apa format research proposal sample

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Detailed Guide: APA Research Proposal Example 

Table of Contents

As a college student, essay assignments are the norm. But a research proposal may sound strange– especially if you are a newbie. If that’s the case, an APA research proposal example comes in handy. 

In this article, we’ll examine the features of a research proposal. And provide all the information you need to write your first.

What Is A Research Proposal?

A research proposal is a document that outlines the main idea of a research project . The proposal explains why the study needs to be done and how it will benefit society or improve knowledge in the field.

It delineates the methodology of the research you’ve conducted or are about to execute. 

What’s The Goal Of A Research Proposal?

A research proposal helps the writer explore a topic in greater detail. It provides an opportunity to identify and analyze relevant evidence, conclude, and offer potential solutions or recommendations. 

A research proposal also allows you to demonstrate knowledge of a specific field and create a well-rounded argument considering diverse perspectives. 

Sometimes, the purpose of a proposal is to secure funds to support your research. 

A research proposal presents a unique insight into a particular subject matter. And make a compelling case for its importance in advancing knowledge.

You should be able to prove that your work will:

• Fill a knowledge gap on this topic or add to the existing knowledge on the subject
• Emphasize existing information on the issue

It should also prove that you are capable of contributing meaningfully to the field of study. The best way to prove this is by stating your credentials and academic qualifications. Your study proposal also affirms the academic merit of your ideas. 

How Long Should A Proposal Be?

Frankly, the page count of a research proposal isn’t as important as the content it should entail. A master’s or bachelor’s research proposal may be a few pages long. But for a Ph.D. dissertation, it may be more as the research is often meatier.

The purpose of a research proposal is to outline any content or element of your research. Don’t leave out details because you are targeting a word or page count.

The Structure Of A Research Proposal

An APA Research Proposal structure isn’t set in stone. But some elements are critical. They are as follows:

Research Paper Title

The research title should embody your paper’s content. While you can still change your title during the project, you must ensure your title explains the whole study in a few words. 

In just about 100 words, your abstract should state the question you intend to answer. 

Background Significance

This is where you’ll give a background introduction to your topic. It covers issues like why you decided to work on the research, existing debates, etc. 

You should also include the relevance of the question you aim to answer and its importance.

Finally, you must state the tool you plan to use while conducting your research. 

Literature Review

The literature review lists the sources you plan to rely on for your research and why you are working with those sources. 

Research Methods, Design And Schedule

This aspect of your research proposal covers the following topics. 

• Identify if you are doing corrective, experimental, or descriptive research. 
• State the kind of research you want to do. Is it quantitative or qualitative research? 
• What tools will you use to curate data? Observation? Or will you conduct a survey? 
• List all the data collection options available and why they are necessary. 

In addition, this aspect of the research proposal should also indicate:

• Research budget
• Any form of potential obstacles and how you will resolve them. 
• The timeline of your research 

Conclusions

Like the name suggests, this section wraps up the research proposal. It summarizes research proposals and restates your purpose. 

Bibliography

Finally, list your sources or the works that contributed to your research. In this case, you need to follow the APA format. You can even annotate your bibliography, indicating how each source will contribute to your study. 

APA Research Proposal Format

Now, we’ll briefly analyze what the APA format should look like. 

• 1-inch margins 
• 12-point font Times New Roman
• An APA running head (limited to 50 characters) 
• Double-spaced
• References page (following APA guidelines) 
• In-text citations (formatted accordingly to APA guidelines) 
• A title page containing your research title (12 words maximum), your name, and your institution name 
• Abstract (150-200 words)

What To Avoid In APA Research Paper

Some factors can mar your research proposals. APA research papers should be written carefully, avoiding the following mistakes: 

1. Using overly technical language that can make it difficult for the reader to understand. 

2. Omitting any necessary facts or data may weaken the paper’s credibility and validity.

3. Failing to cite sources accurately could result in plagiarism.

4. Making assumptions without providing evidence to back them up.

5. Overlooking potential ethical issues related to a topic.

6. Ignoring grammar and spelling mistakes.

7. Not organizing ideas logically or presenting them in an unclear manner. 

8. Relying too heavily on one source of information when multiple perspectives are needed. 

9. Being overly opinionated instead of using objective analysis and reasoning.

APA Research Proposal Example

Emotional well-being and mental health research proposal , introduction.

I propose undertaking a research project into the effects of emotional well-being on mental health. This study investigates how emotional well-being affects one’s ability to cope with and manage mental health. This proposal will analyze current literature, examine personal experiences, and explore various theories. It seeks to gain an understanding of how emotional well-being influences mental health. 

Research Methodology

In terms of methodology, I plan to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research. Using these mediums, I will form conclusions regarding the correlation between emotional well-being and mental health. 

A survey will be administered online, followed by semi-structured interviews with participants who indicate that they are struggling with their mental health. Furthermore, I will conduct interviews with healthcare professionals. 

Personal stories and observations from my experience working with individuals with mental illness will also be incorporated into the data collection process. Additionally, information from relevant academic studies on this topic will be used to inform the interpretation of the results. 

The proposed research has theoretical and practical implications for understanding the complex relationship between emotion and mental health. 

Theoretically, it could lead to a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. It could also provide insight into the psychological underpinnings of mental illnesses like anxiety or depression. 

Moreover, the findings could suggest new strategies for helping those with poor mental health. It will provide them with improved access to support systems and resources. Finally, further exploration of this issue could result in policies geared towards improving emotional well-being implemented at governmental levels. 

I anticipate that this study will take approximately 6 months to complete, depending on the availability of interview subjects. 

If allowed to conduct this research, I am confident I can produce valid and reliable results. One that will contribute to our collective knowledge about the role of emotion in mental health.

Note: This is a skeletal APA research proposal example. This should only serve as a guide. You need to be as detailed as possible while writing yours. 

An APA research proposal example is a document that outlines the basic idea of a researcher’s project. 

When writing a research proposal using the APA style, it’s essential to follow the formatting rules the American Psychological Association laid out. This includes providing references in the correct format, such as author name, date, and page number. 

Worried about drafting an excellent research proposal? Take INK on a spin. Our proposal generator takes instructions and delivers a brilliant research proposal. 

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to Write a Research Proposal in APA Format?

What is APA format in research?

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is one of the  citation formats  in research with a set of norms for writing in psychology and related subjects. These standards were outlined in the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual (APA, 2006). In 1944, the American Psychological Association produced its first version of the Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association, which included its writing style and structure for academic papers. The handbook has undergone six revisions, with the sixth and most recent editions issued in 2009. The APA style refers to the principles established by the American Psychological Association in their manual to provide a standard for journals and scholarly works. APA Referencing guide was developed to improve the precise interpretation of academic and  research papers  published in their journals by minimizing linguistic bias and using clear language. Since then, several colleges and scientific publications have accepted  Academic Writing in APA Style . 

Introduction: 

A research proposal dissertation describes what you aim to investigate, why it is important, and how you propose to carry out your study. The structure of a research proposal varies depending on the subject. Most proposals, however, will include at least the following elements based on Research proposal service guidelines:

• Introduction
• Literature review
• Research design
• Reference list

While the components may differ, the general goal remains the same. A research proposal for dissertation acts as a blueprint and roadmap for your research strategy, assisting you in becoming organized and confident in the direction you want to go.

Check our study Guides, to have to know  how to write a research Proposal for Master dissertation

APA Style and the Values of Psychology

According to Robert Madigan and his colleagues, APA-style papers serve an important role that is often overlooked. It specifically supports the scientific values and assumptions of psychologists. Many APA style aspects that appear random at first glance make perfect sense in this context. The following are some characteristics of APA-style writing and the scientific values or assumptions they reflect.

Check our study Guides, to have to know how to write a research Proposal for Master dissertation    

APA Style and the Values of Psychology  

According to Robert Madigan and his colleagues,  APA-style papers  serve an important role that is often overlooked. It specifically supports the scientific values and assumptions of psychologists. Many APA style aspects that appear random at first glance make perfect sense in this context. The following are some characteristics of APA-style writing and the scientific values or assumptions they reflect.  

The APA style research proposal will allow you to create a proposal with a consistent style that will persuade the committee to authorize your research. Specific standards are provided in the   APA Referencing guide  for research proposals. Below is the research proposal format APA 7th edition guidelines.

• Margins, Header & Footer

All sides must have a 1-inch margin. The header format is right justified, with the proposal title on the left and the page number on the right. The running header should not be more than 50 characters long; it should begin on the cover page and continue throughout the proposal. If the title is more than 50 characters, reduce it to include the keywords.  

• Fonts, Size & Space

APA style  calls for a serif typeface, ideally Times New Roman. The fond is standard 12 size. Each word must be double-spaced, with a five -space indentation.  

The proposal headline will be positioned in the centre, halfway down the page, in the proper format for your title page. The headline is followed by your name and the name of the organization or university.  

The abstract appears after the title page. Write the abstract in 250 words or less, and include a statement about the study and methodologies that will be employed.  

The introduction is on the next page of the proposal; it comprises the main concept behind the research, the setting of the study, the issue that it will address, and the individuals who will benefit. The section can be up to three pages long.  

• Literature Review

Following the introduction is a brief  review of the literature  you will need to study to gain a thorough understanding of the problem; you must relate the research to similar studies in the field and incorporate a structure that will be followed in the survey about existing knowledge in the area. The section might be as long as 7 pages.  

• Research Methodology

List and briefly explain   Research methodologies  you will use in the research; include everything from data collection to analysis and how each will be justified. According to the criteria, APA research methodology can only have a maximum of 5 pages.

• Limitations

It is necessary to describe the study’s potential limitations; keep this to half a page.  

• Significance

Limitations are followed by the significance of the research, its tangibility, practicability, and ramifications. The proposal must explain the likely result and what it hopes to achieve in research. The part is typically two pages long.  

• References, Bibliography & Citation

Include a section for every reference used in the proposal’s authoring. The APA proposal format  must have; the author and year must be mentioned when quoting or paraphrasing; and there is no bibliography section in APA format.

Do check for  Research Proposal examples , to know the research proposal template and sample research proposal APA 7th edition format and also how a well-structured proposal are written by our expertise in various domain.

Conclusion  

APA style should be viewed as a “genre” of writing that is ideal for presenting psychological research findings, particularly in academic and professional settings. It does not imply “excellent writing” in general. You would not write a literary analysis in APA style for an English class, even if it were based on psychoanalytic notions. Instead, you would write it in Modern Language Association MLA & Vancouver format . And you would not write a newspaper piece in APA style, even if it was about a great advance in behavioural neuroscience.  

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At Tutors India, we offer  Master’ Dissertation research proposal writing services , where you can relax and remain stress-free, given that an experienced researcher is handling the work. We have professional expertise in Management, Social Science, Engineering, Technology, Life Science, Medical, Arts & Literature / Linguistics, and much more. Our writers have experience in research methodology, industry experience, and educational degrees from international and top-ranked universities in India, the US, and the UK. Our  Citation Compliance help service  will create a 100% custom written Dissertation that will help you to complete your undergraduate/postgraduate degree successfully.  Avail dissertation proposal help today!

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How To Writing A Research Proposal In APA Style?

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American Psychological Association published their writing style and format for academic writings in their first edition of Publication manual for American Psychological Association in 1944. The manual has since spanned six editions, with the sixth and latest version published in 2009. The APA style refers to the guidelines set by APA in their manual to guide a standard for journals and scientific papers. The style guide was created to enhance precise understanding of academic and scientific articles published in their journals by avoiding bias in language with an emphasis on the usage of unambiguous language. Various universities and scientific journals have since adopted the APA style as the standard for academic writing, sometimes with a little or little modifications. A research proposal is the first step in most academic writing. It is the estimate of aggregation of processes that will form research. Research proposal in APA guidelines will enable you to present a proposal that will have a standard style to convince the committee to approve of your research. APA style for research proposal contains specific guidelines.

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