如何写开题报告01 Guide to Writing a research proposal.docVIP

Guide to writing a research proposal A formal proposal is required for admission to a research degree. It is one means by which university committees assess and approve your research candidature. The process of developing the proposal can be a valuable exercise, one which can help you determine your focus, clarify what is involved in your research project and plan its development. A developed proposal is an important way in which you can demonstrate your understanding of research and communicate your ‘research thinking’ to others. These guidelines are provided to help you draw out your ideas. They state the requirements of a sound proposal. 1 Topic and problematic The research topic formulates a problem that is worthy of research. The topic should: be stated clearly and succinctly in one or two sentences. be determined after consultation with potential supervisors. The topic is usually framed as a ‘problem’ or question in need of an answer. The topic statement will invite your reader to ask why it is significant and ‘worth doing’. A good research proposal identifies in the research topic a ‘problematic’ to be investigated. Needless to say, your statement of this will result from discussion of your area of interest with potential supervisors, mentors and others. Framing the question is not always easy, and you need to ask yourself whether your proposed ‘problem’ or ‘research question’ is really the question to be asked and answered. The framing of the problematic is crucial in setting up the research, though it is a common for researchers to revise and reformulate this as the research progresses. An important issue is how you theorise or conceptualise the topic—what needs to come through is your understanding of the problematic you are exploring. 2 Background and context Your research topic needs to be located in its context and background. In sketching this background, you need to show how and why does the topic come to be important and why is it worth researchi