The main areas that you need to address in your research proposal are:
Not all of these will necessarily have headings in the proposal (for example, significance might be part of lit review, ethics part of methodology), but you would need to address them somewhere.
The length each of these sections will be dependent on your specific topic. For example, for some of you, the ethics section may take several paragraphs while for others it may be one sentence. Your supervisors will be able to provide you with an expectation of length for the different sections of your research proposal.
Your title and abstract might be the last things you finalise, but they’re the first things people read!
Your title should be:
For your abstract:
It can include:
For example, a provisional title might read: “Understanding stress and coping among first-year international students: A mixed-methods study.” Its abstract might open by outlining the problem (international students face distinct stressors during the transition to university, which are not yet well understood), before briefly stating the approach (a mixed-methods study combining a survey and follow-up interviews) and the expected outcome (a clearer picture of students’ experiences that can inform support services).
The background section, which includes a review of the literature is one of the most substantial parts of your proposal.
You can think of your background section as creating a map of your research field. You’re showing your readers where the current knowledge lies and, importantly, where your research fits in.
Key elements to cover in your background:
Remember, you’re not just describing everything that’s been written. Instead, you’re telling a story about your field and leading readers to understand why your research is necessary.
Essentially you are declaring: Here is the breadth and depth of the field, here are the gaps (this is what we don’t know), and this is my research focus and why it is significant.
For information about searching for your literature review, see our Literature reviews module.
Discussing the significance of your research is an important part of the proposal. It can be appropriate to include it toward the end of your background section, or it can be a section in its own right.
Consider:
Remember, “nobody has done this before” isn’t enough! Your research needs to matter.
A good research question should be:
Often a proposal will have more than one research question, or an overarching question with sub-questions.
Your aims and objectives break down your research question into achievable steps. The aim is like a destination, and the objectives are the stops along the way. They are the concrete, tangible things you will be doing to achieve your aim and answer your research question.
It can be quite tricky to nail down the phrasing of your research question so begin drafting options early. They can be changed or reworded as your project develops, but they must be clearly outlined for your candidacy.
Try out some of the verbs listed below when drafting your research aims and objectives
The aim of my research is to understand ….
The objectives are to
For more information about research questions, aims and objectives, see our Research questions module.
First, let’s clarify the difference between methodology and methods:
Your methodology section should explain:
For more information about methodology, see our Research methdology module.
When describing your methods, be as precise as possible about:
For more information about methods, see our Quantitative methods and Qualitative and mixed methods modules.
Every research project has ethical implications, even if you’re not working directly with human subjects. Consider:
Tips
If your research involves humans, animals, the collection or use of confidential information, potentially dangerous equipment or substances, or research with other ethical implications, you must follow Curtin’s ethical and safety requirements as well as the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research . Another useful source of information is the Ethics and Integrity page on the National Health and Medical Research Council website.https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/research-policy/ethics-and-integrity
The timeline outlines all the key phases of your research, and when you anticipate they will happen. It should:
A Gantt style spreadsheet is a useful way to present your timeline. It can
You are welcome to download this timeline template and adapt it for your project thesis-timeline.xlsx
For your budget, consider:
The GRS budget template is provided on page 2 of the Research Proposal Factsheet.
This purpose of the timeline and budget is to demonstrate that your research can be achieved in a PhD or Masters length project, that you have realistic expectations for how long the various steps of your project will take, and that you have considered the expenses involved. Again, your supervisors are key people to seek assistance from with this.
Not everything you read now will end up in your research proposal but it may end up in your thesis. Do keep record of all references whether or not you use them for your candidacy.
Make good records and notes: you will have years worth of research and data by the end of your thesis. Be kind to your future self by being organised.
Use a bibliographic software to manage your references, and download abstracts with the other reference details. Abstracts are a great way of reminding yourself of the focus of an article or book chapter.
The bibliographic software EndNote is available to Curtin students (access to the software through Curtin systems) and the Library run workshops to assist with using EndNote.
A data management plan needs to be completed as part of your Milestone 1 submission, but is not part of your proposal.
For more information about creating a data management plan, see our Research data management module.