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Research Proposal Writing Study
Preprint · December 2019
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.10631.14244/1
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The Research Proposal is a concise document of your proposed research project with
clearly stated objectives, expected challenges, study execution plan to achieve
milestones and it must be supported with valid scientific citations.
The research proposal is a document created with the intention of convincing a prospect
that the research project being proposed by the candidate is worthwhile which must also
focus on candidate’s capability to successfully execute the project by outlining the clear
research plan to achieve set goals [1]. The inclusion of unnecessary information that is
not relevant to the research being proposed also becomes the cause of the chaos that
ultimately results in proposal rejection [2]. The details in a research proposal have to be
extremely relevant to the subject. It must be noted as per previous studies that the
research proposals are considered of good quality if and only if the writer has focused on
the subject by qualitatively selecting citations to support the claims instead of
quantitatively adding partial or fully irrelevant literature as in references; as of just to
increase the word count of the document [3].
Research Proposal Format and Sections
The research proposal is a document intended to convince the prospect that you have a
worthwhile research project and capability with an organized research plan to achieve the
targeted goals. Most of the research proposals lack the necessary information by skipping
on essential sections in a research proposal as per previous studies and that becomes the
reason for their proposal rejection. This article provides insights into writing a wellstructured research proposal that contains all the essential sections. This article spotlights
the major elements that must be covered in a research proposal document. These sections
are the title, abstract, introduction, statement of objectives, analysis of literature, research
methodology, research plan, budget estimations, research team particulars, funding
source, co-worker acknowledgments, and references.
Sections of a Research Proposal
A well-composed research proposal begins with a short and to the point (selfexplanatory) title. Whereas the introduction part must demonstrate in-depth but clearly
supportive literature review to highlight the problems or challenges, objectives and
significance of the research study being proposed. The research proposal needs to include
all the significant elements of the proposed research project and adequate information to
enable the prospect to accurately evaluate the merits and feasibility of the proposed
project and the writer must be aware of the dynamic trends that may influence proposal
writing by keeping the most updated scientific terms in the proposal [4]. It is also
necessary to figure out the research design factor of the research project under
consideration that whether it will be descriptive research or explanatory research study
and then write the research proposal accordingly [5].
How to Start Writing a Research Proposal?
Every research project has to tackle the following six issues irrespective of the field being
researched and the methods being followed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The need for research on the subject
The importance of the research findings
The methods to be used for research
Proposed objectives of the research
Expected challenges in conducting the study
Funding requirements during the study
The research proposal should only be composed after adequate prior preparation and
deliberation for the following reasons:
•
•
•
•
The research proposal that has been underprepared and badly written would in all
probability be rejected by your prospect.
A research proposal that has been well-prepared will assist you in visualizing the
project, planning research details, implementing plans, and monitoring fieldwork.
A research proposal that lacked preparation would undoubtedly appear poorly
written and create the impression of a lack of commitment to the project on your
part.
The research proposal forms an important part of the application for a grant and
could arguably be the deciding factor given the number of people competing for
it.
13 Elements of the Research Proposal
There are certain factors which come into play when one needs to write a research
proposal for a specific purpose i.e. for proposing an academic research project in a school
or college, for the purpose of pitching a project idea to obtain grant/funding from an
institute or for convincing a company to kick start a scientific study or scientific project.
The writer has to first focus on the main idea and purpose of the proposal that needs to be
written and then based on this preliminary information a plot for composing different
sections of the research proposal may be constructed. Following are the complete set of
section headings that a generalized research proposal includes but one may include or
exclude any of the below-listed sections based on their specific required:
Following are the 13 Elements of the Research Proposal:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Title
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Statement of Objectives
6. Analysis of Literature
7. Research Methodology
8. Research Plan
9. Estimated Budget
10. Research Team Particulars
11. Funding Source
12. Co-worker Acknowledgements
13. References
How to Write the Title of Research Proposal?
The research proposal should have a title that adequately describes the research project
that is proposed to be conducted by the candidate in a clear yet concise manner. The title
should be able to convey a clear idea of the research study or research project being a
research proposal.
As per the previous studies, it was noted that most of the research proposals get rejected
only because of long or irrelevant use of words that misleads the scope of the research
project or research study [3]. The self-contradictory titles often raise questions which
void the acceptance of the research proposal by the judiciary.
Sometimes, if the titles of the research proposals are long but yet meaningful then the
reviewers suggest the candidate revise the topic based on their recommended changes and
after the changes are completed then the proposal sometimes becomes acceptable instead
of rejection straightaway. The title of the research proposal can be revised once the
research is actively begun to better reflect the research topic.
How to Write the Abstract of the Research Proposal?
The abstract is a brief summing up of the entire research proposal. Ideally, it should be
around 300 words long but the requirement to limit the word count is normally given by
the school, company or the institute where the proposal is being submitted.
It was noted that there was no use of citations inside the abstract composition which
indicates that the abstract is actually the short-read summary of the research proposal. It
should comprise the key research topic, the reasons for choosing a particular topic, any
hypothesis that would be adopted, and the research methodology. The abstract should
stand independently of the rest of the proposal. It should not require reference to anything
that is mentioned in the rest of the proposal.
How to choose keywords for Research Paper?
When a research paper is accepted by an institution then it becomes the part of the
database of that institution-maintained record sometimes. This is why some institutes or
companies specify the use of keywords to classify your research paper to let it fall into a
specific category/niche; which makes it easier for them to save the research paper into a
specific category.
Keywords also play a vital role by indexing your paper into niche-specific search engines
(if publically displayed). It also helps the person who wishes to locate category specific
records which means the use of the keywords section in a research paper is strongly
advised. Normally, three to five keywords addition to a research paper document is good
enough.
How to Write the introduction of Research Proposal?
The introduction to the research proposal gives your prospect a better understanding of
the background to the main research study being a proposal at a time. The idea is to
create a framework for the proposed research topic to assist the prospect in relating it
back to the research that has already been completed in the same field.
The introduction should explain why research is required on the chosen topic and how
this study can influence them on the subject because of which one decided to write the
proposal on. The introduction part of the proposal has to be composed in such storytelling
yet a scientific way to clearly picture the problems that raised the concerns to initiate the
proposal study. Here, one must take extra care to use only supporting citations. If a large
number of citations are being used that are not closely related to the topic then the
research proposal reviewers may lose their way to find the convince-able references and
hence it may lead to the rejection of the proposal sometimes.
What are the elements of an Introduction section in Research Proposal?
The introduction in a scientific research proposal should generally include the elements
listed below:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A statement on the larger research issue in clear and unambiguous terms as well
as the purpose of the study.
A contextual background so as to clearly signify to the prospect the importance
and necessity of research on the issue.
An explanation of the rationale behind the choice of the proposed research topic
A convincing discussion on the benefits that will accrue from the proposed
research.
An identification of the major variables of the proposed research topic.
A statement of the hypothesis and research questions.
An assertion of the limitations and probable obstacles to the proposed research.
How to Write the Statement of Objectives in Research
Proposal?
The statement of objectives section of the research proposal clearly lists out the goals of
the proposed research project. These could be general goals or specific goals. The
statement of the objective has to be precise.
It is recommended to write the objective statement in one sentence in order to make it
clear that makes it look more convincing to the reader. Meanwhile, as if the statement is
clear then it gets the attention of the reader to read more about it by exploring the
proposal in depth.
What are the rules for Writing a Statement of Objectives?
When writing the statement of objectives, one should keep the following in mind;
1.
2.
3.
4.
State the objectives precisely and clearly.
State a set of objectives that are achievable within a specific timeframe.
Avoid long lists of objectives or objectives that are too extensive in their scope.
Stated objectives should be quantifiable and realistic.
How to do Literature Analysis while Writing the
Research Proposal?
The analysis of the literature section in the research proposal is meant to make available
sufficient background information that will aid the prospect in better understanding the
larger research issue or problem at hand. The section should provide an indication of
research that has been conducted on the issue as well as any research that is ongoing.
This will help in placing the proposed research topic from the right perspective. This will
also help the prospect ascertain that neither has the research topic being proposed in the
research proposal been investigated before nor is it being currently investigated by some
other researcher.
How to start the Literature Review Report Writing?
The literature review section should be brief and relevant to the proposed research topic.
It should include citations and references. It should fulfill the following functions;
1. Establish your knowledge of the research issue.
2. Illustrate your ability to conduct a critical analysis of literature on the research
issue.
3. Establish your awareness of the existing theory and research related to the
research issue in question.
4. Persuade the prospect about the substance and significance of the contribution
that the proposed research is likely to make to the literature on the research issue.
How to Study Plan in Research Proposal?
The study plan here refers to the scheduling and organizing of study times to aim for
achieving the set goals. The research methodology section of the research proposal is of
particular significance as it informs the prospect about the approach/methods that you
will take in dealing with the research study being proposed. This research methodology
section should convincingly prove to the prospect that a certain process can be adopted
for the execution of the proposed research in a reliable manner.
It should also state the activities/work that candidate have to put in to successfully
complete the proposed research study. Generally, various approaches are adopted in
defining the nature of the research study such as descriptive, exploratory, analytical,
correlational, casual, inferential, qualitative and quantitative research techniques. It is the
choice of the writer to think about the kind of the research design writing style in which
proposal fits well and then to outline the necessary sections in the draft.
What is Research Design?
The research design is a terminology used to classify the study being conducted by the
researched towards a more specific genre based on the experimental and study execution
techniques and plan.
Following are the research methodology child elements that the writer may consider to
include in the research proposal document:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Design of the proposed research study: A statement on whether the choice of
study design is descriptive, case-study, or cross-sectional. Provide an explanation
on whether the study is based on a questionnaire submitted to participants or
experiments conducted in a laboratory.
An explanation of how the research location was chosen.
Participants/subjects of the proposed research project: Provide details on the
participants of the proposed research study, the sampling methods that would be
used, and the inclusion/exclusion norms.
A calculation of the sample size depending on the research study being
undertaken.
A description of the instruments that will be used in the proposed study, whether
they are feasible and can be relied on, and the reasons for the particular choices.
These would include a description of the kinds of questionnaires that would be
used in the study.
A description of the activities involved in data collection, how they would be
carried out, and how long it would take.
A description of how the data collected would be analyzed and interpreted. The
research proposal should detail out plans to be used for data processing and
coding, the computer software that will be used, the statistical techniques,
significance and confidence levels, and so on. Dummy tables could also be
provided as a tool to explain the process of data interpretation and analysis.
A discussion of the ethical concerns where proposed research involves invasive
procedures on human or animal subjects. In such cases, it would be essential to
submit the research proposal to the Ethical committee at the location of your
workplace as well as at the location where the research project is proposed to be
conducted.
What is the Research Plan?
The research plan section of a research proposal outlines the proposed plan or proposed
timeline for conducting research on the proposed research topic.
Research plan section provides information on how the person who undertakes the
project will initiate the project, make progress time to time as proposed and accomplish
the suggested set targets. The plan should provide a tentative time span over which the
research is proposed to be carried out as well as a schedule for the various activities that
will form a part of the proposed research process. This would include scheduling of time
for the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Conducting the literature survey to identify the expected duration of the project
Making purchases and getting hold of consumables and amenities necessary for
the conduct of the proposed research
Conducting the proposed research study and experimentation
Scrutinizing the data
Comparing the current data with an expected hypothesis and analyzing the final
result deviations
Writing the final report on the proposed research project
A schedule for the various activities is vital for effective monitoring of the research
project. Every major activity to be conducted over the proposed research period should be
included in the activity schedule and should be allocated a fixed time span. Research
milestones should also be laid down. The Gantt chart is an effective tool for mapping an
activity schedule. The use of graphs, figures or timeline clip-arts in this section to
visually improve the presentation of the research proposal uplifts the interest of the reader
and that is why it is recommended by the institutes to include graphical information
sometimes in this section.
Funding Requirement Proposal
The specifics of working out the research funding requirements of the research proposal
as applicable to all academic disciplines have been discussed here. The rudiments of
writing a research proposal differ across various academic disciplines. This is because
research on epistemological projects is based upon a completely different set of
assumptions than that on practical projects. However, research proposal writing as
discussed here is a broad introduction to the subject and is applicable across all academic
disciplines.
Irrespective of whether your project is epistemological or practical in nature, the funding
agencies and their reviewers would expect that the research proposal provides for a
research plan, assumptions, research queries, and results. Moreover, visualizing the
project in these terms could reveal previously overlooked aspects of the project to you.
Hence, the art of writing a research proposal is a useful tool to possess.
Writing a research proposal is not the linear process of idea-proposal-award that it
apparently is, but rather has a circular course of action that begins and ends with an
idea/goal as explained in the diagram given below.
How to Propose Funding Requirements?
You may choose to include budget or funding or grant requirement section in your
documents such as the research proposal, study plan or other documents. In all these
documents, one needs to set a separate section on writing the cost estimation
requirements to carry out the research study or the job being proposed.
In this section, the candidate needs to breakdown each and every expected cost to provide
a clear understanding of your finance requirement. The project cost may be expanded into
as many as possible subcategories such as material cost, manpower budgeting, machinery
funding, operational expenses, emergency expenses, and so on. The expansion of the
budgeting depends upon the nature of the project being proposed. The candidates may
also consider adding a subcategory to include profit taking/revenue generation model
which must clearly show the initial to running cost, break-even point, and profit
expectancy.
The estimated budget section in the research proposal should detail out the budget for the
entire proposed project as also the expected sources of finance. The budget should
provide an activity wise or item wise categorization of costs as well as a justification for
each.
How to Write funding requirement in Research Proposal?
The research proposal’s budget section clearly states the costs involved in implementing
the project. It generally is composed of tables or worksheets with the budget details and a
section providing a justification for the budget explaining the need for the various
expenses mentioned therein. An explanation of the budget should be provided in the
research proposal even though it may not have been specifically required of you in the
organization/program guidelines.
The budget section of the research proposal should provide a comprehensive budget for
the entire project. The budget should not be constrained to the size of the grant being
offered. If the budget does exceed the size of the grant, provide a clarification that you
are looking for other sources of funding as well. Such a stance taken in the research
proposal will help you explain things later if and when you receive grants from more than
one source.
The items mentioned in the budget should fall within the specific guidelines of the
organization being applied to. If any item does not fall the stated guidelines, ensure that
you provide an explanation on how you will fund that item, in the budget justification
section.
Often universities require that the costs not directly related to the research project or
indirect costs be added to the funding sources that are under the particular university’s
administration. Each university would have a list of standard rates for such indirect
expenses which could be obtained from their administrative office. Create a draft budget
for indirect expenses and have it vetted by the officer in charge at the university before
including it in the research proposal.
The main deterrent to proving a comprehensive budget in the research proposal would
probably come down to your feelings of shame or embarrassment in requesting for
funding or in self-promotion. However, such feelings would probably relate more to
personal insecurities than to the quality of the research proposal. Hence, keeping in mind
the fact that if you don’t ask you won’t get funding will probably help in overcoming
such feelings of insecurity. Besides, the most harm that could be done to you if you asked
would be a refusal to provide funding in which case you could apply to your next source.
How to enlist Research Co-workers in Research
Proposal?
The section on research team particulars provides details on the probable research team
members and includes the following;
•
•
•
•
An identification of all the expertise that will be required on the proposed project
as well as the team that will work on the proposed research project.
A schedule of responsibilities for each team member
The CVs of all the key team members who would be working on the proposed
project
Written participation consent from all the proposed research team members
Identify the Funding Needs, Challenges and other aspects in Research
Recognizing the project needs/requirements would be the first step you take and the
answers to the questions mentioned below could help you get there.
•
•
•
Is the research to be undertaken the pilot or preliminary kind that will lead to the
development of a full-fledged research program?
Is funding required for all, some or any one of the following; fieldwork,
experiments, postdoctoral research, dissertation research, pre-dissertation
research, or archival research?
Is a stipend being sought in order to write a book, refine a manuscript, or write a
thesis?
•
•
Is a resident research fellowship with program assistance or other project
enhancement resources being sought at an institution offering the same?
Is funding required for an extensive and lengthy research project that would be
conducted over several years and would require the employment of many staff
personnel?
The next step would be to deliberate on the project focal point. The points listed below
could help you narrow down your choices.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the topic and its importance
List out the research problems that you are attempting to resolve and the
relevance of those problems
Identify your research hypotheses
Identify research methods
Contemplate the significance and importance of your research project
Consider whether you would prefer the use of qualitative or quantitative research
methods or whether you would rather use both.
Consider whether your research would be the experimental kind or the clinical
kind
Once the project needs and focus have been determined, project funding organizations
and grant programs can be explored.
What is the White Paper (General Proposal)?
The White Paper is a concise and authoritative report on a complex issue that dictates the
philosophy of the issuer about that issue. The White paper helps in understanding a
complex problem which enables the person to solve the issue or make a decision based
on this document.
Writing a White Paper before drafting the Research Proposal
Since funding is usually sought from various grant programs and project funding
organizations, one could begin the process of applying for the same by drafting a research
proposal and a research budget that is general in nature. Such a general research proposal
is often referred to as a ‘White Paper’. The white paper should address a general
academic audience with an explanation of your proposed project. Research proposals that
are to be submitted to various programs and organizations have to be modified to reflect
the specific rules and guidelines of each program or organization.
What to avoid while writing a Research Proposal?
The top priority while composing a scientific research proposal must be to avoid the use
of unnecessary information and statements that one can not prove with valid citations.
The research proposal is often flawed due to errors that are avoidable such as;
•
•
•
•
•
•
Objectives that do not adequately reflect the title of the research proposal
An absence of a literature review/provision of references
Broad-based or over-ambitious objectives
Poor scheduling of activities
A methodology that has been inadequately described
An unjustifiably big/small budget that asks for either too much/too little financial
assistance
How to Write Conclusion in Research Proposal?
The conclusion section of the research proposal provides insights on expected study
outcomes, information on challenges during the project execution, possible deviations in
results with the scientific and societal impact of the study being proposed.
The research proposal and its elements as described above are meant to act as a guide to
aid in writing a well-structured research proposal to pitch your project idea in a
professional manner. As per previous studies, most of the research proposals lack the
necessary sections which in turn results in rejection of a proposal. In this study, we have
provided all the essential components that a person must outline to write a well-structured
research proposal.
How to Cite reports in Research Proposal?
When the research proposal cites various works within its description, a list of references
has to be provided at the end of the proposal. This section of the proposal is generally not
counted in the page limits set in the guidelines.
Bibliography (References) section of the Research Proposal
A list of references is prepared by listing out the books, journals, articles, or other
documents that you have cited in the research proposal. This list is generally arranged in
alphabetical order by the author’s last name. However, there are different styles of
formatting references and you should check the guidelines to see if any style has been
specified. You could also consult with your mentor on the same or look up the references
section of the research articles assigned to you in your reading list. The use of endnote or
Mendeley is highly recommended while drafting the research proposal.
This Research Proposal article was
composed by taking References from the
following sources:
[1] A.J. Onwuegbuzie, Writing a research proposal: The role of library anxiety, statistics
anxiety, and composition anxiety, Library & Information Science Research, 19 (1997) 533.
[2] S. Isaac, W.B. Michael, Handbook in research and evaluation: A collection of
principles, methods, and strategies useful in the planning, design, and evaluation of
studies in education and the behavioral sciences, Edits publishers1995.
[3] A.W. Heath, The proposal in qualitative research, The qualitative report, 3 (1997) 1-4.
[4] P. Vakkari, M. Pennanen, S. Serola, Changes of search terms and tactics while writing
a research proposal: A longitudinal case study, Information processing & management,
39 (2003) 445-463.
[5] M. Sandelowski, D.H. Davis, B.G. Harris, Artful design: Writing the proposal for
research in the naturalist paradigm, Research in Nursing & Health, 12 (1989) 77-84.
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