There are many common difficulties that students face when proposing future research. These difficulties can make a big impact, from having your proposal rejected by your supervisor, to extreme difficulties down the line when you are in the midst of conducting your research. In this article, you will find out the main difficulties faced when proposing future research and how to circumvent these common problems so your proposal is smooth.
Right Topic
Many bright and able students have their proposal rejected due to not choosing an appropriate topic. A good exercise for you is to look at PhD papers in general. One common theme amongst them is the fact that they are on very specific topics.
It is very rare to see a PhD level paper encompass a large umbrella of topics. As such, you focus should be very narrow when deciding which topic to choose for your research. If you need some inspiration then check out some recent papers published related to your subject area. You should be looking for a niche within a field that offers a new perspective.
Methodology
Just like your topic, you should also choose the correct methodology for carrying out your proposed research. Choosing the wrong methodology will mean that your proposal is rejected, even if you have a very good topic in mind.
When choosing a methodology, it is a good idea to keep many things in mine such as:
There can be significant challenges within different methodologies that many students often face. For example, it can be tough to find the right participants for your study. For this, it is a good idea to make good use of social media to find the participants you are looking for.
Research Material
A large part of research will build upon existing research. This means that you need to acquire good research material to read up on for your proposal. One of the best ways to do this is through looking at academic journals related to your subject area.
The journals will have a large archive of all the publications relating to your research. Making use of your university’s library is also a good idea, as they will have many important textbooks for you to read up on.
There are many difficulties in preparing a high quality research proposal to present to your supervisor. However, with these tips, you should have little problem in attaining approval for your research proposal.