What you should include in a research proposal
What should you include in the proposal?
Regardless of whether you are applying for the MJur, MPhil or PhD programmes, your research proposal should normally include the following information:
1. Title
This is just a tentative title for your intended research. You will be able to revise your title during the course of your research if you are accepted for admission.
Examples of the thesis titles of some of our current and recent research students can be seen on our Current Projects page.
2. Abstract
The proposal should include a concise statement of your intended research of no more than 100 words. This may be a couple of sentences setting out the problem that you want to examine or the central question that you wish to address.
3. Research Context
You should explain the broad background against which you will conduct your research. You should include a brief overview of the general area of study within which your proposed research falls, summarising the current state of knowledge and recent debates on the topic. This will allow you to demonstrate a familiarity with the relevant field as well as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
4. Research Questions
The proposal should set out the central aims and questions that will guide your research. Before writing your proposal, you should take time to reflect on the key questions that you are seeking to answer. Many research proposals are too broad, so reflecting on your key research questions is a good way to make sure that your project is sufficiently narrow and feasible (i.e. one that is likely to be completed with the normal period for a MJur, MPhil or PhD degree).
You might find it helpful to prioritize one or two main questions, from which you can then derive a number of secondary research questions. The proposal should also explain your intended approach to answering the questions: will your approach be empirical, doctrinal or theoretical etc?
5. Research Methods
The proposal
Regardless of whether you are applying for the MJur, MPhil or PhD programmes, your research proposal should normally include the following information:
1. Title
This is just a tentative title for your intended research. You will be able to revise your title during the course of your research if you are accepted for admission.
Examples of the thesis titles of some of our current and recent research students can be seen on our Current Projects page.
2. Abstract
The proposal should include a concise statement of your intended research of no more than 100 words. This may be a couple of sentences setting out the problem that you want to examine or the central question that you wish to address.
3. Research Context
You should explain the broad background against which you will conduct your research. You should include a brief overview of the general area of study within which your proposed research falls, summarising the current state of knowledge and recent debates on the topic. This will allow you to demonstrate a familiarity with the relevant field as well as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
4. Research Questions
The proposal should set out the central aims and questions that will guide your research. Before writing your proposal, you should take time to reflect on the key questions that you are seeking to answer. Many research proposals are too broad, so reflecting on your key research questions is a good way to make sure that your project is sufficiently narrow and feasible (i.e. one that is likely to be completed with the normal period for a MJur, MPhil or PhD degree).
You might find it helpful to prioritize one or two main questions, from which you can then derive a number of secondary research questions. The proposal should also explain your intended approach to answering the questions: will your approach be empirical, doctrinal or theoretical etc?
5. Research Methods
The proposal
Bibliography: The proposal should include a short bibliography identifying the most relevant works for your topic.