research project website example

The Research Whisperer

Just like the thesis whisperer – but with more money, what’s on a good research project site.

It seems to be the done thing these days to have a webpage about your research project.

In fact, I think it’s fair to say that it’s considered an increasingly essential part of research engagement and dissemination, and – really – it is so easy to set something up these days.

Well…yes and no. (Stay with me, I’m a humanities scholar and that’s how we answer everything)

I had a great chat recently with a researcher who was wanting to set up an online presence for his project. Part of the task of this presence was to recruit subjects for his PhD study.

It was a valuable conversation for him (or so he tells me…!) and also for me, because it clarified our perceptions of what was necessary, good, and ideal.

What I’m talking about in this post isn’t focused on what specific funding bodies may want, or elements that fulfil project final report obligations.

I’m looking at the website as something that showcases the research project and aims to engage the right groups. I’m taking the perspective of an interested member of the public, or a non-specialist academic colleague, more than peers who are in your exact area.

There are heaps of pieces out there about how to create an effective website , but I get derailed when they keep referring to customers and brands. Put your filters in place, though, and you can still glean a lot of good info from these articles. Pat Thomson has written about  her experiences with blogging her research projects , and discusses the uneven results.

This post is my take on what the basics are for a good research project website. It presumes a small to non-existent budget, and no expert team of web-design or site-construction people at your disposal.

For me, a good research project website should:

1. Make a good first impression

• how the project came about and what a great job you and your team have done in this field to make fabulous things happen.
• how people can contribute , give feedback, or participate.
• who the supporting organisations (funding or in-kind) are . Doing acknowledgements the right way encourages smooth sailing should you want to tap them for assistance in the future!
• what the ongoing outcomes and activities are for the project . Some projects use project websites for further recruitment or data-collection, as a stepping-stone to the next project, or open it up for others to contribute to. Some teams link to open access repositories, or upload PDFs of their working and conference papers.
• Plan out what streams of information you want on the site : What’s the set text? Are you going to have a Twitter feed down one side? Will you be updating news in a blog section? Don’t have too many side-bars and feature boxes fighting for attention. It will look cluttered.
• Use striking, meaningful photographs. Ensure you have quality, relevant pics on the site. Nothing worse than pages that look as if they’re populated with stock photos. Make the pictures count, and don’t have them there just to break up text (they do break up text, but they should be doing more than that). Where possible, feature ‘doing’ shots, pics that capture some process or aspect of the research.

2. Have text that is succinct, jargon-free, and well proofed.

Distil the information down to what you want to convey most, and make sure it’s stripped to core text that tells the story of your research project. Nick Feamster wrote about  good storytelling for academics . While he’s talking specifically about academic papers, the advice is also relevant for nutting out website content, particularly where he talks about building the scaffold of the story. For medical science types, this listing of 10 tips for writing a lay summary is very useful.

Always run the text past another pair of eyes (or two), and get non-specialists to check its tone and whether it’s jargon-free.

3. Contain consistent team information

Present the research team’s information in a consistent manner. Don’t have reams of stuff on the lead Chief Investigator, then small paras for the rest. This is not a good look. Have the same kinds of info for each person, and definitely the same space allocated to each.

The website should feature similar profile pictures of the team (if you decide to have team photos – I like them). Have consistency in the images’ size, framing, and resolution. I’m a fan of semi-formal group shots, where the researchers look human, but aren’t hanging out in board-shorts and sculling drinks.

4. Have everything in its place

Navigation for your website should be logical and clear. I think there are some standard pages for research project websites: ‘About the Project’, ‘Contact’, ‘Supporters’ (or ‘Sponsors’), and ‘The Research Team’ (or similar). Other than these, you might have: ‘Publications’, ‘Events’, ‘Get Involved’, or ‘Updates’.

As with the website text, run the site past various people, to test whether the navigation logic you came up with actually works for a broad audience, and that there are no gaps or repetition in the information.

That should get you well started on the basics of what should be part of a good research project site. Which platform should you use? Well, Lifehacker’s ‘ Best platforms for building websites ‘ can probably give you that answer.

Want to point out something I’ve missed? Vehement objections to what I’ve said? Go on, do it in the comments!

Below are some of the research project website suggested to me when I crowdsourced for some ideas for this post on Twitter . They vary immensely in terms of how much resourcing was behind them, and how ‘academic’ they perceived their audience to be. Have a look through and see what works for you, and the kind of work you want to get out there.

Recommended research project websites:

• Framingham Heart Study  (suggested by @tassie_gal)
• CelebYouth.org  (suggested by @drkatyvigurs)
• Early Childhood Connect  (suggested by @elfriesen)
• Culturizing Sustainable Cities  (suggested by @WFGP)
• Quality in Alternative Education  (suggested by @thomsonpat)
• School Accountability and Stakeholder Education  (suggested by @drkatyvigurs)

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10 comments.

Very helpful. I started a blog at the beginning of the year to write about my research project for Master’s, and while looking for tips and ideas I also got sidelined by talk about brands and customers and things like that. My blog is definitely not very formal and it only involves me, but this post has made me think about a few improvements I could make.

Glad you found it useful, K.! There are some very complex (expensive) sites out there, but most of the researchers I know have no resourcing for this kind of thing. It’s good to have them up, and the more sustainable they are as sources of info/comms, the better.

Drop your project URL here – would like to check it out. 🙂

Hi Tseen, thanks for the interest. My blog is rather informal, and there are some random things around, but I describe my Master’s project here: http://kvanderwielen.wordpress.com/current-project/ . It’s really more about coming to grips with the project and how the process unfolds in South Africa. I’ve noticed that most sites and blogs available are generally aimed at PhD projects. I think this might be because most countries have moved toward a taught Masters. In South Africa most humanities subjects generally do Masters by thesis. However, a lot of what’s written for PhD candidates is helpful for us, so I’m grateful for resources like this one.

Hi Tseen, just a minor comment, but I think you will find the SASE project website is actually run by Andrew Wilkins (@andewilkins) rather than Katy Vigurs.

Hi Scott! Yes, it’s Wilkins’ project/site – Katy Vigurs suggested it (all the handles featured in the list are the suggesters from Twitter, not the investigators/project leaders). 🙂

Thanks for this helpful brief!

Happy you found it useful! Let us know if you think anything needs to be added.

Great post and step by step explanation. Keep sharing your thoughts more often

Reblogged this on Research Staff Blog .

Reblogged this on Literacy Teaching and Teacher Education and commented: I (Clare) thought this post about a research blog would be relevant for our research blog. Terrific suggestions lots of which I will follow.

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The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project

Student resources.

Examples of Student Research Projects

• Library Catalogue

The latest news and answers to your questions about scholarly publishing and open access.

Building a website for your program of research, project, or lab? My top 10 tips

A website is a commonly used tool for knowledge mobilization for research projects and labs. I often get asked (or provide unsolicited advice!) on how to do this well. For those that don’t ask, or I haven’t connected with yet, I have put together my top ten tips.

Note: I’m a knowledge mobilization expert, not a web designer. This list is based on a non-comprehensive review of expert opinions, blog posts, and my past experience. I’ve highlighted some of my favourite resources for this work below.

1. Identify your target audience and objective for the website

With all knowledge mobilization and dissemination efforts, you should always first know what you hope to achieve and who you need to reach. This informs all your other decisions. Don’t skip this step! Need help figuring this out? Get in touch with the SFU Knowledge Mobilization Officer .

2. Assess your resources

Consider how much time, technical ability, and financial resources you have and are willing to dedicate to developing and upkeep of the website. If all are limited, then keep it basic.

3. Determine and develop the content and tone of the site

This will be informed by your audience and objective. For example, if the audience is other researchers, and the objective is to build new collaborations, you may want the content to be more technical and the tone professional. If you are looking for students, the tone might be more fun and emphasize the activities of the lab. If it is for the public, perhaps it is more plain language, informational, and engaging.

4. Avoid overcrowding

A layered structure, with brief overviews that can be clicked through to more information, is often preferable. However, avoid very complicated sites with multiple clicks to arrive at desired information. SFU’s Scholarly Communications Lab website is a nice example of how to do this well: https://www.scholcommlab.ca/

5. The layout of each page should flow, be uncluttered, and organized

This can be achieved by organizing in a grid, column, or horizontal layout. Use negative (blank) space to facilitate readability and navigation ( scan-ability ). The image below places two websites side-by-side and illustrates why this is important to consider. Which page do you find easier to read – right or left?

6. Choose images that are specific to your research, in focus, with sufficient resolution

Include an up to date image of your team or project lead(s), and consider how your website images compliment and align with your social media accounts. For example, the website top image and your headshot could be the same as your photo and cover image on Twitter and LinkedIn. For accessibility, be sure to include alternative text that explains the image – sometimes called “alt-text.” If you are including images or graphics of humans, use diverse representation and avoid stereotypes.

7. Use simple fonts

Choose a maximum of three complementary fonts (one for title, heading, and body). Often a sans serif font (without extra embellishments such as Helvetica) is preferable for large text (titles and headings) and serif (e.g. Times New Roman) for small text (body). Dark text on light backgrounds are easier to read and provide a more accessible experience for viewers.

8. Pick a colour scheme of three complementary colours (and maybe an accent or two)

Choose colours that align with your audience, objective, research and tone. Check out Canva ’s colour generator for help and inspiration.

9. Consider diversity, equity, and inclusion

How we design and write can influence our audience’s sense of inclusion and more. This needs to be considered in selection and use of colours (e.g. colour blindness ), font (readability), images (think about representation and messaging), language (e.g. use inclusive and plain language ), and assumptions.

10. Get feedback and support

Reach out to available SFU resources (e.g. communicators, Knowledge Mobilization Hub, Digital Humanities Innovation Lab) for guidance and feedback. Consider hiring a professional web designer if you can afford it, and/or graphic artist. Before you launch, ask friends and colleagues to review your site.

Want to learn more?

More blog posts.

Here are some useful blog posts that dive deeper into strategies, process, and considerations:

• SFU Library’s advice on visibility and your online presence
• The Social Academic's blog post on developing your personal academic website
• The Leveraged PhD's blog post on creating a personal website
• These two blog posts offer tips from researchers on creating a good lab website by  Nature  and Edge for Scholars .

Resources and supports

Here are some platforms, templates, and services to get you started (paid and free):

• Designs that Cell -- A Canadian research-focused scientific illustration company.
• Science Project -- A subscription-based website platform for scientists.
• Squarespace  -- Includes marketing and e-commerce features.
• Wordpress  -- Very customisable but does not include hosting.
• Wix  -- Allows you to build webpages using drag-and-drop features.

What does a good website look like?

It’s always good to have a few examples of websites that you like. Some of this is personal preference of course, but here are a few project or lab websites that I like:

• Chatr Lab  
• Science Up First
• Amplify Podcast Network
• Multimedia Lab

Siteinspire is a whole site dedicated to the collection of creative websites. I choose a few from their list in the education and science space that might offer some inspiration:

• Whitehead Institute  
• Vital Strategies  
• Simons Foundation

Originally published May 14, 2021 by Lupin Battersby

Contact us : For assistance with scholarly publishing, please contact  [email protected] .

Education During Coronavirus

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Science | June 15, 2020

Seventy-Five Scientific Research Projects You Can Contribute to Online

From astrophysicists to entomologists, many researchers need the help of citizen scientists to sift through immense data collections

Rachael Lallensack

Former Assistant Editor, Science and Innovation

If you find yourself tired of streaming services, reading the news or video-chatting with friends, maybe you should consider becoming a citizen scientist. Though it’s true that many field research projects are paused , hundreds of scientists need your help sifting through wildlife camera footage and images of galaxies far, far away, or reading through diaries and field notes from the past.

Plenty of these tools are free and easy enough for children to use. You can look around for projects yourself on Smithsonian Institution’s citizen science volunteer page , National Geographic ’s list of projects and CitizenScience.gov ’s catalog of options. Zooniverse is a platform for online-exclusive projects , and Scistarter allows you to restrict your search with parameters, including projects you can do “on a walk,” “at night” or “on a lunch break.”

To save you some time, Smithsonian magazine has compiled a collection of dozens of projects you can take part in from home.

American Wildlife

If being home has given you more time to look at wildlife in your own backyard, whether you live in the city or the country, consider expanding your view, by helping scientists identify creatures photographed by camera traps. Improved battery life, motion sensors, high-resolution and small lenses have made camera traps indispensable tools for conservation.These cameras capture thousands of images that provide researchers with more data about ecosystems than ever before.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s eMammal platform , for example, asks users to identify animals for conservation projects around the country. Currently, eMammal is being used by the Woodland Park Zoo ’s Seattle Urban Carnivore Project, which studies how coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats and other animals coexist with people, and the Washington Wolverine Project, an effort to monitor wolverines in the face of climate change. Identify urban wildlife for the Chicago Wildlife Watch , or contribute to wilderness projects documenting North American biodiversity with The Wilds' Wildlife Watch in Ohio , Cedar Creek: Eyes on the Wild in Minnesota , Michigan ZoomIN , Western Montana Wildlife and Snapshot Wisconsin .

"Spend your time at home virtually exploring the Minnesota backwoods,” writes the lead researcher of the Cedar Creek: Eyes on the Wild project. “Help us understand deer dynamics, possum populations, bear behavior, and keep your eyes peeled for elusive wolves!"

If being cooped up at home has you daydreaming about traveling, Snapshot Safari has six active animal identification projects. Try eyeing lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, elephants, giraffes, baobab trees and over 400 bird species from camera trap photos taken in South African nature reserves, including De Hoop Nature Reserve and Madikwe Game Reserve .

With South Sudan DiversityCam , researchers are using camera traps to study biodiversity in the dense tropical forests of southwestern South Sudan. Part of the Serenegeti Lion Project, Snapshot Serengeti needs the help of citizen scientists to classify millions of camera trap images of species traveling with the wildebeest migration.

Classify all kinds of monkeys with Chimp&See . Count, identify and track giraffes in northern Kenya . Watering holes host all kinds of wildlife, but that makes the locales hotspots for parasite transmission; Parasite Safari needs volunteers to help figure out which animals come in contact with each other and during what time of year.

Mount Taranaki in New Zealand is a volcanic peak rich in native vegetation, but native wildlife, like the North Island brown kiwi, whio/blue duck and seabirds, are now rare—driven out by introduced predators like wild goats, weasels, stoats, possums and rats. Estimate predator species compared to native wildlife with Taranaki Mounga by spotting species on camera trap images.

The Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) Instant Wild app has a dozen projects showcasing live images and videos of wildlife around the world. Look for bears, wolves and lynx in Croatia ; wildcats in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula ; otters in Hampshire, England ; and both black and white rhinos in the Lewa-Borana landscape in Kenya.

Under the Sea

Researchers use a variety of technologies to learn about marine life and inform conservation efforts. Take, for example, Beluga Bits , a research project focused on determining the sex, age and pod size of beluga whales visiting the Churchill River in northern Manitoba, Canada. With a bit of training, volunteers can learn how to differentiate between a calf, a subadult (grey) or an adult (white)—and even identify individuals using scars or unique pigmentation—in underwater videos and images. Beluga Bits uses a “ beluga boat ,” which travels around the Churchill River estuary with a camera underneath it, to capture the footage and collect GPS data about the whales’ locations.

Many of these online projects are visual, but Manatee Chat needs citizen scientists who can train their ear to decipher manatee vocalizations. Researchers are hoping to learn what calls the marine mammals make and when—with enough practice you might even be able to recognize the distinct calls of individual animals.

Several groups are using drone footage to monitor seal populations. Seals spend most of their time in the water, but come ashore to breed. One group, Seal Watch , is analyzing time-lapse photography and drone images of seals in the British territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. A team in Antarctica captured images of Weddell seals every ten minutes while the seals were on land in spring to have their pups. The Weddell Seal Count project aims to find out what threats—like fishing and climate change—the seals face by monitoring changes in their population size. Likewise, the Año Nuevo Island - Animal Count asks volunteers to count elephant seals, sea lions, cormorants and more species on a remote research island off the coast of California.

With Floating Forests , you’ll sift through 40 years of satellite images of the ocean surface identifying kelp forests, which are foundational for marine ecosystems, providing shelter for shrimp, fish and sea urchins. A project based in southwest England, Seagrass Explorer , is investigating the decline of seagrass beds. Researchers are using baited cameras to spot commercial fish in these habitats as well as looking out for algae to study the health of these threatened ecosystems. Search for large sponges, starfish and cold-water corals on the deep seafloor in Sweden’s first marine park with the Koster seafloor observatory project.

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center needs your help spotting invasive species with Invader ID . Train your eye to spot groups of organisms, known as fouling communities, that live under docks and ship hulls, in an effort to clean up marine ecosystems.

If art history is more your speed, two Dutch art museums need volunteers to start “ fishing in the past ” by analyzing a collection of paintings dating from 1500 to 1700. Each painting features at least one fish, and an interdisciplinary research team of biologists and art historians wants you to identify the species of fish to make a clearer picture of the “role of ichthyology in the past.”

Interesting Insects

Notes from Nature is a digitization effort to make the vast resources in museums’ archives of plants and insects more accessible. Similarly, page through the University of California Berkeley’s butterfly collection on CalBug to help researchers classify these beautiful critters. The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology has already digitized about 300,000 records, but their collection exceeds 4 million bugs. You can hop in now and transcribe their grasshopper archives from the last century . Parasitic arthropods, like mosquitos and ticks, are known disease vectors; to better locate these critters, the Terrestrial Parasite Tracker project is working with 22 collections and institutions to digitize over 1.2 million specimens—and they’re 95 percent done . If you can tolerate mosquito buzzing for a prolonged period of time, the HumBug project needs volunteers to train its algorithm and develop real-time mosquito detection using acoustic monitoring devices. It’s for the greater good!

For the Birders

Birdwatching is one of the most common forms of citizen science . Seeing birds in the wilderness is certainly awe-inspiring, but you can birdwatch from your backyard or while walking down the sidewalk in big cities, too. With Cornell University’s eBird app , you can contribute to bird science at any time, anywhere. (Just be sure to remain a safe distance from wildlife—and other humans, while we social distance ). If you have safe access to outdoor space—a backyard, perhaps—Cornell also has a NestWatch program for people to report observations of bird nests. Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center has a similar Neighborhood Nest Watch program as well.

Birdwatching is easy enough to do from any window, if you’re sheltering at home, but in case you lack a clear view, consider these online-only projects. Nest Quest currently has a robin database that needs volunteer transcribers to digitize their nest record cards.

You can also pitch in on a variety of efforts to categorize wildlife camera images of burrowing owls , pelicans , penguins (new data coming soon!), and sea birds . Watch nest cam footage of the northern bald ibis or greylag geese on NestCams to help researchers learn about breeding behavior.

Or record the coloration of gorgeous feathers across bird species for researchers at London’s Natural History Museum with Project Plumage .

Pretty Plants

If you’re out on a walk wondering what kind of plants are around you, consider downloading Leafsnap , an electronic field guide app developed by Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution. The app has several functions. First, it can be used to identify plants with its visual recognition software. Secondly, scientists can learn about the “ the ebb and flow of flora ” from geotagged images taken by app users.

What is older than the dinosaurs, survived three mass extinctions and still has a living relative today? Ginko trees! Researchers at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History are studying ginko trees and fossils to understand millions of years of plant evolution and climate change with the Fossil Atmospheres project . Using Zooniverse, volunteers will be trained to identify and count stomata, which are holes on a leaf’s surface where carbon dioxide passes through. By counting these holes, or quantifying the stomatal index, scientists can learn how the plants adapted to changing levels of carbon dioxide. These results will inform a field experiment conducted on living trees in which a scientist is adjusting the level of carbon dioxide for different groups.

Help digitize and categorize millions of botanical specimens from natural history museums, research institutions and herbaria across the country with the Notes from Nature Project . Did you know North America is home to a variety of beautiful orchid species? Lend botanists a handby typing handwritten labels on pressed specimens or recording their geographic and historic origins for the New York Botanical Garden’s archives. Likewise, the Southeastern U.S. Biodiversity project needs assistance labeling pressed poppies, sedums, valerians, violets and more. Groups in California , Arkansas , Florida , Texas and Oklahoma all invite citizen scientists to partake in similar tasks.

Historic Women in Astronomy

Become a transcriber for Project PHaEDRA and help researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics preserve the work of Harvard’s women “computers” who revolutionized astronomy in the 20th century. These women contributed more than 130 years of work documenting the night sky, cataloging stars, interpreting stellar spectra, counting galaxies, and measuring distances in space, according to the project description .

More than 2,500 notebooks need transcription on Project PhaEDRA - Star Notes . You could start with Annie Jump Cannon , for example. In 1901, Cannon designed a stellar classification system that astronomers still use today. Cecilia Payne discovered that stars are made primarily of hydrogen and helium and can be categorized by temperature. Two notebooks from Henrietta Swan Leavitt are currently in need of transcription. Leavitt, who was deaf, discovered the link between period and luminosity in Cepheid variables, or pulsating stars, which “led directly to the discovery that the Universe is expanding,” according to her bio on Star Notes .

Volunteers are also needed to transcribe some of these women computers’ notebooks that contain references to photographic glass plates . These plates were used to study space from the 1880s to the 1990s. For example, in 1890, Williamina Flemming discovered the Horsehead Nebula on one of these plates . With Star Notes, you can help bridge the gap between “modern scientific literature and 100 years of astronomical observations,” according to the project description . Star Notes also features the work of Cannon, Leavitt and Dorrit Hoffleit , who authored the fifth edition of the Bright Star Catalog, which features 9,110 of the brightest stars in the sky.

Microscopic Musings

Electron microscopes have super-high resolution and magnification powers—and now, many can process images automatically, allowing teams to collect an immense amount of data. Francis Crick Institute’s Etch A Cell - Powerhouse Hunt project trains volunteers to spot and trace each cell’s mitochondria, a process called manual segmentation. Manual segmentation is a major bottleneck to completing biological research because using computer systems to complete the work is still fraught with errors and, without enough volunteers, doing this work takes a really long time.

For the Monkey Health Explorer project, researchers studying the social behavior of rhesus monkeys on the tiny island Cayo Santiago off the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico need volunteers to analyze the monkeys’ blood samples. Doing so will help the team understand which monkeys are sick and which are healthy, and how the animals’ health influences behavioral changes.

Using the Zooniverse’s app on a phone or tablet, you can become a “ Science Scribbler ” and assist researchers studying how Huntington disease may change a cell’s organelles. The team at the United Kingdom's national synchrotron , which is essentially a giant microscope that harnesses the power of electrons, has taken highly detailed X-ray images of the cells of Huntington’s patients and needs help identifying organelles, in an effort to see how the disease changes their structure.

Oxford University’s Comprehensive Resistance Prediction for Tuberculosis: an International Consortium—or CRyPTIC Project , for short, is seeking the aid of citizen scientists to study over 20,000 TB infection samples from around the world. CRyPTIC’s citizen science platform is called Bash the Bug . On the platform, volunteers will be trained to evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotics on a given sample. Each evaluation will be checked by a scientist for accuracy and then used to train a computer program, which may one day make this process much faster and less labor intensive.

Out of This World

If you’re interested in contributing to astronomy research from the comfort and safety of your sidewalk or backyard, check out Globe at Night . The project monitors light pollution by asking users to try spotting constellations in the night sky at designated times of the year . (For example, Northern Hemisphere dwellers should look for the Bootes and Hercules constellations from June 13 through June 22 and record the visibility in Globe at Night’s app or desktop report page .)

For the amateur astrophysicists out there, the opportunities to contribute to science are vast. NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission is asking for volunteers to search for new objects at the edges of our solar system with the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project .

Galaxy Zoo on Zooniverse and its mobile app has operated online citizen science projects for the past decade. According to the project description, there are roughly one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. Surprisingly, identifying different types of galaxies by their shape is rather easy. “If you're quick, you may even be the first person to see the galaxies you're asked to classify,” the team writes.

With Radio Galaxy Zoo: LOFAR , volunteers can help identify supermassive blackholes and star-forming galaxies. Galaxy Zoo: Clump Scout asks users to look for young, “clumpy” looking galaxies, which help astronomers understand galaxy evolution.

If current events on Earth have you looking to Mars, perhaps you’d be interested in checking out Planet Four and Planet Four: Terrains —both of which task users with searching and categorizing landscape formations on Mars’ southern hemisphere. You’ll scroll through images of the Martian surface looking for terrain types informally called “spiders,” “baby spiders,” “channel networks” and “swiss cheese.”

Gravitational waves are telltale ripples in spacetime, but they are notoriously difficult to measure. With Gravity Spy , citizen scientists sift through data from Laser Interferometer Gravitational­-Wave Observatory, or LIGO , detectors. When lasers beamed down 2.5-mile-long “arms” at these facilities in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington are interrupted, a gravitational wave is detected. But the detectors are sensitive to “glitches” that, in models, look similar to the astrophysical signals scientists are looking for. Gravity Spy teaches citizen scientists how to identify fakes so researchers can get a better view of the real deal. This work will, in turn, train computer algorithms to do the same.

Similarly, the project Supernova Hunters needs volunteers to clear out the “bogus detections of supernovae,” allowing researchers to track the progression of actual supernovae. In Hubble Space Telescope images, you can search for asteroid tails with Hubble Asteroid Hunter . And with Planet Hunters TESS , which teaches users to identify planetary formations, you just “might be the first person to discover a planet around a nearby star in the Milky Way,” according to the project description.

Help astronomers refine prediction models for solar storms, which kick up dust that impacts spacecraft orbiting the sun, with Solar Stormwatch II. Thanks to the first iteration of the project, astronomers were able to publish seven papers with their findings.

With Mapping Historic Skies , identify constellations on gorgeous celestial maps of the sky covering a span of 600 years from the Adler Planetarium collection in Chicago. Similarly, help fill in the gaps of historic astronomy with Astronomy Rewind , a project that aims to “make a holistic map of images of the sky.”

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Rachael Lallensack | READ MORE

Rachael Lallensack is the former assistant web editor for science and innovation at Smithsonian .

Research to Action

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Making your research accessible

Lessons from building a research programme website: Part 1

By Nilam McGrath and Dru Riches-Magnier 22/10/2019

In this two-part blog as part of Open Access Week, Nilam McGrath and Dru Riches-Magnier outline the approach they took to develop the COMDIS-HSD website from 2012 to 2018.

Firstly, an apology. The COMDIS-HSD website that we are writing about no longer exists in the glorious form in which we left it in December 2018, but the learning we describe below, we hope, remains valuable nonetheless.

Setting up a website can be a minefield, and unless you have dedicated institutional support, or a very tech-savvy friend, it’s difficult to know where to begin. It took us four years to get the COMDIS-HSD website to where we wanted it: accessible, user-friendly, optimised for multiple devices, populated with relevant content, and looking clean and fresh. Our starting point, however, was anything but these things. Over 6 years ago, when we first started working together, the website looked very different. We changed substantial elements incrementally each year until, eventually, from 2012 to the end of the programme in December 2018, the website had been transformed (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. The website in 2012 (left) and after the transformation in 2018 (right).

Very different from our starting point, isn’t it? But it took us a while to get to there.

In the beginning…by Nilam

Before we outline our process and rationale, it’s worth noting that (1) I dedicated around 2–4 days per month to developing the website, and (2) Dru was hired for a minimum of 3 hours per month before I was recruited, but he hadn’t been briefed about any changes to the website for around six months by the time I was in post; a simple case of ‘The RU Manager we’re recruiting will sort it’. We continued with the 3 hours per month minimum, increasing the hours to complete certain activities as and when needed.

Top Tip 1: Carve out dedicated time each week/ month to progress website development. If either you or your supplier (or both) have very few hours to devote to specific creative projects, it’s really important that you carve out dedicated time when you will (a) complete any work needed to progress the project, and (b) communicate with each other on the progress and next steps.

Top Tip 2: Treat your website like the essential communications tool that it is. Websites aren’t a luxury anymore. They are an essential communication tool, so make its development and maintenance part of your workplan and routine; upgrades and updates are important.

Communicating with each other I used a monthly ‘rolling list’ with Dru. This was a simple list of work that needed to be completed that month, prioritised in order of importance. Typically, it was only really the first two or three activities on that list that were necessary to make huge leaps in progress each month, for example, specific actions to change the content and navigation of the journal articles page (some larger tasks would roll over into the next month). I emailed this list to Dru in the body of the email (no attachments). As Dru began completing the bigger structural changes in those early years, the list became populated with a greater number of smaller refinements that could be completed within the hours Dru had allocated for that month.

Top Tip 3: Make sure you include your website name in the subject line when you email your supplier. ‘ You’d be surprised how many clients just write “website changes” in the subject line’, Dru once said to me. ‘I deal with websites all day, every day, and some clients hire me to do more than one website, so which one are they referring to when they email me?’ I learned my lesson very quickly after that.

Our starting point The website theme had been set up in WordPress in early 2012, but it essentially lay dormant for most of the year as there was no-one in post to brief Dru. The COMDIS-HSD ‘brand’ at that stage had a dedicated YouTube channel, Twitter account, Facebook account, and various free email accounts with numerous app providers, none of which were being fully used.

Dru and I met (in a windowless basement room in London) at the beginning of 2013 to review everything. That first meeting was hugely successful simply because we met and discussed ideas, expectations, and roles in person and not over the phone; it lasted 3 hours and we flip-charted the hell out of it.

Top Tip 4: For larger or long-term projects, meet your web developer beforehand. Meeting (or at the very least, a dedicated video chat if location is an issue) before any website development begins will help you understand the web development process and share ideas. Plus, it’s just a nice thing to do; you’ll establish a good rapport and that’ll make things altogether easier in the long-term.

Our brainstorming covered everything from the website’s aim, to its content and accessibility, and we were pretty brutal in our assessment, as we were both coming at it with fresh eyes. We both knew that technology and design protocols had moved on rapidly since the first iteration of the website a year earlier. We also knew that with WordPress we had a solid, malleable platform to work with, and that Dru could make it sing and dance with some fancy coding if needed. There was one thing we couldn’t change (for now): the logo. Everything else was fair game, and there was a lot to sift through.

We knew we had to be flexible about prioritising some of the changes, and thought of it more like a house renovation (where changes in one location would possibly throw up more problems elsewhere) and so rather than become committed to a detailed implementation plan with fixed deadlines, we worked out what we could broadly do NOW, SOON and LATER – a fabulously simple prioritisation technique used by community development workers that works equally well for small-scale project planning.

Below, I outline what we focused on for the first 4 years:

In all, our initial reorganisation of the website took 8 months, and we prioritised two things:

• clarifying the structure and content; and
• making the existing documents more accessible.

Clarifying the structure and content This was really about culling; getting rid of anything I thought our audiences would find distracting or irrelevant and, crucially, structuring the layout and content by asking the following question:

How many times does a reader have to click on a link before they get to the information they want? HINT: If it’s more than two clicks, you’ll need to rethink your structure.

I asked Dru to change the font and layout throughout, whilst I worked on making the content more relevant, adding new sections on research uptake, member profiles, the embedded approach, news items, resources, and a rolling news section that Dru coded so that it displayed and updated on the homepage automatically.

Web developers are not copywriters! I wrote everything and uploaded it onto the WordPress content management system (CMS), which I used to refer to as ‘the backend’ of the website. The ‘backend’ is not a technical term, it’s just my idiotic name for the CMS ( editor’s note: that’s what we call it at R2A too! ), but it made Dru laugh. Whenever I uploaded new content and it went ‘live’, if it looked a bit weird, or a link didn’t work, or the alignment was off somewhere, that’s when I would email Dru a link to that page with clear instructions on any specific changes I needed.

The major change that year was the structure of the ‘journal articles’ page to include a more sophisticated search function and user-friendly layout. The existing page read like a poorly formatted bibliography, with incorrect, broken, and non-existent links (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: The website’s journal articles page in 2012 (left) and 2018 (right).

The ‘before and after’ are poles apart. Honestly, when I saw what Dru had developed, I wanted to give him a medal. His inspired design was clean and led with the titles of each article rather than the authors. The new layout meant that if readers were interested in the article, then they could expand their selection to read more, and click through to the article hosted on the site. This meant that it was much easier to collate metrics about our articles from journal websites – for both our researchers and funders.

Other smaller changes – all ideas from Dru based on his extensive experience – included adding a cookie policy, ‘This is really important!’ he said (a legal requirement in the EU); experimenting with Google analytics (he was really patient explaining analytics to me); and experimenting with other platforms to share information.

These initial changes to structure and content meant that we moved from a static website to an interactive one with links to existing resources within a year. This included linking our YouTube channel to the website and using a new Flickr account to share previously unseen photos of fieldwork and research.

Making the existing documents more accessible I knew from my conversations with partners, and from both reviewing logframe targets and writing the RU strategy and operational plan for the consortium, that the publications portfolio was going to become large over the next 4 years while the project was active. The go-to format for outputs is the PDF, but creating a PDF for each output didn’t sit well with me: a wall of PDFs can look somewhat impenetrable if structured poorly on a website and it creates ‘PDF fatigue’ or ‘blindness’. But I also knew that, for lots of reasons, this was the preferred format for many partners for NOW. The idea of experimenting with alternative formats to a PDF was something for LATER. To make existing information more accessible NOW, I edited existing content using plain English principles and continued writing new content along the same lines.

My instinct about PDF fatigue/blindness turned out to be correct. A 2014 study by the World Bank showed that 31% of policy documents are never downloaded, and this could be attributed to the dreaded PDF format, a theory elaborated on in this Priceonomics article.

For these reasons I tried to counter convention by providing other ways to view research findings, particularly for people with poor internet connections and low bandwidth.

During my research I came across excellent guidance from Aptivate about designing websites and uploading content for users where low bandwidth is an issue (both poor internet connections or little or very expensive access to data on mobile devices). This led to my decision to also upload HTML versions of our documents, the slight deviation being with health guidelines which were uploaded as Word documents so health workers could adapt them easily. PDFs are data heavy and HTML was a smart way to ensure quick and easy access. Over time, our stats showed that the HTML versions of our briefs were approximately three times more popular than the PDFs.

This small but powerful change was one of many that I made over the years to ensure that the broader portfolio of outputs was accessible to institutions and individuals with fewer resources; a strategy that was commended by DFID in their programme completion report.

Another way of making our work accessible was duplicating our portfolio on an external site. With one eye on the future, I knew that the website would eventually be shelved in an institutional repository and perhaps not exist at all after the end of the programme, so it was important that the research evidence remained available on an easy-to-use platform.

I did some research and settled on Scribd as a parallel platform; it could act as a useful backup for all our outputs should our website go into meltdown. Scribd allowed readers to download our briefs, guides, and grey literature for free. (It has recently started promoting a premium membership scheme that charges readers a monthly fee, but it is still possible to read and download documents for free if you open an account to upload documents.)

It was while exploring Scribd that I thought about replicating their thumbnail and description view on our website, particularly for our briefs and guides. Dru had created what I thought was a flexible and user-friendly format for the publications page, so I asked him to experiment. True to form, he delivered something that was exactly right (see Figures 3 and 4):

Figure 3: A resource page before the change (left), and after (right) with the thumbnails and descriptions.

  Figure 4: Guides before (left) and after (right), including icons to indicate the type of resource.

Many of the more fundamental changes were complete by the third year, so I continued to update the content, including revising every project brief and making these available as low-bandwith HTML versions. During this year, the website had over 10k page views, with almost 7.5k unique views. Our most popular pages were the journal articles and the project pages that contained all the rewritten project briefs.

I knew that the programme funding was coming to an end this year, so my aim was to make sure that everything was as accessible as possible beyond the end of the programme. This meant converting as many documents as possible to HTML, making the creative commons licensing more prominent, and populating the site with research findings and evidence of uptake, news, resources, and other grey literature. I viewed this year as a chance to consolidate the legacy of the consortium. This meant addressing two specific internal concerns:

• The COMDIS-HSD acronym was not readily understood.
• The original logo didn’t actually state that COMDIS-HSD was a health consortium, but the masthead did.

Dru had already changed the background of the website to add more white space, and he suggested extending the white background to the masthead; a simple and effective solution to make the website less ‘top heavy’ that we could implement quickly and easily (see Figure 5). I suggested making some changes to the logo and strapline, which senior management approved, so we hired designers to produce new artwork that met our brief.

Figure 5: The original logo and masthead didn’t explain the COMDIS-HSD acronym (top), but the new ones made it clear (bottom).

At the end of year, at the eleventh hour, our programme secured funding for another 2 years. At that stage, I felt good about where the site was at in terms of its look, feel, and content.

The extension brought with it a new set of challenges. Funders like to change things up now and again, and the programme extension came with a new set of indicators to monitor website metrics. This therefore became the year of investing in analytics. We had done basic monitoring before to report against our logframe indicators, but now the funder wanted a lot more detail.

To help capture information about and describe our users a little better, Dru adapted a quick and simple pop-up download form (see Figure 6) that he had designed for our partners Malaria Consortium and integrated this into our website.

  Figure 6: Pop-up form to capture audience information.

He also made our site design responsive to the many sizes and types of devices that people now use to access information.

Year 6 and our end point

The final year, and another stocktake. Social media and related analytics were a big part of our reporting, yet our Twitter presence had remained modest and was not very targeted. With a clear skills gap in our team, I recruited a dedicated digital communications officer. The positive impact was pretty much immediate: there was a dissemination schedule in place, our existing evidence was reaching more targeted groups, our evidence was being shared and commented upon online, our download capture form was helping us to identify our audiences and our most popular resources, and there was much more work on defining the analytics that our funder needed.

The most important development this year came for our partners ARK Foundation . They were ready to redevelop their website completely, and they liked our website. So, after some detailed conversations, we all thought: Why re-invent the wheel? Why not replicate our website for them? And so, that’s what happened, and here it is: https://arkfoundationbd.org/

For the second time in 2 years, I worked on consolidating the legacy of the consortium and on making the content accessible for policymakers, medical staff, implementing organisations, and researchers. As I’d predicted many years before, the site was to be archived by the university, which involved around 6 months of negotiation beforehand (another learning curve).

And then, it all came to an end. As I stated at the start of this article, our overall approach to making research evidence accessible via our website was commended by DFID, which I’m extremely proud of. I learned so much working with Dru and I couldn’t have achieved my vision for the website without his knowledge and expert skills. So, in addition to the top tips above, I would add that a good web developer is worth their weight in gold. I will also add one final top tip:

Top Tip 5: G ood communication and understanding between you and your web developer is key.

In Part 2 of this blog (appearing on R2A on Thursday, October 24th), Dru offers some golden advice on what you need to think about when developing your organisation’s website.

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These Research Website Templates Are Perfect For

• Academic Institutions : Universities and colleges can use these templates to showcase their research projects, scientific breakthroughs, and scholarly articles, improving their visibility and credibility.
• Nonprofit Research Organizations : These organizations can use research website templates to publish their findings, solicit donations, and engage the public in their cause.
• Market Research Firms : Such firms can leverage these templates to display their case studies, methodologies, and services offered, helping to attract potential clients.
• Medical Research : Research website templates can help medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies share their latest findings, clinical trial results, and health studies with the public or professionals in the field.
• Environmental Research : Organizations dedicated to studying climate change, conservation, and other environmental issues can use these templates to disseminate information, educate the public, and advocate for change.
• Tech Research : Tech companies and startups can use these templates to showcase their innovation and research, attracting investors, clients, and talented professionals.
• Independent Researchers : Individuals conducting independent research can use these templates to share their work, findings, and theories, inviting feedback and collaboration from others in their field.
• Think Tanks : These policy institutes can use research website templates to publish their research papers, discuss policy proposals, and host online debates or discussions.
• Research Journals : Academic and industry journals can use these templates to present articles, call for papers, and provide subscription options.
• Government Research : Government agencies can use these templates to publish their research on various subjects, enhancing transparency and fostering public trust.

In essence, research website templates are an essential tool for anyone looking to present research work professionally, disseminate knowledge, and engage with a broader audience.

Dr Martin Lea

Examples of Academic and Author Websites

These are some examples of Academic and Author websites I have designed for my clients. Click the Read More button for screenshots of internal pages and details of the client's requirements and my solutions.

Ruth's Author Website

Ruth's an investigative journalist. She wanted a website to promote her latest book and film projects, and also present an archive of her published articles. We chose a strong, clean style, and a structure for all her work that was easy to browse.

Sandra's Personal Academic Website

Sandra's a psychology professor. She wanted a personal academic website to present her outreach activities alongside her research and publications. We chose a bold, magazine style design that headlined her latest activities, and presented a news blog of her work.

Len's Therapist Website

Len wanted a website to provide information about his personal counselling service, and a way for potential clients to contact him easily. It was important to keep the design clean, light, and easy to use, and the project within his limited budget.

Carola's Book Website

Carola wanted a website to publicise her first published book, and sell it directly through her website. We designed her site around the artwork she had commissioned for her book cover. We included several elements to inform about the book, including a video trailer, sample downloadable chapter, and reviews.

Project Outreach Website

This is an example of a website emanating from a research project that was built to provide information for end users. In this text-heavy site we use plenty of white space to lighten the experience. The home page displays the different categories of information available, together with a prominent newsletter opt-in form, and a disclaimer.

Website Managed Hosting and Site Care

Ruth Yeoman already had a personal academic website, but she wanted someone who understood her professional needs to look after all the technical aspects of hosting and maintaining her site, and at an affordable price. Read what I did, as well as full details of my Site Care plans.

Book Launch Event Website

This was an urgent project for a book launch and author website. Working with the client over email and phone, we completed the project in a day. Includes links to order the book, details of the Launch event on Zoom – including a useful countdown timer, descriptions of the book and the author, book reviews, and a registration form for the event.

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How to do a research project for your academic study

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Writing a research report is part of most university degrees, so it is essential you know what one is and how to write one. This guide on how to do a research project for your university degree shows you what to do at each stage, taking you from planning to finishing the project.

What is a research project? 

The big question is: what is a research project? A research project for students is an extended essay that presents a question or statement for analysis and evaluation. During a research project, you will present your own ideas and research on a subject alongside analysing existing knowledge. 

How to write a research report 

The next section covers the research project steps necessary to producing a research paper. 

Developing a research question or statement 

Research project topics will vary depending on the course you study. The best research project ideas develop from areas you already have an interest in and where you have existing knowledge. 

The area of study needs to be specific as it will be much easier to cover fully. If your topic is too broad, you are at risk of not having an in-depth project. You can, however, also make your topic too narrow and there will not be enough research to be done. To make sure you don’t run into either of these problems, it’s a great idea to create sub-topics and questions to ensure you are able to complete suitable research. 

A research project example question would be: How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future? 

Finding and evaluating sources 

Secondary research is a large part of your research project as it makes up the literature review section. It is essential to use credible sources as failing to do so may decrease the validity of your research project.

Examples of secondary research include:

• Peer-reviewed journals
• Scholarly articles
• Newspapers 

Great places to find your sources are the University library and Google Scholar. Both will give you many opportunities to find the credible sources you need. However, you need to make sure you are evaluating whether they are fit for purpose before including them in your research project as you do not want to include out of date information. 

When evaluating sources, you need to ask yourself:

• Is the information provided by an expert?
• How well does the source answer the research question?
• What does the source contribute to its field?
• Is the source valid? e.g. does it contain bias and is the information up-to-date?

It is important to ensure that you have a variety of sources in order to avoid bias. A successful research paper will present more than one point of view and the best way to do this is to not rely too heavily on just one author or publication. 

Conducting research 

For a research project, you will need to conduct primary research. This is the original research you will gather to further develop your research project. The most common types of primary research are interviews and surveys as these allow for many and varied results. 

Examples of primary research include: 

• Interviews and surveys 
• Focus groups 
• Experiments 
• Research diaries 

If you are looking to study in the UK and have an interest in bettering your research skills, The University of Sheffield is a  world top 100 research university  which will provide great research opportunities and resources for your project. 

Research report format  

Now that you understand the basics of how to write a research project, you now need to look at what goes into each section. The research project format is just as important as the research itself. Without a clear structure you will not be able to present your findings concisely. 

A research paper is made up of seven sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You need to make sure you are including a list of correctly cited references to avoid accusations of plagiarism. 

Introduction 

The introduction is where you will present your hypothesis and provide context for why you are doing the project. Here you will include relevant background information, present your research aims and explain why the research is important. 

Literature review  

The literature review is where you will analyse and evaluate existing research within your subject area. This section is where your secondary research will be presented. A literature review is an integral part of your research project as it brings validity to your research aims. 

What to include when writing your literature review:

• A description of the publications
• A summary of the main points
• An evaluation on the contribution to the area of study
• Potential flaws and gaps in the research 

Methodology

The research paper methodology outlines the process of your data collection. This is where you will present your primary research. The aim of the methodology section is to answer two questions: 

• Why did you select the research methods you used?
• How do these methods contribute towards your research hypothesis? 

In this section you will not be writing about your findings, but the ways in which you are going to try and achieve them. You need to state whether your methodology will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. 

• Qualitative – first hand observations such as interviews, focus groups, case studies and questionnaires. The data collected will generally be non-numerical. 
• Quantitative – research that deals in numbers and logic. The data collected will focus on statistics and numerical patterns.
• Mixed – includes both quantitative and qualitative research.

The methodology section should always be written in the past tense, even if you have already started your data collection. 

Findings and results 

In this section you will present the findings and results of your primary research. Here you will give a concise and factual summary of your findings using tables and graphs where appropriate. 

Discussion 

The discussion section is where you will talk about your findings in detail. Here you need to relate your results to your hypothesis, explaining what you found out and the significance of the research. 

It is a good idea to talk about any areas with disappointing or surprising results and address the limitations within the research project. This will balance your project and steer you away from bias.

Some questions to consider when writing your discussion: 

• To what extent was the hypothesis supported?
• Was your research method appropriate?
• Was there unexpected data that affected your results?
• To what extent was your research validated by other sources?

Conclusion 

The conclusion is where you will bring your research project to a close. In this section you will not only be restating your research aims and how you achieved them, but also discussing the wider significance of your research project. You will talk about the successes and failures of the project, and how you would approach further study. 

It is essential you do not bring any new ideas into your conclusion; this section is used only to summarise what you have already stated in the project. 

References 

As a research project is your own ideas blended with information and research from existing knowledge, you must include a list of correctly cited references. Creating a list of references will allow the reader to easily evaluate the quality of your secondary research whilst also saving you from potential plagiarism accusations. 

The way in which you cite your sources will vary depending on the university standard.

If you are an international student looking to  study a degree in the UK , The University of Sheffield International College has a range of  pathway programmes  to prepare you for university study. Undertaking a Research Project is one of the core modules for the  Pre-Masters programme  at The University of Sheffield International College.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the best topic for research .

It’s a good idea to choose a topic you have existing knowledge on, or one that you are interested in. This will make the research process easier; as you have an idea of where and what to look for in your sources, as well as more enjoyable as it’s a topic you want to know more about.

What should a research project include? 

There are seven main sections to a research project, these are:

• Introduction – the aims of the project and what you hope to achieve
• Literature review – evaluating and reviewing existing knowledge on the topic
• Methodology – the methods you will use for your primary research
• Findings and results – presenting the data from your primary research
• Discussion – summarising and analysing your research and what you have found out
• Conclusion – how the project went (successes and failures), areas for future study
• List of references – correctly cited sources that have been used throughout the project. 

How long is a research project? 

The length of a research project will depend on the level study and the nature of the subject. There is no one length for research papers, however the average dissertation style essay can be anywhere from 4,000 to 15,000+ words. 

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How to Start a Research Project: A Step-by-Step Guide

Starting a research project can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable steps can make it easier. This guide will walk you through each stage, from choosing a topic to preparing for your final presentation. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to completing a successful research project.

Key Takeaways

• Choose a topic that interests you and is feasible to research.
• Develop clear research questions and objectives to guide your study.
• Conduct a thorough literature review to understand the existing research.
• Create a detailed research plan with a timeline and methodology.
• Engage with stakeholders and incorporate their feedback throughout the project.

Choosing a Research Topic

Identifying research interests.

Start by thinking about what excites you. Pick a topic that you find fun and fulfilling . This will keep you motivated throughout your research. Make a list of subjects you enjoy and see how they can relate to your field of study.

Evaluating Topic Feasibility

Once you have a few ideas, check if they are too broad or too narrow. A good topic should be manageable within the time you have. Ask yourself if you can cover all aspects of the topic in your thesis.

Consulting with Advisors

If you have difficulty finding a topic, consult with your advisors. Present your ideas to them and seek their guidance. They can provide valuable insights and help you refine your topic to ensure it is both engaging and manageable.

Defining the Research Problem

Formulating research questions.

Once you have a topic, the next step is to formulate research questions . These questions should target what you want to find out. They can focus on describing, comparing, evaluating, or explaining the research problem. A strong research question should be specific enough to be answered thoroughly using appropriate methods. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no".

Justifying the Research Problem

After formulating your research questions, you need to justify why your research problem is important . Explain the significance of your research in the context of existing literature. Highlight the gaps your research aims to fill and how it will contribute to the field. This step is crucial for crafting a compelling research proposal.

Setting Research Objectives

Finally, set clear research objectives. These are the specific goals you aim to achieve through your research. They should align with your research questions and provide a roadmap for your study. Establishing well-defined objectives will make it easier to create a research plan and stay on track throughout the research process.

Conducting a Comprehensive Literature Review

Finding credible sources.

Start by gathering reliable sources for your research. Use academic databases, libraries, and journals to find books, articles, and papers related to your topic. Make sure to evaluate the credibility of each source. Primary sources like published articles or autobiographies are firsthand accounts, while secondary sources like critical reviews are more removed.

Analyzing Existing Research

Once you have your sources, read through them and take notes on key points. Look for different viewpoints and how they relate to your research question. This will help you understand the current state of research in your field. Skimming sources initially can save time; set aside useful ones for a full read later.

Identifying Research Gaps

Identify areas that haven't been explored or questions that haven't been answered. These gaps can provide a direction for your own research. For example, if you're studying the impact of WhatsApp on communication, look for what hasn't been covered in existing studies. This will make your research more valuable and original.

Developing a Detailed Research Plan

Creating a solid research plan is crucial for the success of your thesis . It helps you stay organized and ensures that you cover all necessary aspects of your research.

Engaging with Stakeholders

Identifying key stakeholders.

To start, you need to identify all the key stakeholders involved in your research project. Stakeholders can include funders, academic supervisors, and anyone who will be affected by your study. Identifying potential resistance early on can help you address concerns before they become major issues.

Conducting Stakeholder Meetings

Once you have identified your stakeholders, the next step is to conduct meetings with them. These meetings are crucial for understanding their needs and expectations. Here are some steps to ensure productive meetings:

• Identify all stakeholders : Make a list of everyone affected by your project, including customers and end users.
• Keep communication open: Regular updates and open discussions help in aligning everyone's expectations.
• Present your project plan: Explain how your plan addresses stakeholders' expectations and be open to feedback.
• Determine roles: Decide who needs to see which reports and how often, and identify which decisions need approval and by whom.

Incorporating Stakeholder Feedback

Engaging stakeholders allows organizations to identify potential sources of resistance early in the change process. Incorporating their feedback is essential for the success of your project. Make sure to document all feedback and adjust your research plan accordingly. This will not only improve the quality of your research but also ensure that all stakeholders are on board with your project.

Selecting Appropriate Research Methods

Qualitative vs Quantitative Methods

When choosing research methods , you need to decide between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Qualitative methods involve collecting non-numerical data, such as interviews and focus groups, to understand experiences and opinions. On the other hand, quantitative methods focus on numerical data and statistical analysis, like surveys and experiments. Sometimes, a mixed-method approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative techniques, can provide a more comprehensive understanding of your research problem.

Choosing Data Collection Tools

Selecting the right data collection tools is crucial for gathering accurate and reliable data. Common tools include:

• Surveys : Useful for collecting data from a large number of participants.
• Interviews : Provide in-depth insights through one-on-one conversations.
• Focus Groups : Gather diverse perspectives through group discussions.
• Observations : Allow you to study behaviors in natural settings.

Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, so choose the one that best aligns with your research objectives.

Ensuring Ethical Compliance

Ethical compliance is a fundamental aspect of any research project. Make sure to obtain informed consent from all participants and ensure their privacy and confidentiality. Additionally, consider any potential risks to participants and take steps to minimize them. Ethical research not only protects participants but also enhances the credibility of your study.

Implementing the Research Plan

Data Collection Procedures

To start, you need to establish clear data collection procedures . This involves selecting the right tools and methods for gathering data. Whether you choose surveys, interviews, or experiments, ensure that your methods align with your research objectives. It's crucial to define the purpose of your project and identify research objectives before diving into data collection.

Data Analysis Techniques

Once data is collected, the next step is to analyze it. Choose appropriate data analysis techniques that suit your research design. This could involve statistical analysis for quantitative data or thematic analysis for qualitative data. Remember, the goal is to derive meaningful insights that address your research questions.

Maintaining Research Integrity

Maintaining research integrity is essential throughout the implementation phase. This means adhering to ethical guidelines, ensuring data accuracy, and avoiding any form of bias. By maintaining high standards, you ensure the credibility and reliability of your research findings.

Writing the Research Proposal

Structuring the proposal.

Creating a well-structured research proposal is essential for clearly communicating your research plan. Start with an introduction that outlines the background and significance of your study. Follow this with a literature review that situates your research within the existing body of work. Next, detail your research design and methodology, explaining how you will collect and analyze data. Finally, include a timeline and budget if required. A clear structure helps reviewers understand your research plan and its feasibility.

Articulating the Research Statement

Your research statement is the heart of your proposal. It should clearly define the problem you aim to address and why it is important. Make sure your statement is specific, measurable, and achievable. This will guide your entire research process and help you stay focused. A strong research statement is crucial for convincing reviewers of the value of your study.

Defining KPIs and Metrics

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics are essential for measuring the success of your research. Identify the specific outcomes you aim to achieve and how you will measure them. Common metrics include data accuracy, response rates, and completion times. Including KPIs in your proposal shows that you have a clear plan for evaluating your research's impact.

Managing the Research Project

Setting milestones.

Creating a timeline with specific milestones is essential for tracking your progress. For example, aim to complete your literature review by the end of the first month. These milestones will help you stay on track and make adjustments as needed. Regularly review and update your timeline to reflect your current status and any changes in your schedule.

Tracking Progress

To ensure that you are meeting your milestones, it's important to track your progress consistently. Use tools like Gantt charts or project management software to visualize your progress. Regular check-ins with your team can also help identify any issues early on and keep everyone aligned with the project goals.

Adjusting the Plan as Needed

Flexibility is key in managing a research project. Unexpected challenges may arise, requiring you to adjust your plan. Be prepared to reallocate resources or extend deadlines if necessary. Consulting with your advisors can provide valuable insights and help you make informed decisions when adjustments are needed.

Drafting and Revising the Research Paper

Organizing the paper.

Start by creating a clear structure for your paper. This includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Use a mind map or outline to group your ideas logically . This will help you stay organized and ensure that your paper flows smoothly.

Revising for Clarity and Coherence

Revising is a crucial part of the writing process. Read your paper out loud to catch any awkward sentences or unclear points. Make sure each paragraph supports your thesis statement and that your ideas are clearly organized. Don't hesitate to remove or revise sections that don't fit.

Maintaining Academic Integrity

Always cite your sources correctly to avoid plagiarism. Use a consistent citation style and double-check your references. This not only upholds academic standards but also enhances the credibility of your work.

Preparing for the Final Presentation

Creating visual aids.

Visual aids are essential for making your presentation engaging and easy to follow. Use slides, charts, and graphs to highlight key points . Ensure that your visuals are clear and not cluttered with too much information. Effective visual aids can make complex data more understandable and keep your audience engaged.

Practicing the Presentation

Practice is crucial for a successful presentation. Rehearse multiple times to get comfortable with the material and the flow of your talk. Consider practicing in front of friends or family to get feedback. This will help you refine your delivery and timing. Remember, the goal is to communicate your research clearly and confidently.

Handling Q&A Sessions

Anticipate questions that your audience might ask and prepare answers in advance. This will help you handle the Q&A session smoothly. Be honest if you don't know an answer and offer to follow up later. Handling questions well can demonstrate your deep understanding of the topic and leave a positive impression on your audience.

Getting ready for your final presentation can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn't have to be. Start by organizing your main points and practicing your delivery. Remember, confidence comes from preparation. For more tips and a step-by-step guide to ace your presentation, visit our website today !

Starting a research project may seem daunting, but breaking it down into manageable steps can make the process much more approachable. By clearly defining your research subject, engaging with stakeholders, crafting a precise research statement, and establishing key performance indicators, you set a strong foundation for your project. Choosing the right methodology and creating a detailed timeline will help ensure that your research is well-organized and on track. Remember, the key to a successful research project is thorough planning and consistent effort. With these steps, you can confidently navigate your research journey and achieve meaningful results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i choose a good research topic.

Start by thinking about what interests you. Pick a topic that you find fun and fulfilling. This will keep you motivated throughout your research. Make a list of subjects you enjoy and see how they can relate to your field of study.

What should I include in the introduction of my research paper?

Your introduction should set the stage for your research. Provide some background information and clearly state what your research will cover. This helps readers understand the context and significance of your work.

How do I create a timeline for my research project?

Break down your research into smaller tasks and assign time frames to each. This helps you manage your time and stay organized throughout the project. Use a table or chart to keep track of deadlines.

What is the best way to organize my research data?

Review the data you have and reorganize it so that the most important parts are central to your research. Set aside any information that is less relevant. Use digital folders or reference management software to keep everything organized.

How do I choose a thesis supervisor?

Look for a supervisor who is supportive and knowledgeable in your area of study. Good communication is key, so make sure you establish a good rapport with them from the start.

Where should I place my thesis statement?

A good place for your thesis statement is at the end of your introduction. This helps to clearly outline your main argument or point right from the start.

What should I do if I feel stuck during my research project?

If you feel stuck, take a break and revisit your work with fresh eyes. Talk to your advisor or peers for new perspectives. Sometimes, stepping away for a bit can help you see things more clearly.

How do I ensure my research is ethical?

Make sure your research complies with ethical guidelines. This includes getting consent from participants, ensuring their privacy, and being honest about your findings. Consult your institution's ethics board if you have questions.

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Carrying Out Successful Research for a Web Project

Conducting research for your web project is really simple and it doesn't have to take up much of your time. By planning and breaking down it into a few smaller steps you can save time and get the most out of it. It all comes down to getting the whole picture before you begin thinking about design, development or anything else.

Be it a new website or mobile application, a re-design of existing site or app, this article will teach you the most effective and successful way to go about it. Be bold, don't fear, you are capable of doing this, it's not rocket science.

Before We Begin

I'd like you to consider the amount of research you'll be doing before the client commits to your services and pays the first invoice. 

Often, you'll have to give an estimate based on little-to-no real data. You really don't want to spend a couple of days researching for a project just to find out that your quote is too high, or your proposed timeline is too long, or the client just wanted to get an informative offer from you. Neither do you want to risk annoying your client right at the beginning of the project with hundreds of detailed questions which you will eventually have to ask at another stage anyway. So…

How Much Research is Enough Research?

Short answer: it depends .  

I like to break down my research into a few steps which are directly connected to project estimates:

• Research for ballpark estimate (takes about 15-20 min)
• Research for a proper estimate (2-3h)
• Deep dive research (as long as it takes)

Quick Research

Research for a ballpark estimate is basically an extension of the client brief you'll have received. You can get the client brief in any form you need, perhaps through an online questionnaire or from an email or telephone conversation. Armed with this information, you need to make a rough estimate on budget and timeline. This is very difficult to do, but sometimes you just have to react quickly. However, giving estimates at this phase cannot be taken seriously. You have to perform at least some sort of research in order to give a ballpark estimate. A client brief at this stage is all you have, but remember that, in general,  a client brief is not research!  

We might assume that you've use a solid  client brief like the one I use for my projects. In this case most common questions will have been answered. However, there is a need to go just a tiny bit beyond to be sure of what you're estimating here.

I recommend you spend about twenty minutes to:

• Check the competition and see what you could expect from your client in the future (take screenshots).

This will give you a general overview of the industry, immediately spot patterns, similarities and differences between sites, get an idea of “must have” pages. Questions will arise, and as soon as they do write them down for future reference.

• See if client's wishes and expectations match with user needs of this future website.

Clients usually give you a wish list for their new site/product. Most of the time this is a feature list and it is your job to see how these features relate to user needs and expectations of the product and industry in general. You can easily look for patterns in existing products or competition. The purpose of this step is to potentially discover difficulties or challenges you might have to overcome at a later stage of development. Again, more questions will arise, save them for further reference.

• Try to quickly outline a possible sitemap and see what pages could be missing from the brief.

Clients sometimes overlook some generic pages or confirmation screens and other details of user flow. After all, they are experts in their filed and you are the professional they reached out to, so it is your job to spot these details.

Longer Research

Research for a "proper" estimate takes (as you'd expect) a bit longer. You should only begin with this after you're done with "quick research" and the client is interested to hear more (suggesting your ballpark offer has been approved). It can take a couple of days of email conversation back and forth with the client in order for you to understand the real scope of the project so you can organize yourself and/or your team for the job. You’ll likely be asking a lot of extra questions here and will need to spend about two to three hours, perhaps more. Some people charge for this kind of estimate, I suggest you decide what your time's worth for this task, or if you are prepared to do it for free.

I recommend you spend about three hours to:

• Briefly learn more about the specific industry this project relates to.
• Ask about long-term goals (long-term goals are very important and can reveal hidden information).

Long-term goals can be anything from reaching 1M users next year or enabling new type of registration , to a whole new set of interactions or functionality. If you know all of these in advance, or at least some of them, you can prepare a solid foundation for your future work. This will save your clients time and money in the future, and you will potentially go up a notch in their books because you've been looking out for their interests.

• Briefly try to understand the client's current business process. 
• Make sure you understand the scope of the project in terms of technical details (number of pages/screens to be designed, platform/device support, accessibility requirements, third-party integration etc.)

In case of a re-design:

• Analyze the client's current online presence (brand, website, social media profiles etc.)
• Ask for CMS access (if available).
• Ask for analytics data (if available) and try to identify potential problems.

Document everything and create a project snapshot along with your estimate.

Deep-Dive Research

Deep dive research is what this article is really about. Once your quote has been approved and you've preferably signed a pre-contract with your client, you can deep dive into it. This is where the fun starts! 

To get our web design projects started out on the right foot, we start by asking questions. Lots of questions.

Deeper Understanding of the Project Scope

By now you've gathered most of the basic information you require. Is it enough? What do you do with it? Although good project research does not guarantee its success, you have to do more for a successful start. At this stage you have just started with it. 

Remember the questions you saved earlier for future reference? Now it’s time to get them answered!

Design (Brand, Marketing Material, Stationary, Design Audit)

Ask your client to share all marketing material with you. This will help you understand how they communicate to their audience and potential customers. 

Ask for any offline publications, brochures, newspaper publications, annual reports, posters, DVD’s, books etc. There is a lot of information you can find in any of these sources which will help you make a better picture of your client and his/her business.

Ask for brand guidelines if available. You need to find out if your future work will be constrained by already-established brand guidelines. Ask about corporate colors, design preferences, symbols, brand messaging. Brand consistency is very important and you need to identify possible areas where previous designs may not have been successful in achieving this consistency.

Development (CMS, Mobile Support, Native App)

Ask how they want to manage content. I don't just mean their CMS of choice, but how a CMS will fit into their workflow. Who is responsible for adding and managing content on the site? Is it one person, more administrators, do they need to sync their work and updates they make to the website? You also want to ask how tech-savvy the person responsible for updates is (thought that can admittedly be difficult to quantify). 

Do they need to import/export files and data in specific formats? Do you need to integrate a third party software or CRM? Do they need to sync data across multiple platforms and devices? Do they plan on building native apps at some point? These are all very important questions which expand the project scope and your work.

Technical Requirements (Hosting, Domain, Traffic)

Ask your client if they have hosting and a domain name ready. In case you’re not a sys admin (and you mostly aren’t) then suggest they take care of hosting and domain names themselves. You can provide assistance if they are not sure which host to choose.  The reason for this is, in my opinion, you should avoid any responsibility with server downtimes or any other issues in future. In case of a server problem clients will probably call you to check what happened, but if it is a server or domain issue you can forward them to the hosting provider and they will take care of it.

Ask your client if they already use Google Analytics, Mint or any other analytics tracking. In case they don’t, make sure to assist them in setting up analytics. It will provide them with invaluable insights on site performance, pageviews, content discovery, goals, and most importantly, analytics will show you and them how well your decisions have been made regarding design and site optimisation and where it needs improvement.

Doing the research is relatively simple; it is the task of trying to understand and apply the research to benefit your project that is not easy.

The above research sections are mostly “technical” oriented and I still call them basics. Why basics? Because you've learned a lot about the client, the industry, technical requirements, constraints and other things. Sure, you gathered a lot of information, but this is still considered raw material, because now you understand the project at a surface level, but you still don’t really understand your client and their business. You need to perceive given information in relation to your clients business. How do you do that?

It is Time to Talk to the People

There is no substitute for one-on-one conversation with your client. You can do as much research as shown above, but until you meet and talk with your client and other employees you might not be able to really perceive the research findings in true relation to your client's business.

For true understanding of your client's business and product you need to talk to as many stakeholders and other staff members as possible. Arrange a meeting at their offices, if you can, and get a chance to experience first-hand how their business operates. What do people do there every day, how do they communicate on projects among each other, who are departmental heads and what are their daily tasks? If you cannot have a physical meeting then try to arrange stakeholder and staff member interviews over Skype or Hangouts. Try to avoid group meetings, it is much better to interview people individually. 

The two important topics to cover next:

• Understanding the business of your client
• Knowing your client's customers

Understand how Their Business Works!

I believe that a great designer, developer, information architect, project manager, content strategist or anyone who works in digital media can only be good enough if he/she knows the business side of every project. What that means is that you have to put yourself in the position of the business owner.

Get to the heart of what their business is about.

You ideally want to know as much as possible about what their business does and how they do it. You're not asking to see their revenue share, or how much they earned in last quarter but how they did it . Understand the cash-flow and efforts they need to undertake to secure healthy business operations. What you learn will not only benefit you on this particular project but will help you become a better professional. 

• Put yourself in the position of the business owner.
• Understand what the products and/or services mean to them.
• Understand the company cash-flow.
• Understand the structure, strategies, and priorities of your customer’s company.
• Learn about the competing market in general.

One particular question I like to ask my clients is: "If you were to read a newspaper headline about your business, what would it say?" . It may sound a bit weird to ask this but, believe me, this question will put a smile on their face and the answer will be quite revealing to you.

Transform Yourself into the Customer (User)

The target audience or the users are the most important part of your project. After all, if there is no one to use the product then your client is not making any profit and you're not making anyone happy. 

Think like a sales man, think about the benefits of the website, not the features that it needs.

Think outside of the box, like the customer of the particular product, put yourself in customers shoes. Actual interaction with the target audience will greatly help you with your research. Find the opportunity to speak to customers, ask them what they think of your client and products, what they expect to find on their website and what motivates them to come back, make purchase or interact with the website.

• Understand customers needs and expectations. 
• Understand why customers choose your client.
• Understand customers motivations.
• Learn about customers attitude and common behaviour on the internet.

Of course, you can help yourself by creating personas , mental and conceptual models , but the purpose of this step is not to perform usability research but to understand the goals of your target audience and match those with goals of your client's business.

I've Gathered so Much Information, Now What?

All this may sound pretty exhausting, but it’s really not that tough. Your task now is to balance out all the information gleaned from this research, client interviews and findings about their business and customers, putting it all within the context of your project. Surely you have done this along the way while doing research, but now you have some solid anchor points to hold onto when making critical decisions about design, UX, usability and development in general.

Write down all important notes in a bullet list or a spreadsheet, use colour highlighting to mark them in order of importance relative to project goals. Whenever you have a decision to make at any stage of the development you can look up the table or list and check if your decisions match with all the research findings.

In my career to date I have worked on many projects and with many individuals and teams. From small corporate business sites, intranets, web applications to online newspapers. I would like to point out a few projects and demonstrate specific questions I asked when conducting research and interviewing clients.

Online News Site

Every newspaper has its own, different publishing philosophy, and every newspaper's revenue stream is obvious; advertising. But there is much more to take into account. When designing a newspaper you have to talk to as many people as you can and look into every single detail because it can, and will, have an impact on your work later. 

Interview Sales department, learning everything possible about ad sales and how they operate on a daily basis

• Ask how they sell ads, as standalone, as promotion packages, in campaigns or else?
• Ask which formats they support and how they incorporate them on the site, on single pages, throughout the whole site?
• Do they have some special formats they use only occasionally?
• Do they use an Ad serving platform?
• Ask which tracking system they use or would like to use?

Interview Chief Editor and his staff, aim to understand their daily workflow

• Ask how they find news and publish it every day?
• Understand all types of articles they publish (regular, breaking, developing story, interview, paid articles etc.)
• How does chief editor approve articles to be published each day, what does that process look like?
• Ask how they communicate among each other and how they measure each others success?
• Do they need to have monthly statistics about every writer/journalist/contributor?
• Do they work with already established professional photography library?
• Do they use third party image and video serving platform or they have their own local library?
• Do they have, or would they like to use an automated process of choosing images and videos for each article?
• Do they plan to serve audio content on their site?

Other questions to ask

• Do they plan to have professional blogs for high influential contributors?
• Do they plan to reuse the main infrastructure and backend for other news sites in the future?
• Do they use a CRM and what kind of data are they collecting?
• Are they planing to have paid content?
• Will there be a need for user registration at any point, and if so what should be displayed in their profiles?

The list goes on. I believe that there are many more questions to ask, but the above list will give you an idea of where to start and how to dig deeper.

Research and Education Site

Scientific research and/or educational sites have few things in common with news sites since they both have editors, contributors and publish some news content. The difference here is that, besides the public section of the site, there is always a closed section of the site where researchers, editors and contributors share their information among each other which is not released publicly.  This closed section of the site is sometimes, if not always, more important then the public section.

Questions to ask

• Who is the the chief content curator and what is their connection to publishers?
• How big is the current library of articles, PDF’s, video and other content and where is it stored?
• Do they have a special naming convention for research papers, articles or annual reports which must be followed?
• Is there an expiration limit of published content and why?
• Do they want to include some sort of reward program for publishers and how does it have to work?
• How do publishers communicate among each other and do they want to integrate a messaging system on their site?
• Do they need a forum and should the access be permission based?
• Do they need a Reading lists as a feature?
• Do they plan to publish physical books and sell them on their site?
• Do they plan to organise events and have open registrations on their site?

Group Discount Site

You may think that you know everything about groupon sites since almost all of them look and function very similarly. That may be true to some extent, but they do differ.

• Understand how they collect daily offers and how they manage them among the team?
• Who approves daily offers to be published?
• Will there be an option for business owners to create offers directly on site (in their dashboard)?
• Do they plan to introduce offers other then time/quantity based?
• How do they collect newsletter subscribers and do they want to segment them in any way?
• Do they use third party newsletter system, or they want a custom built one, and why?
• Do they have an internal accounting system or do they need to connect to third party system?
• Do they plan to expand their offers to other countries?
• Do they work with multiple currencies?
• How do they want to generate invoices for themselves, business owners, buyers on website?
• How do they manage payment on site, with how many banks did they sign a contract and do they plan to expand with more financial partners?

I believe that by now you should understand pretty much how detailed the research for any project should be. Remember, if you follow the research steps broken down like I described at the beginning of this article, you’ll know exactly when and how much you need to do. Now it’s you turn!

Final Thoughts

I know I said that doing research is relatively simple, and it really is. What I have written above may seem like a lot, but if you carefully split your time and break the research into above mentioned steps you’ll find that it won’t take much of your time.

You may be worried about how the client will feel about all the questions you’ll be asking, you might even drive them a little crazy because of this, but remember that it is in their best interests and the success of their project. It doesn’t matter how big or small your project is, you should develop good research habits prior to the start of any project. It is a crucial part of the whole process and by any means it should not be avoided. 

What is your most successful research process? Does my suggested research process fit with yours? Do you perform your research differently and how? I'm looking forward to your comments!

Further Reading

• Understanding the business  on Boxes and Arrows
• Conducting client interviews  on Boxes and Arrows
• Defining And Applying Personas to UX Design  on Tuts+
• The Secret to Designing an Intuitive UX  on UX Mag
• 45 Incredibly Useful Web Design Checklists and Questionnaires  on Smashing Magazine

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8 Research Proposal Examples & Template to Use

Written by: Raja Mandal

So you have a groundbreaking research idea you've spent months or even years developing, and now you're ready to take the next step.

How do you get funding for your research, and how should you approach potential funders? The answer is to create a convincing research proposal.

Unfortunately, most research proposals often get rejected. According to the European Research Council, the success rate for repeat proposal applications was only 14.8% in 2023 .

Pitching a novel research concept isn’t enough. To increase your chances of securing funding, your research proposal must check the right boxes in terms of clarity, feasibility, aesthetic appeal and other factors.

If you’re looking for inspiration to create a persuasive and feasible proposal, you’re in the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list of research proposal examples to help you create yours.

These examples will help you understand how to organize your proposal, what information to include and how to present it in a way that encourages others to support your project.

Let's dive in!

Table of Contents

What is a research proposal, what to include in a research proposal, 8 research proposal examples & templates, research proposal faqs.

• A research proposal is a document that outlines your proposed research project, explaining what you plan to study, why it's important and how you will conduct your research.
• A well-structured research proposal includes a title page, abstract and table of contents, introduction, literature review, research design and methodology, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, timeline and budget.
• Visme's research proposal examples and templates offer a great starting point for creating engaging and well-structured proposals.
• Choose a template from Visme's research proposal examples and customize it to fit your needs.
• With Visme’s proposal maker , you can create a research proposal that stands out. Access a drag-and-drop editor and advanced features like AI tools , collaboration features, brand wizard and more.

A research proposal is a structured document that outlines the core idea of your research, the methods you intend to use, the required resources and the expected results.

Think of it as a sales pitch for your research. It answers some big questions: What are you planning to explore? Why is it important to conduct the research? What are your research objectives and the methods you’ll use to achieve them? What are the potential outcomes or contributions of this research to the field?

A research proposal serves two primary purposes. First, it convinces funding bodies or academic committees to support your research project expected to bring new ideas and insights. Second, it provides a roadmap for your research journey, helping you stay focused, organized and on track.

Now, we'll discuss what to include in a research proposal. You'll learn about the important parts of a research proposal template and how they help present your research idea clearly.

Here’s an infographic that you can use to understand the elements of a research proposal quickly.

1. Title Page

Start your research proposal with a title page that clearly states your research. The title page is like a book cover, giving the first impression of your project. Therefore, you must ensure the design is engaging enough to attract your audience at first glance.

Include the following details on your title page:

• Title of your research
• Contact Details
• Name of the department or organization
• Date of submission

2. Abstract and Table of Contents

After the title page comes the abstract and the table of contents.

The abstract is a concise summary of your project that briefly outlines your research question, the reasons behind the study and the methods you intend to use. It is a quick way for readers to understand your proposal without reading the entire document.

The table of contents is a detailed list of the sections and subsections in your proposal, with page numbers. It helps readers navigate through your document and quickly locate different parts they're interested in.

3. Introduction

The introduction of your research proposal sets the tone for the rest of the document. It should grab the reader's attention and make them want to learn more. It's your chance to make a strong case for why your research is worth investigating and how it can fill a gap in current knowledge or solve a specific problem.

Make sure that your introduction covers the following:

• Background Information: Set the stage with a brief snapshot of existing research and why your topic is relevant.
• Research Problem: Identify the specific problem or knowledge gap that your study will address.
• Research Questions or Hypotheses: Present the central question or hypothesis that guides your research focus.
• Aims and Objectives: Outline your research's main goal and the steps you'll take to achieve it.
• Significance and Contribution: Explain how your research will add value to the field and what impact it could have.

4. Literature Review

A literature review is a list of the scholarly works you used to conduct your research. It helps you demonstrate your current knowledge about the topic.

Here's how this part works:

• Summary of Sources: Talk about the main ideas or findings from your research materials and explain how they connect to your research questions.
• Finding Gaps: Show where the current research falls short or doesn't give the full picture—this is where your research comes in!
• Key Theories: Tell the readers about any theories or ways of thinking that help shape your research.
• Learning from Methods: Discuss what previous researchers worked on and how their methods might guide your research.
• Recognizing Authors and Studies: Honor the pioneers whose work has had a major influence on your topic.

5. Research Design and Methodology

This section outlines your plan for answering your research question. It explains how you intend to gather and analyze information, providing a clear roadmap of the investigation process.

Here are the key components:

Population and Sample

Describe the entire group you're interested in (the population). This could be all teachers in a specific state or all social media platform users. After that, you will need to explain how you will choose a smaller group, known as a sample, to study directly. This sample should be selected to accurately represent the larger population you are interested in studying.

To choose the right sampling method, you need to assess your population properly. For instance, to obtain general insights, you can use random sampling to select individuals without bias. If the population consists of different categories, such as professionals and students, you can use stratified sampling to ensure that each category is represented in the sample.

Other popular sampling methods include systematic, convenience, purposive, cluster, and probability sampling techniques.

Research Approach

There are three main approaches for the research: qualitative (focusing on experiences and themes), quantitative (using numbers and statistics), or mixed methods (combining both). Your choice will depend on your research question and the kind of data you need.

Data Collection

This section details the specific methods you'll use to gather information. Will you distribute surveys online or in person? Conduct interviews? Perhaps you'll use existing data sets. Here, you'll also explain how you'll ensure the data collection process is reliable and ethical.

Data Analysis

Once you have collected your data, the next step is to analyze it to obtain meaningful insights. The method you choose depends on the available data type.

If you have quantitative data, you can employ statistical tests to analyze it. And if you're dealing with qualitative data, coding techniques can help you spot patterns and themes in your collected data.

6. Contribution to Knowledge

In this section, you need to explain how your research will contribute to the existing knowledge in your field. You should describe whether your study will fill a knowledge gap, challenge conventional ideas or beliefs or offer a fresh perspective on a topic.

Clearly outline how your work will advance your field of study and why this new knowledge is essential.

7. Research Schedule and Timeline

Create a timeline with important milestones, such as finishing your literature review, completing data collection and finalizing your analysis.

This shows that you've carefully considered the scope of your project and can manage your time effectively. Furthermore, account for possible delays and be prepared to adapt your schedule accordingly.

To create this timeline, consider using a visual tool like a Gantt chart or a simple spreadsheet. These tools will help you organize individual tasks, assign deadlines, and visualize the project's overall progress.

Choose a Gantt chart template from Visme's library and customize it to create your timeline quickly. Here's an example template:

The budget section is your opportunity to show them that you've carefully considered all necessary expenses and that your funding request is justified.

Here's how you can approach this part:

• Understand the Rules: Before making calculations, thoroughly review the funding agency's guidelines. Pay attention to what types of expenses are allowed or excluded and whether there are any budget caps.
• Personnel: Salaries and benefits for yourself, research assistants, or collaborators.
• Equipment: Specialized tools, software, or lab supplies.
• Travel: Transportation, lodging and meals if data collection requires travel.
• Dissemination: Costs for publishing results or presenting at conferences.
• Provide Justifications: Don't just list a cost. Briefly explain why each expense is crucial for completing your research.
• Be Thorough and Realistic: Research prices for specific items using quotes or online comparisons. Don't underestimate expenses, as this can raise troubles about the project's feasibility.
• Don't Forget Contingencies: Include a small buffer (around 5% of your total budget) for unexpected costs that might arise.

Using these research proposal examples and templates, you can create a winning proposal in no time. You will find templates for various topics and customize every aspect of them to make them your own.

Visme’s drag-and-drop editor, advanced features and a vast library of templates help organizations and individuals worldwide create engaging documents.

Here’s what a research student who uses Visme to create award-winning presentations has to say about the tool:

Chantelle Clarke

Research Student

Now, let’s dive into the research proposal examples.

1. Research Proposal Presentation Template

This research proposal presentation template is a powerful tool for presenting your research plan to stakeholders. The slides include specific sections to help you outline your research, including the research background, questions, objectives, methodology and expected results.

The slides create a coherent narrative, highlighting the importance and significance of your research. Overall, the template has a calming and professional blue color scheme with text that enables your audience to grasp the key points.

If you need help creating your presentation slides in a fraction of the time, check out Visme's AI presentation maker . Enter your requirements using text prompts, and the AI tool will generate a complete presentation with engaging visuals, text and clear structure. You can further customize the template completely to your needs.

2. Sales Research Proposal Template

Sales research gives you a deeper understanding of their target audience. It also helps you identify gaps in the market and develop effective sales strategies that drive revenue growth. With this research proposal template, you can secure funding for your next research project.

It features a sleek and professional grayscale color palette with a classic and modern vibe. The high-quality images in the template are strategically placed to reinforce the message without overwhelming the reader. Furthermore, the template includes a vertical bar graph that effectively represents budget allocations, enabling the reader to quickly grasp the information.

Use Visme's interactive elements and animations to add a dynamic layer to your research proposals. You can animate any object and add pop-ups or link pages for a more immersive experience. Use these functionalities to highlight key findings, demonstrate trends or guide readers through your proposal, making the content engaging and interactive.

3. General Funding Research Proposal Template

This proposal template is a great tool for securing funding for any type of research project. It begins with a captivating title page that grabs attention. The beautiful design elements and vector icons enhance the aesthetic and aid visual communication.

This template revolves around how a specific user group adopts cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The goal is to assess awareness, gauge interest and understand key factors affecting cryptocurrency adoption.

The project methodology includes survey design, data collection, and market research. The expected impact is to enhance customer engagement and position the company as a customer-centric brand.

Do you need additional help crafting the perfect text for your proposal? Visme's AI writer can quickly generate content outlines, summaries and even entire sections. Just explain your requirements to the tool using a text prompt, and the tool will generate it for you.

4. Product Research Proposal Template

Creating a product that delights users begins with detailed product research. With this modern proposal template, you can secure buy-in and funding for your next research.

It starts with a background that explains why the research is important. Next, it highlights what the research is set to achieve, how the research will be conducted, how much it will cost, the timeline and the expected outcomes. With a striking color scheme combining black, yellow, and gray, the template grabs attention and maintains it until the last page.

What we love about this template is the smart use of visuals. You'll find a flowchart explaining the methodology, a bar graph for the budget, and a timeline for the project. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding the visual elements you’ll find in Visme.

Visme offers data visualization tools with 30+ data widgets, such as radial gauges, population arrays, progress bars and more. These tools can help you turn complex data into engaging visuals for your research proposal or any other document.

For larger data sets, you can choose from 20+ types of charts and graphs , including bar graphs , bubble charts , Venn diagrams and more.

5. Tech Research Proposal Template

If you’re a tech researcher, we’ve got the perfect template for you. This research proposal example is about predictive analytics in e-commerce. However, you can customize it for any other type of research proposal.

It highlights the project's objectives, including the effectiveness of predictive analysis, the impact of product recommendations and supply chain optimization. The methods proposed for achieving these objectives involve A/B testing and data analysis, a comprehensive budget and a 12-month timeline for clear project planning.

The title page has a unique triptych-style layout that immediately catches the reader's attention. It has plenty of white space that enhances readability, allowing your audience to focus on the critical points.

Submitting to different funding agencies? You don’t have to manually make changes to your document. Visme's dynamic fields can help save time and eliminate repetitive data entry.

Create custom fields like project names, addresses, contact information and more. Any changes made to these fields will automatically populate throughout the document.

6. Marketing Research Proposal Template

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm and the marketing niche isn’t left out. With this eye-catching template, you can attract attention to your proposed marketing research project for an AI-driven platform.

The main goal of the research is to evaluate the platform's feasibility and marketing potential. To achieve this goal, the scope of work includes a comprehensive analysis of the market and competitors and pilot testing. The proposal also contains a budget overview that clearly outlines the allocation of funds, ensuring a well-planned and transparent approach.

Using Visme's Brand Design Tool , you can easily customize this template to suit your branding with just one click. Simply enter your URL into the brand wizard, and the tool will automatically extract your company logo, brand colors, and brand fonts . Once saved, you or your team members can apply the branding elements to any document. It's that simple!

7. Environmental Research Proposal Template

The environmental research proposal example focuses on carbon emissions, identifies their contributing factors, and suggests sustainable practices to address them. It uses an appropriate sample size and data collection techniques to gather and evaluate data and provide sustainable recommendations to reduce industrial carbon footprints and waste.

From a design standpoint, the green and white color combination matches the theme of nature and environmental friendliness. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the proposal includes relevant images that support ecological advocacy, making it informative and visually aligned with its purpose.

A key feature of this template is its detailed breakdown of the project's timeline. It uses a Gantt chart to clearly present stages, milestones and deadlines.

Collaborate with your team members to customize these research proposal templates using Visme’s collaborative design features . These features allow you to leave feedback, draw annotations and even make live edits. Invite your teammates via email or a shareable link and allow them to work together on projects.

8. General Approval Research Proposal Template

This research proposal template is a total game-changer - you can use it for any research proposal and customize it however you want. It features a modern and refreshing color scheme that immediately makes it stand out, providing a contemporary look that can adapt to any project's needs.

The template's layout is thoughtfully designed with primary fields that users can easily personalize by changing text, adjusting colors, or swapping images. No matter the research topic, you can tailor the template to fit your specific needs.

Once you're done customizing your research proposal template on Visme, you can download, share and publish it in different ways. For offline usage, you may download the proposal in PDF, PNG, or JPG format. To share it online, you can use a private or public link or generate a code snippet that you can embed anywhere on the web.

Want to create other types of proposals? Here are 29 proposal templates that you can easily customize in Visme.

Q. What Are the Five Steps of Writing a Research Proposal?

Follow these steps to write a solid research proposal:

• Choose a topic within your field of study that can be explored and investigated.
• Research existing literature and studies to build a foundational understanding and prepare your research question.
• Outline your research proposal: introduction, literature review, proposed methodology, budget and timeline.
• Conduct more detailed studies to strengthen your proposition, refine your research question and justify your methodology.
• Follow your outline to write a clear and organized proposal, then review and edit for accuracy before submitting.

If you want to learn more about creating an expert research proposal , we highly recommend checking out our in-depth guide.

Q. How Long Is a Research Proposal?

Research proposals can range from 1,000 to 5,000 words. For smaller projects or when specific requirements aren't provided, aim for a concise and informative proposal that effectively outlines your research plan.

However, the ideal length depends on these factors:

• Projects with complex methodologies or multiple phases may require longer proposals to explain the scope and procedures in detail.
• Universities, academic institutions and funding agencies often have guidelines of a specific length. Always check their requirements beforehand.
• When writing a proposal, adjust the level of study based on the audience. Academic proposals may require comprehensive explanations, while business or non-profit proposals require a more streamlined approach.

Q. How Long Does It Take to Write a Research Proposal?

The time it takes to write a research proposal depends on a few factors:

• Complex research with extensive data collection or analysis will naturally take longer to plan and write about.
• If you're new to writing research proposals, expect to spend more time learning the format and best practices.
• If you've already conducted some research or a thorough literature review, the writing process might go faster.
• Funding applications often have strict deadlines that will dictate your timeline.

Set aside several weeks to a couple of months for researching, writing, and revising your proposal. Start early to avoid stress and produce your best work.

Q. What Not to Do for a Research Proposal?

There are several factors that can make a research proposal weak. Here are some of the most common errors that you should avoid while preparing your research proposal:

• Don’t choose a topic that’s too broad. Focus on a specific area you can thoroughly explore within your proposal’s limits.
• Don’t ignore the rules for formatting and submitting your proposal. Always adhere to the requirements set by your institution or funding body.
• Don’t forget to conduct a thorough literature review. It's crucial to show your grasp of existing research related to your topic.
• Don't be vague about your methods. Ensure they're clearly defined and suitable for answering your research question.
• Don't overlook errors in grammar, typos or structure. A well-proofread proposal reflects professionalism, so review it carefully before submitting it.

Craft Professional & Engaging Proposals with Visme

Writing a compelling research proposal takes effort, but with the right tools, the process becomes a breeze. Use the research proposal examples and templates in this article as a launching point to write your own proposal.

The best part? Visme provides easy-to-use tools with a vast collection of customizable templates, design elements and powerful features.

Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a student, Visme has the resources to help you create visually appealing and well-structured research proposals. In addition to research proposals, Visme helps you create many other document types, such as presentations , infographics , reports and more.

Ready to create your own research proposal? Check out Visme's proposal maker and start crafting professional and engaging proposals in minutes!

Create professional research proposals with Visme

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About the Author

Raja Antony Mandal is a Content Writer at Visme. He can quickly adapt to different writing styles, possess strong research skills, and know SEO fundamentals. Raja wants to share valuable information with his audience by telling captivating stories in his articles. He wants to travel and party a lot on the weekends, but his guitar, drum set, and volleyball court don’t let him.

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• What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples

What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples

Published on June 7, 2021 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023 by Pritha Bhandari.

A research design is a strategy for answering your   research question  using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about:

• Your overall research objectives and approach
• Whether you’ll rely on primary research or secondary research
• Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects
• Your data collection methods
• The procedures you’ll follow to collect data
• Your data analysis methods

A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research objectives and that you use the right kind of analysis for your data.

Table of contents

Step 1: consider your aims and approach, step 2: choose a type of research design, step 3: identify your population and sampling method, step 4: choose your data collection methods, step 5: plan your data collection procedures, step 6: decide on your data analysis strategies, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research design.

• Introduction

Before you can start designing your research, you should already have a clear idea of the research question you want to investigate.

There are many different ways you could go about answering this question. Your research design choices should be driven by your aims and priorities—start by thinking carefully about what you want to achieve.

The first choice you need to make is whether you’ll take a qualitative or quantitative approach.

Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible and inductive , allowing you to adjust your approach based on what you find throughout the research process.

Quantitative research designs tend to be more fixed and deductive , with variables and hypotheses clearly defined in advance of data collection.

It’s also possible to use a mixed-methods design that integrates aspects of both approaches. By combining qualitative and quantitative insights, you can gain a more complete picture of the problem you’re studying and strengthen the credibility of your conclusions.

Practical and ethical considerations when designing research

As well as scientific considerations, you need to think practically when designing your research. If your research involves people or animals, you also need to consider research ethics .

• How much time do you have to collect data and write up the research?
• Will you be able to gain access to the data you need (e.g., by travelling to a specific location or contacting specific people)?
• Do you have the necessary research skills (e.g., statistical analysis or interview techniques)?
• Will you need ethical approval ?

At each stage of the research design process, make sure that your choices are practically feasible.

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Within both qualitative and quantitative approaches, there are several types of research design to choose from. Each type provides a framework for the overall shape of your research.

Types of quantitative research designs

Quantitative designs can be split into four main types.

• Experimental and   quasi-experimental designs allow you to test cause-and-effect relationships
• Descriptive and correlational designs allow you to measure variables and describe relationships between them.

With descriptive and correlational designs, you can get a clear picture of characteristics, trends and relationships as they exist in the real world. However, you can’t draw conclusions about cause and effect (because correlation doesn’t imply causation ).

Experiments are the strongest way to test cause-and-effect relationships without the risk of other variables influencing the results. However, their controlled conditions may not always reflect how things work in the real world. They’re often also more difficult and expensive to implement.

Types of qualitative research designs

Qualitative designs are less strictly defined. This approach is about gaining a rich, detailed understanding of a specific context or phenomenon, and you can often be more creative and flexible in designing your research.

The table below shows some common types of qualitative design. They often have similar approaches in terms of data collection, but focus on different aspects when analyzing the data.

Your research design should clearly define who or what your research will focus on, and how you’ll go about choosing your participants or subjects.

In research, a population is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about, while a sample is the smaller group of individuals you’ll actually collect data from.

Defining the population

A population can be made up of anything you want to study—plants, animals, organizations, texts, countries, etc. In the social sciences, it most often refers to a group of people.

For example, will you focus on people from a specific demographic, region or background? Are you interested in people with a certain job or medical condition, or users of a particular product?

The more precisely you define your population, the easier it will be to gather a representative sample.

• Sampling methods

Even with a narrowly defined population, it’s rarely possible to collect data from every individual. Instead, you’ll collect data from a sample.

To select a sample, there are two main approaches: probability sampling and non-probability sampling . The sampling method you use affects how confidently you can generalize your results to the population as a whole.

Probability sampling is the most statistically valid option, but it’s often difficult to achieve unless you’re dealing with a very small and accessible population.

For practical reasons, many studies use non-probability sampling, but it’s important to be aware of the limitations and carefully consider potential biases. You should always make an effort to gather a sample that’s as representative as possible of the population.

Case selection in qualitative research

In some types of qualitative designs, sampling may not be relevant.

For example, in an ethnography or a case study , your aim is to deeply understand a specific context, not to generalize to a population. Instead of sampling, you may simply aim to collect as much data as possible about the context you are studying.

In these types of design, you still have to carefully consider your choice of case or community. You should have a clear rationale for why this particular case is suitable for answering your research question .

For example, you might choose a case study that reveals an unusual or neglected aspect of your research problem, or you might choose several very similar or very different cases in order to compare them.

Data collection methods are ways of directly measuring variables and gathering information. They allow you to gain first-hand knowledge and original insights into your research problem.

You can choose just one data collection method, or use several methods in the same study.

Survey methods

Surveys allow you to collect data about opinions, behaviors, experiences, and characteristics by asking people directly. There are two main survey methods to choose from: questionnaires and interviews .

Observation methods

Observational studies allow you to collect data unobtrusively, observing characteristics, behaviors or social interactions without relying on self-reporting.

Observations may be conducted in real time, taking notes as you observe, or you might make audiovisual recordings for later analysis. They can be qualitative or quantitative.

Other methods of data collection

There are many other ways you might collect data depending on your field and topic.

If you’re not sure which methods will work best for your research design, try reading some papers in your field to see what kinds of data collection methods they used.

Secondary data

If you don’t have the time or resources to collect data from the population you’re interested in, you can also choose to use secondary data that other researchers already collected—for example, datasets from government surveys or previous studies on your topic.

With this raw data, you can do your own analysis to answer new research questions that weren’t addressed by the original study.

Using secondary data can expand the scope of your research, as you may be able to access much larger and more varied samples than you could collect yourself.

However, it also means you don’t have any control over which variables to measure or how to measure them, so the conclusions you can draw may be limited.

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As well as deciding on your methods, you need to plan exactly how you’ll use these methods to collect data that’s consistent, accurate, and unbiased.

Planning systematic procedures is especially important in quantitative research, where you need to precisely define your variables and ensure your measurements are high in reliability and validity.

Operationalization

Some variables, like height or age, are easily measured. But often you’ll be dealing with more abstract concepts, like satisfaction, anxiety, or competence. Operationalization means turning these fuzzy ideas into measurable indicators.

If you’re using observations , which events or actions will you count?

If you’re using surveys , which questions will you ask and what range of responses will be offered?

You may also choose to use or adapt existing materials designed to measure the concept you’re interested in—for example, questionnaires or inventories whose reliability and validity has already been established.

Reliability and validity

Reliability means your results can be consistently reproduced, while validity means that you’re actually measuring the concept you’re interested in.

For valid and reliable results, your measurement materials should be thoroughly researched and carefully designed. Plan your procedures to make sure you carry out the same steps in the same way for each participant.

If you’re developing a new questionnaire or other instrument to measure a specific concept, running a pilot study allows you to check its validity and reliability in advance.

Sampling procedures

As well as choosing an appropriate sampling method , you need a concrete plan for how you’ll actually contact and recruit your selected sample.

That means making decisions about things like:

• How many participants do you need for an adequate sample size?
• What inclusion and exclusion criteria will you use to identify eligible participants?
• How will you contact your sample—by mail, online, by phone, or in person?

If you’re using a probability sampling method , it’s important that everyone who is randomly selected actually participates in the study. How will you ensure a high response rate?

If you’re using a non-probability method , how will you avoid research bias and ensure a representative sample?

Data management

It’s also important to create a data management plan for organizing and storing your data.

Will you need to transcribe interviews or perform data entry for observations? You should anonymize and safeguard any sensitive data, and make sure it’s backed up regularly.

Keeping your data well-organized will save time when it comes to analyzing it. It can also help other researchers validate and add to your findings (high replicability ).

On its own, raw data can’t answer your research question. The last step of designing your research is planning how you’ll analyze the data.

Quantitative data analysis

In quantitative research, you’ll most likely use some form of statistical analysis . With statistics, you can summarize your sample data, make estimates, and test hypotheses.

Using descriptive statistics , you can summarize your sample data in terms of:

• The distribution of the data (e.g., the frequency of each score on a test)
• The central tendency of the data (e.g., the mean to describe the average score)
• The variability of the data (e.g., the standard deviation to describe how spread out the scores are)

The specific calculations you can do depend on the level of measurement of your variables.

Using inferential statistics , you can:

• Make estimates about the population based on your sample data.
• Test hypotheses about a relationship between variables.

Regression and correlation tests look for associations between two or more variables, while comparison tests (such as t tests and ANOVAs ) look for differences in the outcomes of different groups.

Your choice of statistical test depends on various aspects of your research design, including the types of variables you’re dealing with and the distribution of your data.

Qualitative data analysis

In qualitative research, your data will usually be very dense with information and ideas. Instead of summing it up in numbers, you’ll need to comb through the data in detail, interpret its meanings, identify patterns, and extract the parts that are most relevant to your research question.

Two of the most common approaches to doing this are thematic analysis and discourse analysis .

There are many other ways of analyzing qualitative data depending on the aims of your research. To get a sense of potential approaches, try reading some qualitative research papers in your field.

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.

• 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

A research design is a strategy for answering your   research question . It defines your overall approach and determines how you will collect and analyze data.

A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.

Quantitative research designs can be divided into two main categories:

• Correlational and descriptive designs are used to investigate characteristics, averages, trends, and associations between variables.
• Experimental and quasi-experimental designs are used to test causal relationships .

Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible. Common types of qualitative design include case study , ethnography , and grounded theory designs.

The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:

• Your research questions and/or hypotheses
• Your overall approach (e.g., qualitative or quantitative )
• The type of design you’re using (e.g., a survey , experiment , or case study )
• Your data collection methods (e.g., questionnaires , observations)
• Your data collection procedures (e.g., operationalization , timing and data management)
• Your data analysis methods (e.g., statistical tests  or thematic analysis )

A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.

In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.

Operationalization means turning abstract conceptual ideas into measurable observations.

For example, the concept of social anxiety isn’t directly observable, but it can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioral avoidance of crowded places, or physical anxiety symptoms in social situations.

Before collecting data , it’s important to consider how you will operationalize the variables that you want to measure.

A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.

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How To Find A Research Topic

If you’re struggling to get started, this step-by-step video tutorial will help you find the perfect research topic.

Research Topic FAQs

What (exactly) is a research topic.

A research topic is the subject of a research project or study – for example, a dissertation or thesis. A research topic typically takes the form of a problem to be solved, or a question to be answered.

A good research topic should be specific enough to allow for focused research and analysis. For example, if you are interested in studying the effects of climate change on agriculture, your research topic could focus on how rising temperatures have impacted crop yields in certain regions over time.

To learn more about the basics of developing a research topic, consider our free research topic ideation webinar.

What constitutes a good research topic?

A strong research topic comprises three important qualities : originality, value and feasibility.

• Originality – a good topic explores an original area or takes a novel angle on an existing area of study.
• Value – a strong research topic provides value and makes a contribution, either academically or practically.
• Feasibility – a good research topic needs to be practical and manageable, given the resource constraints you face.

To learn more about what makes for a high-quality research topic, check out this post .

What's the difference between a research topic and research problem?

A research topic and a research problem are two distinct concepts that are often confused. A research topic is a broader label that indicates the focus of the study , while a research problem is an issue or gap in knowledge within the broader field that needs to be addressed.

To illustrate this distinction, consider a student who has chosen “teenage pregnancy in the United Kingdom” as their research topic. This research topic could encompass any number of issues related to teenage pregnancy such as causes, prevention strategies, health outcomes for mothers and babies, etc.

Within this broad category (the research topic) lies potential areas of inquiry that can be explored further – these become the research problems . For example:

• What factors contribute to higher rates of teenage pregnancy in certain communities?
• How do different types of parenting styles affect teen pregnancy rates?
• What interventions have been successful in reducing teenage pregnancies?

Simply put, a key difference between a research topic and a research problem is scope ; the research topic provides an umbrella under which multiple questions can be asked, while the research problem focuses on one specific question or set of questions within that larger context.

How can I find potential research topics for my project?

There are many steps involved in the process of finding and choosing a high-quality research topic for a dissertation or thesis. We cover these steps in detail in this video (also accessible below).

How can I find quality sources for my research topic?

Finding quality sources is an essential step in the topic ideation process. To do this, you should start by researching scholarly journals, books, and other academic publications related to your topic. These sources can provide reliable information on a wide range of topics. Additionally, they may contain data or statistics that can help support your argument or conclusions.

Identifying Relevant Sources

When searching for relevant sources, it’s important to look beyond just published material; try using online databases such as Google Scholar or JSTOR to find articles from reputable journals that have been peer-reviewed by experts in the field.

You can also use search engines like Google or Bing to locate websites with useful information about your topic. However, be sure to evaluate any website before citing it as a source—look for evidence of authorship (such as an “About Us” page) and make sure the content is up-to-date and accurate before relying on it.

Evaluating Sources

Once you’ve identified potential sources for your research project, take some time to evaluate them thoroughly before deciding which ones will best serve your purpose. Consider factors such as author credibility (are they an expert in their field?), publication date (is the source current?), objectivity (does the author present both sides of an issue?) and relevance (how closely does this source relate to my specific topic?).

By researching the current literature on your topic, you can identify potential sources that will help to provide quality information. Once you’ve identified these sources, it’s time to look for a gap in the research and determine what new knowledge could be gained from further study.

How can I find a good research gap?

Finding a strong gap in the literature is an essential step when looking for potential research topics. We explain what research gaps are and how to find them in this post.

How should I evaluate potential research topics/ideas?

When evaluating potential research topics, it is important to consider the factors that make for a strong topic (we discussed these earlier). Specifically:

• Originality
• Feasibility

So, when you have a list of potential topics or ideas, assess each of them in terms of these three criteria. A good topic should take a unique angle, provide value (either to academia or practitioners), and be practical enough for you to pull off, given your limited resources.

Finally, you should also assess whether this project could lead to potential career opportunities such as internships or job offers down the line. Make sure that you are researching something that is relevant enough so that it can benefit your professional development in some way. Additionally, consider how each research topic aligns with your career goals and interests; researching something that you are passionate about can help keep motivation high throughout the process.

How can I assess the feasibility of a research topic?

When evaluating the feasibility and practicality of a research topic, it is important to consider several factors.

First, you should assess whether or not the research topic is within your area of competence. Of course, when you start out, you are not expected to be the world’s leading expert, but do should at least have some foundational knowledge.

Time commitment

When considering a research topic, you should think about how much time will be required for completion. Depending on your field of study, some topics may require more time than others due to their complexity or scope.

Additionally, if you plan on collaborating with other researchers or institutions in order to complete your project, additional considerations must be taken into account such as coordinating schedules and ensuring that all parties involved have adequate resources available.

Resources needed

It’s also critically important to consider what type of resources are necessary in order to conduct the research successfully. This includes physical materials such as lab equipment and chemicals but can also include intangible items like access to certain databases or software programs which may be necessary depending on the nature of your work. Additionally, if there are costs associated with obtaining these materials then this must also be factored into your evaluation process.

Potential risks

It’s important to consider the inherent potential risks for each potential research topic. These can include ethical risks (challenges getting ethical approval), data risks (not being able to access the data you’ll need), technical risks relating to the equipment you’ll use and funding risks (not securing the necessary financial back to undertake the research).

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Research for Websites: You have 2 Types of Data to Use

Updated last on:

April 4, 2023

There are two different types of data you can rely on when planning, designing, and marketing a website: qualitative & quantitative. Here's everything you wanted to know about website research and how to utilize both types of data to make smart website decisions.

by  Eric Sharp

by   Eric Sharp

Measurement, Data • Planning, Strategy

Want a better website?

Begin with research.

There are two types of data you can rely on when planning, designing and marketing a website:

• Qualitative
• Quantitative

Unless you’re a math genius or science buff, those two words probably aren’t part of your daily vocabulary. They’re difficult to pronounce and even harder to write! (Thank you spell check.)

Are these fancy words just more gobbledygook to make us web designers look smart? Or, do these two types of data have meaning and value in the website research phase? This will come as no surprise, but I’d argue the latter.

Here’s the 101 behind qualitative data and quantitative data as it relates to gathering research for the design, redesign or improvement of a website.

Qualitative data

What is Qualitative data?

Qualitative data is non-numerical data.

It shows you the why and how.

In his book,  The User is Always Right , Steve Mulder explains that qualitative data can be thought of as  insights . These insights are extracted directly from people through face-to-face conversations, phone calls or virtual meeting software.

Types of Qualitative Data

Some popular activities to obtain qualitative website data:

• User interviews  – one-on-one discussions with the website’s end-users around a specific topic
• Focus groups  – 3-12 participants lead through a discussion about a set of topics, giving verbal and written feedback (note: it’s easy to  misuse focus groups )
• Card sorting  – users organize information into groups and assign categories (a collaborative approach to  designing the structure of a website )
• Eyetracking Tests  – measures where participants look as they interact with a website
• Usability testing  – users are given a website task and observed to see if problems arise (can be done in a lab or remotely using screen-sharing software)

Quantitative Data

What is Quantitative data?

Quantitative data is the flip side of qualitative — it’s numerical.

It shows the who, what, when and where.

Quantitative data is statistical and provides validation — a more scientific approach. Rather than extracting this data from people, it can be found in programs such as Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, CrazyEgg and conversion optimization tools like Optimizely or Unbounce.

Types of Quantitative Data

Some popular activities to obtain quantitative website data:

• Traffic Analytics  – demographics, pageviews, marketing channels, conversions (to name a few)
• Heatmaps  – where people are clicking
• Scrollmaps  – how far people scroll (it’s a  myth that people don’t scroll )
• A/B Tests  – also known as “multivariate testing”, a method of scientifically testing different designs
• Surveys  – carefully selected questions sent to end-users or major stakeholders (typically done via email)

Both sets of data help create personas

So, what do you do with all this wonderful data?

By gathering both types of data, you’re laying the groundwork for the creation or sharpening of your web design user personas — one of the most critical deliverables to your website strategy phase . You can also apply your findings to improve your website by fixing common website issues or making enhancements.

Use data, not opinions

Today’s website requires more than “oohs and ahhs” to be successful. It needs, no, demands, a data-driven design approach.

If you’re currently designing, redesigning or improving a website, I urge you to collect and utilize real insights and validation — not opinions.

Using both qualitative and quantitative data will make for a better website experience for your audience and generate the results that matter.

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About the Author

Eric Sharp is the founder of ProtoFuse and has been in the website trenches since 1999 — right before the dot-com boom redefined the website landscape. Since then, he's accumulated 25 years of digital marketing experience and prides himself on creating websites "Loved by people and Google". Outside of websites, it's all about fam time with his wife and 2 kids. He enjoys CrossFit, cooking steak on his cast iron skillet, collecting Jordan sports cards, and Daaa Bears.

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