Research guide
How to Write a PhD Proposal
A PhD proposal should make the problem, originality, literature position, methodology, feasibility and research plan explicit.
Key points
- State the research problem and why it matters.
- Show what the literature already explains and where the proposed study sits.
- Formulate focused research questions or objectives.
- Explain and justify the design, data, sampling and analysis.
- Address feasibility, ethics, access and timeline.
- Make the expected contribution clear without overstating what is not yet known.
This guide is educational and general. University requirements, disciplinary conventions and supervisor instructions take precedence.