{"id":3574,"date":"2016-03-30T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=3574"},"modified":"2022-12-15T10:10:04","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T18:10:04","slug":"how-to-write-a-research-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Research Proposal in 6 Important Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI propose that we cut taxes by 22%.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m going to propose to Emma on Valentine\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI propose we go to the new sushi place for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These are all great proposals, but they\u2019re nothing like the research proposal you need to write &#8230; or are they?<\/p>\n<p>Actually, they\u2019re more alike than you might think. They all tell an audience what you plan to do.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s exactly what you need to do in your research proposal. Tell your audience (your professor or research committee) what you plan to do in your research paper.<\/p>\n<p>Piece of cake, right?<\/p>\n<p>Cake &#8230; good idea. I propose we celebrate finishing your proposal with a piece of German chocolate cake.<\/p>\n<p>So let\u2019s get to writing, and I&#8217;ll show you how to write a research proposal. Then we can get to the good stuff!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3726\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3726\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3726 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20332%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20332%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake.jpg 500w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-cake-300x199.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3726\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eat Dinosaur Cake,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/linecon0\/409543412\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stormz<\/a> via Flickr (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Commons<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What Is a Research Proposal?<\/h2>\n<p>I guess before we dive into how to write a research proposal, I should probably make sure we&#8217;re on the same page about what one actually <em>is<\/em>, huh? Let&#8217;s do that first.<\/p>\n<p>A research proposal is a statement designed to convince your readers that you have a topic worth researching.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal should also demonstrate that you have an understanding of the&nbsp;topic and sound research ideas\u2014and that you&#8217;re capable of completing the work.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, don\u2019t write a proposal about how you hope to finally determine the meaning of life. You won\u2019t possibly be able to complete such a project.<\/p>\n<p>The research proposal is part of a formal research process, so take it seriously. Use clear, concise writing and a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/academic-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">formal academic tone<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal is also more than simply saying, \u201cI want to write about <a href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.reference.com\/browse\/helicopter--parent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">helicopter parents<\/a>.\u201d It follows a specific format that can seem overwhelming at first. But if you take it step-by-step, it\u2019s easier than you think.<\/p>\n<p>With that out of the way, let&#8217;s dive into how to write a research proposal, shall we?<\/p>\n<h2>How to Write a Research Proposal: 6 Essential Components<\/h2>\n<p>A research proposal contains six key parts.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve included a brief discussion of each component and examples about helicopter parenting. Hopefully, they provide some inspiration as we work through the process of how to write a research proposal.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3724\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3724\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld.png\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3724 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld.png\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"600\" height=\"749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld.png 600w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld-240x300.png 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3724 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20749%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"600\" height=\"749\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20749%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld.png 600w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld-240x300.png 240w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-Helicopter_WikiWorld.png\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3724\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WikiWorld comic based on the article &#8220;Helicopter parent,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Helicopter_WikiWorld.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Greg Williams<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Commons<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>1. Title<\/h3>\n<p>Believe it or not, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-title-an-essay\/\">title of your project<\/a> is important. We\u2019ve all heard the saying \u201cdon\u2019t judge a book by its cover.\u201d But we often judge books not only by their covers, but by their titles as well.<\/p>\n<p>After all, which would you rather read, <i>A Comprehensive Discussion of Dating and Courtship Rituals in the United States <\/i>or <i>10 Ways to Find the Perfect Mate<\/i>? (Yeah, I\u2019d pick the second one too.)<\/p>\n<p>The title of your research proposal should offer a clear, descriptive overview of your paper. It should inform readers of your topic and grab their interest.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s an example title:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Helicopter Parents: Are They Helping or Harming Children?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This title is descriptive\u2014it tells readers that the paper will be about helicopter parenting. It&#8217;s also informative\u2014it explains that the paper will examine whether helicopter parenting is effective.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Abstract<\/h3>\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-an-abstract-for-a-research-paper\/\">abstract<\/a> is a short summary, usually about 200-300 words. It should include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What you\u2019re writing about<\/li>\n<li>Why you\u2019re writing and researching the topic<\/li>\n<li>What you hope to find out by completing the research<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re completing any of your own research (like developing a survey), you can also include a discussion of how you will incorporate it into your writing.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/10-good-abstract-examples\/\">example abstract<\/a>: <\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>This research project will focus on helicopter parenting. Helicopter parents are often defined as well-intentioned mothers and fathers who are overly involved in their children\u2019s (and often their adult children\u2019s) lives. While helicopter parents usually feel that their actions are helping their children, many researchers now question whether parents are becoming too involved. This relatively new form of parenting has come under scrutiny in recent years as society questions&nbsp;its&nbsp;effectiveness. The question this research project examines is whether such over-involvement is ultimately helpful or harmful to children. The project will include a brief overview of several common parenting styles, including permissive and authoritative parenting, and compare these parenting styles to helicopter parenting to examine both positive and negative outcomes of each parenting style. A literature review will be the primary method behind the research; however, this research project will also incorporate an original survey of approximately 20&nbsp;high school and college students. The survey will include short-answer and multiple-choice questions and will provide evidence of whether teens with helicopter parents struggle in academics and whether these same individuals can&nbsp;make decisions on their own.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Whew! That was<i> a lot <\/i>of writing! Hang in there. We\u2019re not done with the research proposal, yet. Keep working and writing &#8230; that piece of cake is within reach!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3940\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3940\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3940\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3940\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake.jpg\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3940 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/choccake.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3940\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bobby Flay German Chocolate Cake, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/kimberlykv\/3674138186\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kimberly Vardeman<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Commons<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>3. Introduction<\/h3>\n<p>The introduction to your research proposal will be two to three paragraphs and is much like the introduction to any research paper. You want to grab readers\u2019 attention and provide an overview of your paper. (Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-start-an-essay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Start an Essay With a Bang<\/a> to learn the basics about writing introductions.)<\/p>\n<p>When writing the introduction in a research proposal, you should include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The problem you\u2019re addressing in your research paper<\/li>\n<li>The reasoning behind your research and why it\u2019s important that you complete this research<\/li>\n<li>What you hope to find out by completing the research<\/li>\n<li>Any predictions you might have about your research<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yeah, I know, you\u2019ve already stated some of this information in an abstract. But remember, the abstract <i>summarizes <\/i>your project. The introduction is more specific and introduces readers to the information in further detail.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Literature Review<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3723\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview.jpg 1044w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3723 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20282%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20282%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview.jpg 1044w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Proposal-ScientificReview-300x169.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/what-is-a-literature-review-and-how-do-you-write-one\/\">literature review<\/a> is just as it sounds: a review of the literature. No, you\u2019re not writing a book review of <i>Moby Dick <\/i>or <i>A Tale of Two Cities.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>In a literature review, you\u2019ll locate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/apply-craap-test-essay-sources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">credible sources<\/a> about your subject and provide readers with an overview of what the experts are currently saying about your topic.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/writingcenter.unc.edu\/handouts\/literature-reviews\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">literature review<\/a> is designed to inform readers not only of what the experts have said about the subject, but also to illustrate why your research is timely and important.<\/p>\n<p>The length of a literature review can vary from a few paragraphs to several pages. So check with your instructor for specific length requirements.<\/p>\n<p>In my helicopter parenting example, I would review sources that discuss how and when helicopter parenting became a common parenting style and&nbsp;sources that discuss other parenting styles. I would also review why some experts might feel helicopter parenting helps children and why some experts feel that it&#8217;s harmful to children.<\/p>\n\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple\">\n\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-header\">Don\u2019t submit your first proposal alone.<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-desc\">Get corrections &amp; feedback from a trusted academic editor.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-input\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont-btn\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/academic-editing-proofreading\" target=\"_blank\">Yes! Edit my proposal.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>5. Methods and Results<\/h3>\n<p>The methods section of the research proposal explains to readers how you will carry out your own research.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to explain what type research you\u2019ll complete. Will you administer a survey or a questionnaire? Will you conduct experiments in a lab? Will your work be completed in person or online?<\/p>\n<p>The methods section will also identify who will participate in the study. Will you recruit friends and bribe them with pizza just so they\u2019ll complete your survey? Will you recruit other college students, high school students, professors, or another group?<\/p>\n<p>In the methods section, you\u2019ll also need to explain what types of methods you\u2019ve used and how you know they are reliable. In other words, did you use a multiple-choice questionnaire? Did you interview subjects? Did you use computer programs to analyze data?<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the results section might make some predictions about your research.<\/p>\n<p>In my research proposal about helicopter parenting, I would explain that I planned to use a multiple-choice and short-answer questionnaire to survey about 20 high school and college students. I would also predict that students with helicopter parents struggle with independence much more than students without helicopter parents.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Discussion<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3725\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640.jpg\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640-300x212.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3725 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20353%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"353\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20353%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640-300x212.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/proposal-exchange-of-ideas-222788_640.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/libguides.usc.edu\/writingguide\/discussion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">discussion<\/a> component of a research proposal isn\u2019t merely a conversation on what your paper is about. It focuses on any possible weaknesses, complications, or limitations of your research.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you\u2019re administering an online survey, could someone other than the intended participant complete the survey? If you\u2019re completing a survey of a group of people, how do you know they\u2019re answering truthfully?<\/p>\n<p>In my example, I propose to survey about 20 students and ask them about helicopter parenting. A limitation to my questionnaire is that people might not answer honestly or might intentionally try to influence the results of the study.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m also only surveying a small population. This certainly has its limitations. Just because a small group of students feels either negatively or positively about helicopter parenting, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that all individuals in a similar age group would feel the same.<\/p>\n<h2>The End of the Research Proposal<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Let-them-eat-cake.gif\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3941\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Let-them-eat-cake.gif\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3941 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"how to write a research proposal\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Let-them-eat-cake.gif\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>No, I\u2019m not advocating the banishment of the research proposal. I\u2019m celebrating because you\u2019ve made it to the end of your proposal. And with your proposal complete, you have certainly earned that slice of German chocolate cake!<\/p>\n<p>See, learning how to write a research proposal wasn&#8217;t so bad.&nbsp;At least you got cake, right?<\/p>\n<p>After you\u2019ve finished your cake and have your proposal approved, you can get to work on your research paper. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/research-paper-outline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Craft a Research Paper Outline<\/a> for some helpful advice.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re still working on your proposal but aren\u2019t quite sure it\u2019s ready for prime time, don\u2019t forget that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/academic-editing-proofreading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kibin&#8217;s expert academic editors<\/a> are standing by to help.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI propose that we cut taxes by 22%.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m going to propose to Emma on Valentine\u2019s Day.\u201d \u201cI propose we go to the new sushi place for dinner.\u201d These are all great proposals, but they\u2019re nothing like the research proposal you need to write &#8230; or are they? Actually, they\u2019re more alike than you might &hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/\" class=\"more-link btn btn-primary\"><b>Read more<\/b><span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Write a Research Proposal in 6 Important Steps&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":3956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[57,97],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Write a Research Proposal in 6 Important Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not sure how to write a research proposal? This post has your back. Follow these 6 steps to get your proposal right\u2014and get it approved faster.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Write a Research Proposal in 6 Important Steps\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Not sure how to write a research proposal? This post has your back. Follow these 6 steps to get your proposal right\u2014and get it approved faster.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kibin Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-03-31T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-15T18:10:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/staircase-600468_1280.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"850\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Susan M. Inez\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Susan M. Inez\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-proposal\/\",\"name\":\"How to Write a Research Proposal in 6 Important Steps\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-03-31T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-15T18:10:04+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/dfde8d14feb66c4bf56993dc76c7f05d\"},\"description\":\"Not sure how to write a research proposal? This post has your back. 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