• As a student, your research proposal is the first step to get your research title approved. It is an important part of the application process for approval of the research. It gives details about the research problem that you want to solve through research. It mentions your knowledge of the research area, through objectives of the research, shows the methods, tools, scope, limitations, and tentative outcomes of your proposed research. Thus, your research proposal is a document, proposing the research to be done in future as an essential part of a PhD or Masters in academics and therefore seeking approval. Sometimes, a research proposal is also prepared to seek sponsorship or scholarship to meet the research cost. Before your research work is approved to begin, it is evaluated on the cost and potential impact of the proposed research, and on the soundness of the proposed plan for carrying it out.
• Usually, universities use the research proposal to decide on the allocation of supervisor or tutor for you, under whose guidance the research work would be completed. 

Your tutor or supervisor approves your research title based on various parameters mentioned in the research proposal. These parameters vary from one domain to another or based on the nature of the research study. But, the most important parameters that your tutor might be looking into the research proposal are: 

• Originality, creativity or uniqueness of the research title or the expected outcomes.
• Implementation, application or usefulness of the research findings for the society, company, or the environment.
• Significance or importance of the research that it will contribute.
• Your contribution to the research work and justification as you are an expert or the most appropriate person to complete the research.
• Appropriateness, feasibility and achievable time frame to complete the research work.
• All the rubrics are essential: font size, type of font, word count limits, line spacing, topics and subtopics in the research proposal, type of language, free from grammatical and spelling mistakes, and other points as mentioned in the guidance by the supervisor or tutor.

Your research proposal must include the following:

• Title Page: It should mention the complete title giving a clear indication of your proposed research problem. Other details like name of the researcher, 

• The Introduction and Rationale: You should include the background for proposed research in terms of the research gap identified. The secondary data collected means; it should include the literature review. The recent developments or contemporary issues relevant to the research title are to be included. 

• Problem Statement: The research gaps, research problem and research statement should be reflected here. A clear picture of what is the research problem and why it is important must be explained. 

• Research Methodology: The theory to be applied (secondary data or literature review) or tested, the research approach, research method for the proposed research like data collection methods, tools, and analysis tools etc. Objectives of the research, scope and limitations of the research are to be included. You will have to include advantages of the proposed research for the society, the organisation or any other stakeholder.   

• The time frame within which the research work would progress and be completed by you must be included. A tentative list of chapters in the final research thesis or dissertation is also proposed in some cases, depending on the nature of research & the domain area.

• Bibliography: a list of references, key articles and texts discussed in your research proposal are included under Bibliography. The source of the reference for the proposed research is also mentioned. 

Other than rubrics, your research tutor would look at the authenticity & genuineness of the research proposed. To receive instant approval, the topic must be inspiring, useful for the society or the organisation. Also, you must include all the above topics and subtopics to make it more attractive for the research proposal to get instant approval.