How to Write a Research Proposal
How to write a research proposal when you have no idea what is it? A research proposal is another writing assignment a student can be faced with. For your help, EssayPro's paper writers wrote a full guide on how to write a research proposal with a research proposal example included. Let’s get right into the topic starting with a research proposal definition with our service.
What Is a Research Proposal
When your instructor assigns a research proposal, they seek a brief summary and a detailed methodology of the research you have conducted or will conduct for their class. The proposal allows them to approve your idea or propose any necessary changes before you begin writing. It is important to understand what this assignment’s purpose is.
Writing a proposal will allow you to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge in a particular field, as it will show your ability to express complex ideas briefly. The process of writing involves several steps such as brainstorming, picking a topic, drafting, and revising. At the end of the writing process, you will have a proposal that explains your research question and the purpose of your conducted study.
Starting Writing a Proposal
To start, find something that interests you, and choose a topic related to your field of study. Read on articles about recent discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovation. Find inspiration on our blog or just ask one of our professional writers to help you. Make sure that the topic you’ll be writing on will interest you so that you’ll find it easier to write about. Take a look at things you believe in. Review on things that you are passionate about and ask yourself these questions.
- What do I want to study?
- Why is the topic important?
- How is it significant within the subject areas covered in my class?
- What problems will it help solve?
- How does it build upon (and hopefully go beyond) conducted on the topic?
- What exactly should I plan to do, and can I get it done in the time available?
Once you chose the topic of your custom term paper , follow the research proposal template from our service.
Research Proposal Template
No ‘one-size-fits-all’ research proposal template would suit every type of paper. However, regardless of the scope and depth of your research, you will find that most sample templates include the listed information.
Research Paper Title You will be able to revise your title throughout your research, but it is important that the title encompasses what your paper is about.
Example: The direct influence of Hitchcock’s Psycho on the genre of horror.
Abstract: This portion should be around 100 words long, consisting of the central question that you wish to address.
Context Your proposal should include a brief background to which you conducted your research. That includes the area of study, any debates on the topic and the relevance of the question.
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Research Question The aim should be to attempt to answer a question. The question needs to be narrow and focused, and reflect the objective of your essay. During your writing process, narrow your research question to two different aspects. You should elaborate on how you intend to answer the question and brief the reader on the conclusion that you made.
Example: How did Hitchcock’s Psycho influence the way horror films were made? How has the horror genre changed with respect to the film?
Research Method The research proposal should show how you conducted your research. Explain your key resources (ways you found your information) and how you collected your data. If you did interviews, brief the reader on who the people you interviewed were. Then explain how you analyzed the findings.
Research Significance Explain why your work is important. In any sample, you will find a short justification for why your research is original and how it adds something new to the field of study. You might want to list a reason why your research is pressing in the current time.
Example: The conducted research links Hitchcock’s Psycho too many modern films that exhibit the same shock-factor qualities. Today, shock-factor is harder to achieve; this is visible on the increase of poorly produced, lower-quality horror flicks that resort to shock rather than suspense to hold the audience’s attention.
Bibliography Lastly, you would want to create a list of the most relevant works that contributed to your study. You can need to so in the research paper format required by your instructor (APA, MLA, etc.). You can create an annotated bibliography, giving some insights into how each of the sources helped you with your research.
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Research Proposal Outline
Your research proposal outline should be structured according to the template above. Read more about outline format in our article. Before embarking on the proposal writing process, make sure that you have your research question narrowed down properly and a solid outline as to how you will structure your proposal. According to our history essay writer , your research proposal outline should include:
- Intro/Abstract. Why is your research significant?
- General area
- Area’s importance
- What is already known?
- Previous studies
- Background information
- Rational and Research Question
- Your research question
- How does your research question relate to the larger area of study?
- What is your argument/claim/hypothesis as to the answer to this question?
- Is there an opposite viewpoint?
- How did you collect the data?
- What method did you use?
- Did you have participants?
- How does it relate to your research?
- What results did you expect?
- Significance and Conclusion
- How did the data/information gathered confirm/disconfirm your hypothesis?
- Why should anyone care about the research you conducted?
- Bibliography. Include at least 6 sources
You need to write an outline for a research paper but don't know how to do it? Learn more about this in our article on research paper outline .
Research Paper Format
A format can vary from being only a couple of paragraphs long to about 2,500 words long for things like dissertations. Discuss with your instructor specifics such as length and contents before starting the writing process.
APA Research Proposal
The APA format itself can help you understand how to write a proposal for a research paper. The APA guidelines require writing an abstract, an introduction, and a bibliography as part of the paper, not only in the proposal. Here is a short breakdown of the APA proposal format:
- 12-point font Times New Roman
- Double-spaced
- 1-inch margins
- An APA running head (limited to 50 characters)
- A title page with the paper’s title (no more than 12 words in length), your name, and the name of your institution
- An abstract (150-200 words)
- In-text citations (formatted accordingly to APA guidelines)
- References page (formatted accordingly to APA guidelines)
Research Proposal Example
Here is a research proposal example APA. Notice the structure of a short research paper (around 15 pages) and the APA formatting.
Research Proposal: Video Guide
Avoid in a research proposal.
There are a couple of things that successful proposals have in common. If you look at an example, you will see that there are a couple of things in common that all of the proposals avoid:
- Not being concise enough. Your proposal must be written with a clear purpose in mind.
- Alleviating works cited page.
- Forgetting to disclose research boundaries and conflicting variables (age of participants, for example)
- An underdeveloped argument.
- A lack of focus and unrelated tangents.
- Poor grammar.
- Too much detail or not enough detail.
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- How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates
How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates
Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on January 3, 2023.
A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.
The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:
Introduction
Literature review.
- Research design
Reference list
While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.
Table of contents
Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, frequently asked questions about research proposals.
Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .
In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.
Research proposal length
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.
- Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
- Example research proposal #2: “Making Healthy Connections: Mentoring, Monitoring and Measurement”
- Example research proposal #3: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”
What can proofreading do for your paper?
Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your writing by making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words, and awkward phrasing.
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Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
- The proposed title of your project
- Your supervisor’s name
- Your institution and department
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:
- Introduce your topic
- Give necessary background and context
- Outline your problem statement and research questions
To guide your introduction , include information about:
- Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
- How much is already known about the topic
- What is missing from this current knowledge
- What new insights your research will contribute
- Why you believe this research is worth doing
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:
- Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
- Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
- Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship
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.
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:
- Improving best practices
- Informing policymaking decisions
- Strengthening a theory or model
- Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
- Creating a basis for future research
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
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:
- Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
- Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
- Source : how did you calculate the amount?
To determine your budget, think about:
- Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
- Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
- Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?
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.
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Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
Academic Proposals
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This resource introduces the genre of academic proposals and provides strategies for developing effective graduate-level proposals across multiple contexts.
Introduction
An important part of the work completed in academia is sharing our scholarship with others. Such communication takes place when we present at scholarly conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and publish in books. This OWL resource addresses the steps in writing for a variety of academic proposals.
For samples of academic proposals, click here .
Important considerations for the writing process
First and foremost, you need to consider your future audience carefully in order to determine both how specific your topic can be and how much background information you need to provide in your proposal. While some conferences and journals may be subject-specific, most will require you to address an audience that does not conduct research on the same topics as you. Conference proposal reviewers are often drawn from professional organization members or other attendees, while journal proposals are typically reviewed by the editorial staff, so you need to ensure that your proposal is geared toward the knowledge base and expectations of whichever audience will read your work.
Along those lines, you might want to check whether you are basing your research on specific prior research and terminology that requires further explanation. As a rule, always phrase your proposal clearly and specifically, avoid over-the-top phrasing and jargon, but do not negate your own personal writing style in the process.
If you would like to add a quotation to your proposal, you are not required to provide a citation or footnote of the source, although it is generally preferred to mention the author’s name. Always put quotes in quotation marks and take care to limit yourself to at most one or two quotations in the entire proposal text. Furthermore, you should always proofread your proposal carefully and check whether you have integrated details, such as author’s name, the correct number of words, year of publication, etc. correctly.
Methodology is often a key factor in the evaluation of proposals for any academic genre — but most proposals have such a small word limit that writers find it difficult to adequately include methods while also discussing their argument, background for the study, results, and contributions to knowledge. It's important to make sure that you include some information about the methods used in your study, even if it's just a line or two; if your proposal isn't experimental in nature, this space should instead describe the theory, lens, or approach you are taking to arrive at your conclusions.
Reasons proposals fail/common pitfalls
There are common pitfalls that you might need to improve on for future proposals.
The proposal does not reflect your enthusiasm and persuasiveness, which usually goes hand in hand with hastily written, simply worded proposals. Generally, the better your research has been, the more familiar you are with the subject and the more smoothly your proposal will come together.
Similarly, proposing a topic that is too broad can harm your chances of being accepted to a conference. Be sure to have a clear focus in your proposal. Usually, this can be avoided by more advanced research to determine what has already been done, especially if the proposal is judged by an important scholar in the field. Check the names of keynote speakers and other attendees of note to avoid repeating known information or not focusing your proposal.
Your paper might simply have lacked the clear language that proposals should contain. On this linguistic level, your proposal might have sounded repetitious, have had boring wording, or simply displayed carelessness and a lack of proofreading, all of which can be remedied by more revisions. One key tactic for ensuring you have clear language in your proposal is signposting — you can pick up key phrases from the CFP, as well as use language that indicates different sections in academic work (as in IMRAD sections from the organization and structure page in this resource). This way, reviewers can easily follow your proposal and identify its relatedness to work in the field and the CFP.
Conference proposals
Conference proposals are a common genre in graduate school that invite several considerations for writing depending on the conference and requirements of the call for papers.
Beginning the process
Make sure you read the call for papers carefully to consider the deadline and orient your topic of presentation around the buzzwords and themes listed in the document. You should take special note of the deadline and submit prior to that date, as most conferences use online submission systems that will close on a deadline and will not accept further submissions.
If you have previously spoken on or submitted a proposal on the same topic, you should carefully adjust it specifically for this conference or even completely rewrite the proposal based on your changing and evolving research.
The topic you are proposing should be one that you can cover easily within a time frame of approximately fifteen to twenty minutes. You should stick to the required word limit of the conference call. The organizers have to read a large number of proposals, especially in the case of an international or interdisciplinary conference, and will appreciate your brevity.
Structure and components
Conference proposals differ widely across fields and even among individual conferences in a field. Some just request an abstract, which is written similarly to any other abstract you'd write for a journal article or other publication. Some may request abstracts or full papers that fit into pre-existing sessions created by conference organizers. Some request both an abstract and a further description or proposal, usually in cases where the abstract will be published in the conference program and the proposal helps organizers decide which papers they will accept.
If the conference you are submitting to requires a proposal or description, there are some common elements you'll usually need to include. These are a statement of the problem or topic, a discussion of your approach to the problem/topic, a discussion of findings or expected findings, and a discussion of key takeaways or relevance to audience members. These elements are typically given in this order and loosely follow the IMRAD structure discussed in the organization and structure page in this resource.
The proportional size of each of these elements in relation to one another tends to vary by the stage of your research and the relationship of your topic to the field of the conference. If your research is very early on, you may spend almost no time on findings, because you don't have them yet. Similarly, if your topic is a regular feature at conferences in your field, you may not need to spend as much time introducing it or explaining its relevance to the field; however, if you are working on a newer topic or bringing in a topic or problem from another discipline, you may need to spend slightly more space explaining it to reviewers. These decisions should usually be based on an analysis of your audience — what information can reviewers be reasonably expected to know, and what will you have to tell them?
Journal Proposals
Most of the time, when you submit an article to a journal for publication, you'll submit a finished manuscript which contains an abstract, the text of the article, the bibliography, any appendices, and author bios. These can be on any topic that relates to the journal's scope of interest, and they are accepted year-round.
Special issues , however, are planned issues of a journal that center around a specific theme, usually a "hot topic" in the field. The editor or guest editors for the special issue will often solicit proposals with a call for papers (CFP) first, accept a certain number of proposals for further development into article manuscripts, and then accept the final articles for the special issue from that smaller pool. Special issues are typically the only time when you will need to submit a proposal to write a journal article, rather than submitting a completed manuscript.
Journal proposals share many qualities with conference proposals: you need to write for your audience, convey the significance of your work, and condense the various sections of a full study into a small word or page limit. In general, the necessary components of a proposal include:
- Problem or topic statement that defines the subject of your work (often includes research questions)
- Background information (think literature review) that indicates the topic's importance in your field as well as indicates that your research adds something to the scholarship on this topic
- Methodology and methods used in the study (and an indication of why these methods are the correct ones for your research questions)
- Results or findings (which can be tentative or preliminary, if the study has not yet been completed)
- Significance and implications of the study (what will readers learn? why should they care?)
This order is a common one because it loosely follows the IMRAD (introduction, methods, results and discussion) structure often used in academic writing; however, it is not the only possible structure or even always the best structure. You may need to move these elements around depending on the expectations in your field, the word or page limit, or the instructions given in the CFP.
Some of the unique considerations of journal proposals are:
- The CFP may ask you for an abstract, a proposal, or both. If you need to write an abstract, look for more information on the abstract page. If you need to write both an abstract and a proposal, make sure to clarify for yourself what the difference is. Usually the proposal needs to include more information about the significance, methods, and/or background of the study than will fit in the abstract, but often the CFP itself will give you some instructions as to what information the editors are wanting in each piece of writing.
- Journal special issue CFPs, like conference CFPs, often include a list of topics or questions that describe the scope of the special issue. These questions or topics are a good starting place for generating a proposal or tying in your research; ensuring that your work is a good fit for the special issue and articulating why that is in the proposal increases your chances of being accepted.
- Special issues are not less valuable or important than regularly scheduled issues; therefore, your proposal needs to show that your work fits and could readily be accepted in any other issue of the journal. This means following some of the same practices you would if you were preparing to submit a manuscript to a journal: reading the journal's author submission guidelines; reading the last several years of the journal to understand the usual topics, organization, and methods; citing pieces from this journal and other closely related journals in your research.
Book Proposals
While the requirements are very similar to those of conference proposals, proposals for a book ought to address a few other issues.
General considerations
Since these proposals are of greater length, the publisher will require you to delve into greater detail as well—for instance, regarding the organization of the proposed book or article.
Publishers generally require a clear outline of the chapters you are proposing and an explication of their content, which can be several pages long in its entirety.
You will need to incorporate knowledge of relevant literature, use headings and sub-headings that you should not use in conference proposals. Be sure to know who wrote what about your topic and area of interest, even if you are proposing a less scholarly project.
Publishers prefer depth rather than width when it comes to your topic, so you should be as focused as possible and further outline your intended audience.
You should always include information regarding your proposed deadlines for the project and how you will execute this plan, especially in the sciences. Potential investors or publishers need to know that you have a clear and efficient plan to accomplish your proposed goals. Depending on the subject area, this information can also include a proposed budget, materials or machines required to execute this project, and information about its industrial application.
Pre-writing strategies
As John Boswell (cited in: Larsen, Michael. How to Write a Book Proposal. Writers Digest Books , 2004. p. 1) explains, “today fully 90 percent of all nonfiction books sold to trade publishers are acquired on the basis of a proposal alone.” Therefore, editors and agents generally do not accept completed manuscripts for publication, as these “cannot (be) put into the usual channels for making a sale”, since they “lack answers to questions of marketing, competition, and production.” (Lyon, Elizabeth. Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write . Perigee Trade, 2002. pp. 6-7.)
In contrast to conference or, to a lesser degree, chapter proposals, a book proposal introduces your qualifications for writing it and compares your work to what others have done or failed to address in the past.
As a result, you should test the idea with your networks and, if possible, acquire other people’s proposals that discuss similar issues or have a similar format before submitting your proposal. Prior to your submission, it is recommended that you write at least part of the manuscript in addition to checking the competition and reading all about the topic.
The following is a list of questions to ask yourself before committing to a book project, but should in no way deter you from taking on a challenging project (adapted from Lyon 27). Depending on your field of study, some of these might be more relevant to you than others, but nonetheless useful to reiterate and pose to yourself.
- Do you have sufficient enthusiasm for a project that may span years?
- Will publication of your book satisfy your long-term career goals?
- Do you have enough material for such a long project and do you have the background knowledge and qualifications required for it?
- Is your book idea better than or different from other books on the subject? Does the idea spark enthusiasm not just in yourself but others in your field, friends, or prospective readers?
- Are you willing to acquire any lacking skills, such as, writing style, specific terminology and knowledge on that field for this project? Will it fit into your career and life at the time or will you not have the time to engage in such extensive research?
Essential elements of a book proposal
Your book proposal should include the following elements:
- Your proposal requires the consideration of the timing and potential for sale as well as its potential for subsidiary rights.
- It needs to include an outline of approximately one paragraph to one page of prose (Larsen 6) as well as one sample chapter to showcase the style and quality of your writing.
- You should also include the resources you need for the completion of the book and a biographical statement (“About the Author”).
- Your proposal must contain your credentials and expertise, preferably from previous publications on similar issues.
- A book proposal also provides you with the opportunity to include information such as a mission statement, a foreword by another authority, or special features—for instance, humor, anecdotes, illustrations, sidebars, etc.
- You must assess your ability to promote the book and know the market that you target in all its statistics.
The following proposal structure, as outlined by Peter E. Dunn for thesis and fellowship proposals, provides a useful guide to composing such a long proposal (Dunn, Peter E. “Proposal Writing.” Center for Instructional Excellence, Purdue University, 2007):
- Literature Review
- Identification of Problem
- Statement of Objectives
- Rationale and Significance
- Methods and Timeline
- Literature Cited
Most proposals for manuscripts range from thirty to fifty pages and, apart from the subject hook, book information (length, title, selling handle), markets for your book, and the section about the author, all the other sections are optional. Always anticipate and answer as many questions by editors as possible, however.
Finally, include the best chapter possible to represent your book's focus and style. Until an agent or editor advises you to do otherwise, follow your book proposal exactly without including something that you might not want to be part of the book or improvise on possible expected recommendations.
Publishers expect to acquire the book's primary rights, so that they can sell it in an adapted or condensed form as well. Mentioning any subsidiary rights, such as translation opportunities, performance and merchandising rights, or first-serial rights, will add to the editor's interest in buying your book. It is enticing to publishers to mention your manuscript's potential to turn into a series of books, although they might still hesitate to buy it right away—at least until the first one has been a successful endeavor.
The sample chapter
Since editors generally expect to see about one-tenth of a book, your sample chapter's length should reflect that in these building blocks of your book. The chapter should reflect your excitement and the freshness of the idea as well as surprise editors, but do not submit part of one or more chapters. Always send a chapter unless your credentials are impeccable due to prior publications on the subject. Do not repeat information in the sample chapter that will be covered by preceding or following ones, as the outline should be designed in such a way as to enable editors to understand the context already.
How to make your proposal stand out
Depending on the subject of your book, it is advisable to include illustrations that exemplify your vision of the book and can be included in the sample chapter. While these can make the book more expensive, it also increases the salability of the project. Further, you might consider including outstanding samples of your published work, such as clips from periodicals, if they are well-respected in the field. Thirdly, cover art can give your potential publisher a feel for your book and its marketability, especially if your topic is creative or related to the arts.
In addition, professionally formatting your materials will give you an edge over sloppy proposals. Proofread the materials carefully, use consistent and carefully organized fonts, spacing, etc., and submit your proposal without staples; rather, submit it in a neat portfolio that allows easy access and reassembling. However, check the submission guidelines first, as most proposals are submitted digitally. Finally, you should try to surprise editors and attract their attention. Your hook, however, should be imaginative but inexpensive (you do not want to bribe them, after all). Make sure your hook draws the editors to your book proposal immediately (Adapted from Larsen 154-60).
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How to Writing a Research Proposal in APA Style?
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a set of norms for writing in psychology and related subjects. These standards were outlined in the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual (APA, 2006). In 1944, the American Psychological Association produced its first version of the Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association, which included its writing style and structure for academic papers. The handbook has undergone six revisions, with the sixth and most recent editions issued in 2009. The APA style refers to the principles established by the American Psychological Association in their manual to provide a standard for journals and scholarly works. The style guide was developed to improve the precise interpretation of academic and research papers published in their journals by minimizing linguistic bias and using clear language.
Since then, several colleges and scientific publications have accepted the APA research paper style as the norm for academic writing, often with minor alterations. Most academic writing begins with a research proposal, and the estimate of the process aggregation will generate research.
- Introduction
A research proposal describes what you aim to investigate, why it is important, and how you propose to carry out your study. The structure of a research proposal varies depending on the subject. Most proposals, however, will include at least the following elements:
- Literature review
- Research design
- Reference list
While the components may differ, the general goal remains the same. A research proposal acts as a blueprint and roadmap for your research strategy, assisting you in becoming organized and confident in the direction you want to go.
APA Style and the Values of Psychology
According to Robert Madigan and his colleagues, APA-style papers serve an important role that is often overlooked. It specifically supports the scientific values and assumptions of psychologists. Many APA style aspects that appear random at first glance make perfect sense in this context. The following are some characteristics of APA-style writing and the scientific values or assumptions they reflect.
The APA rules for research proposal hypothesis will allow you to create a proposal with a consistent style that will persuade the committee to authorize your research. Specific standards are provided in the APA style for research proposals.
Margins, Header & Footer
All sides must have a 1-inch margin. The header format is right-justified, with the proposal title on the left and the page number on the right. The running header should not be more than 50 characters long; it should begin on the cover page and continue throughout the proposal. If the title is more than 50 characters, reduce it to include the keywords.
Fonts, Size & Space
APA style calls for a serif typeface, ideally Times New Roman. The fond is standard 12 size. Each word must be double-spaced, with a five-space indentation.
1. Title Page
The proposal headline will be positioned in the center, halfway down the page, in the proper format for your title page. The headline is followed by your name and the name of the organization or university.
2. Abstract
The abstract appears after the title page. Write the abstract in 250 words or less, and include a statement about the study and methodologies that will be employed.
3. Introduction
The introduction is on the next page of the proposal; it comprises the main concept behind the research, the setting of the study, the issue that it will address, and the individuals who will benefit. The section can be up to three pages long.
4. Literature Review
Following the introduction is a brief review of the literature you will need to study to gain a thorough understanding of the problem; you must relate the research to similar studies in the field and incorporate a structure that will be followed in the survey about existing knowledge in the area. The section might be as long as 7 pages.
5. Research Methodology
List and briefly explain the methodologies you will use in the research; include everything from data collection to analysis and how each will be justified. According to the criteria, this section can only have a maximum of 5 pages.
6. Limitations
It is necessary to describe the study’s potential limitations; keep this to half a page.
7. Significance
Limitations are followed by the significance of the research, its tangibility, practicability, and ramifications. The proposal must explain the likely result and what it hopes to achieve in research. The part is typically two pages long.
8. References, Bibliography & Citation
Include a section for every reference used in the proposal’s authoring. The APA citation must be in APA format ; the author and year must be mentioned when quoting or paraphrasing; and there is no bibliography section in APA format.
APA style should be viewed as a “genre” of writing that is ideal for presenting psychological research findings, particularly in academic and professional settings. It does not imply “excellent writing” in general. You would not write a literary analysis in APA style for an English class, even if it were based on psychoanalytic notions. Instead, you would write it in Modern Language Association (MLA) format. And you would not write a newspaper piece in APA style, even if it was about a great advance in behavioral neuroscience.
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- Sudheesh, K., Devika Rani Duggappa, and S. S. Nethra. “How to write a research proposal?.” Indian Journal of Anaesthesia 9 (2016): 631.
- Wells, Jason. “American Psychological Association, APA Style.” 2022 MLA Annual Convention. MLA.
- Kivunja, Charles. “How to Write an Effective Research Proposal for Higher Degree Research in Higher Education: Lessons from Practice.” International Journal of Higher Education 5.2 (2016): 163-172.
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7+ Apa Research Proposal Templates – PDF, Word
The APA Style was developed by a team of social scientists that aimed to establish academic writing standards. The APA style is popular in the fields of Social Sciences but it can also be used in the student research proposal .
APA Research Proposal Paper Outline Template
Simple APA Research Proposal Template
Free APA Research Proposal
Model APA Research Proposal
Free APA Research Proposal Outline
Differences between APA research report and APA research proposal
Steps of writing an apa research proposal, free apa style checklist research proposal.
Free Quantitative Research Proposal Sample
Free APA-Style Research Report
How to write an APA Research Proposal
- Start with an abstract that will summarize the entire research proposal.
- Explain in detail the problem you chose to research and present the effects it will have on the scientific community.
- Make a list of all the research questions and the hypothesis that arise from those questions. You can also check for outline research proposal.
- Write the theoretical background of the research with adequate literature review.
- Choose carefully the research method you will follow and state it clearly and in detail in your proposal.
Tips to write Effective APA Research Proposal
- Conduct an extended literature review in order to cover all aspects of the research problem.
- Use formal writing in order to give a professional and academic look.
- In an academic proposal outline you need to use at least 10 references in order to add academic credibility to your work.
- Review your document for spelling and grammar, because errors will be considered as a fault.
- Don’t forget to state the significance of the study in order to show how it will add to the scientific knowledge.
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Following is a general outline of the material that should be included in your project proposal. I. Title Page. II. Introduction and Literature Review (Chapters
12-point font Times New Roman · Double-spaced · 1-inch margins · An APA running head (limited to 50 characters) · A title page with the paper's
How to write an APA style proposal? APA is a widely used and accepted paper and citation format. Download this research proposal example APA and get an
introduction, your goal is to convince readers that your research topic is (a) ... to this rule would be if you are writing a “short” research proposal and
A research proposal aims to show why your project is worthwhile. It should explain the context, objectives, and methods of your research.
Conference proposal reviewers are often drawn from professional ... similarly to any other abstract you'd write for a journal article or other publication.
The header format is right-justified, with the proposal title on the left and the page number on the right. The running header should not be
How to write an APA Research Proposal · Start with an abstract that will summarize the entire research proposal. · Explain in detail the problem you chose to
Normally, you would type your name next, but I want to grade your paper anonymously, so please do not write your name on the title page; put it at the very end
APA Style: An Example Outline of a Research Proposal. Your Name ... link for an example paper: http://my.ilstu.edu/~jhkahn/APAsample.pdf.