research proposal definition

research proposal definition

The Importance of Research Proposals

1. Introduction

Research is commonly undertaken in response to a specific problem or question. It takes a problem as a starting point and then goes on further to find out what might be the cause behind the issue. It does not deal with assumptions but will always look out for right reasons or the cause behind an issue. This will be done to solve the problem. Mostly, the best solutions are identified by finding the cause and then by deforming the cause itself. But it is not beneficial to immediately start finding out a solution to a problem. It might seem feasible to a person, but it is only the first step of the research which would define whether a solution is really beneficial for the given problem. A workman might have to change the tool of his trade to suit a particular job. He might assume that sharpening it will be beneficial. He must now find the cause of a blunt tool and the sharpened tool and then compare the costs and usefulness of the two. This will, in turn, lead to further research and planning.

Research is an essential component of today’s society, if done right. It is essential to find the errors and search for ways to curb them. It is the only way by which governments can plan effectively for the future and control the events of the present. Effective research will lead to the enhancement of the quality of life, which would in turn lead to further research in the same. This cyclic process is an important aspect of research, and the term research leads us to find out an approach to it. It is a planned investigation, as opposed to a ‘spur of the moment’ research. It gives a comprehensive, detailed, and thorough plan or layout the investigation in order to promote the thinking of the researcher. He can take his/her own time to think over an issue and then plan to solve it. This involves a process of reflection, which makes the research ‘iterative’, i.e. a process of leaps back and forth.

2. Purpose of a Research Proposal

A research proposal or prospectus serves a number of purposes, the most important of which is to set out the central aims and questions that will guide your research. These research aims and questions are essential for guiding your research, planning the overall structure of your work, and providing a clear direction to your subsequent analysis. Formulating these aims and questions is a dynamic process that involves critical review of current knowledge and the identification of gaps in understanding that can lead to new empirical data. Critical review can be gained through working through a range of literature (sometimes written as a review) and this is an essential precursor to data collection. A well thought-out research aim or a set of related aims helps to identify what you want to achieve and map out the route that you will take in your research. This can be represented graphically as a series of objectives which help to summarize the intended direction of the research. Another key purpose of the research proposal is to provide the way in which you will conduct the research – a sequence of activities aiming to test a theory (or its alternative) and whereby results can be evaluated and a clear answer obtained. This involves methodology which is often written as a discrete section with well-developed ideas. A research proposal should persuade others that you have a worthwhile research project, and that you have the competence and the work plan to complete it. Broadly, the more specific research proposals are, the more easily they are accepted. A general rule is that educational research requires a ‘clearly explained and well-justified specification of methodology’ whilst research in the social sciences and behavioral sciences will often fall to the testing of some hypothesis and this may be of a technical nature in the hard sciences.

3. Components of a Research Proposal

The content of a research proposal is known to differ from one field to another. However, it is essential that the proposal be organized around a set of questions that will guide your research. You need to explain why your research is important and provide a sense of how you plan to go about your research. This will allow you to focus your research and be as explicit as possible. The first part of the proposal will include the research question to be answered. This may be difficult but it is an important part of the proposal because it is the one question that you will seek to answer and it will dictate how your research pans out. The question should be very clear and concise. Next will be an explanation of the research question. This will allow for further understanding and reasoning for your research. You will then need to examine the literature in the area of your research. This is a very important part of the proposal as it is the best indicator of whether or not your research will be approved. It provides evidence that you will be able to complete your research as well as proving that you are capable of writing a thesis.

4. Benefits of Writing a Research Proposal

Developing and writing a research proposal: Does American football really give you an easier way to approach your research project? A research proposal can be deemed as a framework for an upcoming research work; it is like a map which gives a direction to your project. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that there is a need for a research study in American football in order to get the project approved. Literature reviews are vital because they give a brief of the current knowledge in the area in which a student is proposing to do his/her research. It is obvious that without literature reviews, there will be no solid foundation for a research project. Also, writing an effective research proposal helps in planning for the actual project. Step by step scheduling and time allocation can provide ease while handling a research project. Because the time taken to complete a research project is more than a year, it is quite common to forget what a student’s thought process was at the beginning of the project, and sometimes the student deviates from the initial topic. This can lead to time wasting, and also the student may be unclear at the end of the project.

5. Conclusion

Based on the given important aspects, I can conclude that a research proposal is the most important and earliest step in the research. It is because the quality of the proposal determines the success of the research itself. By preparing a high-quality proposal, the researcher can ensure that the research will not cause any difficulties and it can be finished on time. The proposal will also explain what the research is all about, and this is important to get opinions from other people, especially from the same expertise. This is important because researchers can see what people are thinking about the research plan and what should be improved. This can avoid misdirection in the research. Another reason why preparing a research proposal is important is because the research proposal is a measurement of the researcher’s success. If someone prepares a good and high-quality research proposal, it can be said that the researcher is qualified and expert in what he/she is doing.