research proposal of any topic

151+ Research Proposal Topics [Updated 2024]

Crafting a compelling research proposal begins with selecting the right topic—a task that demands careful consideration and a thoughtful approach. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the intricacies of choosing research proposal topics, exploring the importance of a well-defined focus and guiding you through the steps to create a robust proposal.

How to Select Research Proposal Topics?

Table of Contents

Selecting research proposal topics is a crucial step in the research process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose a compelling and impactful research topic:

• Self-reflection:
• Identify your personal interests, passions, and curiosities.
• Consider topics that resonate with you on a deep level.
• Academic and Professional Interests:
• Reflect on subjects that captivated you during coursework or work experience.
• Assess the relevance of these interests to your academic or career goals.
• Current Issues and Trends:
• Stay informed about contemporary challenges and emerging trends in your field.
• Choose a topic that addresses current issues for greater relevance and impact.
• Literature Review:
• Conduct a thorough review of existing research in your chosen field.
• Identify gaps and limitations in the current body of knowledge.
• Formulate Clear Research Questions:
• Develop clear and concise research questions based on the gaps identified.
• Ensure your questions are feasible and align with the chosen topic.
• Choose a Methodology:
• Select an appropriate research methodology (experimental, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).
• Justify your choice and discuss data collection techniques.
• Significance and Contribution:
• Articulate the relevance of your proposed research.
• Highlight the potential contributions your work can make to the field.
• Research Design and Plan:
• Outline the specifics of your research design.
• Create a realistic timeline, allocating resources and budget effectively.
• Address Challenges and Limitations:
• Acknowledge potential challenges and limitations.
• Discuss strategies to mitigate challenges and be transparent about constraints.
• Conclusion:
• Summarize key points of your research proposal.
• Emphasize the importance of the chosen topic and encourage feedback.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your research proposal topic is not only engaging but also has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to your field of study.

151+ Research Proposal Topics: Category Wise

Science and technology.

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Job Market Trends
• Advancements in Renewable Energy Technologies
• Exploring the Potential of CRISPR Technology in Genetic Engineering
• Cybersecurity Measures for Critical Infrastructure Protection
• The Role of Blockchain in Supply Chain Management
• Augmented Reality in Education: Enhancing Learning Experiences
• Quantum Computing: Current Status and Future Implications
• Sustainable Technologies for Environmental Conservation
• Smart Cities: Integrating Technology for Urban Development
• Robotics in Healthcare: Applications and Ethical Considerations

Health and Medicine

• Precision Medicine: Customizing Healthcare Based on Genetic Factors
• The Impact of Telemedicine on Patient Care
• Mental Health Stigma: Strategies for Reduction and Education
• Vaccination Hesitancy: Understanding Causes and Developing Interventions
• Aging Population and Healthcare Challenges
• Bioinformatics and Personalized Cancer Therapies
• The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnosing Medical Conditions
• Emerging Infectious Diseases: Preparedness and Response Strategies
• Nutrition Education in Schools: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
• Healthcare Disparities: Addressing and Eliminating Gaps in Access

Social Sciences

• Social Media and its Influence on Political Discourse
• Impact of Social Isolation on Mental Health in Elderly Populations
• Cultural Competence in Education: Training and Implementation
• The Role of Gender Stereotypes in Career Choices
• Cyberbullying: Prevention and Intervention Strategies
• The Effects of Immigration Policies on Migrant Communities
• Restorative Justice in Criminal Justice Systems
• Examining the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Self-Esteem
• Intersectionality in Feminist Movements: Challenges and Opportunities
• Community Policing: Building Trust between Law Enforcement and Communities
• E-Learning Platforms: Effectiveness and Challenges
• Inquiry-Based Learning: Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills
• Inclusive Education Practices: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
• The Impact of Standardized Testing on Educational Equity
• School Safety Measures: Strategies for Prevention and Response
• Teacher Professional Development: Models and Effectiveness
• Online Education Accessibility for Students with Disabilities
• Gamification in Education: Engaging Students in Learning
• Bilingual Education: Benefits and Challenges
• STEM Education Initiatives: Encouraging Interest in Science and Technology

Business and Economics

• Sustainable Business Practices: Balancing Profit and Environmental Impact
• Corporate Social Responsibility in Multinational Corporations
• Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Business Operations
• Economic Consequences of Global Health Crises
• Digital Marketing Trends and Consumer Behavior
• Financial Literacy Education: Bridging the Gap
• Small Business Sustainability: Challenges and Strategies
• The Gig Economy: Implications for Workers and Employers
• Supply Chain Resilience in the Face of Global Disruptions
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets

Environment and Sustainability

• Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Coastal Communities
• Biodiversity Conservation in Urban Environments
• Circular Economy Models: Reducing Waste and Promoting Sustainability
• Water Scarcity: Technological Solutions and Policy Measures
• Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Ecosystems
• Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Balancing Production and Conservation
• Environmental Education in Schools: Fostering Eco-Consciousness
• Green Building Technologies: Enhancing Energy Efficiency
• Ecotourism: Balancing Conservation and Economic Development
• The Role of International Agreements in Addressing Environmental Issues

Psychology and Behavior

• The Influence of Social Media on Body Image and Self-Esteem
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression
• Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
• Positive Psychology Interventions: Enhancing Well-Being
• Sleep Hygiene and its Impact on Mental Health
• The Psychology of Procrastination: Causes and Interventions
• Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: Benefits and Training
• The Impact of Parenting Styles on Child Development
• Cross-Cultural Psychology: Understanding Cultural Influences on Behavior
• The Role of Music in Emotional Regulation and Stress Reduction

Political Science and International Relations

• The Rise of Populism: Causes and Consequences
• Cyber Warfare and International Security
• Human Rights Violations in Conflict Zones: Challenges and Solutions
• The Role of International Organizations in Global Governance
• Political Polarization: Understanding Divisive Trends
• Nuclear Proliferation and Arms Control Agreements
• Comparative Analysis of Electoral Systems
• Immigration Policies and Social Cohesion
• Global Health Diplomacy: Collaborative Approaches to Health Challenges
• The Impact of Disinformation on Democratic Processes

History and Cultural Studies

• Reevaluating Historical Narratives: Perspectives and Interpretations
• Cultural Impact of Globalization: Trends and Reactions
• Indigenous Rights and Representation in Historical Context
• History of Scientific Discoveries and their Societal Impact
• Archaeological Excavations: Uncovering Lost Civilizations
• Cultural Appropriation: Examining Controversies and Contexts
• The Role of Women in Historical Movements
• Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Challenges and Innovations
• Historical Trauma and its Contemporary Repercussions
• Impact of Colonialism on Contemporary Societies

Communication and Media Studies

• Influence of Social Media on Political Participation
• Media Representation of Marginalized Groups
• Fake News and Misinformation: Identifying and Combating Trends
• The Evolution of Print Media in the Digital Age
• Media Literacy Education: Navigating Information in the Digital Era
• Celebrity Culture and its Impact on Society
• The Role of Public Relations in Shaping Organizational Image
• Cross-Cultural Communication in Global Business
• Podcasting as an Emerging Medium of Communication
• Advertising and Consumer Behavior: Analyzing Persuasion Techniques

Philosophy and Ethics

• Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence Research
• Bioethics in Medical Decision-Making
• Existentialism and its Relevance in Contemporary Society
• Animal Rights and Ethical Treatment in Scientific Research
• Environmental Ethics: Balancing Human Needs and Ecological Sustainability
• The Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Cloning
• Virtue Ethics in Professional Decision-Making
• Technology and Privacy: Ethical Dilemmas in the Digital Age
• Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Warfare
• Utilitarianism and its Application in Ethical Decision-Making

Education Policy and Administration

• School Voucher Programs: Impact on Educational Equity
• Teacher Evaluation Systems: Effectiveness and Fairness
• Inclusive Leadership in Educational Institutions
• Early Childhood Education: Policy and Implementation
• Standardized Testing: Implications for Educational Policy
• Education Funding Models: Challenges and Solutions
• School Choice and its Impact on Student Achievement
• Educational Technology Integration in Classroom Settings
• Community Engagement in School Decision-Making
• The Role of Educational Leaders in Fostering Inclusive Schools

Economics and Development Studies

• Microfinance and Poverty Alleviation Strategies
• Impact of Global Trade Policies on Developing Economies
• Economic Empowerment of Women in Developing Countries
• Sustainable Development Goals: Progress and Challenges
• Rural-Urban Migration: Economic and Social Impacts
• Financial Inclusion: Strategies for Bridging the Gap
• Foreign Aid Effectiveness: Assessing Outcomes
• Technology Transfer and Innovation in Developing Nations
• Income Inequality: Causes and Policy Solutions
• The Role of Microenterprise in Local Economic Development

Criminal Justice and Law

• Restorative Justice: Implementation and Impact on Recidivism
• Police Body Cameras: Efficacy and Ethical Considerations
• Cybercrime Laws and Challenges in the Digital Age
• Juvenile Justice Reform: Strategies for Rehabilitation
• Bail Reform: Addressing Inequities in Pretrial Detention
• Criminal Profiling: Validity and Ethical Concerns
• Drug Policy Reform: Exploring Alternatives to Criminalization
• The Impact of Hate Crime Legislation on Social Cohesion
• Eyewitness Testimony Reliability: Challenges and Improvements
• International Criminal Court: Effectiveness and Challenges

Public Health and Epidemiology

• Disease Surveillance Systems: Enhancing Early Detection
• Health Inequalities: Social Determinants and Interventions
• Maternal and Child Health Interventions in Developing Countries
• Impact of Health Education on Preventive Behaviors
• Access to Healthcare Services in Rural Areas
• Lifestyle Interventions for Chronic Disease Prevention
• Community-Based Participatory Research in Public Health
• Mental Health Interventions in School Settings
• The Role of Public Health in Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Computer Science

• Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Bridging the Gap Between Performance and Interpretability
• The Role of Quantum Computing in Revolutionizing Cryptography
• Ethical Considerations in the Development of Autonomous Vehicles
• Cybersecurity Challenges in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem
• Human-Computer Interaction: Enhancing User Experience in Virtual Reality Environments

How to Compose a Research Proposal?

Composing a research proposal is a systematic process that involves careful planning, organization, and clear articulation of your research idea. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to compose a research proposal:

• Title: 
• Create a clear and concise title that reflects the essence of your research.
• Introduction:
• Provide background information on the research topic.
• Clearly state the research problem or question.
• Justify the importance and relevance of your research.
• Summarize relevant existing literature.
• Identify gaps, limitations, and areas for further exploration.
• Establish a theoretical framework for your study.
• Research Questions or Hypotheses:
• Formulate clear and specific research questions or hypotheses.
• Ensure they align with the research problem and are feasible.
• Objectives or Aims:
• Outline the specific goals of your research.
• Clearly state what you aim to achieve with your study.
• Methodology:
• Describe the research design and justify your choice.
• Detail the data collection methods and tools you plan to use.
• Address ethical considerations related to your research.
• Explain the importance of your research.
• Clearly state the potential contributions your study can make.
• Provide a detailed plan for executing your research.
• Include a timeline, milestones, and the allocation of resources.
• Potential Challenges and Limitations:
• Acknowledge possible obstacles and limitations.
• Discuss strategies to address challenges proactively.
• Summarize the key points of your research proposal.
• Reiterate the significance of your research.
• Invite feedback and suggestions.
• References:
• Cite all the sources and literature used in your proposal.
• Follow the appropriate citation style ( APA, MLA, Chicago , etc.).
• Appendices (if necessary):
• Include any supplementary materials such as surveys, questionnaires, or additional data.

Tips for Composing a Research Proposal

• Clarity and Conciseness: Use clear and straightforward language. Avoid unnecessary jargon that may confuse readers.
• Alignment: Ensure that each section of your proposal aligns with the overall research objective.
• Feasibility: Confirm that your proposed research is feasible within the given time and resource constraints.
• Review and Revise: Review your proposal for coherence, consistency, and clarity. Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or advisors and make revisions accordingly.
• Adherence to Guidelines: Follow any specific guidelines or instructions provided by your institution or funding agency.
• Engage the Reader: Capture the reader’s attention in the introduction and maintain engagement throughout.
• Ethical Considerations: Clearly address any ethical concerns related to your research, ensuring compliance with ethical standards.

Selecting research proposal topics is a nuanced process that requires a blend of personal passion, academic rigor, and an understanding of the broader context.

By following this comprehensive guide, you can navigate the seas of research proposal development with confidence, ensuring that your chosen topic is not only compelling but also lays the foundation for meaningful and impactful research.

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265 Powerful Research Proposal Topics to Consider [+ Writing Tips]

A research proposal is a common task for students of different levels and areas of study. Although it is relatively straightforward, it still can be hard to start and choose an engaging topic. In this article, you will find 255 strong suggestions on crime & law, business, finance, politics, sociology, and other subjects. Feel free to use this list for your inspiration when writing your paper. Alternatively, you can look at sample essays for free from our database and try to come up with the topic on your own.

Let’s start!

What is a Research Proposal?

• Crime & Law Research Topics
• Business Proposal Topics
• English Proposal Topics
• Interesting Proposal Topics

Undergraduate Research Proposal

• How To Write A Proposal

First thing first, let’s define what a research proposal is. This type of assignment is similar to research; however, it’s shorter and more general. It aims at introducing a topic that needs a more in-depth discussion. The student should prove that this issue requires further research. Usually, professors assign this type of task for you to practice before working on a bigger format.

A typical research proposal consists of three key sections: introduction, literature review, and methodology of your future study. Keep reading to get to know more about each part and how you can succeed in writing them.

The length of a research proposal depends on the future paper you’re writing it for and on your task requirements. It can be from four to twenty pages. Finally, all proposals should meet the standards of the referencing style that your professor asks for.

You should also understand the difference between a qualitive and a quantitative research proposal. The first one collects non-numerical data while the second one presents numerical information. The results of a qualitive research proposal can be displayed as photographs or recordings, while the quantative research results are usually shown as graphs and tables.

Now, let’s see what topics you can choose for your assignment. Click on the links we shared to find more research proposal examples.

Crime & Law Research Proposal Topics

Law students frequently get tasks like research proposals to develop their academic writing skills and understand complicated cases better. You can be more creative with law & criminology research proposal topics than you expect. Find inspiration for your work in the list below!

International Law Topics

International relations are complicated due to numerous external and internal factors. So, setting laws that would be applicable within different societies is a tough task. In the selection of international law topics below, we collected some challenging ideas. Check it out!

• International law and CIA rendition.
• Individual legal personality in international law.
• The importance of international treaties in warfare.
• Russian and european international competition law.
• International marine pollution law.
• Human rights in international law.
• The relations between domestic and international laws .
• International law, organizations, and power.
• International trade law evolution.
• Legal personality development in international law.

Business Law Topics

Business is another field full of unresolved issues and puzzles from the law perspective. From ownership to taxes – each aspect hides dozens of nuances and business law cases. Let’s see what topics you can discuss in your paper.

• International business law.
• Business law concept and employee arbitration.
• Personnel recruitment and equal opportunities law.
• Piracy effects on the profitability of a business.
• Salesperson’s negligence and consumer law.
• The practical use of trademark and copyright by entities.
• Model business corporation act: the australian law.
• The effects of religion on the implementation of contract law .
• Terrorism as global issue and preventive laws.
• US traditional business law and Its elements.

Criminology Research Proposal Topics

Today, more and more fields of study discuss equality-related issues. Criminology is not an exception. The most popular topics concern crimes against women, children, minorities, mass violence, race-based felony, etc. Discover more engaging law research proposal topics related to criminology in our list below!

• The law of criminal procedure.
• Understanding sexual harassment law in action.
• Three-strikes law for preventing violent crimes.
• The investigation of domestic violence cases.
• Criminal behavior investigation and search warrants.
• Marijuana legalization and criminalization.
• The relations between mental health and criminal behavior .

• Criminal behavior theories and contributing factors.
• Criminal profiling and police corruption.
• Is criminal behavior dependable on one’s genes?
• Grounds of victimization.
• The criminal analysis of the O.J. Simpson case.
• The development of serial killers .
• Eyewitness testimony and its role in criminal cases.
• Legal issue and criminal evidence.

Criminal Justice Research Proposal Topics

Delivering justice to those who committed crimes can be a complex process. There are many unexpected and controversial issues that institutions should take into account when solving particular cases. We prepared some criminal justice research proposal topics to dwell on. See the following list.

• Criminal law: case of susie and perry.
• Pulling the trigger: evaluating criminal gun laws.
• The ethics of capital punishment.
• The difference between war and civil crimes.
• Pretrial procedures in the criminal justice system.
• Juvenile detention criminal procedure.
• Plea-bargaining law impact on criminal justice.
• False confession in the criminal justice system.
• The dissimilarity of criminal justice laws in different states.
• Professional ethics in criminal justice: Singleton vs Norris.
• Racial bias in criminal justice systems and workplaces.
• Gender bias in criminal justice laws.
• Confessions in saudi vs US criminal justice systems.
• Severe financial crimes and their investigation.
• Jury’s professionalism in criminal trials.

Business Research Proposal Topics

Business is a complex area that consists of various disciplines like marketing, finance, recruitment, business administration, and so on. In this section, we selected 60 business research proposal topics related to each of them. First, let’s see what ideas there are for general business issues.

• Quality & environmental management for business excellence.
• Entrepreneurship and small business management.
• How can small businesses survive financial instability?
• Quantitative techniques in business to manage quality.
• Best strategies for an effective sales pitch.
• SAS institute’s generic & business strategies.
• Capitalism and free market issues.
• The impact of leadership skills on business management .
• International business: Sino-American trade war.
• The impact of globalization on small businesses .
• Needs-based business plan and project management.
• Importance of negotiation contracts in the business.
• Personal success factors in the business world.
• Consequences of working overtime.
• Time management as an effective business tool.

Marketing Research Proposal Topics

Today, a well-built marketing department can contribute a lot to the company’s success. On the other hand, having a weak promotion strategy can make even the best product unnoticeable on the market. Let’s see which marketing research proposal topics you can bring to light!

• Telecommuting as a trend of contemporary business.
• Differences between traditional and digital marketing.
• The importance of creating a consistent brand image .
• Market globalization and global marketing pitfalls.
• International marketing: global corporation vs. company.
• Use of alternative media in marketing communications .
• Gamification as a marketing tool.
• Paid search marketing and search engine optimization.
• How do brands exploit impulsive buying ?
• Influencer marketing in the fashion industry.
• How to get readers engaged with your content?
• The evolution of consumer behavior in the past twenty years.
• Advertising analytics and marketing innovations.
• The distinction in marketing strategies across different cultures.
• Which Marketing Channel Has the Biggest Potential Today?

Research Proposal Topics in Human Resource Management

Any business is more about people than about a particular product. Hiring the right fits and supporting them in their working journey is challenging – many issues can appear out of nowhere. Discuss one of the research proposal topics in human resource management from our list below and shed light on the questions you find crucial.

• Corporate social responsibility & business ethics.
• Ethics in business: child labor in chocolate industry.

• Human resources: social media policy in companies.
• Hiring the right fits: best strategies.
• Human resources and organization management.
• How to deal with overqualified employees?
• Aligning human resources and business strategy.
• The responsibilities of a human resource manager regarding talent hunting and management.
• Healthcare human resources management and changes.
• What fringe benefits are the most desirable for employees today?
• Google company: international human resources management.
• Ways of encouraging employee’s personal and professional growth .
• Human resources in global business management.
• What factors promote employee’s loyalty ?
• Federal and state human resources in Florida’ health care.

Finance Research Proposal Topics

Excellent finance management is the key to success for any company. This area has multiple internal and external aspects that should be considered when building business plans and strategies. In the list below, you will find finance research proposal topics related to such issues as corporate responsibility, investment, crisis management, shares, etc.

• Project cost and finance management challenges.
• Foreign direct investment and collaborative ventures.
• The impact of global financial crisis on large-scale companies.
• Fiscal policy: federal investment and taxes.
• Corporate social responsibility and corporate finance.
• Finance and corporate responsibility.
• Financial constraints and investment cash flow sensitivity.
• Roles of finance in business modernization.
• The issues of traditional finance.
• Investor’s role in creating culture of excellence.
• Large profit margins and utilitarian business ethics.
• Finance and crisis management .
• Are a firm’s cash flow and profit different?
• The role of shares in the company’s financial system .
• Debt management process and its impact on the company.

English Research Proposal Topics

English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It’s associated with outstanding achievements and changes in society. Also, it brought to light a handful of written masterpieces and their famous authors. Discuss one of the works or issues from the list below – dive into the depth of language!

Research Proposal: English Literature Topics

It’s hard to deny the talent of such writers as Jane Austen or Mark Twain. However, there are also less well-known masters, like Sylvia Plath, whose writings also deserve your undivided attention. Their works will teach you a lot about life in the previous centuries. Discover more research proposal English literature topics below!

• Meanings in “Lady Lazarus” poem by Sylvia Plath.
• Themes in poems by Robert Frost and Dylan Thomas.
• Gender roles in Jane Austen’s novels.
• Portraying feminism in the 20th century American poems.
• War attitudes in American and British poems.
• The story behind “ The Lord of the Rings .”

• The definition of a Noble Outlaw and examples in English literature.
• Death in Emily Dickinson’s poems .
• Jane Austen’s novels: pastiches’ analysis.
• Why do authors create fictional languages?
• How is piracy depicted in “Treasure Island”?
• Slavery in “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” the novel by Mark Twain.
• The hidden concepts and parallels in “The War of Worlds.”
• Satire in “Gulliver’s Travels.”
• Conflicts in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Research Proposal on the English Language

Language is a diverse world that lives by its rules and gets constantly enriched by its speakers. English is a unique one in terms of being a second language to representatives of multiple nations and cultures. That’s why it is influenced by many languages and develops faster than any other one. We prepared fifteen topics for a research proposal on the English language to dwell on its current issues.

• Gender differences in using the english language.
• Speech disorders in english language learners.
• How does english influence other languages?
• Challenges in teaching english as a foreign language.
• The status of english as an international language.
• The origins of the english language.
• The reasons behind the differences between American and British english .
• Black english and non-standard language.
• Language as a political tool.
• Phenomena that enrich the english language.
• Transgender community and heterosexism in language.
• The future of the english language.
• The influence of author’s neologisms on the english language.
• Diversity psychology: foreign canguage and cognition.
• How are ethnic minorities in the US shaping the english language?

Interesting Research Proposal Topics

Writing a research proposal can be more entertaining if you’re presenting a topic you’re deeply interested in. Whether it is politics or psychology, there is a lot to talk about. In this section, you can choose an exciting topic for a research proposal on different subjects and issues. Let’s see what we selected for you!

Political Science Research Proposal Topics

Today’s politics is developing in a tight bond with the issues of inequality, climate change, and others. Society requires the government’s immediate decisions regarding the subsequent problems. The relations between certain countries also become tense, making politicians react to urgent issues as soon as possible. All the above make politics a complex and controversial subject. Expose your thoughts on one of the political science research proposal topics we have chosen for you.

• African-American political science: 14th amendment.
• Political environment: democrats and republicans.
• The relation between climate and politics.
• Political activism: “Forces of Labor” by Beverly Silver.
• The challenges of 2020 United States presidential election .
• The relation between poverty and corrupted government.
• Hegemony vs. counter hegemony: power & speech.
• The American tradition of federalism and multiculturalism.
• Who is more responsible for building democracy – government or society?
• Authoritarian & totalitarian autocracy in examples.
• The reasons why socialism has failed.
• Is global democracy achievable in the future?
• The origins of Sino-American conquest.
• Nuclear Politics in the Modern World.
• World government: utopian dream or dystopian nightmare?

Research Proposal Topics in Education

Education is a vital part of one’s life and growth. Moreover, we spend most of our youth studying and preparing for our future life. So, why not make the most of this time? In recent years, the views on the perfect study process have changed a lot. Speak out your ideas on these research proposal topics in education:

• Teenagers’ contemporary issues: bullying at school.
• Math and science opportunities in a preschool program.
• Authoritative teachers: classic behavior or remnants of the past?
• Psychological development of a school-aged child.
• Should schoolgoers take sex education classes?
• The reasons why education is not free.
• High school challenges in personal experience.
• Will there be no schools in the future?
• Factors affecting technology uses in schools.

• Methods of making the study process more practical.
• Do young people need to get a master’s degree ?
• Homeschooling disadvantages for students and parents .
• How many foreign languages should a person know?
• Is education the key to building a successful career ?
• School experience for students with disabilities.

Sociology Research Proposal Topics

Society is constantly evolving so that more and more new issues arise. Today, we speak more about gender, race, sexual orientation, and ethnic minorities than at any time in the history of humankind. What will be the results of this discussion? We suggest you express your opinion on one of the sociology research proposal topics!

• Ideal society and its constituents.
• Substance abuse and impact on the family.
• Gender bias : will the world ever eliminate them?
• Parasocial relationships and purchasing habits.
• The origins of vandalism.
• Community capacity building against suicide.
• The role of religion in contemporary society.
• The effects of ethnic minorities on prevailing nation.
• Sexual orientation as a social construction and reality.
• How does climate change shape society?
• Cultural and social literacy for millennials.
• The society of future: possible scenarios.
• The relations between art and society .
• Can intolerance be fully eliminated?
• White supremacy and historical blindness.

Psychology Research Proposal Topics

Today’s youth cares about their mental health more than the previous generation. Is that for good? Knowing what’s going inside your head can have an immense impact on your quality of life. This is a truly life-changing journey. The topical issues now are anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD. We prepared fifteen psychology research proposal topics for you to discuss.

• Generalized anxiety disorder: treatment.
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction.
• The difference between clinical and situational depression.
• The concept of brain plasticity.
• Why has anxiety become so common today?
• Food and mental health: relations and impact.
• Childhood relationships & adolescent mental health.
• Defense mechanisms in psychological practice.
• How do political regimes influence mental health ?
• Postpartum depression: diagnosis and treatment.
• Personality types : myth or science-based classification?
• The impact of Freud’s ideas on today’s psychology.
• Were Freud’s statements innovative at his time?
• Psychology behind overworking and professional burnout .
• Positive psychology for military leadership.

Research Proposal Topics in Information Technology

Today’s life depends a lot on technology and its development. From work to health issues – many things can be solved or complicated by machines or algorithms. New technologies require new laws and ways of coping with everyday situations. However, there’s no correct answer whether they are good or bad. We prepared some absorbing information technology research proposal topics for you!

• Cyber surveillance and privacy of internet users.
• Military drones: innovation project.
• Cybersecurity and intellectual property issues.
• National incident management and command systems.
• The role of artificial intelligence in everyday life.
• The potential risks of online voting.
• Cybercrime and its impact on society.
• Artificial intelligence and language processing : contemporary challenges.
• Information technology-based data management in retail.
• The use of technologies in farming .
• Email Fraud and user protection strategies.
• Technological advancement of the study process.
• The approaches to maximizing the use of big data.
• Wireless technology and applications.
• The relations between technologies and globalization .

Biology Research Proposal Topics

Are you curious about what’s going on inside your body or any other living being? If you’re studying this, the biology research proposal topics below will be handy for you! We selected ideas for papers about bacteria, cells, innovations in biotechnologies, and more.

• Bacteria differentiation: endospore and acid-fast staining.
• The reasons behind common plant diseases.
• Water treatments and maximum plant height.
• Specific features of the underwater living beings.
• Camouflage techniques in the animal world.
• Agricultural biotechnology and its pros and cons.
• The impact of hormones on our wellbeing.
• Bacteria lab: enriched, selective, differential media.
• Homosexuality among mammals.
• Is domestication harmful to racoons?
• Biomimicry: innovations inspired by nature.
• Who has the world’s most incredible digestion systems among mammals?
• Stem cell debate.
• Molecular biology and genetics.
• Can aging be reverted?

Public Health Research Proposal Topics

With the advancements in governmental systems and technologies, public healthcare becomes more accessible and effective, yet many issues are to be resolved in the future. We found some research proposal topics in nursing and other medical disciplines that will be interesting to study.

• The epidemiology of obesity.
• Are addictions inevitable?
• Social media in nursing: pitfalls and opportunities.
• Can music be used as remedy?
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare: pros & cons.
• Chinese traditional medicine : what can it teach the west?
• National patient safety goals: critical care access.
• The effects of body positive movement on obesity rate .

• Health issues caused by climate change.
• Seasonal allergies and their impact on our health.
• The relations between psychology and physical health .
• Quit smoking: therapies and medications.
• AIDS treatment and common myths.
• Stress reduction programs for pregnant women.
• The importance of vaccines today.

You can find many engaging topics to discuss during your college or university life. We selected ideas for your paper that relate to different subjects and areas of study. Feel free to pick up any topics for an undergraduate research proposal you’re curious about and study it.

• “The Great Gatsby” a novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
•  “Pride and Prejudice” a novel by Jane Austen.
• Shakespeare’s Masterpieces: Why They Deserve attention.
• Political ideologies and their differences.
• The evolution of gender .
• Race and gender in public relations.
• Why is It hard to achieve complete democracy ?
• Should people under 18 get a tattoo?
• Should living with parents after 30 be normalized?
• Fat acceptance and body positivity.
• How can society make the life of disabled people better?
• Divorce effects on children’s behavior.
• The benefits of Wi-Fi.
• How can investing be useful for young people?
• Artificial intelligence: pros and cons.
• Artificial intelligence and free will .
• Key aging factors among women.
• Can zodiac signs theories be scientifically proven?
• The evolution of cinematography .
• Space tourism: evolution and prospects.

How To Write A Research Proposal

If you made it down here, you probably want to know more about the research proposal structure. In this section, we’ll discuss the specific features of this type of assignment and how to title a research proposal.

A research proposal is a compelling abstract that introduces your proposed paper. In this writing, you present the key questions of the research. The research proposal format can be described as general, summarizing, and brief. Your main goal here is to demonstrate that the topic you’ve chosen deserves more attention.

How To Title A Research Proposal

Your research proposal should grab attention from the very first second when the reader looks at its title. Let’ see which points you should consider to make it impressive and engaging.

• The title should clearly state the subject under study.
• Stimulate reader’s interest by using powerful adjectives and adverbs – speak to their emotions.
• Hint at what type of work is that. For example, if you contrast two methods or situations, be sure to mention both within your title.

If you’re assigned a particular topic, it can be a little easier for you to title your research proposal. Simply rephrase the sentence or sentences in your task and cut off too specific information. Remember that your title should be as short as 10-15 substantive words.

Research Proposal Outline

It’s not enough to write valuable content. You should also know how to organize it properly. That’s why a good outline brings you halfway to a successfully completed task. A research proposal outline is similar to other academic papers. However, its structure has some crucial points to consider. Here are seven critical elements of a superb research proposal:

• Title We already discussed how to create an outstanding title for your paper. However, it’s essential that this is just a proposed name for your work, and you can revise it when it comes to working on the actual research paper.
• Research Proposal Abstract A research proposal introduction typically comes in the format of an abstract. It’s similar to a thesis statement but can be presented in up to 100 words. In this part, you should concisely point out the key issues to be discussed in your paper.
• Research Context In this section, you should explain the background behind the issue you’re studying. Introduce the reader to details and facts that will make understanding the subject and your conclusions easier. Start with talking about the area of study in general and then move to the smaller notions you operate in your paper.
• Research Questions Before starting your paper, dwell on the questions you’re trying to answer. Write them down separately first, and then present the essential ones in this section of a research proposal. One of the questions you will mention should relate to the usability of your research results: will this data be empirical or theoretical?
• Research Methods In this part, you should explain how you’re going to conduct your research. There are various methods of working with data: visiting libraries, taking interviews, field working, etc. Most of the research works are fully or partly library-based, so don’t forget to mention the exact institutions you will visit to find specific information. For empirical data collecting, it’s important to present a detailed description and potential problems you may encounter in the process.
• Significance of Research Your proposal should show how your research can be helpful and applicable for further exploration. It should also be original and seek answers to formerly unresolved issues.
• Works Cited A crucial part of any academic paper is the bibliography. Be sure to check the referencing style you should use and what requirements this part has.

In today’s article, we presented 255 topic proposals for a research paper for you to find inspiration and ideas for your work. You can also discover dozens of examples from one of the largest essay sample databases – StudyCorgi.

Stay tuned and follow our latest updates to know how to excel in your studies!

• A Guide to Research Proposals – Sacred Heart University Library
• Research Guides – USC Libraries
• How to Write a Research Proposal – University of Birmingham
• International Law Topics – University of Queensland
• Writing a Research Paper – OWL Purdue
• Outline for a Research Proposal Project – Portland State University
• A Sample Research Proposal with Comments
• Where do I Begin? – OWL Purdue
• Annotade Sample Research Proposal
• How to Choose a Dissertation Topic For Your Doctoral Degree – Walden University
• Choosing a Topic – Fontbonne University
• Thesis Topics – LSA Psychology University of Michigan
• Choosing a Topic for Your Research Paper – OWL Purdue
• Undergraduate Sample Research Topics: Political Science – Western Michigan University
• Business Research Topic Ideas – Frances Willson Thompson Library
• How to write a research proposal – The University of Sydney
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17 Research Proposal Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

A research proposal systematically and transparently outlines a proposed research project.

The purpose of a research proposal is to demonstrate a project’s viability and the researcher’s preparedness to conduct an academic study. It serves as a roadmap for the researcher.

The process holds value both externally (for accountability purposes and often as a requirement for a grant application) and intrinsic value (for helping the researcher to clarify the mechanics, purpose, and potential signficance of the study).

Key sections of a research proposal include: the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research design and methods, timeline, budget, outcomes and implications, references, and appendix. Each is briefly explained below.

Watch my Guide: How to Write a Research Proposal

Get your Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

Research Proposal Sample Structure

Title: The title should present a concise and descriptive statement that clearly conveys the core idea of the research projects. Make it as specific as possible. The reader should immediately be able to grasp the core idea of the intended research project. Often, the title is left too vague and does not help give an understanding of what exactly the study looks at.

Abstract: Abstracts are usually around 250-300 words and provide an overview of what is to follow – including the research problem , objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Use it as a roadmap and ensure that, if the abstract is the only thing someone reads, they’ll get a good fly-by of what will be discussed in the peice.

Introduction: Introductions are all about contextualization. They often set the background information with a statement of the problem. At the end of the introduction, the reader should understand what the rationale for the study truly is. I like to see the research questions or hypotheses included in the introduction and I like to get a good understanding of what the significance of the research will be. It’s often easiest to write the introduction last

Literature Review: The literature review dives deep into the existing literature on the topic, demosntrating your thorough understanding of the existing literature including themes, strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the literature. It serves both to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and, to demonstrate how the proposed study will fit alongside the literature on the topic. A good literature review concludes by clearly demonstrating how your research will contribute something new and innovative to the conversation in the literature.

Research Design and Methods: This section needs to clearly demonstrate how the data will be gathered and analyzed in a systematic and academically sound manner. Here, you need to demonstrate that the conclusions of your research will be both valid and reliable. Common points discussed in the research design and methods section include highlighting the research paradigm, methodologies, intended population or sample to be studied, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures . Toward the end of this section, you are encouraged to also address ethical considerations and limitations of the research process , but also to explain why you chose your research design and how you are mitigating the identified risks and limitations.

Timeline: Provide an outline of the anticipated timeline for the study. Break it down into its various stages (including data collection, data analysis, and report writing). The goal of this section is firstly to establish a reasonable breakdown of steps for you to follow and secondly to demonstrate to the assessors that your project is practicable and feasible.

Budget: Estimate the costs associated with the research project and include evidence for your estimations. Typical costs include staffing costs, equipment, travel, and data collection tools. When applying for a scholarship, the budget should demonstrate that you are being responsible with your expensive and that your funding application is reasonable.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: A discussion of the anticipated findings or results of the research, as well as the potential contributions to the existing knowledge, theory, or practice in the field. This section should also address the potential impact of the research on relevant stakeholders and any broader implications for policy or practice.

References: A complete list of all the sources cited in the research proposal, formatted according to the required citation style. This demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the relevant literature and ensures proper attribution of ideas and information.

Appendices (if applicable): Any additional materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or consent forms, that provide further information or support for the research proposal. These materials should be included as appendices at the end of the document.

Research Proposal Examples

Research proposals often extend anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 words in length. The following snippets are samples designed to briefly demonstrate what might be discussed in each section.

1. Education Studies Research Proposals

See some real sample pieces:

• Assessment of the perceptions of teachers towards a new grading system
• Does ICT use in secondary classrooms help or hinder student learning?
• Digital technologies in focus project
• Urban Middle School Teachers’ Experiences of the Implementation of
• Restorative Justice Practices
• Experiences of students of color in service learning

Consider this hypothetical education research proposal:

The Impact of Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics

Abstract: The proposed study will explore multiplayer game-based learning techniques in middle school mathematics curricula and their effects on student engagement. The study aims to contribute to the current literature on game-based learning by examining the effects of multiplayer gaming in learning.

Introduction: Digital game-based learning has long been shunned within mathematics education for fears that it may distract students or lower the academic integrity of the classrooms. However, there is emerging evidence that digital games in math have emerging benefits not only for engagement but also academic skill development. Contributing to this discourse, this study seeks to explore the potential benefits of multiplayer digital game-based learning by examining its impact on middle school students’ engagement and academic performance in a mathematics class.

Literature Review: The literature review has identified gaps in the current knowledge, namely, while game-based learning has been extensively explored, the role of multiplayer games in supporting learning has not been studied.

Research Design and Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods research design based upon action research in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design will first be used to compare the academic performance and engagement of middle school students exposed to game-based learning techniques with those in a control group receiving instruction without the aid of technology. Students will also be observed and interviewed in regard to the effect of communication and collaboration during gameplay on their learning.

Timeline: The study will take place across the second term of the school year with a pre-test taking place on the first day of the term and the post-test taking place on Wednesday in Week 10.

Budget: The key budgetary requirements will be the technologies required, including the subscription cost for the identified games and computers.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: It is expected that the findings will contribute to the current literature on game-based learning and inform educational practices, providing educators and policymakers with insights into how to better support student achievement in mathematics.

2. Psychology Research Proposals

See some real examples:

• A situational analysis of shared leadership in a self-managing team
• The effect of musical preference on running performance
• Relationship between self-esteem and disordered eating amongst adolescent females

Consider this hypothetical psychology research proposal:

The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students

Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods .

Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels during exam weeks. This can affect both mental health and test performance. This study explores the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions such as meditation as a way to mediate stress levels in the weeks leading up to exam time.

Literature Review: Existing research on mindfulness-based meditation has shown the ability for mindfulness to increase metacognition, decrease anxiety levels, and decrease stress. Existing literature has looked at workplace, high school and general college-level applications. This study will contribute to the corpus of literature by exploring the effects of mindfulness directly in the context of exam weeks.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n= 234 ) will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving 5 days per week of 10-minute mindfulness-based interventions, or a control group, receiving no intervention. Data will be collected through self-report questionnaires, measuring stress levels, semi-structured interviews exploring participants’ experiences, and students’ test scores.

Timeline: The study will begin three weeks before the students’ exam week and conclude after each student’s final exam. Data collection will occur at the beginning (pre-test of self-reported stress levels) and end (post-test) of the three weeks.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: The study aims to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among college students in the lead up to exams, with potential implications for mental health support and stress management programs on college campuses.

3. Sociology Research Proposals

• Understanding emerging social movements: A case study of ‘Jersey in Transition’
• The interaction of health, education and employment in Western China
• Can we preserve lower-income affordable neighbourhoods in the face of rising costs?

Consider this hypothetical sociology research proposal:

The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data.

Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for the development of interpersonal relationships, particularly for young adults. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media usage on young adults’ relationships and development over time.

Literature Review: A preliminary review of relevant literature has demonstrated that social media usage is central to development of a personal identity and relationships with others with similar subcultural interests. However, it has also been accompanied by data on mental health deline and deteriorating off-screen relationships. The literature is to-date lacking important longitudinal data on these topics.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n = 454 ) will be young adults aged 18-24. Ongoing self-report surveys will assess participants’ social media usage, relationship satisfaction, and communication patterns. A subset of participants will be selected for longitudinal in-depth interviews starting at age 18 and continuing for 5 years.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of five years, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between social media usage and interpersonal relationships among young adults, potentially informing social policies and mental health support related to social media use.

4. Nursing Research Proposals

• Does Orthopaedic Pre-assessment clinic prepare the patient for admission to hospital?
• Nurses’ perceptions and experiences of providing psychological care to burns patients
• Registered psychiatric nurse’s practice with mentally ill parents and their children

Consider this hypothetical nursing research proposal:

The Influence of Nurse-Patient Communication on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes following Emergency Cesarians

Abstract: This research will examines the impact of effective nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes for women following c-sections, utilizing a mixed-methods approach with patient surveys and semi-structured interviews.

Introduction: It has long been known that effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for quality care. However, additional complications arise following emergency c-sections due to the interaction between new mother’s changing roles and recovery from surgery.

Literature Review: A review of the literature demonstrates the importance of nurse-patient communication, its impact on patient satisfaction, and potential links to health outcomes. However, communication between nurses and new mothers is less examined, and the specific experiences of those who have given birth via emergency c-section are to date unexamined.

Research Design and Methods: Participants will be patients in a hospital setting who have recently had an emergency c-section. A self-report survey will assess their satisfaction with nurse-patient communication and perceived health outcomes. A subset of participants will be selected for in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and perceptions of the communication with their nurses.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including rolling recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing within the hospital.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the significance of nurse-patient communication in supporting new mothers who have had an emergency c-section. Recommendations will be presented for supporting nurses and midwives in improving outcomes for new mothers who had complications during birth.

5. Social Work Research Proposals

• Experiences of negotiating employment and caring responsibilities of fathers post-divorce
• Exploring kinship care in the north region of British Columbia

Consider this hypothetical social work research proposal:

The Role of a Family-Centered Intervention in Preventing Homelessness Among At-Risk Youthin a working-class town in Northern England

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effectiveness of a family-centered intervention provided by a local council area in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth. This case study will use a mixed-methods approach with program evaluation data and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data .

Introduction: Homelessness among youth remains a significant social issue. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in addressing this problem and identify factors that contribute to successful prevention strategies.

Literature Review: A review of the literature has demonstrated several key factors contributing to youth homelessness including lack of parental support, lack of social support, and low levels of family involvement. It also demonstrates the important role of family-centered interventions in addressing this issue. Drawing on current evidence, this study explores the effectiveness of one such intervention in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth in a working-class town in Northern England.

Research Design and Methods: The study will evaluate a new family-centered intervention program targeting at-risk youth and their families. Quantitative data on program outcomes, including housing stability and family functioning, will be collected through program records and evaluation reports. Semi-structured interviews with program staff, participants, and relevant stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the factors contributing to program success or failure.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Budget: Expenses include access to program evaluation data, interview materials, data analysis software, and any related travel costs for in-person interviews.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in preventing youth homelessness, potentially informing the expansion of or necessary changes to social work practices in Northern England.

Research Proposal Template

Get your Detailed Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

This is a template for a 2500-word research proposal. You may find it difficult to squeeze everything into this wordcount, but it’s a common wordcount for Honors and MA-level dissertations.

Your research proposal is where you really get going with your study. I’d strongly recommend working closely with your teacher in developing a research proposal that’s consistent with the requirements and culture of your institution, as in my experience it varies considerably. The above template is from my own courses that walk students through research proposals in a British School of Education.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Study Desk Aesthetic Ideas
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Thoughtful Ways to Greet your Students
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Pre-School Decor Ideas (Inspiring & Beautiful!)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Number Games for Kids (Free and Easy)

8 thoughts on “17 Research Proposal Examples”

Very excellent research proposals

very helpful

Very helpful

Dear Sir, I need some help to write an educational research proposal. Thank you.

Hi Levi, use the site search bar to ask a question and I’ll likely have a guide already written for your specific question. Thanks for reading!

very good research proposal

Thank you so much sir! ❤️

Very helpful 👌

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Research Proposal Topics: 503 Ideas, Sample, & Guide [2024]

Do you have to write a research proposal and can’t choose one from the professor’s list? This article may be exactly what you need.

We will provide you with the most up-to-date undergraduate and postgraduate topic ideas. Moreover, we will share the secrets of the winning research proposal writing.

Here, you will find possible ideas for research proposal topics from the best custom writing service that may be used to create your own proposal project as well as a direction for further investigation! So let’s start!

• 🔬 Research Proposal Definition
• IT Research
• 📝 Writing Guide
• 📄 Proposal Sample

🔬 Research Proposal: Definition

First of all, let’s make clear what a research proposal is. A research proposal is a type of paper you write to show others that you have a project to investigate. A research proposal demonstrates the following:

The purpose of proposal writing is to persuade others that your topic needs to be investigated. Your task is to write a well-structured text that covers all the necessary points. Make sure that everyone can understand what you wish to investigate, why it’s important, and how you are going to do it.

💡 Research Proposal Topics

Now that you know what a research proposal is, it’s time to begin the work.

What is the first thing to be done, then?

That’s right—you need to choose a topic!

The list of research proposal topics below will help you start the process. Some of the research topics are simple, while others are quite complicated. The more difficult problems also contain a short description, so that you can understand immediately whether that topic would be interesting for you.

Political Science Research Proposal Topics

Researching political science gives you plenty of room for exploration. Do you want to investigate local or global politics? Are you interested in historical or contemporary issues? The number of options is overwhelming. Have a look at this list to make choosing easier:

• Fascism and Nazism: the contemporary usage of the terms and their meaning in the history of politics. Nowadays, the terms “Fascism” and “Nazism” are often used interchangeably. The terms are originally meant to refer to Italian and German political regimes. However, the doctrines themselves have important differences.
• Contemporary religious extremism and its political and economic basis. The modern Western society is ambiguous. On the one hand, religious tolerance endorsed; on the other, religious extremism is often used to add some fuel to the fire of intolerance. Understanding the economic and political basis of religious extremism might prove helpful in breaking the illusions of both sides.
• Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn: socialists in the contemporary U.K. and U.S. politics. The U.S. Democratic Party devised its failure during the 2016 Presidential Elections by selecting Hillary Clinton. She wasn’t very popular with the public, unlike well-loved, but so-scarily-leftist Bernie Sanders. At the same time, Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters were partially successful in addressing the stagnation in the British Labor Party. Comparing the two leftist leaders and their political agenda might serve as an interesting research project topic.
• Anarchism as a political orientation and a worldview. Anarchism is commonly mistaken for chaos. In fact, it simply means the absence of formal authority and prevalence of grassroots cooperation. Numerous movements exist within anarchism, such as anarcho-syndicalism, anarcho-pacifism, etc. Their proponents have a worldview that radically differs from the “center,” albeit often it’s by no means an extremist one. Classifying and elucidating different anarchist theories and worldviews can prove a worthy research topic.
• A fragile democracy: the contemporary political crisis in Myanmar. Myanmar has for a long time suffered under the dictatorship of a military junta. The junta only dissolved in 2011, and the National League for Democracy officially rules. Yet, the militaries remain strong and often uncontrollable. The resulting crisis is tragic, and writing about it could be a good topic for a research proposal.
• The Arab Spring and its impact on the contemporary Middle East. The Arab Spring was a wave of demonstrations, protests, and revolutions in the countries of the Middle East. There was a hope that they would result in more democratic political regimes across the region. However, the results were far from optimistic. The massive impact of this phenomenon makes the Arab Spring an excellent topic example for a research proposal.
• Sarah Palin and her role in the RNC.
• Shakespeare and his influence on politics.
• The military policy of Georgia toward South Ossetia.
• Racialization of Arab Americans in the post-9/11 era.
• What countries are most opposed to globalization?
• The Supreme Court’s close decisions regarding minorities.
• The social credit system: myths and realities.
• Why are many people disappointed with the two-party system?
• Discuss Mexico’s reaction to the US anti-immigration policies.
• How does religion influence secular countries’ politics?

Research Proposal Topics in Information Technology

In recent years, the demand for IT skills has skyrocketed. This trend is likely to continue for the next few decades. Humanity’s dependency on computers keeps growing. Because of this, solid knowledge in IT makes you an invaluable employee for any company. So, get started by writing about one of our engaging prompts:

• Traditional envisioning centers on linear tracks. It connects lines to show differences or similarities. Explore how comparative genomics can analyze numerous genomes in 3D surfaces.
• Real-time feedback in education . Student’s feedback is essential for both teachers and learners. Examine the ways and existing technologies that allow a teacher to get feedback on how students understand the lessons. Suggest concepts aimed at improving the professor-student communication.
• WLAN Networks: H.264 video transmission. You can assess how to improve cross-layer architecture for video transmission in WLAN Network. Examine ways to enhance video quality performance.
• Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSN): performance. This topic can help you generate a whole list of ideas for further IT studies: frameworks, analysis of existing solutions, etc. You can investigate transport, physical layers, or application of the communication protocol stack.
• WLAN Network: improvement of FEC algorithms. Explore the possible way to improve FEC schemes in cases of wireless channel loss.
• Software sizing and pricing: correlation . As you may know, software’s size significantly impacts its estimated price. In your proposal, suggest methods to evaluate and lower software size.
• Component-based software engineering (CBSE) process: ways to improve. You can choose this topic among other interesting IT project proposal ideas. Investigate how CBSE can shorten the time for production, increase software quality, and reduce its costs.
• User’s behavior in social networks . Social networks are under the risk of improper users’ behavior. Provide points to detect such behavior and how to prevent it.
• Education technologies in higher education. Research methods and tools that will enhance constructive alignment in higher education teaching.
• How can the government potentially abuse facial recognition?
• Discuss unmanned vehicles from drivers’ perception.
• 5G: usage barriers and future developments.
• Review possible solutions to current AI-related issues .
• Discuss the role of IT in promoting false information.
• What do massive data breaches mean for regular users?
• How do social media algorithms impact user experience?
• Review e-governments and other attempts to digitalize the state.
• What can happen if we integrate organic processes into robots ?
• AI in the military : violence mitigation effects.

Computer Science Project Proposal Topics

Technology surrounds us everywhere. The internet, for one, has drastically changed the way we communicate. These developments affect all aspects of our lives. One big area that has significantly benefited from ICT is education.

• Machine learning use in prediction of students’ success. Analyze how machine learning can be useful in predicting students’ grades and the rates of course completion. You can use this example to get more ideas on measurement teacher’s effectiveness.
• Students’ profile and study courses. Wrong course choice can lead to poor grades and turn studying into a waste of time. Provide suggestions on how analytics can help in students’ course choices.
• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in education. Examine how the use of AR and VR impacts students’ comprehension of the course contents. What effect do AR and VR have on students’ performance?
• Learning preferences and customized study process. You can analyze how various students’ learning preferences, e.g., Visual, Kinesthetic , etc. can benefit from optimized learning.
• IoT and teachers’ effectiveness. Provide suggestions on how educators can adjust their teaching styles using IoT devices and sensors.
• VR and AR roles in the assessment process. Virtual and Augmented Reality can be useful in students’ performance assessment. Suggest ways of how the professor can use VR and AR.
• Gamification in education. Gamification elements can be found almost everywhere: social media, professional software, and education. Analyze how gamification can be applied to various subjects. Assess the possible student outcomes.
• Social media and group projects. Social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, are an integral part of our daily life. Assess how social media can be useful in learning, and, especially, for group projects.
• Mobile apps: usage growth. Here’s another great sample of quantitative titles. Analyze the factors that impact the usage rate of mobile applications.
• Will the Internet be available everywhere in the future?
• Describe preview techniques to compensate for low bandwidth.
• What are the weak points of financial cybersecurity ?
• Discuss the risks related to the use of smart appliances.
• Write about issues with online surveys.
• Review the trends in medical software development.
• What health issues are associated with the use of VR devices?
• Cyberwarfare: restored and new underpinning technologies.
• Assess the use of e-learning in initial employee integration.
• Desktop and mobile app versions: how to ensure better functionality.

Business Research Proposal Topics

There’s much more to business than just talking finances. Your topic can be theoretical as well as empirical. Writing about business can cover areas such as strategic planning, leadership, or sustainability.

• The impact of employee motivation on their performance . Is it true that highly motivated staff work better? And if yes, how much better does it work? The importance of this question warrants its further investigation and may prove a worthwhile topic for your dissertation research proposal.
• Disaster preparedness plans for the business. In many regions of the world, disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes occur frequently. The costs and losses of business due to such disasters may be tremendous. Consequently, the ways to make one’s company safe is an excellent research topic in business.
• Ways to transition to a new organizational culture. Studying the ways to make such a transition smooth and seamless could be a great research paper idea.
• The most effective leadership styles for various types of businesses. The leadership has a great impact on business performance, but it’s possible that for all types of companies there’s a certain management style that would be most effective. This theme could be a useful and interesting research topic for your proposal.
• Environmental friendliness of a business: additional costs or a way to make more profit? Many business leaders assume that decreasing the amount of waste their company produces will only result in losses. However, this is not true: eco-friendliness improves business reputation and attracts more clients. Investigating the effect of environmental friendliness on business performance could be an interesting research idea.
• The impact of various types of stakeholders on the success of a business. Exploring its exact impact on a company may be an excellent idea for your quantitative research proposal.
• Business management and innovation. Social engineering technologies caused significant changes in marketing, customer-organization relations, communications, etc. Assess how these technologies can be used in business.
• Effective energy management and its role in sustainable development. If you’re looking for business proposal topics, analyze this title. Provide suggestions on how enterprises can increase their energy effectiveness.
• Social entrepreneurship in developing countries. How can a business increase its social value without prejudice to its profits? You can use this topic for your master’s or business administration dissertation.
• Ethics and corporate social responsibility. Ethical issues remain a popular topic for research studies. Point out how corporate responsibility can increase the loyalty of employees.
• Accounting and accountability. If you’re looking for business quantitative topic examples, explore the connection between accounting and accountability.
• Business management and its effect on profits . The goal of any company is to make profits. Assess how business management influences company’s losses and profits.
• Sustainable development : the relationship with business in the 21 st century. How does sustainable development affect business? What does it mean to be a sustainable leader? Give examples of organizations that became successful in the 21st century. What are the factors that have influenced their success?
• Strategy of communication: old vs. new. Choose a company featuring a new communication strategy. Why did the management of the company decide to use it? Describe the existing practices of communication strategies. What is their effect on the company’s reputation? How do they affect performance and financial outcomes? What difference can a chosen way of communication make to stakeholders?
• China and the US: cultural and organizational behavior. Why is the Chinese market so attractive for US companies? Give examples of US companies who depend on the Chinese market. What barriers for building a business on the Chinese market are there? What are the best strategies to sell products or services in China? Recommend the best-suited regimen for the introduction of a product. Give information about organizational behavior in China. What makes it unique?
• New technologies in hospitals. What are the main difficulties associated with new technologies in a medical center? Why is there a need to keep up with the changing technologies? What healthcare issues create the biggest administration barriers? Does it affect the cost? Provide a real-life example.
• Small businesses vs. big enterprises. What is the current stand of small businesses in your area? How does their performance compare to that of big established brands? Is there a place for small businesses in the next decades, or are they dying out? If that happens, in what way will it affect the economy? What can one do to prevent monopolization of the market?
• Advertising strategies: how to advertise different types of businesses. What types of ads are known to give the best results market-wise? What advertising strategies work best for big corporations? What about small businesses? Give real-life examples. Does the cost of advertising correlate with marketing success?
• Inexperienced workers: how can they find a job? Is there a market for people fresh out of colleges and inexperienced workers? What social groups fall under the category? Is the demand for such people reflected in the paychecks? What can be done to maximize their appeal as employees? Will it benefit or harm the economy?
• Employee reward system: how to boost the workers’ performance? Describe the programs that companies set up to reward employees. Does it affect employees’ motivation? Illustrate your analysis with statistics. What types of rewards are there? Which of them work better? Should a company decide whom to reward?
• How to implement corporate ethical policy. What is ethical in the corporate world of the 21st century? Does the public image of a company reflect on its sales? Give examples of successful marketing campaigns centered on ethical issues. Can a company’s message affect employees’ productivity?
• Advertising strategies and the importance of advertising for business.
• Strategies for running a business.
• Importance of business planning.
• How does virtual reality attract customers?
• What influences employees’ adaptation to new practices?
• How does competition function in disadvantageous times?
• Small and medium-sized enterprises: how to survive.
• Discuss ways of marketing the same product to different generations.
• Digitalization and supply chain recovery in crises.
• Out-of-touch leaders: are they useful for business initiatives?

Management Research Proposal Topics

Management is a vital part of every company. That’s why good governance is the key to success. Researching this subject will prove helpful for your future career.

• Ruskin Bond’s team conflict dynamic model: how to achieve project success. Analyze various conflict types using Ruskin Bond’s team model. What resolutions can improve a project? What can result in the project’s success?
• How to improve product development using dynamic capability? Do relationships between employees affect their performance? How can they achieve knowledge integration and strategic flexibility? Use a theoretical framework in your study. Analyze the data using structural equation modeling.
• Allocation of human resources. What are the issues associated with human resource allocation? Investigate the mechanisms of top-down resource allocation. Use empirical research techniques in your research.
• Project benefit management: how to set effective target benefits? What is the scale of practical target benefits? Validate your research by presenting case studies. Use goal-setting theory in your study. Analyze the dimensions of comprehensiveness, attainability, and specificity.
• Person-centered vs. team-centered leadership. Describe how to balance a project manager’s style of interaction. Use Archer realist social theory in your research. Conduct the study using mixed methods of data analysis.
• Project managers. What is their role in internal and external relationship management? Use mixed methods in your research. Categorize the role groups. Illustrate the transition from traditional to new project management.
• The project’s added value and trust-conflict in an inter-team relationship. Do trust-conflict interactions impact project added value? Investigate relational and calculative trust dimensions. Study the influence of trust-conflict interactions on project added values. Explore task, project, and relationship conflicts.
• How to encourage the building industry to evolve into a lower carbon construction equivalent. Analyze the effects of building development project processes. How much energy does building consume, and how much are there carbon emissions? Does it affect indoor environmental quality? What are the associated needs of operations management?
• Project management practices in private organizations. Which project management practices are used in private organizations? What are the sectors of their activity? Examine the influence of managers’ personal characteristics. How do they choose their project management practices? Use a mixed-methods research methodology.
• Process groups vs. the project life cycle . How are both methods implemented in a project? Collect the data using questionnaires sampled from project managers in your area. Analyze the data using inferential statistics.
• What are the advantages of Facebook in the e-commerce field ?
• What are the skills related to management strategies?
• Why is genuineness a major factor of success?
• What is a red ocean strategy in social media marketing?
• The benefits of exponential thinking in management.
• Virtual human resources: is it a complication?
• Explore constructive deviance’s role in improving businesses.
• Ambiguous IT innovations in human resource management.
• Big data competencies for maintaining managerial competitiveness.
• Discuss talent cultivation and protection in competitive fields.

MBA Research Proposal Topic Ideas

Time is money. How can you use it more effectively? That’s one of the central questions you can suggest investigating in an MBA research proposal. For more inspiration, check out these ideas:

• Cost of packaging: does it affect manufacturer’s profitability? What are the most and the least popular types of packaging materials? How does the cost of packaging depend on its type? What are the problems associated with the most popular types of packaging? Give recommendations to improve the packaging strategies.
• Financial incentives as a tool for boosting workers’ motivation. What types of financial incentives do workers receive in different kinds of organizations? Do organizations recognize the correlation between productivity and financial incentives? Study how to enhance workers’ productivity and motivation.
• Effective employee selection and recruitment. Does it work as a tool for achieving top productivity in a company? What should one consider in the process of employee selection? How can the knowledge of the labor turnover rate help choose a suitable candidate? How do you identify the candidates most suitable for career promotion?
• The durability of small scale business start-ups. How can one make sure that they’ve chosen the best project? How does one determine investment appraisal of small business in your area? Does this process benefit both the economy in general and the investors in particular? Can inaccurate methods of project assessment be identified early? What are the ways to avoid low returns?
• Time management in a company. Study how time is usually managed in companies. What types of work-time organization are there? Why would a company choose unconventional time management techniques? Does it reflect on the productivity of employees? Does it affect the company’s success in general?
• Ailing industries: will privatization help them? Identify the prospects and problems of ailing industries’ privatization. Conduct a case study. What are the reasons for the ineffectiveness of the service? Will the privatization help the business?
• Work environment and employees’ productivity. Study how to identify inadequacies of the workplace environment . What physical and psychological discomfort is involved? What solutions can be provided? Examine the environmental factors in a given company. Employ both the investigative and the descriptive approach in your research. Collect data using the interview and survey methods.
• Strategic human resource management . What are the ways to determine its effectiveness? Are strategic human resource practice and a company’s performance connected? Obtain the information for the study through questionnaire responses. Analyze your findings. Find out whether there is a relationship between strategic resource management and organization performance.
• Corporate governance. Study its impact on the management of an organization. Who designs and implements the processes and rules practiced in a company? What is the primary force that influences corporate governance? Use research questions, surveys, and questionnaires in your study. Analyze the collected data through mean scores and frequencies. What are the systemic problems militating against corporate governance?
• Microfinance organizations and their impact on small-scale organizations. How do microfinance organizations encourage banking habits among poorer populations? How can the economic status of the small scale manufacturers be improved by giving them more capital? How can microfinance credit influence a company’s performance? What are the possible drawbacks of this business relationship?
• Review how leadership relates to job satisfaction .
• What is the key to success behind family enterprises ?
• HR training’s direct impact on retaining employees.
• Managing stakeholder attitude: potential performance implications.
• What factors are responsible for an organization’s sustainability?
• How can AI help strategic business management?
• Discuss business start-ups in the digital age.
• What happens when law and decision-making collide?
• Employee commitment during uncertain times.
• Leadership reinvention: effects for a chosen model.

Business Project Proposal Ideas

Have you been planning to start your own company? Or maybe you’d like to develop a product that makes life easier? A business project research proposal allows you to put your dream on paper. If you don’t have a concrete idea just yet, here is some inspiration:

• A mobile application to recruit potential staff. The app will involve problem-solving puzzles. It will monitor the time spent on solving them without using outside resources. The top 10 players can be later contacted.
• A website specializing in collecting customized orders. The website will gather information on what people want to be made. It will send requests to affiliated creators. They, in turn, choose what they can complete based on their specialty.
• An e-book café and hardware/software funding. It will focus on convenient models with vast libraries. They will also provide customers with food and music.
• A traditionally animated film in the style of old classics. Most of today’s animated films rely on CGI. Due to the nostalgia factor, a hand-drawn feature could be successful.
• A representative-operated national food restaurant. The idea is to hire representatives of the culture the restaurant is based on. It may increase engagement with different demographics.
• A social media website that takes user’s suggestions into account. Competing with more established players in the field is challenging. However, you may take advantage of their known weaknesses. Your website would mind user feedback and thus avoid introducing unpopular changes.
• Safe-space avenue for online and offline presentations. Minority groups may find it challenging to access busier platforms. Offering them a spot that will guarantee their safety may benefit both parties.
• A reverse experience school for disabled people. The experiment will follow the principles of inclusivity . People without disabilities would comprise a minority. It would allow disabled people to feel less constrained.
• A digital platform for aspiring influencers. The service will offer advice and suggest the steps for building an audience.
• An analog fast food product for vegans. Today’s restaurants offer replacements for meat-based dishes. Still, it’s not always the case. That’s why a product designed with the help of clients’ feedback may become popular.
• A tattoo studio for writing-based designs.
• A streaming service for cult classics.
• A smart hotel for pets.
• A vintage CD-ROM music production kit.
• A real-life matchmaking service for single parents.
• A lactose-free nutritional drink for selling in gyms.
• A hotline with qualified mental health specialists.
• A TV show focused on Native American representation.
• A third-party mediator in a customer-realtor transaction.
• An organization providing research opportunities for students.

Research Proposal Topics on Education

Education plays a crucial role in our lives. It’s an area where constant research and improvement are incredibly important. Check out these ideas:

• The importance of early interventions in special education for children with disabilities. Investigating the “why” of it might be an interesting research topic for high school students.
• The use of innovative technologies in education . The ubiquity of computers and smartphones means that they also used in studies. Finding out new ways in which innovations might assist teachers could be an interesting research paper idea.
• The effectiveness of online universities in providing education. It could be an exciting research topic idea to compare online institutions to traditional.
• University education in a narrow specialization: a way to increase professionalism, or to spread ignorance? There exists a trend of providing education in a narrow area or specialty in the contemporary higher education setting. However, traditional universities have also been known to teach their students a wide range of courses. The benefits of an education in a narrow field and the costs of losing the tradition of an all-encompassing education are a worthwhile topic for a Phd. research proposal.
• Innovative approaches to teaching. The need for the instructor to interact with students is becoming more and more apparent in the contemporary educational setting. Studying the benefits and drawbacks of this approach might be an excellent idea for a research proposal topic list for education majors.
• The impacts of inclusive education on children without special needs. Inclusive learning is believed to have a positive influence on children with special needs and has become a trend nowadays. However, it’s unclear how such education affects children without special needs, which warrants further investigation of this research topic.

• Classroom management techniques for high school. High school teachers often have to deal with disruptive behaviors of their students. Finding out what classroom management techniques work best for this may prove a useful and engaging research topic idea.
• Problematic children: approaches to managing a child’s temperament . All children have their own personality. It can be difficult for parents to understand how to manage it. Many management approaches are depending on how a child behaves.
• How parents’ overprotectiveness may cause a child to become anxious? Some children are insecure and worrisome in unfamiliar situations. In this situation, parents should avoid being overprotective. Encouraging a child to explore is the best strategy.
• Impulsive children: parenting strategies . Parents often struggle with kids whose behavior is hard to predict. There are ways to make it easier. Parents should remain gentle with children. But, at the same time, they should promote their child’s self-discipline.
• What role does art play in child development? It’s one of the most relevant and exciting topics for research proposals in education. Everyone supports art classes in early childhood development. However, in many countries, art disappears from the list of subjects in middle and high school. Is it the correct approach? How does art affect children’s development?
• Child development : aesthetic education as a core learning approach. Another great title of research proposal in education, also worth choosing it as a thesis topic. You can look into the benefits of aesthetic education. It helps children to become creative and see things from new points of view.
• Testing system: should it be reformed? Everyone agrees that there are too many flaws in the current testing system. Not only can it be unfair; it also puts pressure on children and college students. Look into why and how the testing system is flawed and if there is a need to fix it.
• Does the testing system impact on children’s self-confidence? Tests and exams cause children to develop anxiety and depression. Moreover, this problem may aggravate. It can lead children to develop low self-confidence and hurt their social skills.
• The purpose of early intervention. Some children need special or extra care and support throughout their development. But how to understand who needs it, and how will they benefit from it? Why would this approach be the best for them?
• Education and innovative technologies. E-books and tablets are replacing textbooks. Chalkboards are out of use since smart boards are the new solution. Both children and teachers are adapting to the latest technologies. You might research the most recent trends in this topic.
• Educational apps for children: advantages and disadvantages. Even toddlers can use smartphones and tablets now. Parents might as well use technologies for educational purposes. However, it may be tricky. Some apps combine the story with learning outcome goals and promote creativity. Others might have too much action and sound. This only distracts children from learning.
• What is the optimal “ screen time” for children ? When parents want some time to rest from kids, they just turn the TV on. Is it harmful or beneficial for children? Try to find out how much time they should spend with it.
• General education courses in college: are they necessary? Such courses include algebra, biology, and chemistry. But what if a student wants to focus on studying languages? It’s one of the best questions about higher education.
• Innovative approaches to contacting problematic children.
• Aesthetic education as a basis for child development .
• Advantages and disadvantages of a testing system.
• What’s your opinion on teachers instructing AI replacements?
• Real-time online classes or asynchronous learning models: what’s better?
• Assess learning loss in the top universities in 2024.
• Ineffective civics classes: where did the system fail?
• What are the health implications of remote teaching?
• Learning to engineer: aims and instruments.
• Assess the importance of peer feedback in education.

Special Education Research Proposal Topics

There are many questions regarding the best approach in educating kids with special needs. Should they always study with their peers? Or do they need special classes to tackle their individual requirements? Your research proposal can focus on various aspects. The parents’ roles or the use of technology are compelling examples.

• Does inclusive education promote empathy in children without special needs? It’s one of the best learning strategies for kids with learning disabilities. No one asks what children without special needs think about it. Still, little kids are open-hearted. Most of them are happy to help their peers with difficulties.
• Does dyslexia affect a child’s social skills? In the company of loving parents, a child with dyslexia will be OK. As children start socializing, they start noticing the problems with reading. It may lead to shaming and excluding them from social groups.
• Classroom management for inclusive high schools. Disruptive behavior is a common thing in high schools. However, everything is different when the school is inclusive. Teachers face various challenges every day. New practical ideas in this field may be beneficial.
• Does early intervention impact children with learning disabilities ? Early intervention includes therapies for those who have issues with learning. Your research might consist of comparing and contrasting those methods. Find out which are the best. You may even try to develop a new approach!
• Should we educate children about their peers who have special needs? There are training programs for teachers working with kids with learning disabilities. But what about their peers? Would children with special needs feel more support if their classmates were more understanding?
• Innovative approaches to teaching in special education . More individual interaction between a teacher and each student. In inclusive classes, it’s especially relevant. You would need to look for innovative approaches. Most research proposal questions in education are not as urgent as this one!
• Does stress influence children with learning disabilities more than others during testing? In this research, focus on the more vulnerable group of students. Special education should address this question with caution.
• How to identify and prevent reading problems in the early stage. In school, all the learning issues of a child come out. It’s vital to identify the problem immediately to prevent trauma. Look into the root causes of this problem and its possible solutions.
• Technology integration for children with special needs. This topic is connected with many questions. You would need to address all of them in your research. A sample would look like this: “What are the benefits of technology in special education?”
• How strict should educators be with children with learning disabilities? Of course, it depends on each individual. Still, there should be some limits. All special education teachers should know how to balance being strict and permissive. Your research can serve as a guide for aspiring teachers!
• The role of parents in special education. Healthy development of a child with special needs doesn’t end with teachers. Parents also play an important role in their kids’ education. How exactly can they help their child with learning disabilities?
• The role of computers in accessible school environment.
• Learning disparity mitigation and special education certificates .
• Discuss the pros and cons of compromises in inclusive classrooms .
• What are the main challenges for FAPE’s universal application?
• Do we need new regulations in special education ?
• Review current school models for disabled students.
• Shortage of qualified educators: what can we do?
• Special education during a pandemic: lessons learned.
• What do co-occurring needs imply for teachers and students?

Research Proposal Topics in Early Childhood Education

Young children are extremely impressionable. Because of this, early childhood education has a huge impact on kids’ development. Many factors need careful consideration. Among them are learning techniques and the need of incorporating the child’s social background.

• Executive functions and early childhood education: working memory. It’s easily one of the most interesting research proposal topics in early childhood education. How do children connect their ideas? How does their mind work? And how can we use this in education?
• Early childhood : brain development through playing. The brain develops most actively during the first two years of our lives. At that age, the brain is especially vulnerable because it reacts to all environmental changes. It’s essential to support children’s development through play and stress reduction.
• Early childhood development: child care facilities vs. home. Increasingly more mothers prefer to get back to work right after the birth of their children. Daycare services are developing to meet all the child’s needs. However, can it replace the quality time children spend with their parents?
• Quality child care facility: an overview. What should high-quality child care be like? Parents often face the challenge of picking the right place for their child while they don’t know what to look for. You can provide research comparing and contrasting the best child care facilities in your area.
• Culture and early childhood education: immigrant families. Culture shapes the behavior and beliefs of small children. Immigrant families especially should always consider it. Education programs need to be adjusted to the cultural differences.
• How to divorce and not harm a child’s development. We all understand that there can be different life situations, and sometimes it’s better for people to be separated. However, it gets complicated when they are also parents. A child’s mental and emotional health is at risk during the divorce. What are the ways to protect children from this stress?
• Paternity and early childhood education . Fathers play an essential role in their children’s social skills. They affect children’s future relationships and emotional health. During your research on this topic, don’t forget to consider the sociocultural context.
• Early childhood development : gender socialization. It’s a controversial topic. Nowadays, more and more parents want to raise their children in a gender-neutral environment. How can they achieve a balance?
• Early childhood education and play-based learning. Play-based learning has been approved as one of the best approaches in early childhood development. It allows guidance from a parent while promoting a child’s independence. Play enables children to learn math, reading, and other skills engagingly.
• School readiness and early childhood education. Going to school can be stressful for both kids and parents. To minimize stress, parents can take an active part in preparing their children for this experience. This research would be aimed to identify the skills children need to gain to be ready for school.
• What are the benefits of learning the second language for children? In our globalized world, parents aim to give more opportunities to their children by teaching them foreign languages . It has been researched that learning a second language can be beneficial for children’s cognitive behavior.
• Aboriginal children education: obstacles to language development.
• Does the readiness rate contribute to injustice?
• Outline the new forms of play in schools.
• Discuss the use of relaxing games in class.
• How do teachers facilitate peer communication?
• Explore the implications of racial diversity in educators.
• Remote learning for young children: how much is enough?
• Assess teacher-child interactions during breaks.
• What activities contribute to improving reading skills ?

Sociology Research Proposal Topics

Humans are erratic creatures. Yet, we all manage to live together. Are you interested in studying the mechanics of society? Then you should consider a research proposal in sociology .

• The impact of citizen’s wealth elections. Determine how economic conditions and people’s income influence voting patterns.
• Correlation between personality, income, and career choice . You can explore how personal skills and family income motivate youth to choose their future career path.
• Population background and racial discrimination. Explore mechanisms to prevent racial discrimination in societies with a diverse background of people. You can also analyze the impact of Brexit and Trump’s slogan “Make America great again” on the rise of race discrimination.
• State pension age and its effect on the labor market. Identify how the increase of the state pension age (SPA) influences a person’s and country’s labor supply. What is the contribution of the increase of SPA to the state’s economy?
• Investing behavior: neuroeconomic approach. In the Ph.D. proposal, examine how cognitive factors influence success in the financial market. Offer your ideas on how to improve the decision-making process in investments.
• Poverty among ethnic minorities. Since the financial crisis in 2008, in-work poverty became a significant issue, especially among ethnic minorities . Analyze this issue and research how it impacts occupational mobility.
• Fiscal policy and its correlation to asset pricing. Generate risk aversion ideas and asset pricing concepts. Provide recommendations for optimal fiscal policy and its improvements.
• Racial identity and conflicts: interrelations. Conflicts are unavoidable in our daily life. In your Ph.D. research proposal, you can analyze how a person’s conflict behavior depends on their racial identity.
• Social responsibility: developing countries. Research what safety and health actions should take companies in the construction industry of developing countries.
• Describe the national specifics of poverty feminization.
• Is there a link between parental practices and children’s social attitudes?
• How did the meaning of happiness evolve through generations?
• Segregation in modern cities.
• Discuss the early stages of language acquisition.
• Is the American dream attainable for minority groups?
• Social expectations and dating preferences: how to match pairs.
• Does family structure impact one’s occupation?
• Social networks and deviant tendencies: what’s the correlation?
• What factors are driving people to military enlistment?

Other Research Proposal Topics

History research proposal example topics.

Maybe you enjoy tracing the footsteps of past societies. Or perhaps you like to study the battles of the 20 th century. Whatever your preference is, researching any part of history will certainly yield fascinating results.

• The memory of World War II in the United States. American history books often depict the United States as a country that played a key role in defeating Nazi Germany and its allies. But was it true? And if not, what purpose did this image serve in the post-war years, and what is its function today?
• Witch Hunt in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The Holy Inquisition is notorious for its hunt and torturous murder of countless women for their alleged practice of witchcraft. The history of this hunt, as well as the doctrine of the Inquisition, might be an interesting research topic.
• Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin: a comparison of policies. The October Revolution played a significant role in history, resulting in the birth of the Soviet Union. The country was to become a communist utopia. Instead, the revolution proved violent. When Lenin died, and Stalin came to power, the country turned into a bloody dictatorship. A possible history research proposal, for example, would be the investigation of the differences between the policies of Lenin, who did try to build socialism, and Stalin, who organized a reign of terror.
• The French Revolution and its impact on the history of 19th century Europe. The French Revolution is known to be one of the most influential events in history, even though it ended in a dictatorship. The revolution’s impact on European history might serve as a worthwhile topic for research writing.
• European colonization of the Americas and the fate of Native Americans. Although the reputation of Christopher Columbus and other explorers of the New World is mostly positive, the reality was far more serious. The colonizers used ruthless and violent methods to deal with Native Americans, massacring them to gain land and enslaving them into labor. The history of cruelty might nonetheless prove an interesting topic for a history project proposal.
• The history of racism in the United States. Whether one likes it or not, racism played an important role in the history of the U.S. The country has not yet recovered from its consequences. The history of American racist ideas might be a good topic for research that may possibly help battle racial discrimination.
• History and evolution of Buddhism in the world.
• The fate of the Jewish people during World War II.
• Trace the development of the post-Macedonian empires.
• How did Princess Diana influence the Royal Family’s image ?
• Write about Magna Carta and its legacy.
• Discuss short-lived Chinese dynasties and their demise.
• Joan of Arc’s image throughout the ages .
• Explore the British Empire’s conflicts with its colonies.
• What was Caesar’s role in spreading Latin in Europe?
• The ideological background for 20 th -century civil wars.

Research Proposal Topics in English and World Literature

If you’re passionate about reading , this section is for you. From Dostoyevsky to Austen, this list contains only the most engaging prompts in literature.

• The character of Sonya Marmeladova in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment . Sonya Marmeladova is one of the most appealing and sympathetic characters in world literature. A teenage girl, she is the embodiment of kindness and allegiance, which is not changed by the fact that she has to work as a prostitute to support her family. Analyzing her character can be an excellent research project topic.
• Tragic love in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet . The tragic story of Romeo and Juliet’s love is perhaps one of the most well-known stories in the world. It may prove a good writing topic for any course in English literature.
• The real-life plausibility of the role of Dorian’s portrait in Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray . The picture of Dorian played the role of a “moral mirror” for the protagonist of the story. But would a real-world person such as Dorian pay so much attention to such a portrait, if they had it? This is a good research question that can be investigated further.
• The character of Eliza Doolittle in G. B. Shaw’s Pygmalion . In Shaw’s play, a simple flower girl turned into a refined woman after Professor Henry Higgins taught her. Her unique transformation may be studied further if you choose this sample idea as your research proposal topic.
• Melville’s Moby-Dick : a story of a captain’s folly. One of the greatest novels in the history of American literature is devoted to Captain Ahab, planning his revenge on a white whale named Moby Dick. Would such anthropomorphization of a whale make sense in real-life, though? Selecting this as a research paper topic may help you find more about this question.
• Jane Eyre : the story of Cinderella by C. Brontë. Does the complicated and multifaceted nature of Jane Eyre make it a Cinderella story? Further study of C. Brontë’s masterpiece may be one of the best proposal ideas for your research.
• Analysis of Poe’s writing style in The Raven .
• Lost hope in Hemingway’s  A Farewell to Arms . 
• Racial discrimination in Uncle Tom’s Cabin .
• Explore white normativity in Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby .
• What is the proposed image of Prometheus in Frankenstein ?
• Freudian concepts of sexuality in The Monk .
• Gender expectations and the Bronte sisters’ works.
• Study the anatomical imagery in The Merchant of Venice .
• Domestic animals in T.S. Eliot’s poetry.
• Vanity Fair : are its main characters realistic or symbolic?

Chemistry Research Proposal Topic Ideas

Do you enjoy analyzing what our world is made of? With a research proposal in chemistry , you can do precisely that. Whether you’re into inorganic or biochemistry, this section has what you need.

• The impact of the temperature on chemical reaction speed. Generally speaking, higher temperature means that chemical reactions occur faster. Investigating in greater detail why this happens may be an interesting research topic for high school students.
• The use of organometallic compounds in the industry. Organometallic compounds play a vital role in modern chemistry and widely used in numerous spheres of production. Studying their profits might prove an interesting research proposal idea.
• The use of organic solvents in the contemporary world. Organic solvents are essential today, being widely used for a variety of purposes. Studying them might be a great research idea for a proposal.
• The difference between covalent and ionic bonds. Covalent and ionic bonds are two of the most important types of chemical bonds between atoms. Further elucidating the similarities and differences between them is a worthwhile research proposal idea for high school students.
• The mechanisms of reaction catalysis and inhibition. Chemical catalysts and inhibitors are widely used in the contemporary world to quicken or slow down the speed of chemical reactions. The mechanism by which catalysts and inhibitors work could prove a worthwhile paper topic.
• Chemically related toxicants: their impact on human health. Chemical toxicants may be present as contaminants released by factories. Another way toxicants can exist is pollution and the results of environmental effects. In your chemistry research proposal, examine how to prevent potential toxic influence on human lives.
• Allergy and chemistry: interrelations. If you’re looking for high school research proposal titles, analyze this topic. Every year more and more people suffer from allergies. Investigate what role chemistry and toxicants play in increased disease rates.
• Respiratory toxicity: Chlorine . Chlorine is a toxicant that is exposed from plastic, paper, and chlorinated chemicals. Research the impact of Chlorine on health. How can organic home cleaning products usage lower risks of allergic rhinitis?
• Anthropogenic chemicals in the contemporary world. We face anthropogenic chemicals everywhere in our daily life. Industrial, consumer, and agricultural activities cause chemicals emissions. Investigating this issue can help you build an outstanding title list for further research.
• Toxicity profiling and its importance. Toxicity profiling can become a great research area for college and university students. Find out more about sample toxicity profiling and its purposes.
• Chemistry of LSD.
• Chemistry of synaptic transmitters.
• Alchemy in relation to physics.
• Study the potential usage of hybrid materials.
• Discuss ways to develop novel catalysts through organics.
• Atom movement and modeling of artificial molecules.
• Heterogeneous environment: impact on subatomic particle transfer.
• What are the developments in correcting cell function abnormalities?
• Review safe alternatives for contamination procedures.
• Explore the role of metal oxide catalysts in energy renewal.

Psychology Research Proposal Example Topics

In many ways, human mind remains a mystery. That’s probably one of the main reasons why psychology is such a fascinating subject. Do you want to dive into an uncharted territory or stay on the beaten track? You decide!

• Importance of being knowledgeable about cognitive psychology. Exploring people’s thought processes can be among the most exciting cognitive psychology research proposal ideas.
• The role of family in the socialization of an individual . Family plays a critical role in a person’s life, surrounding them from their childhood, providing them with food and shelter, and educating them. However, it’s important to know how a family socializes a child growing up.
• The potential consequences of an untreated post-traumatic stress disorder . PTSD is a condition that may develop in an individual after a highly traumatic event. It needs treatment, or it may have a profoundly adverse influence on the life of that individual. It’s pivotal to realize how exactly PTSD may impact a person’s life, which makes this a good research topic for a paper.
• The phenomenon of bullying in high schools from a psychological point of view . It’s unfortunate that in many contemporary high schools, bullying still poses a significant problem . It may have a serious adverse effect on the victims of bullying, so it’s pivotal to understand the reasons for bullying and the mechanisms that the victims may use to defend themselves.
• Sociopathy (ASPD) and psychopathy: similarities and differences. The terms “sociopathy” and “psychopathy” may often be confused by non-professionals. However, important differences between the conditions exist, and it’s paramount to understand them well.
• The psychological causes of employee resistance to change. Employees in various companies often tend to resist organizational change. Nevertheless, such resistance may sometimes have an adverse influence on organizational performance.
• Empathy from an evolutionary point of view. It’s likely that empathy—the ability to comprehend what another person feels—is a trait that emerged in humans as a part of an evolutionary process. Examining the matter further from can be an excellent evolutionary psychology research proposal.
• Jean Piaget’s contribution to psychology
• Role of methodology in developmental research
• Overcompensation of gender roles in single-mother households.
• Little Albert experiment : where did it go wrong?
• Freud and feminism: do they go together?
• Is aromanticism a choice or not?
• Discuss the trial-and-error method in choosing a therapy.
• Explore the psychology behind Mandela’s effect.
• Aging without children: what are the potential substitutes?
• Pinker’s Better Angels thesis: unchanged violence perception.

Research Proposal Topics in Philosophy

What is good and evil? Philosophers have been asking questions like this for centuries. You can join their pondering with a research proposal topic from the list below.

• Theodicy in the works of medieval philosophers. Theodicy, or the explanation of why God permits the existence of evil , was always a serious problem for religious philosophy. Medieval philosophers made numerous attempts to create a plausible theodicy. Whether they were successful or not can be demonstrated if the problem is selected as a research topic for your study.
• Refutation of proofs of God’s existence in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason . Medieval philosophers tried hard to prove that God exists, but their “proofs” were all similar, wrote Kant. The great German philosopher argued that there are only a few main types of such proofs, and all of them do not work. Choose this as a research topic for your paper and find out why.
• Aristotelian Physics : verbalization of the “intuitively obvious.” Physics is a collection of works by Aristotle that deals with describing the physical world. Having no access to the experimental methods of science, Greek philosophers used reasoning, intuition, and speculation to build their theories. Aristotelian Physics is similar: it describes the physical world precisely as it intuitively appears to human senses.
• The concept of political power in John Searle’s works. John Searle is a contemporary American philosopher-analyst whose works cover a broad range of topics, from a philosophy of language and mind to political philosophy. Researching his ideas about political power can prove quite fruitful.
• The role of Aristotle’s works in the medieval Christian philosophy. Aristotle played a pivotal role in the development of medieval philosophy in Europe. Many philosophers of the Middle Ages based their philosophical theories and systems on what Aristotle had written. Studying Aristotelian influences on medieval philosophers is a great research topic.
• Thomas More’s Utopia and Tommaso Campanella’s The City of the Sun : a comparison of two utopias. Utopia and The City of the Sun are some of the most famous utopian writings in the history of philosophy; in fact, the very genre was named after More’s work. Comparing the two works can prove an interesting endeavor.
• Roger Bacon as the father of the experimental method in science. Roger Bacon is widely regarded as the person who introduced experimental method of inquiry into science. Investigate his works, as well as the context in which he worked. You will understand how Roger Bacon developed this idea if the proposed issue is chosen as a research topic for your study.
• What is the meaning of life?
• Ideas of philosophy and religion in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .
• How to deny the antecedent to enhance the argument.
• Define the meaning of a “norm” in its modern sense.
• Transhumanism: is digital immortality possible?
• Study the notions of free will and regret.
• Truthmaking: why are information gaps necessary?
• What do philosophical zombies mean for anti-materialism?
• Hume and miracles: a pro-religious justification.
• Is noncombatant immunity a beacon for warfare ethics?

Research Proposal Topics in Development Studies

The evolution of states and nations is at the core of developmental studies. You can observe this process from various perspectives. These include political, social, or cultural points of view.

• Education and success : interrelations. Explore the relations between success and education. Analyze the correlation between education, quality of life, and high living standards.
• Human rights: the impact of non-government organizations and social movements. Investigate how various social movements and NGOs impact and promote human rights in different countries.
• Conflicts and their impact on livelihood. The countries with conflicts are at risk of wars eruption, which will cause deaths and poor living conditions. Researching how conflicts must be addressed to avoid the problems mentioned above might be interesting if you’re searching for good project topics in development studies.
• Waste management programs: how they influence society. Nowadays, there are plenty of waste management projects and programs. Research this issue and analyze its impact on society, environment, and economics. You can examine the Swedish experience and suggest your waste management program.
• Women empowerment: how it contributes to women’s independence. Women empowerment programs significantly impact their autonomy and self-development. However, in some regions, women still have little or no access to education. Research how vocational education impacts empowering women in different societies.
• Social institutions and economic development: interrelations. Social institutions play a significant role in ensuring the well-being of citizens. In your study, you can explore how various social institutions contribute to the economic development of the country.
• The role of social movements in promoting equality. Minorities often face inequality and injustice, especially in countries where people have a diverse ethnic, religious, and economic background. In your research paper, highlight how various social movements ensure equality in a particular country.
• Globalization and the country’s development. We live in a world where countries can’t survive without multilateral relations. Analyze how international relations influence the economic growth of a country.
• Women leaders and their role in the country’s development. Many years women were not allowed to hold leadership positions. Even now female leaders often face criticism. In your research proposal, evaluate the perception of women leaders and their role in country’s development.
• How does globalization affect public health?
• Is microfinance in low-income communities a salvation?
• What does aging imply for one’s income level?
• Developing countries: what is in demand?
• Study capital accumulation in Taiwanese households.
• Review insurance risks in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Explore the saving habits of women in India.
• What did the current generation inherit from the Great Depression era?
• What are the reasons behind excessive urban bias in Latin America?
• Is pollution in developing countries inevitable?
• Caribbean states: external influences and countermeasure policies.

Medical Research Proposal Sample Topics

Thorough medical research is vital for human survival and wellbeing. The human body harbors many mysteries that need exploring. If you want to contribute to solving the puzzle, check out this section.

• Addictions among young people: treatment and prevention. Provide ideas for the treatment of young people and ways to help them live a drug-free life. Suggest concepts to prevent addictions to video games , alcohol, drugs, etc.
• Healthcare equality for minorities. Various minority groups may face inequality in healthcare. Analyze why the disparities occur for a certain minority group. Provide your suggestions on how to decrease the rates of under-insured minority representatives across the country.
• Healthcare in rural areas. People in backcountry often have limited or no access to adequate treatment. You can investigate and provide suggestions on how to improve quality of healthcare in these areas.
• Movement disorders: treatment. Neurologic conditions like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s are destructive for both the patient and their family. Assess ways to treat these conditions and help patients.
• Childhood obesity: prevention. According to the OECD report , one in six children suffers from obesity. Examine recent studies and suggest new concepts for obesity treatment and prevention.
• Pediatric transplants: patient survival. In your proposal, you can examine new drugs aimed to minimize the side effects of the treatment regimens or analyze challenges in the treatment of transplanted patients.
• Health education in high school . Numerous surveys show that more than 50% of parents are dissatisfied with the quality of health education their children receive at school. Suggest ideas to improve the quality of educational programs. What issues should they cover?
• Stress and depression among the youth. Stress-related disorders are common among students. Recent studies show that almost 75% of children up to 18 years with anxiety also suffer from depression. You can investigate ways to prevent depression and anxiety disorders.
• Mental health education. Examine the importance of proper mental health education in school, along with traditional health topics like abortions or drug abuse.
• What are the safer routes of estrogen intake for risk groups?
• Discuss disease prevention for pregnant women.
• Review the pros and cons of revascularization in older patients.
• Negligence of donor organs: who else can be potential patients?
• The dark side of sports: diseases in athletes.
• Assess the accuracy of noninvasive screening.
• Delayed surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a difficult choice.
• Shift distribution in nursing : what are the adverse health outcomes?
• Sub-fertility in men and women: similarities and differences.

Biology Research Proposal Sample Topics

Biology is not just about watching birds or inspecting plants. The science of life has much to offer. If you choose to write a paper on this subject, why not study microbiology? Or maybe epidemiology? There is much left to understand about the organisms inhabiting this planet.

• Stem cell research: cloning. Examine the ethics of cloning and its effect on social development. Research what implications cloning may have on society.
• Honey bees’ disappearance. Research causes of mass disappearance of bees. What impact can it have on the agricultural industry? Provide suggestions on how to prevent its negative consequences.
• Cancer, stress, and treatment. Assess studies related to cancer and its causes. What role does stress play in cancer treatment? How can the atmosphere in hospitals help patients get better?
• Heart health and stimulants: interrelations. Examine the correlation between stimulants and risks of heart diseases.
• Diets and healthy food . Explore the most popular diets. How do they affect a person’s health? Are there any benefits of eating only certain vegetables and fruits?
• Pregnancy and hormones. Investigate how maternal hormones in the first trimester impact the risk of breast cancer. It can be a great topic for your Ph.D. dissertation since there is a lack of research on this issue. Most research works are related to the later gestation period.
• Human impact on marine life. Analyze how the Fukushima disaster influenced marine life and its effect on species population. What are the ways to protect rare or endangered species from radiation?
• Drug medicine in pediatrics. Discuss the ethics of drug prescription on children. Explore ways to improve pediatric drug trials and development.
• Indoor life and diseases : correlations. Modern life involves mostly indoor lifestyle. Analyze how it affects people’s ability to contract diseases. Is there a connection between the H1N1 flu epidemic and indoor life?
• Genetic engineering: what is possible in 2024?
• Discuss virus mutations and available means to prevent them.
• Explore priors in relation to epidemics.
• What biological factors influence a country’s economic stability?
• Recovery of endangered species: what obstacles persist?
• Discuss the possible health effects of living on another planet .
• Study botanical structures in advanced artificial designs.
• What are the adverse effects of bioremediation in suburban areas?
• Rudimentary organs: which can be the next one?

Environmental Research Proposal Topics

Environmental disasters are happening at an unprecedented rate. Finding ways to combat them is an urgent mission. That’s why many countries made environmental issues a top priority on their political agendas.

• World’s coral reefs: how to prevent destruction. Provide ideas for the environmental management of the countries that will help to decrease the reefs’ destruction .
• Climate change: a scientific approach. Share your ideas on why governments criticize the Climate Change Agreement. Examine the Paris Climate Agreement and point out its weaknesses.
• LED lights and their role in environmental protection. LED lights become more and more popular. You can find them everywhere: in TVs, computers, and even cars. Point out why LED light bulbs are better than the traditional one and how they impact the environment.
• Acid rains and endangered species . Pollution is a significant issue, and one of the popular environmental proposal topics. Analyze the impact of acid rain on marine life and wildlife.
• Clothing industry and their impact on water contamination. Production of one T-shirt requires over 2,700 liters of water . Provide suggestions on how fashion trendsetters can impact the production of clothing. Suggest how upcycling programs can reduce water pollution.
• Alternative energy and transportation. Investigate whether alternative fuel vehicles can replace traditional ones. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative energy.
• Fukushima disaster, Arkhangelsk explosion, and Chernobyl. Examine these three disasters: what role did a human factor play? Provide your ideas on how to prevent similar tragedies.
• Radon: how to protect families from its impact? Radon is a radioactive gas that can enter peoples’ homes through cracks in the home’s foundation. Investigate its effects on health and suggest concepts aimed to protect families from radon.
• Rainforests and their ecosystem. It’s a widely known fact that Amazon rainforests play a significant role in life on our planet. Assess the ecosystem of the rainforest and suggest methods aimed at rainforests restoration.
• How does invasive grass impact plants in arid lands?
• How do we regulate wildfire’s naturally beneficial functions?
• Review riparian forests’ role in carbon regulation.
• Explore the human factor in phenology-related disruptions.
• Describe successful watershed initiatives and their features.
• How can we replicate temperature tolerance in fish?
• Assess the environmental value of rangelands compared to other areas.
• Thriving ecosystems : what prevents their degradation?
• Modern species extinction: what happens when humans are uninvolved?
• Review existing instruments in predicting climate variability.

Research Proposal Topics in International Relations

Thanks to globalization, humanity is more interconnected than ever. How do various states, NGOs, and other global actors interact with each other? That’s the critical question of international relations. This subject contains aspects of economics, politics, and law.

• Female political leaders and their interaction specifics. Traditions inspire many political factors. Recently, women started bringing something new to it. For example, they eased the tension, especially in formal interactions.
• Representing a nation’s interest: who is the target audience? A country is at the most united while interacting with other nations. It has to present a consistent position. However, it doesn’t always reflect what the majority wants.
• The socio-economic system’s impact on foreign relations. Currently, there is a clash between two opposite views on production. Their differences might pose problems to cooperation.
• Wealth discrepancies: developing countries adopting free market approach. Many countries in the world currently require financial help. Providing it may lead to dependency on more prosperous partners. How can they adapt to capitalism?
• Free-trade organizations and their underlining political potential. Some people claim that countries in unions benefit only economically. However, they also build strong relations in other spheres. Besides, their membership may influence the union’s decision-making.
• State sovereignty : the extent of one’s independence. The countries involved in global cooperation are considered sovereign. You can debate whether we can say it about the countries dependent on others.
• The United Nation’s recent successes and failures. The organization is an influential actor on a global scale. It’s responsible for mitigating conflicts and disasters. However, not all of its initiatives are fruitful, such as Sudan.
• A personality in foreign policies: possible negative outcomes. Branches of the government cooperate on the unified state agenda. However, political leaders may eclipse this effort. For instance, their position can be unrelated to the country’s actual needs.
• Nationalism among global problems: advantages and risks . Currently, many issues require international cooperation . Still, some solutions may be harmful to particular countries.
• Debate takeover’s relevance to modern global discourse. Throughout history, countries were driven by their desire to conquer. See if this approach has transformed or outlived its purpose.
• Analyze barriers to nuclear disarming in the US.
• How do global companies affect native populations?
• What’s the impact of the liberal approach on long-lasting conflicts?
• Analyze favoritism in global relations.
• Discuss equality issues in smaller countries.
• Fake news in diplomacy and potential issues.
• Write about human rights promotion in autocracies.
• How does xenophobia influence diplomatic relations?
• Economic sanctions: how do they punish the population?
• Pick a local issue and discuss international responses to it.

Topics for a Research Proposal: Economics

It’s nice to have goods and valuables. But it’s also relevant to know how to properly handle them. Economics looks into how people produce, consume, and otherwise interact with resources.

• Subtle ways of violating workers’ rights. A government may present itself as a supporter of the working class. Study how actions such as prioritizing corporate interests reveal their real goals.
• Minimum wage equivalents in the freelance setting. A commission-based job has many advantages. However, the drawbacks are also numerous. Review them in your proposal.
• Income growth: which groups might be missing? The overall tendency for people is to earn more. Yet, it’s not always the case for minorities. See what the reasons behind it are.
• Newer industries fearing the power of unions. The benefits of labor unions are well-known. It includes better working environments and payment. But you may argue that corporations consider unions a nuisance.
• Homelessness: are we not addressing the problem’s root? Some communities have spent their budgets on making common spots for homeless people inaccessible. Yet, the underlying causes of this condition remain unresolved.
• Green proposals and initiatives: what are the reasons for rejection? Politicians have been offering plans to alleviate ecological damages. Yet, they are criticized by the representatives of the affected economic sectors.
• Federal aid: issues with transparency and legislature. Local and state governments manage their finances independently. Still, they remain under restrictions. It forces them to rely on higher-level support during difficult times.
• The fiduciary rule: who wants it revised? This rule aims to protect the customers’ interests in choosing investment plans. Discuss why some stakeholders view the initiative as an obstacle.
• Region-based wage increases: a potential temporary solution. The solution’s ultimate goal is to influence the federal wage. That’s why its proponents find regional proposals distracting. You can argue that they could work as a transitional mechanism.
• The US and migrant labor global standards. The issue with immigrants persists. Amid the crisis, select states strive to improve the situation. Does the federal level ignore international regulations?
• Wage suppression: what factors lead to it?
• Recent trade agreements’ implications for industry workers.
• How did COVID-19 affect farmworkers?
• Who are the potential benefactors for infrastructure investments?
• How do massive job losses impact state economies?
• Decreased economic growth: what could accelerate it?
• Why are pensions the central drawing aspect of a teacher’s profession ?
• New taxation suggestions: will the rich suffer?
• What should the fiscal policy target?
• Tipping regulation policies and related issues.

Criminal Justice Research Proposal Topics

Criminal justice deals with the identification, judgment, and punishment of criminals. It encompasses three spheres: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.

• Crime and emergencies. Is it true that a lot of crimes are committed during public emergencies? If so, what can be done to prevent them?
• The relationship between the police and people of different ethnicities. Can diverse police departments and body cameras prevent police violence? In what ways does the perception of police officers affect public safety?
• The efficiency of drug courts. What is the long-term effect of drug courts participation? Do they help or hurt people? What improvements can be made?
• The impact of parents’ incarceration on children. Children whose parents are imprisoned are indeed more likely to develop psychological problems. How can that be prevented? Who should take care of the children?
• How does gender influence criminal punishment? Men are more likely to get the death penalty. Why? Are women mistreated in court?
• Can gun control reduce crimes?
• How can drug trafficking be prevented?
• Can the death penalty ever be a fair punishment?
• Will the legalization of prostitution cause more crimes or reduce them?

Qualitative Research Proposal Sample Topics

Are you more of a hands-on student? Does conducting interviews and fieldwork sound exciting to you? Then writing a proposal for qualitative research is the right thing for you.

• Beauty standards: women’s perception of themselves and others. The definition of beauty exists in society as an unspoken rule. Not everyone is fortunate to fit it. What does it entail?
• Feminism as an all-encompassing movement: opposing perspectives. Feminism has evolved from being about women to covering all gender rights. However, anti-feminist and notions continue to exist. See why some people insist on creating separate campaigns.
• The silent majority in non-democratic countries. Many such countries have a high population that could overthrow the regime. However, they seem content with the situation. Find a logical explanation for this phenomenon.
• Likes and reposts: how do they affect people? Social media are not just spots for sharing and discussing topics. They’re also about fame. Certain users make it their mission to achieve it.
• The allure of foreign media. Anime and Korean pop music have found success in the US. Discuss what makes them appealing to the audience.
• Successful women: what are their resilience factors? Some industries discriminate against their older female workers. However, opposite examples are also common. Demonstrate how a woman can stay on top at any age.
• The adult industry: how should we regulate it? People involved in the sex industry are often subject to abuse. The government makes attempts to prevent it. Would it be reasonable to ban the sector completely?
• Counter urbanization: why do people leave cities with opportunities? A new trend is moving into the countryside away from noise and pollution. Discuss what makes former city-dwellers make such a choice.
• Modern readers and their habits. People reading less is a topical issue. Analyze how people’s interactions with books have evolved.
• How hesitant decision-making affects abusive households . When abuse happens in a family, the sufferers often will trust experts to resolve the problem. But sometimes, the process can become complicated.
• What can people do to save the marine life?
• Study race-based differences in accounts of police forces.
• How do you convince a child with disabilities not to give up?
• Research what happens when children’s favorite teacher retires.
• Review the methods of late-life language learning .
• What are the main obstacles when parting with one’s first job ?
• How are people with a Ph.D. degree perceived by society?
• Overweight people: what helps them the most?
• Subcultures of the past: are they coming back?
• Dealing with previously undiscovered diseases in children.

Quantitative Research Proposal Topics to Write About

If math doesn’t scare you, quantitative research might be what you’re looking for. It’s suitable for everything: from agriculture to microeconomics. Quantifying data collection and analysis is at the heart of this research method.

• Women’s contribution to the US economy . Since gaining equal rights, women started to work and buy goods actively. Assess the importance of their presence in the main economic sectors.
• The limited coverage of alternative energy sources. The world has known safer power generation means for years. Still, their usage remains limited. Discuss whether expansion is possible.
• Public security in democracies and modern autocracies. Security is one of our primary values. Sometimes people are willing to sacrifice their freedoms for it. But does it mean that less democratic countries are more secure?
• Cybercrimes: their rise and potential damage scope . Digitalization comes at a price. We can see it with criminal activity on the Internet. Discuss the forms of such activities.
• Online information sources vs. traditional media . Today, people have more news outlets than ever. Children start using social media from an early age. Yet, TV and newspapers might still have a large audience. What are their advantages?
• Violence is on the decline: myth or reality? The current time is relatively peaceful compared to earlier periods. Yet, violent incidents still happen. You can debate the trend’s universal nature in your paper.
• Natural disasters: does human activity affect their frequency? Earthquakes, landslides, and hurricanes have always posed a danger to people. Recently, they became more frequent than before. Is humanity involved in causing them?
• Smartphones as a catalyst for local decision-making. Today almost everyone owns a multi-functional mobile device. In what case can their use be an administrative issue?
• Social justice movements and feasible workplace outcomes. The recent years have seen several positive upheavals concerning women and minority groups. Evaluate their impact on employee discrimination around the world.
• Space exploration and environment: misguided priorities? Some believe that saving the Earth is hopeless. Thus, colonizing other planets is the solution. Could the money spent on those technologies have solved global issues?
• Discuss the millennials’ inclination towards volunteering.
• What’s the impact of streaming on the music industry ?
• Study cryptocurrencies and related tax evasion issues.
• Review recent trajectories in US media censorship.
• How successful are crowdfunding websites?
• Is it reasonable to choose homeschooling to avoid school shootings?
• LGBTQ’s mainstream media portrayal: a quantitative analysis.
• How do oil spills damage marine life?
• Does autocorrect function affect literacy levels in students?
• Assess satisfaction with medical services against their price.

Easy Research Proposal Topics for Students

A research doesn’t have to be about rocket science. Easy topics can be just as effective. Check out our collection of simple research proposal topics:

• Height reduction in children and older adults. Many people think that senior citizens are shorter than other age groups. Are all demographics affected by vertical changes?
• The Earth spins, but no one feels it. Some people still believe that the planet is flat. They argue that it’s so because we do not feel any movement. In fact, the sphere has certain features that prevent it. What are they?
• What is the mechanism of vaccination? Some fear being vaccinated and prefer contracting viruses to develop immunity. It comes from not entirely understanding how vaccines work. How do they offer safer protection?
• Evolution of wings and humanity’s dreams of flying. People have always dreamed of conquering the sky. Evolution deprived them of such a skill. The dinosaur’s direct descendants were rewarded instead: common birds.
• Color perception in animals: humans vs. pets. Humans can see the world in all its glory. Yet, other creatures are not necessarily capable of that. Even cats’ and dogs’ color perception is limited.
• Time travel: is it only possible in fiction? Many movies and TV shows use the concept of time traveling. Perhaps the future will make it possible, but under what conditions?
• How did the Solar System’s structure change over time? At some point, the Earth had eight accompanying planets. Later, the classification was overhauled. The system expanded, but it cost Pluto its planet status. What other changes occurred throughout history?
• The extent of regeneration: cells and organs. Humans are surprisingly capable of recovering from wounds. Does it also extend to whole organs?
• Current issues with space exploration and colonization. Decades ago, humanity managed to put people on the Moon. Since then, other space advancements have been made. Why weren’t they on the same scale?
• The origins of the modern-day Western calendar. Christian nations live according to the numerical system allegedly starting from Christ’s birth. It also includes seven days based on his life, although it predates him by long.
• Salt in tears and blood: is it the same?
• Assess noise sensitivity during sleep and intensive work.
• What determines the uniqueness of fingerprints?
• Alternative energy generators and how they work.
• What determines if a smell is unpleasant?
• How do optical illusions work ?
• Why do people’s preferences and hobbies change with age?
• What’s the purpose of bird songs?
• Dangerous wildfires: how much is humanity at fault?
• Animal extinction: potential impacts on other species.

If you still want to find some more topics, you are welcome to check science research proposal topics on our blog to make your academic writing life much easier.

📝   How to Write a Project Proposal

Before you start working on the proposal itself, it’s pivotal to understand the standard proposal writing format.

Every academic paper has defined rules to follow, so let’s take a look at the research proposal structure.

Components of Research Proposal

Typically, a research proposal consists of a title, abstract, introduction, research methodology, research results, discussion, ethical considerations, and references.

At the beginning stage, you should choose an interesting proposal title to investigate. It may sound unbelievable, but a carefully chosen title can do half the job in persuading your audience.

In this article, you’ll find research proposal topics in many different areas. It’s always easier to choose one if you have a list of proposal topics to browse. Once you’ve chosen your topic, make your research proposal title catchy and relevant.

Next, every research proposal needs an abstract. This part of your paper has a limited word count, typically between 100 and 300 words. If you want to convince your research committee in just a few lines, you should take this stage very seriously.

The abstract must summarize your research proposal, so it’s better to write it after the rest of your paper is done.

Introduction

This is a standard part of every paper, but different documents include various elements in their introductory texts.

A research proposal introduction should contain the following three parts:

Research Methodology

When writing a research proposal, you need to describe the methods you’ve used. It will make your work more credible and allow the readers to evaluate it properly.

Your methodology helps you carry out your research. It serves as a basis for any academic paper, and it’s closely connected with your research question.

Research Results

You may be wondering how you can write the research proposal results when you haven’t actually conducted the research yet.

Well, don’t worry—you’re not expected to draw final conclusions at this stage. Instead, just try to analyze what research proposal results you’ll get after your project is done and how those results will impact your field of study or the world at large.

This is an important part of your paper because it explains to the research committee whether or not your results will be worth the effort. Try to persuade the audience that you can get important results, but never promise too much.

Research Discussion

It’s okay to face some problems with your research, whether it’s trouble getting an interview from a foreign professor or having the funds to complete an expensive experiment.

Just don’t try to hide from the research committee the things you can’t do for your project. Instead, discuss them with your committee so they can have the whole picture and give you helpful advice on your research. Who knows—maybe one of them can introduce you to this foreign professor!

Ethical Considerations

If your research is conducted on people or animals, you should mention how you’re going to collect your data. Make sure your research proposal methodology doesn’t conflict with ethical guidelines.

References and Appendices

No research paper can be written without reading and studying dozens of sources. You site them all in the References section . If you have any questionnaires for your research proposal or any other documents related to your investigation, include them all in the appendices .

Outline of a Research Proposal: Step by Step

STEP #1. Write the abstract.

How should you write your research proposal abstract? Explain the primary problem you want to explore and tell why it’s important:

The next step is writing a research methodology section.

STEP #2. Introduce your methodological approach.

To choose a methodological approach, you need to analyze your research question. Do it from the following points of view:

STEP #3. Introduce your data collection methods.

Depending on how you answered the previous questions, choose which types of data you will need for your research:

• Primary data that you collect yourself.
• Secondary data , already available and presented by someone else.

Here are the main methods of primary data collection:

• Surveys are perfect for assignments where you need to gather information from a group of people. It can be done in the form of a questionnaire or as an interview.
• Observation is used when you need to see how something occurs in natural conditions.
• An experiment is a set of procedures conducted in order to test a theory.

Secondary data is usually obtained from books and articles. The main method here is the literature review , where you analyze and evaluate information from the source.

STEP #4. Describe your methods of analysis.

The methods of analysis can be qualitative or quantitative.

• T-tests estimate the difference between the means of two groups (e.g., populations of two cities)
• Simple linear regression analysis estimates the relationship between two variables (e.g., amount of rainfall and crop growth)
• Multiple regression analysis estimates the relationships between one dependent and several independent variables (e.g., pneumonia in people of different ages)
• Content analysis (e.g., the use of certain words in texts)
• Thematic analysis (e.g., to identify common topics in texts)
• Discourse analysis (e.g., to analyze the text in relation to its social context)

STEP #5. Justify your choices.

Here you should explain why you’ve chosen a particular methodology for your project. Show why your approach is the most appropriate one, and why other methods are not suitable. Here’s the list of the most common disadvantages:

• T-tests become unreliable when the normal distribution of data is violated.
• In simple linear regression , the results are often over-simplified.
• Multiple regression analysis can sometimes use incomplete data.
• Content analysis can disregard important nuances.
• Thematic and discourse analysis can be too subjective.

Research Proposal Cover Page & Format

Every academic paper has defined rules to follow, so let’s take a look at the research proposal writing format.

Research Proposal Title Page

The front page of a proposal includes the following:

• Your name ;
• Your project’s title ;
• Name of the institution or organization you’re applying to;
• Name and contact information of your research’s supervisor ;
• Submission date .

Formatting and References

Remember to make a reference to every article or website that you used to write your research proposal, and only use credible sources for your study, such as books and peer-reviewed articles. You are usually required to cite your sources in one of the existing citing styles, such as APA or MLA .

Research Proposal Timeline

A timeline is a plan that indicates the milestones of your research and the dates at which you could realistically achieve these milestones. Time schedules are especially important for lengthy researches.

Here are the milestones that you can include in your timeline:

• Research proposal completion
• Literature review
• Conducting experiments
• Data analysis
• First draft completion
• Rewriting and editing
• Final draft.

It’s handy to have two versions of the same timeline. First, make a shorter one to include in your research proposal. Then, write a more detailed version for your personal reference.

📄 Undergraduate Research Proposal Sample

Finally, we’ve prepared a research proposal example (MLA format) to help you better understand your task. Feel free to download it below.

This study examines the effect of mobile educational applications on pre-school children and their academic achievements. The research was conducted by studying and analyzing the information provided by similar previously conducted researches. The interpretive methods, which focus on understanding a phenomenon comprehensively, and secondary data collection, were used for this research.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Have any interesting questions or ideas? Let us know in the comments!

Learn more on this topic:

• Research Proposal Help: Amazing Resources, Tips & Tools
• Best Research Proposal: How to Write, Sample and Tips
• The Importance of a Research Proposal: Purpose and Advantages

🔗  References

• Research Process, A Step-by-Step Approach: Nash Library & Student Learning Commons at Gannon University
• How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: LibGuides at Cornell University
• Effective Writing: Grammar Rules
• Making an Outline, Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Research Guides at University of Southern California
• A Guide for Proposal Writing: The National Science Foundation
• What’s the Best Business Proposal Format: Bplans, Palo Alto Software, Inc.
• How to Write a Business Proposal, A Basic Guide: The Balance Small Business
• How to Write Your Research Proposal: University of Westminster, London
• Medical Students Topics: Medscape
• Psychology Research Paper Topics, 50+ Great Ideas: Kendra Cherry, Verywell Mind
• Topics: HISTORY, A&E Television Networks, LLC.
• 10 Best Proposal Examples [With Critical Critiques]: Mary Cullen, Instructional Solution
• Free Business Proposal Templates: Proposify
• Writing Your Research ProposaL: Oxford University Department for Continuing Education
• Writing a Good PhD Research Proposal: FindAPhD
• Nick Bostrom’s Home Page: Nick Bostrom
• Research Priorities: Minerva Research Initiative
• Generate Topic Ideas Quickly and Easily: Online Research Library Questia
• Faculty Research Topics: USC Viterbi, School of Engineering
• Writing Research Proposals: University of California, Berkeley
• Finding a project: Washington State University
• Undergraduate Sample Research Topics: Political Science: Western Michigan University
• World History: Britannica
• Literature Topics and Research: Purdue University
• Most Downloaded Journal of Business Research Articles: Elsevier
• Recent Research Topics on Management: Research Gate
• Business Administration: Academia.edu
• Sample Business Proposals: Proposal Kit
• Political Science Research and Methods: Cambridge University Press
• Articles: Frontiers of Business Research in China: Springer Open
• Management Science/Operations Research: Emerald.com
• Working Knowledge: Business Research for Business Leaders: Harvard Business School
• Education Research: EdSurge
• Special Education: American Institutes for Research
• Special Education Research Programs: US Department of Education
• Early Childhood Education Research: Australian Council for Education Research
• Research Areas: Department of Chemistry: Stanford University
• Research: Chemistry World
• Metaphysics and Epistemology: PhilPapers
• Research Programs in Development Studies: Princeton University
• Research Articles: The BMJ
• Medical Research News: Medical Xpress
• Nature Research: Nature.com
• Research Topics: Natural Resources and Environment: The University of Arizona
• Areas of Research: Economic Policy Institute
• International Affairs: RAND
• International Relations: SAGE Journals
• Quantitative Research Topics: Frontiers In
• Articles on Curious Kids: The Conversation
• Study of Impacts of Global Warming on Climate Change: Rise in Sea Level and Disaster Frequency: IntechOpen
• Research Methodology: Open.edu
• Background Research: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
• Background Research: LibGuides at University of Connecticut
• Data Analysis: The Office of Research Integrity: HHS.gov
• Five Principles for Research Ethics: American Psychological Association
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How to write a research proposal

What is a research proposal?

What is the purpose of a research proposal , how long should a research proposal be, what should be included in a research proposal, 1. the title page, 2. introduction, 3. literature review, 4. research design, 5. implications, 6. reference list, frequently asked questions about writing a research proposal, related articles.

If you’re in higher education, the term “research proposal” is something you’re likely to be familiar with. But what is it, exactly? You’ll normally come across the need to prepare a research proposal when you’re looking to secure Ph.D. funding.

When you’re trying to find someone to fund your Ph.D. research, a research proposal is essentially your “pitch.”

A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research.

You’ll need to set out the issues that are central to the topic area and how you intend to address them with your research. To do this, you’ll need to give the following:

• an outline of the general area of study within which your research falls
• an overview of how much is currently known about the topic
• a literature review that covers the recent scholarly debate or conversation around the topic

➡️  What is a literature review? Learn more in our guide.

Essentially, you are trying to persuade your institution that you and your project are worth investing their time and money into.

It is the opportunity for you to demonstrate that you have the aptitude for this level of research by showing that you can articulate complex ideas:

It also helps you to find the right supervisor to oversee your research. When you’re writing your research proposal, you should always have this in the back of your mind.

This is the document that potential supervisors will use in determining the legitimacy of your research and, consequently, whether they will invest in you or not. It is therefore incredibly important that you spend some time on getting it right.

Tip: While there may not always be length requirements for research proposals, you should strive to cover everything you need to in a concise way.

If your research proposal is for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, it may only be a few pages long. For a Ph.D., a proposal could be a pretty long document that spans a few dozen pages.

➡️ Research proposals are similar to grant proposals. Learn how to write a grant proposal in our guide.

When you’re writing your proposal, keep in mind its purpose and why you’re writing it. It, therefore, needs to clearly explain the relevance of your research and its context with other discussions on the topic. You need to then explain what approach you will take and why it is feasible.

Generally, your structure should look something like this:

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Design
• Implications

If you follow this structure, you’ll have a comprehensive and coherent proposal that looks and feels professional, without missing out on anything important. We’ll take a deep dive into each of these areas one by one next.

The title page might vary slightly per your area of study but, as a general point, your title page should contain the following:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• The name of your institution and your particular department

Tip: Keep in mind any departmental or institutional guidelines for a research proposal title page. Also, your supervisor may ask for specific details to be added to the page.

The introduction is crucial   to your research proposal as it is your first opportunity to hook the reader in. A good introduction section will introduce your project and its relevance to the field of study.

You’ll want to use this space to demonstrate that you have carefully thought about how to present your project as interesting, original, and important research. A good place to start is by introducing the context of your research problem.

Think about answering these questions:

• What is it you want to research and why?
• How does this research relate to the respective field?
• How much is already known about this area?
• Who might find this research interesting?
• What are the key questions you aim to answer with your research?
• What will the findings of this project add to the topic area?

Your introduction aims to set yourself off on a great footing and illustrate to the reader that you are an expert in your field and that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge and theory.

The literature review section answers the question who else is talking about your proposed research topic.

You want to demonstrate that your research will contribute to conversations around the topic and that it will sit happily amongst experts in the field.

➡️ Read more about how to write a literature review .

There are lots of ways you can find relevant information for your literature review, including:

• Research relevant academic sources such as books and journals to find similar conversations around the topic.
• Read through abstracts and bibliographies of your academic sources to look for relevance and further additional resources without delving too deep into articles that are possibly not relevant to you.
• Watch out for heavily-cited works . This should help you to identify authoritative work that you need to read and document.
• Look for any research gaps , trends and patterns, common themes, debates, and contradictions.
• Consider any seminal studies on the topic area as it is likely anticipated that you will address these in your research proposal.

This is where you get down to the real meat of your research proposal. It should be a discussion about the overall approach you plan on taking, and the practical steps you’ll follow in answering the research questions you’ve posed.

So what should you discuss here? Some of the key things you will need to discuss at this point are:

• What form will your research take? Is it qualitative/quantitative/mixed? Will your research be primary or secondary?
• What sources will you use? Who or what will you be studying as part of your research.
• Document your research method. How are you practically going to carry out your research? What tools will you need? What procedures will you use?
• Any practicality issues you foresee. Do you think there will be any obstacles to your anticipated timescale? What resources will you require in carrying out your research?

Your research design should also discuss the potential implications of your research. For example, are you looking to confirm an existing theory or develop a new one?

If you intend to create a basis for further research, you should describe this here.

It is important to explain fully what you want the outcome of your research to look like and what you want to achieve by it. This will help those reading your research proposal to decide if it’s something the field  needs  and  wants,  and ultimately whether they will support you with it.

When you reach the end of your research proposal, you’ll have to compile a list of references for everything you’ve cited above. Ideally, you should keep track of everything from the beginning. Otherwise, this could be a mammoth and pretty laborious task to do.

Consider using a reference manager like Paperpile to format and organize your citations. Paperpile allows you to organize and save your citations for later use and cite them in thousands of citation styles directly in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or LaTeX.

Your project may also require you to have a timeline, depending on the budget you are requesting. If you need one, you should include it here and explain both the timeline and the budget you need, documenting what should be done at each stage of the research and how much of the budget this will use.

This is the final step, but not one to be missed. You should make sure that you edit and proofread your document so that you can be sure there are no mistakes.

A good idea is to have another person proofread the document for you so that you get a fresh pair of eyes on it. You can even have a professional proofreader do this for you.

This is an important document and you don’t want spelling or grammatical mistakes to get in the way of you and your reader.

➡️ Working on a research proposal for a thesis? Take a look at our guide on how to come up with a topic for your thesis .

A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research. Generally, your research proposal will have a title page, introduction, literature review section, a section about research design and explaining the implications of your research, and a reference list.

A good research proposal is concise and coherent. It has a clear purpose, clearly explains the relevance of your research and its context with other discussions on the topic. A good research proposal explains what approach you will take and why it is feasible.

You need a research proposal to persuade your institution that you and your project are worth investing their time and money into. It is your opportunity to demonstrate your aptitude for this level or research by showing that you can articulate complex ideas clearly, concisely, and critically.

A research proposal is essentially your "pitch" when you're trying to find someone to fund your PhD. It is a clear and concise summary of your proposed research. It gives an outline of the general area of study within which your research falls, it elaborates how much is currently known about the topic, and it highlights any recent debate or conversation around the topic by other academics.

The general answer is: as long as it needs to be to cover everything. The length of your research proposal depends on the requirements from the institution that you are applying to. Make sure to carefully read all the instructions given, and if this specific information is not provided, you can always ask.

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The goal of a research proposal is twofold: to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting research are governed by standards of the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, therefore, the guidelines for research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and benefits derived from the study's completion.

Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.

How to Approach Writing a Research Proposal

Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:

• Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study;
• Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to determine that the research problem has not been adequately addressed or has been answered ineffectively and, in so doing, become better at locating pertinent scholarship related to your topic;
• Improve your general research and writing skills;
• Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish one's research goals;
• Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
• Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in the process of conducting scholarly research.

A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those findings. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your proposal is coherent, clear, and compelling.

Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:

• What do you plan to accomplish? Be clear and succinct in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to investigate.
• Why do you want to do the research? In addition to detailing your research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of in-depth study. A successful research proposal must answer the "So What?" question.
• How are you going to conduct the research? Be sure that what you propose is doable. If you're having difficulty formulating a research problem to propose investigating, go here for strategies in developing a problem to study.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failure to be concise . A research proposal must be focused and not be "all over the map" or diverge into unrelated tangents without a clear sense of purpose.
• Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review . Proposals should be grounded in foundational research that lays a foundation for understanding the development and scope of the the topic and its relevance.
• Failure to delimit the contextual scope of your research [e.g., time, place, people, etc.]. As with any research paper, your proposed study must inform the reader how and in what ways the study will frame the problem.
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research . This is critical. In many workplace settings, the research proposal is a formal document intended to argue for why a study should be funded.
• Sloppy or imprecise writing, or poor grammar . Although a research proposal does not represent a completed research study, there is still an expectation that it is well-written and follows the style and rules of good academic writing.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues . Your proposal should focus on only a few key research questions in order to support the argument that the research needs to be conducted. Minor issues, even if valid, can be mentioned but they should not dominate the overall narrative.

Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal.  The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal. Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal. International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal. University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Structure and Writing Style

Beginning the Proposal Process

As with writing most college-level academic papers, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout most social science disciplines. The text of proposals generally vary in length between ten and thirty-five pages, followed by the list of references. However, before you begin, read the assignment carefully and, if anything seems unclear, ask your professor whether there are any specific requirements for organizing and writing the proposal.

A good place to begin is to ask yourself a series of questions:

• What do I want to study?
• Why is the topic important?
• How is it significant within the subject areas covered in my class?
• What problems will it help solve?
• How does it build upon [and hopefully go beyond] research already conducted on the topic?
• What exactly should I plan to do, and can I get it done in the time available?

In general, a compelling research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and demonstrate your enthusiasm for conducting the study. Approach it with the intention of leaving your readers feeling like, "Wow, that's an exciting idea and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!"

Most proposals should include the following sections:

I.  Introduction

In the real world of higher education, a research proposal is most often written by scholars seeking grant funding for a research project or it's the first step in getting approval to write a doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea based on a thorough examination of the significance of a research problem. After reading the introduction, your readers should not only have an understanding of what you want to do, but they should also be able to gain a sense of your passion for the topic and to be excited about the study's possible outcomes. Note that most proposals do not include an abstract [summary] before the introduction.

Think about your introduction as a narrative written in two to four paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :

• What is the central research problem?
• What is the topic of study related to that research problem?
• What methods should be used to analyze the research problem?
• Answer the "So What?" question by explaining why this is important research, what is its significance, and why should someone reading the proposal care about the outcomes of the proposed study?

II.  Background and Significance

This is where you explain the scope and context of your proposal and describe in detail why it's important. It can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and narrative flow of your proposal. Approach writing this section with the thought that you can’t assume your readers will know as much about the research problem as you do. Note that this section is not an essay going over everything you have learned about the topic; instead, you must choose what is most relevant in explaining the aims of your research.

To that end, while there are no prescribed rules for establishing the significance of your proposed study, you should attempt to address some or all of the following:

• State the research problem and give a more detailed explanation about the purpose of the study than what you stated in the introduction. This is particularly important if the problem is complex or multifaceted .
• Present the rationale of your proposed study and clearly indicate why it is worth doing; be sure to answer the "So What? question [i.e., why should anyone care?].
• Describe the major issues or problems examined by your research. This can be in the form of questions to be addressed. Be sure to note how your proposed study builds on previous assumptions about the research problem.
• Explain the methods you plan to use for conducting your research. Clearly identify the key sources you intend to use and explain how they will contribute to your analysis of the topic.
• Describe the boundaries of your proposed research in order to provide a clear focus. Where appropriate, state not only what you plan to study, but what aspects of the research problem will be excluded from the study.
• If necessary, provide definitions of key concepts, theories, or terms.

III.  Literature Review

Connected to the background and significance of your study is a section of your proposal devoted to a more deliberate review and synthesis of prior studies related to the research problem under investigation . The purpose here is to place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored, while at the same time, demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methodological approaches they have used, and what is your understanding of their findings and, when stated, their recommendations. Also pay attention to any suggestions for further research.

Since a literature review is information dense, it is crucial that this section is intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your proposed study in relation to the arguments put forth by other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically or chronologically describing groups of materials one at a time. Note that conceptual categories generally reveal themselves after you have read most of the pertinent literature on your topic so adding new categories is an on-going process of discovery as you review more studies. How do you know you've covered the key conceptual categories underlying the research literature? Generally, you can have confidence that all of the significant conceptual categories have been identified if you start to see repetition in the conclusions or recommendations that are being made.

NOTE: Do not shy away from challenging the conclusions made in prior research as a basis for supporting the need for your proposal. Assess what you believe is missing and state how previous research has failed to adequately examine the issue that your study addresses. Highlighting the problematic conclusions strengthens your proposal. For more information on writing literature reviews, GO HERE .

To help frame your proposal's review of prior research, consider the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:

• Cite , so as to keep the primary focus on the literature pertinent to your research problem.
• Compare the various arguments, theories, methodologies, and findings expressed in the literature: what do the authors agree on? Who applies similar approaches to analyzing the research problem?
• Contrast the various arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches, and controversies expressed in the literature: describe what are the major areas of disagreement, controversy, or debate among scholars?
• Critique the literature: Which arguments are more persuasive, and why? Which approaches, findings, and methodologies seem most reliable, valid, or appropriate, and why? Pay attention to the verbs you use to describe what an author says/does [e.g., asserts, demonstrates, argues, etc.].
• Connect the literature to your own area of research and investigation: how does your own work draw upon, depart from, synthesize, or add a new perspective to what has been said in the literature?

IV.  Research Design and Methods

This section must be well-written and logically organized because you are not actually doing the research, yet, your reader must have confidence that you have a plan worth pursuing . The reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. Thus, the objective here is to convince the reader that your overall research design and proposed methods of analysis will correctly address the problem and that the methods will provide the means to effectively interpret the potential results. Your design and methods should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.

Describe the overall research design by building upon and drawing examples from your review of the literature. Consider not only methods that other researchers have used, but methods of data gathering that have not been used but perhaps could be. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to obtain information, the techniques you would use to analyze the data, and the tests of external validity to which you commit yourself [i.e., the trustworthiness by which you can generalize from your study to other people, places, events, and/or periods of time].

When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover the following:

• Specify the research process you will undertake and the way you will interpret the results obtained in relation to the research problem. Don't just describe what you intend to achieve from applying the methods you choose, but state how you will spend your time while applying these methods [e.g., coding text from interviews to find statements about the need to change school curriculum; running a regression to determine if there is a relationship between campaign advertising on social media sites and election outcomes in Europe ].
• Keep in mind that the methodology is not just a list of tasks; it is a deliberate argument as to why techniques for gathering information add up to the best way to investigate the research problem. This is an important point because the mere listing of tasks to be performed does not demonstrate that, collectively, they effectively address the research problem. Be sure you clearly explain this.
• Anticipate and acknowledge any potential barriers and pitfalls in carrying out your research design and explain how you plan to address them. No method applied to research in the social and behavioral sciences is perfect, so you need to describe where you believe challenges may exist in obtaining data or accessing information. It's always better to acknowledge this than to have it brought up by your professor!

V.  Preliminary Suppositions and Implications

Just because you don't have to actually conduct the study and analyze the results, doesn't mean you can skip talking about the analytical process and potential implications . The purpose of this section is to argue how and in what ways you believe your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the subject area under investigation. Depending on the aims and objectives of your study, describe how the anticipated results will impact future scholarly research, theory, practice, forms of interventions, or policy making. Note that such discussions may have either substantive [a potential new policy], theoretical [a potential new understanding], or methodological [a potential new way of analyzing] significance.   When thinking about the potential implications of your study, ask the following questions:

• What might the results mean in regards to challenging the theoretical framework and underlying assumptions that support the study?
• What suggestions for subsequent research could arise from the potential outcomes of the study?
• What will the results mean to practitioners in the natural settings of their workplace, organization, or community?
• Will the results influence programs, methods, and/or forms of intervention?
• How might the results contribute to the solution of social, economic, or other types of problems?
• Will the results influence policy decisions?
• In what way do individuals or groups benefit should your study be pursued?
• What will be improved or changed as a result of the proposed research?
• How will the results of the study be implemented and what innovations or transformative insights could emerge from the process of implementation?

NOTE:   This section should not delve into idle speculation, opinion, or be formulated on the basis of unclear evidence . The purpose is to reflect upon gaps or understudied areas of the current literature and describe how your proposed research contributes to a new understanding of the research problem should the study be implemented as designed.

ANOTHER NOTE : This section is also where you describe any potential limitations to your proposed study. While it is impossible to highlight all potential limitations because the study has yet to be conducted, you still must tell the reader where and in what form impediments may arise and how you plan to address them.

VI.  Conclusion

The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a brief summary of the entire study . This section should be only one or two paragraphs long, emphasizing why the research problem is worth investigating, why your research study is unique, and how it should advance existing knowledge.

Someone reading this section should come away with an understanding of:

• Why the study should be done;
• The specific purpose of the study and the research questions it attempts to answer;
• The decision for why the research design and methods used where chosen over other options;
• The potential implications emerging from your proposed study of the research problem; and
• A sense of how your study fits within the broader scholarship about the research problem.

VII.  Citations

As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used . In a standard research proposal, this section can take two forms, so consult with your professor about which one is preferred.

• References -- a list of only the sources you actually used in creating your proposal.
• Bibliography -- a list of everything you used in creating your proposal, along with additional citations to any key sources relevant to understanding the research problem.

In either case, this section should testify to the fact that you did enough preparatory work to ensure the project will complement and not just duplicate the efforts of other researchers. It demonstrates to the reader that you have a thorough understanding of prior research on the topic.

Most proposal formats have you start a new page and use the heading "References" or "Bibliography" centered at the top of the page. Cited works should always use a standard format that follows the writing style advised by the discipline of your course [e.g., education=APA; history=Chicago] or that is preferred by your professor. This section normally does not count towards the total page length of your research proposal.

Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal. Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; Heath, M. Teresa Pereira and Caroline Tynan. “Crafting a Research Proposal.” The Marketing Review 10 (Summer 2010): 147-168; Jones, Mark. “Writing a Research Proposal.” In MasterClass in Geography Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning . Graham Butt, editor. (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015), pp. 113-127; Juni, Muhamad Hanafiah. “Writing a Research Proposal.” International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences 1 (September/October 2014): 229-240; Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005; Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Punch, Keith and Wayne McGowan. "Developing and Writing a Research Proposal." In From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills . Nigel Gilbert, ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006), 59-81; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal. International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences , Articles, and Books. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal. University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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113 Great Research Paper Topics

General Education

One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

• What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
• How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
• How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
• Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
• What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
• What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
• How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
• How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
• What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
• What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
• What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
• Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
• Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
• Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
• Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
• Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
• Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
• How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
• What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
• How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
• What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
• Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
• Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
• Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
• How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
• Should graduate students be able to form unions?

• What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
• How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
• Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
• How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
• How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
• Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
• Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
• Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
• Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
• Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
• Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
• Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
• Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
• Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
• How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
• How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
• What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
• What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
• Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
• What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
• What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
• Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
• Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
• How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
• Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
• What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
• How does stress affect the body?
• Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
• What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
• How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
• Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
• What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
• What were the causes of the Civil War?
• How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
• Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
• What caused Hitler's rise to power?
• Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
• What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
• How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
• What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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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.

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Research Proposal – Types, Template and Example

Table of Contents

Research Proposal

Research proposal is a document that outlines a proposed research project . It is typically written by researchers, scholars, or students who intend to conduct research to address a specific research question or problem.

Types of Research Proposal

Research proposals can vary depending on the nature of the research project and the specific requirements of the funding agency, academic institution, or research program. Here are some common types of research proposals:

Academic Research Proposal

This is the most common type of research proposal, which is prepared by students, scholars, or researchers to seek approval and funding for an academic research project. It includes all the essential components mentioned earlier, such as the introduction, literature review , methodology , and expected outcomes.

Grant Proposal

A grant proposal is specifically designed to secure funding from external sources, such as government agencies, foundations, or private organizations. It typically includes additional sections, such as a detailed budget, project timeline, evaluation plan, and a description of the project’s alignment with the funding agency’s priorities and objectives.

Dissertation or Thesis Proposal

Students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree often need to submit a proposal outlining their intended research for their dissertation or thesis. These proposals are usually more extensive and comprehensive, including an in-depth literature review, theoretical framework, research questions or hypotheses, and a detailed methodology.

Research Project Proposal

This type of proposal is often prepared by researchers or research teams within an organization or institution. It outlines a specific research project that aims to address a particular problem, explore a specific area of interest, or provide insights for decision-making. Research project proposals may include sections on project management, collaboration, and dissemination of results.

Research Fellowship Proposal

Researchers or scholars applying for research fellowships may be required to submit a proposal outlining their proposed research project. These proposals often emphasize the novelty and significance of the research and its alignment with the goals and objectives of the fellowship program.

Collaborative Research Proposal

In cases where researchers from multiple institutions or disciplines collaborate on a research project, a collaborative research proposal is prepared. This proposal highlights the objectives, responsibilities, and contributions of each collaborator, as well as the overall research plan and coordination mechanisms.

Research Proposal Outline

A research proposal typically follows a standard outline that helps structure the document and ensure all essential components are included. While the specific headings and subheadings may vary slightly depending on the requirements of your institution or funding agency, the following outline provides a general structure for a research proposal:

• Title of the research proposal
• Name of the researcher(s) or principal investigator(s)
• Affiliation or institution
• Date of submission
• A concise summary of the research proposal, typically limited to 200-300 words.
• Briefly introduce the research problem or question, state the objectives, summarize the methodology, and highlight the expected outcomes or significance of the research.
• Provide an overview of the subject area and the specific research problem or question.
• Present relevant background information, theories, or concepts to establish the need for the research.
• Clearly state the research objectives or research questions that the study aims to address.
• Indicate the significance or potential contributions of the research.
• Summarize and analyze relevant studies, theories, or scholarly works.
• Identify research gaps or unresolved issues that your study intends to address.
• Highlight the novelty or uniqueness of your research.
• Describe the overall approach or research design that will be used (e.g., experimental, qualitative, quantitative).
• Justify the chosen approach based on the research objectives and question.
• Explain how data will be collected (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments).
• Describe the sampling strategy and sample size, if applicable.
• Address any ethical considerations related to data collection.
• Outline the data analysis techniques or statistical methods that will be applied.
• Explain how the data will be interpreted and analyzed to answer the research question(s).
• Provide a detailed schedule or timeline that outlines the various stages of the research project.
• Specify the estimated duration for each stage, including data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• State the potential outcomes or results of the research.
• Discuss the potential significance or contributions of the study to the field.
• Address any potential limitations or challenges that may be encountered.
• Identify the resources required to conduct the research, such as funding, equipment, or access to data.
• Specify any collaborations or partnerships necessary for the successful completion of the study.
• Include a list of cited references in the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).

———————————————————————————————–

Research Proposal Example Template

Here’s an example of a research proposal to give you an idea of how it can be structured:

Title: The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Well-being: A Mixed-Methods Study

This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of social media on the well-being of adolescents. The study will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data. The research objectives include examining the relationship between social media use and mental health, exploring the role of peer influence in shaping online behaviors, and identifying strategies for promoting healthy social media use among adolescents. The findings of this study will contribute to the understanding of the effects of social media on adolescent well-being and inform the development of targeted interventions.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background and Context:

Adolescents today are immersed in social media platforms, which have become integral to their daily lives. However, concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact of social media on their well-being, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, and body dissatisfaction. It is crucial to investigate this phenomenon further and understand the underlying mechanisms to develop effective strategies for promoting healthy social media use among adolescents.

1.2 Research Objectives:

The main objectives of this study are:

• To examine the association between social media use and mental health outcomes among adolescents.
• To explore the influence of peer relationships and social comparison on online behaviors.
• To identify strategies and interventions to foster positive social media use and enhance adolescent well-being.

2. Literature Review

Extensive research has been conducted on the impact of social media on adolescents. Existing literature suggests that excessive social media use can contribute to negative outcomes, such as low self-esteem, cyberbullying, and addictive behaviors. However, some studies have also highlighted the positive aspects of social media, such as providing opportunities for self-expression and social support. This study will build upon this literature by incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between social media and adolescent well-being.

3. Methodology

3.1 Research Design:

This study will adopt a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase will involve administering standardized questionnaires to a representative sample of adolescents to assess their social media use, mental health indicators, and perceived social support. The qualitative phase will include in-depth interviews with a subset of participants to explore their experiences, motivations, and perceptions related to social media use.

3.2 Data Collection Methods:

Quantitative data will be collected through an online survey distributed to schools in the target region. The survey will include validated scales to measure social media use, mental health outcomes, and perceived social support. Qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants. The interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis.

3.3 Data Analysis:

Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis to examine the relationships between variables. Qualitative data will be analyzed thematically to identify common themes and patterns within participants’ narratives. Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings will provide a comprehensive understanding of the research questions.

4. Timeline

The research project will be conducted over a period of 12 months, divided into specific phases, including literature review, study design, data collection, analysis, and report writing. A detailed timeline outlining the key milestones and activities is provided in Appendix A.

5. Expected Outcomes and Significance

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature on the impact of social media on adolescent well-being by employing a mixed-methods approach. The findings will inform the development of evidence-based interventions and guidelines to promote healthy social media use among adolescents. This research has the potential to benefit adolescents, parents, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into the complex relationship between social media and well-being and offering strategies for fostering positive online experiences.

6. Resources

The resources required for this research include access to a representative sample of adolescents, research assistants for data collection, statistical software for data analysis, and funding to cover survey administration and participant incentives. Ethical considerations will be taken into account, ensuring participant confidentiality and obtaining informed consent.

7. References

Research Proposal Writing Guide

Writing a research proposal can be a complex task, but with proper guidance and organization, you can create a compelling and well-structured proposal. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

• Understand the requirements: Familiarize yourself with the guidelines and requirements provided by your institution, funding agency, or program. Pay attention to formatting, page limits, specific sections or headings, and any other instructions.
• Identify your research topic: Choose a research topic that aligns with your interests, expertise, and the goals of your program or funding opportunity. Ensure that your topic is specific, focused, and relevant to the field of study.
• Conduct a literature review : Review existing literature and research relevant to your topic. Identify key theories, concepts, methodologies, and findings related to your research question. This will help you establish the context, identify research gaps, and demonstrate the significance of your proposed study.
• Define your research objectives and research question(s): Clearly state the objectives you aim to achieve with your research. Formulate research questions that address the gaps identified in the literature review. Your research objectives and questions should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
• Develop a research methodology: Determine the most appropriate research design and methodology for your study. Consider whether quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches will best address your research question(s). Describe the data collection methods, sampling strategy, data analysis techniques, and any ethical considerations associated with your research.
• Create a research plan and timeline: Outline the various stages of your research project, including tasks, milestones, and deadlines. Develop a realistic timeline that considers factors such as data collection, analysis, and report writing. This plan will help you stay organized and manage your time effectively throughout the research process.
• A. Introduction: Provide background information on the research problem, highlight its significance, and introduce your research objectives and questions.
• B. Literature review: Summarize relevant literature, identify gaps, and justify the need for your proposed research.
• C . Methodology: Describe your research design, data collection methods, sampling strategy, data analysis techniques, and any ethical considerations.
• D . Expected outcomes and significance: Explain the potential outcomes, contributions, and implications of your research.
• E. Resources: Identify the resources required to conduct your research, such as funding, equipment, or access to data.
• F . References: Include a list of cited references in the appropriate citation style.
• Revise and proofread: Review your proposal for clarity, coherence, and logical flow. Check for grammar and spelling errors. Seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or advisors to refine and improve your proposal.
• Finalize and submit: Make any necessary revisions based on feedback and finalize your research proposal. Ensure that you have met all the requirements and formatting guidelines. Submit your proposal within the specified deadline.

Research Proposal Length

The length of a research proposal can vary depending on the specific guidelines provided by your institution or funding agency. However, research proposals typically range from 1,500 to 3,000 words, excluding references and any additional supporting documents.

Purpose of Research Proposal

The purpose of a research proposal is to outline and communicate your research project to others, such as academic institutions, funding agencies, or potential collaborators. It serves several important purposes:

• Demonstrate the significance of the research: A research proposal explains the importance and relevance of your research project. It outlines the research problem or question, highlights the gaps in existing knowledge, and explains how your study will contribute to the field. By clearly articulating the significance of your research, you can convince others of its value and potential impact.
• Provide a clear research plan: A research proposal outlines the methodology, design, and approach you will use to conduct your study. It describes the research objectives, data collection methods, data analysis techniques, and potential outcomes. By presenting a clear research plan, you demonstrate that your study is well-thought-out, feasible, and likely to produce meaningful results.
• Secure funding or support: For researchers seeking funding or support for their projects, a research proposal is essential. It allows you to make a persuasive case for why your research is deserving of financial resources or institutional backing. The proposal explains the budgetary requirements, resources needed, and potential benefits of the research, helping you secure the necessary funding or support.
• Seek feedback and guidance: Presenting a research proposal provides an opportunity to receive feedback and guidance from experts in your field. It allows you to engage in discussions and receive suggestions for refining your research plan, improving the methodology, or addressing any potential limitations. This feedback can enhance the quality of your study and increase its chances of success.
• Establish ethical considerations: A research proposal also addresses ethical considerations associated with your study. It outlines how you will ensure participant confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and adhere to ethical guidelines and regulations. By demonstrating your awareness and commitment to ethical research practices, you build trust and credibility in your proposed study.

Importance of Research Proposal

The research proposal holds significant importance in the research process. Here are some key reasons why research proposals are important:

• Planning and organization: A research proposal requires careful planning and organization of your research project. It forces you to think through the research objectives, research questions, methodology, and potential outcomes before embarking on the actual study. This planning phase helps you establish a clear direction and framework for your research, ensuring that your efforts are focused and purposeful.
• Demonstrating the significance of the research: A research proposal allows you to articulate the significance and relevance of your study. By providing a thorough literature review and clearly defining the research problem or question, you can showcase the gaps in existing knowledge that your research aims to address. This demonstrates to others, such as funding agencies or academic institutions, why your research is important and deserving of support.
• Obtaining funding and resources: Research proposals are often required to secure funding for your research project. Funding agencies and organizations need to evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of the proposed research before allocating resources. A well-crafted research proposal helps convince funders of the value of your research and increases the likelihood of securing financial support, grants, or scholarships.
• Receiving feedback and guidance: Presenting a research proposal provides an opportunity to seek feedback and guidance from experts in your field. By sharing your research plan and objectives with others, you can benefit from their insights and suggestions. This feedback can help refine your research design, strengthen your methodology, and ensure that your study is rigorous and well-informed.
• Ethical considerations: A research proposal addresses ethical considerations associated with your study. It outlines how you will protect the rights and welfare of participants, maintain confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and adhere to ethical guidelines and regulations. This emphasis on ethical practices ensures that your research is conducted responsibly and with integrity.
• Enhancing collaboration and partnerships: A research proposal can facilitate collaborations and partnerships with other researchers, institutions, or organizations. When presenting your research plan, you may attract the interest of potential collaborators who share similar research interests or possess complementary expertise. Collaborative partnerships can enrich your study, expand your resources, and foster knowledge exchange.
• Establishing a research trajectory: A research proposal serves as a foundation for your research project. Once approved, it becomes a roadmap that guides your study’s implementation, data collection, analysis, and reporting. It helps maintain focus and ensures that your research stays on track and aligned with the initial objectives.

When to Write Research Proposal

The timing of when to write a research proposal can vary depending on the specific requirements and circumstances. However, here are a few common situations when it is appropriate to write a research proposal:

• Academic research: If you are a student pursuing a research degree, such as a Ph.D. or Master’s by research, you will typically be required to write a research proposal as part of the application process. This is usually done before starting the research program to outline your proposed study and seek approval from the academic institution.
• Funding applications: When applying for research grants, scholarships, or funding from organizations or institutions, you will often need to submit a research proposal. Funding agencies require a detailed description of your research project, including its objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. Writing a research proposal in this context is necessary to secure financial support for your study.
• Research collaborations: When collaborating with other researchers, institutions, or organizations on a research project, it is common to prepare a research proposal. This helps outline the research objectives, roles and responsibilities, and expected contributions from each party. Writing a research proposal in this case allows all collaborators to align their efforts and ensure a shared understanding of the project.
• Research project within an organization: If you are conducting research within an organization, such as a company or government agency, you may be required to write a research proposal to gain approval and support for your study. This proposal outlines the research objectives, methodology, resources needed, and expected outcomes, ensuring that the project aligns with the organization’s goals and objectives.
• Independent research projects: Even if you are not required to write a research proposal, it can still be beneficial to develop one for your independent research projects. Writing a research proposal helps you plan and structure your study, clarify your research objectives, and anticipate potential challenges or limitations. It also allows you to communicate your research plans effectively to supervisors, mentors, or collaborators.

About the author

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Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Proposal – Types, Examples, and Writing Guide

• Academic Skills
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• Referencing and research

Research proposals

How to write an effective proposal.

What's it for?

A research proposal explains the nature and extent of your planned or future research. It is written for an academic reader e.g. for your supervisor or an academic with a similar disciplinary background. By thinking through your entire research project from beginning to end, it may also highlight core issues with the feasibility of the project.

W hat's in it ?

There are some disciplinary differences regarding exactly what is included in the proposal. For example, disciplines such as Psychology may include a prominent hypothesis statement, others in the Social Sciences including Education, may expect a set of research questions that the study will answer. However, all research proposals should cover the four basic elements below.

• The research topic addresses a significant problem and, therefore, advances the state of knowledge in that field.
• Identification of an appropriate methodology and underlying theory to address the problem, including data collection methods and equipment (if required).
• Details of how the collected data will be analysed in such a way that useful conclusions can be drawn.
• An organised plan for any proposed work, including a timeframe.

Possible macro-structures

The structure of your research proposal will vary depending on the requirements of your discipline. Nevertheless, certain structural elements will be expected by your reader and these may be presented in the following order. Check with the Research Coordinator in your area for specific requirements.

Identifies the title of the project, your full name, the institution, department, and supervisor details. The title should be brief and descriptive and may use a colon (:) to separate the topic from the focus (i.e. Stormwater Harvesting: Managing the hazards of surface water pollution by run-off ).

Lists the sections of the Research Proposal (headings and indented sub-headings) and corresponding page numbers.

Outlines the essence of the research project. It describes the purpose and motivation for the study, the problem, the data collection methodology and analysis, significant results and implications of the research.

Provides background information for the research (i.e. the problem being addressed) and is typically structured from general information to narrow or focused ideas with your research question/s or hypotheses at the narrow end.

The Introduction should be about 10% of your proposal.

Imagine you are writing for a general reader rather than an expert audience. The Introduction includes a brief review of relevant literature or knowledge in the field, so that you are able to present a gap in existing knowledge and, therefore, the significance and originality of your research.

Finally, articulate the scope of your research (or what you will not be doing) to limit your task. Your research question/s should encapsulate the primary question/s you aim to solve.

Synthesises the literature in your field. Some disciplines will expect to see this in the Introduction but others will want it placed in this ‘stand-alone’ section (especially in more Humanities-based fields). Again, it could be structured from broad to narrow, so literature on the more general aspects of your topic could come first, narrowing down to published work on your particular area of interest. You might end this section by including a short summary of the main themes you have identified from the literature.

Includes a description and rationale for the methods of data collection and analysis, and the materials you will use in your research. Use subheadings if possible ( i.e. Data Collection, Data Analysis, Ethical Considerations etc.) and write with a future aspect, ( i.e. The research will initially examine water treatment processes in... )

Details any results that you may already have resulting from previous Honours or Masters’ research work, or perhaps from a pilot study. It is important to relate these results to the critical framework of your intended new research project.

Lists the stages of the research project in timeline, spreadsheet or tabular format, and the deadlines for completion of these stages or tasks. You should include any anticipated challenges to completion.

Outlines the proposed chapters of the thesis and the content of each chapter in several lines or a paragraph, including a Table of Contents.

Relates the expected outcomes of your research to the aims expressed in the Introduction so that the need for the study and the contribution to knowledge is clear.

Provides all the resources cited in your resource proposal using a referencing format favoured by your faculty or discipline. Do not list resources that are not directly referred to in your Proposal.

Writing the Research Proposal

How much should i write.

A research proposal is usually quite a bit longer than other written academic genres. In the Humanities, it could be around 10,000 words or even longer (excluding the Reference List); whereas those from more Science-oriented disciplines may be shorter.

What should I begin with?

Similar to other academic genres, writing the research proposal is a process. If you are proposing a ‘recycled’ topic that builds on previous assignments already written on the same topic, you might spend some time re-reading these. However, if you are starting a ‘fresh’ project you might consider two key questions:

• What am I really interested in finding out about my research topic?
• How am I going to do this in practice? Brainstorm responses to these questions under a strict time limit – say 30 minutes.

Then leave this ‘free-writing’ for at least 24 hours before reviewing it for a possible more polished second draft.

How should I approach the literature?

Reviewing the academic literature on your topic is one of the most critical stages of your research proposal. This section goes beyond a simple summary of everything written on a subject. Instead, it is a critical synthesis of materials that illuminates selected academic literature on your topic. Your coverage of the literature should reflect the argument or perspective that you have set out in your research question/s.

Try the following techniques for dealing with the literature:

• Develop a theme or series of themes from your broad reading, referencing the work of relevant authors who support your position or who provide counter-arguments against your point/s.
• Limit excessive quoting. Too many direct quotations will dilute your authority over the topic.
• Avoid beginning paragraphs with “Jones argues …”; “Smith states …” This approach risks losing a sense of your writer’s authority to the work of others. Instead, provide an overview of the paragraph in a topic sentence written in your own writer’s voice.

Adapted from Rudestam and Newton (2015) as cited in Paltridge and Starfield (2020). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language: A handbook for students and their advisers. Routledge.

Tips for writing

• Avoid language that is overly hesitant or tentative (i.e. ‘It seems that…’, ‘It is hoped that …’). Instead, use confident language when you feel able to (i.e. ‘It is clear that…’, ‘I assert that …’).
• Break up large blocks of text into smaller sections using sub-headings and bullet-points.
• Anticipate possible problems with, or limitations of, your research. Address these issues directly for your own benefit as well as to improve the entire proposal.
• Make your proposal is easy for readers to skim read. Never assume your readers will read your work in a ‘logical’ order. Use sub-headings and restate key ideas to guide the reader through your writing.
• Find copies of other Research Proposals in your field and study the way they:
• devise titles.
• structure their proposal.
• use discipline-specific language.
• Take a note of anything else you notice. You might ask your potential supervisor/s for models of previously submitted proposals or search for relevant examples online (look for examples from reputable .edu or .org. web addresses)

Remember, your research proposal should demonstrate:

• the feasibility and logical foundations of your project
• a well-focussed research question, set of research objectives, or hypothesis
• the width and depth of the academic literature on your topic
• understanding of current issues or debates on your topic
• justification of your project through the literature
• a match between the methodology and / or methods and your research question/s

Adapted from Cadman (2002) as cited in Paltridge, B. and Starfield, S. (2020). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language: A handbook for students and their advisers. Routledge.

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What (Exactly) Is A Research Proposal?

A simple explainer with examples + free template.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020 (Updated April 2023)

Whether you’re nearing the end of your degree and your dissertation is on the horizon, or you’re planning to apply for a PhD program, chances are you’ll need to craft a convincing research proposal . If you’re on this page, you’re probably unsure exactly what the research proposal is all about. Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Overview: Research Proposal Basics

• What a research proposal is
• What a research proposal needs to cover
• How to structure your research proposal
• Example /sample proposals
• Proposal writing FAQs
• Key takeaways & additional resources

What is a research proposal?

Simply put, a research proposal is a structured, formal document that explains what you plan to research (your research topic), why it’s worth researching (your justification), and how  you plan to investigate it (your methodology). 

The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince  your research supervisor, committee or university that your research is  suitable  (for the requirements of the degree program) and  manageable  (given the time and resource constraints you will face). 

The most important word here is “ convince ” – in other words, your research proposal needs to  sell  your research idea (to whoever is going to approve it). If it doesn’t convince them (of its suitability and manageability), you’ll need to revise and resubmit . This will cost you valuable time, which will either delay the start of your research or eat into its time allowance (which is bad news). 

What goes into a research proposal?

A good dissertation or thesis proposal needs to cover the “ what “, “ why ” and” how ” of the proposed study. Let’s look at each of these attributes in a little more detail:

Your proposal needs to clearly articulate your research topic . This needs to be specific and unambiguous . Your research topic should make it clear exactly what you plan to research and in what context. Here’s an example of a well-articulated research topic:

An investigation into the factors which impact female Generation Y consumer’s likelihood to promote a specific makeup brand to their peers: a British context

As you can see, this topic is extremely clear. From this one line we can see exactly:

• What’s being investigated – factors that make people promote or advocate for a brand of a specific makeup brand
• Who it involves – female Gen-Y consumers
• In what context – the United Kingdom

So, make sure that your research proposal provides a detailed explanation of your research topic . If possible, also briefly outline your research aims and objectives , and perhaps even your research questions (although in some cases you’ll only develop these at a later stage). Needless to say, don’t start writing your proposal until you have a clear topic in mind , or you’ll end up waffling and your research proposal will suffer as a result of this.

Need a helping hand?

As we touched on earlier, it’s not good enough to simply propose a research topic – you need to justify why your topic is original . In other words, what makes it  unique ? What gap in the current literature does it fill? If it’s simply a rehash of the existing research, it’s probably not going to get approval – it needs to be fresh.

But,  originality  alone is not enough. Once you’ve ticked that box, you also need to justify why your proposed topic is  important . In other words, what value will it add to the world if you achieve your research aims?

As an example, let’s look at the sample research topic we mentioned earlier (factors impacting brand advocacy). In this case, if the research could uncover relevant factors, these findings would be very useful to marketers in the cosmetics industry, and would, therefore, have commercial value . That is a clear justification for the research.

So, when you’re crafting your research proposal, remember that it’s not enough for a topic to simply be unique. It needs to be useful and value-creating – and you need to convey that value in your proposal. If you’re struggling to find a research topic that makes the cut, watch  our video covering how to find a research topic .

It’s all good and well to have a great topic that’s original and valuable, but you’re not going to convince anyone to approve it without discussing the practicalities – in other words:

• How will you actually undertake your research (i.e., your methodology)?
• Is your research methodology appropriate given your research aims?
• Is your approach manageable given your constraints (time, money, etc.)?

While it’s generally not expected that you’ll have a fully fleshed-out methodology at the proposal stage, you’ll likely still need to provide a high-level overview of your research methodology . Here are some important questions you’ll need to address in your research proposal:

• Will you take a qualitative , quantitative or mixed -method approach?
• What sampling strategy will you adopt?
• How will you collect your data (e.g., interviews , surveys, etc)?
• How will you analyse your data (e.g., descriptive and inferential statistics , content analysis, discourse analysis, etc, .)?
• What potential limitations will your methodology carry?

So, be sure to give some thought to the practicalities of your research and have at least a basic methodological plan before you start writing up your proposal. If this all sounds rather intimidating, the video below provides a good introduction to research methodology and the key choices you’ll need to make.

How To Structure A Research Proposal

Now that we’ve covered the key points that need to be addressed in a proposal, you may be wondering, “ But how is a research proposal structured? “.

While the exact structure and format required for a research proposal differs from university to university, there are four “essential ingredients” that commonly make up the structure of a research proposal:

• A rich introduction and background to the proposed research
• An initial literature review covering the existing research
• An overview of the proposed research methodology
• A discussion regarding the practicalities (project plans, timelines, etc.)

In the video below, we unpack each of these four sections, step by step.

Research Proposal Examples/Samples

In the video below, we provide a detailed walkthrough of two successful research proposals (Master’s and PhD-level), as well as our popular free proposal template.

Proposal Writing FAQs

How long should a research proposal be.

This varies tremendously, depending on the university, the field of study (e.g., social sciences vs natural sciences), and the level of the degree (e.g. undergraduate, Masters or PhD) – so it’s always best to check with your university what their specific requirements are before you start planning your proposal.

As a rough guide, a formal research proposal at Masters-level often ranges between 2000-3000 words, while a PhD-level proposal can be far more detailed, ranging from 5000-8000 words. In some cases, a rough outline of the topic is all that’s needed, while in other cases, universities expect a very detailed proposal that essentially forms the first three chapters of the dissertation or thesis.

The takeaway – be sure to check with your institution before you start writing.

How do I choose a topic for my research proposal?

Finding a good research topic is a process that involves multiple steps. We cover the topic ideation process in this video post.

How do I write a literature review for my proposal?

While you typically won’t need a comprehensive literature review at the proposal stage, you still need to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the key literature and are able to synthesise it. We explain the literature review process here.

How do I create a timeline and budget for my proposal?

We explain how to craft a project plan/timeline and budget in Research Proposal Bootcamp .

Which referencing format should I use in my research proposal?

The expectations and requirements regarding formatting and referencing vary from institution to institution. Therefore, you’ll need to check this information with your university.

What common proposal writing mistakes do I need to look out for?

We’ve create a video post about some of the most common mistakes students make when writing a proposal – you can access that here . If you’re short on time, here’s a quick summary:

• The research topic is too broad (or just poorly articulated).
• The research aims, objectives and questions don’t align.
• The research topic is not well justified.
• The study has a weak theoretical foundation.
• The research design is not well articulated well enough.
• Poor writing and sloppy presentation.
• Poor project planning and risk management.
• Not following the university’s specific criteria.

Key Takeaways & Additional Resources

As you write up your research proposal, remember the all-important core purpose:  to convince . Your research proposal needs to sell your study in terms of suitability and viability. So, focus on crafting a convincing narrative to ensure a strong proposal.

At the same time, pay close attention to your university’s requirements. While we’ve covered the essentials here, every institution has its own set of expectations and it’s essential that you follow these to maximise your chances of approval.

By the way, we’ve got plenty more resources to help you fast-track your research proposal. Here are some of our most popular resources to get you started:

• Proposal Writing 101 : A Introductory Webinar
• Research Proposal Bootcamp : The Ultimate Online Course
• Template : A basic template to help you craft your proposal

If you’re looking for 1-on-1 support with your research proposal, be sure to check out our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the proposal development process (and the entire research journey), step by step.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

51 Comments

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Bundle of thanks to you for the research proposal guide it was really good and useful if it is possible please send me the sample of research proposal

You’re most welcome. We don’t have any research proposals that we can share (the students own the intellectual property), but you might find our research proposal template useful: https://gradcoach.com/research-proposal-template/

Cheruiyot Moses Kipyegon

Thanks alot. It was an eye opener that came timely enough before my imminent proposal defense. Thanks, again

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11.2 Steps in Developing a Research Proposal

Learning objectives.

• Identify the steps in developing a research proposal.
• Choose a topic and formulate a research question and working thesis.
• Develop a research proposal.

Writing a good research paper takes time, thought, and effort. Although this assignment is challenging, it is manageable. Focusing on one step at a time will help you develop a thoughtful, informative, well-supported research paper.

Your first step is to choose a topic and then to develop research questions, a working thesis, and a written research proposal. Set aside adequate time for this part of the process. Fully exploring ideas will help you build a solid foundation for your paper.

Choosing a Topic

When you choose a topic for a research paper, you are making a major commitment. Your choice will help determine whether you enjoy the lengthy process of research and writing—and whether your final paper fulfills the assignment requirements. If you choose your topic hastily, you may later find it difficult to work with your topic. By taking your time and choosing carefully, you can ensure that this assignment is not only challenging but also rewarding.

Writers understand the importance of choosing a topic that fulfills the assignment requirements and fits the assignment’s purpose and audience. (For more information about purpose and audience, see Chapter 6 “Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content” .) Choosing a topic that interests you is also crucial. You instructor may provide a list of suggested topics or ask that you develop a topic on your own. In either case, try to identify topics that genuinely interest you.

After identifying potential topic ideas, you will need to evaluate your ideas and choose one topic to pursue. Will you be able to find enough information about the topic? Can you develop a paper about this topic that presents and supports your original ideas? Is the topic too broad or too narrow for the scope of the assignment? If so, can you modify it so it is more manageable? You will ask these questions during this preliminary phase of the research process.

Identifying Potential Topics

Sometimes, your instructor may provide a list of suggested topics. If so, you may benefit from identifying several possibilities before committing to one idea. It is important to know how to narrow down your ideas into a concise, manageable thesis. You may also use the list as a starting point to help you identify additional, related topics. Discussing your ideas with your instructor will help ensure that you choose a manageable topic that fits the requirements of the assignment.

In this chapter, you will follow a writer named Jorge, who is studying health care administration, as he prepares a research paper. You will also plan, research, and draft your own research paper.

Jorge was assigned to write a research paper on health and the media for an introductory course in health care. Although a general topic was selected for the students, Jorge had to decide which specific issues interested him. He brainstormed a list of possibilities.

If you are writing a research paper for a specialized course, look back through your notes and course activities. Identify reading assignments and class discussions that especially engaged you. Doing so can help you identify topics to pursue.

• Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in the news
• Sexual education programs
• Hollywood and eating disorders
• Americans’ access to public health information
• Media portrayal of health care reform bill
• Depictions of drugs on television
• The effect of the Internet on mental health
• Popularized diets (such as low-carbohydrate diets)
• Fear of pandemics (bird flu, HINI, SARS)
• Electronic entertainment and obesity
• Advertisements for prescription drugs
• Public education and disease prevention

Set a timer for five minutes. Use brainstorming or idea mapping to create a list of topics you would be interested in researching for a paper about the influence of the Internet on social networking. Do you closely follow the media coverage of a particular website, such as Twitter? Would you like to learn more about a certain industry, such as online dating? Which social networking sites do you and your friends use? List as many ideas related to this topic as you can.

Narrowing Your Topic

Once you have a list of potential topics, you will need to choose one as the focus of your essay. You will also need to narrow your topic. Most writers find that the topics they listed during brainstorming or idea mapping are broad—too broad for the scope of the assignment. Working with an overly broad topic, such as sexual education programs or popularized diets, can be frustrating and overwhelming. Each topic has so many facets that it would be impossible to cover them all in a college research paper. However, more specific choices, such as the pros and cons of sexual education in kids’ television programs or the physical effects of the South Beach diet, are specific enough to write about without being too narrow to sustain an entire research paper.

A good research paper provides focused, in-depth information and analysis. If your topic is too broad, you will find it difficult to do more than skim the surface when you research it and write about it. Narrowing your focus is essential to making your topic manageable. To narrow your focus, explore your topic in writing, conduct preliminary research, and discuss both the topic and the research with others.

Exploring Your Topic in Writing

“How am I supposed to narrow my topic when I haven’t even begun researching yet?” In fact, you may already know more than you realize. Review your list and identify your top two or three topics. Set aside some time to explore each one through freewriting. (For more information about freewriting, see Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” .) Simply taking the time to focus on your topic may yield fresh angles.

Jorge knew that he was especially interested in the topic of diet fads, but he also knew that it was much too broad for his assignment. He used freewriting to explore his thoughts so he could narrow his topic. Read Jorge’s ideas.

Conducting Preliminary Research

Another way writers may focus a topic is to conduct preliminary research . Like freewriting, exploratory reading can help you identify interesting angles. Surfing the web and browsing through newspaper and magazine articles are good ways to start. Find out what people are saying about your topic on blogs and online discussion groups. Discussing your topic with others can also inspire you. Talk about your ideas with your classmates, your friends, or your instructor.

Jorge’s freewriting exercise helped him realize that the assigned topic of health and the media intersected with a few of his interests—diet, nutrition, and obesity. Preliminary online research and discussions with his classmates strengthened his impression that many people are confused or misled by media coverage of these subjects.

Jorge decided to focus his paper on a topic that had garnered a great deal of media attention—low-carbohydrate diets. He wanted to find out whether low-carbohydrate diets were as effective as their proponents claimed.

Writing at Work

At work, you may need to research a topic quickly to find general information. This information can be useful in understanding trends in a given industry or generating competition. For example, a company may research a competitor’s prices and use the information when pricing their own product. You may find it useful to skim a variety of reliable sources and take notes on your findings.

The reliability of online sources varies greatly. In this exploratory phase of your research, you do not need to evaluate sources as closely as you will later. However, use common sense as you refine your paper topic. If you read a fascinating blog comment that gives you a new idea for your paper, be sure to check out other, more reliable sources as well to make sure the idea is worth pursuing.

Review the list of topics you created in Note 11.18 “Exercise 1” and identify two or three topics you would like to explore further. For each of these topics, spend five to ten minutes writing about the topic without stopping. Then review your writing to identify possible areas of focus.

Set aside time to conduct preliminary research about your potential topics. Then choose a topic to pursue for your research paper.

Collaboration

Please share your topic list with a classmate. Select one or two topics on his or her list that you would like to learn more about and return it to him or her. Discuss why you found the topics interesting, and learn which of your topics your classmate selected and why.

A Plan for Research

Your freewriting and preliminary research have helped you choose a focused, manageable topic for your research paper. To work with your topic successfully, you will need to determine what exactly you want to learn about it—and later, what you want to say about it. Before you begin conducting in-depth research, you will further define your focus by developing a research question , a working thesis, and a research proposal.

Formulating a Research Question

In forming a research question, you are setting a goal for your research. Your main research question should be substantial enough to form the guiding principle of your paper—but focused enough to guide your research. A strong research question requires you not only to find information but also to put together different pieces of information, interpret and analyze them, and figure out what you think. As you consider potential research questions, ask yourself whether they would be too hard or too easy to answer.

To determine your research question, review the freewriting you completed earlier. Skim through books, articles, and websites and list the questions you have. (You may wish to use the 5WH strategy to help you formulate questions. See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information about 5WH questions.) Include simple, factual questions and more complex questions that would require analysis and interpretation. Determine your main question—the primary focus of your paper—and several subquestions that you will need to research to answer your main question.

Here are the research questions Jorge will use to focus his research. Notice that his main research question has no obvious, straightforward answer. Jorge will need to research his subquestions, which address narrower topics, to answer his main question.

Using the topic you selected in Note 11.24 “Exercise 2” , write your main research question and at least four to five subquestions. Check that your main research question is appropriately complex for your assignment.

Constructing a Working ThesIs

A working thesis concisely states a writer’s initial answer to the main research question. It does not merely state a fact or present a subjective opinion. Instead, it expresses a debatable idea or claim that you hope to prove through additional research. Your working thesis is called a working thesis for a reason—it is subject to change. As you learn more about your topic, you may change your thinking in light of your research findings. Let your working thesis serve as a guide to your research, but do not be afraid to modify it based on what you learn.

Jorge began his research with a strong point of view based on his preliminary writing and research. Read his working thesis statement, which presents the point he will argue. Notice how it states Jorge’s tentative answer to his research question.

One way to determine your working thesis is to consider how you would complete sentences such as I believe or My opinion is . However, keep in mind that academic writing generally does not use first-person pronouns. These statements are useful starting points, but formal research papers use an objective voice.

Write a working thesis statement that presents your preliminary answer to the research question you wrote in Note 11.27 “Exercise 3” . Check that your working thesis statement presents an idea or claim that could be supported or refuted by evidence from research.

Creating a Research Proposal

A research proposal is a brief document—no more than one typed page—that summarizes the preliminary work you have completed. Your purpose in writing it is to formalize your plan for research and present it to your instructor for feedback. In your research proposal, you will present your main research question, related subquestions, and working thesis. You will also briefly discuss the value of researching this topic and indicate how you plan to gather information.

When Jorge began drafting his research proposal, he realized that he had already created most of the pieces he needed. However, he knew he also had to explain how his research would be relevant to other future health care professionals. In addition, he wanted to form a general plan for doing the research and identifying potentially useful sources. Read Jorge’s research proposal.

Before you begin a new project at work, you may have to develop a project summary document that states the purpose of the project, explains why it would be a wise use of company resources, and briefly outlines the steps involved in completing the project. This type of document is similar to a research proposal. Both documents define and limit a project, explain its value, discuss how to proceed, and identify what resources you will use.

Writing Your Own Research Proposal

Now you may write your own research proposal, if you have not done so already. Follow the guidelines provided in this lesson.

Key Takeaways

• Developing a research proposal involves the following preliminary steps: identifying potential ideas, choosing ideas to explore further, choosing and narrowing a topic, formulating a research question, and developing a working thesis.
• A good topic for a research paper interests the writer and fulfills the requirements of the assignment.
• Defining and narrowing a topic helps writers conduct focused, in-depth research.
• Writers conduct preliminary research to identify possible topics and research questions and to develop a working thesis.
• A good research question interests readers, is neither too broad nor too narrow, and has no obvious answer.
• A good working thesis expresses a debatable idea or claim that can be supported with evidence from research.
• Writers create a research proposal to present their topic, main research question, subquestions, and working thesis to an instructor for approval or feedback.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Writing a Research Proposal

Parts of a research proposal, prosana model, introduction, research question, methodology.

• Structure of a Research Proposal
• Common Proposal Writing Mistakes
• Proposal Writing Resources

A research proposal's purpose is to capture the evaluator's attention, demonstrate the study's potential benefits, and prove that it is a logical and consistent approach (Van Ekelenburg, 2010).  To ensure that your research proposal contains these elements, there are several aspects to include in your proposal (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Objective(s)
• Variables (independent and dependent)
• Research Question and/or hypothesis

Details about what to include in each element are included in the boxes below.  Depending on the topic of your study, some parts may not apply to your proposal.  You can also watch the video below for a brief overview about writing a successful research proposal.

Van Ekelenburg (2010) uses the PROSANA Model to guide researchers in developing rationale and justification for their research projects.  It is an acronym that connects the problem, solution, and benefits of a particular research project.  It is an easy way to remember the critical parts of a research proposal and how they relate to one another.  It includes the following letters (Van Ekelenburg, 2010):

• Problem: Describing the main problem that the researcher is trying to solve.
• Root causes: Describing what is causing the problem.  Why is the topic an issue?
• fOcus: Narrowing down one of the underlying causes on which the researcher will focus for their research project.
• Solutions: Listing potential solutions or approaches to fix to the problem.  There could be more than one.
• Approach: Selecting the solution that the researcher will want to focus on.
• Novelty: Describing how the solution will address or solve the problem.
• Arguments: Explaining how the proposed solution will benefit the problem.

Research proposal titles should be concise and to the point, but informative.  The title of your proposal may be different from the title of your final research project, but that is completely normal!  Your findings may help you come up with a title that is more fitting for the final project.  Characteristics of good proposal titles are (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Catchy: It catches the reader's attention by peaking their interest.
• Positive: It spins your project in a positive way towards the reader.
• Transparent: It identifies the independent and dependent variables.

It is also common for proposal titles to be very similar to your research question, hypothesis, or thesis statement (Locke et al., 2007).

An abstract is a brief summary (about 300 words) of the study you are proposing.  It includes the following elements (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Your primary research question(s).
• Hypothesis or main argument.
• Method you will use to complete the study.  This may include the design, sample population, or measuring instruments that you plan to use.

Our guide on writing summaries may help you with this step.

The purpose of the introduction is to give readers background information about your topic.  it gives the readers a basic understanding of your topic so that they can further understand the significance of your proposal.  A good introduction will explain (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• How it relates to other research done on the topic
• Why your research is significant to the field
• The relevance of your study

Your research objectives are the desired outcomes that you will achieve from the research project.  Depending on your research design, these may be generic or very specific.  You may also have more than one objective (Al-Riyami, 2008).

• General objectives are what the research project will accomplish
• Specific objectives relate to the research questions that the researcher aims to answer through the study.

Be careful not to have too many objectives in your proposal, as having too many can make your project lose focus.  Plus, it may not be possible to achieve several objectives in one study.

This section describes the different types of variables that you plan to have in your study and how you will measure them.  According to Al-Riyami (2008), there are four types of research variables:

• Independent:  The person, object, or idea that is manipulated by the researcher.
• Dependent:  The person, object, or idea whose changes are dependent upon the independent variable.  Typically, it is the item that the researcher is measuring for the study.
• Confounding/Intervening:  Factors that may influence the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.  These include physical and mental barriers.  Not every study will have intervening variables, but they should be studied if applicable.
• Background:   Factors that are relevant to the study's data and how it can be generalized.  Examples include demographic information such as age, sex, and ethnicity.

Your research proposal should describe each of your variables and how they relate to one another.  Depending on your study, you may not have all four types of variables present.  However, there will always be an independent and dependent variable.

A research question is the main piece of your research project because it explains what your study will discover to the reader.  It is the question that fuels the study, so it is important for it to be precise and unique.  You do not want it to be too broad, and it should identify a relationship between two variables (an independent and a dependent) (Al-Riyami, 2008).  There are six types of research questions (Academic Writer, n.d.):

• Example: "Do people get nervous before speaking in front of an audience?"
• Example: "What are the study habits of college freshmen at Tiffin University?"
• Example: "What primary traits create a successful romantic relationship?"
• Example: "Is there a relationship between a child's performance in school and their parents' socioeconomic status?"
• Example: "Are high school seniors more motivated than high school freshmen?"
• Example: "Do news media outlets impact a person's political opinions?"

For more information on the different types of research questions, you can view the "Research Questions and Hypotheses" tutorial on Academic Writer, located below.  If you are unfamiliar with Academic Writer, we also have a tutorial on using the database located below.

Compose papers in pre-formatted APA templates. Manage references in forms that help craft APA citations. Learn the rules of APA style through tutorials and practice quizzes.

Academic Writer will continue to use the 6th edition guidelines until August 2020. A preview of the 7th edition is available in the footer of the resource's site. Previously known as APA Style Central.

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If you know enough about your research topic that you believe a particular outcome may occur as a result of the study, you can include a hypothesis (thesis statement) in your proposal.  A hypothesis is a prediction that you believe will be the outcome of your study.  It explains what you think the relationship will be between the independent and dependent variable (Al-Riyami, 2008).  It is ok if the hypothesis in your proposal turns out to be incorrect, because it is only a prediction!  If you are writing a proposal in the humanities, you may be writing a thesis statement instead of a hypothesis.  A thesis presents the main argument of your research project and leads to corresponding evidence to support your argument.

Hypotheses vs. Theories

Hypotheses are different from theories in that theories represent general principles and sets of rules that explain different phenomena.  They typically represent large areas of study because they are applicable to anything in a particular field.  Hypotheses focus on specific areas within a field and are educated guesses, meaning that they have the potential to be proven wrong (Academic Writer, n.d.).  Because of this, hypotheses can also be formed from theories.

For more information on writing effective thesis statements, you can view our guide on writing thesis statements below.

In a research proposal, you must thoroughly explain how you will conduct your study.  This includes things such as (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Research design:  What research approach will your study take?  Will it be quantitative or qualitative?
• Research subjects/participants:  Who will be participating in your study?  Does your study require human participants?  How will you determine who to study?
• Sample size:  How many participants will your study require?  If you are not using human participants, how much of the sample will you be studying?
• Timeline:  A proposed list of the general tasks and events that you plan to complete the study.  This will include a time frame for each task/event and the order in which they will be completed.
• Interventions:  If you plan on using anything on human participants for the study, you must include information it here.  This is especially important if you plan on using any substances on human subjects.
• Ethical issues:  Are there any potential ethical issues surrounding this study?
• Potential limitations:  Are there any limitations that could skew the data and findings from your study?
• Appendixes:  If you need to present any consent forms, interview questions, surveys, questionnaires, or other items that will be used in your study, you should include samples of each item with an appendix to reference them.  If you are using a copyrighted document, you may need written permission from the original creator to use it in your study.  A copy of the written permission should be included in your proposal.
• Setting:  Where will you be conducting the study?
• Study instruments:  What measuring tools or computer software will you be using to collect data?  How will you collect the data?
• How you will analyze the data:  What strategies or tools will you use to analyze the data you collect?
• Quality control:  Will you have precautions in place to ensure that the study is conducted consistently and that outside factors will not skew the data?
• Budget:  What type of funding will you need for your study?  This will include the funds needed to afford measuring tools, software, etc.
• How you will share the study's findings:  What will you plan to do with the findings?
• Significance of the study: How will your study expand on existing knowledge of the subject area?

For more information on research methodologies, you can view our guide on research methods and methodologies below.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Writing a Research Proposal

• Purpose of Guide
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• The Research Problem/Question
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Evaluating Sources
• Reading Research Effectively
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Is it Peer-Reviewed?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism [linked guide]
• Annotated Bibliography
• Grading Someone Else's Paper

The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting the research are governed by standards within the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, so guidelines for research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study's completion.

Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.

How to Approach Writing a Research Proposal

Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:

• Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study;
• Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered [or you may determine the problem has been answered ineffectively] and, in so doing, become better at locating scholarship related to your topic;
• Improve your general research and writing skills;
• Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish one's research goals;
• Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
• Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in the process of doing scholarly research.

A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.

Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:

• What do you plan to accomplish? Be clear and succinct in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
• Why do you want to do it? In addition to detailing your research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of study. Be sure to answer the "So What?" question.
• How are you going to do it? Be sure that what you propose is doable. If you're having trouble formulating a research problem to propose investigating, go here .

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failure to be concise; being "all over the map" without a clear sense of purpose.
• Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review.
• Failure to delimit the contextual boundaries of your research [e.g., time, place, people, etc.].
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
• Failure to stay focused on the research problem; going off on unrelated tangents.
• Sloppy or imprecise writing, or poor grammar.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.

Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal .  The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Structure and Writing Style

Beginning the Proposal Process

As with writing a regular academic paper, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout most social science disciplines. Proposals vary between ten and twenty-five pages in length. However, before you begin, read the assignment carefully and, if anything seems unclear, ask your professor whether there are any specific requirements for organizing and writing the proposal.

A good place to begin is to ask yourself a series of questions:

• What do I want to study?
• Why is the topic important?
• How is it significant within the subject areas covered in my class?
• What problems will it help solve?
• How does it build upon [and hopefully go beyond] research already conducted on the topic?
• What exactly should I plan to do, and can I get it done in the time available?

In general, a compelling research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and demonstrate your enthusiasm for conducting the study. Approach it with the intention of leaving your readers feeling like--"Wow, that's an exciting idea and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!"

In general your proposal should include the following sections:

I.  Introduction

In the real world of higher education, a research proposal is most often written by scholars seeking grant funding for a research project or it's the first step in getting approval to write a doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea or a thorough examination of the significance of a research problem. After reading the introduction, your readers should not only have an understanding of what you want to do, but they should also be able to gain a sense of your passion for the topic and be excited about the study's possible outcomes. Note that most proposals do not include an abstract [summary] before the introduction.

Think about your introduction as a narrative written in one to three paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :

• What is the central research problem?
• What is the topic of study related to that problem?
• What methods should be used to analyze the research problem?
• Why is this important research, what is its significance, and why should someone reading the proposal care about the outcomes of the proposed study?

II.  Background and Significance

This section can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and narrative flow of your proposal. This is where you explain the context of your proposal and describe in detail why it's important. Approach writing this section with the thought that you can’t assume your readers will know as much about the research problem as you do. Note that this section is not an essay going over everything you have learned about the topic; instead, you must choose what is relevant to help explain the goals for your study.

To that end, while there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to address some or all of the following key points:

• State the research problem and give a more detailed explanation about the purpose of the study than what you stated in the introduction. This is particularly important if the problem is complex or multifaceted .
• Present the rationale of your proposed study and clearly indicate why it is worth doing. Answer the "So What? question [i.e., why should anyone care].
• Describe the major issues or problems to be addressed by your research. Be sure to note how your proposed study builds on previous assumptions about the research problem.
• Explain how you plan to go about conducting your research. Clearly identify the key sources you intend to use and explain how they will contribute to your analysis of the topic.
• Set the boundaries of your proposed research in order to provide a clear focus. Where appropriate, state not only what you will study, but what is excluded from the study.
• If necessary, provide definitions of key concepts or terms.

III.  Literature Review

Connected to the background and significance of your study is a section of your proposal devoted to a more deliberate review and synthesis of prior studies related to the research problem under investigation . The purpose here is to place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored, while demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methods they have used, and what is your understanding of their findings and, where stated, their recommendations. Do not be afraid to challenge the conclusions of prior research. Assess what you believe is missing and state how previous research has failed to adequately examine the issue that your study addresses. For more information on writing literature reviews, GO HERE .

Since a literature review is information dense, it is crucial that this section is intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study in relation to that of other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically describing groups of materials one at a time. Note that conceptual categories generally reveal themselves after you have read most of the pertinent literature on your topic so adding new categories is an on-going process of discovery as you read more studies. How do you know you've covered the key conceptual categories underlying the research literature? Generally, you can have confidence that all of the significant conceptual categories have been identified if you start to see repetition in the conclusions or recommendations that are being made.

To help frame your proposal's literature review, here are the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:

• Cite , so as to keep the primary focus on the literature pertinent to your research problem.
• Compare the various arguments, theories, methodologies, and findings expressed in the literature: what do the authors agree on? Who applies similar approaches to analyzing the research problem?
• Contrast the various arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches, and controversies expressed in the literature: what are the major areas of disagreement, controversy, or debate?
• Critique the literature: Which arguments are more persuasive, and why? Which approaches, findings, methodologies seem most reliable, valid, or appropriate, and why? Pay attention to the verbs you use to describe what an author says/does [e.g., asserts, demonstrates, argues, etc.] .
• Connect the literature to your own area of research and investigation: how does your own work draw upon, depart from, synthesize, or add a new perspective to what has been said in the literature?

IV.  Research Design and Methods

This section must be well-written and logically organized because you are not actually doing the research, yet, your reader must have confidence that it is worth pursuing . The reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. Thus, the objective here is to convince the reader that your overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the problem and that the methods will provide the means to effectively interpret the potential results. Your design and methods should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.

Describe the overall research design by building upon and drawing examples from your review of the literature. Consider not only methods that other researchers have used but methods of data gathering that have not been used but perhaps could be. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to obtain information, the techniques you would use to analyze the data, and the tests of external validity to which you commit yourself [i.e., the trustworthiness by which you can generalize from your study to other people, places, events, and/or periods of time].

When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover the following:

• Specify the research operations you will undertake and the way you will interpret the results of these operations in relation to the research problem. Don't just describe what you intend to achieve from applying the methods you choose, but state how you will spend your time while applying these methods [e.g., coding text from interviews to find statements about the need to change school curriculum; running a regression to determine if there is a relationship between campaign advertising on social media sites and election outcomes in Europe ].
• Keep in mind that a methodology is not just a list of tasks; it is an argument as to why these tasks add up to the best way to investigate the research problem. This is an important point because the mere listing of tasks to be performed does not demonstrate that, collectively, they effectively address the research problem. Be sure you explain this.
• Anticipate and acknowledge any potential barriers and pitfalls in carrying out your research design and explain how you plan to address them. No method is perfect so you need to describe where you believe challenges may exist in obtaining data or accessing information. It's always better to acknowledge this than to have it brought up by your reader.

Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal . Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; Heath, M. Teresa Pereira and Caroline Tynan. “Crafting a Research Proposal.” The Marketing Review 10 (Summer 2010): 147-168; Jones, Mark. “Writing a Research Proposal.” In MasterClass in Geography Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning . Graham Butt, editor. (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015), pp. 113-127; Juni, Muhamad Hanafiah. “Writing a Research Proposal.” International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences 1 (September/October 2014): 229-240; Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005; Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Punch, Keith and Wayne McGowan. "Developing and Writing a Research Proposal." In From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills . Nigel Gilbert, ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006), 59-81; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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• Last Updated: Sep 8, 2023 12:19 PM
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• 10 Research Question Examples to Guide Your Research Project

10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

Published on October 30, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on October 19, 2023.

The research question is one of the most important parts of your research paper , thesis or dissertation . It’s important to spend some time assessing and refining your question before you get started.

The exact form of your question will depend on a few things, such as the length of your project, the type of research you’re conducting, the topic , and the research problem . However, all research questions should be focused, specific, and relevant to a timely social or scholarly issue.

Once you’ve read our guide on how to write a research question , you can use these examples to craft your own.

Note that the design of your research question can depend on what method you are pursuing. Here are a few options for qualitative, quantitative, and statistical research questions.

Other interesting articles

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

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McCombes, S. (2023, October 19). 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project. Scribbr. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-question-examples/

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Writing a proposal? Read the NIH grant instructions!

I know that there is a very long and boring set of instructions for writing NIH grants, called the SF424: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html This page is particularly helpful in listing what the review criteria are, and some tips about writing the proposal. https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/write-your-application.htm

For example, under Writing Tip #3:

• Write a clear topic sentence for each paragraph with one main point or idea.  This is key for readability.
• Make your points as direct as possible. Avoid jargon or excessive language.
• Write simple and clear sentences, keeping to about 20 words or less in each.

What points should you address?

I can’t find it in the current online version of the guidelines, but the prior PDF version of the SF424 has some very salient questions that you should make sure the various sections of your proposal address.

I f you cannot easily find a single topic (first) sentence of a paragraph that is followed by evidence to address the point below, then you probably haven’t focused your writing enough to what the reviewers want to know. As a reviewer, I scan the document, read the first sentences of each paragraph to see if I can catch the answers to these questions before diving in.

And, as a rule, the first sentence of each paragraph should be coordinated so that they form the logical underpinnings of your research proposal, with the stuff in the paragraphs supplying the necessary evidence for each point. So one paragraph, one topic, and if I agree with your assertion, then I won’t read further into the paragraph in much detail, but if I disagree then I’ll be scrutinizing the data and literature that you present.

Here they are:

Specific Aims

State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved. 

List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology. 

Significance

Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.

Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields. 

Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved

Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms. 

Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions. 

Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches  

Approach 

Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Unless addressed separately in the Resource Sharing Plan attachment below, include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. 

Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims. • _If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work. 

Research & Creative Activities

Apply now: cpr³ is accepting proposals for funding in two priority research areas.

• Adela Hernandez
• January 26, 2023
• Opportunities

The California Collaborative for Pandemic Recovery and Readiness Research (CPR³) invite individuals with Principal Investigator (PI) status, at any University of California (UC) campus, to submit proposals for COVID-19 pandemic-related research :

Grants of  $100,000 to $300,000 for one year  will be awarded. The two priority topic areas are:

• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on  children and adolescents  (including health and social determinants of health), and the role of intersecting social, structural, and economic factors at household and community levels
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on  mental health , particularly among sub-populations at increased risk such as the elderly, children, people with pre-existing conditions, and communities with underlying social vulnerabilities

A Q & A webinar will be hosted on Tues. January 24, 2023 at 11 am PST (Register here ). Applications are due February 28, 2023 by 6:00 pm PST.

For additional information, please visit https://cpr3.ucsf.edu/funding-opportunities or contact:  [email protected] .

(310) 825-7943 [email protected]

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