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How to Write a PhD Research Proposal?

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Every PhD student or young researcher faces the challenge of writing a research proposal at least once in his/her life.Keep a couple of things in mind before you submit your research proposal.

1. Define the goal of your research proposal first. What exactly do you write it for? Will you apply for a PhD? Do you want to get some funding for your next science project? Is it for your dissertation research project?
2. Check out a couple of research proposal examples written by other students and make notes of them.
3. Try to list the top 3 mistakes that other authors made (and avoid them when writing your own research proposal).
4. List the top 3 things that you like in other research proposals and try to apply them in your own document.
5. After analyzing other people’s research proposals, decide which research proposal format you would like to use. Just choose the one that looks like it would fit your needs, and adapt it. Don’t be shy.
6. Write a first version of your research proposal.
7. Send it to 3 people (fellow students, friends, family, colleagues, co-workers) whose opinion you trust because they can judge your work objectively, and get their feedback. If they are the right people to judge your work, they will be able to spot a couple of things that you could improve. (so if one of them says that your proposal is perfect, ask someone else for his feedback.)
8. Make the necessary changes based on your friends’ feedback.
9. Send the final version to your future advisor / committee / whoever will read it and hope for the best!
10. If your research proposal gets rejected, rewrite it, and submit it again. If you cannot submit it at the same university, submit it somewhere else.

Life at academia is a roller coaster. Enjoy the ride! ?
Good luck, and do NOT give up!

PS: Check out our research proposal writing section for a couple of research proposal writing tips.

Filed Under: PhD

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