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.
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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, June 13). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-proposal-explained/
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Stanford Research Development Office
Grant proposals are a distinct genre compared to other academic writing. At its heart, a compelling proposal focuses on posing an exciting research question or problem and offering a convincing narrative for how you will use grant funds to answer or solve it.
Strong proposals typically exhibit several key characteristics:
Addressing these key characteristics will help position your proposal for success. The Stanford Research Development Office is here to work with you throughout the process, from developing a compelling narrative to ensuring alignment with funder priorities. Our team offers expert guidance, resources, and support to enhance the competitiveness of your proposal for external funding.
Contact us at [email protected] to learn how we can help you.
Created: 02/06/24
Updated: 09/12/24
Search center for scholarly and creative excellence, center for scholarly and creative excellence.
The Affiliate Faculty Support Fund is designed to support affiliate faculty engaged in programs of research, scholarly, and/or creative activity. Projects should display potential for having a significant impact on one’s field or chart a new trajectory in one’s scholarly, creative or artistic development.
APPLY ONLINE
2024 - 2025 round 1 office hours:.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Pew Grand Rapids Campus 297C DEV (Berkowitz Room)
Thursday, September 12, 2024 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Allendale Campus 049 JHZ (CSCE Conference Room)
SUBMIT YOUR RSVP ONLINE
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Allendale Campus 049 JHZ (CSCE Conference Room)
Thursday, January 30, 2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Pew Grand Rapids Campus 297C DEV (Berkowitz Room)
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Allendale Campus 049 JHZ (CSCE Conference Room)
Thursday, March 13, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM TENTATIVELY Pew Grand Rapids Campus 297C DEV (Berkowitz Room)
How to apply.
Terms / Budget Info
AWARD Awards of up to a maximum funding of $3,000 are available for student help, supplies, necessary travel for data collection, travel to conferences for non-dissemination activities that are part of a scholarly or creative practice, and other costs of projects (faculty salaries and dissemination costs are excluded) . The duration of the grant is up to two years (no extensions allowed unless there are extenuating circumstances). Only one proposal per review cycle, and faculty must have closed previous CSCE grants before funds may be distributed.
ELIGIBILITY Affiiate faculty members.
DEADLINES There are three submission cycles per year with deadlines at the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on October 1st , February 1st , and March 15th of each year. If the deadline day falls on a weekend, then the deadline is moved to 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.
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REVIEW PROCESS Affiliate Faculty Support Fund proposals are awarded by a competitive review process. Proposals are reviewed by a committee composed of faculty from several disciplines, and therefore MUST be written to be understood by members of these multi-disciplinary review committees, i.e., an educated lay audience, rather than by narrow specialists in your field.
Criteria used in evaluating proposals include: project justification, significance of project, appropriateness of project design and methods, qualifications of the applicant for implementing the project, probability of achieving project objectives, and appropriateness of the schedule for project activities, if applicable. All of these criteria must be judged in terms of the likelihood that the project will result in recognition for the faculty member, faculty member's department, and the University.
Proposal Guidelines
Letter of Support Template
Terms & conditions.
FINAL REPORT A final report is due upon the conclusion of your project. It should include your goals, how you did or did not meet those goals, how the process went, and any dissemination plans.
Each grant recipient is allocated a budget for their project. This budget is determined by the application process and varies depending on the needs of the research or creative project. Grantees are responsible for monitoring their budget and initiating any payments/reimbursements. We do not order supplies, make travel arrangements, etc.
You may (1) use the CSCE worktags in Workday when creating your requisitions, (2) use the CSCE worktags in Workday when initiating a reimbursement expense report, or (3) work with your Department Coordinator to initiate a department transfer request (a.k.a. Budget Amendment for Organization ) through Workday. GVSU's Workday system should allow faculty to make purchases via department Expense Cards, etc., so that the faculty do not need to have out-of-pocket expenses. We will then reimburse the faculty mentor's department from the project's budget.
USING CSCE WORKTAGS IN WORKDAY Your project may require that a lab order supplies, your department purchase equipment, the grantee have out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed, etc. You will need to process your expenses through Workday and send to the CSCE Worktag. Go to Workday Job Aids & Demo Videos - Finance and follow the appropriate Job Aids. Please use the following Worktag/FDM information:
Please use the "DESCRIPTION" or "MEMO" field to include the faculty member's first and last name, the specific grant, and the grant year. Use the following formatting example: Bruce Wayne CSCE Affiliate Faculty Support Fund 2024-2025 (Round 1)
The awarded faculty's department may also submit a Budget Amendment for Organization in Workday to have your grant funds returned to the department. See the Job Aid for the Budget Amendment for Organization process. Have your department coordinator attach copies of the award notification, processed receipts (i.e. invoices, department purchases, etc.) to the Budget Amendment. Per GVSU policy, any services performed (editing, page publication, transcription, etc.) MUST be paid directly by a GVSU department via an invoice or purchased using your department p-card. Purchase of services using personal credit cards will not be reimbursed.
PLEASE NOTE ALL GVSU PURCHASING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED, INCLUDING:
Affiliate faculty support fund faqs.
Here are some frequent problems:
Seek feedback on your draft application, especially from peers and from people outside of your discipline or field. Some units have formal review committees for CSCE grants. In any case, more eyes on your proposal will help you tell a more compelling story about your scholarly/creative project.
Additionally, the CSCE’s Research and Development committee has one or more members from each college and the library. Many of these committee members are willing to review draft applications, identify potential concerns, and recommend improvements.
The Committee recognizes and values that CSCE funding can lead to impactful student experiences as well as providing meaningful contributions to a project. However, the primary goal of CSCE funding is catalyze the scholarship and artistic activity of faculty. If a faculty member’s primary goal for a project is to advance student development, they should consider other funding mechanisms, such as the Student Summer Scholars (S3) or Modified Student Summer Scholars (MS3) programs . The most successful grant applications emphasize the scholarly/creative nature and significance of the project, instead of student experiences.
Yes, paying students can be a major (or even the sole) budget item. However, it is incumbent on the applicant to explain that employing students is the best or only way to complete their project. The case for paying students is generally strongest when students are working long hours, have unusual skills or training, or it would be otherwise difficult to recruit student volunteers to contribute to the project.
Please allow up to 30 days from the application deadline for the committee to review your application and for the CSCE Administrative Assistant to prepare notification letters. That is by November 1st for Round 1, March 1st for Round 2, and April 15th for Round 3.
If your proposal is not funded, you may request feedback from the committee by sending the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence an email. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback in a 1:1 meeting with the Executive Director of Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence and/or the Chair of R&D. They will offer suggestions on how to improve or strengthen your proposal for resubmission. Please contact CSCE for more details.
Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence 049 James H Zumberge Hall 1 Campus Drive Allendale , Michigan 49401-9403
(616) 331-2281 (616) 331-6040 (Fax) csce@gvsu.edu
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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The simplest way to ensure that your research proposal ticks the necessary academic boxes and gets your study approved .
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Published on November 2, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on May 31, 2023.
A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.
Some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other. The type of research problem you choose depends on your broad topic of interest and the type of research you think will fit best.
This article helps you identify and refine a research problem. When writing your research proposal or introduction , formulate it as a problem statement and/or research questions .
Why is the research problem important, step 1: identify a broad problem area, step 2: learn more about the problem, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research problems.
Having an interesting topic isn’t a strong enough basis for academic research. Without a well-defined research problem, you are likely to end up with an unfocused and unmanageable project.
You might end up repeating what other people have already said, trying to say too much, or doing research without a clear purpose and justification. You need a clear problem in order to do research that contributes new and relevant insights.
Whether you’re planning your thesis , starting a research paper , or writing a research proposal , the research problem is the first step towards knowing exactly what you’ll do and why.
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As you read about your topic, look for under-explored aspects or areas of concern, conflict, or controversy. Your goal is to find a gap that your research project can fill.
If you are doing practical research, you can identify a problem by reading reports, following up on previous research, or talking to people who work in the relevant field or organization. You might look for:
Voter turnout in New England has been decreasing, in contrast to the rest of the country.
The HR department of a local chain of restaurants has a high staff turnover rate.
A non-profit organization faces a funding gap that means some of its programs will have to be cut.
If you are doing theoretical research, you can identify a research problem by reading existing research, theory, and debates on your topic to find a gap in what is currently known about it. You might look for:
The effects of long-term Vitamin D deficiency on cardiovascular health are not well understood.
The relationship between gender, race, and income inequality has yet to be closely studied in the context of the millennial gig economy.
Historians of Scottish nationalism disagree about the role of the British Empire in the development of Scotland’s national identity.
Next, you have to find out what is already known about the problem, and pinpoint the exact aspect that your research will address.
A local non-profit organization focused on alleviating food insecurity has always fundraised from its existing support base. It lacks understanding of how best to target potential new donors. To be able to continue its work, the organization requires research into more effective fundraising strategies.
Once you have narrowed down your research problem, the next step is to formulate a problem statement , as well as your research questions or hypotheses .
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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
All research questions should be:
Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them.
In general, they should be:
Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:
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.
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 Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, May 31). How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 13, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-problem/
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The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
Choose a broad topic, such as "learner support" or "social media influence" for your study. Select topics of interest to make research more enjoyable and stay motivated. Preliminary research. The goal is to refine and focus your research question. The following strategies can help: Skim various scholarly articles.
3. Narrow down your topic and determine potential research questions. Once you have gathered enough knowledge on the topic you want to pursue, you can start focusing on a more specific area of study and narrowing down a research question. One option is to focus on gaps in existing knowledge or recent literature.
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".
It can be difficult to come up with a good research question, but there are a few steps you can follow to make it a bit easier. 1. Start with an interesting and relevant topic. Choose a research topic that is interesting but also relevant and aligned with your own country's culture or your university's capabilities.
The research aims, objectives and research questions (collectively called the "golden thread") are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you're crafting a research proposal, dissertation or thesis.We receive questions almost every day about this "holy trinity" of research and there's certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we've crafted this post to help ...
As the name suggests, the research question is the core question (or set of questions) that your study will (attempt to) answer. In many ways, a research question is akin to a target in archery. Without a clear target, you won't know where to concentrate your efforts and focus. Essentially, your research question acts as the guiding light ...
There are two types of research: Qualitative research and Quantitative research. There must be research questions for every type of research. Your research question will be based on the type of research you want to conduct and the type of data collection. The first step in designing research involves identifying a gap and creating a focused ...
Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in studying. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be "Slavery in the American South" or "Films of the 1930s.". Do some preliminary research on your general topic.
Here is an explanation of each step: 1. Title and Abstract. Choose a concise and descriptive title that reflects the essence of your research. Write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. It should provide a brief overview of your proposal. 2.
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.
Steps to Develop your Research Question. Choose a topic with a wide range of published literature. Read and skim relevant articles to find out different problems and issues. Specify a theoretical or practical research problem that your research question will address. Narrow down the focus of your selected core niche.
Writing a good research question is an art and a science. It is a science because you have to make sure it is clear, concise, and well-developed. ... However, moving from working questions to research questions in your research proposal requires that you examine the literature on the topic and refine your question over time to be more specific ...
Introduces your topic. States your problem statement and the questions your research aims to answer. Provides context for your research. In a research proposal, an introduction can be a few paragraphs long. It should be concise, but don't feel like you need to cram all of your information into one paragraph.
Style: If space allows, provide a clear project title. Structure your text - if allowed use section headings. Present the information in short paragraphs rather than a solid block of text. Write short sentences. If allowed, provide images/charts/diagrams to help break up the text.
learning objectives. By the end of this chapter you will have the tools to: • Design a qualitative research project that spells out the goals of conducting research, articulates the functions of the research questions, and enumerates the methods that connect to your research objective. • Connect your research questions to the structure of ...
How to write research questions. Follow these steps when writing a research question: 1. Select a general topic. The first step to writing a research question is to choose a broad topic for your question. This can be something like "1920s novels" or "effects of technology." It's helpful to select something you are interested in and want to know ...
Research proposal aims. Relevance. Show your reader why your project is interesting, original, and important. Context. Demonstrate your comfort and familiarity with your field. Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic. Approach. Make a case for your methodology. Demonstrate that you have carefully thought about the ...
Step 3: Formulate research questions. Next, based on the problem statement, you need to write one or more research questions. These target exactly what you want to find out. They might focus on describing, comparing, evaluating, or explaining the research problem.
Grant proposals are a distinct genre compared to other academic writing. At its heart, a compelling proposal focuses on posing an exciting research question or problem and offering a convincing narrative for how you will use grant funds to answer or solve it. Strong proposals typically exhibit several key characteristics:
Useful tips for writing a research proposal. Maintain a focus in your proposal: Your research proposal should be clear and concise, outlining your research idea and its benefits to your chosen field of study, in a way that the reader can clearly understand. Remember, your proposal is just the starting point and an outline and does not need to ...
Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
REVIEW PROCESS Affiliate Faculty Support Fund proposals are awarded by a competitive review process. Proposals are reviewed by a committee composed of faculty from several disciplines, and therefore MUST be written to be understood by members of these multi-disciplinary review committees, i.e., an educated lay audience, rather than by narrow specialists in your field.
Research Proposal Checklist. The simplest way to ensure that your research proposal ticks the necessary academic boxes and gets your study approved.. Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Downloads: 5000 +
One way we measure safety is by testing how well our model continues to follow its safety rules if a user tries to bypass them (known as "jailbreaking"). On one of our hardest jailbreaking tests, GPT-4o scored 22 (on a scale of 0-100) while our o1-preview model scored 84. You can read more about this in the system card and our research post.
The type of research problem you choose depends on your broad topic of interest and the type of research you think will fit best. This article helps you identify and refine a research problem. When writing your research proposal or introduction, formulate it as a problem statement and/or research questions.