Research plan

When applying for doctoral degree studies, a research plan must be enclosed with
the application. Prepare the research plan carefully, because it measures the skills
and competencies of the applicant for the doctoral education. Please note, that the
research plan is an independent document by the applicant, but he Professor who
has agreed as to be your supervisor will give you good advice. The actual guidance
will start after you have been admitted and registered to the university.
The research plan must cover the entire licentiate thesis or doctoral dissertation. If
the research topic and materials change substantially, a new plan must be made. If
the changes are significant, approval must be sought from the faculty. The research
plan is usually drafted in Finnish or English and must include a list of references.
Examples of research plan

Example 1:

The research plan should contain

 starting points and theoretical basis of the research, previous research

 aims of the research, research tasks and questions, ethical issues
 research methods and data, administration of data
 working plan, working plan for part of the tasks
 schedule and funding plan
 publication plan
 evaluation of opportunities to exploit the results of the research, societal
significance of the research results

The extent of the plan is about 10 pages.

Example 2: (from UEF DS Curricula, autumn term 2012)

1. Title of the research and the name and contact information of the postgraduate
student
2. Background
1. a short summary of the background to the research with necessary sources
(including the theoretical and methodological basis)
2. a description of earlier research related to the topic
 3. a description of what remains unknown about the research topic and an
explanation of the research's relevance on a national and/or international
scale
3. Aims
1. the research hypotheses
2. the aims of the research clearly defined and presented
4. Materials and methods
1. a description of the research methods and materials used, and the grounds
for choosing the particular methods
2. a description of how the materials will be handled and used (also after the
research has been completed)
3. a working plan, a plan for different stages of the work
5. Schedule and funding plans
1. a description and a schedule for the different stages of the work
2. the funding plan and funding sources of the research
6. The ethical aspects of the research
1. the ethical aspects of the research (e.g. whether the research requires
statements from ethics sommittees or statutory research permits; possible
permits should be attached to the research plan)
7. Publication Plan
1. the means and mode of publishing and/or presenting the research results
8. Applications of research results
1. an estimation of the applications and the social significance of the research
results
9. References
1. a list of the research field's principal literature used for the research
10. the names of the persons and units participating in the research project
11. The supervisor(s) signature(s)
Choose a Topic
Pick a topic which interests and challenges you.
Focus on a limited aspect.
Obtain teacher approval for your topic.
Re-read your assignment sheet carefully to be certain you know what is expected.
Select a subject you can manage.
Avoid subjects that are too technical, learned, or specialized.
Avoid topics that have only a very narrow range of source materials.

Find Information
Use search engines and other search tools as a starting point.
Pay attention to domain name extensions (if it ends with edu or org)
Be selective of com (commercial) sites.
Be wary of personal home pages - their quality varies greatly.
Check out public and university libraries, businesses, government agencies.
Contact knowledgeable people in your community.
Write down full bibliographical information.

Your Thesis
Write your thesis statement down in one sentence.
Find arguments to support and defend this belief.

Outline
Think through your topic carefully and organize it logically
Include in your outline an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Make the first outline tentative.
In the introductions, state your thesis and the purpose of your research.
State how you plan to approach your topic.
Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover.
In the body, present your arguments to support your thesis statement.
In the conclusion, restate or reword your thesis and summarize your arguments.
Draft
Thesis statement is concise and clear.
Arguments are presented in a logical sequence.
All sources are properly cited.
Your intentions and points are clear in the essay.
Read your paper for grammatical errors.
Correct all errors that you can spot.
Get someone else to read it over. Research paper:
What is the topic?
Why is it significant?
What background material is relevant?
What is my thesis or purpose statement?
What organizational plan will best support my purpose?
WRITING THE INTRODUCTION
In the introduction you will need to do the following things:

You will need to look at the following types of sources:

Sentence level concerns: sentence structure, word choices, punctuation, spelling.

Documentation: consistent use of one system, citation of all material not considered
common knowledge, appropriate use of endnotes or footnotes, accuracy of list of
works cited.

library catalog, periodical indexes, bibliographies, suggestions from your instructor

primary vs. secondary sources
journals, books, other documents
GROUPING, SEQUENCING, AND DOCUMENTING INFORMATION
The following systems will help keep you organized:

DISCOVERING, NARROWING, AND FOCUSING A RESEARCHABLE TOPIC

Try to find a topic that truly interests you
Try writing your way to a topic
Talk with your course instructor and classmates about your topic
Pose your topic as a question to be answered or a problem to be solved
FINDING, SELECTING, AND READING SOURCES

a system for noting sources on bibliography cards

a system for organizing material according to its relative importance
a system for taking notes
WRITING AN OUTLINE AND A PROSPECTUS FOR YOURSELF
Consider the following questions:

present relevant background or contextual material

define terms or concepts when necessary
explain the focus of the paper and your specific purpose
reveal your plan of organization
WRITING THE BODY
Use your outline and prospectus as flexible guides
Build your essay around points you want to make (i.e., don’t let your sources
organize your paper)
Integrate your sources into your discussion
Summarize, analyze, explain, and evaluate published work rather than merely
reporting it
Move up and down the “ladder of abstraction” from generalization to varying levels of
detail back to generalization
WRITING THE CONCLUSION
If the argument or point of your paper is complex, you may need to summarize the
argument for your reader.
If prior to your conclusion you have not yet explained the significance of your findings
or if you are proceeding inductively, use the end of your paper to add your points up,
to explain their significance.
Move from a detailed to a general level of consideration that returns the topic to the
context provided by the introduction.
Perhaps suggest what about this topic needs further research.
REVISING THE FINAL DRAFT
Check overall organization: logical flow of introduction, coherence and depth of
discussion in body, effectiveness of conclusion.
Paragraph level concerns: topic sentences, sequence of ideas within paragraphs,
use of details to support generalizations, summary sentences where necessary, use
of transitions within and between paragraphs.