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Writing A Research Proposal
The format of a research proposal varies depending on what or who it is required by. They
can vary in length, ie. be very concise or quite long and detailed. Also the headings for the
different sections can vary. Therefore, this guide deals with the research proposal in its
most generic form, which should be easily modifiable to fit the criteria for any research
body.
The ultimate aim of any research proposal is to convince people that your research is
important, has not been done before, is worthwhile and is feasible. Hence you have to
make a strong argument for your research. The language used should be clear and easy
to understand, as often non-experts will assess it. Some funders may, and the Research
Ethics Committee application form will, want a ‘lay’ summary in addition to your basic
proposal document. It is usually only in the Background and Methodology sections that
writers tend to assume that the intended audience has a particular knowledge of their
research area.
Additionally, it is crucial that different sections of your research proposal should link or
follow on from each other, eg. the research question should link with the methodology.
This may sound obvious, but revisions of one section can lead to mis-matches. Check
this before submitting your proposal!
The purpose of a research proposal
The purpose of a research proposal is:
· to help to focus on a relevant and current topic.
· to identify a gap or inadequacy in the research literature
· to make sure that these are your ideas, and to help you to focus and crystallise
your ideas.
· to help you to focus on what the actual stages involved in the research process will
be, eg. the exact methodology and data analysis that will be adopted.
· to justify a proposed research project to a particular audience, eg. supervisor,
departmental or faculty committee, external funding body etc.
Some strategies before you start
· Search through literature for topic related articles and books, ie. search through
databases/catalogues/journals etc.
· Look at what is already being done in the area i.e. existing data and research.
· Read critically, ie. look for interesting and suitable gaps - areas for research.
· Talk to your employer for approval – there is no point in starting research that you
will not be allowed to complete
· Talk to your local Research and Development teams. They will be able to tell you
the specific criteria for any research proposal and may highlight some issues that
you have overlooked.
· Talk to experts or supervisors in the field - in person, phone, letters, e-mail.
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· If it is helpful, use concept maps to link ideas, and or formulate questions that the
literature review should address.
Identifying your research question
Any research proposal needs to have a clear research question for it to succeed. Without
a clear question research will become confused and lack direction. Subsequent analysis
will be difficult because the research question is key to forming your hypothesis or aims,
and later analysis.
Do start by writing a question, not a statement. This will help clarify exactly what the issue
is that you are trying to find a solution to. Hypotheses, aims etc can then follow from this.
Your research question should:
· be as clear and concise as you can make it. Don’t use multi-barrelled questions if
you can avoid them.
· be informative – state your population of interest, locality etc.
· avoid technical jargon – this is the golden rule in most areas of research proposals.
Remember that your research question is what will capture the interest of the
reader / assessor.
· relate to the proposal title – often the research question is quoted as the title of the
proposal.
· relate to the aim of the research – again, the research question is often quoted as
the research aim.
It should be obvious from your question alone what the project will aim to do, and on who.
Typical Stages in a Research Proposal
Title
Abstract or Summary
Introduction
Background (typically including a literature review)
Methodology
Timeline
Budget
Ethical considerations
Dissemination Strategy
Bibliography (references)
1. Project Title
The title should be brief but informative. It is important that it is clear and easy to
understand, and describes what your proposed research is. As previously stated, this is
often the research question.
2. Abstract or Summary
This is a very important section which bears a disproportionate share of responsibility for
success or failure of a proposal, as it may act as the initial ‘hook’.
It needs to be written for a wider audience, so technical vocabulary has to be limited. The
abstract also needs to come quickly to the proposed research. Abstracts for grant
proposals usually begin with the objective or purpose of the study, move on to
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methodology (procedures and design), and close with a modest but precise statement of
the projects’ significance.
The significance should:
· be about one paragraph – if it needs any longer it is advisable to rethink your
research or break it down into more manageable chunks
· explain to the reader why the study is "significant", in the sense of advancing
general knowledge
· explain what the benefits to the patient / health community are
· encourage funding
Although you present this first in the document, write it LAST so that its content accurately
reflects the whole proposal.
3. Introduction
The introduction is also written so that a more general audience can easily obtain a
general idea of what the project is about, and the major concepts involved. It will also
typically begin with the purpose of the proposed research. The introduction will typically
be quite short, leaving the detail to the background and methodology sections.
4. Background
It is only in the Background and Methodology sections that writers tend to assume that
their intended audience is a specialist in their research area, and so use more technical
language.
This section will include the literature review.
The Purpose of a literature review is as follows:
· to become familiar with the research area and keep up to date with the current
research in your area of interest.
· identify an appropriate research question.
· establish a theoretical framework for the research.
· justify the need for the research
Through the actual process of writing the literature review you, the researcher, can
explore the relevant literature, formulate a problem, defend the value of the research, and
compare the findings and ideas with your own. The literature review establishes a context
and orientates the reader to your research topic.
The common structure of the Literature Review is likened to a "Funnel effect", which goes
from general to more specific studies etc directly relating your intended project, ending
with your research question, problem or objective.
In summary the stages of a literature review are as follows:
· General statement(s) about the field of research - the setting.
· More specific statements about the previous research.
· Statements that indicate the need for more investigation.
· Very specific statement(s) of the research question, problem or objective.
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Your Trust librarians will be able to help with appropriate literature searching techniques if
required.
5. Methodology
The method or methodology section describes the steps you will follow in conducting your
research. It is a very important section as assessors will scrutinise it to evaluate the
feasibility and likelihood of successful completion of your proposed research.
Some strategies:
· examine methodology sections of research articles in your research area.
· arrange to discuss your research with a statistical and/or methodological
specialist (Trust and other local research clinics / groups).
· discuss with other researchers in your discipline the methodologies they have
adopted.
· consult methodology texts and statistical packages.
Methodology Stages:
You need to definitely include the Procedures and Materials stages and possibly
some of the other stages, depending on your research area. For health research
these include:
· Overview of Research
· Population/Sample to be studied, including:
o how you have arrived at the sample size
o how they will be recruited
· Location of the research
· Restrictions/Limiting Conditions
· Sampling Technique
· Procedures
· Materials
· Analysis tools and methods
Remember that you cannot go into too much detail with your methodology. A
poorly thought out methodology dooms your proposed research to failure and will
not achieve research funding.
You should also identify a ‘sponsor’ of your research. This is not the provider of funds
(they are called ‘funders’), but is the person/organisation responsible for guaranteeing the
quality of the work, and to ensure compliance with any relevant regulation. Sponsors can
be Trusts, Universities, Research Councils etc, and your project MUST have one in order
for it to be able to be carried out. For more detail on this please contact the R&D Dept., or
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consult the Research Governance Framework .
6. Timescale
This indicates the time frame within which various parts of the project will be completed. It
demonstrates the feasibility of the project and gives realistic time frames for the different
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