Guidelines on writing a research proposal

Research paper writing is quite different from any other type of writing assignment. Research paper writing is so much more than simply writing to support an argument. Depending on your academic level and the purpose of your research paper, you will need to present a proposal in order for your paper to be shared and reviewed by other people in the world of academia. The idea behind a research proposal is that you can share your learning with other people in the academic world.

Read the Instructions

Before you begin writing your proposal, it is a good idea to thoroughly read through the instructions and requirements from the academic committee. Most proposals have deadlines and they have special buzzwords. If you miss the main idea of the proposal and the deadline, you can count on your idea being quickly declined.

Keep Word Count Low

When you write a proposal to share your ideas, you should write a short piece of between 250 and 300 words. It should get to the point quickly and answer questions that you think the committee members will want to know, based on the instructions for the proposals. Keep in mind that the committee members will have a large number of proposals, so you want yours to stand out from the crowd in a positive way.

Format of the Proposal

The proposal that you write will need to include a quick introduction that includes the thesis you would like to defend with your research. The introduction should take less than 100 words of the proposal itself. After that, you should include the way you will research and present your ideas. Your proposal could be accepted if you are able to show why your idea is unique and should be shared with academia. This is a small part of the proposal, and like the introduction, it should take less than 100 words, too. The final section of the proposal will include the conclusions you plan to draw from your work.

Use a Knowledgeable Voice

While the content of your proposal is one important factor for acceptance, the voice of your proposal is just as important. Committees want to see that you are enthusiastic about the topic you want to research and share. An enthusiastic voice means that you appear knowledgeable about the idea by including terminology related to your topic and that you know exactly what you want to prove.