The research proposal must be of the following

structure: Table of Contents, Abstract, Introduction into the General Topic, Problem Statement,
Hypothesis and Objectives of the Study, Literature and Research Review, Research Methodology, Data Collection, Analysis and Evaluation
of Data, Expected Results and Output of the
Study, Biblio-graphy, Appendix (Tables, Graphs,
Questionnaires), Financial Budget and Timetable.
With the scholarship application the following
issues will have to be covered respectively the
following documents will have to be handed in:
Research proposal, 2 Letters of recommendation by researchers from applicants field, Statement of the home university, Correspondence
with Scientific Supervisor and formal agreement
on supervision in Germany in detail (confirmation on the use of laboratory equipment, materials etc.), C.V. (focusing on educational and scientific background: Publications, Conferences,
Teaching experiences etc.).

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Office Hours
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Consultation at the German Embassy:
Tue. 10.00 12noon
Introductory Sessions on
Study & Research in Germany:
1st Thursday of every month from 4pm 6pm
At the Goethe Institut.
Participation in this session is mandatory prior to
individual consultation.
April 2011 Edition

www.ic.daad.de/accra

How to write a research

proposal
Information Center Accra

How to Write a Research Proposal

The following recommendations do not guarantee a
successful research application. They may, however, help the applicant prepare a carefully conceptualized and comprehensive proposal. The purpose
of the proposal is to ensure that the candidates have
done sufficient preliminary reading and research in
the area of their interest, that they have thought
about the issues involved and are able to provide
more than a broad description of the topic which
they are planning to investigate. They have to convince members of the scientific community that they
have identified a scientific problem as well as that
they have the theory background and methodical
approach that will enable them to solve the problem
within a realistic time frame and at reasonable expenses.
The research proposal should have between 10 and
30 pages. It should have a proper layout (typeface
and line spacing) as well as a table of contents and
page numbers.

On the title page, personal information has to
be stated like applicants name, academic title (if
applicable), current position at the university,
date of birth, nationality, work and private address including telephone and e-mail address.
Then the title of the planned dissertation (or research report) and a realistic time frame in
which the project should be completed should
follow. After this comes the name of supervisor(s), the university department which will host
the researcher and, if applicable, information
about other academics with whom the researcher plans to collaborate.

A short statement on the research topic that

has been identified, not more than one page,
should focus on the new, current and relevant
aspects of the topic. It is advisable to choose a
topic which can be researched through appropriate and valid methods and for which research
material is available.
In the Literature Review a short and precise
overview about the current state of research that
is immediately connected with the research project should be given. The most important contributions of other scientists should also be stated.
The proposal should contain a clear and logical
discussion of the theoretical scope OR the
framework of ideas that will be used to back the
research. It needs to show that the applicant is
fully conversant with the ideas he is dealing with.
The research review must indicate an open problem which then will be the motive for the project
and state clearly how it will contribute to the existing research. The most important results of the
applicants work on the topic should be summarized. Copies of the applicants publications that
might be seen in connection with his research
project might be attached.
A concise and clear outline of the academic
objectives that shall be achieved through the
project must be given. The proposal needs to
show why the intended research is important and
to justify the effort of doing the research. Such
justification may either be of an empirical nature
or of a theoretical nature.
The outline of the project is the central part of
the research proposal. It may well fill half of the
space of the proposal. It should give detailed in-

formation about the intended research procedure during the given time, about the sources
and quality of evidence, the analytical technique
and the timetable for the project. Depending on
the topic, suitable research strategies should be
defined to ensure that enough and adequate
empirical data will be gathered for a successful
research project. The intended methods of data
gathering, the controls that will be introduced,
the statistical methods to be used and the type
of literature or documentary analysis will have to
be outlined. However, one should be ready to
revise the proposal according to new insights
and upcoming questions and keep on modifying
the working hypothesis.
Information about the estimated time table
should indicate the sequence of research
phases and the time that will probably be
needed for each phase ( if possible in tabular
form).
In the selective research bibliography those
academic works will be listed which have been
mentioned in the research outline as well as a
number of other important works to which the
applicant will refer during the research should
be listed.
Once the conceptual work on the proposal is
finished, a careful editing stage should follow