Section outline

  • Course Overview

    This course gives you an understanding of the different elements and purpose of a research proposal, and suggests strategies for avoiding avoid common pitfalls when preparing your proposal. 

    It also provides a step-by-step plan for crafting a winning proposal, from early preparation through to submission.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Understand the value of a research proposal and the contribution it makes to your project
    2. Craft a research proposal to demonstrate and articulate the merits of the researcher, the research question, and the proposed methods
    3. Use your proposal as a blueprint for action by developing it to clarify your thinking, embed your ideas, and articulate your thoughts clearly
    4. Identify the key preparation steps of a research proposal
    5. Use each step to effectively articulate your research question and general research plan
    6. Learn how to assess and implement proposal guidelines
    7. Follow the correct steps to clearly articulate what you know when writing a proposal
    8. Understand what each section of the proposal requires
    9. Formulate your own research proposal with the help of examples and guidelines
    10. Anticipate potential obstacles in writing your proposal and develop strategies to overcome or avoid them

    • Course Instructor: Zina O'Leary

      • Zina O’Leary

        Zina O’Leary is an internationally-recognized leader in research methodologies, and has a keen interest in the application of research to evidence-based decision-making.

        Zina is a Senior Fellow at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government where she coordinates research and project units for their Executive Masters and Executive Education Programs.

        View Bio for Zina O’Leary

      • Course Resources

        You will need to access certain files and resources throughout the course to get the most out of the activities. You can find them all here. 

      • Video Transcripts

        You can access all video transcripts here.

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: What Is the Purpose of a Research Proposal?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Understand the value of a research proposal and the contribution it makes to your project
          2. Craft a research proposal to demonstrate and articulate the merits of the researcher, the research question, and your proposed methods

        • Module Two: Before You Start Writing Your Proposal

          This module will help you to:

          1. Use your proposal as a blueprint for action by developing it to clarify your thinking, embed your ideas, and articulate your thoughts clearly
          2. Identify the key preparation steps of a research proposal
          3. Use each step to effectively articulate your research question and general research plan

        • Module Three: How Can I Write a Winning Proposal?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Learn how to assess and implement proposal guidelines
          2. Follow the correct steps to clearly articulate what you know when writing a proposal

        • Module Four: Writing Each Section of a Proposal

          This module will help you to:

          1. Understand what each section of the proposal requires
          2. Formulate your own research proposal with the help of examples and guidelines

        • Module Five: How Do I Overcome Obstacles?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Anticipate potential obstacles in writing your proposal
          2. Develop strategies to overcome or avoid them

        • Glossary of Key Terms

          In addition to the glossary you’ll find woven throughout the course, you can find the full glossary collated in one place here.

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills le vels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.