Research proposal

A research proposal is a document proposing a research project, generally in the sciences or academia, and generally constitutes a request for sponsorship of that research.<ref name="bizdict">"Research proposal". BusinessDictionary.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2016.</ref> Proposals are evaluated on the cost and potential impact of the proposed research, and on the soundness of the proposed plan for carrying it out.<ref name="Wong">Wong, Paul T. P. "How to Write a Research Proposal". International Network on Personal Meaning. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2016.</ref> Research proposals generally address several key points:<ref name="Yousaf">Yousaf, Saeed T. P. "Keypoints of a Research Proposal". Scholarshipfellow.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2018.</ref>

• What research question(s) will be addressed, and how they will be addressed
• How much time and expense will be required for the research
• What prior research has been done on the topic
• How the results of the research will be evaluated
• How the research will benefit the sponsoring organization and other parties

Types

Research proposals may be solicited, meaning that they are submitted in response to a request with specified requirements, such as a request for proposal, or they may be unsolicited, meaning they are submitted without prior request. Other types of proposals include "preproposals", where a letter of intent or brief abstract is submitted for review prior to submission of a full proposal; continuation proposals, which re-iterate an original proposal and its funding requirements in order to ensure continued funding; and renewal proposals, which seek continued sponsorship of a project which would otherwise be terminated.<ref name="uiac">"Writing a Research Proposal". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.</ref>

Academic research proposals are generally written as part of the initial requirements of writing a thesis, research paper, or dissertation.<ref name="S.addison1990">"How to Write Academic Research Proposal". A Jonson Hillviews Magazine Editor. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.</ref> They generally follow the same format as a research paper, with an introduction, a literature review, a discussion of research methodology and goals, and a conclusion. This basic structure may vary between projects and between fields, each of which may have its own requirements.