Research Prospectus
Please be advised that the research prospectus must be written in APA format only. My major is commonly referred to as speech pathology. I would the research to focus on
that particular field since my prior assignments were written in relation to hearing loss
and/or sign language.
Purpose: The research prospectus is both a synopsis and a plan. It gives the audience a glimpse of a problem and its significance, as well as describes the objectives, approaches, and methods of a proposed investigation of the problem. It explains the background of the problem to the audience, describing present understandings and knowledge, as well as identifies your proposed solution(s). It also contains the vital elements of a research investigation, and is often both persuasive and informative in its purpose. The goal of the prospectus writer is not only to persuade the audience to believe in the credibility of the proposed investigation then, but also to make them believe that the solutions and methodologies presented are practical and appropriate.
Audience: Faculty in your school or college who would be acting as a jury reviewing undergraduate research proposals to select one that would receive funding. Because you are writing for not only faculty then, but also to try to obtain funding to complete your proposed research project, you should be particularly mindful of your audience.
Learning Objectives:
• Propose a large-scale research project that would contribute new knowledge to your discipline;
• Conduct a small-scale primary research project to begin exploring your research question with your own data;
• Report on research findings and explain them to your audience in a clear manner;
• Persuade your audience that your proposed research project should be pursued; and
• Use APA documentation style and formatting.
Process: Your research prospectus must include the following labeled sections in addition to a Title Page and a References page, and should meet the word length requirements for each noted below:
1. Abstract (3/4 page / 200 words) – appears on its own separate page. The rest of the sections are concurrent, with headers in bold and title case on the left-hand margin; see the model.
2. Introduction with Literature Review (3 pages / 750 words; cite at least 6 peer-reviewed sources in this section)
3. Primary Research Project Methods, Findings, and Discussion (3 pages/750 words)
4. Proposed Research Methods (2 pages / 500 words)
5. Conclusion (1 page / 250 words)
6. Following the References page, you must include Appendices. The first page should be labeled Appendix A, for interview questions (if you conducted interviews), where you list the interview questions you asked, and the other should be labeled Appendix B, for survey questions, where you list the questions you included in your survey, including the demographic, Likert-style statements, ranking questions, and any open questions.
Refer to the handout “Blueprint for Your Research Prospectus” below, for more detailed information about what each section should include.
Format: The research prospectus should be at least 2,500 words (around 10 pages) typed, double-spaced. The title page, references page, and appendices do not count toward this requirement. The assignment must conform to formatting guidelines (12 pt., Times New Roman, 1” margins, proper headers, etc.) and use APA style.
