When you are a student of a Master’s or PhD program, then it is essential for you as a student to perform a research process on the specific topic related to the degree of your department. In order to make your research effective, it is important to make the research proposal effective and convince the supervisor of the topic you have chosen for your research.
A research proposal is a formal, structured document that outlines a research project’s plan and purpose. It aims to convince supervisors or committees of the project’s value, originality, and feasibility. The proposal covers key areas such as the research topic, its significance, and the methodology you will use in the research process. The proposal ensures that the research is well-organized and manageable and contributes meaningfully to the field by clearly defining these elements. The important and essential parts of a research proposal are explained in this article.
Figure 1: Research Proposal
Research Proposal and Its Purposes
A research proposal is a formal and structured document related to the research that contains information about the topic of research that the researcher wants to explore, including the justification of the research and the worth of the research. And in the last, it also involves the methodology that the researcher applies in his research in order to investigate the plans of research. This formal and structured document is known as a research proposal.
The main purpose of a research proposal in the academic is to convince the supervisor or committee about the research that the research is effective and suitable for the degree program that you are conducting, and that it also provides information that the research is manageable. The most important purpose of the research proposal is to convince the supervisor or the committee that your research is effective and also fulfills the basic requirements. If the research proposal is unable to convince the committee or supervisor, then you have to revise your research proposal, due to which time will be wasted, and the start of the research will also be delayed.
Figure 2: Research Proposal Process
Areas Covered by Research Proposal
There are several areas that need to be covered by the research proposal or dissertation proposal, including the “what,” “why,” and “how.” These areas need to be covered by the proposal of the research or dissertation. There is a detailed explanation about these areas that should be covered by the proposal that is explained below.
The What
“The What” portion explains that the research proposal explains the topic of research effectively, and there is a need for a specific and unambiguous topic that is clear from the topic about the nature of the research. For example, the topic of research is “The impact of CSR on the brand value in the market of the USA.” This topic describes what is being investigated in the research, which is the impact of CSR values is being investigated in the research.
The factors involved in the research are the markets of the USA, and this research was conducted in the context of the United States of America. It is obvious and clear that the research proposal explains the topic of the research in an effective way that provides a complete explanation of the topic of research. The aim of the research and its objectives are also explained in the research proposal. It is also beneficial that the research proposal contains the research questions that are explained in the research.
Figure 3: Guidelines for Research Proposal
The Why
When you propose your topic for research, then it is important to justify your research topic based on the originality of your topic and the fact that the topic of research should be unique. Your research is not the previous work of any other researcher because if the research is not unique, then it should not be approved by the supervisor or the committee of the university. It is also noted that it is effective that your research topic is unique, but it is not enough because you have to justify that your research topic is worthwhile and important.
When the research is completed, then there should be a positive impact on the world related to your research. The topic that is mentioned above, if the research is done effectively on that topic then it would help you to explain the impact of CSR approaches and values on the brand that are being used by the individuals in the market of the US. Therefore, it is clear that when you are choosing the topic for your research, then it is important that your topic is unique and that the chosen topic has a positive impact and also adds useful value to the world.
The How
It is important and effective that the chosen topic is original and valuable, but it is not enough to convince the supervisor of the research on the chosen topic. For this purpose, you have to describe the methodology you used in your research and how that methodology is effective for the research.
It is also important that the methodology used in the research is appropriate according to the research aims, and it is also important that the methodology is manageable within the given time period. “The How” portion also describes several questions related to the research in the research proposal that includes mentioning the approach used by you in the research, whether it is a qualitative or quantitative approach.
The sampling strategy adopted in the research methods used for data collection in the research, whether through interviews or surveys. This portion also includes the answers to approaches that are used for the analysis of collected data and also describes the potential limitations of the methodology used.
Figure 4: Writing of Research Proposal
Structure of Research Proposal
Every university has a separate structure for the research proposal according to the requirements of the supervisor or committee. The important part of the research proposal is the title page of the research, which involves the essential information about the student, the name of the university, and the selected topic of the research. The title page should be formatted effectively, and it becomes attractive.
There are four essential parts that must be included in the proposal of research in every university, and they are explained as follows. The first part is the strong and effective “introduction” of the research proposal that also includes the background and research aim in this part. The introduction part also includes the research questions that are explained in the research. Another essential part of a research proposal is the “literature review,” which includes information about the existing research related to the selected topic.
The literature review also explains the information and research that is done by other researchers about the selected topics, and it is also essential that their findings are cited effectively. The third essential part is the selected “research methodology” that is effective and accurate for the selected topic in order to make the research effective. The fourth essential part of the research proposal is the “practicalities” of the research project, which includes the plans for the project and time. In the last there is a list of references that are used in the research are also listed. The reference style is according to the requirements of the university or the supervisor, and it contains all the references that are used in the research.
Figure 5: Structure of Research Proposal
Conclusion
The conclusion of this article is drawn that a research proposal is a vital document that is in an effective structure and outlines the “what,” “why,” and “how” of a research project. The main and primary purpose of a research proposal is to convince a supervisor or committee of the research’s significance, originality, and feasibility. Its purpose is also to provide information to the supervisor about the quality and effectiveness of the research process that is used for the research.
The proposal must clearly define the research topic, justify its importance and uniqueness, and detail the methodology to be used within the research. The structure of the research proposal typically includes a title page, an introduction, a literature review, a research methodology, practicalities, and references. A well-structured research proposal ensures the research is manageable and timely and adds valuable insights to the field.
