A key part of your application is your research proposal. Whether you are applying for a self-funded or studentship you should follow the guidance below.
If you are looking specifically for advice on writing your PhD by published work research proposal, read our guide.
You are encouraged to contact us to discuss the availability of supervision in your area of research before you make a formal application, by visiting our areas of research.
What is your research proposal used for and why is it important?
- It is used to establish whether there is expertise to support your proposed area of research
- It forms part of the assessment of your application
- The research proposal you submit as part of your application is just the starting point, as your ideas evolve your proposed research is likely to change
How long should my research proposal be?
It should be 2,000–3,500 words (4-7 pages) long.
What should be included in my research proposal?
Your proposal should include the following:
1. TITLE
- Your title should give a clear indication of your proposed research approach or key question
2. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
You should include:
- the background and issues of your proposed research
- identify your discipline
- a short literature review
- a summary of key debates and developments in the field
3. RESEARCH QUESTION(S)
You should formulate these clearly, giving an explanation as to what problems and issues are to be explored and why they are worth exploring
4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
You should provide an outline of:
- the theoretical resources to be drawn on
- the research approach (theoretical framework)
- the research methods appropriate for the proposed research
- a discussion of advantages as well as limits of particular approaches and methods
5. PLAN OF WORK & TIME SCHEDULE
You should include an outline of the various stages and corresponding time lines for developing and implementing the research, including writing up your thesis.
For full-time study your research should be completed within three years, with writing up completed in the fourth year of registration.
For part-time study your research should be completed within six years, with writing up completed by the eighth year.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
You should include:
- a list of references to key articles and texts discussed within your research proposal
- a selection of sources appropriate to the proposed research
When you have to write a thesis or dissertation, it can be hard to know where to begin, but there are some clear steps you can follow.
The research process often begins with a very broad idea for a topic you’d like to know more about. You do some preliminary research to identify a problem. After refining your research questions, you can lay out the foundations of your research design, leading to a proposal that outlines your ideas and plans.
This article takes you through the first steps of the research process, helping you narrow down your ideas and build up a strong foundation for your research project.
Step 1: Choose your topic
First you have to come up with some ideas. Your thesis or dissertation topic can start out very broad. Think about the general area or field you’re interested in—maybe you already have specific research interests based on classes you’ve taken, or maybe you had to consider your topic when applying to graduate school and writing a statement of purpose.
Even if you already have a good sense of your topic, you’ll need to read widely to build background knowledge and begin narrowing down your ideas. Conduct an initial literature review to begin gathering relevant sources. As you read, take notes and try to identify problems, questions, debates, contradictions and gaps. Your aim is to narrow down from a broad area of interest to a specific niche.
Make sure to consider the practicalities: the requirements of your programme, the amount of time you have to complete the research, and how difficult it will be to access sources and data on the topic. Before moving onto the next stage, it’s a good idea to discuss the topic with your thesis supervisor.
>>Read more about narrowing down a research topic
Step 2: Identify a problem
So you’ve settled on a topic and found a niche—but what exactly will your research investigate, and why does it matter? To give your project focus and purpose, you have to define a research problem.
The problem might be a practical issue—for example, a process or practice that isn’t working well, an area of concern in an organization’s performance, or a difficulty faced by a specific group of people in society.
Alternatively, you might choose to investigate a theoretical problem—for example, an underexplored phenomenon or relationship, a contradiction between different models or theories, or an unresolved debate among scholars.
To put the problem in context and set your objectives, you can write a problem statement. This describes who the problem affects, why research is needed, and how your research project will contribute to solving it.
>>Read more about defining a research problem
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.
A strong research question should be specific enough that you can answer it thoroughly using appropriate qualitative or quantitative research methods. It should also be complex enough to require in-depth investigation, analysis, and argument. Questions that can be answered with “yes/no” or with easily available facts are not complex enough for a thesis or dissertation.
In some types of research, at this stage you might also have to develop a conceptual framework and testable hypotheses.
>>See research question examples
Step 4: Create a research design
The research design is a practical framework for answering your research questions. It involves making decisions about the type of data you need, the methods you’ll use to collect and analyze it, and the location and timescale of your research.
There are often many possible paths you can take to answering your questions. The decisions you make will partly be based on your priorities. For example, do you want to determine causes and effects, draw generalizable conclusions, or understand the details of a specific context?
You need to decide whether you will use primary or secondary data and qualitative or quantitative methods. You also need to determine the specific tools, procedures, and materials you’ll use to collect and analyze your data, as well as your criteria for selecting participants or sources.
>>Read more about creating a research design
Step 5: Write a research proposal
Finally, after completing these steps, you are ready to complete a research proposal. The proposal outlines the context, relevance, purpose, and plan of your research.
As well as outlining the background, problem statement, and research questions, the proposal should also include a literature review that shows how your project will fit into existing work on the topic. The research design section describes your approach and explains exactly what you will do.
You might have to get the proposal approved by your supervisor before you get started, and it will guide the process of writing your thesis or dissertation.
>>Read more about writing a research proposal
After gathering background information, one of the easiest ways to focus your topic is to frame it as a question. Research is not passive reporting, it is a search for answers.
For instance, after doing research on censorship, you discover a current controversy involving censorship of the Internet. So, looking at your background research, you have determined that this is the area on which you wish to focus.
There are a number of ways to focus this interest even further into a research question.
Some questions to get you started
Who is involved?
- What are the political affiliations of those who are in favor of and opposed to censoring the Internet?
- How do public schools address Internet access and censorship?
- Does the government have the right to censor the Internet?
Are there comparisons you can make?
- How does the debate concerning Internet censorship differ from the debate about book banning?
- Does the Canada have different rules about Internet censorship than other countries?
Are there Pros & Cons to your topic? This reflects a potential decision to be made
- What are the ethical arguments for or against censoring the Internet?
- Should libraries censor Internet use?
- Should Internet filters block pornography?
Your background research using specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries will give you the knowledge you need to formulate a good research question.
Common problems with research questions
There are a number of common errors people make when formulating research questions.
The question is too broad to be manageable.
- What is the history of Christianity?
- Try instead, How did the conversion of Emperor Constantine affect the history of Christianity?
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How are environmental disasters being fought?
- Try instead, How effective are the current practices for cleaning oil spills?
The question is too narrow.
Sometimes the narrowness is logical (such as there being an easily obtainable "right" answer), and sometimes it is too narrow given the availability of resources.
- Does Sweden have nationalized healthcare? (The answer is "yes." That doesn't make for much of a paper).
- Try instead, What was the political process that enabled Sweden to establish nationalized healthcare?
- How did the UAW affect the economy in Dayton, Ohio in 1973?
- Try instead, What influence did the automobile labor unions have on the economy in the early 1970's?
The question cannot be answered.
Sometimes this is because of a logical problem in the question, because the information needed to answer the question cannot be logically or legally obtained.
- What are the pros and cons of evolution? (This isn't a very logical question).
- Try instead, How does teaching of evolution in public schools affect children who are raised in religions that embrace creationism?
- How many girls are forced into prostitution each year?
- Try instead, What are the traits that make girls vulnerable for being forced into prostitution?