So you’ve decided to pursue an academic career and you’ve already identified research areas that you’re interested in. But do you know what the key step in applying for a PhD programme is?
In some cases, your prospective supervisor has won funding and is advertising PhD opportunity for a specific project. You can find current opportunities using portals like FindAPhD.
In most cases, however, you would need to come up with the idea for your research. You’d then need to present it in the form of a research proposal before you can be admitted for a PhD programme. And this isn’t something that we’re being taught in school!
Proposal writing is an important skill that you need to become a successful researcher, regardless of whether you’d be pursuing academic, business or industrial career pathways. The ability to present your ideas in a conscience manner is important in any industry.
That’s why I want to expand on the key aspects of proposals writing in this article, based on the experience I gained as a researcher and an academic. Let’s get started!
What is a research proposal?
According to the University of Birmingham, a research proposal is a concise document that presents an overview of the research you set out to perform during your research programme.
The main aim of a research proposal is to present the hypothesis, knowledge gap or set of research questions that you intend to study at length during your time as a PhD researcher.
You can also use it to demonstrate your understanding of the research area, indicate the key research challenges and issues that need to be solved. It is also your opportunity to convince your prospective supervisor, funding body or any other people in the decision-making organisation that you’re the best person to deliver this research to the required standard.
Therefore, don’t leave anything to chance. Take plenty of time to draft, verify and write your project proposal. Well-written proposals go through several iterations before you can submit your formal application!
Why do we need research proposals?
A research proposal is the most important document in the PhD application process. The main aim of writing research applications or grant proposals is to convince funding agencies (or prospective supervisor) to use their budget and fund your project.
Therefore, the main goal of your proposal document is to demonstrate why your research project should be funded. The funders and prospective supervisors usually assess the proposals in terms of their novelty and originality of science. They will also assess whether you have the required skills to deliver the project and its potential project impact and the likelihood of project success based on the proposed plan and tasks.
What should you include in the project proposal?
Before you even start writing your research proposal, I encourage you to check the guidelines set out by specific funders in their request for proposals. You can also reach out to the prospective supervisor and ask about their expectations and key elements to include in your research proposal.
Remember, great research proposals will present very complex information in a structured and easy-to-read manner, including specific activities and a clear rationale. They will also use concise language and present a realistic description of a project timeline and required resources.
But what are the specific components and content that you need to include in your research proposal?
Title
Your title should reflect the research that you’ve set out to achieve. This would usually indicate the specific technology, process, phenomenon, technique or field of study that you intend to work on. It can also very briefly describe the scope of your research project.
Remember, you can always modify your research title as you go through your project. Nevertheless, write it in a way that encourages other people to read your proposal in detail.
Abstract or Executive summary
This is where you sell your research proposal! Ensure that your abstract presents the relevant context, main arguments, and key methodology and tools for your research.
It is also a good idea to emphasise why this research is important! Your abstract must present a coherent and interesting story of your research so that you convince the decision-makers that your project is worthwhile. To write it with impact, carefully design the message for people reading your proposal.
Research background or context
An introduction section is common to most types of proposals. You need to demonstrate that you’re aware of the current discussions in your selected field of study. Your literature review should present a critical account of the broader research environment and specific challenges related to the current state-of-the-art.
A review of the current studies will help you to demonstrate better the novelty of your approach and your proposed solutions. Be thorough and demonstrate that you know the key research groups and discussions in your research areas.
To write it properly, think of the key information that the reviewers need to fully understand your proposal and the research questions you want to answer through your research. Remember to use proper references!
Research questions or hypothesis
Building on the context and background information, this section of your research proposal will present the hypothesis(es) that you’re going to test in your project. It’s also a good idea to include the primary and secondary research questions you’re going to answer through your research.
This part of your proposal will also include several measurable objectives that will allow you to meet the main goal of your project.
One of the primary criteria that the funders and prospective supervisors will be judging your proposal against is its novelty and significance. You can use this section to demonstrate these aspects of your research idea. Include a concise and punchy novelty statement to show how your research builds on the current state of knowledge in your research and refer to the relevant background information to justify the timeliness of your research.
Research design and methodology
A successful proposal includes a thought through and well-designed research programme. In this section, you should present the methodological approach you provision for your project, including an indication of any software or experimental setup, as well as any specific conditions you want to consider when doing your research. You may evidence your selection using the existing literature.
It is also important to present the analytical approach you are going to undertake in your research. An efficient analysis is a key to producing research with impact.
Research plan and resources
Finally, depending on specific organisations’ requirements, you may need to include a research plan and justification for resources.
Your research plan should realistically present how you will manage the time and tasks during your research, including initial risk assessment. It is a good idea to reflect on each item you propose to do in your research and think how many months it will take to deliver. Make sure you account for uncertainty when deriving your project schedule! It’s common to use a Gantt chart to present the details of your project plan. It is also a good idea to present specific deliverables and milestones for your project.
As for the project resources, think about the time and costs associated with delivering the research, conferences and training. Costs associated with making you should also include your work open access.
Common questions regarding grant and proposal writing
When preparing this article, I reflected on the types of questions that my team members and I were asking when preparing our first research proposals. Here are the most common ones.
How long should a research proposal be?
The length and details you need to include in the research proposal depend on the funding agency, the university, or business. Different fields of study also tend to have a preferred approach to writing proposals.
As a rule of thumb, a research proposal is around 2,000-3,000 words, including references. I recommend prospective students to limit their proposal to 5 pages (i.e. document with 2cm margins, 11pt Arial, 1.1 spacing).
What is a good proposal?
A good research proposal is a concise outline of the research that you are proposing to do. It should demonstrate your understanding of the field, reasons for performing the research, sound research design including key factors to analyse, and high quality of outputs. It’ll also include a high degree of originality and will explicitly present the role your research will have in advancing the research field.
I also want to emphasise that this means of communication needs to be very professional – make sure you check your grammar and spelling before submitting your proposal! It is also a good idea to ask your colleagues and friends for feedback.
Why is the process for writing or creating a proposal so challenging?
Writing proposals can be challenging because we’re operating at the edge of our knowledge. It’s crucial to clearly explain what you intend to do and ensure that experts in your chosen research area will understand your proposal. Make sure your communication is impeccable and avoid using jargon if it isn’t necessary.
There’s also strong competition for grants, so each proposal you write needs to be of top quality. Clarity of your explanations, collaborations, and the impression you make on the reviewers to stand out from the crowd will get you funds to deliver your research!
A final word…
Efficient proposal writing is a key skill that you need to develop to be a successful academic. I trust the advice I included in this article will help you secure funding for your research and PhD studentships!
I encourage you to engage with industry, business partners and universities well in advance of when you’d like to undertake your research. Building your relationships takes time, as does develop the final version of your proposal. Use the period you’ve got during your Bachelor or Master qualifications to build your confidence, expertise and write a strong research proposal!
