Research Proposal Template
It should be 2000-3500 words ( 4 – 7 pages long)
The research proposal template covers the following core elements:
• Title page
• Introduction & background (including the research problem)
• Research Objectives and Expected Outcome
• Literature review
• Research design (methodology)
• Work schedule/Timeline
• References
• Appendix (if any)
Prepared by:
Assoc Prof. Ts. Dr. Nor’ashikin Ali
Deputy Dean (Academic, Quality and Student Affairs),
College of Graduate Studies
Universiti Tenaga Nasional
8 October 2021
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TITLE PAGE (C0VER PAGE)
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
NAME:
STUDENT ID:
PROGRAMME:
RESEARCH TITLE:
SUPERVISOR:
CO-SUPERVISOR:
DATE OF SUBMISSION:
ABSTRACT
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RESEARCH PROPOSAL WRITING GUIDE
1.0 TITLE (cover page)
You should have a clear working title for your research, made up of key words that are
relevant to your project. It should give a clear indication of the intent of your research,
directing attention explicitly to the central issue that you will address.
2.0 Introduction/Background/Problem Statement
You should include:
• the background and issues of your proposed research
• Outline your problem statement, research objectives and research question(s)
Some important questions to guide your introduction include:
• Who has an interest in the topic (e.g. scientists, practitioners, policymakers,
particular members of society)?
• Why is your research important
• How much is already known about the problem (Previous studies)?
• What is the gap that needs to be filled?
• What is the problem that needs to be solved
• What is missing from current knowledge (what has not been studied)?
• What new insights will your research contribute?
• Why is this research worth doing?
If your proposal is very long, you might include separate sections with more detailed
information on the background and context, problem statement, aims and objectives,
and importance of the research.
3.0 Research Objectives/Research Questions and Expected Outcomes
Research objectives describe concisely what the research is trying to achieve.
The proposal should set out the central aims and key questions that will guide your
research. Many research proposals are too broad, so make sure that you set the focus or
scope of your research and it must be feasible (i.e. something that is likely to be
completed within the normal time frame for a PhD programme).
Objectives can be general or specific. The general objective of your study states what
you expect to achieve in general terms. Specific objectives break down the general
objective into smaller, logically connected parts that systematically address the various
aspects of the problem
4.0 Literature Review
Cover past and latest references (the last 5 years)
Organise and summarise your literature review, eg. Synthesis, matrix table
• Some important questions to guide writing your literature review include:
• Compare and contrast: what are the main theories, methods, debates and
controversies?
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• Be critical: what are the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches?
• Show how your research fits in: how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize the
work of others?
5.0 Research design and methods
Following the literature review, it’s a good idea to restate your main objectives, bringing
the focus back to your own project.
The methodology explains what you did and how you did it. It allows readers to evaluate
the reliability and validity of the research. It should include:
• The type of research you did
• How you collected your data
• How you analyzed your data
• Any tools or materials you used in the research
• Your rationale for choosing these methods
Guides in writing Research Methodology
Methodology in a research proposal
Research • Will you do qualitative or quantitative research?
type • Will you collect original data or work with primary or secondary sources?
• Is your research design descriptive, correlational, or experimental?
What are the 5 types of research methods?
Research methods
• Experiments. ...
• Surveys. ...
• Questionnaires. ...
• Interviews. ...
• Case studies. ...
• Participant and non-participant observation. ...
• Observational trials. ...
• Studies using the Delphi method.
Population • Exactly what or who will you study (e.g. employees in public sectors,
and sample doctors, students)?
• How will you select subjects or sources (e.g. random sampling, case
studies)?
• When and where will you collect the data?
Research • What tools and procedures will you use (e.g. surveys, interviews,
methods observations, experiments) to collect and analyze data?
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• Why are these the best methods to answer your research questions (rationale
of your choice of method)?
Practicalities • How much time will you need to collect the data?
• How will you gain access to participants or sources (e.g. healthcare
database, facebook group)?
• Do you foresee any potential obstacles, and how will you address
them?Method of data analysis
Method of • How will you analyse your data (e.g, Matlab, SmartPls, SPSS, AHP Fuzzy)?
data analysis
6.0 Expected contribution to knowledge/implications
The proposal should demonstrate the originality of your intended research. You should
therefore explain why your research is important (for example, by explaining how your
research builds on and adds to the current state of knowledge in the field or by setting
out reasons why it is timely to research your proposed topic) and providing details of
any immediate applications, including further research that might be done to build on
your findings.
For example, your results might have implications for:
• Improving processes in a specific location or field
• Informing policy objectives
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific assumptions
• Creating a basis for further research
6.0 Work schedule and preliminary results (if any)
This section requires you to show your timelime or milestone, which can be in a form
of Ganttchart or any form of schedule
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