Research proposal markers typically assess five areas: the value of the research, alignment between sections, justification of methods, feasibility, and ethics. Understanding these questions helps you check whether your proposal presents a coherent and achievable research study.

What is the value of this research?

There is no point in a research paper that has no research value. Your rationale should therefore be conveyed throughout the introduction and literature review rather than appearing as three lines at the end.

In your introduction, draw out the purpose of your study and its potential contribution quickly. This helps the marker understand what they should look for in terms of research value.

Your literature review should then develop this argument. Explain the importance of the topic, its impact if it is not explored, what current research tells us, why existing research is insufficient and why your research is necessary.

For larger research proposals, such as those around 2,500 or 3,000 words, you can include a short section towards the end of the literature review that brings together the research gap, rationale and value of the research. This can then lead into your research questions and objectives.

How are the sections of the research proposal aligned?

Your proposal should look as though all its sections belong to the same research study. The literature review, research question and research methods should connect clearly rather than appearing to point towards different studies.

Think of the proposal as explaining road directions. The research topic needs to link to the research rationale, which links to the research question and objectives. Your research methods then need to connect with those objectives and with what you established in the literature review.

For example, if you identify a lack of empirical research about a topic, you should not then propose a systematic review to address that gap. If you are collecting and analysing data about how income levels affect mental health outcomes, your literature review should establish the possible relationship and your objectives should reflect this interest.

Your marker should be able to follow the development of your research from the topic through to the proposed methods.

Why were these research methods chosen?

You need to explain and justify your research decisions. This includes your methodology, method, sample, recruitment setting, inclusion and exclusion criteria, data collection method and analysis method.

You are being assessed on your knowledge and understanding of research methods, so you need to demonstrate why your chosen methods are suitable for your particular research. Your justification should be supported by wider literature where appropriate.

Explaining your decisions also demonstrates judgement and critical analysis. For example, if you are using surveys, explain the nature of surveys, how they connect to your research objectives and how they allow you to collect data about the phenomenon you are investigating.

Where the word count allows, you may also explain why other possible methods were not selected. This can make your methodological decision-making clearer.

Is the proposed research feasible?

Student research is conducted under tight time constraints, and students often underestimate how long it takes to execute a study. A three-year PhD or an eight-month Masters research project does not give you that entire period for data collection.

You need to account for literature searching, writing, administrative tasks, permissions and ethics approvals. More data also means more analysis and potentially more writing.

Your research therefore needs to be appropriately sized. A Masters student might want to survey an entire country, while a PhD student might propose exploring a problem, developing an intervention, and then testing and evaluating it.

For Masters research, consider using one data collection method, a single phase and a single setting where possible. Make sure you can access the participants and keep the number of research questions manageable.

For PhD research, the study needs to be large enough for a PhD without becoming so large that it requires a research team to complete within three years. Work closely with your supervisor and keep checking whether the proposed study fits your timeline.

Is the proposed research ethical?

Research ethics can become a major issue for a research proposal and can affect whether a study receives approval.

Some studies contain ethically sensitive areas that students have not fully considered. For example, research about stress and depression may lead to discussions of suicidal ideation, while interviewing your own subordinates or supervisees can create ethical issues because of power differentials.

For Masters research, studies involving significant ethical issues may create delays in approval that are difficult to accommodate within a short project. For PhD research, more complex studies may be possible, but you need to explain clearly how the ethical issues will be managed.

You also need to consider whether additional ethical approvals or permissions are required in the country where you are conducting your research. These might include permissions from a hospital's R&D department or approval from a ministry.

As a marker, I would expect you to clearly state what approvals are required, what has already been obtained and how any remaining approvals fit within your research timeline. If no additional approval is required, declare this clearly so that it is evident that you have considered the issue.