Crafting a research proposal

This paper provides a guide for students, their supervisors, and researchers in general, to developing a research proposal. Drawing on insights provided by Baker (e.g. 2000a) and other authors (e.g. Hart 1998; Krathwohl and Smith 2005) and on our own experience as lecturers, this article addresses the concept and importance of a research proposal. It discusses the process of producing a research proposal and the sections appropriate for such a document. Additionally, it raises some questions that will help researchers to assess the quality of their proposals. The article concludes by presenting a table summarising the main problems found in the various stages of developing a research proposal, and ways to deal with them.