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The Difference Between Research Papers and Proposals

Research papers and proposals are two distinct yet closely related writing projects that can be confusing to differentiate between. This article seeks to explore the similarities and differences between research papers and proposals in order to better inform readers of their respective purpose, style, scope, structure, audience, and more. By the end of this article readers will have a greater understanding of both types of written work so they may make an informed decision about which project is best suited for their needs.

I. Introduction to Research Papers and Proposals

Ii. definition of research paper, iii. components of a research paper, iv. definition of proposal, v. components of a proposal, vi. differences between a research paper and proposal, vii. conclusion.

A World of Possibilities Research papers and proposals offer a window into the unlimited world of ideas. Whether it be delving into scientific discovery, exploring philosophical concepts, or uncovering ancient literature, these two forms of writing open up doors to new possibilities. But what exactly are research papers and proposals? While they share some similarities in terms of structure and purpose, there are key differences between them that should not be overlooked.

• Research Papers: typically involve an investigation process leading towards a synthesis report on any given topic – for example analyzing trends in poverty alleviation strategies worldwide.
• Proposals: focus more on offering solutions; often outlining various steps or processes needed to address particular issues – such as proposing changes within existing health care systems.

. It’s important to keep this distinction in mind when selecting which type is most suitable for your purposes.

A research paper is a type of academic writing that involves the use of scholarly sources and an analysis to investigate specific topics. Research papers often rely on primary or secondary data, such as surveys or experiments, to analyze and explain their findings. The resulting document provides new insights into a topic by examining existing information in a fresh way.

• Offers an initial exploration , providing possible solutions for further study.

The main components of a research paper, regardless of its subject or length, is the same. As such it is essential to understand what they are and how to include them in your work.

• Introduction: The introduction should provide an overview of your topic and explain why the issue you’re discussing matters. Additionally, be sure to note any gaps in knowledge that may exist regarding this particular topic so you can address these throughout the course of your paper.
• Literature Review: After providing background information on your chosen topic or problem area, conduct a thorough review of relevant literature from reliable sources. This will enable you to discuss current practices related to this field as well as explore various theories surrounding it.

A Proposal: An Overview

• At its core, a proposal is an offer of solutions to a particular problem.
• Proposals can come in many forms and for various purposes, but the basic structure remains the same across disciplines.

Therefore, when crafting a proposal you must demonstrate why your proposed plan not only provides a remedy but also brings value by outlining potential benefits as well as risks associated with the suggested solution. Additionally, explain who will benefit from this proposition (e.g., customers/stakeholders) and what resources are needed to implement such changes in order facilitate success. In addition to convincing others that they need your services/product/idea; effective communication goes hand-in-hand with successful selling. Use clear language and succinctly convey why this initiative would be beneficial and worth investing in.

A research proposal and paper are two distinct entities, although many individuals use the terms interchangeably. A research paper is a document that contains an analysis of data gathered from multiple sources on a particular topic. It must be well written with proper citations for any outside resources used in its composition. In contrast, a research proposal , while also including elements such as data collection methods and conclusions about the results of said methods, aims to persuade others to invest their own time or money into studying the same subject.

When constructing either type of document it’s important to consider all components necessary for successful completion:

• Problem Statement – Provides evidence that there is something worth exploring further.
• Literature Review – Examines previous studies related to your topic so you can place your work within larger context of existing knowledge.
• Research Methodology – Describes how you intend gather information; typically quantitative or qualitative approaches are employed.

Comparing a Research Paper and Proposal Research papers and proposals share certain elements, yet differ in purpose and execution. While both may involve extensive research, the former is generally focused on an existing topic or area of study while the latter endeavors to introduce a new concept. Below are some key points that differentiate between these two types of documents.

• A research paper , which can be based on primary sources such as interviews or surveys, typically begins with an introduction to its topic followed by analysis that supports it.
• In contrast, a proposal , often written for academic purposes like grant funding applications or college admissions decisions, provides specific information regarding what should be done in order to solve problems related to its subject matter.

. Generally speaking, this includes detailed descriptions about possible solutions along with any pertinent background data needed for evaluation.

In this research paper, the purpose was to compare and contrast a research proposal with an actual written research paper. Through exploring both topics in detail, it has been shown that there is a stark difference between them. A research proposal is more focused on providing an outline of what the researcher intends to accomplish whereas the completed project will go into far greater detail about each aspect of their study.

• Research Proposal : The primary aim of a proposal document is for approval by supervisors or academics; they are used as a tool for clarifying ideas and setting out clear objectives before any data collection takes place.
• Research Paper: This requires extensive work after approval has been given – from collecting relevant data to analysing results, all prior knowledge must be synthesised in order to form conclusions which can then be presented through writing.

In conclusion, this article has outlined the differences between research papers and proposals. Research papers are often used to explore a subject or answer questions through experiments and analyses while proposals attempt to present an argument for approval from another individual or organization. Knowing the distinction between these two forms of writing can help individuals better understand how best to approach their own projects and properly communicate with colleagues in academic settings.

What (Exactly) Is A Research Proposal?

A simple explainer with examples + free template.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020 (Updated April 2023)

Whether you’re nearing the end of your degree and your dissertation is on the horizon, or you’re planning to apply for a PhD program, chances are you’ll need to craft a convincing research proposal . If you’re on this page, you’re probably unsure exactly what the research proposal is all about. Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Overview: Research Proposal Basics

• What a research proposal is
• What a research proposal needs to cover
• How to structure your research proposal
• Example /sample proposals
• Proposal writing FAQs
• Key takeaways & additional resources

What is a research proposal?

Simply put, a research proposal is a structured, formal document that explains what you plan to research (your research topic), why it’s worth researching (your justification), and how  you plan to investigate it (your methodology). 

The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince  your research supervisor, committee or university that your research is  suitable  (for the requirements of the degree program) and  manageable  (given the time and resource constraints you will face). 

The most important word here is “ convince ” – in other words, your research proposal needs to  sell  your research idea (to whoever is going to approve it). If it doesn’t convince them (of its suitability and manageability), you’ll need to revise and resubmit . This will cost you valuable time, which will either delay the start of your research or eat into its time allowance (which is bad news). 

What goes into a research proposal?

A good dissertation or thesis proposal needs to cover the “ what “, “ why ” and” how ” of the proposed study. Let’s look at each of these attributes in a little more detail:

Your proposal needs to clearly articulate your research topic . This needs to be specific and unambiguous . Your research topic should make it clear exactly what you plan to research and in what context. Here’s an example of a well-articulated research topic:

An investigation into the factors which impact female Generation Y consumer’s likelihood to promote a specific makeup brand to their peers: a British context

As you can see, this topic is extremely clear. From this one line we can see exactly:

• What’s being investigated – factors that make people promote or advocate for a brand of a specific makeup brand
• Who it involves – female Gen-Y consumers
• In what context – the United Kingdom

So, make sure that your research proposal provides a detailed explanation of your research topic . If possible, also briefly outline your research aims and objectives , and perhaps even your research questions (although in some cases you’ll only develop these at a later stage). Needless to say, don’t start writing your proposal until you have a clear topic in mind , or you’ll end up waffling and your research proposal will suffer as a result of this.

Need a helping hand?

As we touched on earlier, it’s not good enough to simply propose a research topic – you need to justify why your topic is original . In other words, what makes it  unique ? What gap in the current literature does it fill? If it’s simply a rehash of the existing research, it’s probably not going to get approval – it needs to be fresh.

But,  originality  alone is not enough. Once you’ve ticked that box, you also need to justify why your proposed topic is  important . In other words, what value will it add to the world if you achieve your research aims?

As an example, let’s look at the sample research topic we mentioned earlier (factors impacting brand advocacy). In this case, if the research could uncover relevant factors, these findings would be very useful to marketers in the cosmetics industry, and would, therefore, have commercial value . That is a clear justification for the research.

So, when you’re crafting your research proposal, remember that it’s not enough for a topic to simply be unique. It needs to be useful and value-creating – and you need to convey that value in your proposal. If you’re struggling to find a research topic that makes the cut, watch  our video covering how to find a research topic .

It’s all good and well to have a great topic that’s original and valuable, but you’re not going to convince anyone to approve it without discussing the practicalities – in other words:

• How will you actually undertake your research (i.e., your methodology)?
• Is your research methodology appropriate given your research aims?
• Is your approach manageable given your constraints (time, money, etc.)?

While it’s generally not expected that you’ll have a fully fleshed-out methodology at the proposal stage, you’ll likely still need to provide a high-level overview of your research methodology . Here are some important questions you’ll need to address in your research proposal:

• Will you take a qualitative , quantitative or mixed -method approach?
• What sampling strategy will you adopt?
• How will you collect your data (e.g., interviews, surveys, etc)?
• How will you analyse your data (e.g., descriptive and inferential statistics , content analysis, discourse analysis, etc, .)?
• What potential limitations will your methodology carry?

So, be sure to give some thought to the practicalities of your research and have at least a basic methodological plan before you start writing up your proposal. If this all sounds rather intimidating, the video below provides a good introduction to research methodology and the key choices you’ll need to make.

How To Structure A Research Proposal

Now that we’ve covered the key points that need to be addressed in a proposal, you may be wondering, “ But how is a research proposal structured? “.

While the exact structure and format required for a research proposal differs from university to university, there are four “essential ingredients” that commonly make up the structure of a research proposal:

• A rich introduction and background to the proposed research
• An initial literature review covering the existing research
• An overview of the proposed research methodology
• A discussion regarding the practicalities (project plans, timelines, etc.)

In the video below, we unpack each of these four sections, step by step.

Research Proposal Examples/Samples

In the video below, we provide a detailed walkthrough of two successful research proposals (Master’s and PhD-level), as well as our popular free proposal template.

Proposal Writing FAQs

How long should a research proposal be.

This varies tremendously, depending on the university, the field of study (e.g., social sciences vs natural sciences), and the level of the degree (e.g. undergraduate, Masters or PhD) – so it’s always best to check with your university what their specific requirements are before you start planning your proposal.

As a rough guide, a formal research proposal at Masters-level often ranges between 2000-3000 words, while a PhD-level proposal can be far more detailed, ranging from 5000-8000 words. In some cases, a rough outline of the topic is all that’s needed, while in other cases, universities expect a very detailed proposal that essentially forms the first three chapters of the dissertation or thesis.

The takeaway – be sure to check with your institution before you start writing.

How do I choose a topic for my research proposal?

Finding a good research topic is a process that involves multiple steps. We cover the topic ideation process in this video post.

How do I write a literature review for my proposal?

While you typically won’t need a comprehensive literature review at the proposal stage, you still need to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the key literature and are able to synthesise it. We explain the literature review process here.

How do I create a timeline and budget for my proposal?

We explain how to craft a project plan/timeline and budget in Research Proposal Bootcamp .

Which referencing format should I use in my research proposal?

The expectations and requirements regarding formatting and referencing vary from institution to institution. Therefore, you’ll need to check this information with your university.

What common proposal writing mistakes do I need to look out for?

We’ve create a video post about some of the most common mistakes students make when writing a proposal – you can access that here . If you’re short on time, here’s a quick summary:

• The research topic is too broad (or just poorly articulated).
• The research aims, objectives and questions don’t align.
• The research topic is not well justified.
• The study has a weak theoretical foundation.
• The research design is not well articulated well enough.
• Poor writing and sloppy presentation.
• Poor project planning and risk management.
• Not following the university’s specific criteria.

Key Takeaways & Additional Resources

As you write up your research proposal, remember the all-important core purpose:  to convince . Your research proposal needs to sell your study in terms of suitability and viability. So, focus on crafting a convincing narrative to ensure a strong proposal.

At the same time, pay close attention to your university’s requirements. While we’ve covered the essentials here, every institution has its own set of expectations and it’s essential that you follow these to maximise your chances of approval.

By the way, we’ve got plenty more resources to help you fast-track your research proposal. Here are some of our most popular resources to get you started:

• Proposal Writing 101 : A Introductory Webinar
• Research Proposal Bootcamp : The Ultimate Online Course
• Template : A basic template to help you craft your proposal

If you’re looking for 1-on-1 support with your research proposal, be sure to check out our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the proposal development process (and the entire research journey), step by step.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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51 Comments

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You’re most welcome. We don’t have any research proposals that we can share (the students own the intellectual property), but you might find our research proposal template useful: https://gradcoach.com/research-proposal-template/

Cheruiyot Moses Kipyegon

Thanks alot. It was an eye opener that came timely enough before my imminent proposal defense. Thanks, again

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Thank you. This is a great insight. I am a student preparing for a PhD program. I am requested to write my Research Proposal as part of what I am required to submit before my unconditional admission. I am grateful having listened to this video which will go a long way in helping me to actually choose a topic of interest and not just any topic as well as to narrow down the topic and be specific about it. I indeed need more of this especially as am trying to choose a topic suitable for a DBA am about embarking on. Thank you once more. The video is indeed helpful.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

• Annotated Bibliography
• Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
• Group Presentations
• Dealing with Nervousness
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• Writing a Research Proposal
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• Acknowledgments

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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Reference management. Clean and simple.

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.

Organizing Academic Research Papers: Writing a Research Proposal

• 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 goal of a research proposal is to present and justify a research idea you have and to present the practical ways in which you think this research should be conducted. The forms and procedures for such research are defined by the field of study, so guidelines for research proposals are generally more exacting and less formal than a project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews and must provide persuasive evidence that there is a need for the research study being proposed. In addition to providing rationale for the proposed research, 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/or benefits derived from the study.

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.
• Help learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered [or you may determine the problem has been answered ineffectively] and, in so doing, become familiar with scholarship related to your topic.
• Improve your general research and writing skills.
• Practice identifying what logical steps must be taken to accomplish one's research goals.
• Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in the process of doing scholarly research.

A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a complete 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 results of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing. It is, therefore, important that your writing 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 succient in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
• Why do you want to do it? 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 study. Be sure to answer the "So what? question.
• How are you going to do it? Be sure that what you propose is doable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failure to be concise; being "all over the map" without a clear sense of purpose.
• Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review.
• Failure to delimit the contextual boundaries of your research [e.g., time, place, people, etc.].
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
• Failure to stay focused on the research question; going off on unrelated tangents.
• Sloppy or imprecise writing. Poor grammar.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.

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 a traditional research paper, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout the social sciences. Most proposals are between ten and fifteen pages in length. 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, and why?
• 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 my topic?
• What exactly should I plan to do, and can I get it done in the time available?

In the end, your research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and highlight 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!"

In general your proposal 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 your doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea. 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 sense your passion for the topic and be excited about its possible outcomes.

Think about your introduction as a narrative written in one to three paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :

• What is the central research problem?
• What is the topic of study related to that problem?
• What methods should be used to analyze the research problem?
• Why is this important research, and why should someone reading the proposal care about the outcomes from the study?

II.  Background and Significance

This section can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and flow of your proposal. This is where you explain the context of your project and outline why it's important. 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 research problem; instead, you must choose what is relevant to help explain your goals for the study.

To that end, while there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to deal with 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.
• Present the rationale of your proposed study and clearly indicate why it is worth doing. Answer the "So what? question [i.e., why should anyone care].
• Describe the major issues or problems to be addressed by your research.
• Explain how you plan to go about conducting your research. Clearly identify the key sources you intend to use and explain how they will contribute to the analysis of your topic.
• Set the boundaries of your proposed research in order to provide a clear focus.
• Provide definitions of key concepts or terms, if necessary.

III.  Literature Review

Connected to the background and significance of your study is 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 demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methods they've used, and what is your understanding of their findings. Assess what you believe is still missing, and state how previous research has failed to examine the issue that your study addresses.

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 study in relation to that of other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically describing materials one at a time.

To help frame your proposal's literature review, here are the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:

• Cite : 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: what are the major areas of disagreement, controversy, or debate?
• Critique the literature: Which arguments are more persuasive, and why? Which approaches, findings, 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, etc.] .
• Connect the literature to your own area of research and investigation: how does your own work draw upon, depart from, or synthesize 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 . As a consequence, the reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. The objective here is to ensure that the reader is convinced that your overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem. Your design and methods should be absolutely and 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. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to collect information, about the techniques you will use to analyze it, and about 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 or times].

When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover these issues:

• Specify the research operations you will undertake and the way you will interpret the results of these operations in relation to your 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 doing it.
• Keep in mind that a methodology is not just a list of research tasks; it is an argument as to why these tasks add up to the best way to investigate the research problem. This is an important point because the mere listing of tasks to perform does not demonstrate that they add up to the best feasible approach.
• Be sure to anticipate and acknowledge any potential barriers and pitfalls in carrying out your research design and explain how you plan to get around them.

V.  Preliminary Suppositions and Implications

Just because you don't have to actually conduct the study and analyze the results, it doesn't mean that you can skip talking about the 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 of your study will impact future scholarly research, theory, practice, forms of interventions, or policy. 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 the theoretical framework that frames 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 "real world"?
• 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?
• 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 will come about?

VI.  Conclusion

The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a brief recap of the entire study . This section should be only one or two paragraphs long, emphasizing why your research study is unique, why it advances knowledge, and why the research problem is worth investigating.

Someone reading this section should come away with an understanding of:

• Why the study was done,
• The specific purpose of the study and the research questions it attempted to answer,
• The research design and methods used,
• 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 composing your proposal. In a standard research proposal, this section can take two forms, so speak with your professor about which one is preferred.

• References -- lists only the literature that you actually used or cited in your proposal.
• Bibliography -- lists everything you used or cited in your proposal with additional citations of 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 make sure the project will complement and not duplicate the efforts of other researchers. Start a new page and use the heading "References" or "Bibliography" 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 [i.e., education=APA; history=Chicago, etc]. This section normally does not count towards the total length of your proposal.

Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal . Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; 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; 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.

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Home » Research Proposal – Types, Template and Example

Research Proposal – Types, Template and Example

Table of Contents

Research Proposal

Research proposal is a document that outlines a proposed research project . It is typically written by researchers, scholars, or students who intend to conduct research to address a specific research question or problem.

Types of Research Proposal

Research proposals can vary depending on the nature of the research project and the specific requirements of the funding agency, academic institution, or research program. Here are some common types of research proposals:

Academic Research Proposal

This is the most common type of research proposal, which is prepared by students, scholars, or researchers to seek approval and funding for an academic research project. It includes all the essential components mentioned earlier, such as the introduction, literature review , methodology , and expected outcomes.

Grant Proposal

A grant proposal is specifically designed to secure funding from external sources, such as government agencies, foundations, or private organizations. It typically includes additional sections, such as a detailed budget, project timeline, evaluation plan, and a description of the project’s alignment with the funding agency’s priorities and objectives.

Dissertation or Thesis Proposal

Students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree often need to submit a proposal outlining their intended research for their dissertation or thesis. These proposals are usually more extensive and comprehensive, including an in-depth literature review, theoretical framework, research questions or hypotheses, and a detailed methodology.

Research Project Proposal

This type of proposal is often prepared by researchers or research teams within an organization or institution. It outlines a specific research project that aims to address a particular problem, explore a specific area of interest, or provide insights for decision-making. Research project proposals may include sections on project management, collaboration, and dissemination of results.

Research Fellowship Proposal

Researchers or scholars applying for research fellowships may be required to submit a proposal outlining their proposed research project. These proposals often emphasize the novelty and significance of the research and its alignment with the goals and objectives of the fellowship program.

Collaborative Research Proposal

In cases where researchers from multiple institutions or disciplines collaborate on a research project, a collaborative research proposal is prepared. This proposal highlights the objectives, responsibilities, and contributions of each collaborator, as well as the overall research plan and coordination mechanisms.

Research Proposal Outline

A research proposal typically follows a standard outline that helps structure the document and ensure all essential components are included. While the specific headings and subheadings may vary slightly depending on the requirements of your institution or funding agency, the following outline provides a general structure for a research proposal:

• Title of the research proposal
• Name of the researcher(s) or principal investigator(s)
• Affiliation or institution
• Date of submission
• A concise summary of the research proposal, typically limited to 200-300 words.
• Briefly introduce the research problem or question, state the objectives, summarize the methodology, and highlight the expected outcomes or significance of the research.
• Provide an overview of the subject area and the specific research problem or question.
• Present relevant background information, theories, or concepts to establish the need for the research.
• Clearly state the research objectives or research questions that the study aims to address.
• Indicate the significance or potential contributions of the research.
• Summarize and analyze relevant studies, theories, or scholarly works.
• Identify research gaps or unresolved issues that your study intends to address.
• Highlight the novelty or uniqueness of your research.
• Describe the overall approach or research design that will be used (e.g., experimental, qualitative, quantitative).
• Justify the chosen approach based on the research objectives and question.
• Explain how data will be collected (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments).
• Describe the sampling strategy and sample size, if applicable.
• Address any ethical considerations related to data collection.
• Outline the data analysis techniques or statistical methods that will be applied.
• Explain how the data will be interpreted and analyzed to answer the research question(s).
• Provide a detailed schedule or timeline that outlines the various stages of the research project.
• Specify the estimated duration for each stage, including data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• State the potential outcomes or results of the research.
• Discuss the potential significance or contributions of the study to the field.
• Address any potential limitations or challenges that may be encountered.
• Identify the resources required to conduct the research, such as funding, equipment, or access to data.
• Specify any collaborations or partnerships necessary for the successful completion of the study.
• Include a list of cited references in the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).

———————————————————————————————–

Research Proposal Example Template

Here’s an example of a research proposal to give you an idea of how it can be structured:

Title: The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Well-being: A Mixed-Methods Study

This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of social media on the well-being of adolescents. The study will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data. The research objectives include examining the relationship between social media use and mental health, exploring the role of peer influence in shaping online behaviors, and identifying strategies for promoting healthy social media use among adolescents. The findings of this study will contribute to the understanding of the effects of social media on adolescent well-being and inform the development of targeted interventions.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background and Context:

Adolescents today are immersed in social media platforms, which have become integral to their daily lives. However, concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact of social media on their well-being, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, and body dissatisfaction. It is crucial to investigate this phenomenon further and understand the underlying mechanisms to develop effective strategies for promoting healthy social media use among adolescents.

1.2 Research Objectives:

The main objectives of this study are:

• To examine the association between social media use and mental health outcomes among adolescents.
• To explore the influence of peer relationships and social comparison on online behaviors.
• To identify strategies and interventions to foster positive social media use and enhance adolescent well-being.

2. Literature Review

Extensive research has been conducted on the impact of social media on adolescents. Existing literature suggests that excessive social media use can contribute to negative outcomes, such as low self-esteem, cyberbullying, and addictive behaviors. However, some studies have also highlighted the positive aspects of social media, such as providing opportunities for self-expression and social support. This study will build upon this literature by incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between social media and adolescent well-being.

3. Methodology

3.1 Research Design:

This study will adopt a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase will involve administering standardized questionnaires to a representative sample of adolescents to assess their social media use, mental health indicators, and perceived social support. The qualitative phase will include in-depth interviews with a subset of participants to explore their experiences, motivations, and perceptions related to social media use.

3.2 Data Collection Methods:

Quantitative data will be collected through an online survey distributed to schools in the target region. The survey will include validated scales to measure social media use, mental health outcomes, and perceived social support. Qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants. The interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis.

3.3 Data Analysis:

Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis to examine the relationships between variables. Qualitative data will be analyzed thematically to identify common themes and patterns within participants’ narratives. Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings will provide a comprehensive understanding of the research questions.

4. Timeline

The research project will be conducted over a period of 12 months, divided into specific phases, including literature review, study design, data collection, analysis, and report writing. A detailed timeline outlining the key milestones and activities is provided in Appendix A.

5. Expected Outcomes and Significance

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature on the impact of social media on adolescent well-being by employing a mixed-methods approach. The findings will inform the development of evidence-based interventions and guidelines to promote healthy social media use among adolescents. This research has the potential to benefit adolescents, parents, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into the complex relationship between social media and well-being and offering strategies for fostering positive online experiences.

6. Resources

The resources required for this research include access to a representative sample of adolescents, research assistants for data collection, statistical software for data analysis, and funding to cover survey administration and participant incentives. Ethical considerations will be taken into account, ensuring participant confidentiality and obtaining informed consent.

7. References

Research Proposal Writing Guide

Writing a research proposal can be a complex task, but with proper guidance and organization, you can create a compelling and well-structured proposal. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

• Understand the requirements: Familiarize yourself with the guidelines and requirements provided by your institution, funding agency, or program. Pay attention to formatting, page limits, specific sections or headings, and any other instructions.
• Identify your research topic: Choose a research topic that aligns with your interests, expertise, and the goals of your program or funding opportunity. Ensure that your topic is specific, focused, and relevant to the field of study.
• Conduct a literature review : Review existing literature and research relevant to your topic. Identify key theories, concepts, methodologies, and findings related to your research question. This will help you establish the context, identify research gaps, and demonstrate the significance of your proposed study.
• Define your research objectives and research question(s): Clearly state the objectives you aim to achieve with your research. Formulate research questions that address the gaps identified in the literature review. Your research objectives and questions should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
• Develop a research methodology: Determine the most appropriate research design and methodology for your study. Consider whether quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches will best address your research question(s). Describe the data collection methods, sampling strategy, data analysis techniques, and any ethical considerations associated with your research.
• Create a research plan and timeline: Outline the various stages of your research project, including tasks, milestones, and deadlines. Develop a realistic timeline that considers factors such as data collection, analysis, and report writing. This plan will help you stay organized and manage your time effectively throughout the research process.
• A. Introduction: Provide background information on the research problem, highlight its significance, and introduce your research objectives and questions.
• B. Literature review: Summarize relevant literature, identify gaps, and justify the need for your proposed research.
• C . Methodology: Describe your research design, data collection methods, sampling strategy, data analysis techniques, and any ethical considerations.
• D . Expected outcomes and significance: Explain the potential outcomes, contributions, and implications of your research.
• E. Resources: Identify the resources required to conduct your research, such as funding, equipment, or access to data.
• F . References: Include a list of cited references in the appropriate citation style.
• Revise and proofread: Review your proposal for clarity, coherence, and logical flow. Check for grammar and spelling errors. Seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or advisors to refine and improve your proposal.
• Finalize and submit: Make any necessary revisions based on feedback and finalize your research proposal. Ensure that you have met all the requirements and formatting guidelines. Submit your proposal within the specified deadline.

Research Proposal Length

The length of a research proposal can vary depending on the specific guidelines provided by your institution or funding agency. However, research proposals typically range from 1,500 to 3,000 words, excluding references and any additional supporting documents.

Purpose of Research Proposal

The purpose of a research proposal is to outline and communicate your research project to others, such as academic institutions, funding agencies, or potential collaborators. It serves several important purposes:

• Demonstrate the significance of the research: A research proposal explains the importance and relevance of your research project. It outlines the research problem or question, highlights the gaps in existing knowledge, and explains how your study will contribute to the field. By clearly articulating the significance of your research, you can convince others of its value and potential impact.
• Provide a clear research plan: A research proposal outlines the methodology, design, and approach you will use to conduct your study. It describes the research objectives, data collection methods, data analysis techniques, and potential outcomes. By presenting a clear research plan, you demonstrate that your study is well-thought-out, feasible, and likely to produce meaningful results.
• Secure funding or support: For researchers seeking funding or support for their projects, a research proposal is essential. It allows you to make a persuasive case for why your research is deserving of financial resources or institutional backing. The proposal explains the budgetary requirements, resources needed, and potential benefits of the research, helping you secure the necessary funding or support.
• Seek feedback and guidance: Presenting a research proposal provides an opportunity to receive feedback and guidance from experts in your field. It allows you to engage in discussions and receive suggestions for refining your research plan, improving the methodology, or addressing any potential limitations. This feedback can enhance the quality of your study and increase its chances of success.
• Establish ethical considerations: A research proposal also addresses ethical considerations associated with your study. It outlines how you will ensure participant confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and adhere to ethical guidelines and regulations. By demonstrating your awareness and commitment to ethical research practices, you build trust and credibility in your proposed study.

Importance of Research Proposal

The research proposal holds significant importance in the research process. Here are some key reasons why research proposals are important:

• Planning and organization: A research proposal requires careful planning and organization of your research project. It forces you to think through the research objectives, research questions, methodology, and potential outcomes before embarking on the actual study. This planning phase helps you establish a clear direction and framework for your research, ensuring that your efforts are focused and purposeful.
• Demonstrating the significance of the research: A research proposal allows you to articulate the significance and relevance of your study. By providing a thorough literature review and clearly defining the research problem or question, you can showcase the gaps in existing knowledge that your research aims to address. This demonstrates to others, such as funding agencies or academic institutions, why your research is important and deserving of support.
• Obtaining funding and resources: Research proposals are often required to secure funding for your research project. Funding agencies and organizations need to evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of the proposed research before allocating resources. A well-crafted research proposal helps convince funders of the value of your research and increases the likelihood of securing financial support, grants, or scholarships.
• Receiving feedback and guidance: Presenting a research proposal provides an opportunity to seek feedback and guidance from experts in your field. By sharing your research plan and objectives with others, you can benefit from their insights and suggestions. This feedback can help refine your research design, strengthen your methodology, and ensure that your study is rigorous and well-informed.
• Ethical considerations: A research proposal addresses ethical considerations associated with your study. It outlines how you will protect the rights and welfare of participants, maintain confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and adhere to ethical guidelines and regulations. This emphasis on ethical practices ensures that your research is conducted responsibly and with integrity.
• Enhancing collaboration and partnerships: A research proposal can facilitate collaborations and partnerships with other researchers, institutions, or organizations. When presenting your research plan, you may attract the interest of potential collaborators who share similar research interests or possess complementary expertise. Collaborative partnerships can enrich your study, expand your resources, and foster knowledge exchange.
• Establishing a research trajectory: A research proposal serves as a foundation for your research project. Once approved, it becomes a roadmap that guides your study’s implementation, data collection, analysis, and reporting. It helps maintain focus and ensures that your research stays on track and aligned with the initial objectives.

When to Write Research Proposal

The timing of when to write a research proposal can vary depending on the specific requirements and circumstances. However, here are a few common situations when it is appropriate to write a research proposal:

• Academic research: If you are a student pursuing a research degree, such as a Ph.D. or Master’s by research, you will typically be required to write a research proposal as part of the application process. This is usually done before starting the research program to outline your proposed study and seek approval from the academic institution.
• Funding applications: When applying for research grants, scholarships, or funding from organizations or institutions, you will often need to submit a research proposal. Funding agencies require a detailed description of your research project, including its objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. Writing a research proposal in this context is necessary to secure financial support for your study.
• Research collaborations: When collaborating with other researchers, institutions, or organizations on a research project, it is common to prepare a research proposal. This helps outline the research objectives, roles and responsibilities, and expected contributions from each party. Writing a research proposal in this case allows all collaborators to align their efforts and ensure a shared understanding of the project.
• Research project within an organization: If you are conducting research within an organization, such as a company or government agency, you may be required to write a research proposal to gain approval and support for your study. This proposal outlines the research objectives, methodology, resources needed, and expected outcomes, ensuring that the project aligns with the organization’s goals and objectives.
• Independent research projects: Even if you are not required to write a research proposal, it can still be beneficial to develop one for your independent research projects. Writing a research proposal helps you plan and structure your study, clarify your research objectives, and anticipate potential challenges or limitations. It also allows you to communicate your research plans effectively to supervisors, mentors, or collaborators.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Research Paper Guide

Writing Research Proposal

Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023

Writing a Research Proposal - Outline, Format, and Examples

By: Nathan D.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Mar 24, 2023

Ready to take on the world of research, but feeling a bit intimidated by the proposal-writing process? You're not alone! Writing a research proposal can seem like a daunting task, especially if you're new to the game. 

But don't worry – we're here to help make the process as easy and exciting as possible!

Think of your research proposal as a sales pitch for your ideas. It's your chance to convince others that your project is worth their time and investment. And just like with any great sales pitch, the key is to show passion and enthusiasm for your work.

In this guide, we'll demystify the proposal-writing process. We'll cover everything from defining your research question to outlining your methodology to presenting your budget. 

So get ready to rock this proposal writing journey!

On this Page

What is a Research Proposal?

As per the research proposal definition, it is a concise summary of your research paper. It introduces the general idea of your research by highlighting the questions and issues you are going to address in your paper.

For writing a good and ‘acceptance worthy’ proposal, demonstrating the uniqueness and worthiness of your research paper is important.

Below is a detailed definition that will help you understand it better.

‘A research proposal is a document that is written to present and justify your interest and need for researching a particular topic.’

Similarly, a good proposal must highlight the benefits and o utcomes of the proposed study, supported by persuasive evidence.

Purpose of Research Proposal 

Knowing what the goal of writing a research proposal is can make the process easier and help you get your project approved by faculty. 

Let’s break down what makes up a good research proposal. 

Filling Gaps in Existing Knowledge 

Crafting a research proposal is an opportunity to explore the depths of your topic and uncover unturned stones. 

By identifying areas previously unexamined, you can open up new perspectives which could provide substantial value to your project. This demonstrates your contribution to knowledge. 

With such insights in hand, faculty will quickly recognize that there's something special about this study – setting it apart from others on the same subject!

Underscoring Existing Knowledge 

A research proposal is a chance for you to show how good you are at analyzing things and understanding past studies. 

With evidence-based data, you can demonstrate how these studies relate to each other - which agrees or disagrees with current theories about the topic. 

Whether it's presenting meaningful insights or uncovering new ones, this exercise will challenge your ability to think critically!

Adding New Original Knowledge 

To create a compelling research proposal, you must demonstrate your understanding of the existing body of knowledge on your topic. 

You should also bring something new to the table. You can explore primary sources like interviews or surveys with experts or members involved in this study. 

Showcase how this proposed project adds value and moves conversations forward; make sure that it is relevant to today's context!

In conclusion, the purpose of a research proposal is to identify gaps in existing knowledge and provide new, original perspectives on the topic. By doing this, you'll be able to craft an impactful study that faculty will find hard to ignore! 

How to Create a Research Proposal Outline?

Sometimes students don’t realize how important a research paper proposal is and end up putting all the information together without following the basic outline or thinking this through.

Before starting with the outline, you need to understand the basic components. A clear outline is important when it comes to presenting the literature review and writing the entire paper.

Here is a basic format you can follow while writing your proposal.

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methodology

It might seem like a dreadful task and especially for the students who are new to this. It requires good writing as well as research skills.

Here is a sample template to further explain the outline.

Research Proposal Template

RESEARCH PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

Need help with creating an outline for your research paper? Check out this in-depth read on how to create an effective research paper outline !

How to Start a Research Proposal?

Many students think that starting a research proposal is the same as creating an outline. No, it is not, and knowing how to start with your research proposal on the right track is like getting done with half of it.

Below are the important steps to start a research proposal.

• Begin working on it as soon as possible.
• Conduct thorough and in-depth research.
• Instead of forming the title first, find the main theme or problem that you would like to discuss in your research.
• Collect and save the research information with proper and complete citation and reference information.
• Divide the collected details into the sections of the proposal and stick to them.

Writing a research proposal is tricky, but when you start it beforehand then you will have enough time to understand your main topic’s different aspects.

Procrastinating and leaving it for the last few days before submission will only land you in trouble.

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How to Write a Research Proposal

Now you have the basic outline you can follow. Let’s discuss how to write it by following the format mentioned above.

1. Choose the Title Carefully

Your proposal title should be concise and clear to indicate your research question. Your readers should know what to expect in the paper after reading the title. Avoid writing titles in a general perspective or phrases like “An investigation of …” or “A review of …” etc. Make it concise and well-defined.

2. Add a Concise Abstract

‘How to write an abstract for a research proposal?’

The abstract is a short summary that is around 100-250 words. The abstract should include the research question, the hypothesis of your research (if there is any), the research methodology, and the findings.

If the proposal is detailed, it will require a section of the contents after the abstract. It, knowing how to write an abstract  will be helpful and can save you from making any blunders.

3. Add a Strong Introduction

You need to start with a strong introduction. The introduction is written to provide a background or context related to your research problem. It is important to frame the research question while writing the proposal.

Start the introduction with a general statement related to the problem area you are focusing on and justify your study.

The introduction usually covers the following elements.

• What is the purpose of your research or study?
• Mention the background information and significance before you introduce your research question.
• Introduce your research question in a way that its significance is highlighted by setting the stage for it.
• Briefly mention the issues that you are going to discuss and highlight in your study.
• Make sure that you identify the independent and dependent variables in the title of your study.
• If there is a hypothesis or a theory related to your research, state it in the introduction.

Have a very clear and concise idea about your research, and make sure that you do not deviate from the main research question. A clear idea will help you craft a perfect thesis. Here is how you can create a crisp and interesting  thesis introduction  along with a basic guideline.

4. Clarify the Research Objectives

Your research objectives will explain what the writer is trying to achieve. Moreover, these aims and objectives must be achievable. It means that it must be framed according to the:

• Available time
• Infrastructure
• Other important resources.

However, it is beneficial to read all the developments in the field and find research gaps before deciding your objective. It will help you come up with suitable aims for your projects.

5. Add Relevant Literature Review

A separate section dedicated to the literature review will allow you to conduct extensive background research and support your research question with credible sources and research.

The following are the basic purposes of the literature review.

• To give reference to the researchers whose study has been a part of your research.
• To help you construct a precise and clear research question.
• To critically evaluate previous literature information related to your research.
• To understand research issues relevant to the topic of your research.
• To convince the reader that your research is an important contribution to the relevant niche.

A literature review is an important component. Learning  how to write a literature review  will help you compose an engaging and impressive literature review easily.

Keep your literature review organized by adding a subheading to maintain a smooth flow in the content. Try not to bore your readers and your instructor or the committee. Write it in an engaging manner.

6. Mention the Significance of the Research

The significance of your research will identify the importance of your work. It should be mainly stated in the introductory paragraph.

You must highlight how your research is beneficial for the respective field of study. Similarly, you can also state its contribution to the field in both the broader and narrow sense.

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7. Explain the Research Methodology

‘How to write a methods section of a research proposal?’

This section explains how you are going to conduct your research. Explain why the specific method is suitable for your research and how it will help you attain your research goals. Your research methodology will give you an organized plan for the research.

Mention sufficient information regarding your research methodology for readers to understand how you are conducting your research. It must contain enough information regarding the study for another researcher to implement it.

i.) Types of Research Methodology

Choose the type of research methodology that is suitable for your research.

a.) Qualitative type is used in a theoretical type of research like that in literature.

Some research involves both; if your research topic also involves analyzing both the statistical data and theory, then make sure that you use them appropriately.   For a qualitative approach, the method section of your proposal needs to be more detailed and elaborate compared to the one in the quantitative approach. How you will collect your data and analyze it according to the qualitative approach should be described with great care.

b.) Quantitative research is suitable for projects involving collecting and analyzing statistical data like that in social sciences, medicine, and psychology.    When you choose a quantitative approach for your research, the method section should contain answers to the following elements.

• Design – Is it a laboratory experiment or a survey?
• What are the sample size and the subject of your study?
• What is the procedure of your study, and how will you carry out the activities involved in it?
• Describe your questionnaire or the instruments you will be using in the experiment.

Have detailed knowledge of all the research methodologies to justify your approach toward the research problem.

8. Present the Hypothesis or the Expected Research Results

In the research proposal, this section will contain the results of the research, but since this is a research proposal, you do not have the results yet. This is why you will add the expected research results here. These results are those that you aim to obtain from the research.

Sometimes the researcher gets the same kind of results, but sometimes, the results could differ from the expected ones.

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9. Mention the Ethical Considerations

It is an essential part of your outline. Researchers need to consider ethical values while conducting research work. Furthermore, you also have to be very careful in the data collection process and need to respect the rights of the participants.

They should not harm them in any way, and full consent should be obtained from them prior to the study.

Lastly, the writer’s moral duty is to promise complete confidentiality to feel comfortable while sharing information.

10. Discuss the Research Limitations

The research limitations indicate the flaws and shortcomings of your research. These may include:

• Unavailability of resources
• Small sample size
• Wrong methodology

Listing the limitations shows your honesty and complete understanding of the topic.

11. Add Proper References and Citation

Don’t forget the references section. You don’t want to get blamed for plagiarism. Always give references to the authors and the literature you have studied for your research.

There are two ways to cite your sources.

• Reference –  List the literature that you have used in your proposal.
• Bibliography –  List everything that you have studied, cited, or not while doing your study or while writing.

Follow a specific format for the citation section as instructed by your supervisor. It can be written in APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard style. Both references and a bibliography are included in it.

12. Edit and Proofread

Many students prefer not to proofread the proposal after completion, which is a grave mistake. If you proofread the paper on your own, you may fail to identify the mistakes. Use online tools or have a helping hand from your friend to give it a good read.

In the end, edit the document as per the needs.

Why Do Research Proposals Get Rejected?

An analysis of 500 rejected proposals allowed us to identify the common blunders made in them. These blunders caused the rejection of otherwise promising research. Therefore, to maximize the chances of acceptance, you must avoid these mistakes.

Here are some of those mistakes.

• The proposal stated a flawed hypothesis.
• The professor doubts the research will not bring new or useful results.
• The plan mentioned in the proposal lacks details and is unrealistic.
• It lacks coherence.
• The results obtained, or the hypothesis from the chosen method will be inaccurate.
• The review of the literature is not done correctly.
• Sufficient time was not devoted to writing the proposal.
• The proposal is copied or has been used by many other students in the past.

These are the common mistakes that result in rejection.

If you desire to make it shine, stick to your instructor’s guidelines and stay away from committing these mistakes. 

Research Proposal Examples

Looking for some helpful and detailed research proposal examples to get you started? Examples are great for a quick understanding of how something works or is written, in our case.

Here are some complete research paper proposal samples to help you write your own.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE

RESEARCH PROPOSAL EXAMPLE - APA

HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL

NSF RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE

MARKET RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE

PH.D. RESEARCH PROPOSAL SAMPLE

Research Proposal Topics

You can take ideas for your topic from books, journals, previously done research, and dissertations.

Here are a few topics you can choose from.

• How has technology evolved the English language over the last ten years?
• What are the effects of individualism on British literature?
• How has Feminism helped women get their rights over the last decade?
• What caused the fall of the Roman empire, and what are its effects?
• What factors caused World War II?
• What are the effects of World War II on diplomacy?
• Can cultural differences affect social interactions?
• How have violent video games affected brain development among children?
• How does alcohol affect aggression among a few people?
• How effective is the death penalty?

If you want to know more about finding a topic for your research paper and research paper topic examples, here is a list of interesting  research paper topics .

Research proposals can be critical because they require great attention. If you are inexperienced, you are likely to suffer. In a worst-case scenario, your proposal may get rejected.

Your dedicated professional and experienced essay writer at  5StarEssays.com is always here to help you. Being a professional essay writing service , we know how to craft a compelling research proposal and help you get it accepted.

Or, try using our AI powered paper writer to get quick writing help and sample citations. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a strong research proposal.

Your proposal must explain why your research is important in addition to explaining the methods that you will use. You should also position yourself within your field of study and give an overview of why this specific topic could be significant.

How many pages a research proposal should be?

Research proposals typically range between three and five pages in length. Research proposal formats vary across disciplines.

You should follow the format that is standard within your field, with special attention to what your faculty mentor prefers.

What tense should a research proposal be written in?

In a research proposal, use future tense for actions to be undertaken in the study. For example: A survey method will be employed , and a close-ended questionnaire will be used .

How long is a research proposal?

When writing a research proposal, it is best, to begin with, what you want to know more about. There is no set length for these proposals so they can be anywhere from 2,500 words up or down depending on the topic and scope of your study.

Does a research proposal have chapters?

Like a research paper, the introduction and conclusion of your proposal should be brief. In every chapter you include in your proposal, begin with an informative intro paragraph that captures what will follow in each section.

Similarly, for chapters near their end, conclusions summarize points discussed throughout the sections but also highlight what is most important about them overall.

What are the 7 parts of the research proposal?

The 7 parts of a research proposal include 

• Problem statement
• Literature review 
• Methodology

Each of these sections is key in order to craft an effective research proposal that will be approved by faculty members! 

PhD Essay, Literature

Nathan completed his Ph.D. in journalism and has been writing articles for well-respected publications for many years now. His work is carefully researched and insightful, showing a true passion for the written word. Nathan's clients appreciate his expertise, deep understanding of the process, and ability to communicate difficult concepts clearly.

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• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Research Proposal and Research Report

On the other hand, a research report is the culmination of the research endeavour. It is a great way to explain the research work and its outcome to a group of people. It is the outcome of the study conducted at the time of the research process.

This article will help you understand the difference between research proposal and research report.

Content: Research Proposal Vs Research Report

Comparison chart, definition of research proposal.

Research Proposal can be defined as the document prepared by the researcher so as to give a description of the research program in detail. It is typically a request for research funding, for the subject under study. In other words, a research proposal is a summary of the research process, with which the reader can get quick information regarding the research project.

The research proposal seeks final approval, for which it is submitted to the relevant authority. After the research proposal is submitted, it is being evaluated, considering a number of factors like the cost involved, potential impact, soundness of the plan to undertake the project.

It aims at presenting and justifying the need and importance to carry out the study, as well as to present the practical ways, of conducting the research. And for this, persuasive evidence should be provided in the research proposal, to highlight the necessity of the research.

Further, it must discuss the main issues and questions, which the researcher will address in the study. Along with that, it must highlight the fundamental area of the research study.

A research proposal can be prepared in a number of formats, which differs on the basis of their length. It contains an introduction, problem hypothesis, objectives, assumptions, methodology, justification and implication of the research project.

Definition of Research Report

Research Report can be defined as the document in which the researched and analysed data is organized and presented by the researcher in a systematic manner. It is a publication, comprising of the purpose, scope, hypothesis, methodology, findings, limitations, recommendations and conclusion of the research project.

Simply put, a research report is the record of the research process. It is one of the most important segments of the research, as the research work is said to be incomplete if the report is not prepared.

A research report is a document containing collected and considered facts, taken to provide succinct and comprehensible information to people.

Once the research process is over, the entire work is produced in a written material, which is called a research report . It covers the description of the research activities, in an elaborated manner. It contains Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Discussion of Results and Findings, Bibliography and Appendices.

A research report acts as a method to record the research work and its outcome, for future reference.

Key Differences Between Research Proposal and Research Report

The difference between research proposal and research report is discussed as under:

• A research proposal signifies a theoretical framework within which the research is carried out. In finer terms, a research proposal is a sketch for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. A research report implies a scientific write-up on the research findings, which is prepared in a specific format.
• While the preparation of a research proposal is considered as the first step to research work, preparation of a research report is the final step to the research work.
• A research proposal is prepared at the beginning of the project. In contrast, the research report is prepared after the completion of the project
• A research proposal is written in the future tense, whereas the tense used in the research report is past tense, as well as it is written in the third person
• The length of a research proposal is about 4-10 pages. On the contrary, the length of the research report is about 100 to 300 pages.
• The research proposal is concerned with the problem or topic to be investigated. Conversely, the research report focuses on the results of the completed research work.
• The research proposal determines what will be researched, the relevance of the research and the ways to conduct the researched. As against, the research report determines what is researched, sources of data collection, ways of data collection (i.e. survey, interview, or questionnaire), result and findings, recommendations for future research, etc.
• Research Proposal includes three chapters i.e. Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology. Contrastingly, Research Report covers the following chapters – Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology, Results, Interpretation and Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendation.

Basically, a research proposal defines the planning stage of the research work, which is prepared in written format, to know its worth. On the other hand, the research report signifies the concluding stage of the research work.

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A research proposal differs in important respects from other forms of writing with which students are more familiar, such as an academic essay or a research paper.  Instead of trying to reach a minimum length (e.g., 7 pages or 2000 words), you must achieve discrete goals within a specified space constraint (e.g., 2 pages or 750 words).  Many students find this shift challenging, but the process of writing a proposal is essential for  organizing  your exciting ideas and  prioritizing  your next steps.

Defining your questions

While an essay or a research paper requires an overall argument and provides evidence to support it, a research proposal is organized around questions to which the author does not yet have answers.  A good research proposal  does  make an argument of a particular sort: its purpose is to convince readers that the questions are worth trying to answer and that the author has a concrete plan for doing so.

A good proposal and, by extension, a solid research agenda are organized around a central interpretive problem broken down into a series of smaller, more specific questions.  Even if you begin with a topic that just seems fascinating, you will find that you have lots of different kinds of questions about its historiography and history.  As you work toward a proposal, try to isolate and prioritize those questions:  Which questions do you most want to find the answers to?  Which questions can you realistically answer?  If they are not the same, how might you reconcile what you want  to find out with what you  can  find out through independent research?

As you work on a central question for your thesis, you also need to consider how you can explain to others why it is meaningful.  This is the universal “so what?”:  How will answers to your particular questions contribute to our collective knowledge?  How will your research help us better understand the subject?  While there are many ways of establishing the significance of a project, never assume that an uninitiated reader will find your topic inherently interesting.  You must hint at the broader implications of your research in order to win over a reader who does not necessarily know (or care) anything about your thesis topic.  The examples in “Learning from Model Proposals” exhibit various means of achieving this end.

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Writing a Research Proposal

Parts of a research proposal, prosana model, introduction, research question, methodology.

• Structure of a Research Proposal
• Common Proposal Writing Mistakes
• Proposal Writing Resources

A research proposal's purpose is to capture the evaluator's attention, demonstrate the study's potential benefits, and prove that it is a logical and consistent approach (Van Ekelenburg, 2010).  To ensure that your research proposal contains these elements, there are several aspects to include in your proposal (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Objective(s)
• Variables (independent and dependent)
• Research Question and/or hypothesis

Details about what to include in each element are included in the boxes below.  Depending on the topic of your study, some parts may not apply to your proposal.  You can also watch the video below for a brief overview about writing a successful research proposal.

Van Ekelenburg (2010) uses the PROSANA Model to guide researchers in developing rationale and justification for their research projects.  It is an acronym that connects the problem, solution, and benefits of a particular research project.  It is an easy way to remember the critical parts of a research proposal and how they relate to one another.  It includes the following letters (Van Ekelenburg, 2010):

• Problem: Describing the main problem that the researcher is trying to solve.
• Root causes: Describing what is causing the problem.  Why is the topic an issue?
• fOcus: Narrowing down one of the underlying causes on which the researcher will focus for their research project.
• Solutions: Listing potential solutions or approaches to fix to the problem.  There could be more than one.
• Approach: Selecting the solution that the researcher will want to focus on.
• Novelty: Describing how the solution will address or solve the problem.
• Arguments: Explaining how the proposed solution will benefit the problem.

Research proposal titles should be concise and to the point, but informative.  The title of your proposal may be different from the title of your final research project, but that is completely normal!  Your findings may help you come up with a title that is more fitting for the final project.  Characteristics of good proposal titles are (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Catchy: It catches the reader's attention by peaking their interest.
• Positive: It spins your project in a positive way towards the reader.
• Transparent: It identifies the independent and dependent variables.

It is also common for proposal titles to be very similar to your research question, hypothesis, or thesis statement (Locke et al., 2007).

An abstract is a brief summary (about 300 words) of the study you are proposing.  It includes the following elements (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Your primary research question(s).
• Hypothesis or main argument.
• Method you will use to complete the study.  This may include the design, sample population, or measuring instruments that you plan to use.

Our guide on writing summaries may help you with this step.

• Writing a Summary by Luann Edwards Last Updated May 22, 2023 1119 views this year

The purpose of the introduction is to give readers background information about your topic.  it gives the readers a basic understanding of your topic so that they can further understand the significance of your proposal.  A good introduction will explain (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• How it relates to other research done on the topic
• Why your research is significant to the field
• The relevance of your study

Your research objectives are the desired outcomes that you will achieve from the research project.  Depending on your research design, these may be generic or very specific.  You may also have more than one objective (Al-Riyami, 2008).

• General objectives are what the research project will accomplish
• Specific objectives relate to the research questions that the researcher aims to answer through the study.

Be careful not to have too many objectives in your proposal, as having too many can make your project lose focus.  Plus, it may not be possible to achieve several objectives in one study.

This section describes the different types of variables that you plan to have in your study and how you will measure them.  According to Al-Riyami (2008), there are four types of research variables:

• Independent:  The person, object, or idea that is manipulated by the researcher.
• Dependent:  The person, object, or idea whose changes are dependent upon the independent variable.  Typically, it is the item that the researcher is measuring for the study.
• Confounding/Intervening:  Factors that may influence the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.  These include physical and mental barriers.  Not every study will have intervening variables, but they should be studied if applicable.
• Background:   Factors that are relevant to the study's data and how it can be generalized.  Examples include demographic information such as age, sex, and ethnicity.

Your research proposal should describe each of your variables and how they relate to one another.  Depending on your study, you may not have all four types of variables present.  However, there will always be an independent and dependent variable.

A research question is the main piece of your research project because it explains what your study will discover to the reader.  It is the question that fuels the study, so it is important for it to be precise and unique.  You do not want it to be too broad, and it should identify a relationship between two variables (an independent and a dependent) (Al-Riyami, 2008).  There are six types of research questions (Academic Writer, n.d.):

• Example: "Do people get nervous before speaking in front of an audience?"
• Example: "What are the study habits of college freshmen at Tiffin University?"
• Example: "What primary traits create a successful romantic relationship?"
• Example: "Is there a relationship between a child's performance in school and their parents' socioeconomic status?"
• Example: "Are high school seniors more motivated than high school freshmen?"
• Example: "Do news media outlets impact a person's political opinions?"

For more information on the different types of research questions, you can view the "Research Questions and Hypotheses" tutorial on Academic Writer, located below.  If you are unfamiliar with Academic Writer, we also have a tutorial on using the database located below.

Compose papers in pre-formatted APA templates. Manage references in forms that help craft APA citations. Learn the rules of APA style through tutorials and practice quizzes.

Academic Writer will continue to use the 6th edition guidelines until August 2020. A preview of the 7th edition is available in the footer of the resource's site. Previously known as APA Style Central.

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If you know enough about your research topic that you believe a particular outcome may occur as a result of the study, you can include a hypothesis (thesis statement) in your proposal.  A hypothesis is a prediction that you believe will be the outcome of your study.  It explains what you think the relationship will be between the independent and dependent variable (Al-Riyami, 2008).  It is ok if the hypothesis in your proposal turns out to be incorrect, because it is only a prediction!  If you are writing a proposal in the humanities, you may be writing a thesis statement instead of a hypothesis.  A thesis presents the main argument of your research project and leads to corresponding evidence to support your argument.

Hypotheses vs. Theories

Hypotheses are different from theories in that theories represent general principles and sets of rules that explain different phenomena.  They typically represent large areas of study because they are applicable to anything in a particular field.  Hypotheses focus on specific areas within a field and are educated guesses, meaning that they have the potential to be proven wrong (Academic Writer, n.d.).  Because of this, hypotheses can also be formed from theories.

For more information on writing effective thesis statements, you can view our guide on writing thesis statements below.

• Writing Effective Thesis Statements by Luann Edwards Last Updated May 23, 2023 226 views this year

In a research proposal, you must thoroughly explain how you will conduct your study.  This includes things such as (Al-Riyami, 2008):

• Research design:  What research approach will your study take?  Will it be quantitative or qualitative?
• Research subjects/participants:  Who will be participating in your study?  Does your study require human participants?  How will you determine who to study?
• Sample size:  How many participants will your study require?  If you are not using human participants, how much of the sample will you be studying?
• Timeline:  A proposed list of the general tasks and events that you plan to complete the study.  This will include a time frame for each task/event and the order in which they will be completed.
• Interventions:  If you plan on using anything on human participants for the study, you must include information it here.  This is especially important if you plan on using any substances on human subjects.
• Ethical issues:  Are there any potential ethical issues surrounding this study?
• Potential limitations:  Are there any limitations that could skew the data and findings from your study?
• Appendixes:  If you need to present any consent forms, interview questions, surveys, questionnaires, or other items that will be used in your study, you should include samples of each item with an appendix to reference them.  If you are using a copyrighted document, you may need written permission from the original creator to use it in your study.  A copy of the written permission should be included in your proposal.
• Setting:  Where will you be conducting the study?
• Study instruments:  What measuring tools or computer software will you be using to collect data?  How will you collect the data?
• How you will analyze the data:  What strategies or tools will you use to analyze the data you collect?
• Quality control:  Will you have precautions in place to ensure that the study is conducted consistently and that outside factors will not skew the data?
• Budget:  What type of funding will you need for your study?  This will include the funds needed to afford measuring tools, software, etc.
• How you will share the study's findings:  What will you plan to do with the findings?
• Significance of the study: How will your study expand on existing knowledge of the subject area?

For more information on research methodologies, you can view our guide on research methods and methodologies below.

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Concept Paper vs. Research Proposal – and when to use each

On the surface, concept papers sound like they do the same job as a research proposal – and essentially, they do. Both are designed to communicate the rationale, methodology and outcomes of a proposed piece of work. The difference between the two lies mostly in the level of detail and the potential audience, based on which your approach towards writing each will vary. In this article, we dig deeper into these and recommend when to use which.

Concept paper: Putting your idea to paper

• What : A concept paper verbalises an idea and puts it to paper for the first time. Here, an overall rationale is presented, with a focus on the essential idea and potential impact of the expected outcome(s). However, what you would not include here is much in-depth detail.
• When : Writing a concept paper is most useful when an initial expression of interest is made to either a collaborator or funder – provided the funder has mechanisms for you to do this, like an open call.
• Why : The aim of your concept paper will be to win your audience over with your idea and its potential ramifications. 

(For more on concept papers, read: Understanding and developing a concept paper )

Research proposal: Showing how things will get done

Let’s say that through your concept paper, you find funding and collaborators for your proposed research project. You will now get into the nitty gritty of the project with a research proposal, while still keeping it “consumable” enough for a broader audience.

• What : A research proposal builds on a concept paper by now including aspects like key deliverables, milestones and specific outcomes, as well as how you plan to achieve these. 
• When : You will typically send a research proposal to sources of funding of an open nature, i.e. those that do not require a standardised form to be filled in, as is often the case with institutional internal funding or private investors.
• Why : It is not necessary for you to first send someone a concept paper and follow it up with a proposal. However, you may often need to follow this sequence in order to provide only ‘need to know’ material depending on the stage of your relationship with potential partners.

( For more on research proposals, read: Writing a successful research proposal )

When both are needed, a concept paper precedes a research proposal

Deciding between a concept paper and a research proposal

Whether you send someone a concept paper or a research proposal depends entirely on two things: 

• Your existing relationship with whomever you are reaching out to
• What you are trying to achieve

If you are emailing an organisation or individual for the first time, you are more likely to receive a response by attaching a brief, snappy concept paper that is easily read by a multitude of people. On the other hand, some larger organisations, such as pharmaceutical companies, are very used to seeing full-fledged research proposals and may have a portal on their website where you would need to upload one, enabling them to skip the preliminary step of vetting your work through a concept paper.

Our recommendation : Given how pressed many people are for time these days, it would be prudent to send concept papers more frequently than research proposals. If more information is required, you will be asked for it.

Concept papers and research proposals do very similar things, but set out and achieve very different aims. They are often sent in sequence – the concept paper first, followed by the research proposal. The need for a research proposal arises when the concept paper has achieved its mark – when, for example, more information is required for a funding decision to be reached, or due diligence is to be performed, as a result of your concept paper gaining preliminary acceptance. Following up with a research proposal fills in the gaps and will aid in answering questions arising from the concept paper.

Read previous (second) in series: Writing a successful Research Proposal

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Difference between a Research Proposal and a Synopsis

• September 5, 2022
• Research Paper Writing , Thesis Writing , YouTube Journal
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In the beginning, we can say that a summary is a brief, compact overview of the main points in a longer document. The purpose is to give readers an idea of what’s in the full-length document without reading it all & how to write synopsis. A synopsis for thesis can be a shorter version of your document that’s designed to give readers an overview of your ideas and conclusions. A research proposal is a formal document that outlines the scope and direction of an academic study or research project. It includes a plan for how you will collect data and analyze it, as well as how you will present your results with un understanding the difference between research proposal and synopsis

An Overview of both Documents:  

Synopsis vs Research Proposal 

A synopsis is a short form of your full research proposal and is just the introduction to the report. It convinces readers that you understand their problem and can provide a solution. 

A research proposal is a detailed plan of how you will conduct your study. The research proposal includes a study design, which includes the specific questions that need to be answered, sampling strategy, data collection methods, analysis plan and reporting format. 

How to write a Synopsis?  

A synopsis for thesis is a brief, concise description of your paper. With learning how to write synopsis, communicate the main ideas and arguments in your paper and to tell someone else what you’re going to say. A good synopsis is a way for you to organize your ideas before you write the whole thing, and it helps others determine if they want to read further. 

A synopsis for thesis is a summary of your article. It should be written in the following format: 

• Title of your book or article (in bold) 
• Author’s name and contact details (in italics) 
• The main idea of your article or book (in bold) 
• Introduction (optional) 
• Body (in bold) 
• Conclusion (optional) 

How to write a Research Proposal?  

Research Proposal – It is a document in which you state your thesis and goals, along with the method and rationale for your research. A thesis statement is the single most important part of a research proposal. It should be clear, concise, and specific. 

The main purpose of this proposal is to get funding for your research. The proposal should also demonstrate how well-equipped you are to do the research. 

This proposal aims to develop a new way of understanding the world through a systematic and comprehensive analysis of how society learns about the world. 

This paper will focus on how people make sense of the w around them by using tools such as languages, maps, technology and science, thereby contributing to our ability to understand our surroundings. 

Difference between a Research Proposal and a Synopsis for thesis:  

The basic difference between a research proposal and a synopsis is that the former is more in-depth, whereas the latter is more condensed. However, this does not mean that researchers should not write synopses for their publications. To do so is to miss out on useful information that can be added later. 

The advantage of writing a synopsis is that it provides a reader with an overview of your research project without having to read through large amounts of text. It also helps to explain your research topic and why it is relevant. A synopsis will help you decide whether or not your topic is worth pursuing further by ensuring that there are enough sources available for you to continue your research. 

What is the purpose of our research proposal?  

The purpose of the research proposal is to convince your advisor or committee that there is enough merit in your proposal to justify their funding of the project and their time reviewing it. A good proposal will include: 

• An overview of the problem or question you are addressing 
• A detailed description of how you plan to address this question or solve this problem 
• A clear statement of what evidence supports your claim and how you will use this evidence to support your claim 
• A discussion about how well-known and accepted methods can be used as part of this work (this is called quantitative analysis). 

Why do people confuse the two?  

In the first place, a research proposal is not a synopsis. A summary should be brief and to the point, while a research proposal would have all of your data and evidence lined up on one page. 

A synopsis for thesis is written in the first-person voice and focuses on the story’s main points without delving too far into details. A synopsis can help readers get an idea of what you’re writing about or help them find information on a particular topic. It’s often used in book sales to determine if they have enough information on their hands to sell your book or not. 

An academic or professional author writes a research proposal as part of their job. It is meant to provide evidence that supports their argument through data and statistical analysis. 

Tips for writing a Research Proposal flawlessly:  

• Writing a research proposal is not as easy as it seems. You must choose the right topic and then write the proposal in a way that will convince your reader of your ability to carry out the research. 
• The first step in writing a research proposal is to select an area of study or research in which you are interested. If you have any previous experience with this topic, consider using it as part of your proposal. If not, find someone with previous experience in the field and ask them for their advice. 
• Once you have decided on a topic, begin by writing down what you know about this area of interest. This can include anything from books or articles to news stories or television shows that have aired about the topic. Ensure all relevant information about this topic, including key terms or definitions. 
• Once you have written down everything you know about your topic, it’s time to develop an outline for your dissertation proposal. An outline is an organised list of topics that will make up each chapter of your dissertation proposal and should include subtopics within each topic area (for example, introduction, background information; objectives; methods; data collection). 

The more important your paper, the more likely you’ll need to write a research proposal and a synopsis. A research proposal is usually the first step in the writing process, an overview of the topic you plan to tackle later. A synopsis, on the other hand, is a concise summary of the content of your paper. We hope this blog has given you a proper explanation for understanding the differences.   

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Proposal Essay Examples: Convincing Ideas for Your Research Paper or Essay

Struggling to craft a captivating and well-built proposal essay? Many students find it challenging to compose a proposal-based essay and struggle to generate convincing ideas. If this sounds familiar, read on. In this comprehensive guide, we streamline the process of brainstorming and composing work, offering resources like suggestions on how to write a proposal essay, suggested steps when writing, useful examples, and efficient essay-crafting tips.

Developed through several years of expertise in scholarly writing, our article is meticulously tailored to help you excel in your academic assignments. Join us as we explore crafting an exceptional proposal paper. With the right tools and assistance, you'll move from ambiguity to self-assurance, ready to write an impressive work. Let's master the art of creating an attention-grabbing essay.

What is a Proposal Essay?

A proposal essay succinctly outlines the key content and aim of your intended study, summarizing its primary points and overall intent. Unlike a thesis, which presents the main idea of your academic study, a proposal-focused assignment acts as a detailed plan addressing a specific problem. As a proposal writer, you identify an issue, suggest a possible solution, and then provide persuasive evidence for the audience to have them support your viewpoint. Your goal is to convince them that this view is exceptional and deserves implementation. When writing such an essay, consider it as a chance to immerse in practical issues and showcase analytical and creative thinking skills. These papers serve as strategic tools, allowing an author to present their ideas or beliefs compellingly. Beyond business or economics, they encourage solution-seeking and reasoning skills across a variety of disciplines.

In a nutshell, a proposal-driven assignment allows you to demonstrate your ability to think innovatively and critically, addressing real-life issues with practical solutions. Now that you understand what is a proposal essay, join us in exploring its specifics and revealing your writer’s potential.

How to Write a Proposal Essay

Creating a successful proposal-related paper necessitates thorough preparation and an understanding of your audience's needs. To write such an essay, observe these stages:

• Extensively investigate your assignment’s topic to identify a chosen problem.
• Develop a compelling thesis statement summarizing your suggested solution.
• Make a solid proposal essay outline to logically organize all your ideas and ensure unity and cohesion.
• Present solid proof to support your viewpoints and anticipate any objections.
• Refine your writing carefully to enhance content clarity and logic.

When you are occupied with thoughts on how to write a paper proposal, handy tools like the AI essay generator Aithor have become indispensable helpers. Aithor, our intuitive assistant, empowers writers by utilizing advanced technology to generate ideas, check accuracy, and offer alternative words, improving the piece of writing. Explore the innovative capabilities of our AI tool by visiting https://aithor.com/ai-essay-generator and let it assist you with your assignment.

Check out some additional tips to enhance your overall essay quality:

• Get to know your audience and tailor your planned proposal to its interests.
• Use convincing language to involve your audience to advocate for your notion.
• Incorporate relevant data, instances, and statistics to reinforce your position.
• Address possible counterarguments to demonstrate thorough consideration.
• Use a powerful summary to conclude and inspire to act, urging support for your concepts.

To wrap up, writing a decent proposal-based essay requires in-depth investigation, persuasive argumentation, and attention to detail. By following the mentioned guidelines and additional tips, you can smoothly write a solid solution-focused writing that inspires action.

Prewriting Stage

Setting for a journey of composing a proposal-related assignment can be overwhelming. How to start a proposal essay? To ease this process, academic writers advocate for a systematic approach to craft a captivating piece of writing.

Here's a full guide to guarantee your assignment paper stands out. Know Your Reader

Being sympathetic to your prospective listeners is paramount when writing a persuasive paper. Who will you write for? Identify their key roles, preferences, and concerns to efficiently customize your message. This ensures mutual resonance in your views and addresses their specific needs and expectations.

Research Academic investigation forms the foundation of a robust convincing paper. Even with a prior understanding of the material, delving deeper yields new insights and perspectives. Revising scholarly literature enhances arguments, lending authority and credibility to your message.

Set an Issue

State the topic and challenges precisely and clearly. Use evidence to accentuate its significance and establish your grasp of the matter. That step is pivotal in gaining the audience's sympathy and support.

Define a Solution

Offer a straightforward and practical way out to the identified problem. Ensure its clarity and usefulness, aligning with indicated requirements. Frame your resolution in terms of objectives, delineating primary goals and additional benefits your project will provide.

Write an Essay Proposal Outline

Crafting an outline for your persuasive paper is essential. This helps put your ideas in order and create a logical flow. When structuring your paper, begin with a catchy introduction that describes the problem. Outline your suggested resolution with strong evidence, facts, and illustrations. Finally, summarize the noteworthy aspects and emphasize the relevance of your proposal. This structured approach enhances coherence and persuasiveness.

Ø  For executive proposals, add organizational data and budget analysis, maintaining clear and direct language, devoid of unnecessary jargon.

Structure of a Proposal Essay

Generating a credible proposal-focused essay involves several main components, each serving a definite purpose to efficiently convey your key idea. Here's a full breakdown of how to write an essay proposal:

Introduction

• Captivating Intro

Capture the readers' attention with an eye-catching hook. Precisely state your essay’s thesis statement, conveying your message succinctly and convincingly.

•   Context and Background

Provide a solid background for your proposed idea, thus setting a stage for the topic matter and its validity.

• Research Relevance

State why your investigation is essential, drawing upon the background info provided.

• Problem Statement

Dive deeper into the presented issue, delineating its relevance and impact to deliver a captivating context for your written work.

• Proposal Statement

State your projected way out to the mentioned challenges. Emphasize its paybacks and mention potential shortcomings to showcase its viability.

•   Implementation Plan

Clarify in detail how you wish to put your words into effect, addressing practical considerations and potential obstacles.

• Expected Outcome

Talk about the positive effects that you expect from executing your solution proposal, conveying distinctly its probable impact.

• Evaluation of Feasibility

Consider the proposal’s practicability considering the essential resources and would-be objections.

• Resource Management and Timeline

Indicate the demanded resources and generate a timeline for implementation if applicable.

• Research Queries and Objectives

List the goals of your inquiry and say how will addressing the challenges impact your audience. Utilize credible sources and data to reinforce your arguments.

•   Study Design and Methodology

Explain your methodology for addressing the challenge, illustrating the rationale behind your selected approach, and predicting the anticipated outcomes.

• Key Points Summary 

Recap the main points from the intro, background, and topic relevance, along with the hypotheses/research questions sections.

• Importance and Potential Impact

Accentuate how your investigation can hypothetically contribute to addressing the mentioned issue and consider potential consequences if the proposal is not implemented.

• Call to Action and Close

Restate the proposal’s relevance, leaving the audience with a convincing call to action. Express gratitude for the committee's consideration and leave readers with a sense of anticipation for the proposed research.

•   Bibliography (Optional)

Include a literature list that references the materials used and displays the work’s contents to demonstrate the depth of the investigation. It is usually placed at the end of the whole text as a separate section.

Remember to refine your final draft for clarity and conciseness, testing if the paper proposal format is well-constructed. Consider seeking some feedback from others to enhance the presentation and proposal actuality. Additionally, ensure each paragraph flows smoothly and plausibly and supports your general argument. This ensures content clarity and cohesion throughout your text.

Academic Research Study Proposal Sample 2024

Here is a sample idea for an interesting proposal paper:

• The proposed research study will investigate the risks of sending messages while driving and explore measures to mitigate this hazardous behavior.
•  Texting when driving continues to be a widespread issue despite various awareness campaigns and legal restrictions.
• The study will focus on examining the mental and physical distractions caused by this activity. Also, the proposal will delve into the increased likelihood of mishaps and fatalities associated with such behavior.
• Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the investigation will gather data through surveys, interviews, and driving simulations from a diverse sample of drivers across different age groups and regions.
•  Data analysis will include statistical analysis of accident rates, qualitative coding of interview responses, and thematic analysis of driving simulation outcomes.
•  The essay's findings aim to raise awareness among policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and the public about the grave dangers of texting when driving.
• Additionally, the investigation will propose recommendations for interventions such as stricter enforcement of existing regulations, educational programs targeting drivers of all ages, and the creation of technological solutions to prevent distraction-related cases.
• Ultimately, this study seeks to add to the lessening of crashes and fatalities caused by texting in a car and encourage safer driving habits in society.

Final Remarks

In composing a robust proposal essay, the journey from beginning to culmination is marked by strategic planning and scrupulous work. If you embrace a methodical approach, a captivating paper will emerge. Such vital details as understanding the audience, conducting in-depth research, describing the challenges, proposing possible way-outs, and structuring your arguments are vital elements of a successfully written work. Each phase of this process contributes to the clarity and persuasiveness of the text, ensuring resonance with readers. Using illustrative examples adds depth and relatability to the proposal.

Ultimately, the proposal paper showcases not only analytical prowess and solution-seeking acumen but also adept communication of intricate concepts. With unwavering dedication and meticulous focus on details, the proposal essay becomes a testament to effective persuasion and insightful discourse.

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A new future of work: The race to deploy AI and raise skills in Europe and beyond

At a glance.

Amid tightening labor markets and a slowdown in productivity growth, Europe and the United States face shifts in labor demand, spurred by AI and automation. Our updated modeling of the future of work finds that demand for workers in STEM-related, healthcare, and other high-skill professions would rise, while demand for occupations such as office workers, production workers, and customer service representatives would decline. By 2030, in a midpoint adoption scenario, up to 30 percent of current hours worked could be automated, accelerated by generative AI (gen AI). Efforts to achieve net-zero emissions, an aging workforce, and growth in e-commerce, as well as infrastructure and technology spending and overall economic growth, could also shift employment demand.

By 2030, Europe could require up to 12 million occupational transitions, double the prepandemic pace. In the United States, required transitions could reach almost 12 million, in line with the prepandemic norm. Both regions navigated even higher levels of labor market shifts at the height of the COVID-19 period, suggesting that they can handle this scale of future job transitions. The pace of occupational change is broadly similar among countries in Europe, although the specific mix reflects their economic variations.

Businesses will need a major skills upgrade. Demand for technological and social and emotional skills could rise as demand for physical and manual and higher cognitive skills stabilizes. Surveyed executives in Europe and the United States expressed a need not only for advanced IT and data analytics but also for critical thinking, creativity, and teaching and training—skills they report as currently being in short supply. Companies plan to focus on retraining workers, more than hiring or subcontracting, to meet skill needs.

Workers with lower wages face challenges of redeployment as demand reweights toward occupations with higher wages in both Europe and the United States. Occupations with lower wages are likely to see reductions in demand, and workers will need to acquire new skills to transition to better-paying work. If that doesn’t happen, there is a risk of a more polarized labor market, with more higher-wage jobs than workers and too many workers for existing lower-wage jobs.

Choices made today could revive productivity growth while creating better societal outcomes. Embracing the path of accelerated technology adoption with proactive worker redeployment could help Europe achieve an annual productivity growth rate of up to 3 percent through 2030. However, slow adoption would limit that to 0.3 percent, closer to today’s level of productivity growth in Western Europe. Slow worker redeployment would leave millions unable to participate productively in the future of work.

Demand will change for a range of occupations through 2030, including growth in STEM- and healthcare-related occupations, among others

This report focuses on labor markets in nine major economies in the European Union along with the United Kingdom, in comparison with the United States. Technology, including most recently the rise of gen AI, along with other factors, will spur changes in the pattern of labor demand through 2030. Our study, which uses an updated version of the McKinsey Global Institute future of work model, seeks to quantify the occupational transitions that will be required and the changing nature of demand for different types of jobs and skills.

Our methodology

We used methodology consistent with other McKinsey Global Institute reports on the future of work to model trends of job changes at the level of occupations, activities, and skills. For this report, we focused our analysis on the 2022–30 period.

Our model estimates net changes in employment demand by sector and occupation; we also estimate occupational transitions, or the net number of workers that need to change in each type of occupation, based on which occupations face declining demand by 2030 relative to current employment in 2022. We included ten countries in Europe: nine EU members—the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden—and the United Kingdom. For the United States, we build on estimates published in our 2023 report Generative AI and the future of work in America.

We included multiple drivers in our modeling: automation potential, net-zero transition, e-commerce growth, remote work adoption, increases in income, aging populations, technology investments, and infrastructure investments.

Two scenarios are used to bookend the work-automation model: “late” and “early.” For Europe, we modeled a “faster” scenario and a “slower” one. For the faster scenario, we use the midpoint—the arithmetical average between our late and early scenarios. For the slower scenario, we use a “mid late” trajectory, an arithmetical average between a late adoption scenario and the midpoint scenario. For the United States, we use the midpoint scenario, based on our earlier research.

We also estimate the productivity effects of automation, using GDP per full-time-equivalent (FTE) employee as the measure of productivity. We assumed that workers displaced by automation rejoin the workforce at 2022 productivity levels, net of automation, and in line with the expected 2030 occupational mix.

Amid tightening labor markets and a slowdown in productivity growth, Europe and the United States face shifts in labor demand, spurred not only by AI and automation but also by other trends, including efforts to achieve net-zero emissions, an aging population, infrastructure spending, technology investments, and growth in e-commerce, among others (see sidebar, “Our methodology”).

Our analysis finds that demand for occupations such as health professionals and other STEM-related professionals would grow by 17 to 30 percent between 2022 and 2030, (Exhibit 1).

By contrast, demand for workers in food services, production work, customer services, sales, and office support—all of which declined over the 2012–22 period—would continue to decline until 2030. These jobs involve a high share of repetitive tasks, data collection, and elementary data processing—all activities that automated systems can handle efficiently.

Up to 30 percent of hours worked could be automated by 2030, boosted by gen AI, leading to millions of required occupational transitions

By 2030, our analysis finds that about 27 percent of current hours worked in Europe and 30 percent of hours worked in the United States could be automated, accelerated by gen AI. Our model suggests that roughly 20 percent of hours worked could still be automated even without gen AI, implying a significant acceleration.

These trends will play out in labor markets in the form of workers needing to change occupations. By 2030, under the faster adoption scenario we modeled, Europe could require up to 12.0 million occupational transitions, affecting 6.5 percent of current employment. That is double the prepandemic pace (Exhibit 2). Under a slower scenario we modeled for Europe, the number of occupational transitions needed would amount to 8.5 million, affecting 4.6 percent of current employment. In the United States, required transitions could reach almost 12.0 million, affecting 7.5 percent of current employment. Unlike Europe, this magnitude of transitions is broadly in line with the prepandemic norm.

Both regions navigated even higher levels of labor market shifts at the height of the COVID-19 period. While these were abrupt and painful to many, given the forced nature of the shifts, the experience suggests that both regions have the ability to handle this scale of future job transitions.

Businesses will need a major skills upgrade

The occupational transitions noted above herald substantial shifts in workforce skills in a future in which automation and AI are integrated into the workplace (Exhibit 3). Workers use multiple skills to perform a given task, but for the purposes of our quantification, we identified the predominant skill used.

Demand for technological skills could see substantial growth in Europe and in the United States (increases of 25 percent and 29 percent, respectively, in hours worked by 2030 compared to 2022) under our midpoint scenario of automation adoption (which is the faster scenario for Europe).

Demand for social and emotional skills could rise by 11 percent in Europe and by 14 percent in the United States. Underlying this increase is higher demand for roles requiring interpersonal empathy and leadership skills. These skills are crucial in healthcare and managerial roles in an evolving economy that demands greater adaptability and flexibility.

Conversely, demand for work in which basic cognitive skills predominate is expected to decline by 14 percent. Basic cognitive skills are required primarily in office support or customer service roles, which are highly susceptible to being automated by AI. Among work characterized by these basic cognitive skills experiencing significant drops in demand are basic data processing and literacy, numeracy, and communication.

Demand for work in which higher cognitive skills predominate could also decline slightly, according to our analysis. While creativity is expected to remain highly sought after, with a potential increase of 12 percent by 2030, work activities characterized by other advanced cognitive skills such as advanced literacy and writing, along with quantitative and statistical skills, could decline by 19 percent.

Demand for physical and manual skills, on the other hand, could remain roughly level with the present. These skills remain the largest share of workforce skills, representing about 30 percent of total hours worked in 2022. Growth in demand for these skills between 2022 and 2030 could come from the build-out of infrastructure and higher investment in low-emissions sectors, while declines would be in line with continued automation in production work.

Business executives report skills shortages today and expect them to worsen

A survey we conducted of C-suite executives in five countries shows that companies are already grappling with skills challenges, including a skills mismatch, particularly in technological, higher cognitive, and social and emotional skills: about one-third of the more than 1,100 respondents report a shortfall in these critical areas. At the same time, a notable number of executives say they have enough employees with basic cognitive skills and, to a lesser extent, physical and manual skills.

Within technological skills, companies in our survey reported that their most significant shortages are in advanced IT skills and programming, advanced data analysis, and mathematical skills. Among higher cognitive skills, significant shortfalls are seen in critical thinking and problem structuring and in complex information processing. About 40 percent of the executives surveyed pointed to a shortage of workers with these skills, which are needed for working alongside new technologies (Exhibit 4).

Companies see retraining as key to acquiring needed skills and adapting to the new work landscape

Surveyed executives expect significant changes to their workforce skill levels and worry about not finding the right skills by 2030. More than one in four survey respondents said that failing to capture the needed skills could directly harm financial performance and indirectly impede their efforts to leverage the value from AI.

To acquire the skills they need, companies have three main options: retraining, hiring, and contracting workers. Our survey suggests that executives are looking at all three options, with retraining the most widely reported tactic planned to address the skills mismatch: on average, out of companies that mentioned retraining as one of their tactics to address skills mismatch, executives said they would retrain 32 percent of their workforce. The scale of retraining needs varies in degree. For example, respondents in the automotive industry expect 36 percent of their workforce to be retrained, compared with 28 percent in the financial services industry. Out of those who have mentioned hiring or contracting as their tactics to address the skills mismatch, executives surveyed said they would hire an average of 23 percent of their workforce and contract an average of 18 percent.

Occupational transitions will affect high-, medium-, and low-wage workers differently

All ten European countries we examined for this report may see increasing demand for top-earning occupations. By contrast, workers in the two lowest-wage-bracket occupations could be three to five times more likely to have to change occupations compared to the top wage earners, our analysis finds. The disparity is much higher in the United States, where workers in the two lowest-wage-bracket occupations are up to 14 times more likely to face occupational shifts than the highest earners. In Europe, the middle-wage population could be twice as affected by occupational transitions as the same population in United States, representing 7.3 percent of the working population who might face occupational transitions.

Enhancing human capital at the same time as deploying the technology rapidly could boost annual productivity growth

About quantumblack, ai by mckinsey.

QuantumBlack, McKinsey’s AI arm, helps companies transform using the power of technology, technical expertise, and industry experts. With thousands of practitioners at QuantumBlack (data engineers, data scientists, product managers, designers, and software engineers) and McKinsey (industry and domain experts), we are working to solve the world’s most important AI challenges. QuantumBlack Labs is our center of technology development and client innovation, which has been driving cutting-edge advancements and developments in AI through locations across the globe.

Organizations and policy makers have choices to make; the way they approach AI and automation, along with human capital augmentation, will affect economic and societal outcomes.

We have attempted to quantify at a high level the potential effects of different stances to AI deployment on productivity in Europe. Our analysis considers two dimensions. The first is the adoption rate of AI and automation technologies. We consider the faster scenario and the late scenario for technology adoption. Faster adoption would unlock greater productivity growth potential but also, potentially, more short-term labor disruption than the late scenario.

The second dimension we consider is the level of automated worker time that is redeployed into the economy. This represents the ability to redeploy the time gained by automation and productivity gains (for example, new tasks and job creation). This could vary depending on the success of worker training programs and strategies to match demand and supply in labor markets.

We based our analysis on two potential scenarios: either all displaced workers would be able to fully rejoin the economy at a similar productivity level as in 2022 or only some 80 percent of the automated workers’ time will be redeployed into the economy.

Exhibit 5 illustrates the various outcomes in terms of annual productivity growth rate. The top-right quadrant illustrates the highest economy-wide productivity, with an annual productivity growth rate of up to 3.1 percent. It requires fast adoption of technologies as well as full redeployment of displaced workers. The top-left quadrant also demonstrates technology adoption on a fast trajectory and shows a relatively high productivity growth rate (up to 2.5 percent). However, about 6.0 percent of total hours worked (equivalent to 10.2 million people not working) would not be redeployed in the economy. Finally, the two bottom quadrants depict the failure to adopt AI and automation, leading to limited productivity gains and translating into limited labor market disruptions.

Four priorities for companies

The adoption of automation technologies will be decisive in protecting businesses’ competitive advantage in an automation and AI era. To ensure successful deployment at a company level, business leaders can embrace four priorities.

Understand the potential. Leaders need to understand the potential of these technologies, notably including how AI and gen AI can augment and automate work. This includes estimating both the total capacity that these technologies could free up and their impact on role composition and skills requirements. Understanding this allows business leaders to frame their end-to-end strategy and adoption goals with regard to these technologies.

Plan a strategic workforce shift. Once they understand the potential of automation technologies, leaders need to plan the company’s shift toward readiness for the automation and AI era. This requires sizing the workforce and skill needs, based on strategically identified use cases, to assess the potential future talent gap. From this analysis will flow details about the extent of recruitment of new talent, upskilling, or reskilling of the current workforce that is needed, as well as where to redeploy freed capacity to more value-added tasks.

Prioritize people development. To ensure that the right talent is on hand to sustain the company strategy during all transformation phases, leaders could consider strengthening their capabilities to identify, attract, and recruit future AI and gen AI leaders in a tight market. They will also likely need to accelerate the building of AI and gen AI capabilities in the workforce. Nontechnical talent will also need training to adapt to the changing skills environment. Finally, leaders could deploy an HR strategy and operating model to fit the post–gen AI workforce.

Pursue the executive-education journey on automation technologies. Leaders also need to undertake their own education journey on automation technologies to maximize their contributions to their companies during the coming transformation. This includes empowering senior managers to explore automation technologies implications and subsequently role model to others, as well as bringing all company leaders together to create a dedicated road map to drive business and employee value.

AI and the toolbox of advanced new technologies are evolving at a breathtaking pace. For companies and policy makers, these technologies are highly compelling because they promise a range of benefits, including higher productivity, which could lift growth and prosperity. Yet, as this report has sought to illustrate, making full use of the advantages on offer will also require paying attention to the critical element of human capital. In the best-case scenario, workers’ skills will develop and adapt to new technological challenges. Achieving this goal in our new technological age will be highly challenging—but the benefits will be great.

Eric Hazan is a McKinsey senior partner based in Paris; Anu Madgavkar and Michael Chui are McKinsey Global Institute partners based in New Jersey and San Francisco, respectively; Sven Smit is chair of the McKinsey Global Institute and a McKinsey senior partner based in Amsterdam; Dana Maor is a McKinsey senior partner based in Tel Aviv; Gurneet Singh Dandona is an associate partner and a senior expert based in New York; and Roland Huyghues-Despointes is a consultant based in Paris.

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This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

Published on 31.5.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Evaluation and Comparison of Academic Impact and Disruptive Innovation Level of Medical Journals: Bibliometric Analysis and Disruptive Evaluation

Authors of this article:

Original Paper

• Yuyan Jiang 1 , MPhil   ; 
• Xue-li Liu 1, 2 , BM   ; 
• Zixuan Zhang 1 , MPhil   ; 
• Xinru Yang 1 , MPhil  

1 Henan Research Center for Science Journals, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China

2 Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China

Corresponding Author:

Xue-li Liu, BM

Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

Xinxiang Medical University

Library and Information Building, 2nd Fl.

No. 601, Jinsui Avenue, Hongqi District

Xinxiang, 450003

Phone: 86 1 383 736 0965

Email: [email protected]

Background: As an important platform for researchers to present their academic findings, medical journals have a close relationship between their evaluation orientation and the value orientation of their published research results. However, the differences between the academic impact and level of disruptive innovation of medical journals have not been examined by any study yet.

Objective: This study aims to compare the relationships and differences between the academic impact, disruptive innovation levels, and peer review results of medical journals and published research papers. We also analyzed the similarities and differences in the impact evaluations, disruptive innovations, and peer reviews for different types of medical research papers and the underlying reasons.

Methods: The general and internal medicine Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) journals in 2018 were chosen as the study object to explore the differences in the academic impact and level of disruptive innovation of medical journals based on the OpenCitations Index of PubMed open PMID-to-PMID citations (POCI) and H1Connect databases, respectively, and we compared them with the results of peer review.

Results: First, the correlation coefficients of the Journal Disruption Index (JDI) with the Journal Cumulative Citation for 5 years (JCC 5 ), Journal Impact Factor (JIF), and Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) were 0.677, 0.585, and 0.621, respectively. The correlation coefficient of the absolute disruption index (Dz) with the Cumulative Citation for 5 years (CC 5 ) was 0.635. However, the average difference in the disruptive innovation and academic influence rankings of journals reached 20 places (about 17.5%). The average difference in the disruptive innovation and influence rankings of research papers reached about 2700 places (about 17.7%). The differences reflect the essential difference between the two evaluation systems. Second, the top 7 journals selected based on JDI, JCC 5 , JIF, and JCI were the same, and all of them were H-journals. Although 8 (8/15, 53%), 96 (96/150, 64%), and 880 (880/1500, 58.67%) of the top 0.1%, top 1%, and top 10% papers selected based on Dz and CC 5 , respectively, were the same. Third, research papers with the “changes clinical practice” tag showed only moderate innovation (4.96) and impact (241.67) levels but had high levels of peer-reviewed recognition (6.00) and attention (2.83).

Conclusions: The results of the study show that research evaluation based on innovative indicators is detached from the traditional impact evaluation system. The 3 evaluation systems (impact evaluation, disruptive innovation evaluation, and peer review) only have high consistency for authoritative journals and top papers. Neither a single impact indicator nor an innovative indicator can directly reflect the impact of medical research for clinical practice. How to establish an integrated, comprehensive, scientific, and reasonable journal evaluation system to improve the existing evaluation system of medical journals still needs further research.

Introduction

Scientific and technical journals play a crucial role in showcasing research findings, and the value orientation of their published results is closely intertwined with their evaluation orientation. However, since Garfield [ 1 ] put forward the idea that “citation analysis can be used as an evaluation tool for journals” in 1972, the evaluation system of journals based on academic impact has become mainstream. However, relying too much on impact indicators for evaluation may hurt academic research and discipline progress.

On the one hand, some scholars have long pointed out that ranking journals according to their impact factors is noncomprehensive and may lead to misleading conclusions [ 2 , 3 ]. Meanwhile, many academic journals and publishers have engaged in strategic self-citation, leading to an overinflated journal impact factor (JIF) [ 4 ]. Some editorial behaviors to enhance the JIF clearly violate academic norms [ 5 ]. Some scholars are overciting each other’s work to enhance their academic impact [ 6 ]. External contingencies can have a devastating effect on citation indicators [ 7 ]. Scientists themselves also present a mixed attitude toward impact factors [ 8 ].

On the other hand, despite all the benefits of increased academic impact to journals, there is a nonnegligible problem in the evaluation of journals that citation indicators essentially characterize the impact of journals rather than their disruptive innovation [ 9 ]. Relevant studies have confirmed that the level of disruptive innovation of scientific research is getting increasingly lower [ 10 ] and the progress in various disciplines is slowing [ 11 ]. This is often overlooked against the background of impact-only evaluations. Therefore, despite the urgent need for disruptive innovations in science [ 12 ], impact-based journal rankings have made it more difficult to accept novel results [ 13 ], replacing the “taste of science” with the “taste of publication” [ 14 ] in the actual environment.

The evaluation of academic journals is about not only the journals themselves [ 15 ] but also the wide use of the evaluation results in academic review, promotion, and tenure decisions [ 16 ]. Meanwhile, the quality and results of medical research are directly related to human health and life and have a direct impact on human health and well-being. Therefore, the general and internal medicine journals indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) in 2018 were chosen as the study object. The OpenCitations Index of PubMed open PMID-to-PMID citations (POCI) and H1 Connect databases were selected as the sources for citation relationship data and peer review data. We investigated the connections and contrasts between the academic impact, disruptive innovation level, and results of peer review for medical journals and published research papers. We also analyzed the similarities and differences as well as the fundamental causes of the varying evaluation results in terms of impact evaluation, disruptive innovation, and peer review for various types of medical research papers. We aimed to provide a reference for the correct understanding of the innovation level of the results published by journals; the scientific and reasonable evaluation of medical journals; and the construction of a scientific, objective, and fair academic evaluation system.

Research Object

Because there is basically no disruptive innovation in the review literature, this paper only focuses on the general and internal medicine journals indexed in SCIE in 2018 and the research papers involved. In addition, considering the computational efficiency, accuracy, and difficulty of data acquisition, research papers for which citation relationships in the aforementioned journals were not included in POCI and the journals with too few references (less than 10) were excluded. Finally, 114 journals were retained at the journal level, and 15,206 research papers were retained at the paper level.

Data Resource

The data acquired in this study included journal information, literature information, citation relationship data, and peer review data. The data were obtained through the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), Web of Science (WoS), POCI, and H1 Connect databases.

Of these databases, POCI is a Resource Description Framework (RDF) data set containing details of all the citations from publications bearing PMIDs to other PMID-identified publications harvested from the National Institutes of Health Open Citations Collection. POCI covers more than 29 million bibliographic resources and more than 717 million citation links (as of the last update in January 2023). Citations in POCI are not considered simple links but as data entities. This means that it is permissible to assign descriptive attributes to each citation, such as the date of creation of the citation, its time span, and its type [ 17 ].

H1 Connect (formerly Faculty Opinions), the world’s most authoritative peer review database in the biomedical field, incorporates the combined efforts of more than 8000 international authoritative experts from around the globe and is a knowledge discovery tool used to evaluate published research. H1 Connect’s reviewers are authoritative experts in the life sciences and medical fields. They provide commentary, opinions, and validation of key papers in their own field. The quality and rigor of the reviewers mean that researchers can be assured of the quality of the papers they recommend, and H1 Connect brings these recommendations together to recommend high-quality research to a wider audience. H1 Connect’s experts typically evaluate the “high level” of research literature in the field within 2 months of publication, with over 90% of recommendations made within 6 months of publication.

Data Acquisition and Processing

The data acquired for this study consisted of 3 parts. The specific steps for data acquisition and processing were (1) data acquisition and (2) data processing.

Data Acquisition

The steps taken to acquire the data included the following: log in to JCR; select Medicine, General & Internal in the “Browse categories” page; select JCR Year=2018 and Citation Indexes=SCIE in the filters; export the result to XLS format; according to the acquired journal title, select the publication year as 2018 and the literature type as Article to search the WoS core database; and export the full record of the journal literature in XLS format. Finally, we downloaded the related H1 Connect literature data and POCI data according to the list of journals.

Data Processing

To process the data, we undertook the following steps: use Navicat to import the full record of research papers into the local SQLite database, process the downloaded POCI data, extract the PMID numbers of all the focus papers from the full record, retrieve the references and citations of the focus papers as well as the citations of the references of the focus papers in the local database transformed based on the POCI data, and establish the relevant data tables for the subsequent calculations.

Evaluation Indicators

Innovation indicators.

Some researchers have observed, at an early stage, that some technological innovations complete and improve current technologies without replacing them while others outright eliminate technologies that were used in the past. However, for a long time, scholars did not analyze and explain the essence of this phenomenon. It was not until 1986 that Tushman and Anderson [ 18 ] summarized the phenomenon as follows: There are 2 types of major technological shifts that disrupt or enhance the capabilities of existing firms in an industry. However, Christensen [ 19 ], a professor at Harvard Business School in the United States, argued that disruptive innovations are new technologies that replace existing mainstream technologies in unexpected ways. Building on these views, Funk and Owen-Smith [ 20 ] provided deeper and more insightful insights. They argued that the dichotomy between disruptive and augmentative technologies lacks nuance and that the impact of new technologies on the status quo is a matter of degree rather than absolute impact.

In this regard, Govindarajan and Kopalle [ 21 ] also pointed out that disruptive innovation lacks reliable and valid measurement standards. Therefore, Funk and Owen-Smith [ 20 ] created the consolidation-disruption (CD) index, which aims to quantify the degree of technological change brought about by new patents. The index drew the attention of Wu et al [ 22 ], who analogized the basic principle of the CD index to measure disruption by calculating the citation substitution of the focus paper in the citation network and who were the first to apply the evaluation of disruptive innovation to the world of bibliometrics.

As an important carrier of academic results, it is important to evaluate papers quantitatively, rationally, and efficiently in terms of their innovation [ 23 ]. The disruption (D) index has received widespread attention after it was proposed by Wu et al [ 22 ]. A subset of scholars then explored disruptive papers in specific subject areas, including scientometrics [ 24 ], craniofacial surgery [ 25 ], pediatric surgery [ 26 ], synthetic biology [ 27 ], energy security [ 28 ], colorectal surgery [ 29 ], otolaryngology [ 30 ], military trauma [ 31 ], breast cancer [ 32 ], radiology [ 33 ], ophthalmology [ 34 ], plastic surgery [ 35 ], urology [ 36 ], and general surgery [ 37 ], based on the D index. Park et al [ 10 ] also analyzed the annual dynamics of the disruption level of papers and patents across the subject areas.

Another group of scholars conducted in-depth research on the index itself: Bornmann et al [ 38 ] explored the convergent validity of the index and the variants that may enhance the effectiveness of the measure and tested the validity of the D index based on the literature in the field of physics [ 39 ]. Ruan et al [ 40 ] provided an in-depth reflection on the limitations of the application of the D index as a measure of scientific and technological progress. Liu et al [ 41 , 42 ] empirically investigated the stabilization time window of the D index in different subject areas and addressed the mathematical inconsistency of the traditional D index and proposed an absolute disruption index (Dz; as in Equation 2) [ 43 ].

This series of studies has made it possible to evaluate the disruption of research papers based on the D index, which has gradually matured. On this basis, Jiang and Liu [ 44 ] proposed the Journal Disruption Index (JDI) to evaluate the disruptive innovation level of journals (as in Equation 3) and validated the evaluation effect of this indicator based on Chinese SCIE journals [ 45 ].

In Equations 1, 2, and 3, N F refers to the literature that only cites the focus paper (FP), N B refers to the literature that cites both the focus paper and at least one reference (R) of the focus paper, and N R refers to the literature that only cites at least one reference (R) of the focus paper but not the focus paper. n is the number of “Article” type pieces of literature contained in the journal, and Dz i is the Dz of the i th article in the journal.

In this study, Dz and JDI were chosen to evaluate the disruption of the selected studies at the literature and journal levels, respectively. Bornmann and Tekles [ 46 ] argued that 3 years is necessary regardless of the measurement for that discipline. Considering that, in the determination of the stabilization time window of the D index for each discipline conducted by Liu et al [ 42 ], the stabilization time window for clinical medicine is 4 years after publication. Therefore, in the process of calculating Dz in this paper, the citation time window of the focus papers was set to 2018 to 2022 to ensure the validity of the results. In addition, because the JDI value was too small, we multiplied the JDI by 1000 in all subsequent presentations.

Peer Review Indicators

The peer review indicators selected for this study included the peer review score (PScore), weighted peer review stars (PStar_w), and weighted peer review evaluation times (PTime_w). In this case, the weighted indicators refer to the weighting of ratings and number of evaluations by the number of evaluators when an evaluation was completed by more than one reviewer.

The advantage of using peer review indicators is that it can make up for the lag and one-sidedness of relying solely on the citations among the literature to assess the quality of the literature. It also corrects the shortcomings of the traditional JIF to judge the quality of the literature. Compared with a single impact indicator, it is more scientific.

Impact Indicators

The impact indicators selected for this study included the Cumulative Citation for 5 years (CC 5 ), JIF, Journal Citation Indicator (JCI), and Journal Cumulative Citation for 5 years (JCC 5 ). Among these, JIF is the total number of citations for scholarly articles published in the journal in the past 2 years divided by the total number of citable articles. JCI is the average Category Normalized Citation Impact (CNCI) of the citable literature published in the specific journal in the previous 3 years. The JCC 5 is obtained by dividing the sum of the citation frequencies recorded in the POCI repository of the corresponding research papers (focus papers) of the selected journals for the years 2018 to 2022 by the number of research papers published by the journal (as in Equation 4).

In Equation 4, a i C t represents the number of citations of the i th research paper of the journal in year t, and n is the number of research papers published by the journal.

Evaluation and Correlation Analyses of Journals Under Different Evaluation Perspectives

Analysis of differences in academic influence and level of disruptive innovation of journals.

The academic impact and level of disruptive innovation of the selected 114 journals, the results of the correlation analyses of the indicators, and the differences in the rankings are shown in Table 1 , Table 2 , and Figure 1 , respectively. From these, we can see that (1) journals that are at the top of the ranking of impact indicators are usually also ranked at the top in the ranking of disruptive innovation, (2) journals at the bottom of the impact rankings are usually at the bottom of the innovation rankings, and (3) there is little difference in the ranking results of journals under different impact indicators, but there is a big difference in the ranking results of influence and disruptive innovation. Although there are moderate correlations between the JDI of journals and the 3 influence indicators of JIF, JCI, and JCC 5 , the average difference between the disruptive innovation ranking and academic influence ranking of the journals included in the study reached 20 places.

a JCC 5 : Journal Cumulative Citation for 5 years.

b JDI: Journal Disruption Index.

c JIF: Journal Impact Factor.

d JCI: Journal Citation Indicator.

a JDI: Journal Disruption Index.

b JCC 5 : Journal Cumulative Citation for 5 years.

e Not applicable.

Analysis of the Differences Between the Journals’ Impact and Disruption and the Results of Peer Review

In order to better analyze the differences between the academic impact and level of disruptive innovation with peer-reviewed results of journals in the field of general and internal medicine, papers indexed in H1 Connect were referred to as “H-papers,” and the source journals of “H-papers” are referred to as “H-journals.” The evaluation indicators, ranking of H-journals, and the percentage of H-papers are shown in Table 3 and Table 4 . We can see that (1) the top 7 journals in terms of both academic impact and disruptive innovation are all H-journals, (2) the average impact ranking of H-journals is higher than the average innovation ranking, and (3) some journals with low impact and innovation also became H-journals.

a JPScore: journal peer review score.

b JPTime_w: weighted journal peer review evaluation time.

c JFPStar_w: weighted journal peer review star.

b JIF: Journal Impact Factor.

c JCI: Journal Citation Indicator.

Evaluation and Correlation Analyses of Papers Under Different Evaluation Perspectives

Analysis of differences in academic impact and level of disruptive innovation of papers.

Ideally, if an article is accepted by a specific journal, it is because its overall quality is similar to other papers previously published in that journal [ 47 ]. However, journal-level indicators are, at best, only moderately suggestive of the quality of an article [ 48 ], which makes indicators that measure specific articles more popular [ 49 ]. Therefore, in this study, research papers in the field of general and internal medicine were also evaluated in terms of their academic impact and level of disruptive innovation, and the results are shown in Figure 2 . From the results, we can see that research papers that rank high in the impact ranking usually also rank high in the disruptive innovation ranking. There were 8 (8/15, 53%), 96 (96/150, 64%), and 880 (880/1500, 58.67%) of the Top 0.1%, Top 1%, and Top 10% papers, respectively, selected based on the Dz and CC 5 that were the same. Second, the level of disruptive innovation of research papers with the same level of impact varied greatly, and the impact level of research papers with the same level of disruptive innovation also varied greatly. Third, despite the high correlation ( r =0.635, P <.001) between the Dz and CC 5 of the selected research papers, the average difference between their innovation and impact rankings reached about 2700. Fourth, the actual analysis results showed no correlation between the innovation of the selected research paper and the number of references, which indicates that the Dz index is basically unaffected by the difference in the number of references in the actual evaluation process ( r =0.006, P =.43).

Analysis of Differences Between Papers’ Impact and Disruption and the Results of Peer Review

In order to better analyze the differences between the academic impact, level of disruptive innovation, and peer review results of journal research papers in the field of general and internal medicine, the differences between the academic impact and disruptive innovation level and the peer review results of H-papers were analyzed. The specific results are shown in Table 5 and Figure 3 . From the results, we see that there were 8 (8/15, 53%), 65 (65/150, 43.3%), and 187 (187/1500, 12.47%) H-papers among the top 0.1%, top 1%, and top 10% papers, respectively, selected based on Dz. There were 5 (5/15, 33%), 74 (74/150, 49.3%), and 220 (220/1500, 14.67%) H-papers among the top 0.1%, top 1%, and top 10% papers, respectively, selected based on CC 5 . Second, there was a significant positive correlation between the peer review indicators, disruptive innovation indicators, and academic impact indicators of H-papers, reflecting the consistency between the quantitative evaluation and peer review at the overall level. Third, the average impact ranking of H-papers was 865 (top 5.68%), and the average disruptive innovation ranking was 1726 (top 11.35%), which means that the average impact ranking of H-papers was higher than the average disruptive innovation ranking. Fourth, some papers with low academic impact and disruptive innovation level also became H-papers. Fifth, compared with the CC 5 , Dz has a minor correlation advantage with PTime_w and PStar_w.

a CC 5 : Cumulative Citation for 5 years.

b Dz: absolute disruption index.

c PTime_w: weighted peer review evaluation times.

d PStar_w: weighted peer review stars.

e PScore: peer review score.

f Not applicable.

In addition to rating and commenting on the included research papers, different labels are added by the reviewers of articles in H1 Connect according to their different internal characteristics. The relevant definitions are shown in Table 6 (refer to Du et al [ 50 ]). We categorized and counted the 257 H-papers (in this study, if a paper had more than 1 tag, it was counted separately in the calculation of each tag), and the results are shown in Table 7 . From this, we can see that (1) research papers with the tags in the “Novel Drug Target,” “Technical Advance,” and “New Finding” categories had a high academic impact and a high disruptive innovation level; (2) research papers with the “Changes Clinical Practice” tag showed only a moderate academic impact and disruptive innovation level but had high levels of peer-reviewed recognition and attention; (3) experts showed higher recognition and concern for research papers with tags of “Negative/Null Result,” “Controversial,” “Refutation,” and “Interesting Hypothesis,” but their academic impact and disruptive innovation level were lower than others.

c PScore: peer review score.

e PTime_w: weighted peer review evaluation times.

Principal Findings

Evaluation of disruptive innovation is detached from the traditional evaluation system.

From these research results, large differences were seen between the innovation and impact rankings of the journals and research papers included in the study. This is also consistent with the findings of Guo and Zhou [ 51 ]. This phenomenon reflects the essential difference between the 2 different evaluation systems. It also proves that the evaluation of the disruptive innovation of research papers and journals based on Dz and JDI is not consistent with the traditional evaluation system of impact.

The essence of disruptive evaluation is to measure the innovation from the substitution level of knowledge structure. This evaluation method brings new ideas to the field of scientific research evaluation, helps relevant institutions and scholars remove the constraints of the traditional evaluation system, and helps to establish a value orientation of encouraging innovation for scientific research and scientific and technological journals, so as to promote the benign development of the academic ecology.

The 3 Evaluation Systems Only Have High Consensus on the Top Object

Although, given the consistency of scientific evaluation, there will be some uniformity in the level of disruptive innovation, level of academic impact, and peer review results of journals as well as research papers.

However, from the research results presented in this paper, we can see that (1) the top 7 journals in terms of both academic impact and disruptive innovation were all H-journals, (2) more than one-half of the top papers selected based on Dz and CC 5 were the same, (3) the average H-papers were ranked at the top in terms of impact and innovation, and (4) the results of the different evaluation systems only had high consensus on the authoritative journals and top papers in the field.

These findings are also consistent with those of Goman [ 52 ] and Chi et al [ 53 ]. A fundamental reason for this phenomenon is that the purposes of the 3 evaluation systems are inherently different. Therefore, in the actual evaluation process, the 3 kinds of indicators are not interchangeable, and the combination of the 3 evaluation systems may be a feasible solution to establish a comprehensive, scientific, and reasonable journal evaluation system.

A Single Indicator Cannot Accurately Reflect the Impact of Medical Research on Clinical Practice Alone

From the aforementioned findings, we can see that research papers of the “Novel Drug Target,” “ Technical Advance,” and “New Finding” types have high academic impact and high levels of innovation, which is in line with their classification definitions. This is also consistent with the findings of Du et al [ 50 ], Thelwall et al [ 54 ], and Jiang and Liu [ 55 ]. Second, research papers of the “Changes Clinical Practice” type showed only moderate levels of innovation and impact but had high levels of peer-reviewed recognition and attention. This reflects the difficulty of evaluating the impact of a particular academic paper on clinical practice, whether the evaluation system is based on academic impact or level of disruptive innovation. Third, peer-reviewed experts show higher recognition and concern for research papers of the types “Negative/Null Result,” “Controversial,” “Refutation,” and “Interesting Hypothesis,” but the level of impact and disruptive innovation of these papers are lower. This partly reflects the current academic community’s excessive focus on positive results; deliberate avoidance of negative results; and overall lack of support for debatable, falsified, and other types of research.

Several scholars have recently suggested that the evaluation system of medical journals should be redesigned for contemporary clinical impact and utility [ 56 ]. In this regard, Thelwall and Maflahi [ 57 ] advocated that the references of a guideline are an important basis for studying clinical value. However, Traylor and Herrmann-Lingen [ 58 ] found only a weak correlation between the number of citations to individual journals in the guidelines and their respective JIF. Therefore, the JIF is not a suitable tool for assessing the clinical relevance of medical research. The results of this study similarly found that research papers of the “Changes Clinical Practice” type showed only moderate levels of disruptive innovation and academic impact, but such research papers received higher recognition and attention from peer review experts. Therefore, combining quantitative evaluation with peer review may be a feasible way to measure the impact of medical research on clinical practice.

Limitations

However, this study also has the following limitations. First, papers in the medical field have a preference for citing review articles [ 59 ], which has a certain impact on the evaluation of the disruptive innovation of research papers. Second, the scoring mechanism provided to its reviewers by H1 Connect has a low differentiation degree and cannot perfectly distinguish the differences in quality between papers yet. In addition, H1 Connect has too few evaluators. Brezis and Birukou [ 60 ] illustrated that, if the number of reviewers is increased to about 10, the correlation between the results and the quality of the paper will be significantly improved. However, it is difficult to seek so many high-quality experts who are willing to accept open peer review in the high pressure environment of “Publish or Perish” [ 61 ]. Third, since the citation data sources used in this study are all based on PubMed data, this study also suffers from the problem of missing references and citations that are not labeled with a PMID, which affects the accuracy of the evaluation results to a certain extent. In future studies, we will obtain more accurate measurement results by jointly using multiple sources of citation data.

Conclusions

In this study, the general and internal medicine journals indexed in SCIE in 2018 were chosen as the study object. The POCI and H1 Connect databases were selected as sources of citation relationship data and peer review data. We investigated the connections and contrasts between the academic impact, level of disruptive innovation, and results of peer review for medical journals and published research papers. We also analyzed the similarities and differences as well as the fundamental causes of the varying evaluation results in terms of impact evaluation, disruptive innovation, and peer review for various types of medical research papers.

The results of this study show that the evaluation of scientific research based on the innovation index is detached from the traditional impact evaluation system, the 3 evaluation systems only have high consistency for authoritative journals and top papers, and neither the single impact index nor the innovation index can directly reflect the impact of medical research on clinical practice.

In addition, with the increasing importance of replicative science, the accuracy of statistical reports, evidential value of reported data, and replicability of given experimental results [ 62 ] should also be included in the examination of journal quality. How to establish a comprehensive, all-encompassing, scientific, and reasonable journal evaluation system needs to be further investigated.

Acknowledgments

XL was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (23BTQ085), Major Project of Basic Research on Philosophy and Social Sciences in Henan Universities (2024-JCZD-23).

Data Availability

All citation data can be obtained from [ 63 ].

Authors' Contributions

XL conceptualized the study, reviewed and edited the manuscript, and supervised the study. YJ was responsible for the methodology, provided the software and other resources, performed the formal analysis, and wrote the original manuscript draft. YJ and XL acquired funding. YJ, XY, and ZZ curated the data. XY and ZZ also contributed to the study investigation.

Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

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Abbreviations

Edited by S Ma; submitted 04.12.23; peer-reviewed by O Beiki, C Oo; comments to author 28.02.24; revised version received 16.04.24; accepted 29.04.24; published 31.05.24.

©Yuyan Jiang, Xue-li Liu, Zixuan Zhang, Xinru Yang. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 31.05.2024.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

Video LINCS

The Video LINCS program aims to develop novel capabilities to autonomously re-identify objects across diverse video sensor collections and map all objects to a common reference frame. Re-identification ( reID ) is the process of matching the same object across a video collection, to determine where the object appears throughout the video.  IARPA seeks technical approaches that will facilitate autonomous reID in an open-world setting where there is no advance knowledge of the sensors, scene, content or video collection geometries. ReID technologies will initially be developed for specific object classes that are known in advance, such as people and vehicles, and ultimately extent to all objects in the video footage without advance knowledge of specific object types. The capability to autonomously remap object locations from individual camera reference frames to a single common reference frame will also be developed. 

PROPOSERS' DAY INFORMATION

Video LINCS Proposers' Day Registration Site

SAM.gov Reference

Video LINCS Teaming Form

Proposers' Day Briefings

Video LINCS Proposers' Day Briefing

AgileView, Inc. Teaming Form

AgileView Capabilities Statement

Applied Research Associates, Inc. Lightning Talk

Areté Capabilities Statement

Areté Teaming Form

Areté Lightning Talk

BlueHalo Lightning Talk

Dartmouth College Teaming Form

Dartmouth College Capabilities Statement

Dartmouth College Lightning Talk

DejaVuAI Teaming Form

DejaVuAI Capabilities Statement

DejaVuAI Lightning Talk

Elegant Mathematics Ltd. Teaming Form

Elegant Mathematics Ltd. Capabilities Statement

GE Aerospace Research Teaming Form

HRL Laboratories, LLC. Lightning Talk

Kitware, Inc. Lightning Talk

L3Harris Lightning Talk

Michigan State University Team Lightning Talk

Michigan Tech Research Institue Lightning Talk

Nexcepta, Inc. Lightning Talk

MORSE Corp Lightning Talk

Princeton University Lightning Talk

Siemens Software and Elbit Systems Lightning Talk

Stevens Institute of Technology Teaming Form

Toyon Research Corporation Teaming Form

Toyon Research Corporation Capabilities Statement

Two Six Technologies Teaming Form

Two Six Technologies Lightning Talk

The University of Arizona Wyant College of Optical Sciences Lightning Talk

University of Maryland, Baltimore County Lightning Talk 

University of South Florida Lightning Talk

Virginia Tech Teaming Form

Virginia Tech Capabilities Statement

Contact Information

Program manager.

Dr. Reuven Meth

[email protected]

301-243-2090

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Link(s) to baa.

IARPA-BAA-24-04

Solicitation Status

Proposers' day date.

February 7, 2024

BAA Release Date

May 21, 2024

Proposal Due Date for Initial Round of Selections

July 15, 2024

Proposal Due Date

Baa closing date.

July 22, 2024

Program Summary

Testing and evaluation partners.

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)