Proposal should include

What methods should be used to analyze the research problem? Why is this important research, what is its significance, and why should someone reading the proposal care about the outcomes of the proposed study? Background and Significance This is where you explain the context of your proposal and describe in detail why it's important. 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? Describe the major issues or problems to be addressed 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 or terms.

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. 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?

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? 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 it is worth pursuing. 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. Keep in mind that the methodology is not just a list of 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 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 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. 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.

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? 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? Conclusion The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a brief summary of the entire study. 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 to 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.

Depending on how exhaustive the search is, the potential responses can be limited. New vendors and innovative answers may be less likely to be uncovered.

A request for proposal RFP , request for quote RFQ , and request for information RFI are three distinct types of documents that businesses and other entities use to reach out to the business community for suppliers or contractors that they may be able to work with. Say, for example, the Federal Railroad Administration issues a request for proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain a high-speed rail system. Interested parties submit proposals meeting the requirements outlined in the document.

Based on the proposals received by the deadline, the Department of Transportation establishes commissions for further review and development of the proposals. The DOT chooses the proposal most encompassing its goals and hires the company to carry out the work.

This sample RFP from a nonprofit organization shows the level of detail necessary, in this case for a proposed overhaul of the organization's website. The proposal describes the project, provides an overview of the organization, and defines its goals for its website. It also details the products and services that are to be provided and defines in some detail the content, design, and functionality of the proposed website.

The sample is provided by TechSoup, a site that provides a library of how-to information and sample RFPs for nonprofits. Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about RFPs.

A request for proposal RFP is an open request for bids to complete a new project proposed by the company or other organization that issues it.

It is meant to open up competition and to encourage a variety of alternative proposals that might be considered by the project's planners. An RFP must describe and define the project in enough detail to attract viable responses. The prospective bidder should be able to understand the nature of the business and the goals it wishes to achieve with the project. The project must be defined in enough detail for the bidder to clearly understand its scope and all of the products and services that must be provided in order to carry it out.

The format of the expected proposals must also be detailed. Uniform responses are needed to compare and contrast offers. RFPs follow a fairly rigid format, although that format may vary among the agencies and companies that prepare them.

This sample from the Center for Planning Excellence in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, shows the elements in a typical RFP, which include an introduction and background, a description of the deliverables, and information about the selection criteria.

Say a hardware store is expanding its gardening supplies department and needs to find the suppliers necessary to fill its shelves. It might send out a request for quotation RFQ to a number of potential suppliers of gardening products. The responses will enable it to establish a relationship with one or more suppliers of the quantity and quality of goods it needs, at a price that is established.

When a company or other organization sends out an RFQ it knows exactly what it needs and is seeking the best supplier or suppliers. An RFP is a more open-ended process. The business or organization is seeking qualified contractors to carry out a new project. The project and its goals are defined in some detail but there is room for creativity in the responses. For example, an RFP for a children's park might allow the contractor to propose the precise layout, equipment, and amenities the park might contain.

Businesses large and small tend to have just enough resources to maintain current operations. If they want to take on a new project they have neither the resources nor the expertise on hand to add it to the workload.

In such cases, the RFP gives the business an efficient way to recruit the expertise they need to get the project done. The RFP is followed by the Ps. It is also helpful to keep in mind that you are telling a story to an audience. Try to tell it in a stimulating and engaging manner. Do not bore them, because it may lead to rejection of your worthy proposal.

Remember: Professors and scientists are human beings too. The Method section is very important because it tells your Research Committee how you plan to tackle your research problem. It will provide your work plan and describe the activities necessary for the completion of your project.

The guiding principle for writing the Method section is that it should contain sufficient information for the reader to determine whether methodology is sound. Some even argue that a good proposal should contain sufficient details for another qualified researcher to implement the study.

You need to demonstrate your knowledge of alternative methods and make the case that your approach is the most appropriate and most valid way to address your research question. Please note that your research question may be best answered by qualitative research. However, since most mainstream psychologists are still biased against qualitative research, especially the phenomenological variety, you may need to justify your qualitative method.

Furthermore, since there are no well-established and widely accepted canons in qualitative analysis, your method section needs to be more elaborate than what is required for traditional quantitative research. More importantly, the data collection process in qualitative research has a far greater impact on the results as compared to quantitative research. That is another reason for greater care in describing how you will collect and analyze your data.

How to write the Method section for qualitative research is a topic for another paper. For quantitative studies, the method section typically consists of the following sections:. Obviously you do not have results at the proposal stage. However, you need to have some idea about what kind of data you will be collecting, and what statistical procedures will be used in order to answer your research question or test you hypothesis.

It is important to convince your reader of the potential impact of your proposed research. You need to communicate a sense of enthusiasm and confidence without exaggerating the merits of your proposal. That is why you also need to mention the limitations and weaknesses of the proposed research, which may be justified by time and financial constraints as well as by the early developmental stage of your research area. How to Write a Research Proposal. Research Director, Graduate Program in Counselling Psychology Trinity Western University Langley, BC, Canada Most students and beginning researchers do not fully understand what a research proposal means, nor do they understand its importance.

Title: It should be concise and descriptive. Abstract: It is a brief summary of approximately words. Introduction: The main purpose of the introduction is to provide the necessary background or context for your research problem. The introduction generally covers the following elements: State the research problem, which is often referred to as the purpose of the study.

Provide the context and set the stage for your research question in such a way as to show its necessity and importance. It should give an indication of the intent of your project, directing attention explicitly to the central issue that you will address.

You will be able to revise your title during the course of your research if you are accepted for admission. You should provide a short overview of your research: the key issue s that you want to investigate, and why these are important. You should state why you have chosen to apply to the department.

If you wish, you can refer to the research areas and priorities of a particular research group or supervisor. The proposal should include a list of references to key articles and texts discussed within your research proposal, as well as a selection of sources that may be relevant to your project. Winterbourne House and Garden University Music. Research and Cultural collections. See all schools, departments, research and professional services Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences.

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