Research Proposal Outline Generator

Standard research proposal sections include: (1) Title and abstract, (2) Introduction/background establishing context and significance, (3) Literature review demonstrating knowledge gaps, (4) Research questions or hypotheses, (5) Theoretical framework guiding the study, (6) Methodology detailing design, sample, procedures, and analysis, (7) Timeline with milestones, (8) Budget and resources needed, (9) Expected outcomes and significance, (10) References, (11) Appendices (instruments, IRB materials). Exact structure varies by discipline, institution, and funder. Dissertation proposals often require more detail than grant proposals. Always follow specific guidelines provided by your institution or funder.

Length varies widely by purpose and audience. Dissertation/thesis proposals: 15-30 pages. Federal grant proposals (NIH, NSF): 6-15 pages for research strategy. Foundation grants: 3-10 pages. Internal/pilot grants: 2-5 pages. Qualitative proposals often need more space to explain methodology than quantitative proposals. Always adhere to specified page limits - exceeding limits often results in automatic rejection. If no limit specified, aim for comprehensive but concise coverage. Quality matters more than length - write as much as needed to make a compelling case, no more.

Iterate between them. Start with tentative research questions to guide literature searching. As you review literature, refine questions to address genuine gaps. The literature review should build logical argument leading to your research questions - readers should think "these questions naturally follow from this literature." Final research questions come from the literature, but initial questions guide which literature to review. This back-and-forth process ensures your questions are both personally interesting and scientifically important. Well-integrated proposals show clear connections between literature gaps and proposed research.