensuring that the result obtained from the adopted method is purely as chance and not influenced by other confounding variables.

Consistency

Consistency considers whether the findings will be consistent if the inquiry was replicated with the same participants and in a similar context. This can be achieved by adopting standard and universally accepted methods and scales.

Applicability

Applicability refers to the degree to which the findings can be applied to different contexts and groups.[ 13 ]

Data analysis

This section deals with the reduction and reconstruction of data and its analysis including sample size calculation. The researcher is expected to explain the steps adopted for coding and sorting the data obtained. Various tests to be used to analyse the data for its robustness, significance should be clearly stated. Author should also mention the names of statistician and suitable software which will be used in due course of data analysis and their contribution to data analysis and sample calculation.[ 9 ]

Ethical considerations

Medical research introduces special moral and ethical problems that are not usually encountered by other researchers during data collection, and hence, the researcher should take special care in ensuring that ethical standards are met. Ethical considerations refer to the protection of the participants' rights (right to self-determination, right to privacy, right to autonomy and confidentiality, right to fair treatment and right to protection from discomfort and harm), obtaining informed consent and the institutional review process (ethical approval). The researcher needs to provide adequate information on each of these aspects.

Informed consent needs to be obtained from the participants (details discussed in further chapters), as well as the research site and the relevant authorities.

When the researcher prepares a research budget, he/she should predict and cost all aspects of the research and then add an additional allowance for unpredictable disasters, delays and rising costs. All items in the budget should be justified.

Appendices are documents that support the proposal and application. The appendices will be specific for each proposal but documents that are usually required include informed consent form, supporting documents, questionnaires, measurement tools and patient information of the study in layman's language.

As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. Although the words ‘references and bibliography’ are different, they are used interchangeably. It refers to all references cited in the research proposal.

Successful, qualitative research proposals should communicate the researcher's knowledge of the field and method and convey the emergent nature of the qualitative design. The proposal should follow a discernible logic from the introduction to presentation of the appendices.

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Conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on September 7, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 21, 2023.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction on a relevant topic .

Your introduction should include:

• Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
• Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
• The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
• Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
• An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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Table of contents

How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write — in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

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Begin by introducing your dissertation topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualize your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

• Geographical area
• Time period
• Demographics or communities
• Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

• Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Builds on existing research
• Proposes a new understanding of your topic

Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

• Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
• Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
• Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline  of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Survivorship bias
• Self-serving bias
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Hindsight bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

• A hook to catch the reader’s interest
• Relevant background on the topic
• Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

• A thesis statement or research question
• Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

• Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
• Your proposed timeline and duration
• Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
• Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

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Learn how to write a PhD proposal that will stand out from the rest

Feb 27, 2019

Here, we show you how to write a PhD proposal that will stand out from the hundreds of others that are submitted each day.

Before we do though,  know one thing :

The research you describe when you write your PhD proposal won’t look anything like the research you finally write up in your PhD thesis.

Wait,  what ?

That’s not a typo.  Everyone’s research changes over time.  If you knew everything when you were writing up your proposal there wouldn’t be any point doing the PhD at all.

So,  what’s the point of the proposal?

Your proposal is  a guide, not a contract . It is a plan for your research that is necessarily flexible. That’s why it changes over time.

This means that the proposal is less about the robustness of your proposed research design and more about showing that you have

1. Critical thinking skills

2. An adequate grasp of the existing literature and know how your research will contribute to it

3. Clear direction and objectives. You get this by formulating clear research questions

4. Appropriate methods. This shows that you can link your understanding of the literature, research design and theory

5. An understanding of what’s required in a PhD

6. Designed a project that is feasible

Your PhD thesis. All on one page. 

Use our free PhD structure template to quickly visualise every element of your thesis. 

What is a PhD proposal? 

Your PhD proposal is submitted as part of your application to a PhD program. It is a standard means of assessing your potential as a doctoral researcher.

When stripped down to its basic components, it does two things:

Explains the ‘what’-  t hese are the questions you will address and the outcomes you expect

Explains the ‘why’-  t his is the case for your research, with a focus on why the research is significant and what the contributions will be. 

It is used by potential supervisors and department admission tutors to assess the quality and originality of your research ideas, how good you are at critical thinking and how feasible your proposed study is.

This means that it needs to showcase your expertise and your knowledge of the existing field and how your research contributes to it. You use it to   make a persuasive case   that your research is interesting and significant enough to warrant the university’s investment.

Above all though, it is about   showcasing your passion for your discipline . A PhD is a hard, long journey. The admissions tutor want to know that you have both the skills and the resilience required.

What needs to be included in a PhD proposal?

Exactly what needs to be included when you write your PhD proposal will vary from university to university. How long your proposal needs to be may also be specified by your university, but if it isn’t, aim for three thousand words.

Check the requirements for each university you are applying for carefully.

Having said that, almost all proposals will need to have four distinct sections.

1. Introduction

2. the research context.

3. The approach you take

4. Conclusion

In the first few paragraphs of your proposal, you need to   clearly and concisely state your research questions, the gap in the literature your study will address, the significance of your research and the contribution   that the study makes.

Be as clear and concise as you can be.   Make the reader’s job as easy as possible   by clearly stating what the proposed research will investigate, what the contribution is and why the study is worthwhile.

This isn’t the place for lots of explanatory detail. You don’t need to justify particular design decisions in the introduction, just state what they are. The justification comes later.

In this section, you   discuss the existing literature and the gaps that exist within it.

The goal here is to show that you understand the existing literature in your field, what the gaps are and how your proposed study will address them. We’ve written a guide that will help you to   conduct and write a literature review .

Chances are, you won’t have conducted a complete literature review, so the emphasis here should be on the more important and well-known research in your field. Don’t worry that you haven’t read everything. Your admissions officer won’t have expected you to.  Instead, they want to see that you know the following:

1. What are the most important authors, findings, concepts, schools, debates and hypotheses?

2. What gaps exist in the literature?

3. How does your thesis fill these gaps?

Once you have laid out the context, you will be in a position to  make  your thesis statement . A thesis statement is a sentence that summarises your argument to the reader. It is the ‘point’ you will want to make with your proposed research.

Remember, the emphasis in the PhD proposal is on   what you   intend   to do,   not on results. You won’t have results until you finish your study. That means that your thesis statement will be speculative, rather than a statement of fact.

For more on how to construct thesis statements, read this  excellent guide  from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who, incidentally, run a great academic writing blog you should definitely visit.

3. The approach you will take

This is the section in which you discuss the overall research design and is the most important component of the proposal. The emphasis here is on five things.

1. The overall approach taken (is it purely theoretical, or does it involve primary or empirical research? Maybe it’s both theoretical and empirical?)

2. The theoretical perspective you will use when you design and conduct your research

3. Why you have chosen this approach over others and what implications this choice has for your methods and the robustness of the study

4. Your specific aims and objectives

5. Your research methodology

In the previous section you outlined the context. In this section you explain   the specific detail   of what your research will look like.

You take the brief research design statements you made in the introduction and go into much more detail. You need to be relating your design decisions back to the literature and context discussion in the previous section.

The emphasis here is on   showing that there is a logical flow.   There’s no point highlighting a gap in the literature and then designing a study that doesn’t fill it.

Some of the detail here will only become clear once you have started the actual research. That’s fine. The emphasis in your proposal should be on showing that you understand what goes into a PhD.

So,   keep it general.

For example, when talking about your methodology, keep things deliberately broad and focus on the overarching strategy. For example, if you are using interviews, you don’t need to list every single proposed interview question. Instead, you can talk about the rough themes you will discuss (which will relate to your literature review and thesis/project statement). Similarly, unless your research is specifically focusing on particular individuals, you don’t need to list exactly who you will interview. Instead, just state the types of people you will interview (for example: local politicians, or athletes, or academics in the UK, and so on).

4. Concluding paragraphs

There are a number of key elements to a proposal that you will need to put in the final paragraphs.

These include:

1. A discussion on the limitations of the study

2. A reiteration of your contribution

3. A proposed chapter structure (this can be an appendix)

4. Proposed month-by-month timetable (this can also be an appendix). The purpose of this timetable is to show that you understand every stage required and how long each stage takes relative to others.

Tips to turn an average proposal into one that will be accepted

1. be critical.

When you are making your design decisions in section three, you need to do so critically.   Critical thinking   is a key requirement of entry onto a PhD programme. In brief, it means not taking things at face value and questioning what you read or do. You can   read our guide to being critical   for help (it focuses on the literature review, but the take home points are the same). 

2. Don’t go into too much detail too soon in your proposal

This is something that many people get wrong. You need to   ease the reader in   gradually .   Present a brief, clear statement in the introduction and then gradually introduce more information as the pages roll on.

You will see that the outline we have suggested above follows an inverted pyramid shape.

1. In section one, you present the headlines in the introductory paragraphs. These are the research questions, aims, objectives, contribution and problem statement. State these without context or explanation.

2. When discussing the research context in section two, you provide a little more background. The goal here is to introduce the reader to the literature and highlight the gaps.

3. When describing the approach you will take, you present more detailed information. The goal here is to talk in very precise terms about how your research will address these gaps, the implications of these choices and your expected findings.

3. Be realistic

Don’t pretend you know more than you do and   don’t try to reinvent your discipline .

A good proposal is one that is very focused and that describes research that is very feasible. If you try to design a study to revolutionise your field, you will not be accepted because doing so shows that you don’t understand what is feasible in the context of a PhD and you haven’t understood the literature.

4. Use clear, concise sentences

Describe your research as clearly as possible   in the opening couple of paragraphs. Then write in short, clear sentences. Avoid using complex sentences where possible. If you need to introduce technical terminology, clearly define things. 

In other words,   make the reader’s job as easy as possible.

5. Get it proofread by someone else

We’ve written a post on  why you need a proofreader .

Simple: you are the worst person to proofread your own work.

6. Work with your proposed supervisor, if you’re allowed

A lot of students fail to do this. Your supervisor isn’t your enemy. You can work with them to refine your proposal. Don’t be afraid to reach out for comments and suggestions. Be careful though. Don’t expect them to come up with topics or questions for you. Their input should be focused on refining your ideas, not helping you come up with them. 

7. Tailor your proposal to each department and institution you are applying to

Admissions tutors can spot when you have submitted a one-size-fits-all proposal. Try and tailor it to the individual department. You can do this by talking about how you will contribute to the department and why you have chosen to apply there. 

Follow this guide and you’ll be on a PhD programme in no time at all. 

If you’re struggling for inspiration on topics or research design, try writing a rough draft of your proposal. Often the act of writing is enough for us to brainstorm new ideas and relate existing ideas to one another. 

If you’re still struggling, send your idea to us in an   email   to us and we’ll give you our feedback. 

Hello, Doctor…

Sounds good, doesn’t it?  Be able to call yourself Doctor sooner with our five-star rated How to Write A PhD email-course. Learn everything your supervisor should have taught you about planning and completing a PhD.

Now half price. Join hundreds of other students and become a better thesis writer, or your money back. 

Share this:

13 comments.

A wonderful guide. I must say not only well written but very well thought out and very efficient.

Great. I’m glad you think so.

Thanks for sharing. Makes navigating through the proposal lot easier

Great. Glad you think so!

An excellent guide, I learned a lot thank you

Great job and guide for a PhD proposal. Thank you!

You’re welcome!

I am going to start writing my Ph.D. proposal. This has been so helpful in instructing me on what to do. Thanks

Thanks! Glad you thought so.

A very reassuring guide to the process. Thank you, Max

I appreciate the practical advice and actionable steps you provide in your posts.

Glad to hear it. Many thanks.

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Guide to Writing a PhD Research Proposal

Writing a research proposal for doctoral applications.

As part of your application to any of the doctoral/masters by research programmes at DCU Business School, you are required to complete a research proposal. In this proposal, you describe the research you plan to undertake. As such, it is a vital part of your application process.

The research proposal involves a considerable amount of preparation. You will be expected to have refined your initial research ideas through critical analysis of some of the academic literature relevant to your topic. You will also be expected to have reflected on the nature of your proposed research and its impact. In this document, we present a set of guidelines to show you what is involved in the writing of a research proposal and to help you structure your research proposal effectively.

What should the research proposal consist of?

In essence, your research proposal should answer three questions:

• What do you want to investigate?
• Why do you want to investigate it?
• How are you going to investigate it?

Your aim is to demonstrate that you have begun the process of refining your ideas for a research topic and that you have the capability to research at the level of the programme. One of the ways to demonstrate this is to show how your research idea relates to published research. You need also to show that you have given some thought as to why your research ideas are worth researching.

How should the research proposal be structured?

Below, we give a suggested structure for the research proposal. There are five main sections.

Section One: Introduction (200 words in length)

In this section, you should aim to give a clear, concise description of your research idea. This requires some skill in writing economically and you may find it easier to complete your introduction after you have written a draft of the full proposal.

Section Two: Preliminary Literature Review (1,500 words in length)

In this section you should give a brief summary of some of the academic literature that will inform your analysis of the issue or problem you present in the introduction. Try to answer the following questions. They are designed to make you think about the relationship between the existing academic literature and your own research idea.

• What are the main concepts introduced in this literature and how are they defined?
• What are the main questions this literature attempts to address?
• What are the different theories that exist in this literature?
• What is the empirical support for these theories?
• In what ways do you think this literature will help you understand more about the research idea you wish to research?

Avoid giving a history of the evolution of a concept or a body of knowledge. Instead, focus on the contemporary state of knowledge on your topic.

Section Three: Proposed Research Methodology (800 words in length)

In this section, you should outline the research methods you intend using to gather data for your research. It is important to ensure that the methods you choose give you the appropriate data to answer the research questions you pose in your introduction. For example, if you want to explore a process, as opposed to a structure or an outcome, i.e. how a certain situation was arrived at over time, qualitative analysis may be more appropriate than quantitative analysis. If you want to assess a general mood or attitude across a large group of individuals, quantitative analysis would be a suitable technique. Remember, however, that quantitative and qualitative research methods are not mutually exclusive and you may feel that a mixed methodology is appropriate. It is important to mention any obstacles you perceive as impacting upon your research plan.

Try to answer the following questions. They may help you to clarify your proposed methodological approach.

• Whose opinions, attitudes and beliefs do you want to assess (i.e. who will provide the raw data for your research)?
• What data sources might you use?
• Why will these data help you answer the research questions you’ve posed?
• Do you want to see how these individuals’ attitudes have changed over time, what their attitudes are about a particular event or situation?

Section Four: Justification for Proposed Research (1,000 words in length)

In this section, you should discuss why you feel your research topic and proposed study is important. You should outline planned contributions to existing academic knowledge, existing theories, methodology, practice and policy.

Section Five: Preliminary Bibliography

In this section, you should give an alphabetical list of all published material you have read on the issue you intend researching. For the most part, you should confine your reading to academic research published in academic journals. (This section is not included in the total word count for the research proposal).

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Examples of research proposals

How to write your research proposal, with examples of good proposals.

Research proposals

Your research proposal is a key part of your application. It tells us about the question you want to answer through your research. It is a chance for you to show your knowledge of the subject area and tell us about the methods you want to use.

We use your research proposal to match you with a supervisor or team of supervisors.

In your proposal, please tell us if you have an interest in the work of a specific academic at York St John. You can get in touch with this academic to discuss your proposal. You can also speak to one of our Research Leads. There is a list of our Research Leads on the Apply page.

When you write your proposal you need to:

• Highlight how it is original or significant
• Explain how it will develop or challenge current knowledge of your subject
• Identify the importance of your research
• Show why you are the right person to do this research
• Research Proposal Example 1 (DOC, 49kB)
• Research Proposal Example 2 (DOC, 0.9MB)
• Research Proposal Example 3 (DOC, 55.5kB)
• Research Proposal Example 4 (DOC, 49.5kB)

Subject specific guidance

• Writing a Humanities PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
• Writing a Creative Writing PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
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How to Write Your PhD Proposal: A Step-By-Step Guide

American International Journal of Contemporary Research 2012

This appraisal argues that a piece of investigation must pass through a set of rigorous tests such as scientific methodology (quantitative, qualitative, experimental, observation and so on), validity, (logical procedure to answer a question), reliability (Quality of measurement) and unbiased conclusion (accurate measures are taken to make sure that it is free from individual interest). This guideline further examines the procedures for writing a practical and a realistic PhD proposal. Further, this critical evaluation assists PhD students by providing them with a complete roadmap on how to write an internationally recognized PhD proposal. Lastly, in this investigation, the PhD proposal writing process, such as abstract, introduction, problem statement, research questions, literature review, research methodology, research results, conclusion, discussions and implications are illustrated.

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