Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
To guide your introduction , include information about:
As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
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To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasise again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
Research phase | Objectives | Deadline |
---|---|---|
1. Background research and literature review | 20th January | |
2. Research design planning | and data analysis methods | 13th February |
3. Data collection and preparation | with selected participants and code interviews | 24th March |
4. Data analysis | of interview transcripts | 22nd April |
5. Writing | 17th June | |
6. Revision | final work | 28th July |
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
To determine your budget, think about:
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement.
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, June 13). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 3 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-proposal-explained/
Other students also liked, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, what is a literature review | guide, template, & examples, how to write a results section | tips & examples.
A research proposal is a strategic tool for a world of uncharted discoveries. It is the entrance to the world of scientific inquiry, where the bounds of human knowledge are pushed, and new perspectives are unveiled.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to write a research proposal :
Research proposals accomplished two things at once: 1) persuade the academics that the proposed study deserves funding and 2) lead the researcher on an exciting intellectual quest.
The proposal combines a call to action, a request for financial support, and a mission statement. It's a creative work that unites the brilliance of creation with the powerful ability to persuade, opening up a whole new range of alternatives.
Its main goal is to persuade a funding organization or other interested parties that the suggested project is worth the investment and that the scholar has the competence and assets necessary to complete it adequately.
The proposal has to be crystal clear, direct to the point, and persuasive, making a strong argument for the significance of the study, its future contribution, and the original strategy the scholar would employ. Each ambitious researcher should have a strong study proposal, which may lead to funding possibilities, team projects, and even brand-new insights.
We bet you'd fancy a guide on how to write a proposal for a research paper with detailed information and explaining steps required to complete your work successfully. Then, let's delve into the following sections right away!
The length of a research proposal can vary depending on several factors, but here's a quick guide:
There is no research proposal template that is universally applicable to all types of papers. However, no matter how extensive and in-depth your study is, you will discover that the majority of research paper proposal example templates contain the following information:
So, how to start a research proposal? The logical answer is to first come up with a proper title. A well-written title can greatly increase the likelihood of a research article being read and referenced. For instance, a study titled 'The Effect of Media Platforms on Social Development: A Systematic Review' effectively communicates the study's focus while clarifying how it was conducted. The reader will find it simpler to comprehend the study's goal and any potential ramifications owing to the title's precision and informational nature.
An abstract provides a 150-300 word summary of a research paper and its primary objectives, methods, results, and conclusions. As it is frequently the first thing readers see and can influence whether they continue reading the complete article, the abstract is an important part of a research study. An effective abstract should summarize the paper's ideas, be simple to read, and emphasize the importance and possible influence of the work. It should give readers a thorough understanding of the paper's scope and purpose while piquing their interest in learning more.
If you're wondering how to write a research proposal context, remember that here you should provide your paper's structure and background information. Typically, you should discuss related literature reviews and any research gaps you'll explore throughout the study. It's also suggested that you stress the importance of undertaking the research and mentioning related theoretical and conceptual frameworks employed. Considering these, providing the context in your proposal is crucial since it helps your audience comprehend the study's relevance and how it fits into a broader perspective.
The research question is the foundation of your proposal that shapes your study design and defines its main goal. It demonstrates your desire to learn more while furthering your academic career. Suppose you're writing a proposal about comparing the US and UK healthcare systems. In that case, you can come up with the following research question: 'How do low-income citizens with severe diseases do in terms of their physical well-being in the US and the UK?'
In the research proposal, you should go into depth about how you conducted your study. Explain your key research tools and the techniques you employed to get your results. If you conducted interviews, tell the reader about the subjects of your questions. Lastly, provide your analysis of the results.
Afterward, you should describe the significance of your work. Every research proposal sample will briefly explain how your research is unique and contributes to the topic of study. You might wish to provide reasoning for the necessity of your study at this given moment. For example: 'The study's findings connect Psycho with other contemporary movies that share the same shock-factor traits. The startling aspect is more difficult to create today, as seen by the rise of low-budget, badly made horror movies that rely on shock rather than suspense to keep viewers' interest.'
Finally, you should compile a list of the articles and books most helpful to your research. You may need to do so according to the guidelines set forth by your instructor for research papers (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). You could also develop an annotated bibliography in which you explain how each resource aided your inquiry.
Your outline format should look like the research proposal example provided above. Ensure you have a well-defined research topic and a clear plan for organizing your approach before starting the proposal writing process. Our history essay writer suggests that the following be included in your research proposal outline:
I. Introduction
II. Literature Review
III. Methodology
IV. Expected Results
V. Timeline
VII. Conclusion
VIII. References
This research paper outline should give you a clear idea of how to write a research proposal example effortlessly. Now, let our research proposal writing service tells out more about the formatting details.
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A research proposal format might be as short as a few paragraphs or as extensive as up to ten pages for dissertations. When unsure how to format a research proposal, first discuss details with your teacher, such as length, content, style, etc.
However, one of the most demanded styles is the APA research proposal format, which follows a specific format as given in the American Psychological Association guidelines. As it guides the project and helps guarantee that the study is thorough, ethical, and evidence-based, a research proposal example APA is usually generated before the study is conducted.
Here is the general APA format:
Research proposals are the foundation of scholarly investigation. Therefore, thinking of fresh and distinctive research proposal ideas might be difficult. Due to this, our paper writers have supplied some excellent research proposal topics that will add excitement and enthusiasm to your academic endeavor:
Here is a research proposal example APA. Notice the structure of a short research paper (around 15 pages) and the APA formatting.
If you enjoyed our sample, feel free to drop us your ' write an essay for me ' request for any kind of assignment.
To wrap up, we hope our article assisted you in writing a research proposal. In addition to providing a thorough analysis of all the crucial elements of a research project, we provided guidance on how to write a research paper proposal that stands out.
And if you're already prepared to start producing a scholarly research paper, you can always rely on us! Contact us with your ' write my research paper ' request to place an order for a quality custom term paper that will easily impress your professor!
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What is a research proposal, what is the format of a research proposal.
Daniel Parker
is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
Table of contents
Every student needs to write some academic papers for the university. However, even young people with experience can’t determine the difference between an essay and a research paper. Although these two areas of academic writing have many similarities, the requirements are still significantly different.
Before we dive into the detailed definitions, let’s first explore the key differences between an essay and a research paper.
Criteria | Research Paper | Essay |
---|---|---|
Focus | Explores and presents various viewpoints on a topic while also including the writer’s insights and ideas. | Primarily expresses the writer’s point of view. |
Length | Typically spans at least 8 pages in length. | Typically short, with an average length of 5 paragraphs. |
Depth of Understanding | Requires a deep understanding of the topic, gained through thorough research. | Does not always require an in-depth understanding of the topic. |
Familiarity with Sources | Demands familiarity with research writings related to the chosen subject. | May or may not need familiarity with other research or writings. |
Skill Development | Enhances the writer’s knowledge about the topic. | Develops the writer’s skills in presenting ideas clearly and effectively. |
Approach | Examines and compares different sources of information on a topic, ultimately presenting an overview of the findings. | The writer practices organizing thoughts logically and coherently. |
Types and Variations | Research papers come in various forms such as compare and contrast, argumentative, analytical, cause and effect, and subject-based papers, with the latter being the most common. A specific subject or topic is chosen, researched, and then written about in detail. | Essays come in different types such as academic, narrative, and philosophical. Academic essays often include a literature review that evaluates, describes, summarizes, and clarifies the selected material. |
Process and Presentation | After gathering detailed information on the topic, the writer organizes and presents it from their perspective, using citations from the research to support their analysis. | In an essay, the writer conveys personal thoughts and ideas. The purpose and type of essay are considered, along with the intended audience. The writing must be well-structured, clear, and supported by relevant facts and examples. |
What is an essay.
An essay is a short piece of writing that presents a personal opinion on a specific topic. Essays can be formal or informal, but in an academic setting, they are usually formal. The main purpose of an essay is to inform the reader or argue a particular perspective.
Essays do not always aim to be scientific but require a clear structure. This structure typically includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Following this format lets you organize your thoughts and communicate them effectively.
With their versatility, essays can cover various topics, from complex ideas to everyday subjects. What makes your essay unique is the creativity and originality of your ideas. Before you begin, it is important to drafting an essay carefully. This process involves brainstorming fresh ideas and planning how to present them. Although your classmates might use the same basic structure, your writing skills and unique perspective will help your essay stand out. Focus on making your ideas compelling, rather than just sticking to the format.
A research paper explores a specific scientific topic in detail. It provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on careful study. Unlike essays, research papers focus less on personal opinions and more on thorough examination of the subject. They require you to use different sources and add new insights to the academic discussion.
In a research paper, it is not enough to just present facts or share personal views. You need to study the topic in depth, understand what others have said about it, and clearly outline your approach. This type of assignment involves more than just collecting information. You must also evaluate the information to build a strong argument.
Teachers expect you to show your ability to analyze information, choose reliable sources, and have a deep understanding of the topic. Research papers require you to go beyond basic knowledge and present your findings in a clear and organized way.
A typical research paper consists of several key elements that are crucial for presenting your argument and findings clearly:
Whether writing a research paper or a term paper, maintaining this clear structure is essential for demonstrating a thorough understanding of your topic.
The central difference is the goal of these academic assignments. The essay aims to express an individual point of view and find a creative, fresh approach to an existing topic. A good research paper seeks to introduce scientific novelty by examining existing data and conducting new experiments to analyze the information obtained.
The first and main difference between an essay and a research paper is the purpose of writing . An essay as an academic task has the goal of developing students’ creative thinking. It also teaches us a structured presentation of thoughts regarding a certain topic. The student is required to have a non-standard approach, fresh thoughts, and reasoned conclusions on the given topic.
The purpose of the research work is to study a scientific topic in detail. This academic assignment is aimed at assessing the student’s analytical abilities and competence to determine cause-and-effect relationships, filter sources, and formulate logical conclusions. Such work requires theoretical knowledge, preliminary study of existing scientific works, and the ability to formulate goals and research methods.
Moreover, a student is supposed to show the capacity to draw comprehensive conclusions based on available data and information obtained during independent research. This task may seem complicated to students, so they opt for resorting to the help of PapersOwl writing service to save time.
To start with, the basic structure of any college essay involves a text consisting of five paragraphs, divided into three main factions: introduction, body part, and conclusion. When students lack time to compose a nicely structured academic essay, they can always pay to write a research paper and have their tasks done by a professional. The introduction presents the topic, sets the main direction for further text, and also works as a bait to motivate the reader to study further work. The introduction is followed by three body paragraphs. Each of the three body paragraphs presents a separate idea.
The last paragraph of any essay is a conclusion. In this paragraph, the college or university student must resume the arguments and ideas presented in the text, summarizing them into the main message of the essay. Often, the idea that you present in your conclusions will be most memorable to the reader.
Consequently, let’s overview the structure of a research paper. Compared to the structure of an essay, the organization of a research paper is much more ornate. This type of work requires a title page and abstract that go before the main body of text. On the title page, the student describes his topic of work, as well as gives contact details. An abstract is a short description of the main ideas and research methods of your work. The research work itself consists of an introduction, background, main part, and conclusions. Also, at the very end, they often add acknowledgments and a list of references, which must be formatted following the required international format.
The length and depth of analysis between these two academic assignments also differ significantly. As for the essay, it is often a short prose piece whose length does not exceed 1000 words. You are faced with the task of fitting a large array of ideas into a small amount of text. The essay format itself rarely requires rigorous and thorough research of the topic, but you should work on creativity and the presence of a message in your essay. Most academic papers fall in the 300 to 600-word range.
On the other hand, a research paper is a scientific project that includes many theoretical aspects that require analysis and clarification. Thus, the volume is significantly bigger. Basic research paper lengths range from 4,000 to 6,000 words. In this case, you will no doubt have to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the selected sources, formulate a research vector, and spend time conducting your experiments, or ask PapersOwl to do a research paper for you . A research paper is a scientific project that includes many theoretical aspects that require analysis and clarification.
The presence of theoretical sources and references is not a mandatory requirement for an essay. You can state your own thoughts on a given topic without resorting to the help of existing sources. Present your ideas on the topic, giving arguments that seem logical to you. If you do decide to base your paper on existing works, you must be sure to indicate where the information was taken from. And yet, the teacher needs to see your own thoughts rather than a dry listing of existing ideas.
Unlike an essay, a quality research paper must include primary and secondary sources, as well as a specific citation format. Surely, you are not the first person to study this scientific topic. In order not to repeat existing thoughts, you need to conduct a search to form a reliable basis for your study. If you skip this step, you risk basing your paper on misleading scientific findings.
The very specificity of the essay as an academic paper is the subjective presentation of information. A large percentage of your essay should consist of your perspective and vision of the chosen topic. For this reason, essays often use a less formal and more subjective tone. However, you can still use a large amount of colloquial vocabulary, completely disregarding the norms of formal style. Students often have trouble figuring out the right style for their university assignments. In such cases, a reasonable solution is to seek help from a specialist. When you buy custom-written essays from PapersOwl, you’ll always get a perfectly balanced academic paper.
On the other hand, a research paper is a serious scientific work. The student must maintain a formal tone while complying with all structural requirements. Also, in investigative work, there is little room for subjectivity and a personal approach since an objective style is required. At the same time, do not oversaturate your research work with formalism and standard clichés.
The essay format can be used both in the educational process and in an independent literary style. Therefore, the audience for such a written assignment can be wide and varied. When you’re writing an essay, make sure it’s understandable in academia and for a wide audience.
Research work, on the contrary, is aimed at a range of professionals in the chosen field. Written in scientific language, the goal of this work is to attract the attention of scientists and students of certain majors. Your scientific work should be rich in theory and related terms.
As you may have noticed, research papers and essays have many differences, both global and specific. These two types of academic assignments differ in the purpose of writing, have different structures and formats, and are aimed at testing different skills. And yet, every day, students face difficulties in understanding the basic requirements, which leads to incorrect execution of the task. To summarize the main differences, let’s look at the table below.
There are many types of papers, each focusing on different topics, serving different purposes, and requiring a specific structure. Those are different types of essays that share a common ground but differ in the way they present information and arguments.
Analytical paper. The purpose of such an essay is an in-depth analysis of the chosen topic, studying different approaches and points of view, and formulating one’s own conclusions based on the information studied and scientific evidence.
Argumentative paper. This type of essay takes as a basis an ambiguous topic; the author must take a certain position and provide a number of arguments.
Informative paper. It has an informative purpose — a presentation of information to the reader, preceded by careful analysis and selection of data.
Persuasive paper . The purpose of this paper is to present convincing arguments, using chosen writing techniques, confirming the author’s position regarding the selected scientific topic.
To get a high grade, you need to understand the requirements of academic requirements. No matter how informatively rich your work is, if it does not meet the requirements, it cannot be highly appreciated. Each type of academic assignment has its own clearly defined, unique format. It’s necessary to know the difference between a research paper vs argumentative essay so as not to get confused while completing a college assignment. So before you start writing an assignment, make sure you understand the type of academic writing required of you.
Research papers and essays are aimed at testing various skills of the student, following different structures, and having several requirements. An essay is a more creative writing task, which involves showing originality and expressing a personal opinion on a certain topic. At the same time, a research paper is a type of scientific writing that adheres to a strict structure and uses a formal tone. Understanding the main differences will make your writing process easier, saving you time researching the requirements. Remember that knowing the essence of the assignment is a key factor in writing a decent paper.
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Research Paper Guide
Writing Research Proposal
Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023
By: Nathan D.
13 min read
Reviewed By: Rylee W.
Published on: Mar 24, 2023
Ready to take on the world of research, but feeling a bit intimidated by the proposal-writing process? You're not alone! Writing a research proposal can seem like a daunting task, especially if you're new to the game.
But don't worry – we're here to help make the process as easy and exciting as possible!
Think of your research proposal as a sales pitch for your ideas. It's your chance to convince others that your project is worth their time and investment. And just like with any great sales pitch, the key is to show passion and enthusiasm for your work.
In this guide, we'll demystify the proposal-writing process. We'll cover everything from defining your research question to outlining your methodology to presenting your budget.
So get ready to rock this proposal writing journey!
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As per the research proposal definition, it is a concise summary of your research paper. It introduces the general idea of your research by highlighting the questions and issues you are going to address in your paper.
For writing a good and ‘acceptance worthy’ proposal, demonstrating the uniqueness and worthiness of your research paper is important.
Below is a detailed definition that will help you understand it better.
‘A research proposal is a document that is written to present and justify your interest and need for researching a particular topic.’
Similarly, a good proposal must highlight the benefits and o utcomes of the proposed study, supported by persuasive evidence.
Knowing what the goal of writing a research proposal is can make the process easier and help you get your project approved by faculty.
Let’s break down what makes up a good research proposal.
Crafting a research proposal is an opportunity to explore the depths of your topic and uncover unturned stones.
By identifying areas previously unexamined, you can open up new perspectives which could provide substantial value to your project. This demonstrates your contribution to knowledge.
With such insights in hand, faculty will quickly recognize that there's something special about this study – setting it apart from others on the same subject!
A research proposal is a chance for you to show how good you are at analyzing things and understanding past studies.
With evidence-based data, you can demonstrate how these studies relate to each other - which agrees or disagrees with current theories about the topic.
Whether it's presenting meaningful insights or uncovering new ones, this exercise will challenge your ability to think critically!
To create a compelling research proposal, you must demonstrate your understanding of the existing body of knowledge on your topic.
You should also bring something new to the table. You can explore primary sources like interviews or surveys with experts or members involved in this study.
Showcase how this proposed project adds value and moves conversations forward; make sure that it is relevant to today's context!
In conclusion, the purpose of a research proposal is to identify gaps in existing knowledge and provide new, original perspectives on the topic. By doing this, you'll be able to craft an impactful study that faculty will find hard to ignore!
Sometimes students don’t realize how important a research paper proposal is and end up putting all the information together without following the basic outline or thinking this through.
Before starting with the outline, you need to understand the basic components. A clear outline is important when it comes to presenting the literature review and writing the entire paper.
Here is a basic format you can follow while writing your proposal.
It might seem like a dreadful task and especially for the students who are new to this. It requires good writing as well as research skills.
Here is a sample template to further explain the outline.
Research Proposal Template
RESEARCH PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
Need help with creating an outline for your research paper? Check out this in-depth read on how to create an effective research paper outline !
Many students think that starting a research proposal is the same as creating an outline. No, it is not, and knowing how to start with your research proposal on the right track is like getting done with half of it.
Below are the important steps to start a research proposal.
Writing a research proposal is tricky, but when you start it beforehand then you will have enough time to understand your main topic’s different aspects.
Procrastinating and leaving it for the last few days before submission will only land you in trouble.
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Now you have the basic outline you can follow. Let’s discuss how to write it by following the format mentioned above.
1. Choose the Title Carefully
Your proposal title should be concise and clear to indicate your research question. Your readers should know what to expect in the paper after reading the title. Avoid writing titles in a general perspective or phrases like “An investigation of …” or “A review of …” etc. Make it concise and well-defined.
2. Add a Concise Abstract
‘How to write an abstract for a research proposal?’
The abstract is a short summary that is around 100-250 words. The abstract should include the research question, the hypothesis of your research (if there is any), the research methodology, and the findings.
If the proposal is detailed, it will require a section of the contents after the abstract. It, knowing how to write an abstract will be helpful and can save you from making any blunders.
3. Add a Strong Introduction
You need to start with a strong introduction. The introduction is written to provide a background or context related to your research problem. It is important to frame the research question while writing the proposal.
Start the introduction with a general statement related to the problem area you are focusing on and justify your study.
The introduction usually covers the following elements.
Have a very clear and concise idea about your research, and make sure that you do not deviate from the main research question. A clear idea will help you craft a perfect thesis. Here is how you can create a crisp and interesting thesis introduction along with a basic guideline.
4. Clarify the Research Objectives
Your research objectives will explain what the writer is trying to achieve. Moreover, these aims and objectives must be achievable. It means that it must be framed according to the:
However, it is beneficial to read all the developments in the field and find research gaps before deciding your objective. It will help you come up with suitable aims for your projects.
5. Add Relevant Literature Review
A separate section dedicated to the literature review will allow you to conduct extensive background research and support your research question with credible sources and research.
The following are the basic purposes of the literature review.
A literature review is an important component. Learning how to write a literature review will help you compose an engaging and impressive literature review easily.
Keep your literature review organized by adding a subheading to maintain a smooth flow in the content. Try not to bore your readers and your instructor or the committee. Write it in an engaging manner.
6. Mention the Significance of the Research
The significance of your research will identify the importance of your work. It should be mainly stated in the introductory paragraph.
You must highlight how your research is beneficial for the respective field of study. Similarly, you can also state its contribution to the field in both the broader and narrow sense.
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7. Explain the Research Methodology
‘How to write a methods section of a research proposal?’
This section explains how you are going to conduct your research. Explain why the specific method is suitable for your research and how it will help you attain your research goals. Your research methodology will give you an organized plan for the research.
Mention sufficient information regarding your research methodology for readers to understand how you are conducting your research. It must contain enough information regarding the study for another researcher to implement it.
i.) Types of Research Methodology
Choose the type of research methodology that is suitable for your research.
a.) Qualitative type is used in a theoretical type of research like that in literature.
Some research involves both; if your research topic also involves analyzing both the statistical data and theory, then make sure that you use them appropriately. For a qualitative approach, the method section of your proposal needs to be more detailed and elaborate compared to the one in the quantitative approach. How you will collect your data and analyze it according to the qualitative approach should be described with great care.
b.) Quantitative research is suitable for projects involving collecting and analyzing statistical data like that in social sciences, medicine, and psychology. When you choose a quantitative approach for your research, the method section should contain answers to the following elements.
Have detailed knowledge of all the research methodologies to justify your approach toward the research problem.
8. Present the Hypothesis or the Expected Research Results
In the research proposal, this section will contain the results of the research, but since this is a research proposal, you do not have the results yet. This is why you will add the expected research results here. These results are those that you aim to obtain from the research.
Sometimes the researcher gets the same kind of results, but sometimes, the results could differ from the expected ones.
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9. Mention the Ethical Considerations
It is an essential part of your outline. Researchers need to consider ethical values while conducting research work. Furthermore, you also have to be very careful in the data collection process and need to respect the rights of the participants.
They should not harm them in any way, and full consent should be obtained from them prior to the study.
Lastly, the writer’s moral duty is to promise complete confidentiality to feel comfortable while sharing information.
10. Discuss the Research Limitations
The research limitations indicate the flaws and shortcomings of your research. These may include:
Listing the limitations shows your honesty and complete understanding of the topic.
11. Add Proper References and Citation
Don’t forget the references section. You don’t want to get blamed for plagiarism. Always give references to the authors and the literature you have studied for your research.
There are two ways to cite your sources.
Follow a specific format for the citation section as instructed by your supervisor. It can be written in APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard style. Both references and a bibliography are included in it.
12. Edit and Proofread
Many students prefer not to proofread the proposal after completion, which is a grave mistake. If you proofread the paper on your own, you may fail to identify the mistakes. Use online tools or have a helping hand from your friend to give it a good read.
In the end, edit the document as per the needs.
An analysis of 500 rejected proposals allowed us to identify the common blunders made in them. These blunders caused the rejection of otherwise promising research. Therefore, to maximize the chances of acceptance, you must avoid these mistakes.
Here are some of those mistakes.
These are the common mistakes that result in rejection.
If you desire to make it shine, stick to your instructor’s guidelines and stay away from committing these mistakes.
Looking for some helpful and detailed research proposal examples to get you started? Examples are great for a quick understanding of how something works or is written, in our case.
Here are some complete research paper proposal samples to help you write your own.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL EXAMPLE - APA
HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
NSF RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE
MARKET RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE
PH.D. RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE
You can take ideas for your topic from books, journals, previously done research, and dissertations.
Here are a few topics you can choose from.
If you want to know more about finding a topic for your research paper and research paper topic examples, here is a list of interesting research paper topics .
Research proposals can be critical because they require great attention. If you are inexperienced, you are likely to suffer. In a worst-case scenario, your proposal may get rejected.
Your dedicated professional and experienced essay writer at 5StarEssays.com is always here to help you. Being a professional essay writing service , we know how to craft a compelling research proposal and help you get it accepted.
Or, try using our AI powered paper writer to get quick writing help and sample citations.
What makes a strong research proposal.
Your proposal must explain why your research is important in addition to explaining the methods that you will use. You should also position yourself within your field of study and give an overview of why this specific topic could be significant.
Research proposals typically range between three and five pages in length. Research proposal formats vary across disciplines.
You should follow the format that is standard within your field, with special attention to what your faculty mentor prefers.
In a research proposal, use future tense for actions to be undertaken in the study. For example: A survey method will be employed , and a close-ended questionnaire will be used .
When writing a research proposal, it is best, to begin with, what you want to know more about. There is no set length for these proposals so they can be anywhere from 2,500 words up or down depending on the topic and scope of your study.
Like a research paper, the introduction and conclusion of your proposal should be brief. In every chapter you include in your proposal, begin with an informative intro paragraph that captures what will follow in each section.
Similarly, for chapters near their end, conclusions summarize points discussed throughout the sections but also highlight what is most important about them overall.
The 7 parts of a research proposal include
Each of these sections is key in order to craft an effective research proposal that will be approved by faculty members!
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The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify a research idea you have and to present the practical ways in which you think this research should be conducted. The forms and procedures for such research are defined by the field of study, so guidelines for research proposals are generally more exacting and less formal than a project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews and must provide persuasive evidence that there is a need for the research study being proposed. In addition to providing rationale for the proposed research, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study.
Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.
Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:
A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a complete research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the results of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing. It is, therefore, important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.
Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal. University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Beginning the Proposal Process
As with writing a traditional research paper, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout the social sciences. Most proposals are between ten and fifteen pages in length. However, before you begin, read the assignment carefully and, if anything seems unclear, ask your professor whether there are any specific requirements for organizing and writing the proposal.
A good place to begin is to ask yourself a series of questions:
In the end, your research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and highlight enthusiasm for conducting the study. Approach it with the intention of leaving your readers feeling like--"Wow, that's an exciting idea and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!"
In general your proposal should include the following sections:
I. Introduction
In the real world of higher education, a research proposal is most often written by scholars seeking grant funding for a research project or it's the first step in getting approval to write your doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea. After reading the introduction, your readers should not only have an understanding of what you want to do, but they should also be able to sense your passion for the topic and be excited about its possible outcomes.
Think about your introduction as a narrative written in one to three paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :
II. Background and Significance
This section can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and flow of your proposal. This is where you explain the context of your project and outline why it's important. Approach writing this section with the thought that you can’t assume your readers will know as much about the research problem as you do. Note that this section is not an essay going over everything you have learned about the research problem; instead, you must choose what is relevant to help explain your goals for the study.
To that end, while there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to deal with some or all of the following:
III. Literature Review
Connected to the background and significance of your study is a more deliberate review and synthesis of prior studies related to the research problem under investigation . The purpose here is to place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored, while demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methods they've used, and what is your understanding of their findings. Assess what you believe is still missing, and state how previous research has failed to examine the issue that your study addresses.
Since a literature review is information dense, it is crucial that this section is intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study in relation to that of other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically describing materials one at a time.
To help frame your proposal's literature review, here are the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:
IV. Research Design and Methods
This section must be well-written and logically organized because you are not actually doing the research . As a consequence, the reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. The objective here is to ensure that the reader is convinced that your overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem. Your design and methods should be absolutely and unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.
Describe the overall research design by building upon and drawing examples from your review of the literature. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to collect information, about the techniques you will use to analyze it, and about tests of external validity to which you commit yourself [i.e., the trustworthiness by which you can generalize from your study to other people, places or times].
When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover these issues:
V. Preliminary Suppositions and Implications
Just because you don't have to actually conduct the study and analyze the results, it doesn't mean that you can skip talking about the process and potential implications . The purpose of this section is to argue how and in what ways you believe your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the subject area under investigation. Depending on the aims and objectives of your study, describe how the anticipated results of your study will impact future scholarly research, theory, practice, forms of interventions, or policy. Note that such discussions may have either substantive [a potential new policy], theoretical [a potential new understanding], or methodological [a potential new way of analyzing] significance. When thinking about the potential implications of your study, ask the following questions:
VI. Conclusion
The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a brief recap of the entire study . This section should be only one or two paragraphs long, emphasizing why your research study is unique, why it advances knowledge, and why the research problem is worth investigating.
Someone reading this section should come away with an understanding of:
VII. Citations
As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. In a standard research proposal, this section can take two forms, so speak with your professor about which one is preferred.
In either case, this section should testify to the fact that you did enough preparatory work to make sure the project will complement and not duplicate the efforts of other researchers. Start a new page and use the heading "References" or "Bibliography" at the top of the page. Cited works should always use a standard format that follows the writing style advised by the discipline of your course [i.e., education=APA; history=Chicago, etc]. This section normally does not count towards the total length of your proposal.
Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal . Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005; Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Punch, Keith and Wayne McGowan. Developing and Writing a Research Proposal. In From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills. Nigel Gilbert, ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006), 59-81; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Parts of a research proposal, prosana model, introduction, research question, methodology.
A research proposal's purpose is to capture the evaluator's attention, demonstrate the study's potential benefits, and prove that it is a logical and consistent approach (Van Ekelenburg, 2010). To ensure that your research proposal contains these elements, there are several aspects to include in your proposal (Al-Riyami, 2008):
Details about what to include in each element are included in the boxes below. Depending on the topic of your study, some parts may not apply to your proposal. You can also watch the video below for a brief overview about writing a successful research proposal.
Van Ekelenburg (2010) uses the PROSANA Model to guide researchers in developing rationale and justification for their research projects. It is an acronym that connects the problem, solution, and benefits of a particular research project. It is an easy way to remember the critical parts of a research proposal and how they relate to one another. It includes the following letters (Van Ekelenburg, 2010):
Research proposal titles should be concise and to the point, but informative. The title of your proposal may be different from the title of your final research project, but that is completely normal! Your findings may help you come up with a title that is more fitting for the final project. Characteristics of good proposal titles are (Al-Riyami, 2008):
It is also common for proposal titles to be very similar to your research question, hypothesis, or thesis statement (Locke et al., 2007).
An abstract is a brief summary (about 300 words) of the study you are proposing. It includes the following elements (Al-Riyami, 2008):
Our guide on writing summaries may help you with this step.
The purpose of the introduction is to give readers background information about your topic. it gives the readers a basic understanding of your topic so that they can further understand the significance of your proposal. A good introduction will explain (Al-Riyami, 2008):
Your research objectives are the desired outcomes that you will achieve from the research project. Depending on your research design, these may be generic or very specific. You may also have more than one objective (Al-Riyami, 2008).
Be careful not to have too many objectives in your proposal, as having too many can make your project lose focus. Plus, it may not be possible to achieve several objectives in one study.
This section describes the different types of variables that you plan to have in your study and how you will measure them. According to Al-Riyami (2008), there are four types of research variables:
Your research proposal should describe each of your variables and how they relate to one another. Depending on your study, you may not have all four types of variables present. However, there will always be an independent and dependent variable.
A research question is the main piece of your research project because it explains what your study will discover to the reader. It is the question that fuels the study, so it is important for it to be precise and unique. You do not want it to be too broad, and it should identify a relationship between two variables (an independent and a dependent) (Al-Riyami, 2008). There are six types of research questions (Academic Writer, n.d.):
For more information on the different types of research questions, you can view the "Research Questions and Hypotheses" tutorial on Academic Writer, located below. If you are unfamiliar with Academic Writer, we also have a tutorial on using the database located below.
Compose papers in pre-formatted APA templates. Manage references in forms that help craft APA citations. Learn the rules of APA style through tutorials and practice quizzes.
Academic Writer will continue to use the 6th edition guidelines until August 2020. A preview of the 7th edition is available in the footer of the resource's site. Previously known as APA Style Central.
If you know enough about your research topic that you believe a particular outcome may occur as a result of the study, you can include a hypothesis (thesis statement) in your proposal. A hypothesis is a prediction that you believe will be the outcome of your study. It explains what you think the relationship will be between the independent and dependent variable (Al-Riyami, 2008). It is ok if the hypothesis in your proposal turns out to be incorrect, because it is only a prediction! If you are writing a proposal in the humanities, you may be writing a thesis statement instead of a hypothesis. A thesis presents the main argument of your research project and leads to corresponding evidence to support your argument.
Hypotheses vs. Theories
Hypotheses are different from theories in that theories represent general principles and sets of rules that explain different phenomena. They typically represent large areas of study because they are applicable to anything in a particular field. Hypotheses focus on specific areas within a field and are educated guesses, meaning that they have the potential to be proven wrong (Academic Writer, n.d.). Because of this, hypotheses can also be formed from theories.
For more information on writing effective thesis statements, you can view our guide on writing thesis statements below.
In a research proposal, you must thoroughly explain how you will conduct your study. This includes things such as (Al-Riyami, 2008):
For more information on research methodologies, you can view our guide on research methods and methodologies below.
If you’re a student, it’s likely that you’ve been asked to write a proposal essay at some point. A proposal essay is an academic piece of writing that tries to persuade the reader to do something or take a certain point of view. In this article, we’ll show you the best way to write a proposal essay that gets accepted.
What You'll Learn
A proposal essay is a type of academic writing in which the writer suggests an idea or solution to a problem and then backs up that suggestion with evidence. The proposal can take many different shapes, but it usually involves pointing out a problem or issue , suggesting a solution or course of action, and giving evidence to back up that solution or action.
Proposal essays are important because they give students a chance to look into tough problems and come up with solutions that could change the world. By writing a proposal essay, students learn how to find and analyze information, think critically , and explain their ideas clearly. These skills are useful not only in school, but also in a lot of professional settings.
In this article , we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide to writing a proposal essay that will help you win over your audience and get your proposal accepted. We’ll cover everything from choosing a topic to formatting your essay , so you can be sure that you’re presenting your ideas in the most persuasive and effective way possible.
Before you can start writing your proposal essay, you need to choose a topic. There are several factors to consider when choosing a topic, including your personal interests, the scope of the project, and the needs of your audience. Here are some tips to help you choose a great proposal essay topic:
1. Your Interests: Choose a topic that you are passionate about or interested in. This will make the research and writing process more enjoyable and engaging.
2. Relevance: Choose a topic that is relevant to your audience or community. This will make your proposal more compelling and increase the likelihood of it being accepted.
3. Feasibility: Choose a topic that is feasible within the scope of your project . Make sure you have access to the resources and information needed to effectively research and support your proposal.
Once you have considered these factors, it’s time to start brainstorming potential topics. Here are some techniques to help you generate ideas:
1. Mind Mapping: Create a visual map of your ideas, starting with a central topic and branching out into related subtopics.
2. Freewriting: Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and write down everything that comes to mind about a particular topic. Don’t worry about grammar or structure – just let your ideas flow.
3. Listing: Make a list of potential topics and then narrow it down based on the factors mentioned above.
Here are some examples of proposal essay topics to help inspire your brainstorming:
1. Should college athletes be paid?
2. How can we reduce plastic waste in our community?
3. Should schools require students to wear uniforms?
4. How can we improve mental health resources for college students?
5. Should the minimum wage be increased?
6. How can we reduce the gender pay gap ?
7. Should the government provide free healthcare to all citizens?
8. How can we reduce the carbon footprint of our city?
9. Should there be stricter gun control laws?
10. How can we improve public transportation in our city?
Once you have chosen a topic for your proposal essay, it’s time to conduct thorough research . This will involve gathering information from a variety of sources, evaluating their credibility, and organizing your findings in a way that supports your proposal.
The first step in researching your topic is to identify credible sources of information. These may include academic journals, books, government reports, and reputable news sources. Use a variety of sources to ensure that you are getting a balanced and well-rounded perspective on your topic.
Not all sources are created equal, so it’s important to evaluate each source for its credibility and relevance to your topic. Consider the following factors when evaluating sources:
1. Authorship: Who wrote the source, and what are their credentials?
2. Currency: How recent isthe information in the source? Is it still relevant?
3. Accuracy: Is the information in the source accurate and supported by evidence?
4. Bias: Does the source have a particular bias or agenda that may affect its credibility?
As you conduct your research, it’s important to take detailed notes and organize your information in a way that supports your proposal essay. Some effective note-taking strategies include:
1. Summarizing: Write a brief summary of key points and information from each source.
2. Quoting: Use direct quotes from sources to support your argument.
3. Paraphrasing: Restate information from sources in your own words, making sure to cite the source.
Once you have taken notes, organize them into an outline or mind map to help you structure your essay and ensure that your proposal is well-supported by evidence.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your proposal essay is well-researched, well-supported, and persuasive. In the next section, we’ll discuss how to effectively outline and structure your essay for maximum impact.
Once you’ve chosen a topic and conducted thorough research , it’s time to create an outline for your proposal essay. An outline will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your proposal is well-structured and easy to follow. Here are some tips for creating an effective proposal essay outline:
1. Introduction: Begin with an attention-grabbing introduction that provides context for your proposal and sets the stage for your argument.
2. Background Information: Provide background information on your topic, including any relevant statistics, research, or historical context.
3. Problem Statement: Clearly state the problem or issue that your proposal addresses.
4. Proposed Solution: Present your proposed solution or course of action, providing evidence to support its effectiveness.
5. Implementation: Discuss how your proposed solution would be implemented and what steps would need to be taken to make it a reality.
6. Conclusion: Summarize your proposal and reiterate its importance, urging your audience to take action.
– Use bullet points or numbered lists to clearly organize your ideas.
– Make sure each section of your outline relates back to your thesis statement .
– Keep your outline concise and to the point.
Here is an example proposal essay outline for a topic on reducing plastic waste in a community:
I. Introduction
– Attention-grabbing opening sentence
– Background information on plastic waste
– Thesis statement
II. Problem Statement
-Description of the problem of plastic waste in the community
– Statistics on the amount of plastic waste generated in the community
– Impact of plastic waste on the environment and health
III. Proposed Solution
– Proposal to ban single-use plastics in the community
– Alternatives to single-use plastics
– Benefits of reducing plastic waste
IV. Implementation
– Steps to implement the proposed ban on single-use plastics
– Timeline for implementation
– Strategies for community education and outreach
V. Conclusion
– Recap of the problem and proposed solution
– Call to action for community members to support the ban on single-use plastics
V. Writing Your Proposal
Now that you have a solid outline for your proposal essay, it’s time to begin writing. Here are some tips for crafting a strong proposal essay:
Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention and provide context for your proposal. Here are some tips for crafting a strong introduction:
– Start with a hook, such as a surprising statistic, quote, or anecdote.
– Provide background information on your topic to help the reader understand the context of your proposal.
– Clearly state the problem or issue that your proposal addresses.
The body of your proposal essay should provide evidence to support your proposed solution. Here are some tips for writing the body of your proposal:
– Use research and statistics to support your proposal.
– Provide examples and case studies to illustrate the effectiveness of your proposed solution.
– Address Potential counterarguments and provide rebuttals to strengthen your argument.
To make your proposal essay as persuasive as possible, here are some tips to keep in mind:
– Use strong, clear language that conveys your confidence in your proposal.
– Make sure your argument is logical and well-supported by evidence .
– Use emotional appeals sparingly and only when appropriate.
– Use transitional phrases to connect your ideas and ensure a smooth flow of information.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when writing your proposal essay:
– Failing to clearly state the problem or issue you are addressing.
– Presenting a solution that is not feasible or practical .
– Failing to address potential counterarguments or objections to your proposal.
– Overusing emotional appeals or providing insufficient evidence to support your argument.
By following these tips and avoiding common mistakes, you can craft a persuasive and effective proposal essay that will convince your audience to take action.
Once you’ve written a draft of your proposal essay, it’s important to refine it through careful editing and revision. Here are some tips to help you refine your proposal essay:
– Review your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
– Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
– Check that your proposal is well-supported by evidence and that your arguments are logical.
– Look for areas where you can improve the flow and organization of your essay .
It’s also a good idea to get feedback from others to help you refine your proposal essay. Here are some tips for getting feedback:
– Ask a peer or mentor to review your essay and provide feedback on areas that need improvement.
– Consider joining a writing group or seeking feedback from an online community.
– Take the feedback you receive seriously and use it to improve your essay .
Once you’ve made revisions based on feedback and edited your essay for clarity and accuracy, it’s time to finalize your proposal. Here are some final steps to take:
– Review your essay one last time to ensure it is error-free and well-organized.
– Make sure your essay is formatted correctly, with appropriate headings, margins, and font size.
– Create a bibliography or works cited page to provide proper credit to your sources.
To help you understand what makes a successful proposal essay,here are some examples of effective proposal essays:
1. “Implementing a School-Wide Recycling Program” – This proposal essay outlines a plan to implement a recycling program in a high school. It provides a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and implementation plan, as well as statistics and research to support the proposal. The essay also addresses potential objections and provides rebuttals.
2. “Increasing Access to Healthy Food in Low-Income Communities” – This proposal essay proposes a solution to the problem of food insecurity in low-income communities. It provides a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and implementation plan, as well as research to support the proposal. The essay also addresses potential objections and provides rebuttals.
3. “Reducing Gun Violence in the United States” – This proposal essay proposes a solution to the problem of gun violence in the United States. It provides a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and implementation plan, as well as statistics and research to support the proposal. The essay also addresses potential objections and provides rebuttals.
These proposal essays are effective because they:
– Clearly state the problem or issue they are addressing.
– Provide a well-supported proposal or solution.
– Address potential objections and provide rebuttals.
– Use research and statistics to support their proposals.
– Provide a clear implementation plan.
– Use clear and persuasive language.
By analyzing successful proposal essays, you can gain insight into what makes a proposal effective and use thoseinsights to improve your own proposal essay. Remember to carefully research your topic , create a clear and well-supported proposal, and address potential objections to make your proposal as persuasive as possible. With these tips and examples in mind, you’ll be well on your way to writing a winning proposal essay.
1. what are the elements of a proposal essay.
A proposal essay typically includes an introduction, background information, a problem statement, a proposed solution, an implementation plan, and a conclusion. It should also be well-supported by evidence and address potential objections.
When choosing a topic for a proposal essay, consider your personal interests, the relevance of the topic to your audience or community, and the feasibility of the proposal within the scope of your project.
A proposal essay typically follows a structure that includes an introduction, background information, a problem statement, a proposed solution, an implementation plan, and a conclusion. Each section should be well-supported by evidence.
Writing a winning proposal essay requires careful research, persuasive writing, and effective organization. By choosing a relevant and feasible topic, conducting thorough research, creating a well-supported proposal, and refining your essay through editing and revision, you can create a persuasive and effective proposal essay that inspires action.
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What’s the difference between a research plan and a research proposal.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.
Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .
However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:
Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them.
In general, they should be:
All research questions should be:
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:
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 .
The main guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style are to:
To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .
The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:
To format a paper in APA Style , follow these guidelines:
No, it’s not appropriate to present new arguments or evidence in the conclusion . While you might be tempted to save a striking argument for last, research papers follow a more formal structure than this.
All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the results and discussion sections if you are following a scientific structure). The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
The conclusion of a research paper has several key elements you should make sure to include:
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 .
The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .
A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.
The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:
and your problem statement
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Know the Differences & Comparisons
On the other hand, a research report is the culmination of the research endeavour. It is a great way to explain the research work and its outcome to a group of people. It is the outcome of the study conducted at the time of the research process.
This article will help you understand the difference between research proposal and research report.
Comparison chart.
Basis for Comparison | Research Proposal | Research Report |
---|---|---|
Meaning | Research proposal refers to a brief and cogent synopsis of the proposed research in a written form. | Research Report refers to a document that systematically, coherently and methodically presents the research work in a written form. |
Written in | Future Tense | Past Tense |
Preparation | At the beginning of the project | After the completion of the project |
Length | Short | Comparatively long |
Deals with | Problem or topic to be investigated. | Results of the completed research work. |
Determines | What will be researched, why the research is important and how the researched will be conducted? | What is researched, what sources are used to collect data, how the data is collected, what are the findings, what are the recommendations for future research? |
Chapters | Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology | Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology, Results, Interpretation and Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendation |
Research Proposal can be defined as the document prepared by the researcher so as to give a description of the research program in detail. It is typically a request for research funding, for the subject under study. In other words, a research proposal is a summary of the research process, with which the reader can get quick information regarding the research project.
The research proposal seeks final approval, for which it is submitted to the relevant authority. After the research proposal is submitted, it is being evaluated, considering a number of factors like the cost involved, potential impact, soundness of the plan to undertake the project.
It aims at presenting and justifying the need and importance to carry out the study, as well as to present the practical ways, of conducting the research. And for this, persuasive evidence should be provided in the research proposal, to highlight the necessity of the research.
Further, it must discuss the main issues and questions, which the researcher will address in the study. Along with that, it must highlight the fundamental area of the research study.
A research proposal can be prepared in a number of formats, which differs on the basis of their length. It contains an introduction, problem hypothesis, objectives, assumptions, methodology, justification and implication of the research project.
Research Report can be defined as the document in which the researched and analysed data is organized and presented by the researcher in a systematic manner. It is a publication, comprising of the purpose, scope, hypothesis, methodology, findings, limitations, recommendations and conclusion of the research project.
Simply put, a research report is the record of the research process. It is one of the most important segments of the research, as the research work is said to be incomplete if the report is not prepared.
A research report is a document containing collected and considered facts, taken to provide succinct and comprehensible information to people.
Once the research process is over, the entire work is produced in a written material, which is called a research report . It covers the description of the research activities, in an elaborated manner. It contains Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Discussion of Results and Findings, Bibliography and Appendices.
A research report acts as a method to record the research work and its outcome, for future reference.
The difference between research proposal and research report is discussed as under:
Basically, a research proposal defines the planning stage of the research work, which is prepared in written format, to know its worth. On the other hand, the research report signifies the concluding stage of the research work.
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On the surface, concept papers sound like they do the same job as a research proposal – and essentially, they do. Both are designed to communicate the rationale, methodology and outcomes of a proposed piece of work. The difference between the two lies mostly in the level of detail and the potential audience, based on which your approach towards writing each will vary. In this article, we dig deeper into these and recommend when to use which.
(For more on concept papers, read: Understanding and developing a concept paper )
Let’s say that through your concept paper, you find funding and collaborators for your proposed research project. You will now get into the nitty gritty of the project with a research proposal, while still keeping it “consumable” enough for a broader audience.
( For more on research proposals, read: Writing a successful research proposal )
When both are needed, a concept paper precedes a research proposal
Whether you send someone a concept paper or a research proposal depends entirely on two things:
If you are emailing an organisation or individual for the first time, you are more likely to receive a response by attaching a brief, snappy concept paper that is easily read by a multitude of people. On the other hand, some larger organisations, such as pharmaceutical companies, are very used to seeing full-fledged research proposals and may have a portal on their website where you would need to upload one, enabling them to skip the preliminary step of vetting your work through a concept paper.
Our recommendation : Given how pressed many people are for time these days, it would be prudent to send concept papers more frequently than research proposals. If more information is required, you will be asked for it.
Concept papers and research proposals do very similar things, but set out and achieve very different aims. They are often sent in sequence – the concept paper first, followed by the research proposal. The need for a research proposal arises when the concept paper has achieved its mark – when, for example, more information is required for a funding decision to be reached, or due diligence is to be performed, as a result of your concept paper gaining preliminary acceptance. Following up with a research proposal fills in the gaps and will aid in answering questions arising from the concept paper.
Read previous (second) in series: Writing a successful Research Proposal
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Home » Education » Difference Between Research Proposal and Research Report
Main difference – research proposal vs research report.
Research proposal and research report are two terms that often confuse many student researchers. A research proposal describes what the researcher intends to do in his research study and is written before the collection and analysis of data. A research report describes the whole research study and is submitted after the competition of the whole research project. Thus, the main difference between research proposal and research report is that a research proposal describes the proposed research and research design whereas a research report describes the completed research, including the findings, conclusion, and recommendations.
This article explains,
1. What is a Research Proposal? – Definition, Purpose, Content, and Characteristics
2. What is a Research Report? – Definition, Purpose, Content, and Characteristics
A research proposal is a brief and coherent summary of the proposed research study, which is prepared at the beginning of a research project. The aim of a research proposal is to justify the need for a specific research proposal and present the practical methods and ways to conduct the proposed research. In other words, a research proposal presents the proposed design of the study and justifies the necessity of the specific research. Thus, a research proposal describes what you intend to do and why you intend to do it.
A research proposal generally contains the following segments:
Each of these segments is indispensable to a research proposal. For example, it’s impossible to write a research proposal without reading related work and writing a literature review. Similarly, it’s not possible to decide a methodology without determining specific research questions.
A research report is a document that is submitted at the end of a research project. This describes the completed research project. It describes the data collection, analysis, and the results as well. Thus, in addition to the sections mentioned above, this also includes sections such as,
A research report is also known as a thesis or dissertation. A research report is not research plan or a proposed design. It describes what was actually done during the research project and what was learned from it. Research reports are usually longer than research proposals since they contain step-by-step processes of the research.
Research Proposal: Research Proposal describes what the researcher intends to do and why he intends to do it.
Research Report: Research report describes what the researcher has done, why he has done it, and the results he has achieved.
Research Proposal: Research proposals are written at the beginning of a research proposal before the research project actually begins.
Research Report: Research reports are completed after the completion of the whole research project.
Research Proposal: Research proposals contain sections such as introduction/background, literature review, research questions, methodology, aims and objective.
Research Report: Research reports contain sections such as introduction/background, literature review, research questions, methodology, aims and objective, findings, analysis, results, conclusion, recommendations, citation.
Research Proposal: Research proposals are shorter in length.
Research Report: Research reports are longer than research proposals.
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Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is campaigning on a proposal to make housing more affordable by providing down payment assistance for first-time home buyers and encouraging construction of new housing. We asked Prof. Cameron LaPoint, whose research interests include real estate and household finance, if these policy changes can make a difference.
Construction of new housing in Falls Church, Virginia, in 2023.
How bad is housing affordability in the U.S.? Is it actually a crisis?
There are many ways to define housing affordability, but common indicators point to much higher costs of both owning and renting than what we have seen since pre-COVID times. Average home prices grew more than twice as fast as average incomes between 2020 and 2023. This is an historically unprecedented rise in the U.S. home price-to-income ratio. At the same time, there has been a steady long-term trend of more and more renters spending high fractions of their income on housing costs. The share of cost-burdened renters —defined as those who spend greater than 30% of their income on rent—grew from 20% in 1960 to 45% in 2022. Rental prices have also spiked by 22% nationally since right before the onset of COVID, but this is on par with the rise in wage incomes over the same period.
We might also be concerned about measures of affordability for those who currently own a home or are looking to buy one. The costs of maintaining a home include property taxes, maintenance and repairs, and paying off a mortgage, net of any tax benefits such as itemized deductions. Nationwide, property taxes as a share of income have modestly fallen since the Global Financial Crisis. But compare a new homeowner who locked in a fixed-rate mortgage (the most common type of mortgage in the U.S.) with a 20% down payment on the eve of the pandemic in 2019 to another hypothetical new homeowner who did the same in 2023. The 2023 homeowner would be paying about 50% more each month to service their mortgage than the 2019 homeowner, due to a combination of higher interest rates and purchase prices.
Those looking to buy a home for the first time often consult buy vs. rent calculators like Zillow’s . You enter in your income, mortgage financing terms, and how much you plan to spend on maintenance. Then the calculator tells you, for a given dollar amount of rent you are paying or number of years you plan to live in a house, whether you would save more money by renting or owning. If you were to enter average cost numbers in each major metro area in the U.S. right now, the buy vs. rent calculator would probably tell you it is cheaper to rent than to buy unless you plan to stay in the house for longer than the average six years Americans tend to spend in any one place.
Kamala Harris has proposed $25,000 in down payment support for first-time home buyers. You have a new paper looking at the effects of property tax reduction on housing affordability. Does that research tell you anything about the potential impact of Harris’s proposal?
My new co-authored research looks at the links between local property tax policies and housing affordability for current and prospective homeowners. Property taxes may not seem very relevant to the debate about the current proposal of down payment support for first-time buyers, but they are! We find that offering property tax exemptions to current owners who live in their home puts first-time buyers at a disadvantage. This is because incumbent homeowners benefit from such tax breaks, which lowers their ownership costs, and therefore buyers are willing to pay more for a house. Economists call this the capitalization effect of lower property taxes. Owners are also less willing to give up their tax benefits by selling their current home. Meanwhile, renters receive no immediate cash benefit from these tax breaks, which are pervasive.
Down payment grants like the one being proposed can help counteract these forces. However, this also means a one-size-fits-all amount like $25,000 is not likely to go nearly as far in certain parts of the country, including California, where Proposition 13 has helped prop up home values by capping increases in property tax bills for current owners. Another group of researchers showed that the First-Time Homebuyer Credit offered between 2008 and 2010 helped first-time buyers become homeowners earlier in life, at the cost of mild increases in house prices of around 1%. That earlier policy featured lower grant amounts of between $6,500 to $8,500, so it’s possible that the stimulus effect could be greater for larger down payment grants. Overall, cash assistance to first-time homebuyers would likely benefit a small number of younger households and might even be counterproductive to improving the overall affordability of homeownership.
What are the most effective policy tools for making housing more affordable?
Policymakers can influence demand for housing through tools like down payment assistance and mortgage regulation, or supply through changing the incentives to build.
On the demand side, there is a wide body of evidence from outside the U.S. that making mortgages harder to access helps make ownership more affordable in terms of the sticker price. This is typically done by increasing the standard required down payment—for instance, from 20% to 30% of the sticker price. Down payment requirements lower the attractiveness of buying, freeing up single-family homes for sale. These policies are particularly good at cooling down housing markets when they apply only to investors trying to buy second homes in already expensive areas, as I show in a co-authored paper using a policy experiment in Taiwan. Down payment restrictions are often politically infeasible and difficult to enact unless done in a top-down way through powers delegated to the central bank. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve does not have this power in its toolkit, but we do have something called the conforming loan limit, set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which indirectly rations credit by making it more difficult for banks to sell off low–down payment mortgages on the secondary market.
On the supply side, encouraging developers and builders to provide more housing units would help bring down both rents and prices. Construction of entry-level homes is at historic lows, and my research shows that, across most states, permit numbers filed for new housing construction have not recovered since the Great Recession. Overcoming these challenges is easier said than done given the complexities of local land use restrictions and zoning codes.
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How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & ...
Research proposals, like all other kinds of academic writing, are written in a formal, objective tone. Keep in mind that being concise is a key component of academic writing; formal does not mean flowery. Adhere to the structure outlined above. Your reader knows how a research proposal is supposed to read and expects it to fit this template.
A research proposal differs in important respects from other forms of writing with which students are more familiar, such as an academic essay or a research paper. Instead of trying to reach a minimum length (e.g., 7 pages or 2000 words), you must achieve discrete goals within a specified space constraint (e.g., 2 pages or 750 words).
The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince your research supervisor, committee or university that your research is suitable (for the requirements of the degree program) and manageable (given the time and resource constraints you will face). The most important word here is "convince" - in other words, your ...
Look for any research gaps, trends and patterns, common themes, debates, and contradictions. Consider any seminal studies on the topic area as it is likely anticipated that you will address these in your research proposal. 4. Research Design. This is where you get down to the real meat of your research proposal.
Make sure you can ask the critical what, who, and how questions of your research before you put pen to paper. Your research proposal should include (at least) 5 essential components: Title - provides the first taste of your research, in broad terms. Introduction - explains what you'll be researching in more detail.
Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments
11.2 Steps in Developing a Research Proposal
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: 'A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management'.
Research Method. In the research proposal, you should go into depth about how you conducted your study. Explain your key research tools and the techniques you employed to get your results. If you conducted interviews, tell the reader about the subjects of your questions. Lastly, provide your analysis of the results.
Essay vs Research Paper: 10 Points of Difference. As you may have noticed, research papers and essays have many differences, both global and specific. These two types of academic assignments differ in the purpose of writing, have different structures and formats, and are aimed at testing different skills.
The goal of the research proposal is to persuade someone to agree to the research, but it is not quite the same as other types of persuasive writing. Usually, when tackling a persuasive writing project, you use pathos (emotion), ethos (authority), and logos (logic) to try to sway the audience. In a research proposal, while you may use some ...
A quality example of a research proposal shows one's above-average analytical skills, including the ability to coherently synthesize ideas and integrate lateral and vertical thinking. Communication skills. The proposal also demonstrates your proficiency to communicate your thoughts in concise and precise language.
Key Differences Between Research Statements and Research Proposals. Now that we've looked at each document separately, let's compare them side by side to highlight the main differences: Scope. Research Statement: Broad overview of your entire research career and interests. Research Proposal: Focused on a specific project or study.
Your proposal title should be concise and clear to indicate your research question. Your readers should know what to expect in the paper after reading the title. Avoid writing titles in a general perspective or phrases like "An investigation of …" or "A review of …" etc. Make it concise and well-defined. 2.
The forms and procedures for such research are defined by the field of study, so guidelines for research proposals are generally more exacting and less formal than a project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews and must provide persuasive evidence that there is a need for the research study being proposed.
A research proposal's purpose is to capture the evaluator's attention, demonstrate the study's potential benefits, and prove that it is a logical and consistent approach (Van Ekelenburg, 2010). To ensure that your research proposal contains these elements, there are several aspects to include in your proposal (Al-Riyami, 2008): Title; Abstract
Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide
It provides a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and implementation plan, as well as research to support the proposal. The essay also addresses potential objections and provides rebuttals. 3. "Reducing Gun Violence in the United States" - This proposal essay proposes a solution to the problem of gun violence in the United States.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a ...
A research proposal is prepared at the beginning of the project. In contrast, the research report is prepared after the completion of the project. The length of a research proposal is about 4-10 pages. On the contrary, the length of the research report is about 100 to 300 pages.
08 March, 2022. On the surface, concept papers sound like they do the same job as a research proposal - and essentially, they do. Both are designed to communicate the rationale, methodology and outcomes of a proposed piece of work. The difference between the two lies mostly in the level of detail and the potential audience, based on which ...
A research report describes the whole research study and is submitted after the competition of the whole research project. Thus, the main difference between research proposal and research report is that a research proposal describes the proposed research and research design whereas a research report describes the completed research, including ...
On the supply side, encouraging developers and builders to provide more housing units would help bring down both rents and prices. Construction of entry-level homes is at historic lows, and my research shows that, across most states, permit numbers filed for new housing construction have not recovered since the Great Recession. Overcoming these ...