As a college student, you will face at least one assignment that will require coming up with a clear research proposal. This guide focuses on learning how to write a research paper proposal by focusing on structure, steps to take, and formatting. We shall also explore possible research proposal topics and a practical example.
What is the purpose of a proposal in research writing?
When determining a subject you would like to research, coming up with a research proposal is essential. Therefore, you must compose an essay that represents an idea you would like to explore in a more detailed way. Still, before you conduct anything, a research proposal must be discussed with an academic advisor for approval. As a rule, an average research proposal can address different audiences, so evaluating your target group first is important. In certain cases, you may ask for a scholarship or assistance this way. In a way, learning how to write a proposal for a research paper should represent a summary of all the work you have to do by keeping everything accessible and concise.
Summing things up, a research proposal should aim to meet the following criteria and a purpose:
- You must choose a relevant subject for society and the academic (scientific) community.
- When seeking funding for specific research projects – you must convince the audience and sponsors regarding the validity of your project.
- Provide an approximate cost for the activities that must be taken. While you should list all the equipment and logistics necessities required for your research, it is not always easy to approximate the funds required in advance. Therefore, provide all the detailed information.
- Writing a proposal for a research paper, do your best to persuade the scientific community regarding the validity of your project. Focus on the main research objectives to address a certain problem or issue that you plan to research. It will inspire your target audience and sponsors as you convince them to participate in your work.
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At the same time, the purpose of a research project proposal will always depend on your subject and the list of objectives issued by your college or university professor. It means that you must understand what problems and methodologies to approach by determining what fits your research type best. Brainstorming several methods first and seeking helpful information or at least one research proposal example that may support your ideas and arguments is recommended. Once this part is done, continue with a research study by focusing on your research’s practical applicability and relevance.
Remember that by writing a research proposal, you are actually preparing for a larger project and can focus on a professional approach to an issue. When you prepare a proposal in a research environment, you also pave the way for your future career and learn how to solve objectives that have been set. When everything is done correctly, you can count on being eligible for all types of support, scholarship assistance, and academic recognition.
Research proposal structure rules
The structure of a correct research proposal format should contain the following elements:
- Title page. It will always depend on your grading rubric, as this is where you have to provide personal credentials and include the title of your paper. It should be clear and inspiring to motivate your target audience to read further. The title usually makes the first impression, which is why you must brainstorm various ideas and play with the wording to make it more to the point. Of course, your title should not be static, as you can change it once you complete your proposal or when revising the paper.
- An Abstract. The abstract is usually 150 words long and should represent your research’s main objectives. State the problem and the reasons why the issue is relevant. That is why the abstract must represent your subject well to help others who might pursue the same subject.
- Research context. This body part of your research proposal may differ depending on the total length required or the subject. To make a research proposal relevant, start with a small description and the background of your subject. Inform your audience about the need for particular research and explain how to approach it.
- Research questions paragraph. It is where you talk about what exactly you would like to research. The questions explained are often provided as a special guide with all the main points you plan to address. Try to combine your research objectives with the practical applicability aspect. Avoid providing more than ten research questions and narrow things down. Working on a research project proposal, the trick is to focus on at least three major issues to keep things clear.
- Research objectives and reasoning. This is where you provide the methodology and solutions you plan to offer to accomplish certain research goals. Make sure to provide your tools as you list possible outcomes. This paragraph should explain why your research is important and how it will impact people as you achieve your goals.
- Project accomplishing paragraph. This one might sound tricky, yet you must provide at least three sentences explaining how exactly you will conduct your research and what science methods will be used (interviews, surveys, technical equipment, etc). If your proposal methodology parts are impractical, change them to meet the replication needs. It must be possible to replicate your work in full.
- Research methodology justification. This section explains the steps you plan to take to conduct your research. It is more detailed compared to the prior mention of your methods. It is vital to describe the challenges that you might face. You must provide your data collection methods and the tools you plan to use.
Your research can be either field-based or focused on libraries. Field-based research is where you conduct experiments and collect information by actually visiting and interviewing people, among other things. It involves sampling, questionnaires, and experiments. Regarding library proposal structure research, you may use books in print, journals, scientific magazines, newspapers, and other text-based sources.
- Persuasion paragraph. As the conclusion part of your work, you must sum things up and try to persuade your audience regarding the significance of such methods for your research. Explain why it covers new ground and what it adds to the proverbial table.
- Gratitude paragraph. This is where you provide gratitude and talk about your available resources. You must give due credit and provide references if any external data has been used. Make sure to use only credible sources!
Step-by-step research proposal writing guide
Several more steps should be taken before you create an excellent research proposal. We shall outline them for you below to assist you in the preparation process as well:
- Determine your research subject.
- Focus on the type of research that you would like to conduct.
- Identify the main argument based on a specific problem.
- Present findings clearly and concisely.
- Create a research outline with the topic sentences.
Once this scientific proposal part has been finished, proceed with the following seven research proposal writing steps:
1. Evaluate the volume of work to be done
This first step must include careful analysis and organization of your research work. You must know whether it is possible to replicate your problem.
2. Choose a good topic for your research
It should reflect the main argument and give your readers a clear outline of what they should see.
3. Collect all the necessary information
You must show genuine and expert knowledge regarding the issue you plan to research by checking information related to your work.
4. Develop a strong thesis statement
It is the heart of your work that should provide your take on the problem while still being satisfactory for your target audience. The thesis appears in the introduction paragraph of the proposal and can be underlined or in italics.
5. Provide an outline with your methodology approach and the importance of the research
It is where you should provide topic sentences that reflect your plans.
6. Conclusion and Sources
The final part should provide a brief restatement of the thesis and a list of sources that have been used. It may include both references and bibliography entries.
7. Final Editing and Proofreading
Do not ignore this part, as checking your research proposal for logic and accuracy is essential!
Exploring research proposal format
The formatting of your research proposal will always come down to the academic writing style and specific requirements (MLA, APA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver). If you are in doubt, you must consult your academic advisor. Before you proceed with any structure and taking notes, you must ensure that your research proposal meets the following requirements by taking a closer look at the grading rubric:
- Provide limitations of your research method and focus on things like available resources and time.
- If relevant, provide ethical guidelines in your paper proposal outline regarding your sample group(s) and the data collection process.
- Keep your ideas organized and introduce your subject in the first introduction paragraph.
- Implement topic sentences for body paragraphs to keep the tone clear.
- Make it a rule to research only one problem per paragraph.
- Check your grammar and logic twice by proofreading and double-checking the structure upon completion.
- Use a persuasive tone. The most important for a proposal research paper is to use persuasive language. Explain why your research is important.
- Stay precise! Keep things to the point and stay focused on your solutions, as it is done later, not in the proposal’s formatting.
If you are still unsure about what kind of work must be done or how to narrow things down, approaching professional paper writers might be a good option. Unlike other essay types, this work will require precision and obligatory paragraphs. See the research proposal template example at the end of the guide for more information on how it looks in practice.
Helpful research proposal topics
Choosing a research proposal topic must relate to something that inspires and motivates you to research. If you have already been given examples of research proposals to work with, think about narrowing things down. If you have been given enough freedom to explore, consider things that can be supported with at least one piece of evidence. Finding sufficient educational sources or statistical information will make it much easier to research and achieve your objectives.
As you choose your topic, think about your methods and similar research done on the topic. If you identify any scientific gaps, you must choose it to cover the bases. Some of the most common research proposal topics may include but are not limited to:
- Intercultural conflict and religious backgrounds in the Middle East.
- Digital marketing promotion and the use of artificial intelligence.
- Evolution of virtual education and Covid-19 experience.
- Definition of bullying in the workplace in the Chicago suburbs.
- The problem of video games and teenage development.
Research proposal template example
Learning how to conduct research by turning to examples is helpful, yet with the variety of subjects and approaches, the best solution would be to focus on the outline template you should check. Simply ensure that your research proposal paper has all of these vital elements.
Alternatively, you may browse through research databases online and seek various samples that will help you learn what methods have been used and how information has been collected. This way, you will learn how to interpret and discuss obtained results most efficiently.
Let’s assume we are dealing with the childhood safety online research proposal. Here is the research proposal paper example that we shall receive:
- Research proposal Introduction. The problem of childhood safety has become especially relevant during the Covid-19 period when almost all youngsters have been exposed to online learning practices. It has also posed numerous online risks.
- Background and Topic Significance. Cybersecurity specialists have reported that…
- Thesis Statement. The best way to address the problem of online safety of children would be to install better parental control and innovative methods that allow to…
- Literature Review. Based on the cyber security reports published by the X organization, it’s possible to conclude that…
- Research Design. To provide unbiased research, children aged between 7 and 14 have been used for the sample group for parental consent…
- Conclusion. The research will help outline the most common child online safety problems and determine the best solutions where parents, educators, and security specialists work together.
- References. This section should provide a list of references that have been used for your research.
If the work on the outline poses problems, remember that you can always take time to learn how to outline a research paper properly. The research proposal template above is just an example of how things may be done. Once again, always consult your grading rubric and an academic advisor to ensure everything is included and followed!
