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Writing the Objectives Section for a Study Proposal

A study proposal is something obligatory for every student who is applying for a research grant or scholarship. Though some undergraduate students may be asked to do this kind of proposal for their thesis or term paper, it is typically assigned to graduate students and Ph.D. candidates who have to conduct an intensive study to earn their degree or title. If a professor wants to take a sabbatical or specialize in a specific field, he or she also may need to come up with such a paper. It is essential to know how to write a strong research proposal since if you cannot appeal to the decision-makers, then you will not likely get the grant or mere permission to go ahead with the project. Let’s take a look at how to write an Objectives section for the project.

Know the Purpose of Your Objectives

First, to come up with strong objectives for the study proposal knows why they are meaningful. Since the school can give you a research grant to conduct your study, they have to know that the money and resources they provide you with will be used appropriately.

For example, there is an extremely low probability that a bank would give a loan to someone to start a business unless it first saw a structured business proposal that presents clear objectives. The same goes for a study proposal. You must be able to explain to your professors why your research makes sense and is significant for the academic community and justify your intentions of conducting that research.

Identify Strong and Weak Objectives by Reading Examples

To be able to come up with an effective study proposal objective, you have to understand the difference between a strong objective and a weak one. The best way to do this is by reading successful research proposal samples that can be found online. Alternatively, you can ask to look at a proposal of a person who has completed one himself/herself or even ask your professors for help.

Strong objectives are brief, interrelated, realistic, and reasonable. They should make it clear to the readers how you are going to conduct the research while ensuring it remains genuine and valuable. They have to be not obscure or unrealistic, repetitive, or inconsistent.

Come Up with the Objectives with Questions

As soon as you understand what an effective research objective is, it is time to brainstorm objectives for your project. Make sure to dedicate enough time to think about what your objectives are. Here are some helpful questions to make the task easier:

• Why is this research meaningful?
• What are the benefits/effects of this research?
• What problems is it able to solve?
• How will I conduct this research?
• What resources are required to get answers?
• How will I accomplish my goals?
• What are the expected results?
• Has this topic been researched earlier? If yes, in what context?

Narrow Down Your Objectives

After coming up with a reasonable list of objectives that answer all the questions above, and that fit the criteria of a good objective, you will have to narrow down this list. Actually, there is no strictly required number of objectives that have to be included in your research proposal, but three clear and concise objectives will definitely become a good choice.

Rank your objectives from the most significant and most likely to be accomplished to the least significant and least likely to be accomplished. After it, you can select around three objectives to support the proposal.

Outline Your Objectives

As soon as you complete the narrowing-down process and choose your objectives, consider taking part in a peer review. It is helpful since you will get feedback whether your objectives are appropriate. When this is done, begin outlining your objectives by using a template. The choice is yours. You might prefer a visual outline, such as a mind map, or simply writing down your objectives with bullet points. Do not forget that it is always a good idea to try new strategies. Remember that you will have to use this outline while working on your actual study proposal.

Include The Objectives Section in Your Research Proposal

Now you have to find out how to come up with the objectives of the research for the actual project. This paper is going to include several elements, among which a title page, an abstract, and the context of the research with a literature review. Then come your objectives that have to tie into the rest. It is important to provide enough context surrounding your objectives, so the readers are able to understand exactly how you will conduct the research. Eventually, you will have to provide any references used to help you determine your objectives and write the proposal.