Drafting the Research Proposal is one of the Important steps in the research project. Below is a simple step by step guide to draft a research proposal.
A good Research proposal will explain clearly –
- What the research aims to achieve and what it is about;
- Why the research is important and in what way it is original or new, and
- How the research is to be conducted (methodology).
There is no set length for a research proposal, but you will probably need around 8-10 pages.
Here is some guidelines which may help you to Draft Research Proposal –
1. About
Start with a short paragraph which says very briefly what the research is about.
2. Topic Background, Review
Continue with a section that sets the scene so that you provide some background to the topic you are interested in. You may want to say something about the literature on the subject at this point.
3. Importance , Need & Interest
Follow this with a section which explains why your research is important, necessary, and / or interesting, and what is original or new about it.
4. More bout Project
Objectives, Idea etc Include a section that spells out in more detail what the research is about.
What are the aims and objectives of the research?
What is the puzzle you are addressing; or state clearly what the research question is (or research questions – but it is a good idea to clarify which is the most important question).
If you have hypotheses, discuss them here.
5. Research Design / Model
If you have a clear research design or model, include it at this point (though don’t worry too much at this early stage if you do not)
6. Research Methodology
What kind of methodology are you using?
In other words, how are you actually going to do the research?
Are you planning to use qualitative or quantitative methods; what sources will you use?;
Are you going to do interviews? If so, with whom?; is field research overseas part of your project?
7. Limitations and Conclusion
You might want to spell out the difficulties or limitations with your project (or perhaps challenges that you will need to overcome… learning a new language perhaps?).
You might also want to raise any ethical issues connected with your research if you think this is relevant.
It is also important to make sure that you draft and present your proposal well. Proofreading is essential!
Books and websites referred
www.bristol.ac.uk
bprd.nic.in
This is all about drafting the research proposal steps and guidelines.