good title for research proposal

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 265 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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• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on September 5, 2024.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

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Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

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

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

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

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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How to Title a Research Proposal

Coming up with a good title for your research proposal can be tricky. It’s often the first thing people see, so it needs to grab their attention and give them a clear idea of what your research is about.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating an effective title for your research proposal. We’ll cover why titles matter, what makes a good title, and give you step-by-step instructions on how to craft one. By the end, you’ll have all the tools you need to create a title that makes your proposal shine.

Why Your Research Proposal Title Matters

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s talk about why your title is so important:

• First Impressions Count

Think of your title as the cover of a book. It’s the first thing people see, and it can make them either want to read more or move on to something else. A good title can make people curious and excited about your research.

• It Sets the Tone

Your title gives readers a sneak peek into what your research is all about. It can hint at your approach, your findings, or the importance of your work.

• It Helps People Find Your Work

In the world of academic research, a good title can help your work show up in searches. This means more people might read and use your research.

• It Shows You Know Your Stuff

A clear, well-thought-out title shows that you understand your research topic and can explain it well. This can make people more likely to trust your work.

What Makes a Good Research Proposal Title?

Now that we know why titles are important, let’s look at what makes a title good:

• Clear and Specific

A good title tells readers exactly what your research is about. It shouldn’t be vague or confusing.

Example: Vague: “A Study of Plants” Clear and Specific: “The Effects of Increased Carbon Dioxide Levels on Tomato Plant Growth”

While your title should be clear, it also needs to be short. Aim for about 10-15 words. If you need more, consider using a subtitle.

Your title should make people want to read more. This doesn’t mean it needs to be flashy, but it should be interesting.

• Informative

A good title gives readers key information about your research. This might include the main topic, the population you’re studying, or your method.

• Uses Keywords

Include important words related to your research. This helps people find your work when they’re searching for information on your topic.

• Avoids Jargon and Abbreviations

Unless you’re writing for a very specific audience, try to use words that most people can understand. Avoid abbreviations unless they’re very well-known in your field.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Research Proposal Title

Now, let’s walk through the process of creating your title:

Step 1: Identify Your Main Topic

Start by pinpointing the main focus of your research. What’s the big question you’re trying to answer?

Example: If you’re studying how social media affects teenagers’ mental health, your main topic might be “social media and teen mental health.”

Step 2: Specify Your Approach or Method

Next, think about how you’re going to study this topic. Are you doing experiments? Surveys? Analyzing existing data?

Example: If you’re using surveys to study social media and teen mental health, you might add “A Survey-Based Study” to your title.

Step 3: Highlight Your Unique Angle

What makes your research different or interesting? Is there a specific aspect you’re focusing on?

Example: Maybe you’re specifically looking at how different types of social media platforms affect teen mental health. You could add this to your title.

Step 4: Consider Your Target Audience

Think about who will be reading your proposal. Are they experts in your field, or could they be from a variety of backgrounds? This will help you decide how technical your title should be.

Step 5: Draft Your Title

Now, put all these elements together into a draft title.

Example: “The Impact of Different Social Media Platforms on Teenage Mental Health: A Survey-Based Study”

Step 6: Refine and Polish

Look at your draft title and ask yourself:

• Is it clear?
• Is it specific enough?
• Is it too long?
• Does it use important keywords?
• Would it make someone want to read more?

Make adjustments based on your answers.

Step 7: Get Feedback

Show your title to others – your peers, your advisor, or even someone outside your field. Ask them what they think the research is about based on the title. Their feedback can help you make your title even better.

Step 8: Final Check

Before you finalize your title, do one last check:

• Proofread for any spelling or grammar errors
• Make sure it follows any specific guidelines for your proposal submission
• Confirm that it accurately represents your research

Types of Research Proposal Titles

There are several common types of titles you might use for your research proposal. Let’s look at each type and when you might use it:

• Descriptive Titles

These titles simply describe what the research is about. They’re straightforward and clear.

When to use: When you want to be direct and your research doesn’t need a catchy hook.

Example: “The Effects of Exercise on Depression in Older Adults”

• Interrogative Titles

These titles pose a question that the research aims to answer.

When to use: When your research is exploratory or when you want to highlight the main question you’re addressing.

Example: “Can Regular Exercise Reduce Symptoms of Depression in Older Adults?”

• Declarative Titles

These titles make a statement about the findings or conclusions of the research.

When to use: When you have strong findings or a clear argument to make. Be careful with these for proposals, as they might seem presumptuous if you haven’t done the research yet.

Example: “Regular Exercise Significantly Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults”

• Two-Part Titles

These titles have two parts, usually separated by a colon. The first part is often catchy or general, while the second part is more specific.

When to use: When you want to grab attention but also need to be specific about your research.

Example: “Moving Towards Happiness: The Impact of Exercise on Depression in Older Adults”

• Metaphorical Titles

These titles use figurative language to describe the research in an engaging way.

When to use: When you want to be creative and your field allows for less formal titles. Be careful not to sacrifice clarity for creativity.

Example: “Sweating Away the Blues: How Exercise Combats Depression in the Elderly”

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Research Proposal Titles

Now that we’ve covered how to create a good title, let’s look at some common mistakes to avoid:

• Being Too Vague

A title that’s too general doesn’t give readers enough information about your specific research.

Bad example: “A Study of Mental Health” Better: “The Impact of Social Support on Mental Health Outcomes in First-Year College Students”

• Using Jargon or Obscure Abbreviations

Remember, not everyone who reads your title will be an expert in your field.

Bad example: “The Effect of HIIT on VO2 Max in Sedentary Adults” Better: “The Impact of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiovascular Fitness in Inactive Adults”

• Making it Too Long

While you want to be informative, a title that’s too long can be hard to read and remember.

Bad example: “An Investigation into the Effects of Different Types of Social Media Usage on the Mental Health and Well-being of Teenagers Aged 13-18 in Urban Areas” Better: “Social Media Use and Mental Health in Urban Teenagers: A Comparative Study”

• Being Misleading

Your title should accurately reflect your research. Don’t promise something your study doesn’t deliver.

Bad example: “Curing Depression Through Exercise” (if your study only shows exercise may help reduce symptoms) Better: “The Role of Exercise in Managing Depressive Symptoms”

• Using Sensational Language

While you want your title to be interesting, avoid using exaggerated or sensational language.

Bad example: “Shocking Discoveries About Diet and Cancer” Better: “New Insights into the Relationship Between Diet and Cancer Risk”

• Forgetting Keywords

Including relevant keywords helps people find your research.

Bad example: “A Look at Online Behavior” Better: “Cyberbullying Patterns in Adolescent Social Media Use”

• Using Questions That Can Be Answered With “Yes” or “No”

If you use a question in your title, make sure it’s not too simplistic.

Bad example: “Does Diet Affect Health?” Better: “How Do Different Dietary Patterns Impact Long-term Health Outcomes?”

Examples of Good Research Proposal Titles

To help you get a better idea of what good titles look like, here are some examples from different fields:

Psychology: “The Role of Mindfulness Meditation in Reducing Workplace Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial”

Environmental Science: “Urban Green Spaces and Air Quality: Measuring the Impact of City Parks on Local Pollution Levels”

Education: “Gamification in the Classroom: Evaluating the Effects on Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes”

Sociology: “Breaking the Cycle: Intergenerational Poverty and the Impact of Early Childhood Education Programs”

Medical Research: “Exploring the Gut-Brain Axis: The Relationship Between Microbiome Composition and Anxiety Disorders”

Technology: “Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Developing Predictive Models for Early Disease Detection”

History: “Voices from the Past: Oral Histories of World War II Veterans and Their Impact on Historical Narratives”

Business: “The Gig Economy and Worker Satisfaction: A Comparative Study of Full-time and Freelance Professionals”

Literature: “Beyond the Canon: Diversifying English Literature Curricula and Its Effects on Student Engagement”

Physics: “Quantum Entanglement in Macroscopic Systems: New Approaches for Scalable Quantum Computing”

These examples show how a good title can convey the main topic, the approach or method, and sometimes even hint at the potential findings or importance of the research.

Tailoring Your Title to Different Audiences

It’s important to remember that you might need to adjust your title depending on who will be reading it. Here are some tips for tailoring your title to different audiences:

• Academic Audience

When writing for other researchers or academics in your field:

• You can use some specialized terminology, but still avoid obscure jargon
• Be precise about your research methods and focus
• Include relevant theoretical frameworks if applicable

Example: “Applying Self-Determination Theory to Online Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study of Student Motivation and Achievement”

• Grant Committees

When applying for funding:

• Emphasize the potential impact or relevance of your research
• Use language that non-experts can understand
• Highlight the innovative aspects of your study

Example: “Tackling Antibiotic Resistance: Developing Novel Treatments for Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections”

• General Public

If your research might be read by a general audience:

• Avoid all jargon and technical terms
• Focus on the real-world applications or implications of your work
• Use engaging, accessible language

Example: “Can What We Eat Affect How We Feel? Exploring the Link Between Diet and Depression”

• Interdisciplinary Audience

If your research crosses multiple fields:

• Use language that’s accessible to people from different backgrounds
• Clearly show how your research connects different areas
• Avoid field-specific jargon

Example: “Merging Art and Science: Using Virtual Reality to Enhance Museum Experiences and Learning Outcomes”

• Policy Makers

If your research has policy implications:

• Highlight the practical applications or policy relevance of your work
• Use clear, straightforward language
• Focus on the potential impact on society or specific populations

Example: “Bridging the Digital Divide: Evaluating Strategies to Increase Internet Access in Rural Communities”

Remember, no matter who your audience is, your title should always be clear, informative, and engaging.

Revising and Refining Your Title

Creating a great title often involves several rounds of revision. Here are some strategies to help you refine your title:

• Sleep on It

After you’ve drafted your title, leave it for a day or two. When you come back to it, you might see ways to improve it that weren’t obvious before.

• Read it Out Loud

Sometimes, hearing your title can help you identify awkward phrasing or words that don’t quite fit.

• Try Different Versions

Come up with several different titles for your proposal . You might find that combining elements from different versions leads to the best result.

• Use the “So What?” Test

Ask yourself, “So what?” about your title. Does it convey why your research matters? If not, consider how you can tweak it to show the significance of your work.

• Check for Clarity

Ask someone unfamiliar with your research to read your title. Can they tell you what your research is about? If not, you might need to make your title clearer.

• Consider SEO

If your research will be published online, think about search engine optimization (SEO). Include important keywords that people might use when searching for research like yours.

• Compare with Other Titles

Look at titles of similar research in your field. How does yours compare? This can give you ideas for improvement.

• Cut Unnecessary Words

Go through your title word by word. Is each one necessary? Can you say the same thing with fewer words?

• Check Guidelines

Make sure your title follows any guidelines provided by your institution, funding body, or the place where you’re submitting your proposal.

• Get Professional Feedback

If possible, ask your advisor or a colleague in your field to review your title. They might offer valuable insights or suggestions.

How to Write a Comprehensive PhD Research Proposal in Sociology

How to Write a Research Proposal for Business Psychology

How To Write An Effective Research Proposal Title

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

To wrap up, let’s address some frequently asked questions about research proposal titles:

Q1: How long should my research proposal title be? A: Aim for about 10-15 words. If you need more, consider using a subtitle.

Q2: Should I use questions in my title? A: Questions can be effective, especially for exploratory research. Just make sure they’re not too simple or easily answered with a yes or no.

Q3: Is it okay to use humor in my title? A: It depends on your field and audience. In most academic settings, it’s better to err on the side of being professional rather than humorous.

Q4: Should I include my research methods in the title? A: If your method is a key part of what makes your research unique or important, then yes. Otherwise, it’s not always necessary.

Q5: Can I use abbreviations in my title? A: It’s generally best to avoid abbreviations unless they’re very well-known in your field.

Q6: How do I know if my title is too technical? A: Ask someone outside your field to read it. If they can’t understand what your research is about, you might need to simplify your language.

Q7: Is it okay to use a colon in my title? A: Yes, using a colon to separate a general topic from a more specific description is a common and effective title format.

Q8: Should my title describe my results? A: For a research proposal, usually not, since you haven’t done the research yet. Your title should describe what you plan to study.

Q9: How important is the order of words in my title? A: Very important. Put the most crucial information at the beginning of your title where it’s most likely to grab attention.

Q10: Can I change my title after I’ve submitted my proposal? A: This depends on the rules of where you’re submitting. In many cases, you can refine your title as your research progresses, but check with your advisor or the submission guidelines.

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How to Make a Research Paper Title with Examples

What is a research paper title and why does it matter?

A research paper title summarizes the aim and purpose of your research study. Making a title for your research is one of the most important decisions when writing an article to publish in journals. The research title is the first thing that journal editors and reviewers see when they look at your paper and the only piece of information that fellow researchers will see in a database or search engine query. Good titles that are concise and contain all the relevant terms have been shown to increase citation counts and Altmetric scores .

Therefore, when you title research work, make sure it captures all of the relevant aspects of your study, including the specific topic and problem being investigated. It also should present these elements in a way that is accessible and will captivate readers. Follow these steps to learn how to make a good research title for your work.

How to Make a Research Paper Title in 5 Steps

You might wonder how you are supposed to pick a title from all the content that your manuscript contains—how are you supposed to choose? What will make your research paper title come up in search engines and what will make the people in your field read it? 

In a nutshell, your research title should accurately capture what you have done, it should sound interesting to the people who work on the same or a similar topic, and it should contain the important title keywords that other researchers use when looking for literature in databases. To make the title writing process as simple as possible, we have broken it down into 5 simple steps.

Step 1: Answer some key questions about your research paper

What does your paper seek to answer and what does it accomplish? Try to answer these questions as briefly as possible. You can create these questions by going through each section of your paper and finding the MOST relevant information to make a research title.

Step 2: Identify research study keywords

Now that you have answers to your research questions, find the most important parts of these responses and make these your study keywords. Note that you should only choose the most important terms for your keywords–journals usually request anywhere from 3 to 8 keywords maximum.

Step 3: Research title writing: use these keywords

“We employed a case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US aged 20-50 years to assess how waiting list volume affects the outcomes of liver transplantation in patients; results indicate a positive correlation between increased waiting list volume and negative prognosis after the transplant procedure.”

The sentence above is clearly much too long for a research paper title. This is why you will trim and polish your title in the next two steps.

Step 4: Create a working research paper title

To create a working title, remove elements that make it a complete “sentence” but keep everything that is important to what the study is about. Delete all unnecessary and redundant words that are not central to the study or that researchers would most likely not use in a database search.

“ We employed a case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US aged 20-50 years to assess how the waiting list volume affects the outcome of liver transplantation in patients ; results indicate a positive correlation between increased waiting list volume and a negative prognosis after transplant procedure ”

Now shift some words around for proper syntax and rephrase it a bit to shorten the length and make it leaner and more natural. What you are left with is:

“A case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US aged 20-50 years assessing the impact of waiting list volume on outcome of transplantation and showing a positive correlation between increased waiting list volume and a negative prognosis” (Word Count: 38)

This text is getting closer to what we want in a research title, which is just the most important information. But note that the word count for this working title is still 38 words, whereas the average length of published journal article titles is 16 words or fewer. Therefore, we should eliminate some words and phrases that are not essential to this title.

Step 5: Remove any nonessential words and phrases from your title

Because the number of patients studied and the exact outcome are not the most essential parts of this paper, remove these elements first:

 “A case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US aged 20-50 years assessing the impact of waiting list volume on outcomes of transplantation and showing a positive correlation between increased waiting list volume and a negative prognosis” (Word Count: 19)

In addition, the methods used in a study are not usually the most searched-for keywords in databases and represent additional details that you may want to remove to make your title leaner. So what is left is:

“Assessing the impact of waiting list volume on outcome and prognosis in liver transplantation patients” (Word Count: 15)

In this final version of the title, one can immediately recognize the subject and what objectives the study aims to achieve. Note that the most important terms appear at the beginning and end of the title: “Assessing,” which is the main action of the study, is placed at the beginning; and “liver transplantation patients,” the specific subject of the study, is placed at the end.

This will aid significantly in your research paper title being found in search engines and database queries, which means that a lot more researchers will be able to locate your article once it is published. In fact, a 2014 review of more than 150,000 papers submitted to the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) database found the style of a paper’s title impacted the number of citations it would typically receive. In most disciplines, articles with shorter, more concise titles yielded more citations.

Adding a Research Paper Subtitle

If your title might require a subtitle to provide more immediate details about your methodology or sample, you can do this by adding this information after a colon:

“ : a case study of US adult patients ages 20-25”

If we abide strictly by our word count rule this may not be necessary or recommended. But every journal has its own standard formatting and style guidelines for research paper titles, so it is a good idea to be aware of the specific journal author instructions , not just when you write the manuscript but also to decide how to create a good title for it.

Research Paper Title Examples

The title examples in the following table illustrate how a title can be interesting but incomplete, complete by uninteresting, complete and interesting but too informal in tone, or some other combination of these. A good research paper title should meet all the requirements in the four columns below.

Tips on Formulating a Good Research Paper Title

In addition to the steps given above, there are a few other important things you want to keep in mind when it comes to how to write a research paper title, regarding formatting, word count, and content:

• Write the title after you’ve written your paper and abstract
• Include all of the essential terms in your paper
• Keep it short and to the point (~16 words or fewer)
• Avoid unnecessary jargon and abbreviations
• Use keywords that capture the content of your paper
• Never include a period at the end—your title is NOT a sentence

Research Paper Writing Resources

We hope this article has been helpful in teaching you how to craft your research paper title. But you might still want to dig deeper into different journal title formats and categories that might be more suitable for specific article types or need help with writing a cover letter for your manuscript submission.

In addition to getting English proofreading services , including paper editing services , before submission to journals, be sure to visit our academic resources papers. Here you can find dozens of articles on manuscript writing, from drafting an outline to finding a target journal to submit to.

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Home » How To Write A Research Proposal – Step-by-Step [Template]

How To Write A Research Proposal – Step-by-Step [Template]

Table of Contents

How To Write a Research Proposal

Writing a Research proposal involves several steps to ensure a well-structured and comprehensive document. Here is an explanation of each step:

1. Title and Abstract

• Choose a concise and descriptive title that reflects the essence of your research.
• Write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. It should provide a brief overview of your proposal.

2. Introduction:

• Provide an introduction to your research topic, highlighting its significance and relevance.
• Clearly state the research problem or question you aim to address.
• Discuss the background and context of the study, including previous research in the field.

3. Research Objectives

• Outline the specific objectives or aims of your research. These objectives should be clear, achievable, and aligned with the research problem.

4. Literature Review:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant literature and studies related to your research topic.
• Summarize key findings, identify gaps, and highlight how your research will contribute to the existing knowledge.

5. Methodology:

• Describe the research design and methodology you plan to employ to address your research objectives.
• Explain the data collection methods, instruments, and analysis techniques you will use.
• Justify why the chosen methods are appropriate and suitable for your research.

6. Timeline:

• Create a timeline or schedule that outlines the major milestones and activities of your research project.
• Break down the research process into smaller tasks and estimate the time required for each task.

7. Resources:

• Identify the resources needed for your research, such as access to specific databases, equipment, or funding.
• Explain how you will acquire or utilize these resources to carry out your research effectively.

8. Ethical Considerations:

• Discuss any ethical issues that may arise during your research and explain how you plan to address them.
• If your research involves human subjects, explain how you will ensure their informed consent and privacy.

9. Expected Outcomes and Significance:

• Clearly state the expected outcomes or results of your research.
• Highlight the potential impact and significance of your research in advancing knowledge or addressing practical issues.

10. References:

• Provide a list of all the references cited in your proposal, following a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).

11. Appendices:

• Include any additional supporting materials, such as survey questionnaires, interview guides, or data analysis plans.

Research Proposal Format

The format of a research proposal may vary depending on the specific requirements of the institution or funding agency. However, the following is a commonly used format for a research proposal:

1. Title Page:

• Include the title of your research proposal, your name, your affiliation or institution, and the date.

2. Abstract:

• Provide a brief summary of your research proposal, highlighting the research problem, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.

3. Introduction:

• Introduce the research topic and provide background information.
• State the research problem or question you aim to address.
• Explain the significance and relevance of the research.
• Review relevant literature and studies related to your research topic.
• Summarize key findings and identify gaps in the existing knowledge.
• Explain how your research will contribute to filling those gaps.

5. Research Objectives:

• Clearly state the specific objectives or aims of your research.
• Ensure that the objectives are clear, focused, and aligned with the research problem.

6. Methodology:

• Describe the research design and methodology you plan to use.
• Explain the data collection methods, instruments, and analysis techniques.
• Justify why the chosen methods are appropriate for your research.

7. Timeline:

8. Resources:

• Explain how you will acquire or utilize these resources effectively.

9. Ethical Considerations:

• If applicable, explain how you will ensure informed consent and protect the privacy of research participants.

10. Expected Outcomes and Significance:

11. References:

12. Appendices:

Research Proposal Template

Here’s a template for a research proposal:

1. Introduction:

2. Literature Review:

3. Research Objectives:

4. Methodology:

5. Timeline:

6. Resources:

7. Ethical Considerations:

8. Expected Outcomes and Significance:

9. References:

10. Appendices:

Research Proposal Sample

Title: The Impact of Online Education on Student Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Study

1. Introduction

Online education has gained significant prominence in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of online education on student learning outcomes by comparing them with traditional face-to-face instruction. The study will explore various aspects of online education, such as instructional methods, student engagement, and academic performance, to provide insights into the effectiveness of online learning.

2. Objectives

The main objectives of this research are as follows:

• To compare student learning outcomes between online and traditional face-to-face education.
• To examine the factors influencing student engagement in online learning environments.
• To assess the effectiveness of different instructional methods employed in online education.
• To identify challenges and opportunities associated with online education and suggest recommendations for improvement.

3. Methodology

3.1 Study Design

This research will utilize a mixed-methods approach to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The study will include the following components:

3.2 Participants

The research will involve undergraduate students from two universities, one offering online education and the other providing face-to-face instruction. A total of 500 students (250 from each university) will be selected randomly to participate in the study.

3.3 Data Collection

The research will employ the following data collection methods:

• Quantitative: Pre- and post-assessments will be conducted to measure students’ learning outcomes. Data on student demographics and academic performance will also be collected from university records.
• Qualitative: Focus group discussions and individual interviews will be conducted with students to gather their perceptions and experiences regarding online education.

3.4 Data Analysis

Quantitative data will be analyzed using statistical software, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis. Qualitative data will be transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns and themes.

4. Ethical Considerations

The study will adhere to ethical guidelines, ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of participants. Informed consent will be obtained, and participants will have the right to withdraw from the study at any time.

5. Significance and Expected Outcomes

This research will contribute to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the impact of online education on student learning outcomes. The findings will help educational institutions and policymakers make informed decisions about incorporating online learning methods and improving the quality of online education. Moreover, the study will identify potential challenges and opportunities related to online education and offer recommendations for enhancing student engagement and overall learning outcomes.

6. Timeline

The proposed research will be conducted over a period of 12 months, including data collection, analysis, and report writing.

The estimated budget for this research includes expenses related to data collection, software licenses, participant compensation, and research assistance. A detailed budget breakdown will be provided in the final research plan.

8. Conclusion

This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of online education on student learning outcomes through a comparative study with traditional face-to-face instruction. By exploring various dimensions of online education, this research will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and challenges associated with online learning. The findings will contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational practices and help shape future strategies for maximizing student learning outcomes in online education settings.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How to choose an Appropriate Method for Research?

Organizing Academic Research Papers: Choosing a Title

• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Executive Summary
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Annotated Bibliography
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• How to Manage Group Projects
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Essays
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Acknowledgements

The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of your research paper.

The title is without doubt the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first . If the title is too long it usually contains too many unnecessary words, e.g., "A Study to Investigate the...." On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too general. For example, "African Politics" could be the title of a book, but it does not provide any information on the focus of a research paper.

Structure and Writing Style

The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper title:

• The purpose of the research
• The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the research]
• The methods used

The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to draw his or her attention to the research problem being investigated.

Create a Working Title Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the research is complete so that the title accurately captures what was done . The working title should be developed early in the research process because it can help anchor the focus of the study in much the same way the research problem does. Referring back to the working title can help you reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you feel yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing. The Final Title Effective titles in academic research papers have several characteristics.

• Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
• Avoid using abbreviations.
• Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.
• Use current nomenclature from the field of study.
• Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.
• May reveal how the paper will be organized.
• Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis.
• Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.
• Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar constructions.
• Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question.
• Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns,  pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the title are also capitalized.
• In academic papers, rarely is a title followed by an exclamation mark. However, a title or subtitle can be in the form of a question.

The Subtitle Subtitles are quite common in social science research papers. Examples of why you may include a subtitle:

• Explains or provides additional context , e.g., "Linguistic Ethnography and the Study of Welfare Institutions as a Flow of Social Practices: The Case of Residential Child Care Institutions as Paradoxical Institutions."
• Adds substance to a literary, provocative, or imaginative title , e.g., "Listen to What I Say, Not How I Vote: Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at Home."
• Qualifies the geographic scope of the research , e.g., "The Geopolitics of the Eastern Border of the European Union: The Case of Romania-Moldova-Ukraine."
• Qualifies the temporal scope of the research , e.g., "A Comparison of the Progressive Era and the Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-1940."
• Focuses on investigating the ideas, theories, or work of a particular individual , e.g., "A Deliberative Conception of Politics: How Francesco Saverio Merlino Related Anarchy and Democracy."

Balch, Tucker. How to Compose a Title for Your Research Paper . Augmented Trader blog. School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Tech University;  Choosing the Proper Research Paper Titles . AplusReports.com, 2007-2012; General Format. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University.

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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.

17 Research Proposal Examples

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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

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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.

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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

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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I am a student in Kenya at Taita Taveta University…I need a proposal on investigating voters registration turn out in Taita Taveta County

I need a research proposal regarding Effective Energy management and its roles in sustainable development

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Hello, I am an undergraduate student in Addis abeba university I want a proposal for construction and technology management

Hi I’m a student studying English language ( literature) , my teacher & for the 1 st time asked me to find a gap in a book & do a research proposal about it & never do it & don’t know how to do it . Can you help plz ?

I’m a undergraduate student in kenya I want a proposal for water resource management

Interesting Topics

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Need a unique academic research proposal related to global health and travel medicine.

6 Important Tips on Writing a Research Paper Title

When you are searching for a research study on a particular topic, you probably notice that articles with interesting, descriptive research titles draw you in. By contrast, research paper titles that are not descriptive are usually passed over, even though you may write a good research paper with interesting contents. This shows the importance of coming up with a good title for your research paper when drafting your own manuscript.

Importance of a Research Title

The research title plays a crucial role in the research process, and its importance can be summarized as follows:

Why do Research Titles Matter?

Before we look at how to title a research paper, let’s look at a research title example that illustrates why a good research paper should have a strong title.

Imagine that you are researching meditation and nursing, and you want to find out if any studies have shown that meditation makes nurses better communicators.  You conduct a keyword search using the keywords “nursing”, “communication”, and “meditation.” You come up with results that have the following titles:

• Benefits of Meditation for the Nursing Profession: A Quantitative Investigation
• Why Mindful Nurses Make the Best Communicators
• Meditation Gurus
• Nurses on the Move: A Quantitative Report on How Meditation Can Improve Nurse Performance

All four of these research paper titles may describe very similar studies—they could even be titles for the same study! As you can see, they give very different impressions.

• Title 1 describes the topic and the method of the study but is not particularly catchy.
• Title 2 partly describes the topic, but does not give any information about the method of the study—it could simply be a theoretical or opinion piece.
• Title 3 is somewhat catchier but gives almost no information at all about the article.
• Title 4 begins with a catchy main title and is followed by a subtitle that gives information about the content and method of the study.

As we will see, Title 4 has all the characteristics of a good research title.

Characteristics of a Good Research Title

According to rhetoric scholars Hairston and Keene, making a good title for a paper involves ensuring that the title of the research accomplishes four goals as mentioned below:

• It should predict the content of the research paper .
• It should be interesting to the reader .
• It should reflect the tone of the writing .
• It should contain important keywords that will make it easier to be located during a keyword search.

Let’s return to the examples in the previous section to see how to make a research title.

As you can see in the table above, only one of the four example titles fulfills all of the criteria of a suitable research paper title.

Related: You’ve chosen your study topic, but having trouble deciding where to publish it? Here’s a comprehensive course to help you identify the right journal .

Tips for Writing an Effective Research Paper Title

When writing a research title, you can use the four criteria listed above as a guide. Here are a few other tips you can use to make sure your title will be part of the recipe for an effective research paper :

• Make sure your research title describes (a) the topic, (b) the method, (c) the sample, and (d) the results of your study. You can use the following formula:

[ Result ]: A [ method ] study of [ topic ] among [ sample ] Example : Meditation makes nurses perform better: a qualitative study of mindfulness meditation among German nursing students

• Avoid unnecessary words and jargons. Keep the title statement as concise as possible. You want a title that will be comprehensible even to people who are not experts in your field. Check our article for a detailed list of things to avoid when writing an effective research title .
• Make sure your title is between 5 and 15 words in length.
• If you are writing a title for a university assignment or for a particular academic journal, verify that your title conforms to the standards and requirements for that outlet. For example, many journals require that titles fall under a character limit, including spaces. Many universities require that titles take a very specific form, limiting your creativity.
• Use a descriptive phrase to convey the purpose of your research efficiently.
• Most importantly, use critical keywords in the title to increase the discoverability of your article.

Resources for Further Reading

In addition to the tips above, there are many resources online that you can use to help write your research title. Here is a list of links that you may find useful as you work on creating an excellent research title:

• The University of Southern California has a guide specific to social science research papers: http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/title
• The Journal of European Psychology Students has a blog article focusing on APA-compliant research paper titles: http://blog.efpsa.org/2012/09/01/how-to-write-a-good-title-for-journal-articles/
• This article by Kristen Hamlin contains a step-by-step approach to writing titles: http://classroom.synonym.com/choose-title-research-paper-4332.html

Are there any tips or tricks you find useful in crafting research titles? Which tip did you find most useful in this article? Leave a comment to let us know!

• Hairston, M., & Keene, M. 2003. Successful writing . 5th ed. New York: Norton.
• University of Southern California. 2017. Organizing your social sciences research paper: choosing a title . [Online] Available at: http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/title

Thank you so much:) Have a nice day!

Thank you so much, it helped me.. God bless..

Thank you for the excellent article and tips for creating a research work, because I always forget about such an essential element as the keywords when forming topics. In particular, I have found a rapid help with the formation of informative and sound titles that also conforms to the standards and requirements.

I am doing a research work on sales girls or shop girls using qualititative method. Basicly I am from Pakistan and writing on the scenario of mycountry. I am really confused about my research title can you kindly give some suggestions and give me an approperaite tilte

Hi Zubair, Thank you for your question. However, the information you have provided is insufficient for drafting an appropriate title. Information on what exactly you intend to study would be needed in order to draft a meaningful title. Meanwhile, you can try drafting your own title after going through the following articles our website: https://www.enago.com/academy/top-10-tips-on-choosing-an-attractive-research-title/ , https://www.enago.com/academy/writing-a-good-research-title-things-to-avoid/ , https://www.enago.com/academy/write-irresistible-research-paper-title/ We would be happy to give you feedback and suggest changes if required. Did you get a chance to install our free Mobile App? https://www.enago.com/academy/mobile-app/ . Make sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter https://www.enago.com/academy/subscribe-now/ .

thanks for helping me like this!!

Thank you for this. It helped me improve my research title. I just want to verify to you the title I have just made. “Ensuring the safety: A Quantitative Study of Radio Frequency Identification system among the selected students of ( school’s name ).

(I need your reply asap coz we will be doing the chap. 1 tomorrow. Thank u in advance. 🙂 )

I am actually doing a research paper title. I want to know more further in doing research title. Can you give me some tips on doing a research paper?

Hi Joan, Thank you for your question. We are glad to know that you found our resources useful. Your feedback is very valuable to us. You can try drafting your own title after going through the following articles on our website: https://www.enago.com/academy/top-10-tips-on-choosing-an-attractive-research-title/ , https://www.enago.com/academy/writing-a-good-research-title-things-to-avoid/ , https://www.enago.com/academy/write-irresistible-research-paper-title/

We would be happy to give you feedback and suggest changes if required. Did you get a chance to install our free Mobile App? https://www.enago.com/academy/mobile-app/ . Make sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter https://www.enago.com/academy/subscribe-now/ .

That really helpful. Thanks alot

Thank you so much. It’s really help me.

Thanks for sharing this tips. Title matters a lot for any article because it contents Keywords of article. It should be eye-catchy. Your article is helpful to select title of any article.

nice blog that you have shared

This blog is very informative for me. Thanks for sharing.

nice information that you have shared

i’m found in selecting my ma thesis title ,so i’m going to do my final research after the proposal approved. Your post help me find good title.

I need help. I need a research title for my study about early mobilization of the mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Thank you for posting your query on the website. When writing manuscripts, too many scholars neglect the research title. This phrase, along with the abstract, is what people will mostly see and read online. Title research of publications shows that the research paper title does matter a lot. Both bibliometrics and altmetrics tracking of citations are now, for better or worse, used to gauge a paper’s “success” for its author(s) and the journal publishing it. Interesting research topics coupled with good or clever yet accurate research titles can draw more attention to your work from peers and the public alike. You can check through the following search results for titles on similar topics: https://www.google.com/search?q=early+mobilization+of+the+mechanically+ventilated+patients+in+the+icu&rlz=1C1GCEU_enIN907IN907&oq=&aqs=chrome.0.69i59.4920093j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 .

We hope this would be helpful in drafting an attractive title for your research paper.

Please let us know in case of any other queries.

I’ve been surfing online more than 3 hours these days, but I never found any interesting article like yours. It is lovely worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made just right content material as you did, the internet will be much more helpful than ever before.

Wonderful article! We will bee linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the good writing.

Wow that was odd. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say fantastic blog!

In case the topic is new research before you’re writing. And then to stand out, you end up being different.and be inclined to highlight yourself.

There are many free directories, and more paid lists.

To be honest your article is informative. I search many site to know about writing but I didn’t get the information I needed. I saw your site and I read it. I got some new information from here. I think some of your tips can be applied to those too! Thank you so very much for such informative and useful content.

Nice and well written content you have shared with us. thanks a lot!

Thanks for sharing these tips… Rockwide

Its helpful. a person can grab knowledge through it.

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Blog Business How to Write a Research Proposal: A Step-by-Step

How to Write a Research Proposal: A Step-by-Step

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Nov 29, 2023

A research proposal is a structured outline for a planned study on a specific topic. It serves as a roadmap, guiding researchers through the process of converting their research idea into a feasible project. 

The aim of a research proposal is multifold: it articulates the research problem, establishes a theoretical framework, outlines the research methodology and highlights the potential significance of the study. Importantly, it’s a critical tool for scholars seeking grant funding or approval for their research projects.

Crafting a good research proposal requires not only understanding your research topic and methodological approaches but also the ability to present your ideas clearly and persuasively. Explore Venngage’s Proposal Maker and Research Proposals Templates to begin your journey in writing a compelling research proposal.

What to include in a research proposal?

In a research proposal, include a clear statement of your research question or problem, along with an explanation of its significance. This should be followed by a literature review that situates your proposed study within the context of existing research. 

Your proposal should also outline the research methodology, detailing how you plan to conduct your study, including data collection and analysis methods.

Additionally, include a theoretical framework that guides your research approach, a timeline or research schedule, and a budget if applicable. It’s important to also address the anticipated outcomes and potential implications of your study. A well-structured research proposal will clearly communicate your research objectives, methods and significance to the readers.

How to format a research proposal?

Formatting a research proposal involves adhering to a structured outline to ensure clarity and coherence. While specific requirements may vary, a standard research proposal typically includes the following elements:

• Title Page: Must include the title of your research proposal, your name and affiliations. The title should be concise and descriptive of your proposed research.
• Abstract: A brief summary of your proposal, usually not exceeding 250 words. It should highlight the research question, methodology and the potential impact of the study.
• Introduction: Introduces your research question or problem, explains its significance, and states the objectives of your study.
• Literature review: Here, you contextualize your research within existing scholarship, demonstrating your knowledge of the field and how your research will contribute to it.
• Methodology: Outline your research methods, including how you will collect and analyze data. This section should be detailed enough to show the feasibility and thoughtfulness of your approach.
• Timeline: Provide an estimated schedule for your research, breaking down the process into stages with a realistic timeline for each.
• Budget (if applicable): If your research requires funding, include a detailed budget outlining expected cost.
• References/Bibliography: List all sources referenced in your proposal in a consistent citation style.

How to write a research proposal in 11 steps?

Writing a research proposal template in structured steps ensures a comprehensive and coherent presentation of your research project. Let’s look at the explanation for each of the steps here:  

Step 1: Title and Abstract Step 2: Introduction Step 3: Research objectives Step 4: Literature review Step 5: Methodology Step 6: Timeline Step 7: Resources Step 8: Ethical considerations Step 9: Expected outcomes and significance Step 10: References Step 11: Appendices

Step 1: title and abstract.

Select a concise, descriptive title and write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology and expected outcomes​​. The abstract should include your research question, the objectives you aim to achieve, the methodology you plan to employ and the anticipated outcomes. 

Step 2: Introduction

In this section, introduce the topic of your research, emphasizing its significance and relevance to the field. Articulate the research problem or question in clear terms and provide background context, which should include an overview of previous research in the field.

Step 3: Research objectives

Here, you’ll need to outline specific, clear and achievable objectives that align with your research problem. These objectives should be well-defined, focused and measurable, serving as the guiding pillars for your study. They help in establishing what you intend to accomplish through your research and provide a clear direction for your investigation.

Step 4: Literature review

In this part, conduct a thorough review of existing literature related to your research topic. This involves a detailed summary of key findings and major contributions from previous research. Identify existing gaps in the literature and articulate how your research aims to fill these gaps. The literature review not only shows your grasp of the subject matter but also how your research will contribute new insights or perspectives to the field.

Step 5: Methodology

Describe the design of your research and the methodologies you will employ. This should include detailed information on data collection methods, instruments to be used and analysis techniques. Justify the appropriateness of these methods for your research​​.

Step 6: Timeline

Construct a detailed timeline that maps out the major milestones and activities of your research project. Break the entire research process into smaller, manageable tasks and assign realistic time frames to each. This timeline should cover everything from the initial research phase to the final submission, including periods for data collection, analysis and report writing. 

It helps in ensuring your project stays on track and demonstrates to reviewers that you have a well-thought-out plan for completing your research efficiently.

Step 7: Resources

Identify all the resources that will be required for your research, such as specific databases, laboratory equipment, software or funding. Provide details on how these resources will be accessed or acquired. 

If your research requires funding, explain how it will be utilized effectively to support various aspects of the project. 

Step 8: Ethical considerations

Address any ethical issues that may arise during your research. This is particularly important for research involving human subjects. Describe the measures you will take to ensure ethical standards are maintained, such as obtaining informed consent, ensuring participant privacy, and adhering to data protection regulations. 

Here, in this section you should reassure reviewers that you are committed to conducting your research responsibly and ethically.

Step 9: Expected outcomes and significance

Articulate the expected outcomes or results of your research. Explain the potential impact and significance of these outcomes, whether in advancing academic knowledge, influencing policy or addressing specific societal or practical issues. 

Step 10: References

Compile a comprehensive list of all the references cited in your proposal. Adhere to a consistent citation style (like APA or MLA) throughout your document. The reference section not only gives credit to the original authors of your sourced information but also strengthens the credibility of your proposal.

Step 11: Appendices

Include additional supporting materials that are pertinent to your research proposal. This can be survey questionnaires, interview guides, detailed data analysis plans or any supplementary information that supports the main text. 

Appendices provide further depth to your proposal, showcasing the thoroughness of your preparation.

Research proposal FAQs

1. how long should a research proposal be.

The length of a research proposal can vary depending on the requirements of the academic institution, funding body or specific guidelines provided. Generally, research proposals range from 500 to 1500 words or about one to a few pages long. It’s important to provide enough detail to clearly convey your research idea, objectives and methodology, while being concise. Always check

2. Why is the research plan pivotal to a research project?

The research plan is pivotal to a research project because it acts as a blueprint, guiding every phase of the study. It outlines the objectives, methodology, timeline and expected outcomes, providing a structured approach and ensuring that the research is systematically conducted. 

A well-crafted plan helps in identifying potential challenges, allocating resources efficiently and maintaining focus on the research goals. It is also essential for communicating the project’s feasibility and importance to stakeholders, such as funding bodies or academic supervisors.

Mastering how to write a research proposal is an essential skill for any scholar, whether in social and behavioral sciences, academic writing or any field requiring scholarly research. From this article, you have learned key components, from the literature review to the research design, helping you develop a persuasive and well-structured proposal.

Remember, a good research proposal not only highlights your proposed research and methodology but also demonstrates its relevance and potential impact.

For additional support, consider utilizing Venngage’s Proposal Maker and Research Proposals Templates , valuable tools in crafting a compelling proposal that stands out.

Whether it’s for grant funding, a research paper or a dissertation proposal, these resources can assist in transforming your research idea into a successful submission.

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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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• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on 30 October 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on 13 June 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organised and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, frequently asked questions.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

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Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: ‘A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management’
• Example research proposal #2: ‘ Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use’

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

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

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesise prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasise again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement.

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, June 13). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 16 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-proposal-explained/

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Research Proposal Template

The fastest (and smartest) way to craft a convincing proposal and get your dissertation or research project approved.

Available in Google Doc, Word & PDF format 4.9 star rating, 5000 + downloads

Step-by-step instructions

Tried & tested academic format

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Pro tips, tricks and resources

What It Covers

This free proposal template covers the core essential ingredients for a strong research proposal. It includes clear explanations of what you need to address in each section, as well as straightforward examples and links to further resources. The template covers the following core elements:

• Introduction & background (including the research problem)
• Literature review
• Research design/methodology
• Project plan, resource requirements and
• risk management

The Google Doc can be copied to your Google Drive 0r downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), which you can also use in LaTeX.

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FAQs: Research Proposal Template

Research proposal template faqs, what types of research proposals can this template be used for.

The proposal template follows the standard format for academic research projects, which means it will be suitable for the vast majority of dissertations and theses (especially those within the sciences), whether they are qualitative or quantitative in terms of design.

Keep in mind that the exact requirements for the introduction chapter/section will vary between universities and degree programs. These are typically minor, but it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.

Is this template for an undergrad, Master or PhD-level proposal?

This template can be used for a research project at any level of study. Doctoral-level projects typically require the research proposal to be more extensive/comprehensive, but the structure will typically remain the same.

How long should my research proposal be?

The length of a research proposal varies by institution and subject, but as a ballpark, it’s usually between 1,500 and 3,000 words.

To be safe, it’s best to check with your university if they have any preferences or requirements in terms of minimum and maximum word count for the research propsal.

How detailed should the methodology of the proposal be?

You don’t need to go into the fine details of your methodology, but this section should be detailed enough to demonstrate that your research approach is feasible and will address your research questions effectively. Be sure to include your intended methods for data collection and analysis.

Can I include preliminary data or pilot study results in my proposal?

Generally, yes. This can strengthen your proposal by demonstrating the feasibility of your research. However, make sure that your pilot study is approved by your university before collecting any data.

Can I share this template with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template in its original format (no editing allowed). If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, we kindly request that you reference this page as your source.

What format is the template (DOC, PDF, PPT, etc.)?

The research proposal template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

Do you have templates for the other chapters?

Yes, we do. We are constantly developing our collection of free resources to help students complete their dissertations and theses. You can view all of our template resources here .

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

Yes, you’re welcome to get in touch with us to discuss our private coaching services .

Additional Resources

If you’re working on a research proposal, you’ll also want to check these out…

1-On-1 Private Coaching

Research Proposal Bootcamp

The Grad Coach YouTube Channel

The Grad Coach Podcast