Research proposal template

Education & NSFAS

Use this editable Word template to prepare a university or college research proposal. It is for students planning a study and seeking a clear structure. The document includes sections for the problem, questions, literature, method, ethics, timeline and references, plus tables and prompts to help organise your research plan.

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What's in the template

Research Proposal Template

Research Proposal

Complete the bracketed fields, remove prompts that do not apply, and follow your institution’s format.

Cover page

Institution	[institution name]
Faculty, school or department	[faculty, school or department]
Qualification or course	[qualification or course name]
Research title	[working title]
Student name	[full name]
Student number	[student number]
Supervisor	[supervisor name]
Date submitted	[date]

Proposal summary

[Summarise the research problem, aim, method and expected contribution. Complete this section after drafting the proposal.]

Background and research problem

[Introduce the topic and setting. Explain what is known, what remains unclear, and why the issue needs study.]

Research problem	[state the specific problem]
Study setting	[describe the relevant place, group or organisation]
Rationale	[explain why this study is worth doing]

Aim, objectives and research questions

Research aim	[state the overall purpose of the study]

Objective	Related research question	Intended outcome
[example: describe student access to library support]	[example: how do students find library support?]	[example: a description of access barriers]
[objective]	[research question]	[intended outcome]

Literature review

[Discuss relevant research by theme. Compare findings, identify gaps, and show how the sources inform your study.]

Author and year	Main idea or finding	Relevance to this study	Gap or question raised
[example: local study on commuter access]	[example: examines access to public services]	[example: informs the study setting]	[example: does not examine student experiences]
[author and year]	[main idea or finding]	[relevance]	[gap or question]

Theoretical or conceptual framework

[Name the framework or key concepts guiding the study. Explain how they shape your questions or interpretation.]

Research methodology

Research approach and design	[describe the approach and design]
Study population or participants	[identify who or what will be studied]
Sampling and recruitment	[explain how participants or records will be selected]
Data collection	[describe the tools and procedure]
Data analysis	[explain how the information will be analysed]

Research question	Information needed	Collection method	Analysis approach
[research question]	[information needed]	[example: semi-structured interviews]	[example: thematic analysis]
[research question]	[information needed]	[collection method]	[analysis approach]

Ethics

[Describe how you will seek any required institutional review, explain the study to participants, obtain consent, protect privacy, and store information securely.]

Possible risks and how you will address them	[describe risks and safeguards]
Consent process	[explain how consent will be requested]
Privacy and information storage	[explain how information will be protected]
Ethics review status	[state the review required or current status]

Ask your supervisor or institution’s research ethics office whether review is needed before recruitment or data collection.

Scope, limitations and delimitations

Scope	[state what the study covers]
Limitations	[describe factors that may affect the study]
Delimitations	[state boundaries you have chosen for the study]

Timeline

Task	Planned start	Planned finish	Expected output
[example: refine research questions]	[date]	[date]	[example: revised questions]
[example: collect information]	[date]	[date]	[example: collected information]
[task]	[date]	[date]	[expected output]

Resources or budget

Item or resource	Purpose	Estimated cost in rand	Funding source
[example: local travel]	[example: attend interviews]	[amount]	[example: personal funds]
[item or resource]	[purpose]	[amount]	[funding source]

References

[List every source cited in the proposal using your institution’s required referencing style.]

[author surname, initials, year, title, publication details]
[author surname, initials, year, title, publication details]

Referencing style required	[style name]

Appendices

[example: draft interview guide]
[example: participant information sheet]
[additional supporting document]

Sign-off, if required

Student name: [full name]

Student signature: [signature]

Date: [date]

Supervisor name: [supervisor name]

Supervisor signature: [signature]

Date: [date]

How to fill it in

Check your requirements Read your department’s proposal instructions. Confirm the required headings and referencing style.
Complete the cover page Enter your institution, course, title and contact details. Keep the title clear and focused.
Explain the problem Use the background section to describe the setting and research problem. State your aim, objectives and related questions.
Review the literature Organise sources by theme in the literature table. Explain the gap your study will address and introduce your framework.
Plan the method and ethics Describe participants, sampling, collection and analysis in the methodology section. Explain consent, privacy and any ethics review.
Set the scope and timeline State the study’s scope and limitations. Add each task, its planned dates and expected output to the timeline.
Finish the supporting sections List cited sources in the required style. Add relevant appendices and complete the sign-off fields if your institution requires them.

Tips before you send it

Keep the research problem narrow enough to investigate with the method you describe.
Make each research question answerable using your planned sources of information.
Use the literature table to compare studies and identify a gap; avoid listing summaries without linking them to your topic.
Explain how you will recruit participants and protect their privacy, especially when collecting personal information.
Check that every in-text citation appears in the reference list and follows one consistent style.

Questions & answers

Can I submit the template without changing it?

Treat it as a starting structure. Add your own research plan and follow your institution’s instructions before submitting.

Can I use this for postgraduate research?

You can adapt it for postgraduate work. Check with your department, since it may require extra sections or a different format.

Do I need ethics review for my study?

Requirements depend on your institution and study. Ask your supervisor or research ethics office before recruiting participants or collecting information.

What should I include in the literature review?

Discuss relevant research by theme and compare its findings. Explain what remains unclear and how your study connects to that gap.