RESEARCH SKILLS

How to Write a Research Proposal: Template and Guide for Postgraduate Students

4 July 2025/ By Zineb DJOUB

Stuck staring at a blank page, wondering how to turn your research idea into a proposal that actually gets approved?

You’re not alone.

You might be thinking, “What do I include? Is there a right way to structure this?”

The pressure to impress—supervisors, scholarship committees, review boards—can make the whole thing feel overwhelming.

However, your proposal doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be clear, convincing, and well-structured.

Here is how to write a research proposal with a clear template and step-by-step guide.

Let’s get started.

What is a research proposal?

The research proposal is an academic document that outlines a planned investigation designed to address a specific problem. It provides a clear description of what the researcher aims to achieve, how they plan to undertake the study, how they will interpret the results, and for whom the study is intended.

A well-written research proposal:

• Demonstrates the originality and genuineness of the research study,
• Links to other research work related to the same topic and identifies the existing research gap.
• Explains and justifies the research methodology that will be undertaken in the course of research.

 

The purpose of writing a research proposal

Writing a research proposal is a crucial step in pursuing a Master’s, M.Phil, or PhD degree across the world. It serves multiple functions:

• To demonstrate that the research problem is of academic, administrative, or social relevance.
• To show that the proposed plan is feasible and methodologically sound.
• To ensure that the study will make a meaningful contribution to its field.

 

Therefore, a clearly defined and well-structured proposal acts as the backbone of the research, facilitating its timely completion.

In fact, a strong proposal not only helps you secure postgraduate admission or funding but also sharpens your research vision and goals. Following a clear proposal template is the first step toward success.

Research proposal template

Although each university or supervisor may have their preferred format, most research proposals share several core components: Research Topic, research question, research objectives, research hypotheses, significance of the study, literature review, research methodology, and outline organisation of the thesis.

Each of these elements plays a vital role in the success and approval of your proposal. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you write each section effectively.

How to choose a research topic

You can identify a research topic by reading academic articles, exploring past dissertations, or reflecting on your own observations and experiences (as a teacher, student, or professional).

To evaluate whether a topic is suitable, ask yourself:

#Is the topic of interest to me?

Your interest and curiosity should manifest themselves by adding to your enthusiasm about your project, and therefore have the potential to act as a powerful motivational device.

#Is it a worthwhile topic?

If your topic is not worthwhile, not only is it unethical, but you are also failing to satisfy the requirements of meaningful results with theoretical and practical implications. You should come up with a valid topic that is worthwhile.

#Is it feasible?

Feasibility involves time, resources, and accessibility. Consider:

• Can you collect the data needed?
• Do you have the resources (budget, participants, materials)?
• Can the study be completed within your timeframe?

 

How to address the research question

The research question or statement of the problem is the issue that exists in the literature, theory, or practice and needs to be studied. It must be concise, focused and feasible to investigate.

Clearly defining the issue helps you:

• Set specific objectives
• Identify relevant variables
• Formulate hypotheses

The logical approach to formulating the research problem is the top-down approach, i.e., moving from general to specific.

• Select the broader field of inquiry.
• Narrow down to a specific topic.
• Develop general and specific research questions.
• Translate these into propositions.
• Formulate relevant hypotheses.

 

How to write research objectives

Objectives are statements, not questions. They are thus statements of what you intend to do to find the answer to your research question.

The objectives shall be relevant to the research problem, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (SMART).

To write your objectives, use action verbs such as:

• Assess, develop, examine, analyse, interpret, establish, construct, evaluate, explore, identify, articulate

 

How to formulate research hypotheses

Research hypotheses are assumptions about the tentative solution to the research problem. A prediction about the outcome. These assumptions are derived from personal experience, review of the related literature, consultations/ focused interviews with the experts/professionals or a combination of all.

You may express hypotheses using modal verbs like may or might (e.g., “Formative assessment may enhance student motivation”) or state them as testable predictions (e.g.students who receive regular feedback perform better than those who don’t”).

What to include in the research significance section

In this section, you are arguing why your study should be done. This means you’ll explain how the intended results will affect the theory, practice, educational interventions, curricula, counselling, policy, etc.

This section strengthens your proposal by linking your project to real-world or academic impact.

How to review the literature in the research proposal

Your proposal’s literature review is a brief overview, not a full chapter. Its aim is to:

• Provide background and context for the problem
• Show familiarity with relevant studies
• Justify the need for your research

Tips:

• Use key studies, not all available literature.
• Organise your review around themes or arguments.
• Use literature to support your claims, not just summarise it.
• Keep it purposeful and focused on your research gap.

 

What to include in the research methodology section

This section of the proposal shall briefly explain the intended or / projected research methodology. The most common points that are to be elaborated are:

1. Type/ Nature of the research: Exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, etc.
2. Sources and types of data: Primary, secondary, qualitative, quantitative
3. Research approach: Qualitative or quantitative, or a combination of both.
4. Research population: Individuals, households, workplaces, events, etc.
5. Sampling strategy: How the participants will be selected (sampling method, size, inclusion/exclusion criteria).
6. Data Collection Tools: Interviews, surveys, observations, focus groups, etc.
7. Data Analysis Techniques (optional): Briefly mention them if known.

 

How to structure the outline of the thesis organisation

This outline presents a tentative arrangement of the research thesis. Most commonly, one includes:

Chapter 1: Introduces the research context under study.

Chapter 2: Presents a review of the related literature.

Chapter 3: Offers a detailed explanation of the research methodology followed during the research.

Chapter 4: Data analysis and results

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations.

References/bibliography: According to your required style (APA, MLA, etc.)

 

This is how to write a research proposal. You can present it as an essay using the elements above, or outline each part using bullet points.

Remember that writing a strong research proposal doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right structure, clear goals, and a solid plan, you can turn your ideas into a proposal that gets noticed—and approved. Use this template as your starting point, and take it one section at a time. You’ve got this.