When an average college student hears about writing a research proposal, one can almost sense all the stress and anxiety that always come along. As a way to find a solution that would help, the Nerdify reviews team decided to come up with a list of small tips that would make these matters easier. Regardless of your subject, you must start with a list of ideas and sources that will support your argument. Writing a good proposal means presenting something that is important and makes sense. Relax your mind for a little bit and think about your favorite movie or music album that you love. Think about why it is important to you and why it has made a difference in your life. It should work exactly the same way with your research proposal — say why it matters!
- Similar Research Exploration. The majority of experts at the Nerdify reviews recommend taking at least a quick look at similar research papers that deal with your subject. Of course, we are not urging you to plagiarize anything or to copy some parts. It must be done to get the basic idea of how proper research must be done and learn about what has already been done before. If you want to take a different route and research something innovative, it is an almost obligatory rule. After all, research writing is a synthesis of available sources, so take your time to explore what is out there.
- Narrow Down Your Ideas. The most common challenge is having several ideas that must be placed inside a short research proposal. We all have been there and know that it is quite challenging to pick the best when everything seems important to you. Try to narrow down your ideas and pick those that reflect your main point and those sources that can be supported with real-life ideas. Since you have to propose something, talk about what is the most evident and related to the present-day times.
- The Keywords List. Our Nerdify reviews team approaches it just like SEO work where you adjust your text to meet the requirements of the major search engines. In simple terms, try to create a helpful list of keywords that you can include in your research proposal. For example, when you have to present your paper in APA format, it is an obligatory requirement for your Abstract page. Some other academic writing formats also require a list of keywords, so try making it work for you in advance. It is exactly the case when you can copy the list of related keywords from some other research paper. Just edit them a little bit!
- Good Sources and References. Implement good sources and references. If you do it properly at this particular stage, it will help you later as you will start with an annotated bibliography page for your research. It may take some time, yet it always pays off in the end and shows that you have done some proper research. It will always improve your final grade and will help to explain your point since it will be supported by 3–5 sources. Remember that using good references and evidence will help you to avoid plagiarism and use certain arguments to keep your ideas properly referenced.
- The Importance of Well-Outlined. According to our experts at Nerdify reviews, every good research proposal must start with a short introduction and the “importance” part, a sentence that explains why your topic or a research approach matter to you and to the scientific community. Do not ever skip this point and think about why you have chosen this topic in the first place. It will help you to avoid rejection. If it happens to you, discuss your point with the academic advisor and support your words with the list of scientific references and ideas that have motivated you. In the best scenario, it must be included in your research proposal. Try to connect it with statistical information or a key point in humankind’s history.
- Choose Your Methodology. It is one of those crucial moments that you must consider right from the start and a reason why taking a look at similar research papers matters. Your methodology is basically a method of your research or a set of elements that motivate you in your choice of sources and analytical thinking. Make sure to include samples and/or statistical data.
- Provide an Outline With Topic Sentences. Of course, you simply cannot pass by this aspect of writing a research proposal. Create a good outline that includes your topic sentences (key arguments) and a brief conclusion in the end. Your thesis must be provided in italics or underlined. Remember to list your references properly and follow every point in your grading rubric by checking things twice.
