Writing a Research Proposal

Ritika Arora

Applying for a PhD may seem like a daunting process, but it empowers you with your first
opportunity to communicate a unique idea which you think has the potential to push the
boundaries of knowledge in your field. If you invest ample thought and effort in your
application and draw on helpful resources, it can turn out to be an exciting process!

Useful Guidelines on Writing Research Proposals:

Valuable guidelines which offer a comprehensive overview of the proposal-writing process

have been created by UCL and Oxford. There are numerous alternative resources online too,
though I found these particularly comprehensive. Try to fine comb through these guidelines
and continue to refer to them during your write-up.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drupal/site_prospective-students_graduate/sites/prospective-
students_graduate/files/potential-supervisor.pdf
o This guide also includes a note on approaching potential research advisors.

https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/study/dphil-writing-a-proposal.pdf/@@download

Tips for Writing your Research Proposal:

Remember, the research proposal should demonstrate that you have a strong ability to critically
analyse existing literature and formulate your thoughts on this clearly. Particularly when
applying to UK institutions, a descriptive account of existing literature will not be sufficient. It
is crucial to identify the gaps in literature and address how your research will push the
boundaries and contribute to a new way of thinking in your disciple.

Try to ensure that your proposal includes the following key elements:

o Critical analysis/critical thinking skills;

 o A good (extraordinary!) understanding or interpretation of the existing literature in your
specialisation, and know how your research will contribute to it/push the boundaries of
knowledge in the area;
o Clear and concise research questions and objectives: What do you hope to research,
what questions will you be setting out to answer?
o A plan to operationalise your study: How do you plan on answering your research
questions, which methods are most appropriate given the scope and objectives for your
study, as well as ethical considerations;
o An understanding of the steps that are required to complete the PhD (on time), and a
tentative schedule.

Useful References for Methodologies:

These should ideally be read/skimmed through prior to writing your research proposal, in order
to demonstrate a strong understanding of the various methods available. Also, please note that
these are predominantly related to qualitative research methodologies in the social sciences,
and a few directed towards education in particular.

o British Educational Research Association (BERA) (2011) Ethical guidelines for

educational research. Available at: https://www.bera.ac.uk/researchers-
resources/publications/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2011
o Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th
ed.). London [u.a.]: RoutledgeFalmer.
o Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research. London [u.a.]: SAGE.
o Davidson, C. (2009). Transcription: Imperatives for Qualitative
Research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 8(2), pp.35-52
o Denscombe, M. (2010). The good research guide (4th ed.). Maidenhead, England:
McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.
o Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th
ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
o Dey, I. (1998). Qualitative Data Analysis. London: Routledge
o Feast, L. & Melles, G. (2010). Epistemological Positions in Design Research: A Brief
Review of the Literature.
o Gray, D. (2013). Doing research in the real world. SAGE Publications.
o Henning, E., Van Rensburg, W. and Smit, B. (2004). Finding your way in qualitative
research. Pretoria: Van Schaik.
o Hobson, A., & Townsend, A. (2010). Interviewing as Educational Research
Method(s). In D. Hartas, Educational Research and Enquiry. London: Continuum
International Publishing Group.
 o Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing.
London: Sage.
o Lather, P. (2004). Scientific research in education: A critical perspective1. British
Educational Research Journal, 30(6), 759-772.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0141192042000279486
o Neuman, W. (2011). Social research methods. Boston [Mass.]: Pearson.
o Oltmann, S. (2016). Qualitative Interviews: A Methodological Discussion of the
Interviewer and Respondent Contexts. Forum: Qualitative Social Research
Sozialforschung. Retrieved 4 March 2018, from http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-
17.2.2551
o Talja, S. (1999). Analyzing Qualitative Interview Data. Library & Information
Science Research, 21(4), pp.459-477.
o Widdowson, H. (2008). Discourse analysis. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.

All the best with your applications! Please remember, if you reach a point during the
application process where you are not receiving positive responses from potential advisors, it
is not a reflection of your abilities! Many times, it may just be that your proposal and ideas
may not ‘fit’ into a particular department’s broader research aims. Keep going until you find a
department in which your project can bloom, and your thoughts are valued!

Connect with me on Twitter (or LinkedIn) if you would like any further clarification.

Warmly,
Ritika Arora
MRes/PhD Candidate at the London School of Economics
MPhil, University of Cambridge
BA(Hons), Kings College London.