PhD Research Proposal
The heart of the application form is your research proposal. This should be a statement of a
maximum of 2 sides of A4 where you explain what you want to research and how you
propose to do it. You should provide a clear statement of the proposed research topic, why it
is important and why your proposal has the potential to contribute to knowledge in your area
of research. You should also provide an outline of your proposed methodology.
Please also include a curriculum vitae with your application. We consider each application
on its individual merits and ensure that proposed projects match the research interests and
expertise of academic members of staff.
Following we have listed some more information that might be helpful when writing your
proposal.
What is a proposal for?
A proposal should demonstrate why the research should be done, how it should be done,
what its outcomes will be and how the results will be disseminated. A well prepared research
proposal:
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demonstrates that you have thought through your research idea
demonstrates that you have the appropriate information, skills and knowledge to
pursue a research project
shows that the project is feasible - in terms of time, money and intellectual scope
shows that you have though through how to answer research questions with suitable
and practicable methods
demonstrates how the project will contribute to knowledge, ie. that it is situated in
current debates and offers an original contribution
clearly outlines the ethical issues implied by the research and offers a strategy to
manage them
shows that you can write clearly and lucidly for a range of different audiences
Types of proposal
There are different kinds of proposal depending on the scale of the research, who is funding
it and who will do it. Academics are usually invited to apply for project funding from research
councils (UK, EU or International), funding agencies or government agencies on the basis of
open competition. Nowadays, competitive funding rounds are often based on a two-stage
process, with a shorter outline application which, if it is successfully shortlisted, is followed
by a much more detailed full proposal.
Outline proposals - can be anything from a short summary, often only one page (e.g. for
research council PhD studentships), that gives a rapid introduction to the proposed project,
to a 30 page overview of a complex project (e.g. an international collaboration for EU
funding). In either case, the outline proposal must be concise, to the point, explain research
questions, offer methodology, indicate potential outcomes and cover ethical and
dissemination strategies. There may or may not be a requirement for a draft budget at this
stage.
Full proposals - are often lengthy documents with detailed information on each part of the
research proposal.
Main areas covered would be:
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detailed research questions,
a full case for support that includes full reference to relevant literature,
detailed information on the methods to be used,
full timetable or work plan,
duties of different staff,
detailed costings of all activities,
strategies for dissemination or collaborative partnerships,
media strategy,
any professional training required,
cv's of applicants, supporting letters
an indication of ethical issues arising.
We want you to provide us an outline proposal.
What does a research proposal need to include?
While specific funders or research-commissioners may specify particular requirements for
research proposals, in general, they must include the following elements:
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an abstract that summarises the main aims and context of the project, and a
summary in non-specialist terms
a general introduction to the field of research
indications of the context of the research in current debates - ie reference to relevant
literature or extant findings
clearly stated research questions that can be addressed by the proposed project
a clear work programme, or timetable, that specifies the tasks to be completed
a clear outline of the methodology, including the general approach and precise
methods to be used
a budget that includes all reasonable costs associated with the project
a plan that shows how you will disseminate the results of the research, and to whom
an indication of support from third parties - eg. Offering access to data or institutions,
financial support or other support
information about yourself, in the form of a short cv or an outline of your qualification
to do the research.
A consideration of the ethical implications of the research and a strategy to avoid or
deal with potential problems
What makes a good proposal?
A good proposal is one that convinces a funding body or other research-permitting
organisation to approve the research. It will be:
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clear and concise, well written with minimal jargon
well contextualised in current debates and literature
well focused and realisable aims
clearly stated research questions
realistic in its ambitions, but with a vision of what can be achieved
complementarity between the research aims and the methodologies
complementarity between the work plan and the methodologies
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correspondence between each of the elements of the proposal
well supported research programme, and a well qualified applicant
value for money, a reasonable and precise budget
good dissemination plan - with a strategy for using diverse media addressed to a
relevant audience
awareness of ethical issues in research and a strategy to manage any potential
ethical dilemmas
Elements of proposals
Some of the elements of the proposal are relatively straightforward, but outlined below are
some brief hints on some of the parts of the proposal that are most often asked about.
Abstracts
You will have seen the abstracts that are published at the beginning of any journal article,
and you will probably have seen executive summaries of research published by major
funding agencies (Joseph Rowntree 'Findings' are a good, accessible example). The
abstract provides a short summary of the key points of the research - the research
questions, aims, key methods, etc. It offers a very quick overview of what your project will
be, but it is also the first thing any reader of your proposal will see, so it sets the context for
the rest of the proposal. At the same time, it forces you to state clearly and concisely the
purpose and scope of your project - which is an excellent discipline in itself.
Research questions
These are the most crucial element of the proposal, and the most difficult to get right. A
research question is not a general philosophical question, nor is it like an interview question
with a simple answer. Research questions need to be focused - it should be possible to
address them - and proportionate to the project you are proposing. Research questions are
not questionnaire questions - they are not the questions you will ask people during your
research. They are the questions that your project will seek to answer. A research question
might be 'how significant are counties in tourist perceptions of place', but not 'do tourists
know which county they are in?' The latter may be part of the answer to the former question,
but will not tell you much in itself - because you also need to explain why the question
matters. A good research question answers a broader theoretical question with a particular
answer.
Literature review
If research is a contribution to knowledge, then you need to know what is already known to
know how to contribute to it. The literature review section of a research proposal is both a
demonstration that you know what is already known, and that you are able to critically
appraise existing research in order to build on it. A literature review elaborates on the
questions that have been answered in order to identify the ones that have not, and sets out
the argument for why your new research project is both necessary and timely. It provides the
foundations for any new research, so it must be stable and solid! Preparing a literature
review is a time-consuming exercise, which is why writing a research proposal is a big
investment for any researcher. However, it is an investment that should pay off in future
research and publications.
Ethical review
In academic research, the ethical review is often undertaken once a grant has been
awarded. Ethics reviews are tiered, and the consideration given to an application for ethical
approval is usually proportionate to the level of ethical 'risk' associated with the project. A full
review requires submission of a full ethical discussion of the project and a detailed analysis
of how research-subjects will be protected. A minimal review requires a statement of the
potential ethical issues that may arise, and an indication of how they will be dealt with.
Impact and support
Increasing emphasis is being put on assessing the potential impact of new research
projects. Applications to UK research councils now require that you outline what kinds of
impact your research project might have, and how you will optimise any potential positive
impacts (negative impacts tend to be considered under 'ethics'!). You are thus required to
indicate how you will exploit the results of your research. Obviously, this is easier with
applied research, but even with 'pure' research, you should be able to identify potential users
of the research, and the value that your research might have to them.
Overall make sure you proposal has: Indicative title (maximum 20 words), research
question(s), brief rationale for the research, objectives, methodology (brief outline of the
participants / subjects, data collection, analysis etc), timeline and originalities of the
research/contribution to body of knowledge (maximum 2 sides of A4)
Additional information:
Helpful resources on research, which include information on planning research can be found
on
the
'Skills
for
Learning'
website
at:
http://skillsforlearning.leedsmet.ac.uk/local/research/category_homepage.shtml
The Leeds Metropolitan University Research Office also provide a variety of training for
research students. Their website is very helpful - the link is here:
http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/research/index_Research_Development.htm