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:
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
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. Emphasize 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:
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
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.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved September 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/
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Sample assignments, mapping exercises, mapping + integration template.
This template asks students to list courses in General Education and their major and co-curricular activities and then to reflect on connections among them and also to their Personal and Interpersonal Life and Professional/Career Life. They do so by drawing lines to note the connections and making a brief annotation as to the nature of the connection. As used in IE courses—such as English 494EI: Writing, Identity, and English Studies—it is often followed by an essay further reflecting on the completed map.
Skills Chart and Narrative
This assignment, the second in a three-part sequence of reflections, offers a model of how students might map their skills and knowledge. What makes this a valuable assignments for students is the opportunity to then use the skills charting to produce a narrative and employer portfolio. Writing the narrative and subsequent portfolio requires students to articulate for themselves the value of their General Education and major experiences. Japanese 494RI: Communicating in Japanese
Reflection Assignment
This assignment is in two parts: the first is a mapping exercise framed by two questions. It asks students what they would like to ultimately be doing in life, and asks what they will do following graduate to achieve that. This mapping then moves into an overall reflection on the major and General Education courses that students have taken, asking them to consider how, directly or indirectly, these courses may help them achieve the objectives. Following the mapping exercise, students are asked to write a reflection essay based on their mapping charts, and what they identified as overall goals.
SBS Pathways Inventory
This assignment asks students to develop their SBS Pathways Portfolio, a component of the larger SBS Pathways Program. In doing so, students have an opportunity to reflect on their courses, both General Education and major-focused, as well as any co-curricular experiences. Upon mapping these experiences, students are then asked to identify the skills attained from such experiences, and consider how they might use them in their future goals. This is done in conjunction with students’ professional development. This assignment is an example of using informal mapping to prompt students’ reflective thinking and draw connections between their broader educational experiences and their own professional and personal lives.
*With the exception of Art History 415 and English 494EI, these course assignments do not include mapping or charting activities.
Reflection Papers
There are two reflection papers that ask students to reflect on specific General Education designated courses (one BS course, and one AL, AT, or SB course). These reflections are explicitly connected to the content of the course, with prompts asking students to draw connections. While not explicit in the Term Paper assignment, the language of the prompt draws parallels to that of the earlier reflection papers.
This course includes three reflection and integration activities: the initial and final being in narrative form, and the second involves charting.
Initial Reflection Paper
This assignment is constructed in 3 parts, allowing students to work through their experiences. Students are given a chance to think separately about their General Education courses, as well as their introductory, 100-level major courses. In doing so, students can identify what patterns emerge specific to one particular group, or see what is shared. This comes together with the final questions which ask students to think about the impact of these courses on their future plans. Completed early in the semester, these reflection papers are meant to frame and guide students' experience in the course.
See description above.
Final Reflection Paper
This assignment is in addition to a final research project. While the final research project is disciplinary/course content focused, this final reflection assignment offers students the chance to consider how all facets of their UMass experience (General Education courses, major courses, extracurricular activities, etc.) influenced not only their choice in research project, but also their approach to the future.
These papers are designed for students to reflect on their prior General Education experience, while also requiring that they think about these experiences in the context of the course theme. In doing so, students are given the opportunity to integrate their learning experiences within the context of their major and the overall course focus.
8-Page Paper
While the primary focus of this assignment is for students to design their own theory-based media intervention, marking the assignment as a kind of wrap-up to the course, students are encouraged to use previous Gen Ed courses as inspiration and resources. This assignment offers an example of how an assignment can be "content-focused" and perhaps, disciplinary-specific, while also granting an opportunity for reflection on and integration of prior General Education experience.
Project 3: “College”
This project is one of five that students complete in the course. While the other projects offer different reflective lenses for students to consider, Project 3 emphasizes a reflection on College. Students are asked to reflect on and integrate “their college learning so far,” considering all of the courses they have taken alongside their co-curricular activities. These reflections are then presented in a final paper taking the form of a narrative, critical reflection, or case study. The project is one piece of a larger whole that offers students the opportunity to critical reflect on and engage their prior learning experiences. To prompt their thinking for this reflection, students begin by completing the Mapping + Integration Template .
Personal IE Reflective Essay
This essay asks students to craft a “narrative on [their] intellectual/personal journey through college.” Students develop the reflection essay, which requires both reflection on and integration of their General Education coursework and major courses, with peer and instructor feedback throughout the course of the semester. While the essay itself is developed “iteratively,” the syllabus provides some initial prompts to help students get started.
Protest and Dissent: Electronic Journal Assignment
This assignment is a cumulative journal assignment, with an established minimum number of entries students are required to make. While some of the entries can be interest-driven, with students writing about their own topics, the syllabus highlights five required prompts throughout the course of the semester. These prompts ask students to reflect on their prior experiences, including General Education courses, in relation to their major and the course material.
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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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An assignment examples on masters is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.
Some signs of masters assignment:
The goal of an assignment in masters is to develop such skills as independent creative thinking and writing out your own thoughts.
Writing an assignment is extremely useful, because it allows the author to learn to clearly and correctly formulate thoughts, structure information, use basic concepts, highlight causal relationships, illustrate experience with relevant examples, and substantiate his conclusions.
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Academic Essay Writing for Postgraduates. is designed to help you plan, draft and revise the assignments you will be doing for your Master's degree at Edinburgh. We focus on. • the. criteria. used to evaluate Master's-level writing. • the typical. components. of academic texts.
Exemplar Assignments. These are representative examples of good work, not demonstration models of perfection. They are intended to reassure you that good work can be presented in many different ways. We are grateful to your predecessors who wrote them and gave permission for us to show them to you. Please do not circulate them to anyone else ...
Essay: Business - "Culture is a Tool Used by Management". Essay: Business - "Integrating Business Perspectives - Wicked Problem". Essay: Business - "Overconsumption and Sustainability". Essay: Business - "Post bureaucracy vs Bureaucracy". Essay: Design, Architecture & Building - "Ideas in History - Postmodernism".
The basic structure is of three parts: introduction, discussion, and conclusion. It is, however, advisable to follow the structural guidelines from your tutor. For example, our master's sample assignment includes lots of headings and sub-headings. Undergraduate assignments are shorter and present a statistical analysis only.
For the requirements common to most academic assignments, see the section on academic writing. Page authorised by Director - Centre for Learner Success. Last updated on 22 August, 2019. 0800 MASSEY | (+64 6 350 5701) TXT 5222. [email protected]. Web chat. Online form. Massey University.
Graduate School Writing Samples Bernhard Nickel · [email protected] July 10, 2022 1 The Goal of the Writing Sample A writing sample for graduate school primarily serves an evidentialfunction: its purpose is to give evidence of your qualifications to enter graduate school at the program you're applying to. Of course the central
1. Understand the assignment. Understand the assignment; 1. Identify the verbs in the instructions; 2. Identify the key terms; 3. Consider the practical instructions for the assignment; 4. Consider all this information within the framework of the expectations for academic writing; Examples ; 2. Create a preliminary document plan; 3. Draft your ...
Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks. Published on February 9, ... Shane finished his master's degree in English literature in 2013 and has been working as a writing tutor and editor since 2009. He began proofreading and editing essays with Scribbr in early summer, 2014.
Assignment essay tasks are set to assist students to develop mastery of their study subject.Firstly, assignment tasks enhance understandings about subject matter. Yang and Baker (2005) reason that "to master your learning materials and extend your understandings, you need to write about the meanings you gain from your research" (p. 1).
Compelling conclusions. When considering how to write a master's essay, you need to ensure that your arguments and conclusions are plausible; try throughout to make them properly convincing. Weigh evidence, analyse arguments and develop your own position. If on reading you have successfully convinced yourself, you will more likely convince the ...
Add an extra blank double-spaced line between the title and author's name. Place the author note in the bottom half of the title page. Center and bold the label "Author Note.". Align the paragraphs of the author note to the left. For an example, see the LU Writing Center template for graduate students here.
Graduate Level Writing Tip #5: Avoid using casual language and cliches. Keep your writer's "voice" professional, academic in tone, and cliche-free. Use simple, straight-forward, and thoughtful words and sentences. Many people mistake "academic tone" for big words, vague ideas, and heady data. An academic tone is conscious, intentional ...
Know where you are heading. Have a plan and structure in mind when it comes to a project as long as a Masters assignment. It is vital to both the writer and the reader. The ideas attain a logical form and you get a guiding outline to follow. The whole paper is more organized and flows smoothly through this method.
Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples. Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on July 18, 2023. It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation.One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer's block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.
4 SAMPLE GRADUATE SCHOOL ESSAYS. #1. "From Working Poor to Elite Scholar". One of the proudest accomplishments of my life was earning my college degree, despite the fact that my early adulthood pointed in the opposite direction, beginning with my marriage at the age of 19. Throughout the 1990s I lived as one of the "working poor," someone who ...
A sample of a critical review that includes an annotated structure for your reference. Sample of an investigative report [PDF 500KB]. A resource for science, engineering and technology students. How to write an investigative report, including an annotated format. Interpreting assignment topics [PDF 370 KB]. Find out how to interpret an ...
Writing assignments at Master's level. You must use language appropriate to the academic environment, and a coherent and strong structure to your work is essential. Assignments will be longer at Master's level, even for unassessed pieces of work. Do not be overwhelmed by larger word counts. Remember, you made a large step up in intensity of ...
An example reflection using Borton's model Borton's model of reflection This model, from Terry Borton, is attractive by virtue of its simplicity. It centres around just three questions, so it's easy to remember and is especially good to prompt a quick reflection after an event, such as when you finish a teaching session. The questions are:
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 ...
This assignment is constructed in 3 parts, allowing students to work through their experiences. Students are given a chance to think separately about their General Education courses, as well as their introductory, 100-level major courses. In doing so, students can identify what patterns emerge specific to one particular group, or see what is ...
Journals. A journal assignment allows an online student to communicate with his or her professor directly. While topics are sometimes assigned, journals often enable students to express ideas ...
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 ...
An assignment examples on masters is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject. the presence of a specific topic or question. A work devoted to the analysis of a ...