Writing a Research Proposal
A typical research proposal will be approximately two thousand words long fro either a DBA or PhD, and may be slightly shorter for a M Phil. Whilst there is no definitive format or template, the following advice is worth considering:
- The proposal should begin by explaining the subject area in which the research is to be located, and provide an indication of the key theoretical, policy or empirical debates it plans to address.
- The proposal should then present a brief review of the literature you plan to contribute to in conducting your research. You need to demonstrate a familiarity with the relevant academic literature and theories and an awareness of the major lines of argument that have been developed in the chosen research field.
- You then need to discuss the research questions you plan to address. You need to demonstrate the manner in which your research questions emanates from either gaps in the existing empirical literature or from the application of a particular theory to a specific public service or the local or national context; or from a synthesis of a number of bodies of literature.
- You research proposal should be as specific and focused as possible. If your research is being driven by gaps in the existing literature, which of these gaps will you attempt to address? If your research is being driven by theoretical or policy debates, which specific points of these debates are you going to focus on?
- Your submission can also provide some explanation of what led you to the topic e.g. froma long-standing interest or from interests you developed while studying for a former qualification, or from you area of employment
- If possible it is helpful to give some indication of the research methods that will be used to conduct the research. A variety of different research methods exists, so you should seek to identify the method that is most suited to your area of researchSome helpful reading and guidance
- You should give special attention to the feasibility of data collection. Your proposal may contain interesting and highly relevant research questions, and it may be well grounded in the literature, but it may not be a practical research enterprise. You must balance the scope of your proposal against the practical problems of data gathering.
- Students whose projects involve data gathering in countries other than the UK are advised to pay close attention to the issue of feasibility. Students whose projects depend on data that are not available in the UK should indicate in their proposal how they propose to finance their data gathering.
- Although no indication of the research findings can be presented, it is often beneficial to conclude the research proposal by indicating the original contribution you envisage that your research will make to the literature in your particular subject area, or by indicating the potential practical or policy implications of your research.
- While your research proposal is judged mainly on content, it must also look professional. Particular attention will be paid to clarity of expression and also the structure, coherence and flow of argument. Finally, always include a bibliography (in the standard Harvard format) that lists books and articles to which you make reference in your proposal.
- Finally, it is natural for ideas to evolve and change, so you will not be obliged to adhere to the specifics of your original proposal. However, the proposal is the foundation of your working relationship with your supervisors and thus it should not be radically altered without discussion and consultation