How to Write a Research Proposal?

1. Introduction of a research proposal

The introduction part of a research proposal consists of topic area, where you set your topic idea. The introduction part tells the reader why the topic is important. This generally accomplished if you have strong understanding about your topic. The topic must attract the readers.

• Present an interesting topic
• Provide details about existing research
• Explain your research problem statement
• Describe the outline of your research proposal

2. Literature review

A literature review in research proposal is a study of related sources of your research work. The literature review provides knowledge about the current progress about your research. This allows you to known about the necessary methods, theories and gaps in the existing research.

• Make yourself clear about the research area
• Search for the literature
• Identify gaps with the help of literatures
• Organize the literature review structure
• Start to write your literature review

3. Statement of problem

A statement of the problem refers to issue that your research is going to solve. In other words, it captures the existing study gap that your research aims to solve using reliable solution. The problem statement should clearly frame your research problem. It is more important that the problem is researchable, arguable, and clearly describes a relevant issue in your area of study.

• A good problem statement is reliable and unique. It doesn’t capture unnecessary ideas.
• It allows you to review the research problem.
• A good problem statement helps you to set the objectives of your research.
• It will justify your research is worthy and draws readers attention

4. Objectives (Scope of a PhD research)

Research objectives in a PhD research proposal are the outcomes that you going to achieve with your research. Many research projects contain two or more objective. Creating strong research objectives helps you to achieve research goals. Research objectives also help you narrow your focus on the research and key variables.

• Pinpoint the major idea of your research
• Split up your research ideas into research objectives
• Write your research objectives in the prescribed format

It is also important to consider the aspects that are not covered in your research. As a researcher, you should give more importance when developing your research objectives because if you broaden the objectives then you will find it difficult to manage the sources when writing a research proposal.A well-organized research objective reflects good research work. The scope must include,

• General-purpose of your research
• Good result
• Boundaries

5. Research methodology

The methodology chapter explains what you are going to do and how you are going to do, allow reader to evaluate your research based on the reliability of the research. In this research methodology section firstly, you need to introduce your overall methodological approach. Once you introduced your approach. You need to brief the details of data collection methods such as quantitative and qualitative methods. The research methodology must defines,

• Your research type
• How the data is gathered
• How the data is analyzed
• The study materials used in your research

Your research will be validated based on your research methodology. The methodology in research is a method of gathering and analyzing a research problem through various techniques. The research methodology gives answers to three important questions below,

• What you are doing in your research?
• How you are doing your research?
• Why you have chosen this methodology?

The methodology section of your research proposal contains the details of the workflow which you are going to follow to complete your project.

6. Reference

The reference section has a list of articles and books you have used in your PhD research proposal and also the sources you have selected to do your research work. Generally, the reference section will be ordered based on alphabetical order.This section will not be counted in the page limitation of the research proposal. Each reference must be listed using the manner given below,

• The name of the author followed by any initial
• Date of publication
• The title of article
• The publication details if any.

***The given order of the reference section might gets changed according to your university***