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What Is a Research Proposal?
Reference books.
- Writing the Research Paper
- Presenting the Research Paper
When applying for a research grant or scholarship, or, just before you start a major research project, you may be asked to write a preliminary document that includes basic information about your future research. This is the information that is usually needed in your proposal:
- The topic and goal of the research project.
- The kind of result expected from the research.
- The theory or framework in which the research will be done and presented.
- What kind of methods will be used (statistical, empirical, etc.).
- Short reference on the preliminary scholarship and why your research project is needed; how will it continue/justify/disprove the previous scholarship.
- How much will the research project cost; how will it be budgeted (what for the money will be spent).
- Why is it you who can do this research and not somebody else.
Most agencies that offer scholarships or grants provide information about the required format of the proposal. It may include filling out templates, types of information they need, suggested/maximum length of the proposal, etc.
Research proposal formats vary depending on the size of the planned research, the number of participants, the discipline, the characteristics of the research, etc. The following outline assumes an individual researcher. This is just a SAMPLE; several other ways are equally good and can be successful. If possible, discuss your research proposal with an expert in writing, a professor, your colleague, another student who already wrote successful proposals, etc.
Author, author's affiliation
Introduction:
- Explain the topic and why you chose it. If possible explain your goal/outcome of the research . How much time you need to complete the research?
Previous scholarship:
- Give a brief summary of previous scholarship and explain why your topic and goals are important.
- Relate your planned research to previous scholarship. What will your research add to our knowledge of the topic.
Specific issues to be investigated:
- Break down the main topic into smaller research questions. List them one by one and explain why these questions need to be investigated. Relate them to previous scholarship.
- Include your hypothesis into the descriptions of the detailed research issues if you have one. Explain why it is important to justify your hypothesis.
Methodology:
- This part depends of the methods conducted in the research process. List the methods; explain how the results will be presented; how they will be assessed.
- Explain what kind of results will justify or disprove your hypothesis.
- Explain how much money you need.
- Explain the details of the budget (how much you want to spend for what).
Conclusion:
- Describe why your research is important.
References:
- List the sources you have used for writing the research proposal, including a few main citations of the preliminary scholarship.
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Research Data Management Policy
As an institution, UCLan supports the principles of open access to publicly-funded research outputs. Research data generated at the University is recognised as an institutional asset that when shared openly not only increases the visibility of UCLan’s research but also facilitates public engagement and creates new opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
In order to be shared and reused research data must first be managed and curated efficiently and effectively. This research data management policy clarifies the University’s expectations concerning the management, storage, publication and sharing of research data. Policy reflects the University’s intention to establish good research data management practice throughout the research lifecycle as part of the institution’s commitment to research excellence. The policy provides a strategic framework for the management and governance of research data generated by research activities at UCLan and aims to contribute to readiness for REF 2021.
Download the Research Data Management policy (pdf)
The purpose of the research data management policy is to:
💡 Ensure compliance with current academic and funder requirements such as the Research Councils UK Common Principles on Data Policy and EPSRC Policy Framework on Research Data;
💡 Promote open access to research data produced at UCLan in order to facilitate data discovery, citation, sharing and collaboration;
💡 Clarify responsibilities so that researchers understand exactly what is required of them;
💡 Establish a culture of openness and transparency;
💡 Ensure data integrity and accessibility for a minimum of ten years after publication or last public access;
💡 Set out the University’s obligations including the provision of facilities for the archiving of research data and training, support and guidance on good practice in research data management;
💡 Draw attention to existing relevant documentation that underpins and clarifies elements of the policy with particular regard to obligations of a legal, ethical, regulatory and contractual nature.
The policy applies to:
💡 All academics at UCLan who produce or work with data generated as a result of research, regardless of how that research is funded;
💡 All academics who supervise or co-supervise postgraduate research students;
💡 All postgraduate research students.
The University is responsible for the provision of a managed repository service for secure archiving, preservation and long-term storage of completed digital research data and open access research publications, including journal articles and conference papers. The University provides training, support and advice on all aspects of research data management.
Other Policies
There are also other policies such as the Metadata Policy, Data Policy for full-text and other full data items, Content Policy, Submission Policy and Preseravtion Policy that may also apply to you.
Download the Polices document (pdf) for more information.
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Image Credit Header image: Artwork by Professor Lubaina Himid, CBE. Photo: @Denise Swanson
Image Credit Header image: Artwork by Professor Lubaina Himid, CBE. Photo: @Denise Swanson
UCLAN Research Repository Policy
The CLoK Repository Service forms part of the University of Central Lancashire’s provision for supporting digital preservation and Open Access scholarship. Its policies and practices are designed to create a healthy digital culture and to render the University a trusted source and user of digital information and data. We seek to adopt and support national standards around file creation and storage and metadata and to maintain a robust governance framework in the interests of all users and stakeholders.
In support of the objectives stated in the 2017-2020 UCLan Strategy Document (internal only) and in line with the University’s policies and those of funding partners and statutory bodies, researchers are required to record the details of their research outputs on the Research Repository - CLoK. Wherever possible UCLan researchers should also ensure full-text copies of their published work are also deposited as soon as possible, taking into account publisher and other third parties’ policies and rights. In accordance with academic regulations digital copies of theses associated with the award of post-graduate degrees at UCLan are also deposited on the Research Repository - CLoK.
See also Research Strategy and Policy and Research Data Management policy
+ Copyright Policy for works uploaded to the repository
Copyright in any work made available on the UCLan Research repository remains the property of the owner. Authors retain their copyright unless this has been explicitly transferred to a publisher or other third party via a Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA). In uploading work to the research repository - CLoK, or asking an administrator to do so on their behalf, authors grant UCLan the non-exclusive right to to store, manage and make available on the internet the work in any digital format that is necessary to maintain the integrity of the work and its accessibility in perpetuity. This is done with the understanding that it is the authors responsibility to ensure they have the right to deposit the work and to grant this license.
Journal Articles and Book Chapters on CLoK
The University of Central Lancashire has an Open Access Policy (internal only) which follows the principle that the results of research that has been publicly funded should be freely accessible in the public domain. To that end “all research output since January 2008 – or the start of employment with UCLan whichever is the later – must be deposited in the University of Central Lancashire Repository – CLoK, at the latest upon publication” (UCLan Open Access policy Appendix A, July 2015). Deposit includes the registering of bibliographic details of the work and deposit of the full text, usually in the form of the Author Accepted Manuscript or the version of record. The version deposited should be representative of the final published work. This policy operates in line with RCUK Open Access policies and HEFCE requirements for REF evaluation. Requirements for HEFCE and RCUK compliance are regarded as a minimum and deposit of works not covered by these policies is expected as described by the UCLan policy.
The Research Repository - CLoK facilitates the Open Access policy while enabling the interests of the authors and other owners of copyright in the works deposited to be respected and protected. Adherence to Open Access policies takes into account publisher contracts and self-archiving policies. The Research Repository - CLoK offers restricted access and embargo functionality and links to JISC services that aggregate publisher and funder information Open Access policies to assist with policy discovery . CLoK is also integrated into the UCLan services providing funding and support for Article Processing Charges (APCs) for hybrid, or full Open Access publishing options as well as other unfunded Open Access options.
Univeristy of Central Lancashire academic regulations require that theses and dissertations submitted as part fulfilment for qualification for research degrees are presented in an electronic format and that these are deposited on CLoK. However, as unpublished works, Copyright in theses and dissertations remain with the authors. Therefore, we require that a licence to store, distribute and manage the work is also signed by the submitting student. This licence includes details of how the work can be used by people discovering and downloading the work; on how automated internet tools such as harvesters and ‘bots’ will have access to the work; and on how information about the work – bibliographic metadata – will remain visible on CLoK even if the work itself is taken down or hidden from access. This licence is non-exclusive, does not prevent the student from granting similar, non-exclusive rights to others or from publishing the work, or parts thereof, themselves. The licence does not affect the authors’ moral rights and the University has obligations to preserve the integrity and quality of the work while it is in its care.
Where there are specific reasons why a thesis cannot be made publicly on and Open Access basis these can be stated and access to the work will be restricted either indefinitely or for a set period. These reasons will be included in any consideration of any Freedom of information requests.
Authors should consider whether their thesis contains:
- Substantial amounts of material where the Copyright is owned by a third party – possibly a corporate partner or sponsor of the research
- Information which could, if made publicly available, compromise a patent application
- Materials that are the subject of confidentiality agreements or that may compromise personal or commercial confidentiality
They should also consider whether they intend publishing journal articles of books which will substantially reproduce the work presented in their thesis.
Positive answers to these questions do not preclude deposit or Open Access availability of the thesis as long or short term embargoes, redaction and removal of parts of the materials to hidden appendices allow us to comply with the academic regulations while protecting the rights of the author and any third parties.
Deposit of theses on CLoK requires acknowledgement from the author of these issues and a declaration that publication of the work on CLoK will not to their knowledge infringe the rights of third parties. This is in line with the declarations required by publishers of academic journals and books
Copyright Responsibilities
Responsibility for the content of works uploaded to the repository lies with the authors and creators of the works. The deposit process requires that researchers and research students declare that they have the authority to deposit work and that they have exercised due diligence in ensuring their work is original and that they are not infringing any intellectual property laws or other legislation. They must assume responsibility for any breach discovered and agree that the university does not hold any obligation to take legal action on behalf of any rights holder or the author. This waiver is also applied where an administrator is delegated responsibility for uploading works on the authors’ behalf. For research students the deposit licence includes a statement whereby the student agrees that the university is not responsible for errors of accidental infringements, and neither will it be obliged to take legal action on behalf of any rights holders.
The university is obliged to ensure that reasonable care is taken to prevent general infringement of third party copyright and has in place policies, procedures and advice to ensure that this does not happen. Any doubts or concerns felt by authors should be raised with the Repository Manager who will be able to recommend a course, or courses, of action to ensure that deposits do not infringe the law.
Contact [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
If you feel that your rights have been infringed by any material on the CLoK repository, please refer to the Takedown policy and also contact [email protected] for the speediest response.
Copyright Protection of Works on CLoK
The research Repository - CLoK adopts the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND licence by default. Where an item is presented on the Research Repository - CLoK under a different licence, denoted by CC Attribution (e.g. CC-BY, or CC-0) the terms of that licence supercede the default licence.
This licence does not impact upon, or overwrite any existing Copyright or other legislative requirements and a similar licence is extended over the repository database itself and its collections. Database rights in this repository rest with the University of Central Lancashire.
The Creative Commons licences offer standardized and clear protection for users of works on the repository as well as depositors. It allows end users to copy, distribute, play and perform the work and make derivative works as long as full attribution is given citing both the author and source, the use of the work is non-commercial and derivatives are shared and distributed under the same licence.
End User Agreement
- Copyright and other intellectual property rights subsist in the repository site, content, and metadata.
- You may reproduce, display, perform, or distribute single copies of the content held within the repository in any format or medium for personal research, study, educational, non-commercial or not-for-profit purposes only.
- You agree to provide full bibliographic details, author(s), title, a hyperlink and/or URL to the original metadata page when re-using content from the repository. Mention of the repository is appreciated but not mandatory.
- You may not further copy, reproduce, distribute, display, perform or publish any part of the content held within the repository, including the metadata, in any format or medium for any other purpose except where you have obtained written permission from the rights owner(s) or as is expressly permitted by licence.
- You may not use, in full or in part, any of the content held within the repository, including the metadata, for any direct commercial purpose.
- You may not alter the content in any way except as expressly permitted by licence.
- You may use hyperlinks to link to the repository, its pages and the content held within it without prior written consent providing the relevant page is displayed in the same form without any amendment or framing.
- Whole items must not be harvested by robots except transiently for full-text indexing or citation analysis.
- Nothing in this Agreement is intended to reduce, limit or restrict any limitations or exceptions provided for under copyright law or other applicable laws.
+ Metadata Policy for information describing items in the repository
- Anyone may access the metadata free of charge.
- The metadata may be re-used in any medium without prior permission for not-for-profit purposes and re-sold commercially provided the OAI Identifier or a link to the original metadata record are given.
+ Data Policy for full-text and other full data items
- Access to some or all full items is controlled.
- reproduced, displayed or performed, and given to third parties in any format or medium
- for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge.
- the authors, title and full bibliographic details are given
- a hyperlink and/or URL are given for the original metadata page
- the content is not changed in any way
- Full items must not be sold commercially in any format or medium without formal permission of the copyright holders.
+ Content Policy for types of document & data set held
- This is an institutional or departmental repository.
- CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge holds all types of materials.
- working drafts
- submitted versions (as sent to journals for peer-review)
- accepted versions (author's final peer-reviewed drafts)
- published versions (publisher-created files)
- their version type and date.
- their peer-review status.
- their publication status.
+ Submission Policy concerning depositors, quality & copyright
- Items may only be deposited by accredited members of the organisation, or their delegated agents.
- Eligible depositors must deposit bibliographic metadata for all their publications. Where deposition is carried out by an administrator, it is the responsibility of the UCLan author to ensure and maintain the accuracy of the record..
- The administrator only vets items for the eligibility of authors/depositors, relevance to the scope of CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge, valid layout & format, and the exclusion of spam
- The validity and authenticity of the content of submissions is the sole responsibility of the depositing author
- Items can be deposited at any time, but will not be made publicly visible until any publishers' or funders' embargo period has expired.
- Any copyright violations are entirely the responsibility of the authors/depositors.
- If CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge receives proof of copyright violation, the relevant item will be removed immediately.
- Where there is a request for a deposit to be made publicly available ahead of acceptance for publication in a journal or through a book publisher, Associate Deans for Research and Knowledge Exchange (or equivalent ) will be asked to confirm that the nature of the material is suitable for publishing on CLoK and that there is no detriment to the University in doing so.
- Where an author is publishing in pre-print form on a subject repository (e.g. ARXiV) or open peer review platform, it is recommended that a link to the platform is added onto CloK and that manuscripts are uploaded following acceptance for publication
+ Preservation Policy
- Items will be retained indefinitely.
- Items will be migrated to new file formats where necessary.
- Where possible, software emulations will be provided to access un-migrated formats.
- It may not be possible to guarantee the readability of some unusual file formats.
- CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge regularly backs up its files according to current best practice.
- The original bit stream is retained for all items, in addition to any upgraded formats.
- Items may not normally be removed from CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge.
- Proven copyright violation or plagiarism
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- Withdrawn items are not deleted per se , but are removed from public view.
- Withdrawn items' identifiers/URLs are retained indefinitely.
- URLs will continue to point to 'tombstone' citations, to avoid broken links and to retain item histories.
- Changes to deposited items are not permitted.
- Errata and corrigenda lists may be included with the original record if required.
- If necessary, an updated version may be deposited.
- In the event of CLOK - Central Lancashire Online Knowledge being closed down, the database will be transferred to another appropriate archive.
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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 November 21, 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, other interesting articles, 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
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See an example
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: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”
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
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
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?
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
- Sampling methods
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
- Likert scales
- Reproducibility
Statistics
- Null hypothesis
- Statistical power
- Probability distribution
- Effect size
- Poisson distribution
Research bias
- Optimism bias
- Cognitive bias
- Implicit bias
- Hawthorne effect
- Anchoring bias
- Explicit 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.
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Develop a Research Proposal
The sections below provide guidance on developing a research proposal as part of postgraduate / doctoral studies or when applying for a research grant.
Please note that the guidance below is generic and you should follow any additional specific guidance given by your department or funding body.
What is a research proposal? A research proposal provides a detailed plan of a research project before you undertake the research. A proposal is usually submitted before you undertake research for a final dissertation during postgraduate study, and before or during doctoral studies. A proposal may also be submitted as part of an application for a funding grant.
What to include in a research proposal
A research proposal will usually (but not always) include the following key elements:
- An outline of the background and context of the research topic / issue
- Reasons why the specific topic / issue is important (rationale)
- A review of key literature related to the topic / issue
- An outline of the intended research methodology (including consideration of ethical issues)
- A discussion of ethical issues
- How the findings will be disseminated
- A timescale for the research
Getting started
Start by choosing a topic or issue related to your course. A broader topic / issue will need to be narrowed down to a more specific focus that can be explored or investigated. Recommendations for further research at the end of published papers can be a useful source of ideas.
To help narrow down a topic / issue and plan your research project:
- Start by re-reading some of the research papers which you read as part of your course. Conduct a preliminary review of the literature related to the topic / issue. This can include literature related to theoretical concepts as well as practical research.
- Aim to identify what is currently known and whether there are any 'gaps' in existing knowledge. This will enable you to determine how your own research will contribute to and build on what is already known.
- Identify how research on the topic / issue has previously been conducted in terms of, for example: approach, methods, analysis of data.
- It will also be useful to refer to literature on research methods - check the recommended reading list for your dissertation module / Centre for Doctoral Education guidance.
- For Masters level research, the contribution to existing knowledge does not necessarily need to be something completely new that has never been explored before. Your research could make a contribution to existing knowledge by, for example: Adopting a less commonly used research approach / research method or focusing on a particular context (such as a school or country) where a limited amount of research has been conducted
- For doctoral level research, there will usually be a need to demonstrate more originality.
Below is an outline of the sections typically included in a research proposal. Specific guidance on how to structure the research proposal for a dissertation or doctoral research will usually be given by individual departments. If you are applying for doctoral research funding, specific guidelines will be stipulated by the funding body. It is important to follow specific guidance given by your department or funding body when writing your own research proposal for a dissertation or PhD application, but the following can be used as general guidance .
Title / working title of the research
An initial idea of the title should be given - this is likely to be revised as the research progresses and can therefore be a tentative suggestion at the proposal stage.
Introduction
The context and background of the research topic / issue, as well as the rationale for undertaking the research, should be outlined in the introduction section. Reference to key literature should be included to strengthen the rationale for conducting the research. This will enable the reader to understand what the research will be about and why it is important. At the end of the introduction, include an outline (or synopsis) of how the proposal is organised.
Literature review
This should expand on the key literature referred to in the introduction. The review of the literature will need to go further than listing individual studies or theories. You will need to demonstrate an awareness of the current state of knowledge and an understanding of key lines of argument and debates on the topic / issue. The literature will need to be critically analysed and evaluated rather than just described. This means demonstrating how studies, arguments and debates are linked and how the existing body of research links to your own research area / issue.
Research aims and questions
The research aims and research questions should be used to guide your research. The aims of the research relate to the purpose of conducting the research and what you specifically want to achieve. The research questions should be formulated to show how you will achieve the aims of the research and what you want to find out. The research aims and questions can either be stated at the end of the introduction (before the outline of the proposal) or after the literature review - guidance from your department / funding body may specify this.
Methodology
The methodology section of the proposal should outline how the research will be conducted. This should generally include a description and justification of: sample / participants, methods, data collection and analysis, and ethical considerations. To justify the chosen methodology, you can refer to recommended reading for research methods as well as previous studies conducted on your chosen topic.
Including a detailed discussion of the ethics of your research project can really strengthen the proposal. It forces you to think in very practical and detailed terms about what you are planning to do.
You may be required to include a schedule or plan of how you intend to conduct the research within a specified timeframe. This can be presented in a variety of ways but should generally include specific milestones (e.g. collection of data, analysis of findings) and intended completion dates.
Reference list
The reference list should include all sources cited in the research proposal. Departmental guidelines for referencing should be followed for in-text citations and the reference list.
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A research proposal (Not applicable for studentship applications unless specified in the studentship description) Copies of your first degree/master's degree qualification certificates and transcripts with certified translations where applicable. If you are waiting for your award please advise when it will be conferred.
2.3.4 Progression Monitoring. During each year of your research degree you will be monitored and assessed on progress with your research project and skills training. A Progress File can be downloaded from the Student Portal, in which you should keep records pertaining to your progress on your programme.
1.1. Research Programme Approval. Research Programme Approval (RPA) is an assessment of progress and successful completion of the RPA process constitutes the first progression criterion for all research degree students. The aim of this process is to approve the title of the research project and to ensure that:
At UCLan we're dedicated to helping all our students make the most of their potential by offering an educational experience which is more than learning in the classroom. By providing first-class facilities and high quality teaching against a background of 'real world' research we encourage innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.
Welcome to the CLoK's Dissertation Archive. This archive holds copies of student dissertations. These papers are for use by staff and students of the University of Central Lancashire to help in their teaching practice and learning. Access may be restricted to bibliographic data only. Search by School, author, course or keyword using the quick ...
To apply submit: the application form, including a detailed research proposal and copies of all qualifications stated on your application form. Evidence of your English Language Proficiency at IELTS 7.0 (or UCLan acceptable equivalent qualification). The IELTS certificate must be dated within 2 years of entry date.
matched funding for future externally funded proposals, and (iv) encourage and promote GCRF activity to build new networks and collaborations through pump-priming activity. ... encourage research groups at UCLan to explore the opportunities offered by GCRF type funding. It is hoped that successful pump-priming projects will enable new ...
1.2 Outlining the need and scope for research at Fairbourne 2 1.3 Theoretical underpinnings of this study 3 2.0 Literature Review 5 2.1 Centre groups 5 2.1.1 Group selection process 5 2.1.2 Military groups and the research questions 6 2.2 Self-efficacy 7
Research proposal formats vary depending on the size of the planned research, the number of participants, the discipline, the characteristics of the research, etc. The following outline assumes an individual researcher. This is just a SAMPLE; several other ways are equally good and can be successful. If possible, discuss your research proposal ...
Little Quick Fix titles provide quick but authoritative answers to the problems, hurdles, and assessment points students face in the research course, project proposal, or design-whatever their methods learning is. Lively, ultra-modern design; full-colour, each page a tailored design. An hour's read. Easy to dip in and out of with clear ...
Research Data Management Policy. As an institution, UCLan supports the principles of open access to publicly-funded research outputs. Research data generated at the University is recognised as an institutional asset that when shared openly not only increases the visibility of UCLan's research but also facilitates public engagement and creates new opportunities for knowledge exchange and ...
UCLAN Research Repository Policy. The CLoK Repository Service forms part of the University of Central Lancashire's provision for supporting digital preservation and Open Access scholarship. Its policies and practices are designed to create a healthy digital culture and to render the University a trusted source and user of digital information ...
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" Example research proposal #2: "Medical Students as Mediators of ...
Therefore, in a good research proposal you will need to demonstrate two main things: 1. that you are capable of independent critical thinking and analysis. 2. that you are capable of communicating your ideas clearly. Applying for a PhD is like applying for a job, you are not applying for a taught programme.
Research proposals usually need to go through several drafts. Show your internal and external supervisors a draft early enough so that you can incorporate their comments into a revised draft before submission. Review of the proposal. The proposal will be read by one of the academic staff, and will be discussed at a proposals review meeting in ...
Develop a Research Proposal. The sections below provide guidance on developing a research proposal as part of postgraduate / doctoral studies or when applying for a research grant. Please note that the guidance below is generic and you should follow any additional specific guidance given by your department or funding body.
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