Tips to Write an Awesome Research Proposal for PhD

by PhD Admissions Team of Road to Abroad

How to Write an Awesome Research Proposal: A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research. It sets out the central issues or questions that you intend to address. It outlines the general area of study within which your research falls, referring to the current state of knowledge and any recent debates on the topic. It also demonstrates the originality of your proposed research.

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.

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 questions. 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 points.
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.

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, and use discipline-specific language.

Final tips

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

Also Read:

How to Research Proposal for PhD Applications – Complete Guide

Eligibility criteria for PhD abroad

How to develop research ideas for PhD?

For more information regarding funding opportunities and PhD positions abroad, contact our team at Road to Abroad (+91 8383050912). For more general information about studying PhD in abroad in various countries like UK, USA, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, etc visit our PhD Consultation Page.

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Education Transcending Borders

Tips to Write an Awesome Research Proposal for PhD

by PhD Admissions Team of Road to Abroad

What should I begin with?

How should I approach the literature?

Tips for writing

Final tips

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