How to Write a Research Proposal

Writing a Research Proposal

Your research proposal is limited to 300 words, so each sentence and paragraph must be

concise and relevant. The proposal should also have a succinct title which accurately reflects

its content.

First, clearly define the issue or problem that you intend to investigate. This can be expressed

in one or two sentences (e.g. “A recent United Nations report found that increasing salinity is

posing a major threat to the Australian environment.”) If there is no clearly defined issue or

problem, your proposal will become less focused and more descriptive.

You will need to briefly identify the causes and the extent of the problem, including some

background (e.g. “Over the last two decades, salinity has rendered the soil unusable in many

parts of Australia, largely due to inappropriate land use”). Explain for what or whom is it a

problem and under what circumstances? (e.g. “This threatens to degrade the environment to a

point where it will be unsustainable for both biodiversity and agriculture.”) Outline the scope of

your proposed research – how will you limit your investigation? It could include, for

example, by country and/or time-period (e.g. “This paper will concentrate on land-use practices

in Australia over the last two decades”).

It is also important to provide some justification for why your topic is important and worth

researching. For example, in what way will your research affect Australia and/or the world? Or

in what way will it make a significant contribution to knowledge in a particular field? (e.g.

“Without urgent attention to this problem, it is likely that significant areas of the Australian

landscape will become desert”).

Clearly state the aims of the research. This should be a succinct and specific statement of

intent rather than a generalisation. For example, statements such as “This research will

investigate salinity in Australia” are too general to be regarded as an aim for higher degree

research. A...