1
Index
S.l No Topic Page No
01 Writing a research proposal 02
02 Golden Rules for Research Proposals 02
03 Contents and Style of your Research Proposal 03
04 The Process of Applying to External Funding 06
Providers
05 Common Mistakes in Research Proposal 09
Writing
06 Criteria of Good Research 09
07 Reference 09
Md:Aminur Rahman
3rd batch of Economics Department
Begum Rokeya University , Rangpur.
2
Writing a research proposal
A research proposal is intended to convince others that you have a worthwhile research
project and that you have the competence and the work-plan to complete it. Generally, a
research proposal should contain all the key elements involved in the research process
and include sufficient information for the readers to evaluate the proposed study.
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A research proposal should:
clearly define the topic you’re interested in and show you understand your research area
show you have started to identify and develop an original and interesting research
question
demonstrate you understand how to conduct research
look professional – it should be typed, in good English, well-structured with suitable
headings and clear and legible
include a bibliography, listing the books, articles and websites you have referred to
Source:1.http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.105984!/fileManager/HowToWriteProposal.pdf
2. file:///Research%20Proposal/Books/Writing%20the%20Research%20Proposal.htm
3. file://Research%20Proposal/Research/New%20folder/Articles%28RP%29.htm
Golden Rules for Research Proposals
Contents:
• Be clear, objective, succinct and realistic in your objectives
• Ask yourself why anyone should fund this research and/or why you are the best person for this
project
• Ask yourself why this research is important and/or timely
• State and justify your objectives clearly (“because it is interesting” is not enough!)
• Make sure you answer the questions: how will the research benefit the wider society or
contribute to the research community?
Style:
• If space allows, provide a “punchy” project title
• Structure your text – if allowed use section headings
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• Present the information in short paragraphs rather than a solid block of text
• Write short sentences
• If allowed, provide images/charts/diagrams which may help break up the text
The Process:
• Identify prospective supervisors and discuss your idea with them.
• Avoid blanket general e-mails to several prospective supervisors!
• Allow plenty of time – a rushed proposal will show.
• Get feedback from your prospective supervisor. Be prepared to take their comments on board.
• If applying to an external funding agency, remember that the reviewer may not be an expert in
your field of research
• Stick to the guidelines and remember the deadline
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Contents and Style of your Research Proposal
1. What to put in your proposal?
Application processes are different for each University so make sure to follow the guidelines
(For University of Begum Rokeya University , rangpur applications, guidelines are provided at
the start of the online application for admissions). However, if you are not given any guidelines
on how to divide your research proposal, you could adopt the structure below. This is also
relevant if you are applying for external funding or trying to get your employer to sponsor you to
undertake a research degree.
Example of structure for a research proposal:
• Title and abstract
• Background information/brief summary of existing literature
• The hypothesis and the objectives
• Methodology
• How will the research be communicated to the wider community?
• The supervisory provision as well as specialist and transferable skills training
• Ethical considerations
• Summary and conclusions
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2) Writing the proposal
When drafting the proposal, bear in mind that individuals reviewing your application will often
have to read a large number of proposals/applications. So, well-presented and clearly written
proposals are more likely to stick in the reviewer’s mind. Avoid long and convoluted titles. You
will get an opportunity to give more detail in your introduction.
Plagiarism
Make sure that you acknowledge the authors of ALL publications you use to write your proposal. Failure
to do so will be considered as plagiarism. Do not copy word for word what an author has said. You may
think that the original author has presented the information with the best possible words in the best
format. However, it is best to analyze it and re-write it in your own words. If you absolutely have to quote
an author ad verbatim, then make sure that you use quotation marks and italics to indicate it.
There are stylistic “golden rules” which contribute to a good proposal:
• Be clear, objective and straight to the point (No waffle!)
• Justify your objectives: “because it is interesting” is not enough!
• Provide a structure and use headings
• Avoid long solid blocks of text and use smaller paragraphs
• Write short sentences
• If allowed and if helpful, insert images/charts/diagrams to help break up text.
• Stick to guidelines and the deadline!
2a) Abstract
An abstract is a brief summary written in the same style as the rest of your application. It will
provide your reader with the main points and conclusion of your proposal.
2b) Introduction
A well-written introduction is the most efficient way to hook your reader and set the context of
your proposed research. Get your reader’s attention early on and do no waste space with obvious
and general statements. The introduction is your opportunity to demonstrate that your research
has not been done before and that the proposed project will really add something new to the
existing body of literature. Your proposal does not have to be worthy of a Nobel prize but it has
to be based on sound hypotheses and reasoning.
You will have to provide background information in the form of a literature review which helps
you set the context for your research to help the reader understanding the questions and
objectives. You will also be expected to show that you have a good knowledge of the body of
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literature, the wider context in which your research belongs and that you have awareness of
methodologies, theories and conflicting evidence in your chosen field.
Suggested format for an introduction:
• Introduce the area of research
• Review key publications
• Identify any gap in the knowledge or questions which have to be answered
• Your hypotheses
• Your aims and objectives, including a brief description of the methodology
• How is your research beneficial and to whom
2c) Main body of text
Honesty is one of the most important aspects in proposal development so avoid making
overambitious claims about the intended research, since what is proposed must be realistically
achievable. When drafting the proposal, it is worth asking yourself the following questions and
trying to answer them in the text:
• Why should anyone spend public, charity or corporate funds on my research and my research
training?
• Who is my research going to benefit (the stakeholders) or being of use to (the end users)?
Stakeholders and end-users include, for example, the research community, a professional body or
groups of researchers, a particular group of people such as children, older people or doctors, the
government, the industry, health services, social workers…... Try and be specific: stating that
your research will benefit the world is perhaps a bit too vague!
• Is there evidence, for example in the literature, that my research will fill a gap in knowledge or
a market demand? How will it build on the existing body of evidence?
• Is my research timely, innovative and/or responding to a new trend?
• How will my research proposal address my training needs as well as, if applicable, the needs of
my current employer?
Also have a thorough think about expected outputs to be achieved by the research such as a new
database, fundamental knowledge of a new or existing field, publications, and attendance at
conferences, contribution to a new policy, development of a new technology or service….. It is
also very useful to describe the milestones of your research projects (a time plan for every 6
months, for Year 1, 2, 3 or a Gantt chart). This will demonstrate to the reviewer or prospective
supervisor that you have really thought of how you are intending on conducting your research.
But be realistic!
2d) Methodology how will you achieve the research aims?
It is important to present the proposed research methodology (e.g. techniques, sample size, target
populations, species choice, equipment and data analysis) and explain why is the most
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appropriate to effectively answer the research question. If space allows, it may be a good idea to
justify the methodology by explaining what alternatives have been considered and why these
have been disregarded. You could also point out how your project fits with the research
environment of your prospective place of research and why your chosen university is the best
place to conduct your research, in particular if you have access to unique expertise, pieces of
equipment or data.
2e) About You
The quality of your ideas combined with your ability to carry out the project successfully within
your chosen Department/ School/Institute will be a useful addition to your research proposal.
You may wish to provide a small section/paragraph to present how your research interests,
previous achievements, relevant professional experience and qualifications will support the
completion of your research project. Remember to highlight any project management, data
analysis and critical thinking experience you may have gained previously. You could also
highlight how a further period of research training will help you achieve your personal and
professional development.
Avoid overly personal or vague statements but do try to point out:
• the most important achievements of your (academic) career: degrees you have obtained, IT
skills, societies you were part of, work experience, successful projects you have been Involved
and,
• Your best characteristics, eg. Motivation, enthusiasm, an inquiring mind, ability to carry out
Analytical work, a keen approach to research or ability to work independently.
2f) Dissemination
If space allows, indicate how you will be communicating with colleagues and your supervisors
as well as with the wider community and, if applicable the funding body supporting your
research.
Examples of dissemination activities are:
• Internal seminars
• Regular reporting to stakeholders (eg. health service, industrial partner, Government
• Publications (eg. journal articles, reviews, book chapters)
• Conference presentations
• Exhibitions
• Outreach (eg. Research Communication in Action) and Public engagement events
(eg. Café Scientifique, Biotechnology YES, Edinburgh Science Festival)
2g) Summaries and Conclusions
As a result, each proposal will only receive a short time. Your proposal has to stand out! Well-
written summaries and conclusions at the end of the proposal and/or at the end of each section
can help a reviewer identify the important information. Do not waffle and make sure these are
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concise, clear and informative – some reviewers will start by reading the conclusions. Reviewers
tend to have a large number of applications to review and/or to be very busy people
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The Process of Applying to External Funding Providers
1) Rules, Guidelines, Eligibility and Deadlines
A surprisingly large percentage of proposals are rejected simply because they do not follow the
rules and guidelines specified by the funding body. Deadlines are nearly always firm (unless
called “rolling”) and it is highly unlikely that they would be amended for anyone. Follow the
rules, guidelines and eligibility criteria to the letter! The funder has produced them for a reason
and failure to follow these will almost guarantee the rejection of your proposal.
2) Screening process
The most popular funding bodies will have a very strict screening process which will be carried
out before the reviewer gets to see the proposals. Any application which does not comply with
rules and regulations, including editorial ones such as font size or number of pages will not be
accepted. The number of proposals will almost always exceed the number of awards available by
several folds so do not provide reasons for your application to be rejected on format.
3) The application process
Bear in mind that some funders have closing dates early in the year so it is a good idea to start
the studentship application as soon as possible (about a year before your proposed start date).
External funders will often ask you to have, at least, a conditional offer of admission at the
proposed university or to have an endorsement from the university you are planning to go to.
Some funding will only be tenable at the university stated in the application so make sure you
read all the guidelines.
3a) Discuss and develop your idea
You may start the funding application process by identifying a suitable supervisor and discussing
the idea for your research project with him/her. Your prospective supervisor will be an integral
part of your application and should be able to offer further support with your application. You
can look for potential supervisors by visiting the prospective University website, review the
research expertise which fits your chosen field best and then search for researchers who could be
potential supervisors. It is a good idea to have a good general overview of your supervisor’s
research expertise as a courtesy to them when you contact them for the first time. This will also
allow you to ensure that they are the best person to advise you on your proposal. More
information is provided in the previous section on how to write a good research
proposal/postgraduate research application. You may wish to send an abstract of your research
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idea or a draft research proposal to prospective supervisors prior to submitting your application,
meeting them or talking to them over the phone or by e-mail. Make sure your draft is of good
quality and it is best not to send the same proposal to all potential supervisors. Be prepared to
listen to their advice and to answer questions. Critical appraisal is a skill that academic staff have
developed over many years so don’t be offended if you get a lot of comments and take advantage
of the expertise and experience of your prospective supervisor. Finally and very importantly, do
not assume that your prospective supervisor will or should do all the hard work for you. It is
YOUR proposal!
Fellow students, friends and colleagues can also act as lay readers/ proofreaders and give a
different perspective on your proposal in particular on the aims of your research.
3b) Find a potential research studentship funder
If you are seeking external funding for your own project, the next step is to find the most
appropriate funding body and funding stream for your particular research project. Your
prospective supervisor and previous undergraduate/Masters study advisors will be excellent
sources of knowledge in this area. Other members of staff in university’s scholarships offices,
careers services, research support offices or student recruitment and admissions (if they have
staff specializing in postgraduate studies) may be able to help you. Before you start developing
the research proposal, it is worth researching your chosen funding body (whether it is a
university or an external funding agency) and the web is a good place to start. Once an
opportunity has been identified, you should ensure that you have checked:
• That your research idea is in a research area supported by the prospective funder;
• That you are eligible to apply (e.g. nationality, affiliation, qualifications);
• That you have allowed sufficient time for drafting the research proposal;
• That you understand fully the funder’s selection process;
• That you have allowed sufficient time to complete the proposal for the closing date and;
• How the application should be submitted to the funder. Some funders (eg. AHRC and ESRC)
require that you register on their system and may require approval from your prospective
University.
3c) Before you start writing
All funders (government funded research councils, universities, research charities, or private
companies) have objectives to fulfil set by the people and organizations that they answer to,
including stakeholders and financial supporters. When they invest in research, they are looking
for that investment to help them achieve those objectives. For private sector employers, it may be
to improve their business processes, increase their R&D potential or to train employees. For
research charities, it may be to find ways to help particular groups of people such as those in
unemployment or those affected by a medical condition.
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All funders, universities and prospective supervisors want good applications. However, they will
have different ways of reviewing your application and may have strict criteria against which to
assess your proposal. Try and be objective. For example, if your research proposal involves a 10-
year geological survey, it is unlikely that the funder will want to fund it as a PhD studentship
which is set to last for a defined and shorter period of time. Similarly, if your proposal contains
too few or too many research activities for the period of proposed research training, they will be
reluctant to fund it. The former will not be considered good value for money and the latter will
be perceived as having a risk of failure against the objectives planned at the beginning of the
project.
Make sure you consider how best to present the ideas/objectives of the research project and their
value clearly as there is stiff competition for postgraduate research awards. A proposal should
not just be “good enough” but one of the best.
3d) Lay summary
In addition to an abstract and an introduction, you may be asked to produce a lay summary, the
impact of which is not to be under-estimated. While funders may use expert panels to assess
research proposal, the final decision may rest with individuals (for example: Trustees from a
charity) who will not necessarily have the expertise in your proposed field of research. Make
sure you “grab” the reader attention by presenting a clear and succinct summary. As an
indication, some Research Councils advise that the lay summary be written in a style which
should allow reasonable understanding by an interested 14-year old.
3e) Training and supervision
The training and supervision of research students is an important consideration. Prospective PGR
student applicants will be expected to bear great importance to their gaining of specialist and
transferable skills so, if the funder requires it, indicate what provisions are in place at your
proposed University. The University runs one of the best and most proactive transferable skills
programmers:
3f) Dissemination
Funders want others to be helped and inspired by the research that they support, therefore
proposals which highlight what the expected benefits of the research are and how the research
findings will be communicated to the wider community, have a greater chance of success.
3g) Ethical considerations
Funding bodies have strict rules and expectations of the standards with which the research they
fund should be carried out. Project proposals must therefore include potential ethical issues
raised by the conduct of the research and funders will want to see how these will be addressed
should they occur. This is particularly important if your research project is deemed “high risk”
i.e.: if it involves animals, sensitive materials or vulnerable groups such as children or adults
with disabilities. You may also be asked to indicate what the ethical approval system is in your
prospective School. Your supervisor will be able to provide you with this information
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1. http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.105984!/fileManager/HowToWriteProposal.pd
2. Research-MethodologyMethods-and-Techniques-by-CR-Kothari.pdf
Common Mistakes in Research Proposal Writing
1. Failure to provide the proper context to frame the research question.
2. Failure to delimit the boundary conditions for your research.
3. Failure to cite landmark studies.
4. Failure to accurately present the theoretical and empirical contributions by other
researchers.
5. Failure to stay focused on the research question.
6. Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
7. Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.
8. Too much rambling -- going "all over the map" without a clear sense of direction. (The
best proposals move forward with ease and grace like a seamless river.)
9. Too many citation lapses and incorrect references.
10. Too long or too short.
11. Failing to follow the APA style.
12. Slopping writing
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Criteria of Good Research
Whatever may be types of research works and studies, one thing that is important is that they all
meet on the common ground of scientific method employed by them. One expects scientific
research to satisfy the following criteria:
1. The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used.
2. The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another
researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of what
has already been attained.
3. The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that are
as objective as possible.
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4. The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design and
estimate their effects upon the findings.
5. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance and the
methods of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data
should be checked carefully.
6. Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and limited
to those for which the data provide an adequate basis
7. Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a good
reputation in research and is a person of integrity.
In other words, we can state the qualities of a good research as under:
1. Good research is systematic: It means that research is structured with specified steps to be
taken in a specified sequence in accordance with the well-defined set of rules. Systematic
characteristic of the research does not rule out creative thinking but it certainly does reject
the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusions.
2. Good research is logical: This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical out
research and the logical process of induction and deduction are of great value in carrying
out research. Induction is the process of reasoning form a part to the whole whereas
deduction is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion which follows
from that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes research more meaningful in the
context of decision making.
3. Good research is empirical: It implies that research is related basically to one or more
aspects of a real situation and deals with concrete data that provides a basis for external
validity to research results.
4. Good research is replicable: This characteristic allows research results to be verified by
replicating the study and thereby building a sound basis for decisions.
Source: 1.Research-Methodology Methods and Techniques by CR Kothari.pdf
2. Introduction of Research-Methodology Methods and Techniques by CR Kothari (chapter-1)
Reference:
1. http://www.meaning.ca/archives/archive/art how to write P Wong.htm
2. http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.105984!/fileManager/HowToWriteProposal.pdf
3.file:///Research%20Proposal/Books/Writing%20the%20Research%20Proposal.htm 3.
4.file://Research%20Proposal/Research/New%20folder/Articles%28RP%29.htm
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5.The Postgraduate Companion (2008). Chapters 4-7; Hall G. and Longman J. Eds, Sage Publications
London, UK.
6.The PhD Application Handbook (2006). Bentley PJ. Eds, Open University Press, Maidenhead, UK.
7.Vitae (formerly UKGRAD): http://www.vitae.ac.uk/
8.”What do PhDs do”: Link to WDPD; Link to “What motivates PhD students”; Link to “Getting the
most out of your PhD
