A research proposal is an important element of a student’s academic career. If you intend to pursue a higher degree in a field like history, business, or psychology, for example, then you will have to conduct a major research project. The proposal is your key to the sponsor’s door. While there is a format to these proposals, it can be difficult to determine what you should write and how. This is where a research proposal example can be very useful.
While the main point of your research will be to prove (or disprove) your thesis statement, the idea of a proposal is to prove you are capable of choosing a valuable topic and doing the research in the first place. If you have selected a specific topic and just want to be sure that your proposal will be structured correctly and contain the necessary information, then use a research proposal example.
The items in your research proposal will differ depending on what your field of study is, so it is best to find an example that is directly related to your subject area. There are seven parts to an average proposal: the working title, abstract, literature review, essential research questions, methodology, planning and bibliography. When looking for a suitable example, make sure it answers the following questions:
- What is the goal of the research?
- How will the student reach this goal?
- Why does the student want to pursue this goal?
The first question is usually answered in the title, abstract, literature review and research questions sections of the proposal example. Question number two is usually answered in the research questions, methodology and planning sections. The third question should be answered in the abstract (and to a lesser degree in the literature review) section.
A good research proposal example will be specific and use the relevant sections to demonstrate the planning skills of the student. It is important for you to choose an example that is specific, not just to help your own writing efforts, but because the institution you are applying to will need to judge whether or not it has the expertise to sponsor you. Many universities make a point of informing potential students that they should be sure to only send in a proposal if they are sure the university is suitable for their research issue. Keep this requirement in mind when looking for examples and when writing your own proposal.
Remember that you should use the example as a reference, not as something to be copied. In other words, use it to remind you of all the important details that you should include in your own proposal. These include the answers to the three key questions above (What? How? Why?). In terms of style, a strong research proposal example will show you which of the sections need to be brief and which should be quite detailed.
You can always check the research proposal examples on EssaysExperts.com to see the full range of topics we cover. Or buy research papers, essays and term papers from us.
