how to write chapter 2 of research project

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Project Chapter Two: Literature Review and Steps to Writing Empirical Review

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Conceptual review
Theoretical review,
Empirical review or review of empirical works of literature/studies, and lastly
Conclusion or Summary of the literature reviewed.
Decide on a topic
Highlight the studies/literature that you will review in the empirical review
Analyze the works of literature separately.
Summarize the literature in table or concept map format.
Synthesize the literature and then proceed to write your empirical review.

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HOW TO WRITE CHAPTER TWO OF RESEARCH PROJECTS

A practical guide to research writing – chapter two.

Historically, Chapter Two of every academic Research/Project Write up has been Literature Review, and this position has not changed. When preparing your write up for this Chapter, you can title it “Review of Related Literature” or just “Literature Review”.

This is the chapter where you provide detailed explanation of previous researches that has been conducted on your topic of interest. The previous studies that must be selected for this chapter must be academic work/articles published in an internationally reputable journal.

Also, the selected articles must not be more than 10 years old (article publication date to project writing date). For better organization, it has been generally accepted that the arrangement for a good literature review write up follows this order:

2.0 Introduction

2.1 Conceptual Review

2.2 Theoretical Framework

2.3 Empirical review

Summary of Literature/Research Gap

2.0 INTRODUCTION

This serves as the preamble to the chapter alone or preliminary information on the chapter. All the preliminary information that should be provided here should cover just this chapter alone because the project already has a general introduction which is chapter one. It should only reflect the content of this chapter. This is why the introduction for literature review is sometimes optional.

Basically here, you should describe the contents of the chapter in few words

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2.1 CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

This section can otherwise be titled “Conceptual Framework”. It must capture all explanations on the concepts that are associated with your research topic in logical order. For example, if your research topic is “A study of the effect of advertisement on firm sales”, your conceptual framework can best follow this order:

2.1 Conceptual Framework

2.1.1 Advertisement

2.1.1.1 Types of Advertisement

2.1.1.2. Advantages of Advertisement

2.1.2 Concept of Firm Sales

2.1.2.1 Factor determining Firm Sales

These concepts must be defined and described from the historical point of view. Topical works and prevailing issues globally, in your continent and nation on the concepts should be presented here. You must be able to provide clear information here that there should be no ambiguity about the variables you are studying.

2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This can be otherwise titled “Theoretical Review”. This section should contain all previous professional theories and models that have provided explanations on your research topic in the recent past. Yes, related theories and models also falls within the category of past literature for your research write up. Professional theories that are most relevant to your topic should be separately arranged in this section, as seen in the example below:

2.2.1 Jawkwish Theory of Performance

2.2.2 Interstitial Theory of Ranking

2.2.3 Grusse Theory of Social Learning

But the most important thing to note while writing this part is that, apart from making sure that you must do a thorough research and ensure that the most relevant theories for your research topic is selected, your theoretical review must capture some important points which should better reflect in this order for each model:

The proponent of the theory/model, title and year of publication, aim/purpose/structure of the theory, contents and arguments of the theory, findings and conclusions of the theory, criticisms and gaps of the theory, and finally the relevance of the theory to your current research topic.

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Academic project or thesis or dissertation writing is not an easy academic endeavor. To reach your goal, you must invest time, effort, and a strong desire to succeed. Writing a thesis while also juggling other course work is challenging, but it doesn't have to be an unpleasant process. A dissertation or thesis is one of the most important requirements for any degree, and this book will show you how to create a good research write-up from a high level of abstraction, making your research writing journey much easier. It also includes examples of how and what the contents of each sub-headings should look like for easy research writing. This book will also constitute a step-by-step research writing guide to scholars in all research fields.

2.3 EMPIRICAL REVIEW

This can be otherwise titled “Empirical Framework”. This is usually described as the critical review of the existing academic works/literature on your research topic. This can be organized or arranged in two different alternative ways when developing your write up:

It can be arranged in a table with heading arranged horizontally in this order: Author name and initials, year and title of publication, aim/objectives, methodology, findings, conclusions, recommendations, research gap. Responses for the above should be provided in spaces provided below in the table for up to 40 articles at least.
The second option excludes the use of tables but still contains the same information exactly as above for tables. The information is provided in thematic text format with appropriate in-text references. Note that all these points to be included can be directly gotten from the articles except the research gap which requires your critical thinking. Your research gap must identify an important thing(s) the previous research has not done well or not done at all, which your current research intends to do. Although, you should criticize, but constructively while acknowledging areas of perfections and successes of the authors.

Note that every research you critically review must have evident/obvious gaps that your research intends to fill.

SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW/RESEARCH GAP/GAP ANALYSIS

This is the concluding part of every literature review write up. It provides the summary of the entire content of the whole Chapter. Sometimes, some institutions require that you bring the analysis of all the gaps of the existing literature under review here. Conclusions on the whole existing literature under review should briefly be highlighted in this section.

I trust that this article will help undergraduates and postgraduate researchers in writing a very good Literature Review for your Research/Project/Paper/Thesis, and will also meet the needs of our esteemed readers who has been requesting for a guide on how to write their Chapter Two (Literature Review).

Enjoy, as you develop a good Literature Review for your research!

24 comments

please i want to understand how to write a project. tutorial available?

thanks so now am able to write the chapter two of the research

Thank you for the article,it really guide and educate.

Thank you so much for this vital information which serve as a guide to me in respect to my chapter 2. With so much hope and interest this piece of information will pass across other researchers.

Very helpful, thanks for sharing this for free.

This is fantastic, I commend you for the well job done, this guiedline is so much useful for me, you’ve indeed light up my path to write a good literature review of chapter 2

I Have a doctoral dissertation research and I want to understand the help you can offer for me to move forward. Thanks.

It was indeed helpful. Thanks.

This is helpful

Good it serves a lecture delivered by notable Prof

Very helpful, thanks for be present,

Sir, am confused a bit am writing on the role of social media in creating political awareness and mobilizing political protests (in Nigeria). How my going to do conceptual framework. Thanks

Thanks for educating me better

Thank you so much, the detailed explanation has given me more courage to attain my first class degree, all the way from Gulu Uganda.

Really helpful. Thank you for this.

Sure this page realy guide me on chapter two big thanks i will request more when the need arise

thank you for this article but is this the only option for writing a chapter two for an undergraduate degree project?

Very helpful

Weldone and kudos to you guys

Thanks a lot this has surely helped me in moving ahead in my project

Thanks for this piece of information I really appreciate ✨

Pls how will i see the preamble in my journal or am i going to write it offhand

First of all thanks for the informations provided above. I want to ask is the nature and element of research also included in this chapter

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How to write chapter two of a research pape r.

As is known, within a research paper, there are several types of research and methodologies. One of the most common types used by students is the literature review. In this article, we will be dealing how to write the literature review (Chapter Two) of your research paper.

Although when writing a project, literature review (Chapter Two) seems more straightforward than carrying out experiments or field research, the literature review involves a lot of research and a lot of reading. Also, utmost attention is essential when it comes to developing and referencing the content so that nothing is pointed out as plagiarism.

However, unlike other steps in project writing, it is not necessary to perform the separate theoretical reference part in the review. After all, the work itself will be a theoretical reference, filled with relevant information and views of several authors on the same subject over time.

As it technically has fewer steps and does not need to go to the field or build appraisal projects, the research paper literature review is a great choice for those who have the tightest deadline for delivering the work. But make no mistake, the level of seriousness in research and development itself is as difficult as any other step.

To further facilitate your understanding, we have divided this research methodology into some essential steps and will explain how to do each of them clearly and objectively. Want to know more about it? Read on and check it out!

What is the literature review in a research paper?

To develop a project in any discipline, it is necessary, first, to study everything that other authors have already explored on that subject. This step aims to update the subject for the academic community and to have a basis to support new research. Therefore, it must be done before any other process within the research paper. However, in the literature review (Chapter Two), this step of searching for data and previous work is all the work. That is, you will only develop the theoretical framework.

In general, you will need to choose the topic in question and search for more relevant works and authors that worked around that research idea you want to discuss. As the intention is to make history and update the subject, you will be able to use works from different dates, showing how opinions and views have evolved over time.

Suppose the subject of your research paper is the role of monarchies in 21st-century societies, for example. In that case, you must present a history of how this institution came about, its impact on society, and what roles the institution is currently playing in modern societies. In the end, you can make a more personal conclusion about your vision.

If your topic covered contains a lot of content, you will need to select the most important and relevant and highlight them throughout the work. This is because you will need to reference the entire work. This means that the research paper literature review needs to be filled with citations from other authors. Therefore, it will present references in practically every paragraph.

In order not to make your work uninteresting and repetitive, you should quote differently throughout development. Switching between direct and indirect citations and trying to fit as much content and work as possible will enrich your project and demonstrate to the evaluators how deep you have been in the search.

Within the review, the only part that does not need to be referenced is the conclusion. After all, it will be written as your final and personal view of everything you have read and analyzed.

How to write a literature review?

Here are some practical and easy tips for structuring a quality and compliant research paper literature review!

Introduction

As with any work, the introduction should attract your project readers’ attention and help them understand the basis of the subject that will be worked on. When reading the introduction, you need to be clear to whoever is reading about your research and what it wants to show.

Following the example cited on the theme of monarchies’ roles in the 21st-century societies, the introduction needs to clarify what this type of institution is and why research on it is vital for this area. Also, it would help if you also quoted how the work was developed and the purpose of your literary study.

Basically, you will introduce the subject in such a way that the reader – even without knowing anything about the topic – can read the complete work and grasp the approach, understanding what was done and the meaning of it.

Methodology

Describing the methodology of a literature review is simpler than describing the steps of field research or experiment. In this step, you will need to describe how your research was carried out, where the information was searched, and retrieved.

As you will need to gather a lot of content, searches can be done in books, academic articles, academic publications, old monographs, internet articles, among other reliable sources. The important thing is always to be sure with your supervisor or other teachers about the reliability of each content used. After all, as the entire work is a theoretical reference, choosing unreliable base papers can greatly damage your grade and hinder your approval, putting at risk the quality and integrity of your entire research paper.

Results and conclusion

The results must present clearly and objectively everything that has been observed and collected from studies throughout history on the research’s theme. In this step, you should show the comparisons between authors, like what was the view of the subject before and how it is currently, in an updated way.

You will also be able to show the developments within the theme and the progress of research and discoveries, as well as the conclusions on the issue so far. In the end, you will summarize everything you have read and discovered, and present your final view on the topic.

Also, it is important to demonstrate whether your project objectives have been met and how. The conclusion is the crucial point to convince your reader and examiner of the relevance and importance of all the work you have done for your area or branch, society, or the environment. Therefore, you must present everything clearly and concisely, closing your research paper with a flourish.

In all academic work, bibliographic references are essential. In the academic paper literature review, however, these references will be gathered at the end of the work and throughout the texts.

Citations during the development of the subject must be referenced in accordance with the guideline of your institutions and departments. For each type of reference, there is a rule that depends on the number of words or how you will make it.

Also, in the list of bibliographic references, where you will need to put all the content used, the rules change according to your search source. For internet sources, for example, the way of referencing is different than book sources.

A wrong quote throughout the text or a used work that you forget to put in the references can lead to your project being labeled a plagiarism work, which is a crime and can lead to several consequences. Therefore, studying these standards is essential and determinant for the success of your work’s literature review (Chapter Two).

By adequately studying the rules, dedicating yourself, and putting them into practice, not only will it be easy to develop a successful project, but achieving your dream grade will be closer than you think.

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Home » Blog » How to Write a Good Chapter Two: Literature Review

How to Write a Good Chapter Two: Literature Review

Table of Contents

How to Write Chapter Two of a Research Paper

What is the literature review in a research paper?

Within the review, the only part that does not need to be referenced is the conclusion. After all, it will be written as your final and personal view of everything you have read and analyzed.

How to write a literature review?

Here are some practical and easy tips for structuring a quality and compliant research paper literature review!

Introduction

Methodology

Results and conclusion

In all academic work, bibliographic references are essential. In the academic paper literature review, however, these references will be gathered at the end of the work and throughout the texts.

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How To Structure Your Literature Review

3 options to help structure your chapter.

By: Amy Rommelspacher (PhD) | Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | November 2020 (Updated May 2023)

Writing the literature review chapter can seem pretty daunting when you’re piecing together your dissertation or thesis. As we’ve discussed before , a good literature review needs to achieve a few very important objectives – it should:

Demonstrate your knowledge of the research topic
Identify the gaps in the literature and show how your research links to these
Provide the foundation for your conceptual framework (if you have one)
Inform your own methodology and research design

To achieve this, your literature review needs a well-thought-out structure . Get the structure of your literature review chapter wrong and you’ll struggle to achieve these objectives. Don’t worry though – in this post, we’ll look at how to structure your literature review for maximum impact (and marks!).

But wait – is this the right time?

Deciding on the structure of your literature review should come towards the end of the literature review process – after you have collected and digested the literature, but before you start writing the chapter.

In other words, you need to first develop a rich understanding of the literature before you even attempt to map out a structure. There’s no use trying to develop a structure before you’ve fully wrapped your head around the existing research.

Equally importantly, you need to have a structure in place before you start writing , or your literature review will most likely end up a rambling, disjointed mess.

Importantly, don’t feel that once you’ve defined a structure you can’t iterate on it. It’s perfectly natural to adjust as you engage in the writing process. As we’ve discussed before , writing is a way of developing your thinking, so it’s quite common for your thinking to change – and therefore, for your chapter structure to change – as you write.

Need a helping hand?

how to write chapter 2 of research project

Like any other chapter in your thesis or dissertation, your literature review needs to have a clear, logical structure. At a minimum, it should have three essential components – an introduction , a body and a conclusion .

Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

1: The Introduction Section

Just like any good introduction, the introduction section of your literature review should introduce the purpose and layout (organisation) of the chapter. In other words, your introduction needs to give the reader a taste of what’s to come, and how you’re going to lay that out. Essentially, you should provide the reader with a high-level roadmap of your chapter to give them a taste of the journey that lies ahead.

Here’s an example of the layout visualised in a literature review introduction:

Example of literature review outline structure

Your introduction should also outline your topic (including any tricky terminology or jargon) and provide an explanation of the scope of your literature review – in other words, what you will and won’t be covering (the delimitations ). This helps ringfence your review and achieve a clear focus . The clearer and narrower your focus, the deeper you can dive into the topic (which is typically where the magic lies).

Depending on the nature of your project, you could also present your stance or point of view at this stage. In other words, after grappling with the literature you’ll have an opinion about what the trends and concerns are in the field as well as what’s lacking. The introduction section can then present these ideas so that it is clear to examiners that you’re aware of how your research connects with existing knowledge .

2: The Body Section

The body of your literature review is the centre of your work. This is where you’ll present, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the existing research. In other words, this is where you’re going to earn (or lose) the most marks. Therefore, it’s important to carefully think about how you will organise your discussion to present it in a clear way.

The body of your literature review should do just as the description of this chapter suggests. It should “review” the literature – in other words, identify, analyse, and synthesise it. So, when thinking about structuring your literature review, you need to think about which structural approach will provide the best “review” for your specific type of research and objectives (we’ll get to this shortly).

There are (broadly speaking) three options for organising your literature review.

The body section of your literature review is the where you'll present, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the existing research.

Option 1: Chronological (according to date)

Organising the literature chronologically is one of the simplest ways to structure your literature review. You start with what was published first and work your way through the literature until you reach the work published most recently. Pretty straightforward.

The benefit of this option is that it makes it easy to discuss the developments and debates in the field as they emerged over time. Organising your literature chronologically also allows you to highlight how specific articles or pieces of work might have changed the course of the field – in other words, which research has had the most impact . Therefore, this approach is very useful when your research is aimed at understanding how the topic has unfolded over time and is often used by scholars in the field of history. That said, this approach can be utilised by anyone that wants to explore change over time .

Adopting the chronological structure allows you to discuss the developments and debates in the field as they emerged over time.

For example , if a student of politics is investigating how the understanding of democracy has evolved over time, they could use the chronological approach to provide a narrative that demonstrates how this understanding has changed through the ages.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you structure your literature review chronologically.

What is the earliest literature published relating to this topic?
How has the field changed over time? Why?
What are the most recent discoveries/theories?

In some ways, chronology plays a part whichever way you decide to structure your literature review, because you will always, to a certain extent, be analysing how the literature has developed. However, with the chronological approach, the emphasis is very firmly on how the discussion has evolved over time , as opposed to how all the literature links together (which we’ll discuss next ).

Option 2: Thematic (grouped by theme)

The thematic approach to structuring a literature review means organising your literature by theme or category – for example, by independent variables (i.e. factors that have an impact on a specific outcome).

As you’ve been collecting and synthesising literature , you’ll likely have started seeing some themes or patterns emerging. You can then use these themes or patterns as a structure for your body discussion. The thematic approach is the most common approach and is useful for structuring literature reviews in most fields.

For example, if you were researching which factors contributed towards people trusting an organisation, you might find themes such as consumers’ perceptions of an organisation’s competence, benevolence and integrity. Structuring your literature review thematically would mean structuring your literature review’s body section to discuss each of these themes, one section at a time.

The thematic structure allows you to organise your literature by theme or category – e.g. by independent variables.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when structuring your literature review by themes:

Are there any patterns that have come to light in the literature?
What are the central themes and categories used by the researchers?
Do I have enough evidence of these themes?

PS – you can see an example of a thematically structured literature review in our literature review sample walkthrough video here.

Option 3: Methodological

The methodological option is a way of structuring your literature review by the research methodologies used . In other words, organising your discussion based on the angle from which each piece of research was approached – for example, qualitative , quantitative or mixed methodologies.

Structuring your literature review by methodology can be useful if you are drawing research from a variety of disciplines and are critiquing different methodologies. The point of this approach is to question how existing research has been conducted, as opposed to what the conclusions and/or findings the research were.

The methodological structure allows you to organise your chapter by the analysis method used - e.g. qual, quant or mixed.

For example, a sociologist might centre their research around critiquing specific fieldwork practices. Their literature review will then be a summary of the fieldwork methodologies used by different studies.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself when structuring your literature review according to methodology:

Which methodologies have been utilised in this field?
Which methodology is the most popular (and why)?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies?
How can the existing methodologies inform my own methodology?

3: The Conclusion Section

Once you’ve completed the body section of your literature review using one of the structural approaches we discussed above, you’ll need to “wrap up” your literature review and pull all the pieces together to set the direction for the rest of your dissertation or thesis.

The conclusion is where you’ll present the key findings of your literature review. In this section, you should emphasise the research that is especially important to your research questions and highlight the gaps that exist in the literature. Based on this, you need to make it clear what you will add to the literature – in other words, justify your own research by showing how it will help fill one or more of the gaps you just identified.

Last but not least, if it’s your intention to develop a conceptual framework for your dissertation or thesis, the conclusion section is a good place to present this.

In the conclusion section, you’ll need to present the key findings of your literature review and highlight the gaps that exist in the literature. Based on this, you'll need to make it clear what your study will add to the literature.

Example: Thematically Structured Review

In the video below, we unpack a literature review chapter so that you can see an example of a thematically structure review in practice.

Let’s Recap

In this article, we’ve discussed how to structure your literature review for maximum impact. Here’s a quick recap of what you need to keep in mind when deciding on your literature review structure:

Just like other chapters, your literature review needs a clear introduction , body and conclusion .
The introduction section should provide an overview of what you will discuss in your literature review.
The body section of your literature review can be organised by chronology , theme or methodology . The right structural approach depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your research.
The conclusion section should draw together the key findings of your literature review and link them to your research questions.

If you’re ready to get started, be sure to download our free literature review template to fast-track your chapter outline.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

28 Comments

Great work. This is exactly what I was looking for and helps a lot together with your previous post on literature review. One last thing is missing: a link to a great literature chapter of an journal article (maybe with comments of the different sections in this review chapter). Do you know any great literature review chapters?

I agree with you Marin… A great piece

I agree with Marin. This would be quite helpful if you annotate a nicely structured literature from previously published research articles.

Awesome article for my research.

I thank you immensely for this wonderful guide

It is indeed thought and supportive work for the futurist researcher and students

Very educative and good time to get guide. Thank you

Great work, very insightful. Thank you.

Thanks for this wonderful presentation. My question is that do I put all the variables into a single conceptual framework or each hypothesis will have it own conceptual framework?

Thank you very much, very helpful

This is very educative and precise . Thank you very much for dropping this kind of write up .

Pheeww, so damn helpful, thank you for this informative piece.

I’m doing a research project topic ; stool analysis for parasitic worm (enteric) worm, how do I structure it, thanks.

comprehensive explanation. Help us by pasting the URL of some good “literature review” for better understanding.

great piece. thanks for the awesome explanation. it is really worth sharing. I have a little question, if anyone can help me out, which of the options in the body of literature can be best fit if you are writing an architectural thesis that deals with design?

I am doing a research on nanofluids how can l structure it?

Beautifully clear.nThank you!

Lucid! Thankyou!

Brilliant work, well understood, many thanks

I like how this was so clear with simple language 😊😊 thank you so much 😊 for these information 😊

Insightful. I was struggling to come up with a sensible literature review but this has been really helpful. Thank you!

You have given thought-provoking information about the review of the literature.

Thank you. It has made my own research better and to impart your work to students I teach

I learnt a lot from this teaching. It’s a great piece.

I am doing research on EFL teacher motivation for his/her job. How Can I structure it? Is there any detailed template, additional to this?

You are so cool! I do not think I’ve read through something like this before. So nice to find somebody with some genuine thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a little originality!

I’m asked to do conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature, and i just don’t know how to structure it

Asking questions are actually fastidious thing if you are not understanding anything fully, but this article presents good understanding yet.

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Research Methods

Chapter 2 introduction.

Maybe you have already gained some experience in doing research, for example in your bachelor studies, or as part of your work.

The challenge in conducting academic research at masters level, is that it is multi-faceted.

The types of activities are:

Finding and reviewing literature on your research topic;
Designing a research project that will answer your research questions;
Collecting relevant data from one or more sources;
Analyzing the data, statistically or otherwise, and
Writing up and presenting your findings.

Some researchers are strong on some parts but weak on others.

We do not require perfection. But we do require high quality.

Going through all stages of the research project, with the guidance of your supervisor, is a learning process.

The journey is hard at times, but in the end your thesis is considered an academic publication, and we want you to be proud of what you have achieved!

Probably the biggest challenge is, where to begin?

What will be your topic?
And once you have selected a topic, what are the questions that you want to answer, and how?

In the first chapter of the book, you will find several views on the nature and scope of business research.

Since a study in business administration derives its relevance from its application to real-life situations, an MBA typically falls in the grey area between applied research and basic research.

The focus of applied research is on finding solutions to problems, and on improving (y)our understanding of existing theories of management.

Applied research that makes use of existing theories, often leads to amendments or refinements of these theories. That is, the applied research feeds back to basic research.

In the early stages of your research, you will feel like you are running around in circles.

You start with an idea for a research topic. Then, after reading literature on the topic, you will revise or refine your idea. And start reading again with a clearer focus ...

A thesis research/project typically consists of two main stages.

The first stage is the research proposal .

Once the research proposal has been approved, you can start with the data collection, analysis and write-up (including conclusions and recommendations).

Stage 1, the research proposal consists of he first three chapters of the commonly used five-chapter structure :

Chapter 1: Introduction
An introduction to the topic.
The research questions that you want to answer (and/or hypotheses that you want to test).
A note on why the research is of academic and/or professional relevance.
Chapter 2: Literature
A review of relevant literature on the topic.
Chapter 3: Methodology

The methodology is at the core of your research. Here, you define how you are going to do the research. What data will be collected, and how?

Your data should allow you to answer your research questions. In the research proposal, you will also provide answers to the questions when and how much . Is it feasible to conduct the research within the given time-frame (say, 3-6 months for a typical master thesis)? And do you have the resources to collect and analyze the data?

In stage 2 you collect and analyze the data, and write the conclusions.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Findings
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

This video gives a nice overview of the elements of writing a thesis.

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How to do a research project for your academic study

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Writing a research report is part of most university degrees, so it is essential you know what one is and how to write one. This guide on how to do a research project for your university degree shows you what to do at each stage, taking you from planning to finishing the project.

What is a research project?

The big question is: what is a research project? A research project for students is an extended essay that presents a question or statement for analysis and evaluation. During a research project, you will present your own ideas and research on a subject alongside analysing existing knowledge.

How to write a research report

The next section covers the research project steps necessary to producing a research paper.

Developing a research question or statement

Research project topics will vary depending on the course you study. The best research project ideas develop from areas you already have an interest in and where you have existing knowledge.

The area of study needs to be specific as it will be much easier to cover fully. If your topic is too broad, you are at risk of not having an in-depth project. You can, however, also make your topic too narrow and there will not be enough research to be done. To make sure you don’t run into either of these problems, it’s a great idea to create sub-topics and questions to ensure you are able to complete suitable research.

A research project example question would be: How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future?

Finding and evaluating sources

Secondary research is a large part of your research project as it makes up the literature review section. It is essential to use credible sources as failing to do so may decrease the validity of your research project.

Examples of secondary research include:

Peer-reviewed journals
Scholarly articles
Newspapers

Great places to find your sources are the University library and Google Scholar. Both will give you many opportunities to find the credible sources you need. However, you need to make sure you are evaluating whether they are fit for purpose before including them in your research project as you do not want to include out of date information.

When evaluating sources, you need to ask yourself:

Is the information provided by an expert?
How well does the source answer the research question?
What does the source contribute to its field?
Is the source valid? e.g. does it contain bias and is the information up-to-date?

It is important to ensure that you have a variety of sources in order to avoid bias. A successful research paper will present more than one point of view and the best way to do this is to not rely too heavily on just one author or publication.

Conducting research

For a research project, you will need to conduct primary research. This is the original research you will gather to further develop your research project. The most common types of primary research are interviews and surveys as these allow for many and varied results.

Examples of primary research include:

Interviews and surveys
Focus groups
Experiments
Research diaries

If you are looking to study in the UK and have an interest in bettering your research skills, The University of Sheffield is a world top 100 research university which will provide great research opportunities and resources for your project.

Research report format

Now that you understand the basics of how to write a research project, you now need to look at what goes into each section. The research project format is just as important as the research itself. Without a clear structure you will not be able to present your findings concisely.

A research paper is made up of seven sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You need to make sure you are including a list of correctly cited references to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

Introduction

The introduction is where you will present your hypothesis and provide context for why you are doing the project. Here you will include relevant background information, present your research aims and explain why the research is important.

Literature review

The literature review is where you will analyse and evaluate existing research within your subject area. This section is where your secondary research will be presented. A literature review is an integral part of your research project as it brings validity to your research aims.

What to include when writing your literature review:

A description of the publications
A summary of the main points
An evaluation on the contribution to the area of study
Potential flaws and gaps in the research

Methodology

The research paper methodology outlines the process of your data collection. This is where you will present your primary research. The aim of the methodology section is to answer two questions:

Why did you select the research methods you used?
How do these methods contribute towards your research hypothesis?

In this section you will not be writing about your findings, but the ways in which you are going to try and achieve them. You need to state whether your methodology will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed.

Qualitative – first hand observations such as interviews, focus groups, case studies and questionnaires. The data collected will generally be non-numerical.
Quantitative – research that deals in numbers and logic. The data collected will focus on statistics and numerical patterns.
Mixed – includes both quantitative and qualitative research.

The methodology section should always be written in the past tense, even if you have already started your data collection.

Findings and results

In this section you will present the findings and results of your primary research. Here you will give a concise and factual summary of your findings using tables and graphs where appropriate.

Discussion

The discussion section is where you will talk about your findings in detail. Here you need to relate your results to your hypothesis, explaining what you found out and the significance of the research.

It is a good idea to talk about any areas with disappointing or surprising results and address the limitations within the research project. This will balance your project and steer you away from bias.

Some questions to consider when writing your discussion:

To what extent was the hypothesis supported?
Was your research method appropriate?
Was there unexpected data that affected your results?
To what extent was your research validated by other sources?

Conclusion

The conclusion is where you will bring your research project to a close. In this section you will not only be restating your research aims and how you achieved them, but also discussing the wider significance of your research project. You will talk about the successes and failures of the project, and how you would approach further study.

It is essential you do not bring any new ideas into your conclusion; this section is used only to summarise what you have already stated in the project.

References

As a research project is your own ideas blended with information and research from existing knowledge, you must include a list of correctly cited references. Creating a list of references will allow the reader to easily evaluate the quality of your secondary research whilst also saving you from potential plagiarism accusations.

The way in which you cite your sources will vary depending on the university standard.

If you are an international student looking to study a degree in the UK , The University of Sheffield International College has a range of pathway programmes to prepare you for university study. Undertaking a Research Project is one of the core modules for the Pre-Masters programme at The University of Sheffield International College.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best topic for research .

It’s a good idea to choose a topic you have existing knowledge on, or one that you are interested in. This will make the research process easier; as you have an idea of where and what to look for in your sources, as well as more enjoyable as it’s a topic you want to know more about.

What should a research project include?

There are seven main sections to a research project, these are:

Introduction – the aims of the project and what you hope to achieve
Literature review – evaluating and reviewing existing knowledge on the topic
Methodology – the methods you will use for your primary research
Findings and results – presenting the data from your primary research
Discussion – summarising and analysing your research and what you have found out
Conclusion – how the project went (successes and failures), areas for future study
List of references – correctly cited sources that have been used throughout the project.

How long is a research project?

The length of a research project will depend on the level study and the nature of the subject. There is no one length for research papers, however the average dissertation style essay can be anywhere from 4,000 to 15,000+ words.

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How To Write A Complete Final Year Project From Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, To Chapter Five. | ResearchWap Blog

Posted: Friday, 16 October 2020
By: ResearchWap Admin

How To Write A Complete Final Year Project From Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, To Chapter Five.

The final year research project is an independent effort required of students in every tertiary institution. The students, under supervision by academic staff, are to carry out a pre-determined research work within the constraints of their studies.

The supervisor primarily is to receive project proposals of the research interest, approve it, provide guidance, and assess the work at the end. An external supervisor is usually and primarily to provide an external and independent assessment of the research works.

The proposal for the research topic is to include the intended subject of study, a brief description, justification for the work, aims and milestones, software and hardware to be employed, assumptions to be made, the methodologies involved, and the references.

There are standards in the research build-up, actual research, and presentation, and print submissions. These, surely put the students in shape for the strict rules they are to face after-school.

In developing the content, there are certain guidelines that would be beneficial to every student. The work is usually divided into five chapters (broadly) before any further divisions. Hence the typical formats as such:

Approval page
Acknowledgment
Table Of Content
List Of Tables
List Of Figures
List Of Symbols/ Nomenclature (Where Applicable)
Main Work (Chapter One To Five)
Appendices (Where Applicable)

Title page: Here, the title of the research project will come in, the name of the institution is added, including the name of the Author, then the reason for the report (this is why it is required that students add that it is 'in partial fulfillment of the course requirement required for the award of the B.Sc degree, Higher National Diploma or any other degree.' Then the date is added.

Approval page: The name of the institution and department, then a statement signifying approval for the work by the supervisor, head of the department, and external supervisor. Space is reserved for signatures of all listed parties as well.

Dedication page: This is where the researcher dedicates the research to a deity, someone, dead, or/and alive. This is different from the acknowledgment.

Acknowledgment: The researcher here writes to appreciate all that contributed, (technical, financial, moral, and otherwise) to the success of the research.

Abstract: This is the synopsis of the research work. It is often written last with the tense in past. Usually, less than 100 words summarizing the problem statement, the methodology employed the findings, conclusion, and recommendations. This should be in a single paragraph and the word limit not exceeded. Click here for more Info on Writing a Good Abstract

Table of content: The main heading s and sub-headings and page numbers are listed. This allows for easy page identification and reference. The table of content should be edited at the final stage as well, to correctly capture the reflections in the work. Click here for more info on developing a table of content

List of tables/figures/symbols: The list is to aid the reader in locating tables/figures/symbols. It should contain the tag numbers, a tag that reflects the content, and the page numbers. It should be well-numbered and unambiguous. In the main content, the figure/table should be well-labeled. (The body of the work)

Chapter One: This is usually the introduction. This describes the background, scope, and purpose of the research. A good introduction of the final year project should tell the reader what the project is all about without assuming special knowledge and without introducing any specific material that might obscure the overview. It should anticipate and combine the main points described in more detail in the rest of the project report. The rest of the report should be tied to the information supplied. The researcher should strive to present sufficient details regarding why the study was carried out. It shouldn't be rushed, a gradual build-up of the content from bottom to top is ideal. It should be closed with a linking paragraph that would disclose the objectives, constraints, and limitations. Click Here for More Info on How To Write Your Final Year Project Chapter One (Introduction To A Research Project)

Chapter two: This is usually the theoretical literature review.

A literature review is a survey of academic sources on a particular project topic. It gives an overview of the ebb and flows information, permitting you to distinguish significant hypotheses, strategies, and holes in the current research.

A literature review is to show your reader that you have read, and have a good grasp of, the main published work concerning a particular topic or question in your field.

It is very important to note that your review should not be simply a description of what others have published in the form of a set of summaries but should take the form of a critical discussion, showing insight and an awareness of differing arguments, theories, and approaches. It should be a synthesis and analysis of the relevant published work, linked at all times to your own purpose and rationale.

Conducting a literature review involves collecting, evaluating, and analyzing publications (such as books and journal articles) that relate to your research question. There are five main steps in the process of writing a literature review:

Search for relevant literature
Evaluate sources
Identify themes, debates, and gaps
Outline the structure
Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources – it analyzes, synthesizes, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

According to Causley (1992) of La Trobe University, the literature review should:

• compare and contrast different authors’ views on an issue • group authors who draw similar conclusions • criticize aspects of the methodology • note areas in which authors are in disagreement • highlight exemplary studies • highlight gaps in research • show how your study relates to previous studies • show how your study relates to the literature, in general, • conclude by summarizing what the literature says Chapter two basically presents, the work done by others. It is on the groundwork done by others that the current research is to be based, hence the review. It sums up the pros and cons of all past work but due credit should be given to the various Authors (see the guide on referencing on this website). The use of quotations should be less in use, more of paraphrasing (reading and making out meaning in your own words), making comments in the review is great as well, it just depends on the context. Click Here for More Info on How To Develop Your Research Project Chapter Two Effectively (Literature Review)

Chapter three: This is usually the research methodology.

Chapter three of the research project or the research methodology is another significant part of the research project writing. In developing the chapter three of the research project, you state the research method you wish to adopt, the instruments to be used, where you will collect your data and how you collected it.

This chapter explains the different methods to be used in the research project. Here you mention the procedures and strategies you will employ in the study such as research design, research area (area of the study), the population of the study, etc.

You also tell the reader why you chose a particular method, how you planned to analyze your data. Your methodology should be written in a simple language such that other researchers can follow the method and arrive at the same conclusion or findings.

You can choose a survey design when you want to survey a particular location or behavior by administering instruments such as structured questionnaires, interviews or experimental; if you intend manipulating some variables.

The purpose of chapter three (research methodology) is to give an experienced investigator enough information to replicate the study. Some supervisors do not understand this and require students to write what is, in effect, a textbook.

A research design is used to structure the research and to show how all of the major parts of the research project, including the sample, measures, and methods of assignment, work together to address the central research questions in the study. The chapter should begin with a paragraph reiterating the purpose of the study.

It is very important that before choosing a method, try and ask yourself the following questions:

Will I generate enough information that will help me to solve the research problem by adopting this method?

For instance, you are attempting to identify the influence of personality on a road accident, you may wish to look at different personality types, you may also look at accident records from the FRSC, you may also wish to look at the personality of drivers that are accident victims, once you adopt this method, you are already doing a survey, and that becomes your methodology.

Your methodology should aim to provide you with the information to allow you to come to some conclusions about the personalities that are susceptible to a road accident or those personality types that are likely to have a road accident. The following subjects may or may not be in the order required by a particular institution of higher education, but all of the subjects constitute a defensible methodology chapter.

Here the language used should be in the past tense. It is a sum-up of the research design, procedures, the area, and the population of the study. The data sampling and data sources are detailed as well. The method used, from all alternatives, should also be justified. The materials and equipment used are also included. Click Here for More on How To Write Chapter Three Of Your Research Project (Research Methodology)

Chapter four: This is usually for data presentation and analysis (results and discussion).

The purpose of this chapter four in your final year project is to summarize the collected data and the statistical treatment, and or mechanics of analysis. The first paragraph should briefly restate the problem, taken from Chapter one, and explain the object of each experiment, question, or objective, point out salient results, and present those results by the table, figure, or other forms of summarized data. Select tables and figures carefully. Some studies are easier to defend if all the raw data is in this chapter; some are better if the bulk of the raw data is in an appendix.

Chapter four of a Qualitative Research work carries different titles such as ‘Analysis of Data’, ‘Results of Study’, ‘Analysis and Results’ and so forth but the keywords are ‘analysis’ and ‘results’ which implies that you have ‘analyzed’ the raw data and presenting the ‘results’ or what you discovered in the fieldwork carried out, in this Chapter.

The results obtained in the research are presented here in chapter four. Visual aids like graphs, charts, and the likes should be used as well. The results should be discussed then compared with the results of past Authors. The effects and applications of the results should be detailed as well. Click Here for More on How To Write Chapter Four Of Your Final Year Project (Data Analysis And Presentation)

Chapter five: This chapter summaries the research findings, discusses the limitations, and reflect the recommendations of the study.

The easier way of getting your research project work done is to understand how to SAY what you are going to say, SAY IT, and SAY what you have already said

In writing chapter five of your final year research project. You are meant to say what you’ve already said. Here, you are reminding the reader where he or she is coming from.

It is always ideal to start your research project chapter five by reminding your readers of the purpose of the study (Say what you’ve said already), this will refresh their memory of what the research study is all about.

In my previous writing on How To Write Chapter Four Of Your Final Year Project (Data Analysis and Presentation), I took my time to thoroughly explain how to report your research project analysis. And at this very point of your research project documentation, it is assumed that you have already done with your study and now into reporting

First of all, you will have to tell your readers what you are able to understand your analysis of the variables used. Then relate that to what other researchers had found out from their research (as related to your own studies). Then you make your recommendations based on your own findings and finally your conclusions.

In writing chapter five (5) of your research project, it is recommended that you check with your institution on their preferred title for research project chapter five(5). Chapter five has been titled in different ways. Here in this writing, it is suggested that the chapter is titled as Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations since institutions vary in their chapter five (5) of the final year research project.

Chapter five houses the conclusions and recommendations. From the results of the research, conclusions are made, then suggestions for improvement for other researchers with similar interests. Based on the whole happenings, recommendations are proffered. Click Here for More on How To Write Chapter Five Of Your Final Year Project ( Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation).

References: This is a list of all the relevant journals, books, and all sources of information consulted in the research work, either online or print. Plagiarism should be avoided at all costs, all quoted and exact words of different sources should be properly referenced, in-text, and at the references' list/bibliography. MLA, APA, and Chicago style are the commonest referencing styles. (See a comprehensive guide on this blog). Click Here for More on All You Need To Know On References Before Writing A Final Year Project

Appendices: This is for all extra materials that were not added to the body of the work. This encapsulates extensive proofs, official data from the case study, a list of parameters, et al. P.S: After writing, the researcher should painstakingly proofread the whole content for grammatical and spelling errors. This could be very distracting while reading the material. The page numbers are easily distorted by changing font size and type, spacing et al. The final submission should be very clear, error-free(to a large degree), and as required by the standard.

Tags: final year project, research project, project work, research work, complete project, chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5,

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Format and Guide to Literature Review, Empirical Review and Theoretical Framework -4 important parts of Thesis Chapter Two

May 29, 2019
Posted by: IGBAJI UGABI
Category: Academic Writing Guide

Chapter Two Format and Guide to Literature Review

Before writing Chapter Two of your research project, you are expected to have completed chapter one , which is the foundation on which the review will be based. This segment of your research work is most often titled Literature Review or Review of Related Literature .

Content Outline

What is Literature Review?

A literature review refers to the systematic search, collection and breakdown of existing scholarly journals, articles, textbooks and other literal publications.

By conceptualization, a literature review can be seen as a deliberate examination of works of literature or scholarly works written in a given field of study. The literature review is of many types. It could be evaluative, exploratory, instrumental, or systematic .

Typically, a literature review showcases the current state of knowledge in a given field and scientific findings. Moreover, breakthroughs in a given subject, gaps in knowledge in a given field, and theoretical and methodological scholarly works in a given field of study.

Literature reviews significantly differ from a book review and are often written as part of a research thesis both at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels. A literature review is also an important aspect of journal papers and research proposals (s), among others.

Majorly, information for literature reviews is obtained from secondary sources , and, as such, may or may not embody any new idea or approach.

In dissertation or thesis writing, literature reviews form a significant part of the work and often are the most voluminous, requiring lots of citations, effort, logical thinking and time.

Literature review entails the presentation of well-structured, articulated and organized reports of scholarly works on topics similar to the current research topic.

In thesis writing , it is expected that the literature review should sufficiently provide information on the knowledge milestone in the given study and highlight areas of need.

This is achieved through the careful selection, collection and review of extensive research work , which shares some similarities with the current study; this similarity is often seen in the variables the current study seeks to discuss.

For instance, a researcher is working on ascertaining the factors that foster teenage pregnancy in Delta State. The research can go ahead to review other research studies which have teenage pregnancy as one of its variables.

Before you dive into writing your literature review, the following “to-do “list should be adhered to:

Search for scholarly works done, which are related to your topic, both in soft and hard copy. This means that your literature source should not be based on internet sources alone; it should include published textbooks and print journals.
Choose from the list of literature available. While selecting, ensure to pick those closely related to the current study’s scope, research problem or the current study’s general objectives .
Read thoroughly the works of literature selected for review, and take notes by extracting the information needed from the said research studies .
After you might have finished reading and internalizing the selected works of literature to be reviewed, take action. Act on the information extracted. Always remember to present them in a manner that aids understanding and shows the logical sequence.

We trust we were able to help you get started with writing the literature review of your work. However, our team of talented writers is available online to provide you with all the assistance you may need.

We are also open to attending your research works, such as assignments , seminars, and term papers . Just contact us today, and a trial will convince you.

Your discipline will determine the format of chapter two of your work. However, most often, chapter two of a research thesis is discussed under the following subtitle;

Introduction : This provides a brief insight into the issues that will be discussed in chapter two as well as the organization of chapter two
Conceptual framework: your conceptual framework should be done in a manner which depicts logical linkages of central themes in your line of research. A good conceptual framework represents the interrelatedness of central issues in the research through a diagram. For instance, a researcher is working on a topic titled “The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among female adolescents in Ika, Delta State, Nigeria”. Let’s assume we are writing a conceptual framework for this topic.

Conceptual framework

Sexually transmitted diseases have been proven to affect women’s health, and adolescent girls are inclusive in so many ways. A sexually transmitted disease refers to a disease which is transferred from one person to another during the processes of sexual intimacy.

They include such diseases as staphylococcus, syphilis, and gonorrhoea, among others. Evidence from research studies in this line of study has revealed that these diseases, when left untreated, could greatly impede the health of their victims, as they can give rise to several health complications, including infertility, lowered immunity, and even death.

We have successfully created a pictorial representation of the various concepts, which will be further elaborated on in this study segment; hence, the researcher expects to elaborate on these concepts critically.

Theoretical framework

In the theoretical framework, various theories propounded by researchers in the current research line of study is reviewed. In writing a theoretical framework, it is expected that the research refers to two to three theories, depending on the number of variables being researched, such information as to its founder, assumptions, and suitability for the current study should also be stated by the researcher.

Empirical review

In the empirical review, the researcher explores various empirical studies conducted by other researchers on topics related to the current research. Empirical research entails giving a comprehensive report of another researcher’s work. For instance,

Okafor (2018) conducted a study on “the role of rape in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent girls in Ika local government of Delta state. The researcher was geared on ascertaining the causes of rape among ………., to determine the relationship between rape and victims’ vulnerability to STDs.

A survey research design was adopted, while the population of the study comprised of 100 adolescent girls who were randomly selected from 20 villages made up the local government.

Data was collected through a questionnaire and was analyzed using statistical packages for social scientists (SPSS); from the data analyzed, the study found that rape increases the vulnerability of victims to such STDs as Hiv/Aids, gonorrhoea, staphylococcus, syphilis, among others.

Hence, the study recommended that rape victims be encouraged to seek medical attention, which will enable them to get medical help.

You must report the same process for all other empirical studies you want to review.

Summary of the Reviewed literature

At this point, you are expected to present all you have done in your chapter in brief sentences. For most undergraduate research studies, chapter two terminates here. However, for post-graduate studies, such sub-titles as Gap in Knowledge and contribution to knowledge are present and discussed before the summary of reviewed literature.

Here, the researcher provides a comprehensive list of all the works of literature he/she consulted while carrying out the study, as well as detailed information on all the authors cited or quoted in the work.

Practical steps to writing a literature Review

As an undergraduate, Master or Doctorate student, one of the challenges you will face is your final year project, especially chapter two, which is called Review of Literature or Literature Review; it is, therefore, necessary that you learn how it is written.

The term literature review is not merely a summary of all articles you have reviewed in the course of your project but rather the critical analysis of the relationships between your reviews of other works in relation to your specific topic of interest. Before you begin writing your literature review, you would, have a thesis and have done your preliminary pages and introduction.

The first thing you would do is collate a list of works that you would be reviewing. For example, if you working on the theme of Racism in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah , you would research all novels, books and essays on racism that has ever been written; this will guide you through critical works of literature that have been written aforetime.

The next would be to skim through the articles and make notes, abstracts and introductions from each of the works you are reviewing. Also, create topics and sub-topics and define terms your readers might want to know. After this, you will outline your review in a tabular form, ensuring your ideas are linked. For example:

2.1. Racism as at 19 th century

2.2. Evolution of Racist Behaviour

2.3. Racism in Contemporary times

Of course, this is just an example, but I am sure it has given you insights into what I am trying to explain. Writing a review can cause a bit of panic but (Galvan, 2006: 81-90) has created a simple and understandable way to do it:

Identify the broad problem area, but avoid global statements
Early in the review, indicate why the topic being reviewed is important
Distinguish between research finding and other sources of information
Indicate why certain studies are important
If you are commenting on the timeliness of a topic, be specific in describing the time frame
If citing a classic or landmark study, identify it as such
If a landmark study was replicated, mention that and indicate the results of the replication
Discuss other literature reviews on your topic
Refer the reader to other reviews on issues that you will not be discussing in details
Justify comments such as, “no studies were found.”
Avoid long lists of nonspecific references
If the results of previous studies are inconsistent or widely varying, cite them separately
Cite all relevant references in the review section of the thesis , dissertation , or journal article

Developing a coherent essay (Galvan, 2006: 91-96)

If your review is long, provide an overview near the beginning of the review
Near the beginning of a review, state explicitly what will and will not be covered
Specify your point of view early in the review: this serves as the thesis statement of the review.
Aim for a clear and cohesive essay that integrates the key details of the literature and communicates your point of view (literature is not a series of annotated articles).
Use subheadings, especially in long reviews
Use transitions to help trace your argument
If your topic teaches across disciplines, consider reviewing studies from each discipline separately
Write a conclusion for the end of the review: Provide closure so that the path of the argument ends with a conclusion of some kind.

However, how you end the review will depend on your reason for writing it. Suppose the review was written to stand alone. In that case, as is the case of a term paper or a review article for publication, the conclusion needs to make clear how the material in the body of the review has supported the assertion or proposition presented in the introduction.

On the other hand, a review of a thesis, dissertation, or journal article presenting original research usually leads to the research questions that will be addressed.

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How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal aims
	Show your reader why your project is interesting, original, and important.
	Demonstrate your comfort and familiarity with your field. Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
	Make a case for your . Demonstrate that you have carefully thought about the data, tools, and procedures necessary to conduct your research.
	Confirm that your project is feasible within the timeline of your program or funding deadline.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

The proposed title of your project
Your supervisor’s name
Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

Introduce your topic
Give necessary background and context
Outline your problem statement and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
How much is already known about the topic
What is missing from this current knowledge
What new insights your research will contribute
Why you believe this research is worth doing

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

Academic style
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As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

Building a research proposal methodology
	? or ? , , or research design?
	, )? ?
	, , , )?
	?

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

Improving best practices
Informing policymaking decisions
Strengthening a theory or model
Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

Example research schedule
Research phase	Objectives	Deadline
1. Background research and literature review		20th January
2. Research design planning	and data analysis methods	13th February
3. Data collection and preparation	with selected participants and code interviews	24th March
4. Data analysis	of interview transcripts	22nd April
5. Writing		17th June
6. Revision	final work	28th July

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

Sampling methods
Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster sampling
Likert scales
Reproducibility

Statistics

Null hypothesis
Statistical power
Probability distribution
Effect size
Poisson distribution

Research bias

Optimism bias
Cognitive bias
Implicit bias
Hawthorne effect
Anchoring bias
Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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Online Guide to Writing and Research Chapter 2: The Writing Process

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Online Guide to Writing

Introduction

Understanding Your Assignment
Targeting Your Audience
Classic Strategies
Traditional Journalist’s Questions
Multiple Perspectives
Brainstorming
Webbing and Chaining
Keeping a Journal

Doing Exploratory Research

Thesis Statement and Controlling Idea

Outlining What You Will Write
Freewriting
Summarizing Your Ideas
Getting Feedback
Being Your Own Critic
Creating a Revision Strategy
The Final Draft

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Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing

Chapter 1: College Writing

How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace Writing?

What Is College Writing?

Why So Much Emphasis on Writing?

Chapter 2: The Writing Process

Getting from Notes to Your Draft

Prewriting - Techniques to Get Started - Mining Your Intuition

Prewriting: Targeting Your Audience

Prewriting: Techniques to Get Started

Prewriting: Understanding Your Assignment

Rewriting: Being Your Own Critic

Rewriting: Creating a Revision Strategy

Rewriting: Getting Feedback

Rewriting: The Final Draft

Techniques to Get Started - Outlining

Techniques to Get Started - Using Systematic Techniques

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Freewriting

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Summarizing Your Ideas

Writing: Outlining What You Will Write

Chapter 3: Thinking Strategies

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone: Style Through Vocabulary and Diction

Critical Strategies and Writing

Critical Strategies and Writing: Analysis

Critical Strategies and Writing: Evaluation

Critical Strategies and Writing: Persuasion

Critical Strategies and Writing: Synthesis

Developing a Paper Using Strategies

Kinds of Assignments You Will Write

Patterns for Presenting Information

Patterns for Presenting Information: Critiques

Patterns for Presenting Information: Discussing Raw Data

Patterns for Presenting Information: General-to-Specific Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Problem-Cause-Solution Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Specific-to-General Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Summaries and Abstracts

Supporting with Research and Examples

Writing Essay Examinations

Writing Essay Examinations: Make Your Answer Relevant and Complete

Writing Essay Examinations: Organize Thinking Before Writing

Writing Essay Examinations: Read and Understand the Question

Chapter 4: The Research Process

Planning and Writing a Research Paper

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Ask a Research Question

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Cite Sources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Collect Evidence

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Decide Your Point of View, or Role, for Your Research

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Draw Conclusions

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Manage Your Resources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Outline

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Survey the Literature

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Work Your Sources into Your Research Writing

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Human Resources

Research Resources: What Are Research Resources?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Electronic Resources

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Print Resources

Structuring the Research Paper: Formal Research Structure

Structuring the Research Paper: Informal Research Structure

The Nature of Research

The Research Assignment: How Should Research Sources Be Evaluated?

The Research Assignment: When Is Research Needed?

The Research Assignment: Why Perform Research?

Chapter 5: Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Giving Credit to Sources

Giving Credit to Sources: Copyright Laws

Giving Credit to Sources: Documentation

Giving Credit to Sources: Style Guides

Integrating Sources

Practicing Academic Integrity

Practicing Academic Integrity: Keeping Accurate Records

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Paraphrasing Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Quoting Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Summarizing Your Sources

Types of Documentation

Types of Documentation: Bibliographies and Source Lists

Types of Documentation: Citing World Wide Web Sources

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - APA Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - CSE/CBE Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - Chicago Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - MLA Style

Types of Documentation: Note Citations

Chapter 6: Using Library Resources

Finding Library Resources

Chapter 7: Assessing Your Writing

How Is Writing Graded?

How Is Writing Graded?: A General Assessment Tool

The Draft Stage

The Draft Stage: The First Draft

The Draft Stage: The Revision Process and the Final Draft

The Draft Stage: Using Feedback

The Research Stage

Using Assessment to Improve Your Writing

Chapter 8: Other Frequently Assigned Papers

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Article and Book Reviews

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Reaction Papers

Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Adapting the Argument Structure

Writing Arguments: Purposes of Argument

Writing Arguments: References to Consult for Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Anticipate Active Opposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Determine Your Organization

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Develop Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Introduce Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - State Your Thesis or Proposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Write Your Conclusion

Writing Arguments: Types of Argument

Appendix A: Books to Help Improve Your Writing

Dictionaries

General Style Manuals

Researching on the Internet

Special Style Manuals

Writing Handbooks

Appendix B: Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing

Collaborative Writing: Assignments to Accompany the Group Project

Collaborative Writing: Informal Progress Report

Collaborative Writing: Issues to Resolve

Collaborative Writing: Methodology

Collaborative Writing: Peer Evaluation

Collaborative Writing: Tasks of Collaborative Writing Group Members

Collaborative Writing: Writing Plan

General Introduction

Peer Reviewing

Appendix C: Developing an Improvement Plan

Working with Your Instructor’s Comments and Grades

Appendix D: Writing Plan and Project Schedule

Devising a Writing Project Plan and Schedule

Reviewing Your Plan with Others

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How to Create a Survey

How to ask about gender in a survey

How to write gender questions for a survey

Only ask about sex and gender when it’s necessary for your research project
Let respondents know that you’ll keep their data confidential
Let respondents know how you’ll protect their data
Use inclusive language and design
Ask about gender and sexual orientation separately
Keep sex and gender questions separate as well
Allow respondents to self-describe with answer fields or dropdown questions
Use conditional logic to create a personalized survey experience

The appropriate way to ask about gender in a survey has become progressively more important in the past several years. According to a January 2024 article titled “ Measuring the Growth of Gender-Inclusive Surveys Around the World ” in Survey Practice , an e-journal published by the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the use of gender questions with more than two answer options increased between 2012 and 2022.

Researchers uncovered some important facts:

In the United States, 64 percent of surveys included three or more gender categories in gender survey questions by 2022, up from 16 percent 2012.
In Canada, 80 percent of surveys included three or more gender categories in survey questions by 2022, an increase of 59 percent since 2012.
The use of non-binary gender answer options on surveys also increased in several other countries in that 10-year time span, including Australia, the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Brazil, among others, according to researchers.

While researchers haven’t conclusively determined one “right” way to ask gender questions on a survey, there are a number of reliable best practices that are important to follow in order to ensure accurate survey results and foster inclusivity. More on that later.

In this article, we’ll share when and why you may need to ask questions about gender, discuss how to ask about gender in a survey in a way that’s inclusive and respectful, and review how Jotform can help you create a gender-inclusive survey.

Why it’s important to ask about gender in a survey

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines sex as a “biological construct based on anatomy, physiology, genetics, and hormones” and gender as “a multidimensional construct that encompasses gender identity and expression, as well as social and cultural expectations about status, characteristics, and behavior as they are associated with certain sex traits.” Put simply, while sex is assigned at birth, gender is shaped by cultural expectations, family dynamics, societal norms, and other factors.

Gender is an essential part of a person’s identity, and since the factors mentioned above shape identity, gender questions that offer a range of gender identity options — rather than a binary male or female answer option — will capture more accurate data, which will ensure more reliable results in research projects.

Asking about gender in a survey is important when you need to gather meaningful, nuanced demographic data that leads to actionable insights. For example, in healthcare, where sex and gender influence health and disease, precision is especially important. Other categories where gender is particularly relevant include research about labor markets, consumer markets, organizational culture, and city planning, among others.

Let’s consider a few other reasons to ask gender-inclusive survey questions:

Gender is more complex than the binary options of male or female. Adding more answer options means a wider array of experiences will be included, improving data accuracy and representation.
Gender-specific data allows for more informed decision-making about policies and programs meant to address disparities among gender groups.
Accurate gender data is important for studying trends and behaviors that differ by gender.
Including gender questions that provide a range of gender identity answer options promotes inclusivity and fairness; not providing these options could be seen as exclusionary.
Gender questions with inclusive answer options help respondents feel respected, included, and validated, which may, in turn, increase survey participation.
An inclusive survey that collects data on a wider array of experiences and gender expressions can help avoid inherent biases that happen when presenting binary male/female answer options.

How to ask about gender in a survey: Tips and best practices

Knowing precisely how to ask about gender in a survey can be a challenge. The following eight tips for creating a gender-inclusive survey can help.

1. Only ask about sex and gender when it’s necessary for your research project

If you’re asking about gender, explain at the outset why you’re collecting this data and how you’ll use it.

2. Let respondents know that you’ll keep their data confidential

Don’t forget to make it clear that you won’t share respondents’ data with others. You can also make questions that ask about sex, gender, or sexuality optional.

3. Let respondents know how you’ll protect their data

Assure respondents that their data is safe. You can do this at the beginning of the survey, in the section where you address why you’re collecting this data and how you’ll use it. For example, you could share information about the specific security features of the survey software you’re using.

4. Use inclusive language and design

Design your surveys using gender-neutral language that includes all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sex, religion, age, disability, or sexual orientation, etc.

If you’re asking about gender, avoid binary male/female answer options. If you plan to ask a question about both sex and gender, the Survey Practice article previously referenced recommends the following language:

Transgender
I don’t identify as female, male, or transgender.

Other inclusive answer options could include

Genderqueer
Genderfluid
Gender non-conforming
Prefer not to say
Other (with an open text field for respondents to fill out, if desired)

You can learn more about sexual orientation and gender identity terminology from the Human Rights Campaign .

5. Ask about gender and sexual orientation separately

Combining gender identity and sexual orientation into one question is problematic because these are two distinct facets of an individual’s identity.

As previously discussed, gender is a social construct shaped by cultural expectations, family dynamics, and societal norms, among other factors. On the other hand, sexual orientation is defined in the Human Rights Campaign’s glossary of terms as “an inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.”

6. Keep sex and gender questions separate as well

Gender and sex assigned at birth are also different concepts. Ask about these characteristics separately if you choose to ask about both in a survey.

7. Allow respondents to self-describe with answer fields or dropdown questions

Fill-in-the-blank or write-in options are a great way to offer survey participants flexibility in answering using their preferred terms.

For example, you could pose the following question using a dropdown format with an option for respondents to provide their own terms:

Gender: How do you identify?
I prefer to describe myself as: ___________________________________

8. Use conditional logic to create a personalized survey experience

Conditional logic allows survey respondents to skip questions that are irrelevant to them according to their answers to previous questions. This feature lets you tailor the survey experience to each respondent’s identity, making it more inclusive.

How to use Jotform to create a gender-inclusive survey

Jotform offers free gender survey templates that you can customize to meet your exact needs. Participants will be able to select their gender identity, gender expression, and gender role. Add or remove fields with the drag-and-drop form builder, upload your logo, add custom questions, and choose new fonts and text colors for a personalized touch.

With various form fields, you can also give participants space to explain their answers. For example, after asking a question about gender, you can easily add a “self-describe” option by setting up a long-text field .

And finally, use Jotform’s conditional logic feature to create an interactive survey. By setting up conditional logic based on participant answers, your respondents can skip questions that aren’t relevant to them and enjoy a much more personalized survey experience.

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However, in the literature review (Chapter Two), this step of searching for data and previous work is all the work. That is, you will only develop the theoretical framework. In general, you will need to choose the topic in question and search for more relevant works and authors that worked around that research idea you want to discuss.
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Final year project chapter 2. Done with your project chapter one, the chapter two is next I suppose. How easy literature review sounds but yet has proven to be one of the most technical sections in final year projects where undergraduates fumble structurally in their research documentation. The constant fumbling could be attributed to a mix-up of what it takes to successfully do a review of ...
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However, in the literature review (Chapter Two), this step of searching for data and previous work is all the work. That is, you will only develop the theoretical framework. In general, you will need to choose the topic in question and search for more relevant works and authors that worked around that research idea you want to discuss.
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Male workforce participation has been on a continuously downward trend as well, since the 1960s decreasing from 84% participation in 1960 to 71% in 2008 with projections. showing a continuing decrease (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). Men 25-54 years of age have a. workforce participation rate of 89.3% (U.S. Census, 2008).
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Chapter 2 Introduction. Chapter 2. Introduction. Maybe you have already gained some experience in doing research, for example in your bachelor studies, or as part of your work. The challenge in conducting academic research at masters level, is that it is multi-faceted. The types of activities are: Writing up and presenting your findings.
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res thata research topic can and should be researched. Even though the literature review is the second chapter of the dissertation, students begin this process first since an extensive review of the literatur. is necessary for developing a proposed research topi. ps are taken, a dissertati.
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Format and Guide to Literature Review, Empirical Review and Theoretical Framework -4 important parts of Thesis Chapter Two. Before writing Chapter Two of your research project, you are expected to have completed chapter one, which is the foundation on which the review will be based.This segment of your research work is most often titled Literature Review or Review of Related Literature.
How to Write a Research Proposal
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
Chapter 2: The Writing Process
Getting from Notes to Your Draft. Freewriting. Summarizing Your Ideas. Rewriting. Getting Feedback. Being Your Own Critic. Creating a Revision Strategy. The Final Draft. Mailing Address: 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD 20783.
6.2.1: The Purpose of Research Writing
However, its challenges have rewards. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice. The writing process helps you to remember what you learned and to understand it on a deeper level. Thus writing a research paper can be a great opportunity to explore a topic that particularly interests you and to grow as a person.
6.2.7: Applying Your Research
A project team may spend months conducting market surveys to prepare for rolling out a new product, but few managers have time to read the research in its entirety. Most employees want the research distilled into a few well-supported points. Focused, concise writing is highly valued in the workplace.
2.5.2: Myths about Writing
2: Chapter Two-Academic Writing/The Thesis Statement ... Projects calling for high levels of critical literacy in college typically require knowledge of research skills, ability to read complex texts, understanding of key disciplinary concepts, and strategies for synthesizing, analyzing, and responding critically to new information, usually ...
6.2.3: Managing Your Research
Jorge had six weeks to complete his research project. Working backward from a due date of May 2, he mapped out a schedule for completing his research by early April so that he would have ample time to write. Jorge chose to write his schedule in his weekly planner to help keep himself on track. Review Jorge's schedule. Key target dates are shaded.
Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other
Research and statistics. Reports, analysis and official statistics. Policy papers and consultations. Consultations and strategy. Transparency. Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate ...
How to ask about gender in a survey
1. Only ask about sex and gender when it's necessary for your research project. If you're asking about gender, explain at the outset why you're collecting this data and how you'll use it. 2. Let respondents know that you'll keep their data confidential. Don't forget to make it clear that you won't share respondents' data with ...

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How to Write a Good Chapter Two: Literature Review

How to Write Chapter Two of a Research Paper

What is the literature review in a research paper?

How to write a literature review?

Introduction

Methodology

Results and conclusion

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How To Structure Your Literature Review

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1: The Introduction Section

2: The Body Section

Option 1: Chronological (according to date)

Option 2: Thematic (grouped by theme)

Option 3: Methodological

3: The Conclusion Section

Example: Thematically Structured Review

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Research Methods

How to do a research project for your academic study

What is a research project?

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Developing a research question or statement

Finding and evaluating sources

Conducting research

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Introduction

Literature review

Methodology

Findings and results

Discussion

Conclusion

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Format and Guide to Literature Review, Empirical Review and Theoretical Framework -4 important parts of Thesis Chapter Two

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