There's an old proverb that goes: he who does not research has nothing to teach.
If we look the word research up in a dictionary, we get the definition that you now see on
the screen.
We can conclude that research is the basis of all progress. Human curiosity and ingenuity,
together with thorough research, tends to lead to the identification of new avenues
of knowledge.
During your academic life, your tutor or professor might ask you to write a research proposal
to address a problem that may not have been satisfactorily resolved, for example. Or they
might just want you to improve your general research and writing skills, or foster your
sense of curiosity. Whatever the reason might be, writing a research proposal is a key academic
skill, and that's why we're here today. We have also been asked to write a research
proposal, so if you want to learn how to do it - keep watching this video, however, remember,
that your work can be written at this very moment by our team
Hi guys, this is Mark from Essaypro.com, and today we're going to teach you how to write
a research proposal that will get you noticed. We'll first define what a research proposal
is, and then we'll discuss its components: Research question, methodology design, theoretical
framework, etc. We'll also help you create a structure and anything else you need to
know to create a top-class document.
But before we delve into today's topic, why not revisit some of our previous material
about essays, or even book reviews? Here at Essaypro.com, we've got you covered for all
your writing needs.
So what is a research proposal: The what, the why, and the how
Life and science advancements are based on research, aren't they?
The curiosity of man and woman leads to the discovery of new things, and the undertaking
of new lines of thought.
That research is done by people like you. You might even already have considered starting
your own research in your field of expertise. But before you can embark on your journey
of discovery, you're going to need to write a research proposal.
A research proposal does exactly what it says on the tin. It is a document that outlines
a research project. Consider the proposal as a key that opens up the door
to a lab, a book repository, or any other facility that will enable you to do that research.
Proposals are valuable and important documents, as they often become the tool to request sponsorship
for your project. Funds, in other words.
As such, the proposal must outline three key aspects of the project. Let's call it the
holy trinity, so it becomes memorable:
What research problem will be addressed? Why do you want to research this particular
issue? How are you going to carry out the research?
What, why, how? What, why, how? Repeat this to yourself a few times, so the memory becomes
deeper in your brain.
How to structure a research proposal: Introduction, Research Question, Literature Review, Methodology,
and Budget
We have talked about structure before. Remember our video on how to write an article review?
Remember how we discussed the importance of structured writing? Structured writing is
good writing. Always bear that in mind, regardless if you are just writing a text message, an
email, or as the present case, a research proposal. Framing your writing makes it look
neat, elegant, coherent, and easy to understand. Structure is your friend.
Now, we understand that writing is a very personal thing. You probably have your own
style and flair, and that's a good thing (actually, it's cool, be you, do whatever you want!).
But regardless of how you present your writing, a research proposal must have a few common
elements to effectively communicate your message.
Introduction Research question
Literature review Methodology
Budget
Introduction
Everything has a beginning. Or in this case, an introduction.
Use this introductory paragraph to present the theme of your research (the what), the
background, context, and reason to do it (the why), and the methodology (the how) of your
research.
Keep the introduction succinct and to the point, but make sure all the points are made.
Research question
The Research Question is pretty much the core of your proposal, as it addresses the basic
question of what it is you want to find out or prove. A good, unambiguous Research question
will give your paper focus and validity, both for you and for others.
A Research Question must be:
Focused on a single problem: Avoid ambiguity, or a multitude of ideas, as this will dilute
the effectiveness of your paper. Complex: The problem must be complicated enough
to warrant research and require a thesis. Relevant: The matter should be relevant to
your own expertise, and have a bearing on future endeavors.
Literature review
Research happens all the time. There are probably myriad ongoing projects right now, as you
listen to this video. Many people dedicate their lives to research, and many more will
do so long after you and I are gone. (Yes, this day will come for each of us, so don’t
waste your time - travel, love, relax, and let us write your essays for you).
The point here is that there's likely to be a wealth of material on the problem that you
want to address, or at the very least, on problems related to it. Use previous research
on the matter as a starting point. It is important that you reflect your knowledge on the problem
when you write your own proposal. This is called Literature review.
Use this to show that your own project does have a solid foundation, one that is based
on robust knowledge, whether practical or theoretical. And very importantly, use this
section to demonstrate that, while you're familiar with prior research, you will not
be repeating experiments or theories. Your own research will be a fresh take on the matter.
A Literature Review section might deal with:
Comparison and contrast: What are the main theories that already exist, and are being
debated? Constructive criticism: Don't be afraid to
say what existing research has got wrong, and how it can be improved upon.
Finding your niche: Your own project must fit it somewhere. Is it a follow up on someone's
studies, for example? Or is it brand new?
Methodology
Clear methods will lead to clear results. The methodology should describe the steps
and stages involved in your intended research, and how these steps will address the research
question you postulated earlier. Essentially, the methodology tells the reader what you're
going to do, and how you're going to do it.
Budget
Every research project must be adequately funded to succeed, and these funds are likely
to come from research sponsors such as universities, pharma companies, or other relevant institutions.
Remember earlier when we mentioned that research proposals are usually the tools used to solicit
sponsorship? As such, your document should outline a breakdown of costs associated with
your project.
How much money you will need The reason why you need it
How did you get to that amount, i.e., what factors you used to calculate it
Finance is, as always, a crucial consideration for your project, so use this section to make
a solid case to receive the funding you need.
By the way, speaking of money, we can help you write an essay for just $11 per page,
which is the best price, that you will find online!
Quick recap
We're nearing the end of the video, so it's time to hammer home some key points:
A research proposal:
Is a document that outlines a research project Must have a clear and unambiguous research
question Addresses three basic questions: What, why,
and how, in relation to your research question Needs a Literature Review, a Methodology,
and a Budget section
And there you have it. Look back through the content of this video anytime to find the
material and the inspiration you need to write the perfect research proposal.
Let’s discuss all this in the comments, we are really interested in your opinion about
this video, the topics that we discussed, and of course, YOU! We want to get to know
all our subscribers better, because without you, all this wouldn’t be possible!
We hope you enjoyed the video, and remember to subscribe to our channel. Want better writing?
Use Essaypro.com.