Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
To guide your introduction , include information about:
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As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
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To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
Research phase | Objectives | Deadline |
---|---|---|
1. Background research and literature review | 20th January | |
2. Research design planning | and data analysis methods | 13th February |
3. Data collection and preparation | with selected participants and code interviews | 24th March |
4. Data analysis | of interview transcripts | 22nd April |
5. Writing | 17th June | |
6. Revision | final work | 28th July |
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
To determine your budget, think about:
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved September 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/
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Writing an academic paper causes sleepless nights and hard work for students. Fortunately, you can easily create an accurate research paper with the right strategy. However, before you begin your research paper, you must create a proper research proposal.
A research proposal is a formal, structured document created to sell or convince committee members of your research idea. It should show what you intend to do, why your research is essential to your field, and how you intend to proceed with your research. Many students struggle with choosing their education research topics when the time comes.
To help you, we have given you some advice from experts on how to choose a research proposal topic and provide a list of some meaningful and powerful research topics in education.
Table of Contents
Selecting a unique and precise education research topic is the first step in drafting a solid research paper. Your research topic will be the foundation of your entire research. So, before selecting your education research proposal topic, make sure you have followed these recommendations:
Lastly, if you are still confused regarding your research proposal topics in education, this upcoming section can help you.
The educational domain offers countless opportunities. But if you’re forced to select a subject for your college course, it’s easy to become lost and hit writer’s block. The ideal research paper topics should be chosen after a preliminary analysis of related works on the subject and considering your knowledge. You should pick another topic if the one you have chosen does not inspire you.
Read Also – Educational English Research Paper Topics
The educational field is filled with immense possibilities. However, with these numerous opportunities, various students get stuck deciding what to choose for their research. To help you get an effortless start, we have drafted this first section, which consists of 20 research titles and examples in education.
Educational technology refers to the tools that assist in communicating knowledge and the development of education. You can look at these given topics and proceed with your research accordingly.
Read Also – 200+ Exciting Psychology Research Topic Ideas
Students majoring in education have to study educational psychology as well. The subject is highly complex and carries a lot of research work. This fascinating subject can help you create a substantial research paper .
Sometimes, college students find it hard to draft their assignments. In this section, we have provided a list of helpful ideas about educational topics for students pursuing their master’s or Ph.D. While these topics are somehow complex for college assignments or projects, you can still take a brief hint and draft a case of your own.
Read Also – 150+ Brilliant Child Development Topic Ideas
Education for exceptional students is one of the most complex fields worldwide. Look at these great topics, alter the language to suit your needs, and always go with what motivates you the most!
If you are still confused about your research proposal topics in education, we have provided another list of education research topics for your help. So, don’t forget to explore these research proposal topic ideas for easy and general education research proposal topics.
It is understandable to become confused and hit writer’s block whenever you have to select a specific topic for your research. The ideal research paper themes should be chosen using your personal experience and preliminary investigation of your subject. If the above-provided list does not excite you, don’t worry! We are not yet completed!
Don’t forget that these topic suggestions were just a bare hint for your paper. You can use these topics for inspirational purposes. Conduct additional research from online sources and write your subjects accordingly. Don’t forget at the end. It’s only your efforts and hard work that matters. But, sometimes, students’ lives can be overwhelming as well. It can make it difficult for students to select the ideal topic for their research.
So, if you need expert paper help or professional assistance from paper editors , you can also consult our professional experts.
I'm an ambitious, seasoned, and versatile author. I am experienced in proposing, outlining, and writing engaging assignments. Developing contagious academic work is always my top priority. I have a keen eye for detail and diligence in producing exceptional academic writing work. I work hard daily to help students with their assignments and projects. Experimenting with creative writing styles while maintaining a solid and informative voice is what I enjoy the most.
Do you have to write a research proposal and can’t choose one from the professor’s list? This article may be exactly what you need.
We will provide you with the most up-to-date undergraduate and postgraduate topic ideas. Moreover, we will share the secrets of the winning research proposal writing.
Here, you will find possible ideas for research proposal topics from the best custom writing service that may be used to create your own proposal project as well as a direction for further investigation! So let’s start!
First of all, let’s make clear what a research proposal is. A research proposal is a type of paper you write to show others that you have a project to investigate. A research proposal demonstrates the following:
✔️ | Why the you chose is worth attention. |
✔️ | What you will take to explore the topic. |
✔️ | What and you will use in your research. |
The purpose of proposal writing is to persuade others that your topic needs to be investigated. Your task is to write a well-structured text that covers all the necessary points. Make sure that everyone can understand what you wish to investigate, why it’s important, and how you are going to do it.
Now that you know what a research proposal is, it’s time to begin the work.
What is the first thing to be done, then?
That’s right—you need to choose a topic!
The list of research proposal topics below will help you start the process. Some of the research topics are simple, while others are quite complicated. The more difficult problems also contain a short description, so that you can understand immediately whether that topic would be interesting for you.
Researching political science gives you plenty of room for exploration. Do you want to investigate local or global politics? Are you interested in historical or contemporary issues? The number of options is overwhelming. Have a look at this list to make choosing easier:
In recent years, the demand for IT skills has skyrocketed. This trend is likely to continue for the next few decades. Humanity’s dependency on computers keeps growing. Because of this, solid knowledge in IT makes you an invaluable employee for any company. So, get started by writing about one of our engaging prompts:
Technology surrounds us everywhere. The internet, for one, has drastically changed the way we communicate. These developments affect all aspects of our lives. One big area that has significantly benefited from ICT is education.
There’s much more to business than just talking finances. Your topic can be theoretical as well as empirical. Writing about business can cover areas such as strategic planning, leadership, or sustainability.
Management is a vital part of every company. That’s why good governance is the key to success. Researching this subject will prove helpful for your future career.
Time is money. How can you use it more effectively? That’s one of the central questions you can suggest investigating in an MBA research proposal. For more inspiration, check out these ideas:
Have you been planning to start your own company? Or maybe you’d like to develop a product that makes life easier? A business project research proposal allows you to put your dream on paper. If you don’t have a concrete idea just yet, here is some inspiration:
Education plays a crucial role in our lives. It’s an area where constant research and improvement are incredibly important. Check out these ideas:
There are many questions regarding the best approach in educating kids with special needs. Should they always study with their peers? Or do they need special classes to tackle their individual requirements? Your research proposal can focus on various aspects. The parents’ roles or the use of technology are compelling examples.
Young children are extremely impressionable. Because of this, early childhood education has a huge impact on kids’ development. Many factors need careful consideration. Among them are learning techniques and the need of incorporating the child’s social background.
Humans are erratic creatures. Yet, we all manage to live together. Are you interested in studying the mechanics of society? Then you should consider a research proposal in sociology .
History research proposal example topics.
Maybe you enjoy tracing the footsteps of past societies. Or perhaps you like to study the battles of the 20 th century. Whatever your preference is, researching any part of history will certainly yield fascinating results.
If you’re passionate about reading , this section is for you. From Dostoyevsky to Austen, this list contains only the most engaging prompts in literature.
Do you enjoy analyzing what our world is made of? With a research proposal in chemistry , you can do precisely that. Whether you’re into inorganic or biochemistry, this section has what you need.
In many ways, human mind remains a mystery. That’s probably one of the main reasons why psychology is such a fascinating subject. Do you want to dive into an uncharted territory or stay on the beaten track? You decide!
What is good and evil? Philosophers have been asking questions like this for centuries. You can join their pondering with a research proposal topic from the list below.
The evolution of states and nations is at the core of developmental studies. You can observe this process from various perspectives. These include political, social, or cultural points of view.
Thorough medical research is vital for human survival and wellbeing. The human body harbors many mysteries that need exploring. If you want to contribute to solving the puzzle, check out this section.
Biology is not just about watching birds or inspecting plants. The science of life has much to offer. If you choose to write a paper on this subject, why not study microbiology? Or maybe epidemiology? There is much left to understand about the organisms inhabiting this planet.
Environmental disasters are happening at an unprecedented rate. Finding ways to combat them is an urgent mission. That’s why many countries made environmental issues a top priority on their political agendas.
Thanks to globalization, humanity is more interconnected than ever. How do various states, NGOs, and other global actors interact with each other? That’s the critical question of international relations. This subject contains aspects of economics, politics, and law.
It’s nice to have goods and valuables. But it’s also relevant to know how to properly handle them. Economics looks into how people produce, consume, and otherwise interact with resources.
Criminal justice deals with the identification, judgment, and punishment of criminals. It encompasses three spheres: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
Are you more of a hands-on student? Does conducting interviews and fieldwork sound exciting to you? Then writing a proposal for qualitative research is the right thing for you.
If math doesn’t scare you, quantitative research might be what you’re looking for. It’s suitable for everything: from agriculture to microeconomics. Quantifying data collection and analysis is at the heart of this research method.
A research doesn’t have to be about rocket science. Easy topics can be just as effective. Check out our collection of simple research proposal topics:
If you still want to find some more topics, you are welcome to check science research proposal topics on our blog to make your academic writing life much easier.
Before you start working on the proposal itself, it’s pivotal to understand the standard proposal writing format.
Every academic paper has defined rules to follow, so let’s take a look at the research proposal structure.
Typically, a research proposal consists of a title, abstract, introduction, research methodology, research results, discussion, ethical considerations, and references.
At the beginning stage, you should choose an interesting proposal title to investigate. It may sound unbelievable, but a carefully chosen title can do half the job in persuading your audience.
In this article, you’ll find research proposal topics in many different areas. It’s always easier to choose one if you have a list of proposal topics to browse. Once you’ve chosen your topic, make your research proposal title catchy and relevant.
Next, every research proposal needs an abstract. This part of your paper has a limited word count, typically between 100 and 300 words. If you want to convince your research committee in just a few lines, you should take this stage very seriously.
The abstract must summarize your research proposal, so it’s better to write it after the rest of your paper is done.
This is a standard part of every paper, but different documents include various elements in their introductory texts.
A research proposal introduction should contain the following three parts:
The audience needs to know what other authors have discovered when studying your topic. This will help them to understand the topic’s importance. . | |
To examine your topic thoroughly, you should answer research questions. By finding good research questions, you’ll convince the audience of the importance of your research. | |
You should define the approach you’ll use to investigate your research questions. You can choose between two options: Always explain why you have chosen this particular approach and how it’s relevant to your research question. |
When writing a research proposal, you need to describe the methods you’ve used. It will make your work more credible and allow the readers to evaluate it properly.
Your methodology helps you carry out your research. It serves as a basis for any academic paper, and it’s closely connected with your research question.
You may be wondering how you can write the research proposal results when you haven’t actually conducted the research yet.
Well, don’t worry—you’re not expected to draw final conclusions at this stage. Instead, just try to analyze what research proposal results you’ll get after your project is done and how those results will impact your field of study or the world at large.
This is an important part of your paper because it explains to the research committee whether or not your results will be worth the effort. Try to persuade the audience that you can get important results, but never promise too much.
It’s okay to face some problems with your research, whether it’s trouble getting an interview from a foreign professor or having the funds to complete an expensive experiment.
Just don’t try to hide from the research committee the things you can’t do for your project. Instead, discuss them with your committee so they can have the whole picture and give you helpful advice on your research. Who knows—maybe one of them can introduce you to this foreign professor!
If your research is conducted on people or animals, you should mention how you’re going to collect your data. Make sure your research proposal methodology doesn’t conflict with ethical guidelines.
No research paper can be written without reading and studying dozens of sources. You site them all in the References section . If you have any questionnaires for your research proposal or any other documents related to your investigation, include them all in the appendices .
Outline of a Research Proposal: Step by Step
STEP #1. Write the abstract.
How should you write your research proposal abstract? Explain the primary problem you want to explore and tell why it’s important:
❓ | What can your investigation bring? |
❓ | What will you use to find answers to your research questions? |
❓ | What do you expect your exploration to result in? |
The next step is writing a research methodology section.
STEP #2. Introduce your methodological approach.
To choose a methodological approach, you need to analyze your research question. Do it from the following points of view:
❓ | Is your research question rooted in ? |
❓ | What are you going to collect and analyze? It could be numerical or textual data. You can use available information, or collect it yourself. |
❓ | What are you going to use? |
❓ | What fits the best when answering your research question? |
STEP #3. Introduce your data collection methods.
Depending on how you answered the previous questions, choose which types of data you will need for your research:
Here are the main methods of primary data collection:
Secondary data is usually obtained from books and articles. The main method here is the literature review , where you analyze and evaluate information from the source.
STEP #4. Describe your methods of analysis.
The methods of analysis can be qualitative or quantitative.
STEP #5. Justify your choices.
Here you should explain why you’ve chosen a particular methodology for your project. Show why your approach is the most appropriate one, and why other methods are not suitable. Here’s the list of the most common disadvantages:
Every academic paper has defined rules to follow, so let’s take a look at the research proposal writing format.
The front page of a proposal includes the following:
Remember to make a reference to every article or website that you used to write your research proposal, and only use credible sources for your study, such as books and peer-reviewed articles. You are usually required to cite your sources in one of the existing citing styles, such as APA or MLA .
A timeline is a plan that indicates the milestones of your research and the dates at which you could realistically achieve these milestones. Time schedules are especially important for lengthy researches.
Here are the milestones that you can include in your timeline:
It’s handy to have two versions of the same timeline. First, make a shorter one to include in your research proposal. Then, write a more detailed version for your personal reference.
Finally, we’ve prepared a research proposal example (MLA format) to help you better understand your task. Feel free to download it below.
This study examines the effect of mobile educational applications on pre-school children and their academic achievements. The research was conducted by studying and analyzing the information provided by similar previously conducted researches. The interpretive methods, which focus on understanding a phenomenon comprehensively, and secondary data collection, were used for this research.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Have any interesting questions or ideas? Let us know in the comments!
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I am a student in Kenya at Taita Taveta University…I need a proposal on investigating voters registration turn out in Taita Taveta County
I need a research proposal regarding Effective Energy management and its roles in sustainable development
Hello, I am a undergraduate student in Addis abeba university I want a proposal for construction and technology management
Hello, I am an undergraduate student in Addis abeba university I want a proposal for construction and technology management
Hi I’m a student studying English language ( literature) , my teacher & for the 1 st time asked me to find a gap in a book & do a research proposal about it & never do it & don’t know how to do it . Can you help plz ?
I’m a undergraduate student in kenya I want a proposal for water resource management
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Hello, I am a student of Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource management and industrial relations and need a research topic in the area. Thanks!
Need a unique academic research proposal related to global health and travel medicine.
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A research proposal systematically and transparently outlines a proposed research project.
The purpose of a research proposal is to demonstrate a project’s viability and the researcher’s preparedness to conduct an academic study. It serves as a roadmap for the researcher.
The process holds value both externally (for accountability purposes and often as a requirement for a grant application) and intrinsic value (for helping the researcher to clarify the mechanics, purpose, and potential signficance of the study).
Key sections of a research proposal include: the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research design and methods, timeline, budget, outcomes and implications, references, and appendix. Each is briefly explained below.
Watch my Guide: How to Write a Research Proposal
Get your Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)
Title: The title should present a concise and descriptive statement that clearly conveys the core idea of the research projects. Make it as specific as possible. The reader should immediately be able to grasp the core idea of the intended research project. Often, the title is left too vague and does not help give an understanding of what exactly the study looks at.
Abstract: Abstracts are usually around 250-300 words and provide an overview of what is to follow – including the research problem , objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Use it as a roadmap and ensure that, if the abstract is the only thing someone reads, they’ll get a good fly-by of what will be discussed in the peice.
Introduction: Introductions are all about contextualization. They often set the background information with a statement of the problem. At the end of the introduction, the reader should understand what the rationale for the study truly is. I like to see the research questions or hypotheses included in the introduction and I like to get a good understanding of what the significance of the research will be. It’s often easiest to write the introduction last
Literature Review: The literature review dives deep into the existing literature on the topic, demosntrating your thorough understanding of the existing literature including themes, strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the literature. It serves both to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and, to demonstrate how the proposed study will fit alongside the literature on the topic. A good literature review concludes by clearly demonstrating how your research will contribute something new and innovative to the conversation in the literature.
Research Design and Methods: This section needs to clearly demonstrate how the data will be gathered and analyzed in a systematic and academically sound manner. Here, you need to demonstrate that the conclusions of your research will be both valid and reliable. Common points discussed in the research design and methods section include highlighting the research paradigm, methodologies, intended population or sample to be studied, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures . Toward the end of this section, you are encouraged to also address ethical considerations and limitations of the research process , but also to explain why you chose your research design and how you are mitigating the identified risks and limitations.
Timeline: Provide an outline of the anticipated timeline for the study. Break it down into its various stages (including data collection, data analysis, and report writing). The goal of this section is firstly to establish a reasonable breakdown of steps for you to follow and secondly to demonstrate to the assessors that your project is practicable and feasible.
Budget: Estimate the costs associated with the research project and include evidence for your estimations. Typical costs include staffing costs, equipment, travel, and data collection tools. When applying for a scholarship, the budget should demonstrate that you are being responsible with your expensive and that your funding application is reasonable.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: A discussion of the anticipated findings or results of the research, as well as the potential contributions to the existing knowledge, theory, or practice in the field. This section should also address the potential impact of the research on relevant stakeholders and any broader implications for policy or practice.
References: A complete list of all the sources cited in the research proposal, formatted according to the required citation style. This demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the relevant literature and ensures proper attribution of ideas and information.
Appendices (if applicable): Any additional materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or consent forms, that provide further information or support for the research proposal. These materials should be included as appendices at the end of the document.
Research proposals often extend anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 words in length. The following snippets are samples designed to briefly demonstrate what might be discussed in each section.
See some real sample pieces:
Consider this hypothetical education research proposal:
The Impact of Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics
Abstract: The proposed study will explore multiplayer game-based learning techniques in middle school mathematics curricula and their effects on student engagement. The study aims to contribute to the current literature on game-based learning by examining the effects of multiplayer gaming in learning.
Introduction: Digital game-based learning has long been shunned within mathematics education for fears that it may distract students or lower the academic integrity of the classrooms. However, there is emerging evidence that digital games in math have emerging benefits not only for engagement but also academic skill development. Contributing to this discourse, this study seeks to explore the potential benefits of multiplayer digital game-based learning by examining its impact on middle school students’ engagement and academic performance in a mathematics class.
Literature Review: The literature review has identified gaps in the current knowledge, namely, while game-based learning has been extensively explored, the role of multiplayer games in supporting learning has not been studied.
Research Design and Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods research design based upon action research in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design will first be used to compare the academic performance and engagement of middle school students exposed to game-based learning techniques with those in a control group receiving instruction without the aid of technology. Students will also be observed and interviewed in regard to the effect of communication and collaboration during gameplay on their learning.
Timeline: The study will take place across the second term of the school year with a pre-test taking place on the first day of the term and the post-test taking place on Wednesday in Week 10.
Budget: The key budgetary requirements will be the technologies required, including the subscription cost for the identified games and computers.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: It is expected that the findings will contribute to the current literature on game-based learning and inform educational practices, providing educators and policymakers with insights into how to better support student achievement in mathematics.
See some real examples:
Consider this hypothetical psychology research proposal:
The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students
Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods .
Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels during exam weeks. This can affect both mental health and test performance. This study explores the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions such as meditation as a way to mediate stress levels in the weeks leading up to exam time.
Literature Review: Existing research on mindfulness-based meditation has shown the ability for mindfulness to increase metacognition, decrease anxiety levels, and decrease stress. Existing literature has looked at workplace, high school and general college-level applications. This study will contribute to the corpus of literature by exploring the effects of mindfulness directly in the context of exam weeks.
Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n= 234 ) will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving 5 days per week of 10-minute mindfulness-based interventions, or a control group, receiving no intervention. Data will be collected through self-report questionnaires, measuring stress levels, semi-structured interviews exploring participants’ experiences, and students’ test scores.
Timeline: The study will begin three weeks before the students’ exam week and conclude after each student’s final exam. Data collection will occur at the beginning (pre-test of self-reported stress levels) and end (post-test) of the three weeks.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: The study aims to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among college students in the lead up to exams, with potential implications for mental health support and stress management programs on college campuses.
Consider this hypothetical sociology research proposal:
The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults
Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data.
Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for the development of interpersonal relationships, particularly for young adults. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media usage on young adults’ relationships and development over time.
Literature Review: A preliminary review of relevant literature has demonstrated that social media usage is central to development of a personal identity and relationships with others with similar subcultural interests. However, it has also been accompanied by data on mental health deline and deteriorating off-screen relationships. The literature is to-date lacking important longitudinal data on these topics.
Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n = 454 ) will be young adults aged 18-24. Ongoing self-report surveys will assess participants’ social media usage, relationship satisfaction, and communication patterns. A subset of participants will be selected for longitudinal in-depth interviews starting at age 18 and continuing for 5 years.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of five years, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between social media usage and interpersonal relationships among young adults, potentially informing social policies and mental health support related to social media use.
Consider this hypothetical nursing research proposal:
The Influence of Nurse-Patient Communication on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes following Emergency Cesarians
Abstract: This research will examines the impact of effective nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes for women following c-sections, utilizing a mixed-methods approach with patient surveys and semi-structured interviews.
Introduction: It has long been known that effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for quality care. However, additional complications arise following emergency c-sections due to the interaction between new mother’s changing roles and recovery from surgery.
Literature Review: A review of the literature demonstrates the importance of nurse-patient communication, its impact on patient satisfaction, and potential links to health outcomes. However, communication between nurses and new mothers is less examined, and the specific experiences of those who have given birth via emergency c-section are to date unexamined.
Research Design and Methods: Participants will be patients in a hospital setting who have recently had an emergency c-section. A self-report survey will assess their satisfaction with nurse-patient communication and perceived health outcomes. A subset of participants will be selected for in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and perceptions of the communication with their nurses.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including rolling recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing within the hospital.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the significance of nurse-patient communication in supporting new mothers who have had an emergency c-section. Recommendations will be presented for supporting nurses and midwives in improving outcomes for new mothers who had complications during birth.
Consider this hypothetical social work research proposal:
The Role of a Family-Centered Intervention in Preventing Homelessness Among At-Risk Youthin a working-class town in Northern England
Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effectiveness of a family-centered intervention provided by a local council area in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth. This case study will use a mixed-methods approach with program evaluation data and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data .
Introduction: Homelessness among youth remains a significant social issue. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in addressing this problem and identify factors that contribute to successful prevention strategies.
Literature Review: A review of the literature has demonstrated several key factors contributing to youth homelessness including lack of parental support, lack of social support, and low levels of family involvement. It also demonstrates the important role of family-centered interventions in addressing this issue. Drawing on current evidence, this study explores the effectiveness of one such intervention in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth in a working-class town in Northern England.
Research Design and Methods: The study will evaluate a new family-centered intervention program targeting at-risk youth and their families. Quantitative data on program outcomes, including housing stability and family functioning, will be collected through program records and evaluation reports. Semi-structured interviews with program staff, participants, and relevant stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the factors contributing to program success or failure.
Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.
Budget: Expenses include access to program evaluation data, interview materials, data analysis software, and any related travel costs for in-person interviews.
Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in preventing youth homelessness, potentially informing the expansion of or necessary changes to social work practices in Northern England.
Get your Detailed Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)
This is a template for a 2500-word research proposal. You may find it difficult to squeeze everything into this wordcount, but it’s a common wordcount for Honors and MA-level dissertations.
Section | Checklist |
---|---|
Title | – Ensure the single-sentence title clearly states the study’s focus |
Abstract (Words: 200) | – Briefly describe the research topicSummarize the research problem or question – Outline the research design and methods – Mention the expected outcomes and implications |
Introduction (Words: 300) | – Introduce the research topic and its significance – Clearly state the research problem or question – Explain the purpose and objectives of the study – Provide a brief overview of |
Literature Review (Words: 800) | – Gather the existing literature into themes and ket ideas – the themes and key ideas in the literature – Identify gaps or inconsistencies in the literature – Explain how the current study will contribute to the literature |
Research Design and Methods (Words; 800) | – Describe the research paradigm (generally: positivism and interpretivism) – Describe the research design (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods) – Explain the data collection methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations) – Detail the sampling strategy and target population – Outline the data analysis techniques (e.g., statistical analysis, thematic analysis) – Outline your validity and reliability procedures – Outline your intended ethics procedures – Explain the study design’s limitations and justify your decisions |
Timeline (Single page table) | – Provide an overview of the research timeline – Break down the study into stages with specific timeframes (e.g., data collection, analysis, report writing) – Include any relevant deadlines or milestones |
Budget (200 words) | – Estimate the costs associated with the research project – Detail specific expenses (e.g., materials, participant incentives, travel costs) – Include any necessary justifications for the budget items – Mention any funding sources or grant applications |
Expected Outcomes and Implications (200 words) | – Summarize the anticipated findings or results of the study – Discuss the potential implications of the findings for theory, practice, or policy – Describe any possible limitations of the study |
Your research proposal is where you really get going with your study. I’d strongly recommend working closely with your teacher in developing a research proposal that’s consistent with the requirements and culture of your institution, as in my experience it varies considerably. The above template is from my own courses that walk students through research proposals in a British School of Education.
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Updated 25 Jul 2024
Talking about education is always tricky. It’s a large field where many things are happening globally. However, this means that there’s a lot of room for discovering new angles that can be interesting to discuss. Naturally, you want your proposal to be accepted so that you can start working on your research. Besides, writing an excellent research paper can gradually improve your grade and affect your further training and how well you develop as a student. Don't forget: a quality plagiarism detector is the need of the hour!
When the time comes it might be overwhelming to choose a topic for research proposal in the education sphere. The sheer amount of information and innovation can make it challenging to recognize the right one. This is why we’ve decided to share some essential advice on how to gain a clear understanding of what a research proposal is and choosing the perfect research proposal topic right for you.
Below you’ll find some useful recommendations on how to choose the right topic for your research from research paper writing services EduBirdie.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential to keep up with the latest news in education. New things are constantly happening, and different news sources can instantly help you brainstorm your topics.
If you don’t have any ideas, go straight to the source. Attend a lecture at college or visit a school. See how teachers are using various methods and whether certain practices are used the right way. Sadly, there’s always a difference between theory and practice.
Reading books about education is always a good idea. Not only can you find an exciting topic but also get research for it straight away.
Being specific helps you bring authenticity and makes your proposal look interesting. Don’t talk about education in general; find interesting pieces and see how to correlate to other factors.
Still have questions considering your proposal? Below you’ll find answers to some of the most common ones students usually ask.
A good example would be, “Is a teacher only supposed to educate or act as a moral guide as well?” The issue itself is very specific and comes in the form of a question that is always a good thing. At the same time, this topic has a broad capacity for discussion.
If you need further inspiration, you can find proposal essay examples related to education to help you formulate your own research proposal.
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Curriculum and instruction.
If you need research proposal writing help, we have hundreds of professional writers with expertise in the education field. Utilizing proposal writing services can help you craft a well-structured and persuasive proposal and also assist you with writing your whole research paper. Don’t hesitate to contact us, as we guarantee complete anonymity.
Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, 200+ top sociology research topics.
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Writing a proposal essay is an essential skill for students navigating academia and beyond. Whether you are advocating for change, proposing a solution to a problem, or presenting a new idea, your writing should be clear, convincing, and creative.
In this article, our expert team has listed proposal essay topics for school and college students. As a bonus, you will find an effective writing guide and a practical example of a proposal essay.
A proposal essay is an academic paper in which you propose something and justify your recommendation. Its goal is to convince the recipients to support your proposal and grant your request. Depending on what you are suggesting, there are three main types of proposal essays: proposal argument, research proposal, and topic proposal.
A proposal argument is an argumentative essay that offers a solution to a problem. It is often addressed to a particular company, non-profit organization, or government agency. It aims to persuade an organization to do something differently or perform a specific task. A proposal argument first describes a problem, then proposes a feasible solution to it, and explains why this particular solution is worth implementing.
A research proposal essay is an academic paper that proposes a study and describes what, why, and how the author plans to investigate. This document should enable the audience to understand the quality and significance of the research and the author’s competence to perform it.
A research proposal usually includes a purpose statement , background and significance of the research topic, and methodology. It is also helpful to describe potential problems the researcher may encounter and how they will be solved.
A topic proposal essay is a paper that suggests a topic for a major course assignment, such as a term paper. It usually presents your main argument or research question , explains why it is worth exploring, and outlines how you plan to support it. Also, it identifies a few scholarly sources to be used in the future paper.
Coming up with a good idea for your proposal essay can be challenging. Therefore, we’ve prepared writing prompts about common problems with possible solutions.
You can write a proposal suggesting a solution to the problem of driving while using a phone. First, describe the detrimental consequences of such behavior, proving that it’s worth paying attention to.
Then, focus on one solution that you consider to be the best. Check out some possible options:
Highlight the issue of homelessness by indicating the root causes of this problem and its social and economic consequences. Then, provide your perspective on how to address it.
Here are some possible solutions to homelessness:
You can focus on the problem of the mental health crisis, manifesting in increasing rates of suicides and overdoses. Explore the causes and consequences of this issue and choose a solution to advocate for.
Consider the following solutions:
You can focus on one of the issues that students face while studying abroad, such as language barriers, cultural differences, social isolation, financial difficulties, etc. Then, describe a solution to your selected problem.
Here are some possible solutions to international students’ issues:
Your proposal can focus on the problem of supporting and expanding abortion rights. Explain how restricted abortion rights harm women, children, the healthcare system, and the economy. Then, explain how policymakers can address this issue.
Check out some solutions listed below:
The proposal argument analyzes the problem and offers practical steps for its solution. Below, you’ll find interesting topics for your proposal argument!
Looking for a project proposal topic to write about? Below, you’ll find the best ideas for your paper!
If you’re looking for research proposal essay topics, check out the list below! We’ve collected ideas for a proposal in computer science, agriculture, history, and more.
Are you looking for funny proposal topics? Then, we have something for you! Read on to find some of the most outstanding ideas!
Creating a well-developed structure is vital for any writing assignment. That’s why we’ve prepared a detailed template with the elements of a good proposal.
Give your proposal a clear and unambiguous title. It should let the reader understand the key idea of your project. | |
The introduction should outline the purpose of your proposal and present a . | |
Describe the problem in detail and outline its history and importance. | |
This section should include the proposal itself. Explain how your suggested research or solution would address the problem and how you plan to implement it. | |
Consider problems you may encounter when implementing the proposed project and explain how you plan to solve them. Also, anticipate and respond to the objections that the recipients of your proposal may have. | |
In your conclusion, and add a call to action for the audience. | |
The reference list should include all the sources you’ve used in your work. You should format them according to your required citation style, like APA or MLA. |
Whether you are writing a proposal argument or a research proposal, the writing steps will be the same. Below are the steps you should take to complete this assignment.
Choosing a good topic is vital in writing a proposal essay. Select the subject you are interested in. This way, you’ll be more willing to invest your time and efforts into this project. In addition, ensure that your topic is narrow, specific, and significant. If your topic is too broad, reading background information can help you limit its scope.
Find trustworthy sources with the information you can use to support your proposal. It will help you write the background section and highlight the importance of the problem. In addition, reliable sources will help you provide evidence justifying your chosen solution to the problem.
Developing a detailed outline helps ensure that your paper is logical and cohesive. The outline will let you see how you will link all of the facts to support the thesis statement. Also, it can save you time by identifying any gaps and weaknesses in your argument before you start writing your paper.
When drafting your proposal, remember that it is a type of persuasive writing. It should present a project and encourage the reader to go along with a plan of action outlined in the paper. So, ensure your proposal is convincing, logical, and credible and considers the audience, purpose, and tone.
Start your essay by presenting the purpose and essence of your project. The main body of your proposal essay should contain background information on the problem and persuasive reasons to support your proposal. Finally, the conclusion should underline the significance of the issue and call the audience to action.
Carefully revise and edit your draft. Consider whether the problem is described concisely, the solution is complete, and your evidence is used appropriately. Also, read your work to find any grammar or spelling mistakes. If you still have doubts about your paper, you can ask your professor or classmate to read it and give their feedback.
To help you understand how a proposal essay is structured, we’ve prepared a topic proposal example. Check it out!
The purpose of this proposal is to implement a school-wide recycling program by strategically placing recycling bins across the campus. This initiative will promote zero waste culture, ensure the school’s sustainability, and contribute to environmental preservation.
The school is a perfect place to develop environmental awareness because it has the opportunity to build students’ knowledge and skills necessary to address environmental issues. One way to do so is to teach students to avoid improper waste disposal through recycling.
The proposal involves procuring and placing recycling bins across the school, including classrooms, common areas, and outdoor spaces. In addition, educational campaigns will be held to raise awareness among students, staff, and parents about the significance of waste segregation and recycling. Regular monitoring and evaluation will ensure the program’s effectiveness.
Several problems may arise while implementing this project, including resistance to change and logistical concerns about bin placement. Some may also object to the proposal due to the costs associated with it. However, the resistance to change can be mitigated by educational campaigns. The bin placement problem can be solved by involving staff and students in determining the optimal locations for recycling bins. Finally, financial constraints can be addressed by seeking partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.
Equipping the school with recycling bins is a step toward a sustainable future. By reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices, our school can lead by example and inspire positive changes within the community. This initiative gives a chance to raise environmentally conscious students and contribute to a healthier planet. Let us embrace this program to foster a sustainable school environment.
How to write a proposal for an essay topic.
Start with an attention-grabbing hook to pique your audience’s curiosity. Then, summarize the details of the problem and outline the purpose of your proposed project. Finally, add a strong thesis statement, summarizing your suggested solution and giving a preview of your supporting arguments.
Since you advocate for a change or a solution to a problem in your proposal essay, you should choose a topic you care about. You can write a proposal essay on virtually everything, from presenting a solution to climate change to implementing a community-based reading program or raising awareness about the importance of gut microbiota.
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Qualitative research topics are very important in college because they help students learn more about different subjects. They can think more deeply about things when they do this kind of study.
Qualitative research involves methods like interviews, observations, and case studies. It’s all about understanding human behavior, social trends, or complex issues in specific situations.
It’s also about exploring new ideas and adding to our knowledge. These topics often connect what we learn in class with real-life situations. By doing qualitative research, students improve their research skills, learn to interpret data better, and better understand the subjects they’re studying.
This article will give you 100+ Trending ideas for qualitative research topics that college students in a range of subjects can work on.
Table of Contents
Qualitative research topics can be studied to learn more about things, understand events, or determine what they mean using qualitative methods.
Quantitative research looks at numbers and statistics, but qualitative research tries to understand people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationships with others more deeply.
The qualitative study fields include psychology, sociology, education, anthropology, literature, etc. Some examples are looking into how social media affects their self-esteem, how teachers and students interact in multicultural classrooms, or how people from different groups feel about climate change.
Through interviews, observations, focus groups, and textual analysis, these topics try to get to deep, detailed understanding of difficult problems.
Qualitative research is different from counting numbers or statistics. It focuses on understanding people’s experiences and behaviors deeply. Here are its main points:
These things make qualitative research good at understanding why people act and think as they do.
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Here are 100+ qualitative research topics for college students categorized into different fields of study:
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These topics cover various disciplines, offering college students ample opportunities to explore qualitative research in areas that align with their academic interests and career goals.
When choosing a topic for qualitative research, consider these important factors to make sure your topic is a good fit:
Considering these factors will help you choose an interesting research topic that fits well with your studies, making your research experience successful and rewarding.
Qualitative research continues to evolve, addressing contemporary issues and exploring new dimensions of human experiences and societal phenomena. Here are some trending qualitative research topics:
These topics represent current societal trends and issues where qualitative research is making significant contributions by providing deeper insights and contributing to positive change in various fields.
When choosing a qualitative research topic, you should consider what interests you, how it fits into your study area, and whether or not you can do the research. You should know what questions to ask, follow moral rules, and ask others for help. What you read is interesting, and it gives us new things to think about.
If you carefully consider these things, you can start a research project that helps you learn more and makes a real difference in your studies and job. Finding the right subject is the first thing that needs to be done to make the research useful.
Consider the complexity and depth of the topic in relation to your academic background and coursework. Ensure it aligns with your professors’ or academic institution’s expectations and requirements.
Regularly engage with peers, mentors, or advisors to discuss the relevance of your topic in current academic discourse. Consider how your research can contribute new insights, address gaps, or provide practical implications within your field of study.
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Research is a key part of student life, but deciding which topic to research can take time and effort. The right research topic typically aligns with your skills and interests, has current relevance, and can positively impact the world.
In this article, you’ll find some helpful examples to help you get started.
Research topics enable students to drill down into a specific aspect of a subject to broaden their knowledge and share learnings with others. They are typically used to make discoveries or develop fresh viewpoints.
A research topic defines the specific theme that research will be conducted around. It’s essential for providing a key focus for the work to be completed. Ultimately, it defines a core problem or knowledge gap that needs to be solved.
A clear topic helps define what is being studied and how that information will be communicated to others.
A research topic is a broad theme of focus that requires further investigation. It’s the project’s overall subject—an aspect of which will be studied.
A research topic example could be “The effects of meditation on stress reduction.”
A research question is a specific inquiry that researchers want to investigate and answer to broaden their knowledge and make new discoveries. Research questions are much more specific, focusing on a very small aspect of the overall topic.
The right research question will specifically set out what is being researched so there is no ambiguity.
Here’s an example of a research question within the topic: “How does meditation impact stress, anxiety, and burnout in the workplace?”
Here are the characteristics that make some topics more favorable and useful than others:
Clarity: a helpful research topic should be clearly understood to ensure the integrity of the research. It should be clear to the student and mentor/professor what the topic is and how it will be explored.
Originality: answering questions that have already been researched and answered many times before could be a waste of resources. Answering original questions is key to getting the most out of research. This might involve researching topics that have already been covered from a different angle or exploring an entirely new topic.
Relevance: it’s helpful to ensure that a research topic is related to your expertise and your access to resources. This will ensure that the research topic is relevant to you.
Ethical : ethics should always be considered when conducting research. Your research shouldn’t cause physical or mental harm to any participants. You should also consider animal and environmental ethics.
With so many topics to choose from, selecting a topic for your research paper can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s a good idea to consider these three points to make the best choice:
Being interested and experienced in a particular field will make the research more interesting, relevant, and straightforward to conduct.
Your interest will mean you’re committed and motivated to discover the answer to your research question. Being personally engaged also makes the process more enjoyable.
One caveat to keep in mind is the potential for bias. If you are invested in the research having a particular result, you must ensure it’s accurate, double-checked, and reviewed by an impartial party.
Your research project might fail if you don’t have access to sufficient information and resources. There needs to be enough information to gain deep insights into the research at hand.
Consider the resources you have within your project limits. If your research has funding, carefully work out what that funding could be used for. If not, you may need to consider research that you’ll be able to complete with access to public records and other free resources.
Timings, finances, access to participants, and publicly accessible information will all need to be considered before choosing the final topic to research.
You’ll need to adhere to the specific guidelines that your school, mentor, or professor have laid out. They may request that the topic be related to public interest, a currently challenging topic for the environment, or another parameter.
When considering those guidelines, make ethical considerations. Your school or university is unlikely to permit unethical research.
Even though there’s an endless range of topics to research, you might not know where to begin. Starting with background reading, mind mapping, and speaking with mentors can help mold general ideas into useful topics and questions.
Extensive reading: completing background reading of educational databases, journals, and scientific studies can help provide a good working knowledge of what is currently being researched and identify key gaps.
Social problems: current challenges on both a local and global scale can make excellent research questions. Whether it’s investigating climate change, human health, or the impact of pandemics, there’s likely to be large human interest if you research social problems and challenges. The research you conduct may even have a positive impact on the world around you.
Mind mapping: brainstorming different ideas inspired by your background reading and personal interests can lead to ideal research topics. Create a large mind map, whether in a notebook or on a whiteboard, to get all your ideas down on paper. You may be surprised at what unique ideas you come up with.
Speak to mentors: running topics over with your professor or mentor could prove very helpful. They may be able to help you refine your ideas, provide feedback on research questions, and offer useful suggestions to ensure the topic you pick is appropriate.
Here are some of the top 10 research topics and research areas for students. Whether in high school, senior high school, or college, these topics are important and relevant for students today.
You might use these ideas as starting points for your own original research topics and research questions.
Research topics in high school can promote critical thinking , personal growth, and problem-solving skills.
Some of the most relevant research topics for high schoolers revolve around social and political issues, as those are often core topics within the school curriculum. Also, students are often interested in how they can positively impact the world around them, so topics within social change and social issues are particularly relevant.
Bullying and its impacts are an interesting and relevant topic for high school students. Students may want to consider ways to mitigate bullying or explore whether bullying can affect people long-term.
Some specific research questions within the bullying topic are:
What is the evidence that parental support can alleviate the impact of bullying in schools?
What are the effects of bullying and victimization on short-term mental health?
How can we predict adolescents’ bullying participation and understand the participant roles of bullying in different grades?
With social media use prolific in the modern world, students may be particularly interested to learn about how it impacts humans. Students may want to research the effects of different social media types, ways to reduce social media use, or how social media is impacting people around the world.
Some topics within social media could be:
Is there a correlation between social media use and academic performance?
What are the effects of social media use on mental health in people aged 12–18?
How does social media use affect self-esteem in students?
Psychology is a broadly studied topic with many possible avenues for exploration. Whether you’d like to understand how the human brain works, ways to boost mental health, or treatment options in psychology, there are endless options.
Here are some of the top 10 research topics for college students in psychology:
Some specific research questions related to happiness include the following:
What are the factors driving the fear of leaning into happiness in American society?
How can practicing vulnerability reduce stress and boost happiness?
What impact does forest bathing have on overall mood scores?
With 37% of US adults more anxious in 2023 than in 2022, anxiety as a research topic is very relevant.
Below are some example research questions:
How does chronic anxiety impact people’s day-to-day lives?
What is the impact of meditation interventions on anxiety?
Is there data to support physical exercise interventions for anxiety disorders?
Scientific research covers many study fields. From biology and chemistry to physics and biochemistry, science helps researchers discover critical information about humans and our world.
Here are a few potential topics for exploration:
Given the impact of COVID-19, mitigating the risk of a future pandemic is of significant human interest. A student may look at ways to improve pandemic responses, identify future pandemics, boost vaccine adoption, and reduce the spread of misinformation.
Specific research questions include the following:
How can AI help predict future pandemics?
How does animal breeding contribute to zoonotic disease risk?
What are the key ways to identify and control a potential future pandemic before it becomes widespread?
With climate change and the planet’s health a major concern for many scientists, investigations into more environmentally friendly and renewable energy sources are of great social interest.
Here are some research questions about renewable energy to consider:
What is the economic feasibility of widespread renewable energy use across the US?
How could wind, water, and solar energy reduce global emissions?
What are the core factors preventing the widespread use of renewable energy?
Climate change impacts every person on the planet, so it can make an excellent research topic. Particularly for the younger generation, climate change is an interesting and often concerning discussion topic. Gen Z, for example, speaks much more actively about climate change both on and offline.
Some specific research questions within the climate change topic are:
What is the impact of climate change on biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest?
What impact could the use of solar power have in the US in relation to carbon emissions?
How do carbon dioxide emissions affect ocean acidity levels?
Setting out a specific argument and exploring the topic can make for interesting research. Argumentative research topics are typically related to human interest, issues that impact us on a global scale, or challenges that particular social groups face.
With rising interest in equality, researching affirmative action—designed to prevent the impacts of discrimination—is a relevant research topic for high school and college students.
Some specific questions relating to affirmative action could be:
Does affirmative action promote equality in the workplace?
What is the evidence that affirmative action is helpful in university admissions?
How has the affirmative action ban impacted the tech industry?
AI use is expanding rapidly across the globe, so there’s growing interest in its impacts and the need for ethical usage.
Some research questions relating to AI include the following:
Could AI lead to more global conflict?
Can ethical legislation reduce the risk of AI and its implementation?
How many jobs could be impacted by AI in 2025?
Human rights impact everyone on the planet, so it’s a topic that’s of continual interest.
Research in this area could cover human rights in the workplace, privacy rights, gender equality, and much more.
International human rights is a complex yet critical area of global interest. Human rights help protect people’s freedom and safety around the world.
What are ways to reduce human rights violations in conflict zones?
What is the impact of organizations such as Amnesty International on international human rights?
In what ways can governments enforce human rights globally?
With LGBTQI+ issues gaining a brighter spotlight in mainstream media, research into this area can be very beneficial, not just for those impacted by discrimination but for society as a whole.
Here are some potential research questions:
How can gender dysphoria impact transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adolescents’ mental health and quality of life?
What are ways to boost mental health for those who experience discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity?
How could genderless bathrooms increase access and safety for LGBTQI+ people?
The US has a vast and interesting history, which forms part of the curriculum in many high schools and colleges. Different aspects of this history can make relevant fields of research, such as the following:
What factors that led to the abolishment of slavery in the US are relevant in politics today?
How did the Founding Fathers shape the US political system, and what can be learned?
Why did the Louisiana Purchase have such a significant impact on US history?
Maintaining law and order in society is highly complex. Exploring how law enforcement can benefit society as a whole can be a rewarding field of study.
Some possible law enforcement topics include the following:
How can data analysis and intelligence-led policing reduce crime?
What is the role of Crisis Intervention Training in policing?
How can data improve the enforcement of cybersecurity laws?
Business is a broad area of study with many possible directions for research papers. Business drives the economy, providing jobs and industry. It’s the cornerstone of society, so research in this area is always of social interest.
Here are some possible business research topics to consider:
How can data analysis impact consumer purchasing decisions?
What are some of the key dilemmas in ethical business practices?
How can diversity and inclusion be boosted in the workforce?
Whether you choose to focus on microeconomics, macroeconomics, or applied fields, economics research can take you in many directions.
Below are some general economics paper topics:
What are the widespread impacts of the gig economy?
How can investing in female-founded businesses impact economies in developing countries?
How does progressive taxation impact income inequality?
Successful research starts with the right question, regardless of your chosen topic.
Taking time to pose a relevant and clear research question will help you discover new insights, learnings, and evidence.
Research is the very thing that drives human knowledge. Remember, your research might not just impact you but also the world and people around you.
To come up with research ideas, you might find it helpful to do some background reading, consider current social issues, lean into your skills and interests, and speak to a mentor or professor. Brainstorming and mind mapping can also help.
A good research question should be clear, relevant, original, and ethical. You should also have access to the necessary resources to perform the research thoroughly.
The right title for a research topic is clear and relevant to your field of study. Ideally, it’s an original idea and refers to the specific question you’re posing.
Qualitative research involves analyzing people’s attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors.
There are qualitative research topics across almost every field of study, including psychology, education, social sciences, human resources, technology, and healthcare.
For STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students, qualitative research topics could revolve around social impacts and perceptions of science and technology.
Here are some examples:
How the general population views climate change
The potential social impacts of AI
How to use Big Data ethically
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Published by Robert Bruce at August 29th, 2023 , Revised On August 12, 2024
Are you in need of captivating and achievable research topics within the field of biology? Your quest for the best biology topics ends right here as this article furnishes you with 100 distinctive and original concepts for biology research, laying the groundwork for your research endeavor.
Table of Contents
Our proficient researchers have thoughtfully curated these biology research themes, considering the substantial body of literature accessible and the prevailing gaps in research.
Should none of these topics elicit enthusiasm, our specialists are equally capable of proposing tailor-made research ideas in biology, finely tuned to cater to your requirements.
Thus, without further delay, we present our compilation of biology research topics crafted to accommodate students and researchers.
Also read: Cancer research topics
Also read: Education research topics
Also read: Psychology Research Topics
Also read: Nursing research topics
These topics cover a broad range of subjects within biology, offering plenty of options for research projects. Remember that you can further refine these topics based on your specific interests and research goals.
What are some good research topics in biology?
A good research topic in biology will address a specific problem in any of the several areas of biology, such as marine biology, molecular biology, cellular biology, animal biology, or cancer biology.
A topic that enables you to investigate a problem in any area of biology will help you make a meaningful contribution.
How to choose a research topic in biology?
Choosing a research topic in biology is simple.
Follow the steps:
For several years, Research Prospect has been offering students around the globe complimentary research topic suggestions. We aim to assist students in choosing a research topic that is both suitable and feasible for their project, leading to the attainment of their desired grades. Explore how our services, including research proposal writing , dissertation outline creation, and comprehensive thesis writing , can contribute to your college’s success.
The dynamic discipline of computer science is driving innovation and technological progress in a number of areas, including education. Its […]
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Looking for interesting and manageable research topics in education? Your search ends right here because this blog post provides 50 […]
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Published: 2023-01-27
A research proposal is a formal, structured document that outlines the intended research topic, highlights the justification for choosing it as a topic for study, and your methodology which means the practical approach used in the research. It can outline the approaches you intend to employ as well as the specific activities you'll take to carry out your research. It usually offers a thorough examination of the ideas that underpin your hypothesis, which is a prepared response to this question. it can outline the approaches you intend to employ as well as the specific activities you'll take to carry out your research. The reader is frequently introduced to your topic in the research proposal.
The research proposal aims to persuade your research committee, university, or supervisor that your research is appropriate and eligible for grading.
There are seven "fundamental parts" that commonly make up the structure of a research proposal, even though the precise structure and format needed for a dissertation or thesis research proposal vary from university to university.
A research proposal typically follows a specific format and includes several key components. Although, the format may vary slightly depending on the type of research and the specific guidelines of the organization or institution to which it is being submitted.
A research proposal's primary goal is to persuade the reader of the merit of your project. You will need to demonstrate that your project will be successful and that you have a plan for your work. Your reader must be confident that what they are reading is not just another pointless essay but rather an in-depth study that will be crucial to the advancement of science.
It should ideally show both the caliber and significance of your project as well as your capacity to carry out the suggested investigation. Additionally, the proposal allows you the chance to plan out your study, sharpen your focus, and anticipate any difficulties that might develop. It may be helpful to return to your proposal at various stages during the research process to keep track of your project's development and to remind yourself of your emphasis.
Your research proposal must convince the reader that your idea is appropriate and feasible. A conclusion in a research proposal should summarize the main points of the proposal, including the research question, hypothesis, methods, and significance of the study. It should also reiterate the potential contributions of the research and any expected outcomes.
Additionally, it should include any limitations of the study and suggestions for future research. It is important to make sure that the conclusion is consistent with the rest of the proposal, and that it effectively communicates the importance and potential impact of the proposed research.
Therefore, put your efforts into creating a compelling story, and you'll have already won half the battle.
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Check out a few sample grant proposals below. Read ones annotated with reviewer notes (even if the topic is outside your area of interest) to learn what reviewers look for. You can also see also how resubmitted proposals respond to reviewer comments.
Please note that these proposals serve as exemplars for students applying for VPUE Student Grants. They may not be copied, retained, or distributed, and their use is subject to the Stanford Honor Code.
**To view the following samples, Stanford affiliates will be required to login with their SUNET ID. Individuals external to Stanford will not be granted access to these proposals and any requests for access will be automatically declined/deleted. **
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Speaker 1: Hi, my name is Shady Atia. I'm going to present today a presentation on writing a research proposal. This is a very important presentation for postgraduates in order to learn how to write a research proposal. My presentation will go through four main axes. I will present how to write a what is actually a research proposal, how to define your topic, how to organize your research proposal and finally how to write it technically and presented. Well, let's see the first question. What is a research proposal? A research proposal is a statement of intent where you describe your intentions and simply we can describe it into a motivational intention manuscript where you declare your intentions and show your motivations and it's very important in this sense that you define the scope of your topic, the subject enough it has to be specific enough and you have to have a specific aim and objective related to your topic and definitely it would reflect your interest and it should be your own research so therefore you should also explain why is this topic better than other topics and you have to show that this is the first time subject that will be innovative you not previously addressed in a way and that you will carry that responsibility and present it through the research proposal. Well, the next question comes to what are the types of research proposal that we have. Many people get confused about that. We have a research proposal that is mainly under a thesis. A thesis is mainly a manuscript that you write for a master degree and it answers a research question based on existing knowledge. And here we are looking to your capacity to critical think and analyze deep information and process that and presented as new knowledge. While there is another type of manuscript that is called dissertations, the dissertations that are mainly for PhD doctoral degrees and in this sense you have to create a significant new contribution to knowledge and you have to come up with a new solution for a problem or a cure for a certain contextual problem. Well there is a third type of research proposal that you could write for funding grants like the Belgian research institutes or you write it for national research organizations in order to go through a competition process to win a funding to cover research topic okay well these are the three type of proposal that you can write next I will move to the second important question how to define your topic this is a not an easy task because you are most probably not having large experience with doing research and sometimes it's very difficult to do that so in this sense you have to define your topic and the process should start by identifying a general idea or an area of research and then develop it and focus on a certain research question so you have to ask yourself the following question is the topic related to real life because we are looking to applied science we are looking applied research So you have to make sure that this is related to real life. When you answer this question, you have to come to the next question. Is your topic related to societal problem? Is it a real problem in the society that your research is addressing? Is your topic going to be useful and interesting or did someone before answer it? So you must make sure that the topic is useful and interesting. Is your topic focused and specific or is it very broad and large? The more the topic is large and generic, the more it's difficult to come up with something new, it's difficult to process the work. Can your idea fill a gap in research? Do we have a problem or a topic that was not addressed previously by another researcher? So you have also to make sure that your research topic is not a kind of common topic that has been processed by many people. Always you must look for a gap or something that is missing and make sure that your research will cover that area and definitely you should ask yourself will this study generate new knowledge and this is very important because when you generate new knowledge then you have a real contribution and your research is worthy and you should also ask would the benefit from it the architects the engineers the professional in your field is it going to advance the understanding or influence policy this is very important and definitely finally should ask yourself Will this study fill a gap in existing knowledge or resolve current controversies? So these kind of series of questions, you can use them as a kind of checklist, as a starting approach, after defining a general topic you are interested in, and go step by step trying to answer them until you can define and shape your research topic. Well, there are some golden rules you should keep in mind while defining your research topic. You must be passionate about the topic because it should come from you. It should be your interest that you are related. You might ask your supervisor or follow a previously developed idea or concept from your supervisor or your professor. But in the same time, you must have the passion related to this topic. So this is very important. The second Gordon rule is related to the discoveries. Could the topic lead to discoveries? you should not promise to guarantee a discovery, but you should have a kind of estimation this could topic lead to discoveries or not. And you have to make sure that this is catchy topic. It catch the attention. People will be interested in it. It's grabby. It's really related to society. People will really would like to listen to what you are going to present and read it through your manuscripts. And definitely you have to formulate very clearly your objectives and aims so that you are focused in your research and having a very specific topic. And finally, you should select a supervisor, he or she that can help you through this process and has the ability and the skills to guide you through the process. So these are kind of five golden rules I would like to highlight. You must follow them to make sure that you are on the right track. Now, after describing what is a research proposal and how to do it, I would start to talk about the content. The content is very important. Many people don't know how to write a proposal, what should be the order of the information. And here are kind of 10 major elements you should focus on in writing a research proposal. You should cover issues related to the title and the keywords related to your research topic, brief abstract describing your topic, a problem statement, aims and objectives, the significance and importance of your topic and the audience that your research is catering for, the state of the art, the methodologies, your expected results and definitely you should describe the project outline and the impact and the biography of your research. Well let's start with this and and I'm going to describe everyone into detail. Well, when I'm talking about title and keywords, this is very important. Why? Because a title and a keyword is not an easy task. A title in general should be catchy and should be precise. So these are some rules that you should follow to have a good title. It has to be a specific title, accurate, not too long, catchy, and it has to contain the main idea. I should read the title and figure out most probably what is this thesis about or what is this dissertation about. So you have to look at the title in a way and revise it and think about it and most of the time good titles start with an action verb let's say like simulation of comparison of assessment of these are all examples that you can look at and start with them your title. Once you have an action verb it shows already that you are trying to do something to cater or to address a certain problem and most of the time a researcher doing a master thesis or a PhD thesis or even a research for grant proposals he or she should look at these verbs as a starting to identify and formulate their title well once you are done with your title that's not enough you have to define next to the title keywords well you will ask what's the point I just defined the topic and I have a title now why should I use keywords well keywords are very important they should not exceed six to eight words and actually we use terminologies or we will use words that are not in the title in this sense you are helping the search engine to extend the topic so I let me let me give you an example. My topic of my research is called Dynamic Building Kit for Adaptable and Reusable Wall Solutions. That's the title. The title is talking about developing a building kit that could be adaptable, that could be assembled and disassembled for materials or building components that could be reused, okay, and specifically on walls. This is the title and I understand it like that? Well, I can add to that some keywords. These keywords can help me to describe more. I can say that I'm talking about design solutions. I'm talking specifically on post-war housing. I can add a context or a city to describe where I am, Liège in this case. I can add the keyword energy efficiency renovation like that I am extending my title and amending additional words that can help in the understanding of topic and once you do a research with these keywords the topic will pop up in the search engine much much easier so actually this is very important to define your keywords associated with your topic and in this sense they are very complementary well the next step is to move to the abstract well the abstract is one of the things you do at the end so you don't start with an abstract but let me tell you first what is an abstract an abstract simply is a text a piece of text that is not longer than 250 words and it describes simply your topic the research problem the objectives the methodology your results and the audience and the impact of your work so simply the abstract should be read by somebody in less than 3-4 minutes he or she can directly grasp the whole overview of your topic so you summarize the essence of your whole master thesis or PhD thesis in 250 words and therefore it should be really well thought well written and following this structure well let me give you an example here is a topic related to health the topic title is called the effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities and observational population study. As we can see those words are not exceeding 250 words, we have a background statement just two sentences, we have a methodology fully described where it has been done, what is the population, the population size, the sampling and finally we find the findings talking about this observational study results with some statistical analysis and the rates of the study that the rates of the study and finally we have to look at the final two sentences talking about interpretation in this sense this is an abstract it's compact but it's describing the whole study into a systematical approach so this is actually you do when you finish your thesis you write your abstract in order to communicate to people and actually when you publish your work on your abstract will be an open source and then after that when a researcher looking on internet they will be interested by your topic by title by keywords then when they will go through your abstract if they find the topic interesting they find interesting findings and interpretation they come up with the idea of investing in reading the whole manuscript or ordering the master thesis from another library or from another country okay so this is very important to start with after having defining the title and the keyword the third step is mainly related to the problem statement and here we are really starting the real work the serious work related to the research proposal well what is a problem statement you must start in your problem statement to contextualize your problem and you have to be concise you have to define exactly what's the what's the problem and most of the time it's good to link your background problem with authorities. So you start by saying the European Union has this objective, the national government has this objective, the region or the province or the city has these objectives. So you relate your background and the problem with political, governmental or non-governmental the United Nations, the World Health Organization, whatever authority that is stating something related to the topic. Also it's important to quantify this information and quantify the background. So it's advised here to define the problem into numbers, give some statistics, some figures related to the issue and you must also contain an overview of most relevant work. You should also try to cover others work saying in this context of this problem those stakeholders are doing that or doing that or covering this problem or addressing it from an angle or another. It's also important here to describe clearly your hypothesis that you have been done and how you are going to enter to propose the problem. Well, after describing this background and preparing the reader for the topic, you can directly now start to propose the problem and you have to show a really significant problem that is related to a a topic. So you should not make the reader get lost on the opposite. You should start to define a statement clearly and make sure that it's a societal problem in a certain context. Well this is an example. Just remember that at the end of the day a research proposal maybe in a master's thesis or a dissertation you will get funding or sometimes you don't get funding you do it work for free but at the end no one will fund a research proposal or find it reasonable as long as it's not solving a local or global problem. So my advice in writing a research proposal, make sure that your problem definition is by default solving a local or a global problem, trying to solve it in a way or another, linking to reality, linking to statistics, putting some figures, variables, and contextualizing the problem, describing it in a way that is viable, up-to-date, related to our current practice. Once you are done with that, you can start to define your aim and objectives. And you should take into account that an aim is not an objective. An aim is like a bullet. It's very important to define your aim. Once you define a good aim, you are sure that you will do a good research. So, aim well and you should hit your target cleanly. If you don't write a clear aim that is targeting a specific goal, you'll not succeed in doing your research. And simply you have to say what you want to simply and directly want to say. You have to explain what is this research going to do and who will benefit from it. I will give you some examples related to aims, but keep into account it has to be short, it has to be to the point, and it's like a bullet. you don't need to write a lot. It's the shorter the better. Well, what's the definition of an aim? An aim simply provides an answer to a general problem. So, so far we are not talking about the specific problem. This is the objective. In an aim I'm talking about the general problem. And the aim goes along with an adjective. It has to be concise. You should be aware that your grandmother can read the aim and understand it. And you should also keep in mind that it should be related to what's motivating you so this is very important and it should assist on improving the decision lead this is very important some examples of aims you can have a look lowering the dependency or the dependence on fossil fuel increasing the energy efficiency of improving the situation of increasing renovation rate dissemination knowledge sharing information general overall aims related to a serious problem and in this sense you don't need to write it more than one sentence maximum and then you are describing the topic in general in a sense in an aim that a non-technical person can understand it when I say here my aim of my research is to increase energy efficiency in the building sector this is a very broad generic aim anybody can understand and that's the purpose you should have this aim now once you define the aim you cannot be more specific and focus on the objective. But let me tell you what's the objective. The objective is more specific to your study, it's more accurate than the aim, and it's operational. So there is an action in it, you have to do something in it. In the aim, in the objective also it has to correspond to what you will try to produce and generate. So it has to be very precise in description, it has to focus on the central research question, and often contextualize it to a specific climate, context, country, region. Very important and these are some examples for objectives. So here I'm saying my objective to develop a software or a program to calculate turbulent nonlinear equation. Here the objective became very clear. Analyze the reason of low renovation rate identify barriers understand study the impact of assess compare so the objective has to be very clear very precise to the point talking about a specific aspect so in general it should be combined with the aim but let me give you an example with a good description of an aim with an objective well have a a look and read this sentence sorry just have a look I have a aim here the main aim of this research is this to disseminate technological knowledge on adaptive facade at a European level that's the overall aim very general I want to spread or share information related to a specific type of building facades in Europe and do it on a European level so this is a very broad aim and this is very successful one sentence like a bullet now how I'm going to do this aim I need to describe at least three four objectives to do this aim first of all I'm aiming to increase knowledge sharing secondly I'm looking to develop a new knowledge thirdly I'm starting new collaboration so in this sense I am precisely describing how I'm going to achieve this aim through operational tactical objectives. Another example could be interesting here, have a look at that. The project is aiming to improving building energy labeling schemes. So I would like to improve the labeling of buildings, so like you buy any food product you have a label telling what's the ingredients, I want to improve the labeling of buildings. But how I'm going to do that? These are the objectives that I'm going to do. I'm going to review different building labeling. I'm going to review different performance indicators. I will investigate possibilities for developing other labels. I will choose some case studies. I will examine the robustness of labeling schemes. I will evaluate their social acceptance. I will analyze the results. I will create a fair framework. Directly, you can see that we have here at least something around eight objectives serving one aim. So it's very important in your research proposal to keep this structure in your writing. You have an overall overarching aim with a very specific objectives that serves to achieve this aim and they as I told you it has to be operational with adjectives. Also a criteria to make sure that your objectives are well or right good written we call objective smart smart stands for specific measurable attainable realistic and time bound every reviewer reading your research proposal he or she will look at these objectives are the objectives specific are they measurable are they attainable realistic and time bound and this is very important you have to make sure that you have a pointed topic you are covering it you can measure the objective and measure what you are doing you must make sure that you can reach this objectives and that you have a realistic objective it's not a dream you have calculated the time and the effort and you can do it and definitely it should be time bound so you must put it in a frame of a deadline with a certain start and an end date once you make sure sure that your objectives are smart you can pass now and validate your topic and in this sense you can look to the topic and say I have smart objectives and you need some time to do it it's not easy to write it but you need just to take some time brainstorm your topic once you defined well the problem you can then define good the aim and from the aim you can break it down into specific objective. This is how it works. Another final advice for the aim and objective, don't forget to frame it. You need always to frame it. So these are the questions you should ask yourself at the end of writing your aim and objective. So first question, is it worth it answering your research question and the aim? What will benefit, am I going to benefit from it? Is the society, the community, the professional or the scientific community going to benefit from it? Is it specific, your aim and objective? Are they answerable? Can we answer them in this frame of thesis or dissertation? Is the topic original? Is it contribution to knowledge? Did somebody else do it or I'm really doing something new? What about the outcomes? Are they appropriate? Do they think ahead are the expected outcomes really achievable this is very important and finally you should ask yourself is this topic interesting to you there is many students who start a thesis and after a while they say I don't like this problem I don't like this topic they stop this means that you are not certain that you are motivated you are passionate and this topic is for your own personal interest is triggering you so these are some important advices to validate and to make sure that your aims and objectives are well written and this is a very fast example you can have a look for a winning proposal. This is simply an example showing the specific measurable and attainable realistic time-bound objectives. You can see here I have a precise problem. Agriculture is the backbone of Belgium's economy for example and it's central to the government development strategy but although the agricultural sector employs more than 75% of countries workforce and accounts both directly and indirectly for approximately 51% of countries Belgium's gross domestic product little is known about the scale of livestock farming livestock diversity distribution of livestock farms so here I have a problem very specific well described it's contextual there is a background on the national level I find some figures and statistics and the researcher simply wanted to say one thing we don't have information about the livestock farming in this country but instead of writing it directly he put a context he gives some numbers he put some figures he shows the importance of the topic and right after he will or she starts to write the objective. So the objective here is not a aim, he is directly talking about operational specific tasks. A team of eight researchers defining who will do that, eight researchers at the livestock research unit of Agricultural College for example at Liège University will research the types and extent of livestock farming in the country. A comprehensive report will be published and an online database and website will be created the project will be presented in its entirely four years after the start of the project at the sub-saharan agricultural summit in Botswana in November 2016 so you have here a very clear objective operational with steps following up and I can measure it it's specific it's attainable it's realistic it's time bound so this is the way how to write a good research aim and a research objective and this will be the start of your research proposal and just to remind you keep in mind that in the beginning of your search proposal you have to have a catchy and informative title the summary and the abstract leave it for the end you will not do it when you start this is after you finish write your six eight keywords that are not included in your title make sure that you have a good problem statement description with a problem related to contextual societal issues, define an overall aim and go for your operational step-by-step specific objectives. In this way if you keep this slide in mind while developing your first part of your proposal you are on the road to success. Well I'm done with the aims and objectives and I will move to the fifth component or element which is the significance and audience. It's very important in research to define why is this research important and who are the users of this research, who are the end users who should benefit from this study. Am I doing this study for myself, for fun? You should not do that in university. Even though that some people try to do explorational work, you can do it, but you should just succeed in translating your own interest into a common interest. Once you did it, you are on the track. So significance is meant the importance the importance here so you have to make sure and describe in your text what is the added value what is original about this work why is it important even if some people are not finding it important you have to defend the work and present it and write it in a way that is important something you should show that this is something never that was never did before and once you contextualize your topic you succeed to have a significance For example, if I'm talking about renovation using prefabricated units or if I'm talking about prefabricated housing. Once you open or would like to research the topic, you might get some feedback saying, yeah, but prefabricated construction, there is many countries who do it in the United States, in Canada, it's nothing new. But once you contextualize it, you can make it new. If you say studying prefabricated housing in Liège or in Wallonia or in Belgium or in the province X or in the region X or for residential housing or for a specific context, for a specific region. Once you contextualize a topic, you directly make it original. So there is many topics in your society, in our context here at Liège universities. Maybe there is advancement in Finland or in other European countries, but they are not contextualized. So you can also borrow ideas from abroad, from other researchers, and contextualizing and study how to implement them in our context here. Once you do that, your topic becomes significant and important and becomes unique because we don't have answers for that. Also, it's important that it does not mean that the question is new, but never approached like you. even some researchers they select a topic that has been selected or researched by many people before but you can show that how you will do it in a unique way how you will go through personal endeavor that looks differently to process the topic so don't be afraid and saying yeah I when you look at the depository of previous master seasons if you find somebody else before you did the same topic that you are interested in, you should not stop. Take the topic, read it well and see how you can do it different. Once you define this difference and set it as a significant, as added value, you can guarantee that your research topic is significant and important. Also, your topic should lead to added value. At the end of the day, you should add value and make sure that you have important and significance has to take into account of the principal aim. It should be at the end related to your principal aim. Some other questions you could look at. Questions have to be open in general when you describe your topic. Here you can add a list of keywords not included in the title and the motivation is linked to the context. Well, defining the significance is important. Now you defined your problem, your title, your aim, your objective, why is this topic important, how is it significant. Now comes a very important topic people forget about and I think personally you might start by that. The audience. Why are you doing this study? Who is going to benefit from this study? Who you want to reach? Define your target audience very clearly and from the beginning. The easier the target audience is described, the easier you can do your research. Many people forget that it could be politicians your target, your target could be professional community, it could be the research community, it could be managers, it could be whoever, community or stakeholders. But leaving your research proposal without defining the audience, there is no meaning. Because many people do interesting studies, but then they don't contact their audience. If I'm doing a study, for example, about the green area spaces in Liège city, so I want to know how much green area per square meter per citizen is in the city of Liège. And I did a very beautiful analysis and I went through the neighborhoods of Liège and And I then identified through my analysis how much square meter of green spaces are available for the citizens of Liège. If at the end of this study I did not contact the community or the local authority of Liège city or the province and tell them here is my work, how can you benefit from them? If I didn't go and do an interview with them, if I didn't contact them to make sure that the municipality is benefiting from the study, then I failed to connect my research to the audience. So you must always to make sure what's the research and ask yourself, what's the relation between my research topic and the audience? And did I allow the audience to intervene in my study? In this sense, I should have maybe went to the municipality and asked the urbanism sector or unit and tell them, I'm doing a study about Liège. Can you help me with this information? Is this information for you helpful? How can this information, can I modify it to meet a kind of certain requirement from your side? So it's very important to define the audience and not to define it theoretically on paper. No, you have to go engage with those people, contact them before starting your study, during your study, and after your study. You can even invite them to your defense. If you don't do this step, our research will have no impact. It will be just theoretical research hidden in research university without having any impact on society. So therefore, make sure always what is the audience of your research. Get in contact with these people. And as I told, why you have to reach those people? Because you have to consider your motives and why you feel this group should be targeted. You have to know why you want to reach a particular group. And you should provide insight that will help develop effective study. and you should say also why should they be interested in my research this is very important once you define that you can start now your research I'm moving now to the step number six but I would say that this is the first chunk of your research proposal it does not need to be more than one or two pages defining clearly from the title going to the keywords talking about your problem statement and the background defining the aim and objective the significance of your work and finally the audience once you define this one or two pages i can guarantee you that you have a good topic well defined and make sure that you revise it with your supervisor well you are now ready to embark and start your topic more clearly but you have to describe another additional component in your proposal? The state of the art or the literature review. What is the state of the art? Why do we do a research related to state of the art? Why do we review literature for a research proposal? Number one, you have to improve your own understanding. You have to understand, you have to become an expert because now you are talking about a topic, you don't know enough information about it. So you have to understand what has been done before and you have to read literature so number one why we do a literature review to improve the understanding number two you have to build your expertise in the specific domain number three you have to demonstrate knowledge and show that you understand a specific knowledge related to the topic and you have to update the reader with the state of the art because at the end of the of the end of the day the master thesis or the phd you will submit it to a jury or a reader or you will set it online and you would like the community to read it. Once they read it, they must make sure that they are up to date to the latest information related to this topic and therefore we should do a literature review. To do a good literature review, you must guarantee that you have good resources. You should look at major published work, you should look at a narrow specific topic and you should start your review. The review should cover the major concepts, snapshots relationships classifications and extractions so the literature review actually is like an essence you go through different publications different sources and you extract the most important information and you provide me with a snapshot with a pattern image describing what has been done before what are the major publication related to this topic and like that you can put me up-to-date related to the topic. Does one of the criteria that anybody would like a professor will look at a research proposal will ask does the proposal advance the state of the art? Does it introduce innovative approaches? This is very important and the more you go into this a PhD or a grant proposal the more the answer for these questions is very important. If the proposal shows it does it show a good understanding of the major work? Does it identify the gaps of existing knowledge and so on so this is very important and you should also say what is currently available in Liège in Belgium in Europe and worldwide so this is the aim of the literature review to make sure what is done also in the North America what's done in Asia to make sure that I am up-to-date related to this topic well you should also capture the major concept and ideas related to research and finally you should ask yourself how is your research you are doing compared with similar research in other contexts so you should not only describe your research topic and forget that others maybe did the same idea 90% of ideas are not new we are processing others ideas so 90% of ideas are not new So you should keep in mind, put an assumption in your mind, that maybe somebody else, someone, somewhere else, tried to address the same problem. What about looking, exploring, how did those other people do my work? So this is the aim of literature review, to make sure that I cover the literature, I am up to date, I am covering the major concepts and publications that describe the topic, and also similar studies related to my research topic. once you did that you can move to the methodology and the methodology should describe how you are going to do your research in the proposal and this could not should not be a long text it could be a couple of paragraphs or maybe maximum three paragraphs describing how we are going to do your research there is in general different methodologies you can do strategic research you can do applied research you can do experimental research and these are all examples of researchers that you can do if you like to do lab work and monitoring then it's experimental work if you would like to do applied then it's more like simulation case studies system analysis comparison analysis if you are looking to develop concepts model standards prototypes solutions you are more into strategical basic research and definitely if you are looking for developing things beyond applied research, pure basic research, a theory, an equation, a philosophy, then you are looking at basic research. So you should define clearly what is your methodology and these are all examples for different methodologies as you can see and every researcher and every specialization, every group of specialization has its own collection of methodologies they use. People in social sciences, we know that they use a lot interview and they use surveying techniques. This is their methodology they come up with. People working in engineering, for example, they go more for experimentation and so on and so forth. So you must make sure your domain, your expertise, your field of expertise, what are the common methodology. In the field of architecture or buildings in general, we use analysis research, development research, we do a lot of case studies research, evidence-based design, parametric research, optimization, also participatory or action research, operational research, post-occupancy evaluation, lab research, and system analysis research. So just you must be familiar with these types of methodology and describe them in your research proposals and now I will move to another thing which is called a method which means that like in the aims and objective there is an aim and there is an objective here there is something called methodology and method. A method is a small action of research done to achieve a methodology for example I can have a case study as a methodology but in order to achieve this methodology, I have several methods that I can do. I can do some drawings, photography, videotaping, visualization, sketching, mapping, process analysis, technology review, history review. These are all methods that I can use in my research to achieve my methodology. So it's very important in your research proposal that you define in the beginning your research methodological on this level. Is it basic research, is it strategical, is it applied, is it experimental. Then you pick up a methodology and don't hesitate, you can have several methodology in a research. You can combine evidence-based design with case studies, there is no problem at all. But once you define your methodology, you have to pick up a collection of methods. A systematic review is a method, data analysis is a method, GIS or simulation, visualizing, classification and categorization, These are all methods. So your research proposal should address these methods and simply your methodology in general should describe how are you going to approach your work. So as I said you start with a literature review and from the literature review you see what has been done by previous researchers. You have to outline the instrument, fix boundaries of diseases and we should look at different methodology, describe them well, make sure that you have qualitative and quantitative approaches for your methodology, and make sure how you will collect the information, how this information will be robust. I give you a very important example here you should keep into account. When we talk about methodology, one of the big problems we see today in research, the methodology should be replicable, which means that any independent researcher is going to do the same research you have been doing, he or she should be able to repeat the same methodology and come up with the same research. One of the problems we find today in research, very common, that researchers, they do the research without describing it well, without a clear methodology, and as a consequence, the results are fake, because they didn't have a methodology. And once you describe your methodology, keep into account that it should be replicable and repeatable by others. So this is very important. And how to present a methodology, this is how to do it. You have to come up with a study design. A study design is simply a specific plan or a protocol for conducting the study. and it allows you to investigate and translate the conceptual hypothesis into operational research. So actually in this section of methodology I should see this overview design. I'm saying that my methodology is based on quantitative and qualitative research methods. I have here case studies and so on and so forth and I here have my own other quantitative approaches and you draw it into a sort of diagram and this is another representation I have descriptive analysis I have analytical here I'm going to do a survey here I'm going to do experiment here I'm going to do a cross-sectional analysis once you think about your methodology and represented in a graph like that and describe it into a couple of paragraphs you are done with the methodology it's accessible and I have a very interesting document you can ask me for it it describes the different research methodologies in architecture. So you can go from theoretical research, interpretative research, experimental, survey, simulation, qualitative, even action research, and for each of these methodologies there are different ontological assumptions, epistemological assumptions also, methodologies, how you validate, how you have examples for each of those so this is very important very helpful you might use it and I would like to ask you to start your methodology by sketching drawing thinking about picking up some methods making sure how you will address it you have to define your method your sample your case studies what are the target users are you going to use equipment analysis this is very important and you can draw a study design scheme for that and the study design scheme like I showed you based on this analysis using this Excel or this table I provided previously. Make sure that you draw a study design scheme and integrate it in your proposal, discuss it with your supervisor, explain why it is the most appropriate to effectively answer your research question and you have also to explain what alternatives have been considered when and why these have been disregarded. So these are the golden rules for the methodology. Don't forget you have to come up with a study design scheme, describe your methodology on the level of what is the strategical level of your research, what is the methodologies you are using, what are the methods and summarize it into a scheme and present it and describe it. Well now I would like to move to the expected results even in a research proposal before doing your research you should describe your expected results this is very important and how are you going to do that it's mainly based on your literature review if you are going to read some major publication related to your topic you can be able to expect what will be the results of your work you may fragment you may grab fragments from other studies but you can predict possible outcomes and that's all what you are expected to report in this sense. You have to be based on the literature review, linked to the aims and objectives, explain what you will be producing, something concrete, evidence-based with numbers, you have to define how is it going to be usable, is it some rules of thumb, is it findings, is it guidelines, is it advice, is it a strategy, what it is and for example you can say I'm going to come up with a prototype, with a design concept, with a solution. These are all important to define in the expected results. So it's not here meant that you will say exactly what will come out from the study but you will define what parameters, what outcomes you are looking at and these are examples of outcomes you must keep into account that you answer this question very important in your research proposal because if you are just putting facts they are called data if you are classifying them they can become information they will become only knowledge if you are adding an analysis and interpretation kind of working the information into a useful information and once you have knowledge you can help in decisions and actually that's the cycle of knowledge so your thesis is mainly looking to collect the data and information and process them to generate knowledge so that this knowledge can help the community and the decision makers to take decision and become more informed, more knowledgeable. Well, what could be examples of outcomes? This is a series of outcomes. It could be a product, rules of thumb, guidelines, a manual, a website, an application, even an app. Don't hesitate to develop an app for your master's thesis. This could be interesting, a map, a tool, a website, a program, a book, an infographic, a cartographic guide, equation, model, benchmark, simulation, a checklist, sometimes some students come up with their master outcome, a checklist, a policy, a strategy, a theory. You must be sure that you come up with a concrete outcome that you will present at the end of your thesis and you link this outcome to the audience as described previously. So this is very important and to validate that you have good expected result describe how the work will be validated. You must make sure that your outcomes and what you are going to present will be compared with results published and other works. Are you going to use a user group or a case study to test this outcome because it's not enough to tell me I will come up with a map or a tool and then it was not used by anyone or it was not tested by anyone. Make sure that you have a validation process and in the validation process you have some groups or users who make sure that your outcome that you use was developed for them in a useful way and you should look for internal and external validity of your result. If this research is repeated by someone else, would they get the same results you did or not? Is your work accurate enough? Do you have a systematic approach? Can the result be generalized in another similar context? These are interesting discussion questions that you can use to develop your final conclusion later in the thesis, but also you could address them in your proposal writing to make sure that you are not only looking to produce an information and through it without making sure that it works that it function that will have an effect and impact well by that I am approaching almost the end now you are described you have described those major topics from the keywords until the research results and outcomes now it's time to talk about outline and talk in the language of professional language professional language this is not a research topic this is more related to professionalism and any institution should talk about it. Once you go through any professional document you must develop an organizational chart. Organizational chart it's a chart that tells me what are the parts and the component of your research or your research thesis. In this sense you should have a description of your chapters maybe you can put your chapters you can put the topics you are talking about and it should represent your work and it should predict the possible progress of your work. So here I'm drawing all the component of my research in one diagram. In French we call it Organigramme, in English it's called the organizational chart and any research proposal must include an organizational chart to describe the components of the work and the main work packages that you will do and in every work packages I have associated activities. This is very important to clarify the topic. I have many master students, they come up at the end of their master thesis and they are not able even to write a structure or a table of content of their own thesis. Why? Because they didn't do an organizational chart. Once you do it early enough, you know that you will start with an introduction chapter, you will have something about a methodology, what are your case studies, your results, what would be the validation part, what would be your conclusion part, the discussion. So therefore it's very important it's also important to be added you can add it in the annex of your research proposal don't hesitate to do that and you should do use it also to discuss with your supervisor in the beginning how are you going to proceed with your master's thesis or your PhD dissertation very important to include it another important organizational chart related to the professional work the Gantt chart. Any master student graduating from Liège University he or she must know what is a Gantt chart because without that you are not going to be able to process tasks on long term. A Gantt chart is a professional diagram it is a methodology used to define milestones and work packages and activities and in this sense you describe your work in sufficient details and you set up deliverables, steps, deadlines. Very important. More detail than the organizational chart. So if you look at the organization chart, it's mainly chunky. It's looking at big scale component of your research. While here you are going more into detail and it's very important to be also placed in the annex of your research proposal. As you can see, here's a list of activities. Here is the master thesis. It takes an average in Liège four months I can define every month in two weeks and define with these dark bars when I'm going to do the literature review, the interviews, the case study analysis, the simulation work, when I'm going to start to write my thesis. Very important to do that as early as possible to make sure that you go psychologically through the process of your thesis writing. Because if you leave everything till the end you will be improvising and improvising you can never become professional with improvisation as long you have a lot of time and in fact you don't have time you must try your thesis to graduate so this is the best way to do it as early as possible and try to explore previous master's thesis of older students who graduated and see how they did it to make sure that what could be the tasks and activities that you must come up and how much time they will take Some people would say, I will do a literature review in two months. In reality, it might need three months. Maybe it will need eight weeks. You never know. Six weeks. You never know. So it's very important to have this translation into deliverable steps and time. And it's very important once you finish this, that you have a section in your research proposal called project outline. The project outline. You link it to the organizational chart and you link it to your Gantt chart and your proposal must describe where are you going to start. You say when are you going to start, what steps are you going to do and where are you heading to, where will you get to, how you will get there. Very important. If you don't do this in the project outline, the certainty that you will do successful work is very weak. So make sure that you have defined the step of your research, you say where are you starting, describe what's the problem, the literature view where are you heading and make sure that you will describe that accurately and what are the final aim to go for well the last step that you should look at before leaving that I have just forgot to say that you should describe every milestone into activity description and evidence of progress the last thing you should look at is the impact and biography this This is the last part of your proposal and the last element that you should address in your proposal. And first I will start with the impact. It's very important to identify, does the proposal clarify clearly how it is relevant and realistic on the short-term and long-term. By definition, impact is the effect or influence on short-term to long-term scientific, technological or socio-economical changes produced by a research, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended. And you should ask yourself, are the impacts identified by the proposal relevant to the society at large? Can the impact be listed and realistically achieved? And let me give some examples. The impact should be able to be explained. is different from the objective and it's the only way to do an impact is to publish your work because if I'm going to spend maybe six months of my life on a manuscript for a thesis or maybe four years for my PhD work if this document is going to be in the depository of the library of Liège University no one on earth will access it even it's not on Google so forget about it the only way make sure that your work has an impact and other researchers and other professionals and the society in large is going to access it, read it, benefit from it is to publish the work and study or look at the impact of your work. Here is an example of a work I will read you I will read you this very fast energy certification labels increases the awareness of energy consumption and enables consumers to compare buildings therefore providing builders with an incentive to improve energy efficiency in buildings? Improving energy efficiency in buildings is one of the most cost-effective ways across all sectors to reduce energy consumption and hence green gas house emissions. Energy efficiency is the most cost-effective method to improve energy security. From the household perspective, energy efficiency seems to be profitable. you are telling how energy efficiency or the labels are you how is this impact of this topic energy efficient lighting and appliances can save about 465 euro per year per household in energy bills much more savings can be easily insured when the whole building is energy efficient the energy efficiency of buildings can only be guaranteed by creditable building energy label so here you are describing what is the impact of your research you are saying that while studying the labeling of buildings already I can promise to have a cost-effective savings and I can guarantee a security and independence from fossil fuels and you try to quantify it with some example saying that for example a building that has energy label a for example can save up to 465 euro per year so we give an example so this is a very important aspect that you should include what would be the impact of your study and this is difficult you have to brainstorm you have to think if I come up with my research and I publish it could it be useful examples for dissemination activities also to spread dissemination means spreading your research findings is there a clear or attainable plan for dissemination for results this is a question. Is the dissemination plan targeted, clear and attainable? Is it relevant and you have a clear exploitation of the results? These are all important topics and you can disseminate your work by publishing it, by having internal seminars, regular reporting, publication, conferences, exhibition or reaching out communicating with the community. If you go to an NGO and tell them I would like to present my master's thesis to you, I would like to share with you my document. These are all important activities you must guarantee to make sure that you are disseminating your knowledge. In a PhD it's very important to do a lot of effort to disseminate the information. In a master thesis it would be enough to publish in a conference or publish in a journal, your results, and this is the only way to validate and make sure that your information now is available to the public, it's accessible, and it could be shared and become beneficial to the society. Last part is the biography. In your research proposal, you should include a bibliographical sector. You should have references cited in a specific format. In my lab, I prefer the APA standard, and I have a presentation on that. But you should make sure that many reviewers, they go at the end of your research proposal and read the biography. And based on the quality of biography they find, they start to say this is a good research or not. This means that the more you are describing the key publication-related topic, it means that you did your homework, you read, and you should pay attention how you write it, because there are rules in citation. You should write, for example, the family name, and then the year, and then the title, and then the city, and so on. There are different styles. Make sure that you are using the right style. You just ask your supervisor for that. You can show your motivation on the subject also based on that. Use a reference management system. There are many softwares. Previously, there was a software called EndNote. Today, the most commonly used is Zotero, and I advise you to use Zotero. Well, I'm going to the end. This is it. This is the research proposal. It sounds maybe dense, very informative, but keep in mind that a research proposal does not need to be more than five, six pages. Sometimes the research proposal, a large European project, can be something like 25 pages. I'm talking about funding of millions. So in your case, all you need to have five pages, six pages, describing and covering these issues and just start to write and go through it I give you some golden final tips structure your text make sure you have headings address every topic into a heading structure section and write under it write short sentences this is a very important thing many I figured out that in the French speaking word many students seems to write long sentences chop your sentence keep it short and follow your ideas and don't make it complex just write you can write down first in a sketch what ideas you want to communicate and start to make them short sentences in a row use bullets bullets are very important because readers get bored when they find a full block of text try to make bullets to highlight important topics provide images charts i already told you that you need a gun chart an organizational chart a study research design for the methodology try as maximum to have a kind of visual component don't make it exceed 30 40 percent of the proposal so that the proposal is readable and accessible and the keys are access to success are important that you should assure that all relevant chapters of the proposal have been addressed accurately the ten themes that I described are addressed in detail be brief and concise as possible you should support your information with empirical and proof try to have always statistics numbers references to cite your work right don't hesitate don't leave it till the end if you have time write a part of the proposal later on write another part so just keep writing it's very easy it's not a difficult thing it's just that you have to get used to answer these kind of questions and do it and improvise it ask for peers you can send it to colleagues to a teaching assistant to your supervisor don't hesitate to do that to review the proposal and improve it you can make draft 1 draft 2 until you are satisfied and willing to submit it you can get expert help you can talk to the audience people you can talk to somebody who knows about the problem go consult a professor or any person who is professional you should be well organized synthesized and don't forget that we are looking for a master student a master student who has a critical appraisal who can criticize who can build up a case with new information and this is very important by describing any controversies that you find in the objectives include the evidence as possible whether it's against or with your proposition these are the key rules of success I would like to go back just to remind you that this is very important to respect this structure cover it go step by step until you have a good proposal one thing I can promise you if you developed and invested as much as possible time in writing your research proposal your master thesis process will go as smooth as possible because you thought ahead about what you are going to do so instead of going reactive and just reacting on everyday crisis the simulation is not working the interviews is not doing you have here something that protects you it makes you more certain stable and you see what are you going to do and already you are certain that you can achieve the goal easier so this is very important I would like to thank you for your presentation here are my reference and those don't hesitate to contact me I'm looking forward for your proposals thank you very much
Projects selected for db-serc course transformation awards.
The Discipline-Based Science Education Research Center (dB-SERC) has awarded 12 Course Transformation Awards to faculty in natural sciences.
Since 2014, dB-SERC has supported natural sciences faculty members in developing projects to transform the way classes are taught by adopting evidence-based teaching practice to improve student learning outcomes.
Award recipients receive funds for equipment, student support or summer salary for faculty. Two mentor-mentee awards also were given out to support classroom innovation projects conducted by students and faculty working together.
Young Ahn, Department of Biological Sciences: Designing a high-structure course combining frequent low-stakes assessments with inclusive teaching for a large-enrollment introductory biology class
This proposal aims to test the “heads and hearts” hypothesis which suggests that both students’ cognitive (heads) and affective (hearts) learning experiences must be purposefully constructed in classroom environments. This project will investigate whether a course structure that combines frequent low-stakes assessments (heads) and inclusive teaching (hearts) can improve student performance and reduce achievement gaps in a large-enrollment introductory biology course thereby promoting retention in STEM.
Anusha Balangoda, Department of Geology and Environmental Science : Use of a Collaborative Online Reading Platform for Pre-class Reading Assignments in a Large Enrollment First-Year Undergraduate Class
The proposed work seeks funding to implement pre-class reading assignments through a social annotation platform allowing active reading on assigned course materials outside the class. A free social platform, Perusall, provides an interactive experience for students to engage with peers asynchronously and facilitates a space to teach and learn from peers. This collaborative social platform allows students to work on assignments outside the classroom to promote productive discussions and produce high-quality peer interactions.
Seth Childers, Department of Chemistry: Development of Interdisciplinary Courses for a New Chemical Biology Major
In the Department of Chemistry, the PI is proposing a chemical biology major, including two new lecture courses and one laboratory course, proposed to launch in Fall 2025 or 2026. This timeline allows them to craft a curriculum while deploying evidence-based learning practices to enhance job readiness. Based on student surveys, the program aims to accommodate approximately 48 majors annually and engage non-majors as a desirable scientific elective campus wide.
Russell Clark and Aidan Payton, Department of Physics & Astronomy: Gender Equity in Introductory Physics Lab Group Roles
This is a continuation of a dB-SERC award from 2020 (Development of Teacher Guides and Rubrics for Introductory Physics Labs). The original plan for that award was to develop better rubrics and other materials to help the TA graders provide more valuable feedback to the students. However, the University was forced into quarantine midway through the first semester of the project, and so the character of it changed. They know from a previous study that student groups tend to have gender bias in which men tend to work with the experimental apparatus and women are relegated to secretarial roles (recording data, writing the report, etc.). They attempted to mitigate this by asking the students to cycle through the roles week to week so that each student would get to participate in each role multiple times.
Erika Fanselow, Department of Neuroscience: Incorporating digital and physical 3D brain models into interactive online and in-class activities to enhance student engagement and mastery in neuroanatomy courses
The goal of this course transformation is to develop interactive, online and in-class exercises that incorporate digital and printed 3D models of nervous system structures. These 3D model-based exercises and in-class activities are intended to enhance students’ visualization and conceptualization of neuroanatomical structures. The rationale for this course transformation proposal is based on the fact that neuroanatomy students are commonly overwhelmed by the complexity of the nervous system, resulting in a condition Jozefowicz (1994) referred to as “neurophobia,” which he concluded actually keeps students from choosing fields such as neurology.
Sean Garrett-Roe, Department of Chemistry: Activity redesign and mindset intervention based on growth-oriented testing in Chem-0110 General Chemistry I
“Grading for Growth” is a movement to encourage students to embrace deeper intellectual engagement with their studies by revolutionizing the way that their learning is assessed. Student-focused active learning pedagogies, such as Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), are well-established; student-focused assessments, on the other hand, are a new frontier. The PIs have formulated, implemented and assessed a student-focused assessment system that they call “Growth-Oriented Testing.” As successful as the system has been, the assessment results have illuminated ways in which their in-class materials have not optimally supported students, and the student opinion surveys suggest ways in which they have not optimally framed the learning process. As a result, students may not get the full benefits of the learning environment. A long-range goal of their teaching is to help students embrace a life of growth and learning; they want the students to learn both Chemistry and the metacognitive and metaemotional skills they need to succeed beyond the Chemistry classroom.
Sean Gess, Department of Biological Sciences: Supporting richer class-wide discussion and promoting the use of scientific argumentation in Foundations of Biology laboratory courses
This project focuses on class-wide discussion in a guided, authentic research lab. In this course students engage in science education by performing authentic research science to address active research questions being investigated within the department. The course is designed to mimic the research process, including discussions of data to try and understand it better. These discussion-based activities often struggle to support the learning objectives due to low participation from students or students not really listening and engaging with others during the discussions. To improve these discussions, they have previously introduced an explicit framing to attempt to help students understand the norms around this activity, normalize it as a professional practice, and encourage engagement and participation. This approach to science learning has shown gains in critical thinking skills and supports epistemic learning of STEM content.
Burhan Gharaibeh, Natasha Baker and Bridget Deasy, Department of Biological Sciences: Enhancing student engagement in anatomy and physiology courses through regenerative medicine primary science literature
Students of anatomy and physiology in different majors often report difficulty in these courses due to the need for memorizing lists of structures and comprehending complex physiological processes. They have preliminary data demonstrating that adding discussions of current, clinically relevant therapies and biotechnology articles related to regenerative medicine studies were effective in enhancing the biology student’s engagement during anatomy lectures. More importantly, the addition of these discussions to the curriculum appeared to improve exam grades.
Melanie Good and Eric Swanson, Department of Physics & Astronomy: The Use of Comprehensive PACE (Pseudoscience and Conspiracy-theory Education) in Physics and Society
Phys0087: Physics and Society was a course developed by Eric Swanson to help students examine the conceptual foundations of modern science with the goal of understanding how science affects our daily lives and our impact on the environment. At the intersection of science and society lies the issue of popular belief in the claims of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. These beliefs are fairly common and often can be difficult to dislodge with education in science alone. However, past work has shown that explicit instruction on topics related to pseudoscience and conspiracy theory beliefs may be effective in reducing endorsement of these beliefs. The PIs have seen this among their own students, based on pilot data and data from a previous dB-SERC Course Transformation Award. The success of their earlier work has captured the attention not only of our university media, but also the Lilienfeld Alliance, a group of higher education professionals across the nation that is committed to promoting critical thinking skills in the face of the claims of pseudoscience, who invited them to join their cause. With the momentum they have built, they are inspired to more comprehensively overhaul Phys0087: Physics and Society to expand upon their original transformation. Their new proposed course transformation would extend the pseudoscience module into a comprehensive PACE (Pseudoscience and Conspiracy-theory Education) curriculum in Phys0087–Physics and Society during the 2024-2025 school year.
Edison Hauptman and Jeffrey Wheeler, Department of Mathematics: Contract Grading in Calculus 2
In summer 2024, Edison Hauptman’s section of Analytic Geometry & Calculus 2 (Math 0230) was taught with a different set of assignments and grading structure. The grading structure for the class resembled a contract between the instructor and their students: the instructor provided many different assignments, and for a student to earn a desired grade, they had to score enough points on various assignments of their choice to reach that grade’s point threshold. This course structure can have many variations and is called a “grading contract.” Compared to the current (default) course structure for Calculus courses at the University of Pittsburgh, a grading contract is a more equitable way to evaluate a diverse set of students, allows the instructor to be more accommodating to students without sacrificing the course’s rigor, and encourages more student buy-in. This project develops and evaluates a set of assignments offered to students in Hauptman’s Summer 2024 12-week section of Math 0230 and focuses on mathematical skills emphasized in each assignment.
Zuzana Swigonova, Department of Biological Sciences: Combining computer visualizations with 3D printed models to engage students in active study of molecular structure and function
All biological processes in a living system depend on proper functioning of molecules. Understanding the principles of molecular structure, the three-dimensional spatial arrangements of atoms and functional groups that allow for intra- and intermolecular interactions, is crucial for grasping the fundamentals of structure-function relationships. Despite the many benefits of physical 3D models, printing intricate biological molecules has several limitations, such as low level of atomic detail in complex structures, depiction of a single static molecular representation, and labor-intensive post-printing processing. Computer visualization allows for the development of abundant resources that complement physical models with no added material cost. They propose to develop teaching resources using computer visualization to supplement the physical 3D models.
Margaret Vines, Department of Chemistry: Learning to learn chemistry
The purpose of this project is to help students learn. Most students come to college with the desire to learn. They want to be successful and learn the material presented to them in their classes. Unfortunately, many of them engage in activities that do not help with their learning. The PI’s goal is to help students begin to learn how to learn. They will do this as part of their regular lecture and recitation in general Chemistry. They will educate them about learning techniques and explain why they will aid in their learning. They will then demonstrate these techniques in class, and the students will be given opportunities to use these techniques inside and outside the lecture and recitation. Finally, they will encourage their students to develop those techniques for use in their other classes.
Mentor: Anusha Balangoda / Mentee: Beth Ann Eberle. Department of Geology and Environmental Science: Use of Cooperative Learning Approach in Recitations to Untangle Pressing Environmental Issues in Introductory Environmental Science Class
Cooperative learning is a student-centered active learning strategy in which a small group of students is responsible for their own success and that of their team by holding themselves accountable for the process and outcomes of the activities. In this project, they propose to use a cooperative learning strategy in the GEOL 0840 Introductory Environmental Science course, which is a large enrollment three-credit class, and both lectures and recitations are required.
Mentor: Ben Rottman / Mentee: Rebecca McGregor. Department of Psychology; Learning Research and Development Center: Using a Consulting Model and Project-Based Learning to Teach Psychology Research Methods
In the field of psychology, research methods form the foundation of students’ knowledge during the remainder of their undergraduate degree and beyond. Students in PSY 0036: Research Methods Lecture at the University of Pittsburgh have three course objectives: learn how to read, interpret and discuss research design and conclusions, learn how to critique research, and learn how to design valid research. There are currently few opportunities for students to apply this knowledge to real-world experiences, as this is an introductory course in which students have not yet developed the skills to analyze and interpret their own data. Thus, this course design through the dB-SERC would provide a semester-long collaborative assignment in which students would develop a project proposal to investigate a real-world research problem for a fictional client.
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Find inspiration for your research proposal with this comprehensive list of topics organized by category. Learn how to select a topic, conduct a literature review, formulate research questions, and more.
The problem, though, is what research proposal topic to pick, as there are so many to choose from, with : Fields like AI are getting more and more popular among students, with the AI market set to grow to $310 billion by 2026. Politics is another dynamic area, with ongoing shifts in global power structures, international relations, and policy ...
These are 20 potential topics for your research in the music industry: The effect of music on a human brain. The evolution of rap music. TikTok as the most efficient promotional channel for new music. The origin of music theory. The music industry and information technology.
A research proposal is a common task for students of different levels and areas of study. Although it is relatively straightforward, it still can be hard to start and choose an engaging topic. In this article, you will find 255 strong suggestions on crime & law, business, finance, politics, sociology, and other subjects.
113 Great Research Paper Topics. One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily ...
A strong research topic comprises three important qualities: originality, value and feasibility.. Originality - a good topic explores an original area or takes a novel angle on an existing area of study.; Value - a strong research topic provides value and makes a contribution, either academically or practically.; Feasibility - a good research topic needs to be practical and manageable ...
Persuasive Research Proposal Topics by Field. We'll break this down into different academic fields to help you find something that fits your area of study. Remember, these are just starting points - feel free to tweak or combine ideas to create something uniquely yours! 1. Environmental Science and Sustainability.
301+ Research Topic Examples For Students [Updated 2024] General / By StatAnalytica / 12th January 2024. Embarking on a research journey is a crucial aspect of academic growth for students. Selecting the right research topic is like choosing the key that unlocks the door to a world of academic exploration and discovery.
The journey of academic research is both exhilarating and daunting, especially for college students embarking on their first major research proposal. Choosing a topic that is innovative, engaging, and contributes to the existing body of knowledge is a critical step in this journey.
Learn how to write a research proposal for your academic project, with tips on structure, format, and content. Find examples and templates for different types of proposals and fields of study.
A research proposal is a formal, structured document created to sell or convince committee members of your research idea. It should show what you intend to do, why your research is essential to your field, and how you intend to proceed with your research. Many students struggle with choosing their education research topics when the time comes.
Here is a list of great research proposals topics ️ in business, science, technology, and more. Search for: Search form clear. Search. Writing Tools. AI Checker Essay ChatGPT Essay Writer Research Paper Generator Essay Rewriter ... 335 Unique Essay Topics for College Students [2024 Update]
The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students. Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels ...
Gamification in Education: Engagement and Learning Outcomes. Mobile Learning Apps and Student Performance. The Impact of Social Media on Learning and Socialization. Technology Integration in Low-Resource Classrooms. Online vs. Traditional Education: A Comparative Study. The Use of Big Data in Educational Assessment.
414 Proposal Essay Topics for Projects, Research, & Proposal Arguments. Writing a proposal essay is an essential skill for students navigating academia and beyond. Whether you are advocating for change, proposing a solution to a problem, or presenting a new idea, your writing should be clear, convincing, and creative.
The list provides 1000+ topic ideas across 25 research areas, including: Accounting & finance. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Biotech and genetic engineering. Blockchain and crypto. Business, management and leadership. Communication. Cybersecurity.
Introduces your topic. States your problem statement and the questions your research aims to answer. Provides context for your research. In a research proposal, an introduction can be a few paragraphs long. It should be concise, but don't feel like you need to cram all of your information into one paragraph.
Qualitative Research Topics In Psychology. Social media and its influence on self-esteem in adolescents. Coping mechanisms for stress among college students. Gender differences in coping with anxiety disorders. The impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships. Cultural variations in perceptions of mental health.
Here are some of the top 10 research topics and research areas for students. Whether in high school, senior high school, or college, these topics are important and relevant for students today. You might use these ideas as starting points for your own original research topics and research questions. 1. High school research paper topic ideas
Research Topics in Biology for Undergraduates. 41. Investigating the effects of pollutants on local plant species. Microbial diversity and ecosystem functioning in a specific habitat. Understanding the genetics of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Impact of urbanization on bird populations and biodiversity. Investigating the role of pheromones ...
College Rankings Career Resources ... For instance, in the field of market research, the top topics that won the most study grants in 2018 were market measurement (21%), media audience/research (12%), usage and attitude studies (12%), and CRM systems (8%) (ESOMAR, 2019). ... If you are looking for a research proposal example for students, here ...
Here are 50+ Examples of Research Proposal for College Students; Research Proposal: Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Research Proposal of Globalization (Doc) Marketing research Proposal Sample PDF. Logistic and Supply Chain Research Proposal. Business research proposal PDF.
Sample Project Proposals. Check out a few sample grant proposals below. Read ones annotated with reviewer notes (even if the topic is outside your area of interest) to learn what reviewers look for. You can also see also how resubmitted proposals respond to reviewer comments. Please note that these proposals serve as exemplars for students ...
Well, I'm going to the end. This is it. This is the research proposal. It sounds maybe dense, very informative, but keep in mind that a research proposal does not need to be more than five, six pages. Sometimes the research proposal, a large European project, can be something like 25 pages. I'm talking about funding of millions.
The Discipline-Based Science Education Research Center (dB-SERC) has awarded 12 Course Transformation Awards to faculty in natural sciences. Since 2014, dB-SERC has supported natural sciences faculty members in developing projects to transform the way classes are taught by adopting evidence-based teaching practice to improve student learning outcomes. Award recipients receive funds for ...