Sound Writing

If you plan to conduct research in an academic field, you’ll probably have to write a research proposal at some point. That can be daunting to do at the start of a research project. But trust that you can do it and contribute something new. “The originality lies within the details. . .finding an aspect that brings pieces together in a new way and creates something beyond what’s already there.”

Depending on the discipline you’re doing research in, the specific sections of a research proposal might change. That being said, the goal of a research proposal is almost always to convince somebody (a professor, university, company, etc.) to support your research.

You can think of a research proposal as the “blueprint” for your project. A research proposal usually explains the research problem, a list of goals you are trying to accomplish, your method of engaging with or solving the problem, and what you expect to find out when everything is finished.

Calls for research proposals will include instructions regarding what kinds of information you should include in your proposal. These instructions will give you the clearest picture of what your audience is expecting to see when they read your proposal for the first time.

The format and content of research proposals can vary across disciplines due to the unique requirements and conventions within each field. For example, it is very difficult to critically interpret scientific data without understanding the methodology used to obtain that data. By contrast, methodology for a creative writing project is much more abstract and personal. This means that a STEM-related research proposal might feature a more detailed methodology section, while a creative writing research proposal might have a more sparse one—and that’s okay!

Research proposals for class research generally don’t include a budget proposal, but research proposals for summer research or other research opportunities outside of class often do. A budget proposal offers an explanation of how much money you intend to spend and how you’re going to spend it.

A well-prepared budget proposal is an integral part of your overall research proposal. It not only demonstrates your financial responsibility but also reinforces the feasibility of your research project. Tailor your budget proposal to the specific requirements of the funding source you are applying to, and be prepared to adjust it based on their feedback or guidelines.

A budget proposal needs to define budget categories (for example, materials and supplies, travel costs, publication, and presentation costs) as well as itemize all of these categories by expected expense. Budget proposals will typically vary by discipline and should be written in communication with your research advisor’s guidance.

Funding for research often varies between disciplines. Researchers and professionals in your field of interest will be able to guide you to helpful resources, and often so can your peers or others who have done research.

Depending on who is reading your research proposal, you might choose to include or take out various pieces of information. For example, let’s say you’re a materials scientist, and you’re conducting research on how people have historically fired a certain kind of ceramic pot. If you are writing your research proposal for an anthropology class and your professor’s own research happens to be about ancient ceramics, your justification of why the research is important will need to be highly specific. Conversely, if your audience is not familiar with your field of interest, you might need to broaden your discussion so that it’s accessible for a more general audience.

So, while the core elements of research proposals remain consistent—such as defining the problem and justifying the research—adapting to the unique demands of your discipline and audience is crucial to crafting an effective proposal.