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.
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 Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, June 13). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 18 June 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-proposal-explained/
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Published on August 25, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023.
Your research methodology discusses and explains the data collection and analysis methods you used in your research. A key part of your thesis, dissertation , or research paper , the methodology chapter explains what you did and how you did it, allowing readers to evaluate the reliability and validity of your research and your dissertation topic .
It should include:
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How to write a research methodology, why is a methods section important, step 1: explain your methodological approach, step 2: describe your data collection methods, step 3: describe your analysis method, step 4: evaluate and justify the methodological choices you made, tips for writing a strong methodology chapter, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about methodology.
Your methods section is your opportunity to share how you conducted your research and why you chose the methods you chose. It’s also the place to show that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated .
It gives your research legitimacy and situates it within your field, and also gives your readers a place to refer to if they have any questions or critiques in other sections.
You can start by introducing your overall approach to your research. You have two options here.
What research problem or question did you investigate?
And what type of data did you need to achieve this aim?
Depending on your discipline, you can also start with a discussion of the rationale and assumptions underpinning your methodology. In other words, why did you choose these methods for your study?
Once you have introduced your reader to your methodological approach, you should share full details about your data collection methods .
In order to be considered generalizable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.
Here, explain how you operationalized your concepts and measured your variables. Discuss your sampling method or inclusion and exclusion criteria , as well as any tools, procedures, and materials you used to gather your data.
Surveys Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted.
Experiments Share full details of the tools, techniques, and procedures you used to conduct your experiment.
Existing data Explain how you gathered and selected the material (such as datasets or archival data) that you used in your analysis.
The survey consisted of 5 multiple-choice questions and 10 questions measured on a 7-point Likert scale.
The goal was to collect survey responses from 350 customers visiting the fitness apparel company’s brick-and-mortar location in Boston on July 4–8, 2022, between 11:00 and 15:00.
Here, a customer was defined as a person who had purchased a product from the company on the day they took the survey. Participants were given 5 minutes to fill in the survey anonymously. In total, 408 customers responded, but not all surveys were fully completed. Due to this, 371 survey results were included in the analysis.
In qualitative research , methods are often more flexible and subjective. For this reason, it’s crucial to robustly explain the methodology choices you made.
Be sure to discuss the criteria you used to select your data, the context in which your research was conducted, and the role you played in collecting your data (e.g., were you an active participant, or a passive observer?)
Interviews or focus groups Describe where, when, and how the interviews were conducted.
Participant observation Describe where, when, and how you conducted the observation or ethnography .
Existing data Explain how you selected case study materials for your analysis.
In order to gain better insight into possibilities for future improvement of the fitness store’s product range, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 returning customers.
Here, a returning customer was defined as someone who usually bought products at least twice a week from the store.
Surveys were used to select participants. Interviews were conducted in a small office next to the cash register and lasted approximately 20 minutes each. Answers were recorded by note-taking, and seven interviews were also filmed with consent. One interviewee preferred not to be filmed.
Mixed methods research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. If a standalone quantitative or qualitative study is insufficient to answer your research question, mixed methods may be a good fit for you.
Mixed methods are less common than standalone analyses, largely because they require a great deal of effort to pull off successfully. If you choose to pursue mixed methods, it’s especially important to robustly justify your methods.
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Next, you should indicate how you processed and analyzed your data. Avoid going into too much detail: you should not start introducing or discussing any of your results at this stage.
In quantitative research , your analysis will be based on numbers. In your methods section, you can include:
In qualitative research, your analysis will be based on language, images, and observations (often involving some form of textual analysis ).
Specific methods might include:
Mixed methods combine the above two research methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches into one coherent analytical process.
Above all, your methodology section should clearly make the case for why you chose the methods you did. This is especially true if you did not take the most standard approach to your topic. In this case, discuss why other methods were not suitable for your objectives, and show how this approach contributes new knowledge or understanding.
In any case, it should be overwhelmingly clear to your reader that you set yourself up for success in terms of your methodology’s design. Show how your methods should lead to results that are valid and reliable, while leaving the analysis of the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results for your discussion section .
Remember that your aim is not just to describe your methods, but to show how and why you applied them. Again, it’s critical to demonstrate that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated.
The methodology section should clearly show why your methods suit your objectives and convince the reader that you chose the best possible approach to answering your problem statement and research questions .
Your methodology can be strengthened by referencing existing research in your field. This can help you to:
Consider how much information you need to give, and avoid getting too lengthy. If you are using methods that are standard for your discipline, you probably don’t need to give a lot of background or justification.
Regardless, your methodology should be a clear, well-structured text that makes an argument for your approach, not just a list of technical details and procedures.
If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Research bias
Methodology refers to the overarching strategy and rationale of your research project . It involves studying the methods used in your field and the theories or principles behind them, in order to develop an approach that matches your objectives.
Methods are the specific tools and procedures you use to collect and analyze data (for example, experiments, surveys , and statistical tests ).
In shorter scientific papers, where the aim is to report the findings of a specific study, you might simply describe what you did in a methods section .
In a longer or more complex research project, such as a thesis or dissertation , you will probably include a methodology section , where you explain your approach to answering the research questions and cite relevant sources to support your choice of methods.
In a scientific paper, the methodology always comes after the introduction and before the results , discussion and conclusion . The same basic structure also applies to a thesis, dissertation , or research proposal .
Depending on the length and type of document, you might also include a literature review or theoretical framework before the methodology.
Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.
Quantitative methods allow you to systematically measure variables and test hypotheses . Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.
Reliability and validity are both about how well a method measures something:
If you are doing experimental research, you also have to consider the internal and external validity of your experiment.
A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.
In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.
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Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template
If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.
In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.
If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:
PS – If you’re working on a dissertation, be sure to also check out our collection of dissertation and thesis examples here .
Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.
Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.
As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.
You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .
You can access our free proposal template here .
Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.
For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.
For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.
This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .
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Blog Business How to Write a Research Proposal: A Step-by-Step
Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Nov 29, 2023
A research proposal is a structured outline for a planned study on a specific topic. It serves as a roadmap, guiding researchers through the process of converting their research idea into a feasible project.
The aim of a research proposal is multifold: it articulates the research problem, establishes a theoretical framework, outlines the research methodology and highlights the potential significance of the study. Importantly, it’s a critical tool for scholars seeking grant funding or approval for their research projects.
Crafting a good research proposal requires not only understanding your research topic and methodological approaches but also the ability to present your ideas clearly and persuasively. Explore Venngage’s Proposal Maker and Research Proposals Templates to begin your journey in writing a compelling research proposal.
In a research proposal, include a clear statement of your research question or problem, along with an explanation of its significance. This should be followed by a literature review that situates your proposed study within the context of existing research.
Your proposal should also outline the research methodology, detailing how you plan to conduct your study, including data collection and analysis methods.
Additionally, include a theoretical framework that guides your research approach, a timeline or research schedule, and a budget if applicable. It’s important to also address the anticipated outcomes and potential implications of your study. A well-structured research proposal will clearly communicate your research objectives, methods and significance to the readers.
Formatting a research proposal involves adhering to a structured outline to ensure clarity and coherence. While specific requirements may vary, a standard research proposal typically includes the following elements:
Writing a research proposal template in structured steps ensures a comprehensive and coherent presentation of your research project. Let’s look at the explanation for each of the steps here:
Step 1: title and abstract.
Select a concise, descriptive title and write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology and expected outcomes. The abstract should include your research question, the objectives you aim to achieve, the methodology you plan to employ and the anticipated outcomes.
In this section, introduce the topic of your research, emphasizing its significance and relevance to the field. Articulate the research problem or question in clear terms and provide background context, which should include an overview of previous research in the field.
Here, you’ll need to outline specific, clear and achievable objectives that align with your research problem. These objectives should be well-defined, focused and measurable, serving as the guiding pillars for your study. They help in establishing what you intend to accomplish through your research and provide a clear direction for your investigation.
In this part, conduct a thorough review of existing literature related to your research topic. This involves a detailed summary of key findings and major contributions from previous research. Identify existing gaps in the literature and articulate how your research aims to fill these gaps. The literature review not only shows your grasp of the subject matter but also how your research will contribute new insights or perspectives to the field.
Describe the design of your research and the methodologies you will employ. This should include detailed information on data collection methods, instruments to be used and analysis techniques. Justify the appropriateness of these methods for your research.
Construct a detailed timeline that maps out the major milestones and activities of your research project. Break the entire research process into smaller, manageable tasks and assign realistic time frames to each. This timeline should cover everything from the initial research phase to the final submission, including periods for data collection, analysis and report writing.
It helps in ensuring your project stays on track and demonstrates to reviewers that you have a well-thought-out plan for completing your research efficiently.
Identify all the resources that will be required for your research, such as specific databases, laboratory equipment, software or funding. Provide details on how these resources will be accessed or acquired.
If your research requires funding, explain how it will be utilized effectively to support various aspects of the project.
Address any ethical issues that may arise during your research. This is particularly important for research involving human subjects. Describe the measures you will take to ensure ethical standards are maintained, such as obtaining informed consent, ensuring participant privacy, and adhering to data protection regulations.
Here, in this section you should reassure reviewers that you are committed to conducting your research responsibly and ethically.
Articulate the expected outcomes or results of your research. Explain the potential impact and significance of these outcomes, whether in advancing academic knowledge, influencing policy or addressing specific societal or practical issues.
Compile a comprehensive list of all the references cited in your proposal. Adhere to a consistent citation style (like APA or MLA) throughout your document. The reference section not only gives credit to the original authors of your sourced information but also strengthens the credibility of your proposal.
Include additional supporting materials that are pertinent to your research proposal. This can be survey questionnaires, interview guides, detailed data analysis plans or any supplementary information that supports the main text.
Appendices provide further depth to your proposal, showcasing the thoroughness of your preparation.
1. how long should a research proposal be.
The length of a research proposal can vary depending on the requirements of the academic institution, funding body or specific guidelines provided. Generally, research proposals range from 500 to 1500 words or about one to a few pages long. It’s important to provide enough detail to clearly convey your research idea, objectives and methodology, while being concise. Always check
The research plan is pivotal to a research project because it acts as a blueprint, guiding every phase of the study. It outlines the objectives, methodology, timeline and expected outcomes, providing a structured approach and ensuring that the research is systematically conducted.
A well-crafted plan helps in identifying potential challenges, allocating resources efficiently and maintaining focus on the research goals. It is also essential for communicating the project’s feasibility and importance to stakeholders, such as funding bodies or academic supervisors.
Mastering how to write a research proposal is an essential skill for any scholar, whether in social and behavioral sciences, academic writing or any field requiring scholarly research. From this article, you have learned key components, from the literature review to the research design, helping you develop a persuasive and well-structured proposal.
Remember, a good research proposal not only highlights your proposed research and methodology but also demonstrates its relevance and potential impact.
For additional support, consider utilizing Venngage’s Proposal Maker and Research Proposals Templates , valuable tools in crafting a compelling proposal that stands out.
Whether it’s for grant funding, a research paper or a dissertation proposal, these resources can assist in transforming your research idea into a successful submission.
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Chapter 14: The Research Proposal
Krathwohl (2005) suggests and describes a variety of components to include in a research proposal. The following sections – Introductions, Background and significance, Literature Review; Research design and methods, Preliminary suppositions and implications; and Conclusion present these components in a suggested template for you to follow in the preparation of your research proposal.
The introduction sets the tone for what follows in your research proposal – treat it as the initial pitch of your idea. After reading the introduction your reader should:
As you begin writing your research proposal, it is helpful to think of the introduction as a narrative of what it is you want to do, written in one to three paragraphs. Within those one to three paragraphs, it is important to briefly answer the following questions:
Note : You may be asked by your instructor to include an abstract with your research proposal. In such cases, an abstract should provide an overview of what it is you plan to study, your main research question, a brief explanation of your methods to answer the research question, and your expected findings. All of this information must be carefully crafted in 150 to 250 words. A word of advice is to save the writing of your abstract until the very end of your research proposal preparation. If you are asked to provide an abstract, you should include 5 to 7 key words that are of most relevance to your study. List these in order of relevance.
The purpose of this section is to explain the context of your proposal and to describe, in detail, why it is important to undertake this research. Assume that the person or people who will read your research proposal know nothing or very little about the research problem. While you do not need to include all knowledge you have learned about your topic in this section, it is important to ensure that you include the most relevant material that will help to explain the goals of your research.
While there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to address some or all of the following key points:
This key component of the research proposal is the most time-consuming aspect in the preparation of your research proposal. As described in Chapter 5 , the literature review provides the background to your study and demonstrates the significance of the proposed research. Specifically, it is a review and synthesis of prior research that is related to the problem you are setting forth to investigate. Essentially, your goal in the literature review is to place your research study within the larger whole of what has been studied in the past, while demonstrating to your reader that your work is original, innovative, and adds to the larger whole.
As the literature review is information dense, it is essential that this section be intelligently structured to enable your reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study. However, this can be easier to state and harder to do, simply due to the fact there is usually a plethora of related research to sift through. Consequently, a good strategy for writing the literature review is to break the literature into conceptual categories or themes, rather than attempting to describe various groups of literature you reviewed. Chapter 5 describes a variety of methods to help you organize the themes.
Here are some suggestions on how to approach the writing of your literature review:
It is important to note that a significant challenge related to undertaking a literature review is knowing when to stop. As such, it is important to know when you have uncovered the key conceptual categories underlying your research topic. Generally, when you start to see repetition in the conclusions or recommendations, you can have confidence that you have covered all of the significant conceptual categories in your literature review. However, it is also important to acknowledge that researchers often find themselves returning to the literature as they collect and analyze their data. For example, an unexpected finding may develop as you collect and/or analyze the data; in this case, it is important to take the time to step back and review the literature again, to ensure that no other researchers have found a similar finding. This may include looking to research outside your field.
This situation occurred with one of this textbook’s authors’ research related to community resilience. During the interviews, the researchers heard many participants discuss individual resilience factors and how they believed these individual factors helped make the community more resilient, overall. Sheppard and Williams (2016) had not discovered these individual factors in their original literature review on community and environmental resilience. However, when they returned to the literature to search for individual resilience factors, they discovered a small body of literature in the child and youth psychology field. Consequently, Sheppard and Williams had to go back and add a new section to their literature review on individual resilience factors. Interestingly, their research appeared to be the first research to link individual resilience factors with community resilience factors.
The objective of this section of the research proposal is to convince the reader that your overall research design and methods of analysis will enable you to solve the research problem you have identified and also enable you to accurately and effectively interpret the results of your research. Consequently, it is critical that the research design and methods section is well-written, clear, and logically organized. This demonstrates to your reader that you know what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. Overall, you want to leave your reader feeling confident that you have what it takes to get this research study completed in a timely fashion.
Essentially, this section of the research proposal should be clearly tied to the specific objectives of your study; however, it is also important to draw upon and include examples from the literature review that relate to your design and intended methods. In other words, you must clearly demonstrate how your study utilizes and builds upon past studies, as it relates to the research design and intended methods. For example, what methods have been used by other researchers in similar studies?
While it is important to consider the methods that other researchers have employed, it is equally, if not more, important to consider what methods have not been but could be employed. Remember, the methods section is not simply a list of tasks to be undertaken. It is also an argument as to why and how the tasks you have outlined will help you investigate the research problem and answer your research question(s).
Tips for writing the research design and methods section:
Specify the methodological approaches you intend to employ to obtain information and the techniques you will use to analyze the data.
Specify the research operations you will undertake and the way you will interpret the results of those operations in relation to the research problem.
Go beyond stating what you hope to achieve through the methods you have chosen. State how you will actually implement the methods (i.e., coding interview text, running regression analysis, etc.).
Anticipate and acknowledge any potential barriers you may encounter when undertaking your research, and describe how you will address these barriers.
Explain where you believe you will find challenges related to data collection, including access to participants and information.
The purpose of this section is to argue how you anticipate that your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the area of your study. Depending upon the aims and objectives of your study, you should also discuss how your anticipated findings may impact future research. For example, is it possible that your research may lead to a new policy, theoretical understanding, or method for analyzing data? How might your study influence future studies? What might your study mean for future practitioners working in the field? Who or what might benefit from your study? How might your study contribute to social, economic or environmental issues? While it is important to think about and discuss possibilities such as these, it is equally important to be realistic in stating your anticipated findings. In other words, you do not want to delve into idle speculation. Rather, the purpose here is to reflect upon gaps in the current body of literature and to describe how you anticipate your research will begin to fill in some or all of those gaps.
The conclusion reiterates the importance and significance of your research proposal, and provides a brief summary of the entire proposed study. Essentially, this section should only be one or two paragraphs in length. Here is a potential outline for your conclusion:
Discuss why the study should be done. Specifically discuss how you expect your study will advance existing knowledge and how your study is unique.
Explain the specific purpose of the study and the research questions that the study will answer.
Explain why the research design and methods chosen for this study are appropriate, and why other designs and methods were not chosen.
State the potential implications you expect to emerge from your proposed study,
Provide a sense of how your study fits within the broader scholarship currently in existence, related to the research problem.
As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your research proposal. In a research proposal, this can take two forms: a reference list or a bibliography. A reference list lists the literature you referenced in the body of your research proposal. All references in the reference list must appear in the body of the research proposal. Remember, it is not acceptable to say “as cited in …” As a researcher you must always go to the original source and check it for yourself. Many errors are made in referencing, even by top researchers, and so it is important not to perpetuate an error made by someone else. While this can be time consuming, it is the proper way to undertake a literature review.
In contrast, a bibliography , is a list of everything you used or cited in your research proposal, with additional citations to any key sources relevant to understanding the research problem. In other words, sources cited in your bibliography may not necessarily appear in the body of your research proposal. Make sure you check with your instructor to see which of the two you are expected to produce.
Overall, your list of citations should be a testament to the fact that you have done a sufficient level of preliminary research to ensure that your project will complement, but not duplicate, previous research efforts. For social sciences, the reference list or bibliography should be prepared in American Psychological Association (APA) referencing format. Usually, the reference list (or bibliography) is not included in the word count of the research proposal. Again, make sure you check with your instructor to confirm.
Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction Copyright © 2020 by Valerie Sheppard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Writing the proposal of a research work in the present era is a challenging task due to the constantly evolving trends in the qualitative research design and the need to incorporate medical advances into the methodology. The proposal is a detailed plan or ‘blueprint’ for the intended study, and once it is completed, the research project should flow smoothly. Even today, many of the proposals at post-graduate evaluation committees and application proposals for funding are substandard. A search was conducted with keywords such as research proposal, writing proposal and qualitative using search engines, namely, PubMed and Google Scholar, and an attempt has been made to provide broad guidelines for writing a scientifically appropriate research proposal.
A clean, well-thought-out proposal forms the backbone for the research itself and hence becomes the most important step in the process of conduct of research.[ 1 ] The objective of preparing a research proposal would be to obtain approvals from various committees including ethics committee [details under ‘Research methodology II’ section [ Table 1 ] in this issue of IJA) and to request for grants. However, there are very few universally accepted guidelines for preparation of a good quality research proposal. A search was performed with keywords such as research proposal, funding, qualitative and writing proposals using search engines, namely, PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus.
Five ‘C’s while writing a literature review
A proposal needs to show how your work fits into what is already known about the topic and what new paradigm will it add to the literature, while specifying the question that the research will answer, establishing its significance, and the implications of the answer.[ 2 ] The proposal must be capable of convincing the evaluation committee about the credibility, achievability, practicality and reproducibility (repeatability) of the research design.[ 3 ] Four categories of audience with different expectations may be present in the evaluation committees, namely academic colleagues, policy-makers, practitioners and lay audiences who evaluate the research proposal. Tips for preparation of a good research proposal include; ‘be practical, be persuasive, make broader links, aim for crystal clarity and plan before you write’. A researcher must be balanced, with a realistic understanding of what can be achieved. Being persuasive implies that researcher must be able to convince other researchers, research funding agencies, educational institutions and supervisors that the research is worth getting approval. The aim of the researcher should be clearly stated in simple language that describes the research in a way that non-specialists can comprehend, without use of jargons. The proposal must not only demonstrate that it is based on an intelligent understanding of the existing literature but also show that the writer has thought about the time needed to conduct each stage of the research.[ 4 , 5 ]
The contents or formats of a research proposal vary depending on the requirements of evaluation committee and are generally provided by the evaluation committee or the institution.
In general, a cover page should contain the (i) title of the proposal, (ii) name and affiliation of the researcher (principal investigator) and co-investigators, (iii) institutional affiliation (degree of the investigator and the name of institution where the study will be performed), details of contact such as phone numbers, E-mail id's and lines for signatures of investigators.
The main contents of the proposal may be presented under the following headings: (i) introduction, (ii) review of literature, (iii) aims and objectives, (iv) research design and methods, (v) ethical considerations, (vi) budget, (vii) appendices and (viii) citations.[ 4 ]
It is also sometimes termed as ‘need for study’ or ‘abstract’. Introduction is an initial pitch of an idea; it sets the scene and puts the research in context.[ 6 ] The introduction should be designed to create interest in the reader about the topic and proposal. It should convey to the reader, what you want to do, what necessitates the study and your passion for the topic.[ 7 ] Some questions that can be used to assess the significance of the study are: (i) Who has an interest in the domain of inquiry? (ii) What do we already know about the topic? (iii) What has not been answered adequately in previous research and practice? (iv) How will this research add to knowledge, practice and policy in this area? Some of the evaluation committees, expect the last two questions, elaborated under a separate heading of ‘background and significance’.[ 8 ] Introduction should also contain the hypothesis behind the research design. If hypothesis cannot be constructed, the line of inquiry to be used in the research must be indicated.
It refers to all sources of scientific evidence pertaining to the topic in interest. In the present era of digitalisation and easy accessibility, there is an enormous amount of relevant data available, making it a challenge for the researcher to include all of it in his/her review.[ 9 ] It is crucial to structure this section intelligently so that the reader can grasp the argument related to your study in relation to that of other researchers, while still demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. It is preferable to summarise each article in a paragraph, highlighting the details pertinent to the topic of interest. The progression of review can move from the more general to the more focused studies, or a historical progression can be used to develop the story, without making it exhaustive.[ 1 ] Literature should include supporting data, disagreements and controversies. Five ‘C's may be kept in mind while writing a literature review[ 10 ] [ Table 1 ].
The research purpose (or goal or aim) gives a broad indication of what the researcher wishes to achieve in the research. The hypothesis to be tested can be the aim of the study. The objectives related to parameters or tools used to achieve the aim are generally categorised as primary and secondary objectives.
The objective here is to convince the reader that the overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem and to impress upon the reader that the methodology/sources chosen are appropriate for the specific topic. It should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.
In this section, the methods and sources used to conduct the research must be discussed, including specific references to sites, databases, key texts or authors that will be indispensable to the project. There should be specific mention about the methodological approaches to be undertaken to gather information, about the techniques to be used to analyse it and about the tests of external validity to which researcher is committed.[ 10 , 11 ]
The components of this section include the following:[ 4 ]
Population refers to all the elements (individuals, objects or substances) that meet certain criteria for inclusion in a given universe,[ 12 ] and sample refers to subset of population which meets the inclusion criteria for enrolment into the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria should be clearly defined. The details pertaining to sample size are discussed in the article “Sample size calculation: Basic priniciples” published in this issue of IJA.
The researcher is expected to give a detailed account of the methodology adopted for collection of data, which include the time frame required for the research. The methodology should be tested for its validity and ensure that, in pursuit of achieving the results, the participant's life is not jeopardised. The author should anticipate and acknowledge any potential barrier and pitfall in carrying out the research design and explain plans to address them, thereby avoiding lacunae due to incomplete data collection. If the researcher is planning to acquire data through interviews or questionnaires, copy of the questions used for the same should be attached as an annexure with the proposal.
This addresses the strength of the research with respect to its neutrality, consistency and applicability. Rigor must be reflected throughout the proposal.
It refers to the robustness of a research method against bias. The author should convey the measures taken to avoid bias, viz. blinding and randomisation, in an elaborate way, thus ensuring that the result obtained from the adopted method is purely as chance and not influenced by other confounding variables.
Consistency considers whether the findings will be consistent if the inquiry was replicated with the same participants and in a similar context. This can be achieved by adopting standard and universally accepted methods and scales.
Applicability refers to the degree to which the findings can be applied to different contexts and groups.[ 13 ]
This section deals with the reduction and reconstruction of data and its analysis including sample size calculation. The researcher is expected to explain the steps adopted for coding and sorting the data obtained. Various tests to be used to analyse the data for its robustness, significance should be clearly stated. Author should also mention the names of statistician and suitable software which will be used in due course of data analysis and their contribution to data analysis and sample calculation.[ 9 ]
Medical research introduces special moral and ethical problems that are not usually encountered by other researchers during data collection, and hence, the researcher should take special care in ensuring that ethical standards are met. Ethical considerations refer to the protection of the participants' rights (right to self-determination, right to privacy, right to autonomy and confidentiality, right to fair treatment and right to protection from discomfort and harm), obtaining informed consent and the institutional review process (ethical approval). The researcher needs to provide adequate information on each of these aspects.
Informed consent needs to be obtained from the participants (details discussed in further chapters), as well as the research site and the relevant authorities.
When the researcher prepares a research budget, he/she should predict and cost all aspects of the research and then add an additional allowance for unpredictable disasters, delays and rising costs. All items in the budget should be justified.
Appendices are documents that support the proposal and application. The appendices will be specific for each proposal but documents that are usually required include informed consent form, supporting documents, questionnaires, measurement tools and patient information of the study in layman's language.
As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. Although the words ‘references and bibliography’ are different, they are used interchangeably. It refers to all references cited in the research proposal.
Successful, qualitative research proposals should communicate the researcher's knowledge of the field and method and convey the emergent nature of the qualitative design. The proposal should follow a discernible logic from the introduction to presentation of the appendices.
Conflicts of interest.
There are no conflicts of interest.
What is a research proposal.
A research proposal is a short piece of academic writing that outlines the research a graduate student intends to carry out. It starts by explaining why the research will be helpful or necessary, then describes the steps of the potential research and how the research project would add further knowledge to the field of study. A student submits this as part of the application process for a graduate degree program.
If you’re thinking of pursuing a master’s or doctorate degree, you may need to learn more about how to write a research proposal that will get you into your desired program.
QuillBot is here to help—first, let’s look at why you might write a research proposal. Then we’ll cover the parts it should include, how long it should be, and the tools that can help you write a great one.
A student writes a research proposal to describe a research area where a question needs to be answered and to show that they can answer that question by adding new information to the field.
A research committee will read the proposals and decide whether each student will qualify for admittance to the graduate degree program.
To ensure that your proposal fulfils its purpose, take care to include all of the key parts.
Every research proposal contains a few standard sections, and some include extra sections specific to the program. Below we list the components of most research proposals.
Many schools, like the University of Houston, provide a research proposal example for students . Check with your university to see if they can offer you a similar resource. It can help you understand which parts you’re required to have while writing about your proposed research.
Of course, you’ll need to come up with an effective title. Though a title is less substantial than a section, it makes the first impression on the research committee. It’s also the most concise representation of what you hope to accomplish with your research paper .
A good title conveys your research goal in enough detail to show uniqueness. However, it’s not so detailed that reading and understanding it is tedious. Aim for 10 to 12 words and avoid using abbreviations, such as the ampersand (&).
The introduction is your chance to get the research committee enthused about your proposed research. You’re excited about the topic; explain why they should be excited too.
The introduction of a research proposal usually includes a few essential components that are minor in length but major in importance:
While it’s common to include these in the introduction, some proposals devote a separate section to them. As you compose these small parts, word them concisely but thoroughly. They must be clear and cover all the most vital aspects of your proposed research.
By the time the research committee has finished reading your introduction, they should have a foundational grasp of why you need to conduct this proposed research, how you plan to do so, and what new ideas it will add to the field. But remember, give only a summary of your methods and new ideas—save the finer points for later sections.
Many writers struggle to write concisely, but it’s an indispensable skill when you’re working on an introduction. QuillBot’s Summarizer can help you condense your thoughts to the perfect length for the introduction.
Now that you’ve finished the introductory parts of your research proposal, you can begin to go into more detail on your research design. The literature review is likely to be the largest portion of your paper.
The purpose of the background or literature review section is to show that you’re familiar with the existing body of knowledge on your topic. By describing the most pertinent studies related to your research questions, you show that there is truly a knowledge gap in the field and that your proposed research will help close it.
As you write the literature review, you’ll need to draw on other researchers' work. It's crucial that you cite all of your sources properly, or you'll be committing plagiarism .
In the next section, you have the chance to show the research committee that you have thought deeply about how to answer your proposed research questions.
Remember to draw on the studies you mentioned in your literature review, which often provide good models. How can you build on them? What theoretical framework(s) have they contributed that you can use to approach your problem effectively?
Based on what you’ve found in the existing literature, describe how you plan to conduct the research. Include the specific research methods you plan to use and how you will analyze any data you collect. Explain why and how these methods will help you achieve your aim and objectives, while other methods won’t.
Your research design should also define the scope of your study, which must fit the time frame of the degree program. A scope that’s too wide may make the research committee think you won’t go deep enough into your topic. Conversely, a scope that’s too narrow could leave you with too few resources to draw from. If the work you plan to do is not enough to fill the time, you could appear lazy or unmotivated, so consider the best way to cover your topic carefully.
After you’ve finished the main sections of your paper, you’ll need to be sure you’ve cited every source correctly. Create a reference list that includes all the sources you mentioned in your literature review and elsewhere.
It's helpful to keep a list and add to it as you're doing your research. That way you'll be sure not to miss a citation.
Besides the standard sections above, some proposals also include the following parts:
If you include a separate conclusion section in your proposal, you may find QuillBot’s Paraphraser convenient for restating your ideas in different words.
A research proposal is typically not very long—just a few thousand words. It’s not meant to be exhaustive; rather, it's just to show that you’ve put significant thought into the research you want to do and that you can realistically complete it.
Because your research proposal will be so short, you’ll want to put high priority on making every word count. Remember to ask your university for a research proposal example before you begin.
Take advantage of QuillBot’s writing tools to meet all of your proposal goals and write more efficiently. Before you submit it, give it a good once-over with our Grammar Checker and Punctuation Checker to make sure it accurately reflects the quality of your work.
Good luck with your proposal! And when it’s approved, don’t forget that QuillBot can also help you with other forms of academic writing, such as your thesis or dissertation .
A research proposal has three main parts: the introduction, the literature review, and the methods section.
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So you have a groundbreaking research idea you've spent months or even years developing, and now you're ready to take the next step.
How do you get funding for your research, and how should you approach potential funders? The answer is to create a convincing research proposal.
Unfortunately, most research proposals often get rejected. According to the European Research Council, the success rate for repeat proposal applications was only 14.8% in 2023 .
Pitching a novel research concept isn’t enough. To increase your chances of securing funding, your research proposal must check the right boxes in terms of clarity, feasibility, aesthetic appeal and other factors.
If you’re looking for inspiration to create a persuasive and feasible proposal, you’re in the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list of research proposal examples to help you create yours.
These examples will help you understand how to organize your proposal, what information to include and how to present it in a way that encourages others to support your project.
Let's dive in!
What is a research proposal, what to include in a research proposal, 8 research proposal examples & templates, research proposal faqs.
A research proposal is a structured document that outlines the core idea of your research, the methods you intend to use, the required resources and the expected results.
Think of it as a sales pitch for your research. It answers some big questions: What are you planning to explore? Why is it important to conduct the research? What are your research objectives and the methods you’ll use to achieve them? What are the potential outcomes or contributions of this research to the field?
A research proposal serves two primary purposes. First, it convinces funding bodies or academic committees to support your research project expected to bring new ideas and insights. Second, it provides a roadmap for your research journey, helping you stay focused, organized and on track.
Now, we'll discuss what to include in a research proposal. You'll learn about the important parts of a research proposal template and how they help present your research idea clearly.
Here’s an infographic that you can use to understand the elements of a research proposal quickly.
Start your research proposal with a title page that clearly states your research. The title page is like a book cover, giving the first impression of your project. Therefore, you must ensure the design is engaging enough to attract your audience at first glance.
Include the following details on your title page:
After the title page comes the abstract and the table of contents.
The abstract is a concise summary of your project that briefly outlines your research question, the reasons behind the study and the methods you intend to use. It is a quick way for readers to understand your proposal without reading the entire document.
The table of contents is a detailed list of the sections and subsections in your proposal, with page numbers. It helps readers navigate through your document and quickly locate different parts they're interested in.
The introduction of your research proposal sets the tone for the rest of the document. It should grab the reader's attention and make them want to learn more. It's your chance to make a strong case for why your research is worth investigating and how it can fill a gap in current knowledge or solve a specific problem.
Make sure that your introduction covers the following:
A literature review is a list of the scholarly works you used to conduct your research. It helps you demonstrate your current knowledge about the topic.
Here's how this part works:
This section outlines your plan for answering your research question. It explains how you intend to gather and analyze information, providing a clear roadmap of the investigation process.
Here are the key components:
Describe the entire group you're interested in (the population). This could be all teachers in a specific state or all social media platform users. After that, you will need to explain how you will choose a smaller group, known as a sample, to study directly. This sample should be selected to accurately represent the larger population you are interested in studying.
To choose the right sampling method, you need to assess your population properly. For instance, to obtain general insights, you can use random sampling to select individuals without bias. If the population consists of different categories, such as professionals and students, you can use stratified sampling to ensure that each category is represented in the sample.
Other popular sampling methods include systematic, convenience, purposive, cluster, and probability sampling techniques.
There are three main approaches for the research: qualitative (focusing on experiences and themes), quantitative (using numbers and statistics), or mixed methods (combining both). Your choice will depend on your research question and the kind of data you need.
This section details the specific methods you'll use to gather information. Will you distribute surveys online or in person? Conduct interviews? Perhaps you'll use existing data sets. Here, you'll also explain how you'll ensure the data collection process is reliable and ethical.
Once you have collected your data, the next step is to analyze it to obtain meaningful insights. The method you choose depends on the available data type.
If you have quantitative data, you can employ statistical tests to analyze it. And if you're dealing with qualitative data, coding techniques can help you spot patterns and themes in your collected data.
In this section, you need to explain how your research will contribute to the existing knowledge in your field. You should describe whether your study will fill a knowledge gap, challenge conventional ideas or beliefs or offer a fresh perspective on a topic.
Clearly outline how your work will advance your field of study and why this new knowledge is essential.
Create a timeline with important milestones, such as finishing your literature review, completing data collection and finalizing your analysis.
This shows that you've carefully considered the scope of your project and can manage your time effectively. Furthermore, account for possible delays and be prepared to adapt your schedule accordingly.
To create this timeline, consider using a visual tool like a Gantt chart or a simple spreadsheet. These tools will help you organize individual tasks, assign deadlines, and visualize the project's overall progress.
Choose a Gantt chart template from Visme's library and customize it to create your timeline quickly. Here's an example template:
The budget section is your opportunity to show them that you've carefully considered all necessary expenses and that your funding request is justified.
Here's how you can approach this part:
Using these research proposal examples and templates, you can create a winning proposal in no time. You will find templates for various topics and customize every aspect of them to make them your own.
Visme’s drag-and-drop editor, advanced features and a vast library of templates help organizations and individuals worldwide create engaging documents.
Here’s what a research student who uses Visme to create award-winning presentations has to say about the tool:
Research Student
Now, let’s dive into the research proposal examples.
This research proposal presentation template is a powerful tool for presenting your research plan to stakeholders. The slides include specific sections to help you outline your research, including the research background, questions, objectives, methodology and expected results.
The slides create a coherent narrative, highlighting the importance and significance of your research. Overall, the template has a calming and professional blue color scheme with text that enables your audience to grasp the key points.
If you need help creating your presentation slides in a fraction of the time, check out Visme's AI presentation maker . Enter your requirements using text prompts, and the AI tool will generate a complete presentation with engaging visuals, text and clear structure. You can further customize the template completely to your needs.
Sales research gives you a deeper understanding of their target audience. It also helps you identify gaps in the market and develop effective sales strategies that drive revenue growth. With this research proposal template, you can secure funding for your next research project.
It features a sleek and professional grayscale color palette with a classic and modern vibe. The high-quality images in the template are strategically placed to reinforce the message without overwhelming the reader. Furthermore, the template includes a vertical bar graph that effectively represents budget allocations, enabling the reader to quickly grasp the information.
Use Visme's interactive elements and animations to add a dynamic layer to your research proposals. You can animate any object and add pop-ups or link pages for a more immersive experience. Use these functionalities to highlight key findings, demonstrate trends or guide readers through your proposal, making the content engaging and interactive.
This proposal template is a great tool for securing funding for any type of research project. It begins with a captivating title page that grabs attention. The beautiful design elements and vector icons enhance the aesthetic and aid visual communication.
This template revolves around how a specific user group adopts cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The goal is to assess awareness, gauge interest and understand key factors affecting cryptocurrency adoption.
The project methodology includes survey design, data collection, and market research. The expected impact is to enhance customer engagement and position the company as a customer-centric brand.
Do you need additional help crafting the perfect text for your proposal? Visme's AI writer can quickly generate content outlines, summaries and even entire sections. Just explain your requirements to the tool using a text prompt, and the tool will generate it for you.
Creating a product that delights users begins with detailed product research. With this modern proposal template, you can secure buy-in and funding for your next research.
It starts with a background that explains why the research is important. Next, it highlights what the research is set to achieve, how the research will be conducted, how much it will cost, the timeline and the expected outcomes. With a striking color scheme combining black, yellow, and gray, the template grabs attention and maintains it until the last page.
What we love about this template is the smart use of visuals. You'll find a flowchart explaining the methodology, a bar graph for the budget, and a timeline for the project. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding the visual elements you’ll find in Visme.
Visme offers data visualization tools with 30+ data widgets, such as radial gauges, population arrays, progress bars and more. These tools can help you turn complex data into engaging visuals for your research proposal or any other document.
For larger data sets, you can choose from 20+ types of charts and graphs , including bar graphs , bubble charts , Venn diagrams and more.
If you’re a tech researcher, we’ve got the perfect template for you. This research proposal example is about predictive analytics in e-commerce. However, you can customize it for any other type of research proposal.
It highlights the project's objectives, including the effectiveness of predictive analysis, the impact of product recommendations and supply chain optimization. The methods proposed for achieving these objectives involve A/B testing and data analysis, a comprehensive budget and a 12-month timeline for clear project planning.
The title page has a unique triptych-style layout that immediately catches the reader's attention. It has plenty of white space that enhances readability, allowing your audience to focus on the critical points.
Submitting to different funding agencies? You don’t have to manually make changes to your document. Visme's dynamic fields can help save time and eliminate repetitive data entry.
Create custom fields like project names, addresses, contact information and more. Any changes made to these fields will automatically populate throughout the document.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm and the marketing niche isn’t left out. With this eye-catching template, you can attract attention to your proposed marketing research project for an AI-driven platform.
The main goal of the research is to evaluate the platform's feasibility and marketing potential. To achieve this goal, the scope of work includes a comprehensive analysis of the market and competitors and pilot testing. The proposal also contains a budget overview that clearly outlines the allocation of funds, ensuring a well-planned and transparent approach.
Using Visme's Brand Design Tool , you can easily customize this template to suit your branding with just one click. Simply enter your URL into the brand wizard, and the tool will automatically extract your company logo, brand colors, and brand fonts . Once saved, you or your team members can apply the branding elements to any document. It's that simple!
The environmental research proposal example focuses on carbon emissions, identifies their contributing factors, and suggests sustainable practices to address them. It uses an appropriate sample size and data collection techniques to gather and evaluate data and provide sustainable recommendations to reduce industrial carbon footprints and waste.
From a design standpoint, the green and white color combination matches the theme of nature and environmental friendliness. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the proposal includes relevant images that support ecological advocacy, making it informative and visually aligned with its purpose.
A key feature of this template is its detailed breakdown of the project's timeline. It uses a Gantt chart to clearly present stages, milestones and deadlines.
Collaborate with your team members to customize these research proposal templates using Visme’s collaborative design features . These features allow you to leave feedback, draw annotations and even make live edits. Invite your teammates via email or a shareable link and allow them to work together on projects.
This research proposal template is a total game-changer - you can use it for any research proposal and customize it however you want. It features a modern and refreshing color scheme that immediately makes it stand out, providing a contemporary look that can adapt to any project's needs.
The template's layout is thoughtfully designed with primary fields that users can easily personalize by changing text, adjusting colors, or swapping images. No matter the research topic, you can tailor the template to fit your specific needs.
Once you're done customizing your research proposal template on Visme, you can download, share and publish it in different ways. For offline usage, you may download the proposal in PDF, PNG, or JPG format. To share it online, you can use a private or public link or generate a code snippet that you can embed anywhere on the web.
Want to create other types of proposals? Here are 29 proposal templates that you can easily customize in Visme.
Follow these steps to write a solid research proposal:
If you want to learn more about creating an expert research proposal , we highly recommend checking out our in-depth guide.
Research proposals can range from 1,000 to 5,000 words. For smaller projects or when specific requirements aren't provided, aim for a concise and informative proposal that effectively outlines your research plan.
However, the ideal length depends on these factors:
The time it takes to write a research proposal depends on a few factors:
Set aside several weeks to a couple of months for researching, writing, and revising your proposal. Start early to avoid stress and produce your best work.
There are several factors that can make a research proposal weak. Here are some of the most common errors that you should avoid while preparing your research proposal:
Writing a compelling research proposal takes effort, but with the right tools, the process becomes a breeze. Use the research proposal examples and templates in this article as a launching point to write your own proposal.
The best part? Visme provides easy-to-use tools with a vast collection of customizable templates, design elements and powerful features.
Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a student, Visme has the resources to help you create visually appealing and well-structured research proposals. In addition to research proposals, Visme helps you create many other document types, such as presentations , infographics , reports and more.
Ready to create your own research proposal? Check out Visme's proposal maker and start crafting professional and engaging proposals in minutes!
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A research proposal systematically and transparently outlines a proposed research project.
The purpose of a research proposal is to demonstrate a project’s viability and the researcher’s preparedness to conduct an academic study. It serves as a roadmap for the researcher.
The process holds value both externally (for accountability purposes and often as a requirement for a grant application) and intrinsic value (for helping the researcher to clarify the mechanics, purpose, and potential signficance of the study).
Key sections of a research proposal include: the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research design and methods, timeline, budget, outcomes and implications, references, and appendix. Each is briefly explained below.
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Title: The title should present a concise and descriptive statement that clearly conveys the core idea of the research projects. Make it as specific as possible. The reader should immediately be able to grasp the core idea of the intended research project. Often, the title is left too vague and does not help give an understanding of what exactly the study looks at.
Abstract: Abstracts are usually around 250-300 words and provide an overview of what is to follow – including the research problem , objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Use it as a roadmap and ensure that, if the abstract is the only thing someone reads, they’ll get a good fly-by of what will be discussed in the peice.
Introduction: Introductions are all about contextualization. They often set the background information with a statement of the problem. At the end of the introduction, the reader should understand what the rationale for the study truly is. I like to see the research questions or hypotheses included in the introduction and I like to get a good understanding of what the significance of the research will be. It’s often easiest to write the introduction last
Literature Review: The literature review dives deep into the existing literature on the topic, demosntrating your thorough understanding of the existing literature including themes, strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the literature. It serves both to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and, to demonstrate how the proposed study will fit alongside the literature on the topic. A good literature review concludes by clearly demonstrating how your research will contribute something new and innovative to the conversation in the literature.
Research Design and Methods: This section needs to clearly demonstrate how the data will be gathered and analyzed in a systematic and academically sound manner. Here, you need to demonstrate that the conclusions of your research will be both valid and reliable. Common points discussed in the research design and methods section include highlighting the research paradigm, methodologies, intended population or sample to be studied, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures . Toward the end of this section, you are encouraged to also address ethical considerations and limitations of the research process , but also to explain why you chose your research design and how you are mitigating the identified risks and limitations.
Timeline: Provide an outline of the anticipated timeline for the study. Break it down into its various stages (including data collection, data analysis, and report writing). The goal of this section is firstly to establish a reasonable breakdown of steps for you to follow and secondly to demonstrate to the assessors that your project is practicable and feasible.
Budget: Estimate the costs associated with the research project and include evidence for your estimations. Typical costs include staffing costs, equipment, travel, and data collection tools. When applying for a scholarship, the budget should demonstrate that you are being responsible with your expensive and that your funding application is reasonable.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: A discussion of the anticipated findings or results of the research, as well as the potential contributions to the existing knowledge, theory, or practice in the field. This section should also address the potential impact of the research on relevant stakeholders and any broader implications for policy or practice.
References: A complete list of all the sources cited in the research proposal, formatted according to the required citation style. This demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the relevant literature and ensures proper attribution of ideas and information.
Appendices (if applicable): Any additional materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or consent forms, that provide further information or support for the research proposal. These materials should be included as appendices at the end of the document.
Research proposals often extend anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 words in length. The following snippets are samples designed to briefly demonstrate what might be discussed in each section.
See some real sample pieces:
Consider this hypothetical education research proposal:
The Impact of Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics
Abstract: The proposed study will explore multiplayer game-based learning techniques in middle school mathematics curricula and their effects on student engagement. The study aims to contribute to the current literature on game-based learning by examining the effects of multiplayer gaming in learning.
Introduction: Digital game-based learning has long been shunned within mathematics education for fears that it may distract students or lower the academic integrity of the classrooms. However, there is emerging evidence that digital games in math have emerging benefits not only for engagement but also academic skill development. Contributing to this discourse, this study seeks to explore the potential benefits of multiplayer digital game-based learning by examining its impact on middle school students’ engagement and academic performance in a mathematics class.
Literature Review: The literature review has identified gaps in the current knowledge, namely, while game-based learning has been extensively explored, the role of multiplayer games in supporting learning has not been studied.
Research Design and Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods research design based upon action research in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design will first be used to compare the academic performance and engagement of middle school students exposed to game-based learning techniques with those in a control group receiving instruction without the aid of technology. Students will also be observed and interviewed in regard to the effect of communication and collaboration during gameplay on their learning.
Timeline: The study will take place across the second term of the school year with a pre-test taking place on the first day of the term and the post-test taking place on Wednesday in Week 10.
Budget: The key budgetary requirements will be the technologies required, including the subscription cost for the identified games and computers.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: It is expected that the findings will contribute to the current literature on game-based learning and inform educational practices, providing educators and policymakers with insights into how to better support student achievement in mathematics.
See some real examples:
Consider this hypothetical psychology research proposal:
The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students
Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods .
Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels during exam weeks. This can affect both mental health and test performance. This study explores the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions such as meditation as a way to mediate stress levels in the weeks leading up to exam time.
Literature Review: Existing research on mindfulness-based meditation has shown the ability for mindfulness to increase metacognition, decrease anxiety levels, and decrease stress. Existing literature has looked at workplace, high school and general college-level applications. This study will contribute to the corpus of literature by exploring the effects of mindfulness directly in the context of exam weeks.
Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n= 234 ) will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving 5 days per week of 10-minute mindfulness-based interventions, or a control group, receiving no intervention. Data will be collected through self-report questionnaires, measuring stress levels, semi-structured interviews exploring participants’ experiences, and students’ test scores.
Timeline: The study will begin three weeks before the students’ exam week and conclude after each student’s final exam. Data collection will occur at the beginning (pre-test of self-reported stress levels) and end (post-test) of the three weeks.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: The study aims to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among college students in the lead up to exams, with potential implications for mental health support and stress management programs on college campuses.
Consider this hypothetical sociology research proposal:
The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults
Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data.
Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for the development of interpersonal relationships, particularly for young adults. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media usage on young adults’ relationships and development over time.
Literature Review: A preliminary review of relevant literature has demonstrated that social media usage is central to development of a personal identity and relationships with others with similar subcultural interests. However, it has also been accompanied by data on mental health deline and deteriorating off-screen relationships. The literature is to-date lacking important longitudinal data on these topics.
Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n = 454 ) will be young adults aged 18-24. Ongoing self-report surveys will assess participants’ social media usage, relationship satisfaction, and communication patterns. A subset of participants will be selected for longitudinal in-depth interviews starting at age 18 and continuing for 5 years.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of five years, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between social media usage and interpersonal relationships among young adults, potentially informing social policies and mental health support related to social media use.
Consider this hypothetical nursing research proposal:
The Influence of Nurse-Patient Communication on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes following Emergency Cesarians
Abstract: This research will examines the impact of effective nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes for women following c-sections, utilizing a mixed-methods approach with patient surveys and semi-structured interviews.
Introduction: It has long been known that effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for quality care. However, additional complications arise following emergency c-sections due to the interaction between new mother’s changing roles and recovery from surgery.
Literature Review: A review of the literature demonstrates the importance of nurse-patient communication, its impact on patient satisfaction, and potential links to health outcomes. However, communication between nurses and new mothers is less examined, and the specific experiences of those who have given birth via emergency c-section are to date unexamined.
Research Design and Methods: Participants will be patients in a hospital setting who have recently had an emergency c-section. A self-report survey will assess their satisfaction with nurse-patient communication and perceived health outcomes. A subset of participants will be selected for in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and perceptions of the communication with their nurses.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including rolling recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing within the hospital.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the significance of nurse-patient communication in supporting new mothers who have had an emergency c-section. Recommendations will be presented for supporting nurses and midwives in improving outcomes for new mothers who had complications during birth.
Consider this hypothetical social work research proposal:
The Role of a Family-Centered Intervention in Preventing Homelessness Among At-Risk Youthin a working-class town in Northern England
Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effectiveness of a family-centered intervention provided by a local council area in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth. This case study will use a mixed-methods approach with program evaluation data and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data .
Introduction: Homelessness among youth remains a significant social issue. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in addressing this problem and identify factors that contribute to successful prevention strategies.
Literature Review: A review of the literature has demonstrated several key factors contributing to youth homelessness including lack of parental support, lack of social support, and low levels of family involvement. It also demonstrates the important role of family-centered interventions in addressing this issue. Drawing on current evidence, this study explores the effectiveness of one such intervention in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth in a working-class town in Northern England.
Research Design and Methods: The study will evaluate a new family-centered intervention program targeting at-risk youth and their families. Quantitative data on program outcomes, including housing stability and family functioning, will be collected through program records and evaluation reports. Semi-structured interviews with program staff, participants, and relevant stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the factors contributing to program success or failure.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.
Budget: Expenses include access to program evaluation data, interview materials, data analysis software, and any related travel costs for in-person interviews.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in preventing youth homelessness, potentially informing the expansion of or necessary changes to social work practices in Northern England.
Get your Detailed Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)
This is a template for a 2500-word research proposal. You may find it difficult to squeeze everything into this wordcount, but it’s a common wordcount for Honors and MA-level dissertations.
Section | Checklist |
---|---|
Title | – Ensure the single-sentence title clearly states the study’s focus |
Abstract (Words: 200) | – Briefly describe the research topicSummarize the research problem or question – Outline the research design and methods – Mention the expected outcomes and implications |
Introduction (Words: 300) | – Introduce the research topic and its significance – Clearly state the research problem or question – Explain the purpose and objectives of the study – Provide a brief overview of |
Literature Review (Words: 800) | – Gather the existing literature into themes and ket ideas – the themes and key ideas in the literature – Identify gaps or inconsistencies in the literature – Explain how the current study will contribute to the literature |
Research Design and Methods (Words; 800) | – Describe the research paradigm (generally: positivism and interpretivism) – Describe the research design (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods) – Explain the data collection methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations) – Detail the sampling strategy and target population – Outline the data analysis techniques (e.g., statistical analysis, thematic analysis) – Outline your validity and reliability procedures – Outline your intended ethics procedures – Explain the study design’s limitations and justify your decisions |
Timeline (Single page table) | – Provide an overview of the research timeline – Break down the study into stages with specific timeframes (e.g., data collection, analysis, report writing) – Include any relevant deadlines or milestones |
Budget (200 words) | – Estimate the costs associated with the research project – Detail specific expenses (e.g., materials, participant incentives, travel costs) – Include any necessary justifications for the budget items – Mention any funding sources or grant applications |
Expected Outcomes and Implications (200 words) | – Summarize the anticipated findings or results of the study – Discuss the potential implications of the findings for theory, practice, or policy – Describe any possible limitations of the study |
Your research proposal is where you really get going with your study. I’d strongly recommend working closely with your teacher in developing a research proposal that’s consistent with the requirements and culture of your institution, as in my experience it varies considerably. The above template is from my own courses that walk students through research proposals in a British School of Education.
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Hi Levi, use the site search bar to ask a question and I’ll likely have a guide already written for your specific question. Thanks for reading!
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The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting the research are governed by standards within the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, so guidelines for research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study's completion.
Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.
Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:
A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.
Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Beginning the Proposal Process
As with writing a regular academic paper, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout most social science disciplines. Proposals vary between ten and twenty-five pages in length. However, before you begin, read the assignment carefully and, if anything seems unclear, ask your professor whether there are any specific requirements for organizing and writing the proposal.
A good place to begin is to ask yourself a series of questions:
In general, a compelling research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and demonstrate your enthusiasm for conducting the study. Approach it with the intention of leaving your readers feeling like--"Wow, that's an exciting idea and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!"
In general your proposal should include the following sections:
I. Introduction
In the real world of higher education, a research proposal is most often written by scholars seeking grant funding for a research project or it's the first step in getting approval to write a doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea or a thorough examination of the significance of a research problem. After reading the introduction, your readers should not only have an understanding of what you want to do, but they should also be able to gain a sense of your passion for the topic and be excited about the study's possible outcomes. Note that most proposals do not include an abstract [summary] before the introduction.
Think about your introduction as a narrative written in one to three paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :
II. Background and Significance
This section can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and narrative flow of your proposal. This is where you explain the context of your proposal and describe in detail why it's important. Approach writing this section with the thought that you can’t assume your readers will know as much about the research problem as you do. Note that this section is not an essay going over everything you have learned about the topic; instead, you must choose what is relevant to help explain the goals for your study.
To that end, while there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to address some or all of the following key points:
III. Literature Review
Connected to the background and significance of your study is a section of your proposal devoted to a more deliberate review and synthesis of prior studies related to the research problem under investigation . The purpose here is to place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored, while demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methods they have used, and what is your understanding of their findings and, where stated, their recommendations. Do not be afraid to challenge the conclusions of prior research. Assess what you believe is missing and state how previous research has failed to adequately examine the issue that your study addresses. For more information on writing literature reviews, GO HERE .
Since a literature review is information dense, it is crucial that this section is intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study in relation to that of other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically describing groups of materials one at a time. Note that conceptual categories generally reveal themselves after you have read most of the pertinent literature on your topic so adding new categories is an on-going process of discovery as you read more studies. How do you know you've covered the key conceptual categories underlying the research literature? Generally, you can have confidence that all of the significant conceptual categories have been identified if you start to see repetition in the conclusions or recommendations that are being made.
To help frame your proposal's literature review, here are the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:
IV. Research Design and Methods
This section must be well-written and logically organized because you are not actually doing the research, yet, your reader must have confidence that it is worth pursuing . The reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. Thus, the objective here is to convince the reader that your overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the problem and that the methods will provide the means to effectively interpret the potential results. Your design and methods should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.
Describe the overall research design by building upon and drawing examples from your review of the literature. Consider not only methods that other researchers have used but methods of data gathering that have not been used but perhaps could be. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to obtain information, the techniques you would use to analyze the data, and the tests of external validity to which you commit yourself [i.e., the trustworthiness by which you can generalize from your study to other people, places, events, and/or periods of time].
When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover the following:
Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal . Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; Heath, M. Teresa Pereira and Caroline Tynan. “Crafting a Research Proposal.” The Marketing Review 10 (Summer 2010): 147-168; Jones, Mark. “Writing a Research Proposal.” In MasterClass in Geography Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning . Graham Butt, editor. (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015), pp. 113-127; Juni, Muhamad Hanafiah. “Writing a Research Proposal.” International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences 1 (September/October 2014): 229-240; Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005; Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Punch, Keith and Wayne McGowan. "Developing and Writing a Research Proposal." In From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills . Nigel Gilbert, ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006), 59-81; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Learn the key steps to crafting a compelling PhD proposal. This guide breaks down the process into 7 manageable parts to help you succeed.
Derek Pankaew
Jun 11, 2024
Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant academic and personal commitment, and the first crucial step in this process is writing a compelling research proposal. A PhD research proposal serves as a detailed plan or 'blueprint' for your intended study.
It outlines your research questions, aims, methods, and proposed timetable, and it must clearly articulate your research question, demonstrate your understanding of existing literature, and outline your proposed research methodology. This guide will walk you through seven essential steps to craft a successful PhD research proposal.
What is a research proposal.
A research proposal is a comprehensive plan that details your intended research project. It serves as a roadmap for your study, laying out your research questions, objectives, methods, and the significance of your proposed research. It is crucial for securing a place in a PhD program and for gaining the support of potential supervisors and funding bodies.
A PhD research proposal must clearly articulate your research question, and your research context, demonstrate your understanding of existing literature, and outline your proposed research methodology. This document showcases your ability to identify and address a research gap, and it sets the stage for your future research endeavors.
A well-written research proposal can make a strong impression and significantly increase your chances of acceptance into a PhD program. It showcases your expertise and knowledge of the existing field, highlighting how your research will contribute to it. A successful research proposal convinces potential supervisors and funders of the value and feasibility of your project.
The importance of a good research proposal extends beyond the application process. It serves as a foundation for your entire PhD journey, guiding your research and keeping you focused on your objectives. A clear and concise proposal ensures that you have a well-thought-out plan, which can save you time and effort in the long run.
Reviewing the current state of research in your field.
A literature review is a critical component of your next research study or proposal. It involves a comprehensive survey of all sources of scientific evidence related to your research topic. The review should be structured intelligently to help the reader grasp the argument related to your study about other researchers' work. Remember the five ‘C’s while writing a literature review: context, concept, critique, connection, and conclusion. This approach ensures that your literature review is thorough and well-organized.
To begin, search for relevant literature using databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and PubMed. Read review articles and recent publications to get a sense of the current state of research in your field. Pay attention to the key themes, theories, and methodologies used in previous research by other researchers. This will help you identify gaps in the existing literature that your proposed research can address.
Your literature review should convey your understanding and awareness of the key issues and debates in the field. It should focus on the theoretical and practical knowledge gaps that your work aims to address. A well-written literature review not only demonstrates your expertise but also highlights the novelty and significance of your proposed research.
As you review the literature, take note of recurring findings, themes, and gaps in the research. Identify areas where there is a lack of empirical evidence or where existing theories have not been adequately tested. These gaps represent opportunities for your proposed research to make a meaningful contribution to the field.
Background and rationale: setting the context for your research.
The background and rationale section sets the stage for your research by specifying the subject area of your research and problem statement. This includes a detailed literature review summarizing existing knowledge surrounding your research topic. This section should discuss relevant theories, models, and bodies of text, establishing the foundation for your research question.
In this section, provide a brief overview of the historical and theoretical context of your research topic. Explain why this topic is important and how it fits into the broader field of study. Discuss any key debates or controversies that are relevant to your research problem. This will help to situate your research within the existing body of knowledge and demonstrate its significance.
In this section, clearly state the problems your project intends specific aims to solve. Outline the measurable steps and outcomes required to achieve the aim. Explain why your proposed research is worth exploring, emphasizing its potential contributions to the field.
Your research aims and objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Clearly articulate the research question or hypothesis that you intend to investigate. Break down your research aims into specific objectives that will guide your study. This will provide a clear roadmap for your research and help to keep you focused on your actual research goals.
Research design: outlining your approach.
Your research design and methodology section should provide a clear explanation of your research methods and procedures. Discuss the structure of your research design, including potential limitations and challenges. This section should offer a robust framework for how you plan to conduct your study.
Describe the overall research design, including whether your study will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods. Discuss the rationale for choosing this design and how it will help you address your research questions. Provide details on the specific methods you will use for data collection and analysis, and explain how these methods are appropriate for your study.
Outline the methods you’ll use to answer each of your research questions. A strong methodology is crucial, especially if your project involves extensive collection and analysis of primary data. Demonstrate your awareness of the limitations of your research method, and qualify the parameters you plan to introduce.
Discuss the sampling methods, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures you will use in your study. Provide a detailed plan for how you will collect and analyze your data, including any tools or instruments you will use. Address any potential ethical issues and explain how you will mitigate them. This will show that you have thoroughly considered the practical aspects of your research and are prepared to address any challenges that may arise.
Ethical considerations: addressing potential risks and concerns.
Ethical considerations are paramount, especially in medical or sensitive social research. Ensure that ethical standards are met, including the protection of participants' rights, obtaining informed consent, and the institutional review process (ethical approval). Addressing these issues upfront shows your commitment to conducting responsible research.
Discuss any potential risks to participants and how you will mitigate them. Describe the process for obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality. If your research involves vulnerable populations or sensitive topics, provide additional details on how you will protect participants' rights and well-being. This will demonstrate your commitment to ethical research practices and help to build trust with potential supervisors and funders.
When preparing a research budget, predict and cost all aspects of the research, adding allowance for unforeseen issues, delays, and rising costs. Justify all items in the budget to show thorough planning and foresight.
Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with your research, including expenses for data collection, travel, equipment, and materials. Include any anticipated costs for hiring research assistants or consultants, as well as costs for data analysis and dissemination. Justify each item in the budget, explaining why it is necessary for your research. This will show that you have carefully considered the financial aspects of your project and are prepared to manage the resources required for your study.
Timetable: outlining milestones and deadlines.
The timetable section should outline the various stages of your research project, providing an approximate timeline for each stage, including key milestones. Summarize your research plan and provide a clear overview of your research timeline to demonstrate your ability to manage and complete the project within the allotted time.
Create a detailed timeline that outlines the major phases of your research, including literature review, data collection, data analysis, and writing. Include specific milestones and deadlines for each phase, and provide a realistic estimate of the time required for each task. This will help you stay on track and ensure that your research progresses smoothly.
Appendices support the proposal and application by including documents such as informed consent forms, questionnaires, measurement tools, and patient information in layman’s language. These documents are crucial for providing detailed information that supports your research proposal.
Include any additional documents that support your research proposal, such as letters of support from potential supervisors, sample questionnaires, and data collection instruments. Provide detailed information on any measurement tools or protocols you will use in your study. This will show that you have thoroughly planned your research and are prepared to carry out the proposed study.
Crafting a clear and concise research proposal.
Your research proposal is a key document that helps you secure funding and approval for your research. It is a demonstration of your research skills and knowledge. A well-written proposal can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted into a PhD program.
Begin research proposals by writing a clear and concise introduction that provides an overview of your research topic and its significance. Summarize your research aims and objectives, and provide a brief outline of the structure of your proposal. Use clear and concise language throughout the proposal, and avoid jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to readers.
Follow a logical and clear structure in your proposal, adhering to the same order as the headings provided above. Ensure that your proposal is coherent and consistent, following the format required by your university’s PhD thesis submissions. This consistency makes your proposal easier to read and more professional.
Use headings and subheadings to organize your proposal and make it easy to navigate. Ensure that each section flows logically from one to the next and that there is a clear connection between your research aims, objectives, and methods. Proofread your proposal carefully to ensure that it is free of errors and that the language is clear and concise.
Final checks: ensuring completeness and accuracy.
Before submitting your research proposal, ensure that you have adhered to the required format and that your proposal is well-written, clear, and concise. Double-check for completeness and accuracy to ensure that your proposal effectively communicates your research idea and methodology.
Review your proposal carefully to ensure that it includes all required sections and that each section is complete and accurate. Check for any inconsistencies or gaps in the information, and ensure that all references are properly cited. Ask a colleague or supervisor to review your proposal and provide feedback before submitting it.
A research proposal is a standard means of assessing your potential as a doctoral researcher. It explains the 'what' and 'why' of your research, showcasing your expertise and knowledge of the existing field, and demonstrating how your research will contribute to it. Ensure that your PhD research proposal clearly articulates your research question, demonstrates your understanding of existing literature, and outlines your proposed research methodology.
When submitting your research proposal, follow the guidelines provided by your university or funding body. Ensure that you have included all required documents and that your proposal is formatted correctly. Pay attention to any submission deadlines, and plan to ensure that you have enough time to complete and review your proposal before submitting it.
Writing a PhD proposal is a rigorous process that requires careful planning, detailed knowledge of your field, and a clear vision for your research project. By following these seven steps, you can craft a compelling and successful research proposal.
Remember to conduct a thorough literature review, define your research clearly, develop a robust research design and methodology, consider ethical implications and budget, create a detailed timetable and appendices, write a clear and concise proposal, and finalize and submit with confidence.
This guide provides a proven framework for prospective PhD students to write a strong and effective research proposal, increasing their chances of acceptance into a PhD program and securing the necessary support and funding for their research.
Embarking on a PhD journey is both challenging and rewarding. The process of writing a research proposal helps you to clarify your research goals, plan your study, and communicate your ideas to others. A well-crafted research proposal writing, not only increases your chances of acceptance into a PhD program but also sets the stage for a successful research project.
Throughout this guide, we have emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough literature review, defining your research aims and objectives, and developing a clear and robust research design and methodology. We have also highlighted the need to consider ethical implications and budget, create a detailed timetable and appendices, and write a clear and concise proposal. Finally, we have provided tips for finalizing and submitting your research proposal.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your research proposal is well-written, comprehensive, and compelling. This will not only help you to secure a place in a PhD program but also provide a solid foundation for your future research endeavors.
Remember, writing a research proposal is a process that takes time and effort. Be patient and persistent, and seek feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and mentors. Use the resources available to you, such as academic journals, databases, and online tools, to support your research and writing. With careful planning and dedication, you can write a successful research proposal that sets the stage for a rewarding and fulfilling PhD journey.
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Wearable sensor technologies are becoming increasingly relevant in health research, particularly in the context of chronic disease management. They generate real-time health data that can be translated into digital biomarkers, which can provide insights into our health and well-being. Scientific methods to collect, interpret, analyze, and translate health data from wearables to digital biomarkers vary, and systematic approaches to guide these processes are currently lacking. This paper is based on an observational, longitudinal cohort study, BarKA-MS, which collected wearable sensor data on the physical rehabilitation of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Based on our experience with BarKA-MS, we provide and discuss ten lessons we learned in relation to digital biomarker development across key study phases. We then summarize these lessons into a guiding framework (DACIA) that aims to informs the use of wearable sensor data for digital biomarker development and chronic disease management for future research and teaching.
Introduction.
The increasing popularity of ubiquitous mobile technologies, such as wearables, has the potential to transform chronic disease management 1 , 2 , 3 . The broad adoption of wearables, particularly commercial activity trackers, is driven by their affordability, user-friendliness, and overall high accuracy 4 . The rising amount of research on chronic diseases that involves wearables highlights this trend 5 , 6 , 7 . Wearables are equipped with sensors that generate health-related data in real-time, creating opportunities for personalized care 8 . The clinical relevance of this data ultimately depends on their translation into digital biomarkers 9 , 10 . This process generally requires the definition of normal ranges, which is either informed by external benchmarks (e.g., 10,000 daily steps) or intra-individual norms (e.g., individual average step counts during the week) that can be further validated with patient-reported data (e.g., surveys) 11 , 12 , 13 . However, most wearables have fixed measurement capabilities (e.g., physical activity and heart rate), which currently limit their translation to digital biomarkers.
For the potential of digital biomarkers to be achieved, aligning wearable capabilities and study design with recommended practices for meaningful clinical measures is essential 14 . The Food and Drug Agency (FDA) guidance document on the use of digital health technologies for remote data acquisition in clinical investigations proposes a multi-step approach towards digital biomarker development, in which the validation and verification steps take central roles 15 . Along similar lines, the framework by the Digital Medicine Society on best practices for evaluating monitoring technologies for use in clinical trials emphasizes verification, analytical validation, and clinical validation (V3) as central steps 16 , 17 . While these documents provide useful high-level guidance, they offer limited support for the development of digital, wearable-based biomarkers. Furthermore, in current guidance there is an absence of study design and conduct elements that involve all stakeholders in an iterative approach and focus on the implementation of digital biomarkers in practice. Consequently, researchers and health professionals often rely on limited guidance for the use of wearable data in clinical practice and chronic disease management 18 , 19 .
Digital biomarkers may significantly improve the management of complex chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a serious neurodegenerative health condition that is characterized by both extensive and highly variable physical and mental symptoms. More than 15,000 people are currently living with MS in Switzerland alone 20 . Optimizing and tailoring treatment options has been limited by a still unexplained heterogeneity in symptom patterns and disease course. For this reason, MS is often referred to as the ‘disease with 1000 faces’ 21 . In this paper, we briefly introduce the BarKA-MS study program (section “Introduction”), which collected sensor data from wearables on the physical rehabilitation of people living with MS (PwMS), and summarize ten important lessons learned (section “The BarKA-MS study program”) across key study phases related to methods aimed at guiding the development of digital biomarkers 22 . We then present the DACIA framework (section “Lessons learned from BarKA-MS”) as a crosscut between the ten lessons and five crucial steps of digital biomarker development, which has been applied twice in the course “Digital Health in Practice” for medical students at the University of Zurich. Finally, we discuss the DACIA framework in the context of existing guidance and highlight its relevance. Our work aims to inform (1) future research on the development wearable-based digital biomarkers for chronic disease management, as well as (2) teaching curricula, through the application of our framework 10 , 11 .
BarKA-MS is a semi-remote observational, longitudinal cohort pilot study program that explored the physical activity rehabilitation of PwMS, which informed several independent analyses as part of the program 18 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 . The methods and results of BarKA-MS are published elsewhere 22 , 24 , 25 , 26 . The study was planned in collaboration between the researchers, clinical staff, as well as experts in human-centered and interactive visual data analytics (IVDA). During study design, clinicians and researchers defined relevant clinical measures for potential future use in a rehabilitation clinic. Study nurses from the clinical staff were consulted to identify feasible data collection methods, drawing on their experiences with PwMS and their understanding of patient needs. Data collection was planned with the Fitabase activity tracker database 27 to enable the statistical analysts and IVDA experts to effectively translate wearable sensor data to digital biomarkers.
BarKA-MS was divided in two phases. First, the physical activity of participants was measured during their inpatient rehabilitation stay at the Valens Rehabilitation Centre in Switzerland, which for most patients lasted between two to three weeks. Second, their physical activity was measured upon return to their homes. Participants were asked to wear the Fitbit Inspire HR during the entire duration of the study 28 and an additional research-grade wearable sensor, the Actigraph GTX, during their last week of rehabilitation and the first week back home 25 . Participants were followed up for up to eight weeks i.e., two to four weeks in the first phase and four weeks in the second phase. Technical and motivational support was provided throughout the study. The study protocol obtained ethical approval from the Zurich cantonal ethics commission (BASEC-no. 2020–02350). All participants provided written informed consent.
Participant demographics of BarKA-MS are available in Supplementary Table 1 . At baseline, most participants were female, had a median age of 46, had MS for a median of 11 years and were either working part-time or were unemployed. These characteristics align with the typical demographics observed in MS populations with a more progressed disease state 29 , 30 , 31 . A follow-up study 23 involving participants with different characteristics and chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases, revealed conclusions consistent with the main BarKA-MS analyses, suggesting that the findings discussed in this lessons learned paper may be applicable to other chronic disease populations.
Relevant wearable sensor data was collected longitudinally and included heart rate, step count, sleep indicators, physical activity intensity (time spent in light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity), and sedentary time. These measurements were available at the minute, hourly, and daily granularity levels. To provide additional context to the physical activity measures from the wearable sensors, we collected self-reported data using the following instruments: (1) the 18-item Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Persons Scale 32 to assess perceived barriers to physical activity, (2) the 12-item MS Walking Scale-12 33 to assess the walking ability of the participants and (3) the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions 34 to assess MS-related cognitive and motor fatigue. The study achieved a weekly survey completion of 96%, as well as 99% and 97% valid Fitbit wear days at the rehabilitation clinic and in the home setting, respectively.
In the following sections, we present our insights (lessons learned) from designing and implementing BarKA-MS, as well several independent analyses of sensor measurements and patient reported outcomes 18 , 24 , 25 , 26 , and a follow-up study that was modeled after BarKA-MS 23 that examined the implementation of a physical activity post-rehabilitation program from the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals. We specifically selected insights that are relevant to the use of wearable sensor data for digital biomarker development. All our lessons learned were discussed and co-formulated with healthcare professionals, clinical staff and researchers involved in BarKA-MS, and categorized in four key study phases, including: (1) early study design, (2) study execution, (3) data analysis, and (4) data interpretation.
For BarKA-MS, we chose to use the Fitbit Inspire HR commercial wearable after an assessment against other devices due its low cost, ease of use and ability to collect relevant data with Fitabase 27 , a secure third-party data collection tool that enables remote monitoring of data quality and completeness checks. By contrast, the Actigraph accelerometer was not chosen as the primary wearable device for data collection due to its higher costs, lower participant preference from discomfort of wearing it around the hip, and increased complexity due to limited storage capacity and the requirement to actively download data with a cable. These initial decisions were taken during the protocol writing phase and in agreement with healthcare professionals and clinical staff. Central to these decisions was also designing the study to protect the privacy of the participants, by ensuring the safe collection and use of data. In particular, only non-identifiable user accounts were used for wearable devices and potentially sensitive features of the devices, such as location tracking or data sharing via social media, were disabled. These decisions led to the following lessons.
The choice of measurement tools should be guided by the research question and the study outcomes of interest. In our case, the primary outcome was daily-life physical activity, a proximal outcome that was directly derived from the Fitbit Inspire HR. To decide whether a wearable is the most suitable option, it is key to fully understand the functions, but most importantly the potential limitations of devices. Understanding the limitations reduces the risk of unreliable measurements. A relevant example comes from one of our previous unpublished sub-analyses of BarKA-MS, which examined correlations of self-reported fatigue (using the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 score 35 ) and sensor measurements, including sleep length and daily-life physical activity. Our findings revealed weak associations, which were likely due to the wearable’s indirect measurement of distances 26 . Having missed this limitation would have likely led to incorrect measurements.
A second lesson learned during the early design phases of BarKA-MS is the importance of required timeframes, or the time needed until relevant study outcomes can be fully measured. Chronic diseases, such as MS, progress over years or decades. Recent digital health studies on chronic diseases have reported monitoring periods of up to 12 months 2 . However, the optimal timeframe to detect a change of interest depends on the study question. In the case of BarKA-MS, we detected clinically relevant changes in self-reported measures related to barriers to physical activity for severe fatigue scores in 8 out of the 38 participants, and a median improvement of 16.7 points in the MS Walking Scale-12 after an 8-week follow-up 24 , 26 . By contrast, health behaviors, such as daily-life physical activity, fluctuate on much smaller time scales, such as days, weeks, or months. Nevertheless, our experiences with BarKA-MS and a follow-up study 23 suggest that even timeframes of 4 to 12 weeks require significant efforts to keep participants engaged. Being aware of the expected efforts during the study, the availability of resources, and the characteristics of the study population, such as their age, level of disability and educational level, will ultimately determine whether (a) the use of wearables is scientifically meaningful, and (b) what duration periods will likely be needed 24 . Commercial wearables are well-geared towards measuring health behavior changes on weekly or monthly time scales, while also supporting longer study durations due to their ease of use and wear comfort. Not defining timeframes correctly and early enough risks delays and waste of resources.
Wearables can take different roles and thus, support different goals in chronic disease management. In our discussions with healthcare professionals involved in BarKA-MS, we identified the need for clarity regarding the role of wearables in digital biomarker studies. Two central questions emerged: “how can sensor data improve patient health?”, and “who should take action to achieve health benefits?”. These questions led to the development of our “goal pyramid” (Fig. 1 ), which outlines various healthcare goals that wearable data can support. These goals range from low-effort (bottom of the pyramid), to high-effort, yet clinically more informative, goals (top of the pyramid). For example, prediction studies might require longer follow-up times, larger sample sizes, and additional data for prediction model validation. Overall, the “goal pyramid” is a useful tool to facilitate discussions with healthcare professionals about study designs and for clarifying technology’s role in achieving health outcomes, along with the associated efforts.
Goal versus effort pyramid to inform the role of wearable sensors in achieving research goals.
Not all study execution challenges can be anticipated during the design phase. For example, BarKA-MS offered comprehensive participant support, which resulted in high study compliance. However, we recognize that this approach is likely not an option for studies with larger samples. Overall, our experiences, based also on feedback from clinical staff, point to a trade-off between collecting high-quality and near-complete data while optimizing participant burden and maintaining high compliance. The following two lessons reflect our experiences during study execution.
BarKA-MS taught us that the combination of wearable sensor data with other data types (e.g., clinical, physiological, or patent-reported data) may enhance the accuracy of digital biomarker development. Rationales for collecting additional data types may include sensor validation, multivariable predictions of health outcomes, or stratification through subgroup analyses. In BarKA-MS, we deliberately used commercial wearables not specifically designed for use by PwMS. To enhance and contextualize the rather generic wearable sensor data, we collected patient-reported symptoms, frequency of physical activity, and its associated barriers, along with free-text feedback on wearable use and acceptability. In BarKA-MS, assessing this combination of passively and actively collected data was a crucial first step in exploring possible digital biomarkers of barriers to physical activity in the context of shifts in fatigue and mobility 26 . However, previous examples have also demonstrated that active data collection, such as through surveys, carries a risk of drop-outs or non-compliance 36 that may be higher than in studies with only passive data collection (e.g., wearables). Although a recent scoping review 4 was unable to identify clear associations of participant burden due to active data collection, this aspect should be carefully monitored and possibly adjusted during the study.
Data completeness and participant compliance are particularly relevant, especially for studies that are conducted remotely. A key initial consideration for digital health studies is ensuring that participants are representative of the study’s target population, including relevant underrepresented groups 37 . This may require targeted recruiting efforts, as well as possible contextual and cultural adaptations of the study design 38 . In BarKA-MS and a follow-up study 23 , efforts were taken to enhance the diversity of the study population in terms of age and gender by providing participant onboarding and technical support during follow-up. Participants also provided weekly feedback about their experience with and usability of the Fitbit. Problems were either addressed by the clinical staff at the rehabilitation clinic or the two involved researchers. For example, when participants encountered technical issues with their Fitbit, researchers promptly scheduled phone calls to resolve the problems 23 , 24 . As shown by an internal assessment of support logs, these measures helped retain older or more impaired study participants with higher MS symptom burden 24 . BarKA-MS achieved high study compliance but also required considerable efforts to actively monitor data collection (e.g., frequent personal reminders from the researchers). Missing data and dropouts are also inevitable. Declining participant motivation or health, inconvenient timing, or burdensome data collection can all contribute to low compliance and missing data. In BarKA-MS, declining health often demotivated participants who preferred not to receive physical activity reminders, as these highlighted their physical limitations. This further illustrates that challenges may emerge and even multiply over longer observation periods, underscoring the need for continuous participant support.
For BarKA-MS, we focused the data analysis on: (1) time series assessments of wearable sensor data for recurring patterns within/between PwMS, and (2) descriptive analyses to explore physical activity barriers for PwMS. To better visualize and assess these results, we conducted an unpublished sub-study in collaboration with experts in IVDA. These were then discussed with IVDA experts and healthcare professionals to better understand the present data quality and analytical challenges, and contribute to the formulation of new hypotheses. The following lessons reflect these experiences.
Wearable sensors collect data at different time scales. For example, step count, time spent in active physical activity, and heart rate are available at the minute level, while resting heart rate, which is measured at nighttime, is only available as a single daily value. Finding the most appropriate temporal aggregation level depends on the expected timeframe needed to observe an effect in the outcome of interest (lesson 2), as well as mitigating redundancy and low data resolution 39 , or ensuring that outcome measures comply with those relevant in clinical settings 40 . In BarKA-MS, we collaborated with healthcare professionals to create interactive visualizations from the study’s sensor data. These experiences highlighted that daily aggregations were meaningful for most parameters to develop informative composite measures, but longer-term assessments might benefit from weekly or even monthly data aggregations, with the option to switch between aggregation levels. Further considerations include whether data aggregation can help with managing high volumes of data. Data aggregation can help with reducing information overload, which can help healthcare professionals and patients understand the data and its signals more easily. In BarKA-MS, we followed a user-centered design methodology to co-design sensor data visualizations together with healthcare professionals, to facilitate informed decision-making based on meaningful data signals. The resulting data visualizations also revealed useful for guiding researchers in analyzing BarKA-MS data.
In BarKA-MS, the main challenge of developing digital biomarkers was the contextualization of our data. A common issue was distinguishing between patterns in physical activity due to exercise or unrelated activities, such as knitting or playing the piano. This was highlighted in a BarKA-MS analysis that revealed weak correlations between different sensor measurements in a real-world setting 25 , echoing similar reported difficulties in the scientific literature 41 , 42 , 43 . Another challenge involved connecting irregular patterns of activity or inactivity with individual or group-level factors that influence motivation. For example, among PwMS there is a high prevalence of fatigue (affecting over 70% of PwMS 44 ), which may demotivate them from exercising, as observed in a BarKA-MS analysis revealing a positive correlation between levels of fatigue and barriers to physical activity 26 . Individual-level visualization of the data with healthcare professionals as part of BarKA-MS highlighted the need for contextual information related or unrelated to sensor measurements to help identify patterns of interest for individual participants 45 . For example, visualizations of physical activity and sleep data from BarKA-MS suggested cyclical within-person patterns, such as higher physical activity on weekends. In BarKA-MS, we also used weather condition data to assess whether deviations in activities could be contextualized to other, external influencing factors. Knowledge about the temporal occurrence of such factors may overall help to better interpret sensor measurement data.
Filtering out “noise”, or signals in the data collection that are of low value and are not indicative of the presence of an actual signal 46 , within sensor data is a key, yet challenging task. Building on lesson 7, contextual data, such as weather patterns, can help distinguish between trivial explanations for patterns, or nuisance parameters, and the actual patterns of interest to the study 47 . For example, by applying interactive visualizations to our BarKA-MS data we observed differences in step counts or sleep patterns between weekdays or weekends. In some individuals, healthcare professionals also noticed distinct within-day patterns, such as reduced activity in afternoons, which they identified as possible signs of fatigue, a common symptom in PwMS. Another approach is to build a time series model that includes these noise parameters to predict expected sensor measurements. This de-noising approach involves gathering and analyzing data from nuisance variables that introduce noise, such as daily routines, weather and calendar data, alongside sensor measurements. The inclusion of such nuisance variables, if they are indeed associated with the outcome, has the potential to decrease noise. Ideally, the identification of variables required for “de-noising” should be considered at the study planning stage.
The data interpretation phase is linked with the analysis phase, however, focuses more on the contextual interpretation of results. For BarKA-MS, visual data analytics and discussions with healthcare professionals played a key role. We derived the following two lessons.
Digital biomarkers should ideally be characterized by clear norm ranges. However, it is difficult to develop universal norms, as observed with healthy individuals occasionally having laboratory values outside the norm, or the other way around. Data interpretation is further challenged by possible systematic measurement inaccuracies, such as those from Light Emission Diode-based wearable devices that may be less accurate for people of color 42 , 48 , or datasets omitting underrepresented groups 49 , which can contribute to biased benchmarks. Considering these challenges, digital biomarker studies should focus on inter-individual changes rather than absolute benchmarks 50 , 51 . In BarKA-MS, physical activity level digital biomarkers were informed by internal and external benchmarks. Internal benchmarks were derived to assess if individual PwMS exhibited certain patterns that occurred more frequently than expected, considering a normal distribution. External benchmarks were obtained directly from the wearables, using calculated measures of e.g., physical activity intensity, such as the amount of time spent in light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity 25 . These measures served as digital biomarkers for low or high levels of physical activity. For such metrics in chronic disease populations, such as MS, personal contexts play an important role. This underlines the need for studies on chronic disease populations to assess changes in intra-individual norms and, ideally, health status assessments from clinicians to develop meaningful digital biomarkers.
For digital biomarkers to be of clinical value, they should be linked to an action plan. Such an action plan may include defining the rules that confirm digital biomarker deviations (e.g., outside-norm signals in two subsequent weeks), monitoring frequently, and adjusting intervention delivery (e.g., motivational phone call to participant). Building on lesson 3, such action plans should be aligned with the overall goal of the study and the role of wearables, as illustrated by the “goal pyramid” (Fig. 1 ). For BarKA-MS, the interactive data visualizations and discussions with healthcare professionals revealed important preconditions for reacting to digital biomarker changes. For example, healthcare professionals stated that such processes should be compatible with existing workflows to avoid additional burden to clinical staff and healthcare professionals themselves, or that technical support for both patients and clinical staff should be made available 23 . A follow-up study explored these topics using the normalization process theory framework, focusing on how healthcare professionals and patients can collaborate effectively in remote activity tracking for rehabilitation aftercare 23 .
Drawing on identified patterns and themes from the ten lessons from BarKA-MS, observations from a follow-up study 23 , and feedback received when used in the course “Digital Health in Practice” for medical students at the University of Zurich, we developed the DACIA framework. This framework is based on the notion that digital biomarker development is informed by: (1) d ata, (2) a ggregation, (3) c ontextualization, (4) i nterpretation, and (5) a ctions (Fig. 2 ). These constructs aim to guide future early-stage research on wearable sensor-based digital biomarker development and are scalable to larger studies. The DACIA framework also serves as an interactive teaching tool for medical students to plan and execute a hands-on wearable sensor data collection and analysis for a mock digital health intervention.
DACIA framework constructs and feedback loops.
In this section, we present the five DACIA constructs along with examples for guiding questions to inform study planning (Table 1 ), which can also be used to support teaching. We then present data loops among the DACIA constructs, depicted by the orange box, to illustrate the iterative and flexible aspects of digital biomarker development. To provide further context on DACIA’s applicability to a study, we apply the constructs of the framework to BarKA-MS (Supplementary Table 2 ).
During BarKA-MS, we regularly collected user feedback on the study and device acceptability in free-text fields. User studies were also conducted to identify healthcare professionals’ needs for data visualizations and considerations for appropriate data interpretation. This feedback was useful for study improvements. Therefore, since critical aspects for the study’s success may only surface during study conduct (e.g., through interim analyses or user feedback), we recommend that wearable sensor studies be adaptable to such feedback and evolving data requirements. This is visualized by the orange box in Fig. 2 .
Regularly engaging participants through user feedback, e.g., as part of a weekly survey or after a data collection task has been completed, may also be beneficial for overall study compliance. In response to the feedback, researchers can promptly respond and provide motivational or technical support. The involved researchers can also keep support logs to record technical and non-technical issues that require further communication with participants. Considering participant burden, researchers should also assess the usefulness of individual data items during data collection, discarding those irrelevant to the study’s goals to reduce unnecessary burden. Researchers can also reduce burden by collecting data less frequently or re-using existing information, for example through linkage with clinical data.
Regular communication with study participants and healthcare professionals may also be useful for the interpretation of detected digital biomarker signals. Studies can explore implementing automated feedback loops to share deviating digital biomarker signals with study participants and healthcare professionals, gathering valuable data for process improvement or supervised machine learning models. These models should be critically assessed to ensure algorithmic fairness based on a diverse study population, to ensure that they are externally valid in other clinical settings and do not exclude underrepresented groups. Reviewing model results and predictions directly with involved stakeholders and diverse patient groups can help identify potential issues. Importantly, algorithms and digital biomarkers should also undergo external validation with independent patient populations before use in healthcare and clinical practice.
Our paper provides key lessons learned from the BarKA-MS study program for the use of wearable sensor data for digital biomarker development. Based on these, we propose the DACIA framework, which aims to guide and inform future research and support teaching curricula on digital health interventions. The framework is easily applicable to studies across various chronic conditions, in both observational as well as interventional study designs.
In light of current guidelines, the DACIA framework provides interdisciplinary guidance on how to use wearable sensor data for digital biomarker development. Our work can be seen as complementary to other frameworks. The Framework for Meaningful Measurement by Manta et al. 52 , for example, provides a sequential list of data collection-related considerations to evaluate the meaningfulness of sensor signals. The Digital Biomarker Discovery Pipeline from Bent et al. 53 , goes a step further and focuses more specifically on aligning study goals with the collected data and different types of analyses. Guidance from Coravos et al. 9 rather focuses on the variability in types of sensor technologies, digital biomarkers and their clinical relevance. Combined with high-level guidance from the FDA 15 and Digital Medicine Society 16 , 17 , the DACIA framework provides a more comprehensive approach for planning and conducting research with wearable sensors to develop digital biomarkers that places focus on involving relevant stakeholders in each key step of DACIA in an iterative manner. This is especially of relevance in the action construct of the framework, going beyond digital biomarker development guidelines into meaningfully applying and assessing them along with relevant stakeholders in clinical practice. Furthermore, the DACIA framework places a more participant-centric approach that focuses on reducing their burden through support and continuous feedback. Overall, the DACIA framework complements existing guidance by focusing on participant needs as a crucial factor for study success, making it relevant for both short and long-duration studies.
The DACIA framework fills an important gap by placing a stronger focus on the interdisciplinary and iterative planning, analysis and interpretation of wearable sensor data, to enhance the clinical relevance of future research in wearable sensor-based digital biomarker development. In particular, DACIA helps to assign the relevant responsibilities and clarify data requirements for assessing study outcomes and measurement contexts. It also underlines the importance of necessary measurement frequency to support relevant actions, such as by collecting user feedback and adapting the delivery of the study tasks based on this feedback in real-time, or regularly communicating with stakeholders to interpret and react to detected digital biomarker signals. While initially designed for the development of digital biomarkers from wearable sensors that measure physical activity, the DACIA framework can be applied to explore digital biomarkers using various devices or signal measurements, including for digital health interventions focused on behavior change.
An important consideration when implementing the DACIA framework in research studies is its applicability to larger study samples. BarKA-MS included 45 participants who received consistent support from the clinical staff and researchers to ensure completion of both the in-person and remote study components. The combination of a smaller sample size and the continuous support enabled higher personalization. However, we recognize that such approaches may not be directly applicable to larger studies or studies with limited resources. In the orange feedback loop of the DACIA framework, we propose approaches to streamline and automate certain study steps to reduce reliance on clinical staff and researchers. We also recommend referring to additional guidance documents 9 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 52 , 53 and implementation science theories, such as the normalization process theory 54 , to further inform design actions that align smoothly with healthcare workflows, meet stakeholder needs, and utilize available resources efficiently.
This paper presents some limitations. The ten lessons are primarily derived from a single study program, which includes four published outcome analyses and a subsequent follow-up study, resulting in a relatively constrained experience base from a limited range of devices and data collection methods relevant to BarKA-MS. Moreover, the participant pool in BarKA-MS is limited to individuals with more advanced stages of MS, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings to those living with other chronic diseases.
It is also important to note that the individual steps of the DACIA framework may not hold the same significance for certain applications and studies, particularly those that do not involve interventions. While we believe the DACIA framework adequately addresses important study design and conduct decisions relevant for digital biomarker development, we cannot rule out the possibility that certain studies may demand additional considerations beyond the scope of the framework. Therefore, further refinements and real-world testing are advisable.
Nevertheless, the DACIA framework builds on substantial research, data from wearable sensors and valid survey instruments, practical experience in conducting various digital health studies that use sensor measurements from wearables, and teaching experience with medical students. As such, we consider the framework to be well-grounded and reflective of real-world challenges in such studies, which can be informative for future research and teaching.
Overall, this paper outlines a set of important lessons learned for transforming wearable sensor data to digital biomarkers. The DACIA framework was developed as a crosscut between the lessons learned, which were summarized into five key steps of digital biomarker development and adapted based on student feedback. It highlights important elements to be considered when using wearable sensor data as digital biomarkers and provides practical guidance for future research and teaching. Our findings are applicable beyond MS and aim to inform any related digital health study for chronic disease management. As the popularity and use of wearables continuous to grow, our work provides an important first step towards the systematic and transparent development of meaningful digital biomarkers.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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The authors sincerely thank the participants in the Barrieren für körperliche Aktivität bei Multiple Sklerosis-Betroffenen (Barriers to Physical Activity in People With Multiple Sclerosis) study who dedicated their time to support multiple sclerosis research. The authors also thank Ramona Sylvester and Dr. Jan Kool for their invaluable feedback from their on-site experiences with the BarKA-MS study. The authors also thank the researchers who conducted all the studies that informed this paper, including Dr. Chloé Sieber, Dr. Ziyuan Lu, Yves Rutishauser and Gabriela Morgenshtern. Lastly, the authors thank Dr. Sarah Haile and Andreas Baumer for their assistance with the revision of the previous version of this paper. This study was funded by the Digital Society Initiative.
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Vasileios Nittas, Christina Haag & Viktor von Wyl
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V.V.W. and P.D. conceptualized and wrote the first version of this paper, and revised the final version of this paper. V.V.W. additionally provided relevant input and feedback that informed the content of this paper. V.N. assisted with the conceptualization of the first version of this paper, and revised and approved the final version of this paper. V.V.W., C.H., and R.G. conducted the BarKA-MS study that informed this paper. C.H., J.B., and R.G. provided relevant input and feedback that informed the content of this paper, and revised and approved the final version of this paper.
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Daniore, P., Nittas, V., Haag, C. et al. From wearable sensor data to digital biomarker development: ten lessons learned and a framework proposal. npj Digit. Med. 7 , 161 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-024-01151-3
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Home » Proposal – Types, Examples, and Writing Guide
Table of Contents
Definition:
Proposal is a formal document or presentation that outlines a plan, idea, or project and seeks to persuade others to support or adopt it. Proposals are commonly used in business, academia, and various other fields to propose new initiatives, solutions to problems, research studies, or business ventures.
While the specific layout of a proposal may vary depending on the requirements or guidelines provided by the recipient, there are some common sections that are typically included in a standard proposal. Here’s a typical layout for a proposal:
When it comes to proposals, there are various types depending on the context and purpose. Here are some common types of proposals:
This type of proposal is used in the business world to present a plan, idea, or project to potential clients, investors, or partners. It typically includes an executive summary, problem statement, proposed solution, timeline, budget, and anticipated outcomes.
A project proposal is a detailed document that outlines the objectives, scope, methodology, deliverables, and budget of a specific project. It is used to seek approval and funding from stakeholders or clients.
Research proposals are commonly used in academic or scientific settings. They outline the research objectives, methodology, timeline, expected outcomes, and potential significance of a research study. These proposals are submitted to funding agencies, universities, or research institutions.
Non-profit organizations, researchers, or individuals seeking funding for a project or program often write grant proposals. These proposals provide a detailed plan of the project, including goals, methods, budget, and expected outcomes, to convince grant-making bodies to provide financial support.
Sales proposals are used by businesses to pitch their products or services to potential customers. They typically include information about the product/service, pricing, features, benefits, and a persuasive argument to encourage the recipient to make a purchase.
When seeking sponsorship for an event, sports team, or individual, a sponsorship proposal is created. It outlines the benefits for the sponsor, the exposure they will receive, and the financial or in-kind support required.
A marketing proposal is developed by marketing agencies or professionals to present their strategies and tactics to potential clients. It includes an analysis of the target market, proposed marketing activities, budget, and expected results.
In the realm of government or public policy, individuals or organizations may create policy proposals to suggest new laws, regulations, or changes to existing policies. These proposals typically provide an overview of the issue, the proposed solution, supporting evidence, and potential impacts.
Organizations often create training proposals to propose a training program for their employees. These proposals outline the training objectives, topics to be covered, training methods, resources required, and anticipated outcomes.
When two or more organizations or individuals wish to collaborate or form a partnership, a partnership proposal is used to present the benefits, shared goals, responsibilities, and terms of the proposed partnership.
Event planners or individuals organizing an event, such as a conference, concert, or wedding, may create an event proposal. It includes details about the event concept, venue, logistics, budget, marketing plan, and anticipated attendee experience.
Technology proposals are used to present new technological solutions, system upgrades, or IT projects to stakeholders or decision-makers. These proposals outline the technology requirements, implementation plan, costs, and anticipated benefits.
Contractors or construction companies create construction proposals to bid on construction projects. These proposals include project specifications, cost estimates, timelines, materials, and construction methodologies.
Authors or aspiring authors create book proposals to pitch their book ideas to literary agents or publishers. These proposals include a synopsis of the book, target audience, marketing plan, author’s credentials, and sample chapters.
Social media professionals or agencies create social media proposals to present their strategies for managing social media accounts, creating content, and growing online presence. These proposals include an analysis of the current social media presence, proposed tactics, metrics for success, and pricing.
Similar to training proposals, these proposals focus on the overall development and growth of employees within an organization. They may include plans for leadership development, skill enhancement, or professional certification programs.
Consultants create consulting proposals to present their services and expertise to potential clients. These proposals outline the problem statement, proposed approach, scope of work, timeline, deliverables, and fees.
Organizations or individuals seeking to influence public policy or advocate for a particular cause create policy advocacy proposals. These proposals present research, evidence, and arguments to support a specific policy change or reform.
Web designers or agencies create website design proposals to pitch their services to clients. These proposals outline the project scope, design concepts, development process, timeline, and pricing.
Environmental proposals are created to address environmental issues or propose conservation initiatives. These proposals may include strategies for renewable energy, waste management, biodiversity preservation, or sustainable practices.
Proposals related to health and wellness can cover a range of topics, such as wellness programs, community health initiatives, healthcare system improvements, or health education campaigns.
HR professionals may create HR proposals to introduce new policies, employee benefits programs, performance evaluation systems, or employee training initiatives within an organization.
Nonprofit organizations seeking funding or support for a specific program or project create nonprofit program proposals. These proposals outline the program’s objectives, activities, target beneficiaries, budget, and expected outcomes.
When bidding for government contracts, businesses or contractors create government contract proposals. These proposals include details about the project, compliance with regulations, cost estimates, and qualifications.
Businesses or individuals seeking to develop and launch a new product present product development proposals. These proposals outline the product concept, market analysis, development process, production costs, and marketing strategies.
Feasibility study proposals are used to assess the viability and potential success of a project or business idea. These proposals include market research, financial analysis, risk assessment, and recommendations for implementation.
Educational institutions or organizations create educational program proposals to introduce new courses, curricula, or educational initiatives. These proposals outline the program objectives, learning outcomes, curriculum design, and resource requirements.
Organizations involved in social services, such as healthcare, community development, or social welfare, create social service proposals to seek funding, support, or partnerships. These proposals outline the social issue, proposed interventions, anticipated impacts, and sustainability plans.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with proposal writing:
The purpose of a proposal is to present a plan, idea, project, or solution to a specific audience in a persuasive and compelling manner. Proposals are typically written documents that aim to:
Proposals are typically written in various situations when you need to present a plan, idea, or project to a specific audience. Here are some common scenarios when you may need to write a proposal:
Proposals play a significant role in numerous areas and have several important benefits. Here are some key reasons why proposals are important:
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
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Computer vision techniques, aided by artificial intelligence, in medical image analysis, are currently encouraged for precise and speedy diagnosis of brain disorders. The brain MR image shows an intensity variation, which attracts multiclass segmentation for a meaningful representation. The existing entropy-based methods use the image histogram. Nevertheless, the 1D histogram-based technique has a low complexity. However, it lacks the contextual information. Further, these entropy-based methods suffer low accuracy when the gray value distribution is non-uniform. To facilitate a reliable and efficient thresholding process, a novel multiclass segmentation objective function is investigated along with an efficient optimizer to obtain the optimal threshold values. To bridge this research gap, we explore a context-sensitive attitude entropy (CSAE) based multiclass segmentation objective function, an energy curve is used together with the human decision-making ability. Context-sensitive attitude entropy (CSAE), in contrast to classical entropy, which considers each pixel separately, is a measure of uncertainty or randomness in an image considering the spatial relationships and context between adjacent pixels. This can be achieved by calculating the attitude entropy from the energy curve instead of the image’s histogram. To maximize the CSAE, we suggest a new enhanced flow directional algorithm (EFDA), which improves the flow directional algorithm (FDA) by adding randomization to both the velocity and the non-performer agents. The experimental effort begins with the EFDA performance validation utilising 23 well-known classical and 10 CEC-C06 2019 benchmark functions, which produce better results than cutting-edge optimizers. The EFDA’s supremacy over other optimizers is ensured by Friedman’s mean rank and Wilcoxon’s mean rank test. The suggested CSAE-EFDA method is tested using T2-weighted brain images from Harvard Medical School’s AANLIB database and Brain MR images for tumor classification from the Kaggle dataset. The proposal outperforms most of the standard and well-known entropy-based thresholding techniques, which are also verified by the ANOVA statistical test. The satisfactory improvement of the proposed method in Average PSNR, SSIM, and FSIM makes it suitable for use in a range of imaging modalities, such as satellite, color, grayscale, and biological images.
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Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Siksha O Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, 751030, Odisha, India
Manoj Kumar Naik & Aneesh Wunnava
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology & Sciences, Sangivalasa, Visakhapatnam, 531162, Andhra Pradesh, India
Bibekananda Jena
Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, 768018, Odisha, India
Rutuparna Panda
Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Bennett University, Greater Noida, 201310, India
Ajith Abraham
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Correspondence to Manoj Kumar Naik or Rutuparna Panda .
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Naik, M.K., Jena, B., Panda, R. et al. A novel context-sensitive attitude entropy-based multiclass segmentation method for brain MR images using enhanced flow directional algorithm. Multimed Tools Appl (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-024-19461-9
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Accepted : 19 May 2024
Published : 18 June 2024
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-024-19461-9
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The methods section of a research proposal must contain all the necessary information that will facilitate another researcher to replicate your research. The purpose of writing this section is to convince the funding agency that the methods you plan to use are sound and this is the most suitable approach to address the problem you have chosen.
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".
1. Title Page: Include the title of your proposal, your name or organization's name, the date, and any other relevant information specified by the guidelines. 2. Executive Summary: Provide a concise overview of your proposal, highlighting the key points and objectives.
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.
The new Third Edition covers every section of the proposal, telling you all you need to know on how to structure it, bring rigor to your methods section, impress your readers, and get your proposal accepted. Developing Effective Research Proposals provides an authoritative and accessible guide for anyone tackling a research proposal.
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 1: Explain your methodological approach. Step 2: Describe your data collection methods. Step 3: Describe your analysis method. Step 4: Evaluate and justify the methodological choices you made. Tips for writing a strong methodology chapter. Other interesting articles.
The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince your research supervisor, committee or university that your research is suitable (for the requirements of the degree program) and manageable (given the time and resource constraints you will face). The most important word here is "convince" - in other words, your ...
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.
Research Proposal Example/Sample. Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template. If you're getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals, you've come to the right place. In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals, one for a Master's-level ...
Writing a research proposal template in structured steps ensures a comprehensive and coherent presentation of your research project. Let's look at the explanation for each of the steps here: Step 1: Title and Abstract. Step 2: Introduction. Step 3: Research objectives. Step 4: Literature review.
Writing the Proposal: Essential components include the introduction, background and significance, literature review, research objectives, design and methods, and implications. Revisions and Proofreading: It is crucial to thoroughly revise and proofread the proposal, possibly seeking feedback from peers or professional services, to improve ...
Krathwohl (2005) suggests and describes a variety of components to include in a research proposal. The following sections - Introductions, Background and significance, Literature Review; Research design and methods, Preliminary suppositions and implications; and Conclusion present these components in a suggested template for you to follow in ...
INTRODUCTION. A clean, well-thought-out proposal forms the backbone for the research itself and hence becomes the most important step in the process of conduct of research.[] The objective of preparing a research proposal would be to obtain approvals from various committees including ethics committee [details under 'Research methodology II' section [Table 1] in this issue of IJA) and to ...
Academic Research Proposal. This is the most common type of research proposal, which is prepared by students, scholars, or researchers to seek approval and funding for an academic research project. It includes all the essential components mentioned earlier, such as the introduction, literature review, methodology, and expected outcomes.
Hannah Skaggs. Hannah, a writer and editor since 2017, specializes in clear and concise academic and business writing. She has mentored countless scholars and companies in writing authoritative and engaging content. Write a research proposal with purpose and accuracy. Learn about the objective, parts, and key elements of a research proposal in ...
A well-structured research proposal includes a title page, abstract and table of contents, introduction, literature review, research design and methodology, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, timeline and budget. Visme's research proposal examples and templates offer a great starting point for creating engaging and well-structured ...
The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults. Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data. Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for ...
The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting the research are governed by standards within the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, so guidelines ...
Research methodology is typically written after the research proposal has been approved and before the actual research is conducted. It should be written prior to data collection and analysis, as it provides a clear roadmap for the research project. ... It provides a rationale for why certain research methods are used. It determines the ...
A Sample Quantitative Research Proposal Written in the APA 6th Style. [Note: This sample proposal is based on a composite of past proposals, simulated information and references, and material I've included for illustration purposes - it is based roughly on a fairly standard research proposal; I say roughly because there is no one set way of ...
Step 6: Write Your Research Proposal Crafting a Clear and Concise Research Proposal. Your research proposal is a key document that helps you secure funding and approval for your research. It is a demonstration of your research skills and knowledge. A well-written proposal can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted into a PhD ...
Scientific methods to collect, interpret, analyze, and translate health data from wearables to digital biomarkers vary, and systematic approaches to guide these processes are currently lacking.
She said research would focus on estimating the likely effects in different parts of the world if governments were to deploy artificial cooling technologies. The intent is to help inform ...
If the company you are working for doesn't offer any funding or support, there are still alternate methods of securing help reaching your professional goals. There are many independent sources for grants, scholarships, and fellowships, including a variety of opportunities through the KNA and ANA to support education, research, and other ...
These proposals are submitted to funding agencies, universities, or research institutions. Grant Proposal. Non-profit organizations, researchers, or individuals seeking funding for a project or program often write grant proposals. These proposals provide a detailed plan of the project, including goals, methods, budget, and expected outcomes, to ...
The proposal outperforms most of the standard and well-known entropy-based thresholding techniques, which are also verified by the ANOVA statistical test. The satisfactory improvement of the proposed method in Average PSNR, SSIM, and FSIM makes it suitable for use in a range of imaging modalities, such as satellite, color, grayscale, and ...