applied research plan

How to write a research plan: Step-by-step guide

Last updated

30 January 2024

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Today’s businesses and institutions rely on data and analytics to inform their product and service decisions. These metrics influence how organizations stay competitive and inspire innovation. However, gathering data and insights requires carefully constructed research, and every research project needs a roadmap. This is where a research plan comes into play.

There’s general research planning; then there’s an official, well-executed research plan. Whatever data-driven research project you’re gearing up for, the research plan will be your framework for execution. The plan should also be detailed and thorough, with a diligent set of criteria to formulate your research efforts. Not including these key elements in your plan can be just as harmful as having no plan at all.

Read this step-by-step guide for writing a detailed research plan that can apply to any project, whether it’s scientific, educational, or business-related.

• What is a research plan?

A research plan is a documented overview of a project in its entirety, from end to end. It details the research efforts, participants, and methods needed, along with any anticipated results. It also outlines the project’s goals and mission, creating layers of steps to achieve those goals within a specified timeline.

Without a research plan, you and your team are flying blind, potentially wasting time and resources to pursue research without structured guidance.

The principal investigator, or PI, is responsible for facilitating the research oversight. They will create the research plan and inform team members and stakeholders of every detail relating to the project. The PI will also use the research plan to inform decision-making throughout the project.

• Why do you need a research plan?

Create a research plan before starting any official research to maximize every effort in pursuing and collecting the research data. Crucially, the plan will model the activities needed at each phase of the research project.

Like any roadmap, a research plan serves as a valuable tool providing direction for those involved in the project—both internally and externally. It will keep you and your immediate team organized and task-focused while also providing necessary definitions and timelines so you can execute your project initiatives with full understanding and transparency.

External stakeholders appreciate a working research plan because it’s a great communication tool, documenting progress and changing dynamics as they arise. Any participants of your planned research sessions will be informed about the purpose of your study, while the exercises will be based on the key messaging outlined in the official plan.

Here are some of the benefits of creating a research plan document for every project:

Project organization and structure

Well-informed participants

All stakeholders and teams align in support of the project

Clearly defined project definitions and purposes

Distractions are eliminated, prioritizing task focus

Timely management of individual task schedules and roles

Costly reworks are avoided

• What should a research plan include?

The different aspects of your research plan will depend on the nature of the project. However, most official research plan documents will include the core elements below. Each aims to define the problem statement, devising an official plan for seeking a solution.

Specific project goals and individual objectives

Ideal strategies or methods for reaching those goals

Required resources

Descriptions of the target audience, sample sizes, demographics, and scopes

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Project background

Research and testing support

Preliminary studies and progress reporting mechanisms

Cost estimates and change order processes

Depending on the research project’s size and scope, your research plan could be brief—perhaps only a few pages of documented plans. Alternatively, it could be a fully comprehensive report. Either way, it’s an essential first step in dictating your project’s facilitation in the most efficient and effective way.

• How to write a research plan for your project

When you start writing your research plan, aim to be detailed about each step, requirement, and idea. The more time you spend curating your research plan, the more precise your research execution efforts will be.

Account for every potential scenario, and be sure to address each and every aspect of the research.

Consider following this flow to develop a great research plan for your project:

Define your project’s purpose

Start by defining your project’s purpose. Identify what your project aims to accomplish and what you are researching. Remember to use clear language.

Thinking about the project’s purpose will help you set realistic goals and inform how you divide tasks and assign responsibilities. These individual tasks will be your stepping stones to reach your overarching goal.

Additionally, you’ll want to identify the specific problem, the usability metrics needed, and the intended solutions.

Know the following three things about your project’s purpose before you outline anything else:

What you’re doing

Why you’re doing it

What you expect from it

Identify individual objectives

With your overarching project objectives in place, you can identify any individual goals or steps needed to reach those objectives. Break them down into phases or steps. You can work backward from the project goal and identify every process required to facilitate it.

Be mindful to identify each unique task so that you can assign responsibilities to various team members. At this point in your research plan development, you’ll also want to assign priority to those smaller, more manageable steps and phases that require more immediate or dedicated attention.

Select research methods

Research methods might include any of the following:

User interviews: this is a qualitative research method where researchers engage with participants in one-on-one or group conversations. The aim is to gather insights into their experiences, preferences, and opinions to uncover patterns, trends, and data.

Field studies: this approach allows for a contextual understanding of behaviors, interactions, and processes in real-world settings. It involves the researcher immersing themselves in the field, conducting observations, interviews, or experiments to gather in-depth insights.

Card sorting: participants categorize information by sorting content cards into groups based on their perceived similarities. You might use this process to gain insights into participants’ mental models and preferences when navigating or organizing information on websites, apps, or other systems.

Focus groups: use organized discussions among select groups of participants to provide relevant views and experiences about a particular topic.

Diary studies: ask participants to record their experiences, thoughts, and activities in a diary over a specified period. This method provides a deeper understanding of user experiences, uncovers patterns, and identifies areas for improvement.

Five-second testing: participants are shown a design, such as a web page or interface, for just five seconds. They then answer questions about their initial impressions and recall, allowing you to evaluate the design’s effectiveness.

Surveys: get feedback from participant groups with structured surveys. You can use online forms, telephone interviews, or paper questionnaires to reveal trends, patterns, and correlations.

Tree testing: tree testing involves researching web assets through the lens of findability and navigability. Participants are given a textual representation of the site’s hierarchy (the “tree”) and asked to locate specific information or complete tasks by selecting paths.

Usability testing: ask participants to interact with a product, website, or application to evaluate its ease of use. This method enables you to uncover areas for improvement in digital key feature functionality by observing participants using the product.

Live website testing: research and collect analytics that outlines the design, usability, and performance efficiencies of a website in real time.

There are no limits to the number of research methods you could use within your project. Just make sure your research methods help you determine the following:

What do you plan to do with the research findings?

What decisions will this research inform? How can your stakeholders leverage the research data and results?

Recruit participants and allocate tasks

Next, identify the participants needed to complete the research and the resources required to complete the tasks. Different people will be proficient at different tasks, and having a task allocation plan will allow everything to run smoothly.

Prepare a thorough project summary

Every well-designed research plan will feature a project summary. This official summary will guide your research alongside its communications or messaging. You’ll use the summary while recruiting participants and during stakeholder meetings. It can also be useful when conducting field studies.

Ensure this summary includes all the elements of your research project. Separate the steps into an easily explainable piece of text that includes the following:

An introduction: the message you’ll deliver to participants about the interview, pre-planned questioning, and testing tasks.

Interview questions: prepare questions you intend to ask participants as part of your research study, guiding the sessions from start to finish.

An exit message: draft messaging your teams will use to conclude testing or survey sessions. These should include the next steps and express gratitude for the participant’s time.

Create a realistic timeline

While your project might already have a deadline or a results timeline in place, you’ll need to consider the time needed to execute it effectively.

Realistically outline the time needed to properly execute each supporting phase of research and implementation. And, as you evaluate the necessary schedules, be sure to include additional time for achieving each milestone in case any changes or unexpected delays arise.

For this part of your research plan, you might find it helpful to create visuals to ensure your research team and stakeholders fully understand the information.

Determine how to present your results

A research plan must also describe how you intend to present your results. Depending on the nature of your project and its goals, you might dedicate one team member (the PI) or assume responsibility for communicating the findings yourself.

In this part of the research plan, you’ll articulate how you’ll share the results. Detail any materials you’ll use, such as:

Presentations and slides

A project report booklet

A project findings pamphlet

Documents with key takeaways and statistics

Graphic visuals to support your findings

• Format your research plan

As you create your research plan, you can enjoy a little creative freedom. A plan can assume many forms, so format it how you see fit. Determine the best layout based on your specific project, intended communications, and the preferences of your teams and stakeholders.

Find format inspiration among the following layouts:

Written outlines

Narrative storytelling

Visual mapping

Graphic timelines

Remember, the research plan format you choose will be subject to change and adaptation as your research and findings unfold. However, your final format should ideally outline questions, problems, opportunities, and expectations.

• Research plan example

Imagine you’ve been tasked with finding out how to get more customers to order takeout from an online food delivery platform. The goal is to improve satisfaction and retain existing customers. You set out to discover why more people aren’t ordering and what it is they do want to order or experience. 

You identify the need for a research project that helps you understand what drives customer loyalty. But before you jump in and start calling past customers, you need to develop a research plan—the roadmap that provides focus, clarity, and realistic details to the project.

Here’s an example outline of a research plan you might put together:

Project title

Project members involved in the research plan

Purpose of the project (provide a summary of the research plan’s intent)

Objective 1 (provide a short description for each objective)

Objective 2

Objective 3

Proposed timeline

Audience (detail the group you want to research, such as customers or non-customers)

Budget (how much you think it might cost to do the research)

Risk factors/contingencies (any potential risk factors that may impact the project’s success)

Remember, your research plan doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel—it just needs to fit your project’s unique needs and aims.

Customizing a research plan template

Some companies offer research plan templates to help get you started. However, it may make more sense to develop your own customized plan template. Be sure to include the core elements of a great research plan with your template layout, including the following:

Introductions to participants and stakeholders

Background problems and needs statement

Significance, ethics, and purpose

Research methods, questions, and designs

Preliminary beliefs and expectations

Implications and intended outcomes

Realistic timelines for each phase

Conclusion and presentations

How many pages should a research plan be?

Generally, a research plan can vary in length between 500 to 1,500 words. This is roughly three pages of content. More substantial projects will be 2,000 to 3,500 words, taking up four to seven pages of planning documents.

What is the difference between a research plan and a research proposal?

A research plan is a roadmap to success for research teams. A research proposal, on the other hand, is a dissertation aimed at convincing or earning the support of others. Both are relevant in creating a guide to follow to complete a project goal.

What are the seven steps to developing a research plan?

While each research project is different, it’s best to follow these seven general steps to create your research plan:

Defining the problem

Identifying goals

Choosing research methods

Recruiting participants

Preparing the brief or summary

Establishing task timelines

Defining how you will present the findings

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Applied Research: Definition, Types & Examples

Every research project begins with a clear definition of the investigation’s purpose, which helps to identify the research procedure or approach used. In this sense, a researcher can conduct either basic or applied research.

This research focuses on answering specific questions to solve a specific problem. It tries to identify a solution to a cultural or organizational problem and is often a follow-up research plan for basic or pure research.

In this blog, we will explain the types of applied research and give some examples. But before that, we will go through what it is.

What is applied research?

Applied research is a non-systematic way of finding solutions to specific research problems or issues. These problems or issues can be on an individual, group, or societal level. It is called “non-systematic” because it goes straight to finding solutions.

It is often called a “scientific process” because it uses the available scientific tools and puts them to use to find answers.

Like in regular research, the researcher identifies the problem, makes a hypothesis, and then experiments to test it. It goes deeper into the findings of true or basic research.

LEARN ABOUT:   Research Process Steps

Types of applied research

This research has three types: 

• Evaluation research, 
• Research and Development, and 
• Action research. 

The short versions of each type are explained below:

• Evaluation research

Evaluation research is one type of applied research. It looks at the information on a research subject. This kind of research leads to objective research or helps people make better decisions sooner. Most of the time, evaluation research is used in business settings. 

The organization uses this research to figure out how the overhead costs can be cut down or cut down a lot.

• Research and development

Research and Development is the second type of applied research. Its main goal is to create or design new products, goods, or services that meet the needs of certain markets in society. It finds out what the needs of the market are. It focuses on finding new ways to improve products that already meet an organization’s needs.

• Action research

Action research is the third type of applied research. Action research is a way to learn about things that happen in everyday life and nature. Its goal is to find real-world solutions to business problems by pointing the business in the right direction.

LEARN ABOUT: Action Research

Examples of applied research

Applied study is used in many areas of study and research, from the sciences to the social sciences. We also talk about how it’s used in those fields and give some examples:

• Applied study in business

Applied study in business sectors is fully dependent on their products and services. It helps organizations understand market needs and trends, and then shape their products to fit customers.

Businesses benefit from This research because it allows them to detect gaps in their findings and obtain primary information on target market preferences.

• It can improve hiring.
• It improves work and policy.
• It identifies workplace skill gaps.
• Applied study in education

The applied study is used in the education field to test different ways of teaching and to find better ways of teaching and learning. Before implementing new education policies, they are tested to see how well they work, how they affect teaching, and how the classroom works.

Applied education research uses quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data from first-hand sources. This information is then looked at and interpreted differently to generate valuable results or conclusions.

LEARN ABOUT: Qualitative Interview

Most applied research in this field is done to develop and test different ways of doing things by trying them out in different situations. It is based on accurate observations and descriptions of the real world.

• Applied study to understand the reach of online learning initiatives.
• Applied study to promote teacher-student classroom engagement.
• Applied study on the new math program.
• Applied study in science

As already said, applied study is often called a scientific process because it uses the available scientific tools to find answers. It can be used in physics, microbiology, thermodynamics, and other fields.

• The applied study is put into practice to cure a disease.
• The applied study is put into practice to improve agricultural practices.
• The applied study is applied to testing new laboratory equipment.
• Applied study in psychology

Researchers use this research in psychology to figure out how people act at work, how HR works, and how the organization is growing and changing so they can come up with solutions.

It is used a lot in areas where researchers try to figure out how people think and then come up with solutions that fit their behavior best.

• Applied study to figure out new ways to deal with depression.
• Applied study to improve students’ grades by emphasizing practical Education.
• Applied study to create a plan to keep employees coming to work regularly.
• Applied study in health

This research is used to examine new drugs in the medical industry. It combines scientific knowledge and procedures with health experiences to produce evidence-based results.

• Applied study in heart surgery.
• Applied study to determine a drug’s efficacy.
• Applied study on a medicine’s adverse effects.

LEARN ABOUT: Theoretical Research

Applied research is an important way to research because it helps organizations find real-world solutions to specific problems while also increasing their output and productivity. In contrast to basic research, which focuses on making theories that explain things, applied research focuses on describing evidence to find solutions.

In the applied study, the researcher uses qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data, such as questionnaires, interviews, and observation methods. Conducting interviews is one of the examples of qualitative data in education . It helps the researcher collect real-world evidence, which is then tested depending on the type of applied research and the main focus.

At QuestionPro, we give researchers access to a library of long-term research insights and tools for collecting data, like our survey software. Go to InsightHub if you want to see a demo or learn more about it.

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• What is Applied Research? + [Types, Examples & Method]

Every research begins with a clear delineation of the purpose of the investigation as this goes a long way to determine the research process or methodology adopted. In this sense, a researcher may choose to carry out basic research or applied research. 

Applied research is set on providing answers to specific questions in a bid to provide a solution to a defined problem. In this article, we will outline the features of this method of systematic investigation as well as how it differs from other approaches to research. 

What is Applied Research?

Applied research is a type of research design that seeks to solve a specific problem or provide innovative solutions to issues affecting an individual, group or society. It is often referred to as a scientific method of inquiry or contractual research because it involves the practical application of scientific methods to everyday problems. 

When conducting applied research, the researcher takes extra care to identify a problem, develop a research hypothesis and goes ahead to test these hypotheses via an experiment. In many cases, this research approach employs empirical methods in order to solve practical problems. 

Applied research is sometimes considered to be a non-systematic inquiry because  of its direct approach in  seeking a solution to a problem. It is typically a follow-up research design that further investigates the findings of pure or basic research in order to validate these findings and apply them to create innovative solutions.     

Types of Applied Research

There are 3 types of applied research. These are evaluation research, research and development, and action research.

• Evaluation Research

Evaluation research is a type of applied research that analyses existing information about a research subject to arrive at objective research outcomes or reach informed decisions. This type of applied research is mostly applied in business contexts, for example, an organisation may adopt evaluation research to determine how to cut down  overhead costs.

• Research and Development

Research and development is a type of applied research that is focused on developing new products and services based on the needs of target markets. It focuses on gathering information about marketing needs and finding ways to improve on an existing product or create new products that satisfy the identified needs.

• Action Research

Action research is a type of applied research that is set on providing practical solutions to specific business problems by pointing the business in the right directions. Typically, action research is a process of reflective inquiry that is limited to specific contexts and situational in nature.

Examples of Applied Research 

Applied research is relevant in different fields of study; especially science and social science-related fields. Examples of applied research can be seen in medicine, education, business, engineering, psychology and health, and these would be further explicated below. 

Applied Research Example in Business

Applied research is used in business to build knowledge and develop product solutions. It enables organisations to identify the peculiar needs of target markets and this would help them to create different business strategies that would allow them to satisfy these needs. 

In addition, conducting contractual research would help business owners to get insightful feedback on product gaps that may have, otherwise, been ignored. This is a great way to get first-hand information on target market reactions which can inform brand decisions. 

Applied research also helps employers of labour to identify and address the productivity needs of their workforce. For instance, an organization may carry out applied research in order to measure the effectiveness of its recruitment practices or of its organisational structure. 

• Applied research to improve an organization’s hiring process.
• Applied research to improve workplace efficiency and organizational policies.
• Applied research to bridge skill gaps in the workplace.

Applied Research Examples in Education  

In education, applied research is used to test pedagogic processes in order to discover the best teaching and learning methods. It is also used to test educational policies before implementation and to address different issues associated with teaching paradigms and classroom dynamics for a better learning experience. 

Educational applied research attempts solving a problem by gathering data from primary sources using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. This data serves as empirical evidence which is then subjected to rigorous analysis and description in order to arrive at valid conclusions.

The goal of this research methodology is to determine the applicability of educational theory and principles by way of subjecting hypotheses to experimentation within specific settings. Applied research in education is also more utilitarian as it gathers practical evidence that can inform pragmatic solutions to problems. 

Characteristics of Applied Research in Education 

• It clearly highlights generalizations and hypotheses that inform the research findings.
• It relies on empirical evidence.
• It is set at providing solutions to a defined problem.
• It requires accurate observation and description.
• A study into the way to improve teacher-learner classroom engagements.
• A study into the way to improve a school’s readiness for its students.
• A study to build students’ interests in Mathematics.

Applied Research Example in Science

In itself, applied research is a scientific method of investigation because it applies existing scientific knowledge to practical situations. It is useful in different fields including thermodynamics, physics, material sciences and microbiology. 

Examples of applied research in science include the following: 

• Applied research to improve agricultural crop production
• Applied research to treat or cure a specific disease.

Applied Research Examples in Psychology  

There are different reasons psychologists would make use of applied research in the course of their work. In many cases, industrial-psychologists concerned with workplace behavior, human resources and organisational development combine psychological principles with applied research to proffer solutions. 

Examples of applied research in psychology include:

• Applied research to improve workplace commitment by arriving at practical worker-motivation strategies.
• Investigating treatment and management options for anxiety and panic attacks.
• Investigating factors that improve worker’s productivity.

Applied Research Example in Health   

In health and medical sciences, applied research serves as the background to evidence-based and solution-oriented medicine. It effectively merges scientific knowledge and methods with health experiences in order to arrive at accurate and verifiable results; using empirical research data or evidence. 

The adaptation of applied research to medicine is referred to as applied clinical research . Many health and medical practitioners use applied research to measure the extent to which the findings of basic or pure research can be adopted or modified into a solution-oriented approach.

Examples of applied research in health include:

• An investigation to identify the healing properties of a specific herb.
• An investigation to identify the side effects of using a particular drug.

APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS

Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are used in applied research to gather empirical evidence that is further subjected to experimentation in order to arrive at valid research outcomes. The following are data collection methods in applied research:

An interview is a qualitative method of data collection that involves having a one-on-one interaction or discussion with the research subjects in order to gather relevant information that can serve as empirical data. It can be conducted with the use of an audio recorder, digital camera or camcorder.

Even though it is time-consuming and expensive, interviews allow the researcher to gather the most relevant data which gives him or her in-depth knowledge about the research subjects. An interview may be structured, semi-structured or unstructured; depending on the research purpose. 

• Surveys/Questionnaires

A questionnaire is an instrument that is typically used for quantitative data gathering . It outlines a series of questions relating to the research context and requires the research subjects to choose or provide responses that reflect their knowledge and experiences.

There are different types of questions that can be contained in a questionnaire including rating scale question s, close and open-ended questions and fixed alternatives. You can create and administer your applied research survey using data-collection platforms like Formplus . 

You can also start choosing from our over 200 online survey/questionnaire templates.

Here is a step-by-step guide on  how to create and administer questionnaires for applied research using Formplus

Sign in to Formplus

In the Formplus builder, you can easily create different questionnaires for applied research by dragging and dropping preferred fields into your form. To access the Formplus builder, you will need to create an account on Formplus. 

Once you do this, sign in to your account and click on “Create Form ” to begin.

Edit Form Title

Click on the field provided to input your form title, for example, “Applied Research Questionnaire”.

Click on the edit button to edit the form.

i. Add Fields: Drag and drop preferred form fields into your form in the Formplus builder inputs column. There are several field input options for questionnaires in the Formplus builder. 

ii. Edit fields

iii. Click on “Save”

iv. Preview form. 

Form Customization

With the form customization options in the form builder, you can easily improve on the appearance of your questionnaire and make it more unique and personalized. Formplus allows you to change your form theme, add background images and even change the font according to your needs. 

Multiple Sharing Options

Formplus also provides multiple form sharing options which enables you to easily share your questionnaire with respondents. With the direct social media sharing buttons, you can swiftly share your applied research questionnaire link to your organization’s social media pages. 

You can send out your questionnaire as email invitations to your research subjects too. Formplus also allows you to share your form’s QR code or embed it in your organization’s website for easy access. 

• Data Reporting

The process of gathering useful information about a research subject which can be used for further research. This can be done through not-for-profit reports, newspapers, website articles and hospital records.

It helps you  gather relevant data that results in more insightful decisions.  However, it is susceptible to bias because the information can easily be exaggerated by the individual or group collecting the data. 

• Observation

A type of data gathering method in applied research that requires the researcher to pay close attention to a subject (s) in order to gather useful information about it. Although bias may arise with this method, observation is widely considered as a universally accepted research practice.

Observation helps the researcher to gather empirical data and thus, it is the starting point for the formulation of a hypothesis. There are different techniques for observation including complete observer, complete participant, participant as observer and observer as participant. 

• Focus Groups

A focus group is a type of qualitative data collection process that allows the researcher to gather information about the disposition, feelings and opinions of the research subjects about a specific issue.

Here, the researcher engages a group comprising 6-10 individuals with a range of open-ended questions with the aim of gathering feedback about their emotional disposition to the issue at hand. This method is cost-effective compared to one-on-one interviews, and the information obtained is insightful and detailed. 

How is Applied Research Different from Basic Research?

Applied research and basic research are common methods of inquiry, based on purpose or utility. However, there are key differences between these 2 research approaches and these would be clearly outlined below: 

Applied research is a type of research that is aimed at the practical application of science in order to solve practical problems. On the other hand, basic research is a type of research that is aimed at expanding knowledge rather than solving problems. 

Basic research is theoretical in nature while applied research is practical and descriptive in nature. Basic research explores and generates theories that may be abstract while applied research tests these theories in order to solve a problem. 

Basic research is universal while applied research is limited. Basic research can focus on diverse or multiple contexts while applied research focuses on specific contexts with the aim of providing a solution to an identified problem. 

Applied research is focused on providing answers or solutions to a specific research question while basic research focuses on multiple concepts at the same time in its quest to expand knowledge. 

• Applied research pays attention to external validity while basic research is more focused on internal validity .

Characteristics of Applied Research 

• Applied research is solution-specific and it addresses practical problems. Unlike basic research that is aimed at theorizing and expanding knowledge, applied research focuses on addressing a particular problem using a range of science-based approaches.
• Applied research is descriptive in nature as it arrives at solutions by experimenting on empirical evidence and describing research outcomes.
• Usually, applied research tests theories arrived at by pure research in order to determine the usefulness of these theories in solving practical problems.
• It describes the relationship between research variables by measuring the characteristics of dependent and independent variables.
• Applied research relies on empirical evidence in order to arrive at valid research outcomes.
• It is not theoretical and it is not directly concerned with the expansion of knowledge.
• Applied research is synthetic in nature.
• It is aimed at the cost-effective reduction of social problems.
• Applied research is action-oriented.

Advantages of Applied Research

• Validity: Applied research is unbiased in nature because it tests empirical evidence in order to arrive at valid research outcomes. It employs carefully mapped-out procedures, and this makes it a more valid research approach.
• It is useful in solving specific problems. It helps individuals and organizations to find solutions to specific problems.

Disadvantages of Applied Research 

• It is not flexible in nature as it is restricted to a stipulated deadline.
• Applied research is limited in nature and it cannot be generalized. In other words, the findings from applied research cannot be generalized.

Conclusion 

Applied research is an important research approach because it helps organisations to arrive at practical solutions to specific problems while improving their productivity and output. Unlike basic research that focuses on generating theories that explain phenomena, applied research pays attention to describing empirical evidence with the aim of providing solutions. 

In carrying out applied research, the researcher combines a number of qualitative and quantitative data-gathering methods including questionnaires, observation methods, and interviews. This helps the researcher to gather empirical evidence that is then subjected to experimentation depending on the type of applied research and the overall focus. 

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Home » Applied Research – Types, Methods and Examples

Applied Research – Types, Methods and Examples

Table of Contents

Applied Research

Definition:

Applied research is a type of scientific inquiry that focuses on developing practical solutions to real-world problems. It involves the use of existing knowledge, theories, and techniques to address specific problems or challenges in a particular field or industry.

Applied research is often conducted in collaboration with industry or government partners, who provide funding and expertise to support the research. The results of applied research are typically intended to be directly applicable to the real world, and may involve the development of new products, technologies, or processes.

Types of Applied Research

Types of Applied Research are as follows:

Action Research

This type of research is designed to solve specific problems within an organization or community. The research involves collaboration between researchers and stakeholders to develop solutions to issues that affect the organization or community.

Evaluation Research

This type of research is used to assess the effectiveness of a particular program, policy, or intervention. Evaluation research is often used in government, healthcare, and social service settings to determine whether programs are meeting their intended goals.

Developmental Research

This type of research is used to develop new products, technologies, or processes. The research may involve the testing of prototypes or the development of new methods for production or delivery.

Diagnostic Research

This type of research is used to identify the causes of problems or issues. Diagnostic research is often used in healthcare, where researchers may investigate the causes of a particular disease or condition.

Policy Research

This type of research is used to inform policy decisions. Policy research may involve analyzing the impact of existing policies or evaluating the potential outcomes of proposed policies.

Predictive Research

This type of research is used to forecast future trends or events. Predictive research is often used in marketing, where researchers may use data analysis to predict consumer behavior or market trends.

Data Collection Methods

In applied research, data collection methods can be broadly classified into two categories: Quantitative and Qualitative methods:

Quantitative Data Collection

Quantitative research methods involve collecting numerical data that can be analyzed statistically. The most commonly used quantitative data collection methods in applied research include:

• Surveys : Surveys are questionnaires designed to collect data from a large sample of people. Surveys can be conducted face-to-face, over the phone, or online.
• Experiments : Experiments involve manipulating variables to test cause-and-effect relationships. Experiments can be conducted in the lab or in the field.
• Observations : Observations involve watching and recording behaviors or events in a systematic way. Observations can be conducted in the lab or in natural settings.
• Secondary data analysis: Secondary data analysis involves analyzing data that has already been collected by someone else. This can include data from government agencies, research institutes, or other sources.

Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative research methods involve collecting non-numerical data that can be analyzed for themes and patterns. The most commonly used qualitative data collection methods in applied research include:

• Interviews : Interviews involve asking open-ended questions to individuals or groups. Interviews can be conducted in-person, over the phone, or online.
• Focus groups : Focus groups involve a group of people discussing a topic with a moderator. Focus groups can be conducted in-person or online.
• Case studies : Case studies involve in-depth analysis of a single individual, group, or organization.
• Document analysis : Document analysis involves analyzing written or recorded documents to extract data. This can include analyzing written records, audio recordings, or video recordings.

Data Analysis Methods

In applied research, data analysis methods can be broadly classified into two categories: Quantitative and Qualitative methods:

Quantitative Data Analysis

Quantitative data analysis methods involve analyzing numerical data to identify patterns and trends. The most commonly used quantitative data analysis methods in applied research include:

• Descriptive statistics: Descriptive statistics involve summarizing and presenting data using measures such as mean, median, mode, and standard deviation.
• Inferential statistics : Inferential statistics involve testing hypotheses and making predictions about a population based on a sample of data. This includes methods such as t-tests, ANOVA, regression analysis, and correlation analysis.
• Data mining: Data mining involves analyzing large datasets to identify patterns and relationships using machine learning algorithms.

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative data analysis methods involve analyzing non-numerical data to identify themes and patterns. The most commonly used qualitative data analysis methods in applied research include:

• Content analysis: Content analysis involves analyzing written or recorded data to identify themes and patterns. This includes methods such as thematic analysis, discourse analysis, and narrative analysis.
• Grounded theory: Grounded theory involves developing theories and hypotheses based on the analysis of data.
• Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Interpretative phenomenological analysis involves analyzing data to identify the subjective experiences of individuals.
• Case study analysis: Case study analysis involves analyzing a single individual, group, or organization in-depth to identify patterns and themes.

Applied Research Methodology

Applied research methodology refers to the set of procedures, tools, and techniques used to design, conduct, and analyze research studies aimed at solving practical problems in real-world settings. The general steps involved in applied research methodology include:

• Identifying the research problem: The first step in applied research is to identify the problem to be studied. This involves conducting a literature review to identify existing knowledge and gaps in the literature, and to determine the research question.
• Developing a research design : Once the research question has been identified, the next step is to develop a research design. This involves determining the appropriate research method (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods), selecting the data collection methods, and designing the sampling strategy.
• Collecting data: The third step in applied research is to collect data using the selected data collection methods. This can include surveys, interviews, experiments, observations, or a combination of methods.
• Analyzing data : Once the data has been collected, it needs to be analyzed using appropriate data analysis methods. This can include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, content analysis, or other methods, depending on the type of data collected.
• Interpreting and reporting findings : The final step in applied research is to interpret the findings and report the results. This involves drawing conclusions from the data analysis and presenting the findings in a clear and concise manner.

Applications of Applied Research

Some applications of applied research are as follows:

• Product development: Applied research can help companies develop new products or improve existing ones. For example, a company might conduct research to develop a new type of battery that lasts longer or a new type of software that is more efficient.
• Medical research : Applied research can be used to develop new treatments or drugs for diseases. For example, a pharmaceutical company might conduct research to develop a new cancer treatment.
• Environmental research : Applied research can be used to study and address environmental problems such as pollution and climate change. For example, research might be conducted to develop new technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Agriculture : Applied research can be used to improve crop yields, develop new varieties of plants, and study the impact of pests and diseases on crops.
• Education : Applied research can be used to study the effectiveness of teaching methods or to develop new teaching strategies.
• Transportation : Applied research can be used to develop new technologies for transportation, such as electric cars or high-speed trains.
• Communication : Applied research can be used to improve communication technologies, such as developing new methods for wireless communication or improving the quality of video calls.

Examples of Applied Research

Here are some real-time examples of applied research:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Development: The development of COVID-19 vaccines is a prime example of applied research. Researchers applied their knowledge of virology and immunology to develop vaccines that could prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19.
• Autonomous Vehicles : The development of autonomous vehicles involves applied research in areas such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, and robotics. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Uber are conducting extensive research to improve their autonomous vehicle technology.
• Renewable Energy : Research is being conducted on renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power to improve efficiency and reduce costs. This is an example of applied research that aims to solve environmental problems.
• Precision Agriculture : Applied research is being conducted in the field of precision agriculture, which involves using technology to optimize crop yields and reduce waste. This includes research on crop sensors, drones, and data analysis.
• Telemedicine : Telemedicine involves using technology to deliver healthcare remotely. Applied research is being conducted to improve the quality of telemedicine services, such as developing new technologies for remote diagnosis and treatment.
• Cybersecurity : Applied research is being conducted to improve cybersecurity measures and protect against cyber threats. This includes research on encryption, network security, and data protection.

Purpose of Applied Research

The purpose of applied research is to solve practical problems or improve existing products, technologies, or processes. Applied research is focused on specific goals and objectives and is designed to have direct practical applications in the real world. It seeks to address problems and challenges faced by individuals, organizations, or communities and aims to provide solutions that can be implemented in a practical manner.

The primary purpose of applied research is to generate new knowledge that can be used to solve real-world problems or improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing products, technologies, or processes. Applied research is often conducted in collaboration with industry, government, or non-profit organizations to address practical problems and create innovative solutions.

Applied research is also used to inform policy decisions by providing evidence-based insights into the effectiveness of specific interventions or programs. By conducting research on the impact of policies and programs, decision-makers can make informed decisions about how to allocate resources and prioritize interventions.

Overall, the purpose of applied research is to improve people’s lives by developing practical solutions to real-world problems. It aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and to ensure that research findings are put into action to achieve tangible benefits.

When to use Applied Research

Here are some specific situations when applied research may be appropriate:

• When there is a need to develop a new product : Applied research can be used to develop new products that meet the needs of consumers. For example, a company may conduct research to develop a new type of smartphone with improved features.
• When there is a need to improve an existing product : Applied research can also be used to improve existing products. For example, a company may conduct research to improve the battery life of an existing product.
• When there is a need to solve a practical problem: Applied research can be used to solve practical problems faced by individuals, organizations, or communities. For example, research may be conducted to find solutions to problems related to healthcare, transportation, or environmental issues.
• When there is a need to inform policy decisions: Applied research can be used to inform policy decisions by providing evidence-based insights into the effectiveness of specific interventions or programs.
• When there is a need to improve efficiency and effectiveness: Applied research can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of processes or systems. For example, research may be conducted to identify ways to streamline manufacturing processes or to improve the delivery of healthcare services.

Characteristics of Applied Research

The following are some of the characteristics of applied research:

• Focus on solving real-world problems : Applied research focuses on addressing specific problems or needs in a practical setting, with the aim of developing solutions that can be implemented in the real world.
• Goal-oriented: A pplied research is goal-oriented, with a specific aim of solving a particular problem or meeting a specific need. The research is usually designed to achieve a specific outcome, such as developing a new product, improving an existing process, or solving a particular issue.
• Practical and relevant: Applied research is practical and relevant to the needs of the industry or field in which it is conducted. It aims to provide practical solutions that can be implemented to improve processes or solve problems.
• Collaborative : Applied research often involves collaboration between researchers and practitioners, such as engineers, scientists, and business professionals. Collaboration allows for the exchange of knowledge and expertise, which can lead to more effective solutions.
• Data-driven: Applied research is data-driven, relying on empirical evidence to support its findings and recommendations. Data collection and analysis are important components of applied research, as they help to identify patterns and trends that can inform decision-making.
• Results-oriented: Applied research is results-oriented, with an emphasis on achieving measurable outcomes. Research findings are often used to inform decisions about product development, process improvement, or policy changes.
• Time-bound : Applied research is often conducted within a specific timeframe, with deadlines for achieving specific outcomes. This helps to ensure that the research stays focused on its goals and that the results are timely and relevant to the needs of the industry or field.

Advantages of Applied Research

Some of the advantages of applied research are as follows:

• Practical solutions: Applied research is focused on developing practical solutions to real-world problems, making it highly relevant to the needs of the industry or field in which it is conducted. The solutions developed through applied research are often highly effective and can be implemented quickly to address specific issues.
• Improved processes: Applied research can help organizations to improve their processes, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. The research can identify areas for improvement, such as bottlenecks or inefficiencies, and provide recommendations for optimizing processes.
• Innovation: Applied research can lead to the development of new products, services, and technologies that can transform industries and create new opportunities for growth and innovation. The research can help organizations to identify unmet needs and develop new solutions to meet them.
• Collaboration : Applied research often involves collaboration between researchers and practitioners, leading to the exchange of knowledge and expertise. Collaboration can result in more effective solutions and can help to build partnerships between academia and industry.
• Increased competitiveness : Applied research can help organizations to stay competitive by enabling them to adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs. The research can provide insights into emerging trends and technologies, helping organizations to stay ahead of the curve.
• Economic growth: Applied research can contribute to economic growth by creating new industries and jobs. The research can lead to the development of new technologies and products that can drive economic growth and create new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Limitations of Applied Research

Some of the limitations of applied research are as follows:

• Limited generalizability: Applied research often focuses on specific contexts and may not be generalizable to other settings. This means that the findings of applied research may not be applicable to other industries, regions, or populations.
• Time and resource constraints: Applied research is often conducted within a specific timeframe and with limited resources. This can limit the scope and depth of the research and may prevent researchers from exploring all possible avenues.
• Potential for bias: Applied research may be influenced by the interests and perspectives of the organization or industry funding the research. This can lead to a bias in the research and potentially compromise the objectivity and validity of the findings.
• Ethical considerations: Applied research may raise ethical concerns, particularly if it involves human subjects or sensitive issues. Researchers must adhere to ethical standards and ensure that the research is conducted in a responsible and respectful manner.
• Limited theoretical development: Applied research tends to focus on practical solutions and may not contribute significantly to theoretical development in a particular field. This can limit the broader impact of the research and may hinder the development of new theories and frameworks.
• Limited focus on long-term impact: Applied research often focuses on short-term outcomes, such as developing a new product or improving a process. This may limit the focus on long-term impacts, such as the sustainability of the solution or its broader implications for the industry or society.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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• v.13(4); 2020 Dec

Overcoming Barriers to Applied Research: A Guide for Practitioners

Amber l. valentino.

Trumpet Behavioral Health, 6475 Sierra Lane, Dublin, CA 94568 USA

Jessica F. Juanico

The research-to-practice gap is evident in many disciplines. This gap can be seen through practitioners failing to integrate the latest research findings into their work, and through the implementation of procedures that do not have empirical support. As the number of behavior-analytic practitioners grows, this gap is likely to become more salient. One solution to closing the gap is for practitioners to conduct applied research. This survey study aimed to identify specific barriers that practitioners face when conducting research, to identify how valuable conducting research is to practitioners, and to make recommendations to support research productivity in practice. We report results from survey questions about applied research and provide practical recommendations for practitioners to overcome barriers and to begin conducting research during their clinical work.

Many professions have long acknowledged a gap between research and practice, including education (McIntyre, 2006 ), human resources (HR; Rynes, Colbert, & Brown, 2002 ), and psychology (Wandersman et al., 2008 ). This research-to-practice gap can be bidirectional, consisting of practitioners failing to implement the latest research findings into their practice, or practitioners implementing treatments that lack empirical backing. The former is most commonly acknowledged. For example, HR research suggests that the field should rely on intelligence and personality tests as predictors of employee performance; however, Rynes et al. ( 2002 ) found that HR practitioners do not rely on these tests, suggesting a gap between research and practice. The field of behavior analysis is no exception. This gap can be problematic, resulting in outdated practices and irrelevant research, and can consist of many components. These components may include practitioners failing to read the latest research articles or researchers failing to examine applied issues that will allow them to conduct research relevant to clinical practice. Kelley et al. ( 2015 ) attributed this gap to a large increase in the demand for services, resulting in an increase in the number of practitioners certified as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), whereas the number of researchers in academic settings who are producing studies has remained very low. In the past 2 years, the number of BCBAs has grown exponentially. As of July 1, 2019, there were 34,471 BCBAs and 3,631 Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs; Behavior Analyst Certification Board [BACB], bacb.com , retrieved July 1, 2019).

Most studies on the research-to-practice gap have focused on how to encourage practitioners to more readily consume the research literature and implement findings. For example, Goodfellow ( 2004 ) proposed a structured journal club designed to reduce barriers to utilizing research in clinical settings to improve nursing students’ reliance on evidence-based practice. As an example, in the field of behavior analysis, Carr and Briggs ( 2010 ) proposed several resources in order for practitioners to make regular contact with the scholarly literature (e.g., organizing the bookmark panel on their web browser to minimize the effort associated with accessing important websites, creating a supportive social community). Efforts to support practitioners in consuming the literature should continue. However, another way to address the research-to-practice gap is to encourage practitioners to conduct research in the context of their clinical practice.

Kelley et al. ( 2015 ) proposed that for research to keep up with the issues faced in clinical practice, practitioners should readily conduct research during their daily clinical activities. To facilitate this productivity, Kelley et al. identified prolific practitioner-researchers in the field and interviewed them to create a list of recommendations. These recommendations included (a) arranging as much face-to-face contact with your peer researchers, collaborators, and research supervisees as possible; (b) using an economical, reliable, and safe method of data collection and, if possible, having staff members assist in data collection; (c) writing the results of your research collaboratively; (d) dedicating time to plan, conduct, or write the results of research on a regular basis (ideally each week); and (e) staying close to your project from the initial planning stage through article submission. The recommendations to practitioners by these authors are significant and represent the first of their kind in the field of behavior analysis; however, Kelley et al. noted that practitioners may still encounter barriers to conducting research, including limited resources, competing contingencies, the lack of a formal institutional review board, and rigorous methodology requirements that may not be feasible in clinical practice. Kelley et al. recommended that a next step in supporting practitioners to conduct research might be to survey practitioners “in a variety of applied organizations to inquire about the variables preventing research among employees and what could be done to increase research productivity among practitioners” (p. 206).

Therefore, the purposes of this study were to (a) identify specific barriers through a survey of practitioners in a wide variety of applied settings, (b) identify the value that practitioners place on conducting research, and (c) extend Kelley et al. ( 2015 ) by making additional recommendations for overcoming identified barriers and supporting research productivity among practitioners.

Participants

This study included BCaBAs, BCBAs, and doctoral-level BCBAs (BCBA-Ds) presently employed in a clinical setting. Participants were recruited through voluntary sampling (Remler & Van Ryzin, 2011 , p. 153). We recruited participants through the BACB’s e-mail service, which is an e-mail contact list of all registered certificants. The e-mail was sent directly through the BACB.

The number of individuals who received the invitation to participate is unknown, as data tracking was not available. Therefore, a corresponding response rate was not calculated. Only those responses that were fully completed were included in the data analysis. A total of 834 (99.88%) participants agreed to participate in the study. One (0.12%) individual chose not to participate. Of those who participated, 824 (99.52%) were board certified, 4 (0.48%) were not board certified and ended the survey, and 10 skipped this question. Of those certified, 46 (5.58%) were BCaBAs, 658 (79.85%) were BCBAs, and 120 (14.56%) were BCBA-Ds. The majority of practitioners reported being certified for 5 years or less (i.e., 31.50% between 0 and 2 years, and 35.16% between 3 and 5 years).

Nearly all practitioners (90.7%) reported that they serve individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A little over 85% of practitioners reported working with children 0–9 years old, and 71.9% reported working with adolescents 10–19 years old. Other practitioners reported working with individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (62.3%), adults (19+ years old; 34.4%), and other (8.5%). Finally, most practitioners indicated that they worked for an organization with less than 100 employees (i.e., 43.93% between 0 and 50, and 14.39% with 51–100 employees); however, many respondents also reported working for an organization with more than 100 employees (i.e., 16.34% between 101 and 250, 10.34% between 251 and 500, and 14.99% greater than 500).

Instrumentation

A survey was developed by the two authors, both with experience conducting research in applied settings. This survey was designed within SurveyMonkey™ and consisted of 18 questions. The first five questions were demographic or focused on practitioners’ work settings. We asked practitioners if they worked for a clinical organization. Those who responded yes moved on to complete the remainder of the survey. The survey stopped for those who responded no. The remaining 13 questions focused on experience with, motivation for, and barriers to conducting research. See Appendix 1 for the full survey.

Invitations with the web address link for the survey were distributed via e-mail listserv through the BACB™. We opened the survey on October 8, 2018, and closed it on December 19, 2018. The last response we received was on December 7, 2018. Thus, the survey was open for 73 days.

Characteristics of Organizations

Participants reported how their clinical organizations were organized, the research opportunities available to them, and how those opportunities influenced their job choice and commitment. These data are summarized in narrative form in what follows and are included in Table ​ Table1 1 .

Summary of Responses to Questions About Clinical Organizations

Opportunities provided by employers

Participants reported the specific types of opportunities for research provided by their employers. Many practitioners (79.28%) indicated their clinical organization provided them the opportunity to present at a conference. Other opportunities included research mentoring and supervision (71.05%), active research projects (54.28%), opportunities to write (50.33%), opportunities to publish (42.76%), regular research groups (27.96%), and writing projects (23.36%).

Research time provided by employers

We surveyed whether practitioners’ employers provided time for research outside of their clinical practice. A very high percentage (86.19%) of practitioners replied no. Of those who replied yes (13.81%), the number of hours their employers provided for research ranged from 0 to 10 (37.50%) to 20 or more hours (17.05%).

Institutional review boards / research review committees

We hypothesized that one barrier to conducting research outside of a university setting might be the absence of a structured institutional review board (IRB) or research review committee (RRC). Thus, practitioners reported whether their organization had an internal structure to support the ethical review of research projects. The majority of practitioners (71.59%) indicated they did not have this resource, and 28.41% indicated they did.

Research impact on long-term commitment to clinical organizations

One survey question examined the extent to which the opportunity to conduct research influenced a practitioner’s long-term commitment to an organization. The majority (62.83%) indicated that the opportunity did influence their long-term commitment, and 15.47% indicated it did not; 22.15% responded that they were indifferent about research opportunities.

Research impact on job choice

Another question asked whether the opportunity to conduct research had influenced practitioners to accept a position. Some practitioners indicated the opportunity to conduct research did influence their job choice (34.80%), whereas 65.20% indicated that the opportunity to conduct research had never influenced their job choice.

Characteristics of Respondents (Practitioners)

Participants also answered questions related to the interests, values, and barriers of practitioners. These data are summarized in narrative form in what follows and are included in Table ​ Table2 2 .

Summary of Responses to Questions About Practitioners

Respondents’ involvement in research

To obtain data on practitioners’ current involvement in research, participants reported whether they had conducted research in their clinical organization and the type of research they conducted. The majority (68.17%) indicated they had not participated in research, and 31.83% indicated they had. Practitioners who indicated they had not conducted research moved on to the next main question (Question 12). Practitioners who indicated they had conducted research were asked four additional questions about the type of research they conducted. Of the practitioners who participated in research, most had presented at a conference (71.03%). About one third of practitioners had published research (30.95%), some had time provided for research (34.95%), and some had compensation for conducting research (34.63%).

Respondents’ interest in research opportunities

Practitioners reported their interest in research—that is, if they were interested in participating in research, and if so, in what way. The majority of practitioners indicated they were interested in conducting research, with 69.63% stating they would like to present at a conference, and 71.86% stating they would like to publish articles.

Barriers preventing research

Our next question inquired about the primary barrier that kept practitioners from conducting research. Nearly half of all practitioners (47.58%) indicated a lack of time as the primary barrier. This barrier was followed by a lack of research mentorship available (12.58%) and a lack of opportunity (11.94%). Other barriers were noted by less than 10% of practitioners and included lack of interest (6.13%), lack of research community (5.32%), lack of knowledge (3.71%), lack of appropriate protections such as an IRB (3.39%), fear of making a mistake (1.29%), lack of research ideas (1.29%), and other (6.77%).

Practitioners identified the second barrier, and they also identified a lack of time (17.24%), followed by a lack of research community (15.93%) and a lack of opportunity (15.93%). The remaining secondary barriers included the same barriers identified as primary (e.g., fear of making a mistake), with approximately the same percentage of people identifying those as secondary barriers (i.e., 7.55%). Practitioners also had the opportunity to identify any other remaining barriers. These included competing contingencies (26.79%), lack of a research leader (13.21%), lack of support (12.14%), funding (7.86%), setting constraints (7.50%), trained staff/knowledge (5.71%), population constraints (4.64%), parent consent (3.57%), lack of appropriate protections (3.21%), lack of opportunities (1.79%), lack of access to a literature database (1.07%), personal barriers (1.07%), and new organizations (0.71%), and some noted no other barriers existed (10.71%). We also asked practitioners a simple question: Would you conduct research if no barriers existed? Most (83.87%) responded yes, and 7.90% responded no. The remaining practitioners (8.23%) indicated that no barriers existed.

Importance of conducting research

To gauge the overall value practitioners placed on conducting research, we asked one final question: How important is conducting research to you? Response options were along a 5-point Likert scale. The highest percentage of practitioners indicated it was important (36.38%), followed by somewhat important (34.26%), then very important (19.58%), and, finally, not at all important (9.79%).

Most practitioners indicated that conducting research is important on some level, and they reported interest in publishing and presenting at conferences. Yet the majority had never conducted research in their work settings, and 14% of employers offered time to participate in research activities. Of the percentage that had participated in research, presenting at a conference was the most common experience. Possibly, many practitioners presented a study conducted at their place of employment that they may have had a small role or no role in, or presented generally about their organization at conferences, as a lower number of practitioners indicated they had actually participated in active research projects. These data suggest that our practitioner workforce is eager to participate and contribute, but despite this motivation, they have been unable to do so, and when they do, those experiences are limited.

There are many barriers that keep practitioners from conducting research, such as competing contingencies. If these barriers did not exist, an overwhelming majority of practitioners would conduct research in their clinical settings. The profile of individuals sampled in this survey is representative of the primary workforce within the field of applied behavior analysis: early career, certified individuals working for small organizations, specializing in the treatment of young children with ASD. This profile lends itself well to the integration of research into practice for several reasons. First, there are several research questions within the ASD population, across a variety of areas, that remain unanswered. Second, individuals with ASD have a variety of presenting symptoms, and as such, a variety of research questions are likely to be applicable. Third, early career behavior analysts, having just completed degree requirements, will be freshly familiar with experimental design, research processes, and unanswered questions in the literature. An early career behavior analyst might, for example, decide to extend his or her capstone project or master’s thesis in an applied setting within the first year or two of graduation. In the following sections, we discuss the primary barriers that practitioners identified and propose recommendations to overcome them. All recommendations provided in this article can be found in Appendix 2 .

Barrier 1: Lack of Access to an IRB/RRC

One large barrier that we hypothesized would prevent research in applied settings was a lack of access to an IRB or RRC. Indeed, 71.59% of practitioners noted this as a barrier. Luckily, our field has offered recent guidance on this topic. The present article offered concrete guidelines for establishing and maintaining an RRC within a human-services organization. Practitioners wishing to conduct research at their place of employment can follow the guidance in this article and successfully set up their own RRC. Some of these recommendations include recruiting external members to fulfill various roles and clear communication from the RRC chair to the organization about its purpose and the research process. The authors in the LeBlanc study also offer several resources for organizations to establish operational procedures and maintain day-to-day operations.

Barrier 2: Lack of Time

In addition to a lack of an IRB or RRC, practitioners noted several barriers they would need to overcome to conduct research in their work settings. The first and most common barrier was a lack of time. A lack of time can be a major barrier for any initiative, especially for BCBAs working in the ASD industry, as there are many competing contingencies. Some of these competing contingencies include a lack of compensation for research, necessary clinical activities (e.g., report writing), supervision responsibilities (e.g., overlapping sessions and providing feedback to a Registered Behavior Technician), and leadership responsibilities (e.g., meetings, responding to e-mail). However, a lack of time as a barrier can be overcome, even with these competing contingencies.

Paul Silvia, in his book How to Write a Lot (2017), dedicated an entire chapter to barriers that academics face to writing and publishing. Interestingly, the first he identified is a lack of time. His recommendations are ones that the authors of this article have followed over the years, which has resulted in research productivity within a clinical setting. Silvia recommended allotting time to write, instead of “finding” it, and creating a writing schedule and sticking to it ( really sticking to it). Writing time should be treated like a meeting that cannot and does not get canceled. The primary author of this article began implementing an early morning waking schedule and wrote from 4:30 a.m. to at least 6:00 a.m., 5 days per week, for approximately 18 months. Although it took some initial training to transition to this schedule, the schedule resulted in a much higher level of productivity than her previous schedule of specifying “writing days” a few times per month. Although this schedule may not be feasible for everyone, the idea of setting aside time, regardless of what time, is of utmost importance. As Silvia noted, the key to this type of productivity is regularity, choosing small goals that can be accomplished during the writing time, and maintaining a master task analysis of tasks that need to be completed on various projects. The second author of this article breaks down all writing tasks into small, manageable goals and graphs the cumulative number of tasks completed weekly. For example, when writing a manuscript, she divides the manuscript into different tasks (e.g., completing data analysis, formatting graphs, writing results for Participant 1). When breaking the manuscript into smaller tasks, the goal of writing and completing a manuscript seems more feasible. Finally, Silvia asserted that it is also imperative to remove distractions—if an individual carves out writing time and then gets engrossed in managing their e-mail account or reviewing social media content, the writing time will not be productive.

Another time-related barrier that practitioners likely face is when to physically collect data with participants. Students may be accustomed to collecting data during very discrete times—participants may come into a center or research facility on a regular schedule for the allotted time to participate. This is unlikely in applied work. Thus, we recommend that applied research questions be integrated into clinical practice. If the question is truly applied, then data collection can easily be integrated into existing clinical activities, such as overlaps and observations. This minimizes the need to carve out extra time, other than organizing, writing, and editing, which can be accomplished with the aforementioned strategies. Having an RRC is of utmost importance to ensure projects are truly applied and can be conducted during clinical service delivery. This arrangement is indeed possible and is how the authors of this article have conducted most of their research involving human participants within a large clinical organization.

Barrier 3: Lack of Research Mentorship and Lack of Opportunity

The next primary barriers reported were a lack of research mentorship and a lack of opportunity. It is quite possible that a BCBA might find him- or herself as the most senior or experienced individual in the organization but may not feel equipped to conduct research independently.

If no internal mentor can be identified, we recommend reaching out to mentors in the field. First, conduct literature searches on topics of interest and find out who are well published in that area. Next, send them an e-mail and ask if they would be willing to meet with you at a conference or schedule a call for guidance. Most researchers in our field will be excited to respond and provide that guidance and their expertise. You can also consider reaching out to academics to ask if they have any research opportunities available. Many researchers in academic settings may have a very small participant pool from which to collect data. Thus, they may be willing to mentor you in exchange for collecting data on participants at your organization. Finally, the project would need to be approved by your organization’s RRC and the university’s IRB, but this arrangement is quite feasible. In fact, we have had several of these partnerships over the years, which has resulted in great learning opportunities and research publications (e.g., Heinicke et al., 2016 ). Access to participants and your willingness to collect data are often very appealing motivators in exchange for some research guidance, mentoring, and support. This may also increase the number of research opportunities available.

Barrier 4: Lack of a Research Community

This is a very legitimate barrier that practitioners may face. Particularly in a small organization, it may be difficult to identify others who are interested in or supportive of research efforts.

The main way to overcome this barrier is by creating your own community. You may start small with a collaborative project with a university and begin to integrate people into the project. The results of this study suggest that you are highly likely to have a community of practitioners interested in research that may experience the same barriers you do, even if they are not directly employed by the same organization. Thus, beginning to create a group of people who are supportive of research efforts and interested in learning could create a research culture where there had been none before. If your organization can support it, arrange for a volunteer research lab. It will be important, in most organizations, for individuals to fully understand the volunteer nature of the activity and to manage these extra tasks outside of their normal work responsibilities. However, many individuals might be willing to meet during off-hours to learn and contribute to the literature. Finally, if it is not possible to create this culture given your current work arrangement, explore other work settings that have an existing research culture and support.

Overcoming these barriers is clearly important, because nearly all practitioners indicated that they would conduct research if no barriers existed. Our research literature would grow significantly if even half of the practitioners currently not publishing would begin to publish. This increase in contributions to the literature would accelerate our knowledge at a rapid pace and help answer the many unanswered applied questions that currently exist and perhaps inform more basic and translational or bridge research (Carr, Coriaty, & Dozier, 2000 ).

With the strong desire to conduct research, we wondered how much this desire would impact practitioners’ long-term commitment to an organization, and most practitioners indicated it did influence their commitment. This type of response may mean that practitioners will transition to a new company if their organization does not afford them opportunities to conduct research, if they can find another organization that does. If the opportunity to conduct research has a strong influence over this decision, practitioners may wish to try to create opportunities at their organization or locate places of employment that do offer research opportunities. Employers may creatively seek ways to provide research opportunities to their workforce to positively impact recruitment and long-term retention. Although at first glance, it may seem to be a cost to employers in the form of nonbillable time, as outlined in this article, research can be integrated into clinical activities, and the other infrastructure (e.g., RRC) is of little to no cost to the organization. Interestingly, fewer individuals in our survey indicated that the opportunity to conduct research did not historically influence their decision whether to accept a position. This response could be indicative of the small number of organizations that offer research opportunities. Thus, the opportunity may not have influenced most because it likely did not exist among the organizations individuals were deciding among.

To conclude, we would like to make some other recommendations that we believe will help practitioners become productive researchers in applied settings. These recommendations are based on the authors’ own experiences and observations of others who have been productive research practitioners.

Expand Your Research Opportunities

Thus far, we have primarily discussed collecting data in the context of clinical work and conducting data-based research studies. Although this is a great category of research, practitioners should expand their array of options for contributing. For example, many journals have outlets for brief reviews, treatment models, and recommended practice guidelines. There are excellent models in the literature of these types of contributions, many of which were written by practitioners working in the field (see Aguirre, Valentino, & LeBlanc, 2016 , for an example of a literature review; Geiger, Carr, & LeBlanc, 2010 , for an example of a treatment model; and Sellers, Valentino, & LeBlanc, 2016 , for an example of recommended practice guidelines). Adding this kind of research to your agenda as a supplement to data-based studies or as a stand-alone focus can be helpful because it allows you the flexibility to work on it during your own time. You are not limited by participant availability, times for data collection, or participant dropout. Although this type of writing certainly requires a time commitment, practice, and focus, with the appropriate writing schedule and realistic goals, it absolutely can be accomplished.

Identify Clinical Problems and Ask Questions That Will Help You Solve Those Problems

Many of the problems that practitioners face in their daily clinical activities would make excellent research questions. For example, a client who has mastered mands for information using a variety of wh– forms but often makes errors—saying “where” when he should have said “when”—might lead a practitioner to ask the question “I wonder if there is a procedure I can implement to help him discriminate across establishing operations?” As another example, you might notice that when teaching intraverbal behavior and presenting a discriminative stimulus and an echoic prompt, a client repeats both the discriminative stimulus and the response (this clinical problem occurred for the first author and was answered in Valentino, Shillingsburg, Conine, & Powell, 2012 ). When you ask those questions, go to the literature and determine if there is existing literature that will give you the answer. If there is not a clear answer in the literature, conduct the study. If some literature exists, replicate and extend that literature. If you are a supervisor, help your supervisees see their clinical problems as areas for investigation. Several years ago, the primary author was consulting on a case with the primary referral concern being pace of eating. Her mentor helped her see this as an extension of the existing literature on the topic of pace of behavior, and a study was ultimately published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis on the case (Valentino, LeBlanc, & Raetz, 2018 ). What seemed to be a simple clinical consultation turned into a unique way to extend the literature while very effectively addressing the client’s primary clinical concern.

View Research in Practice as Different From Controlled Lab Work

Practitioners who have recently entered the workforce may have a very strict idea about how research should be conducted. This likely stems from experiences with master’s theses in graduate school, which often need to be very controlled and are focused on being an ideal learning opportunity for the student. In clinical practice, many variables influence data collection, participant enrollment, and completion. The data you collect may not be collected under perfectly controlled conditions. This does not mean the data are “bad” or cannot be used. It simply means you will need to control as many variables as you can, and for those you cannot control, you will need to describe the conditions for your readers. In many ways, research focuses on the story you tell about the data, and if the data demonstrate experimental control, it is up to you to describe the data in an interesting way that contributes to the literature. There will naturally be variability, and you will need to describe that variability, not avoid it or throw away a data set because it occurred. As an example, Veazey, Valentino, Low, McElroy, and LeBlanc ( 2016 ) published an article on teaching feminine care skills to females with ASD. There were several procedural changes that occurred over the course of that study, as the authors needed to be very flexible in their clinical approach. However, the last research article published on this topic had been published over 30 years ago, and the authors knew what they had done would be helpful to the behavior-analytic community. The contribution was truly in the writing and the story about the updated procedures, the connection to autonomy and independence for this population, and the unique modifications the authors made to ensure success.

When conducting research as part of your clinical practice, you will inevitably have incomplete data sets. Families may relocate unexpectedly mid-data collection, or you might find that the procedure was implemented incorrectly by a team member or that the participant no longer meets the criteria for the study because the skill developed more quickly than you intended and it is no longer a clinical need. These are natural parts of clinical service delivery. The good news is that you do not have a timeline. You are not trying to graduate by a specific date or turn in a paper by a deadline. Research takes time, and you have that time. Be patient and continue to collect data with other participants who meet the criteria, or if the question does not apply to any of your clients, ask a different question.

To conclude, practitioners are motivated to conduct research during practice. This motivation, however, is met with some barriers. This article offered solutions to some of the common barriers acknowledged. It is our hope that practitioners wishing to conduct applied research will use this article as a resource and source of motivation to begin doing so. It is also our job as a behavior-analytic community to support practitioners in their research endeavors. Organizations that employ behavior analysts should consider ways to allow opportunities for research, and senior leaders in our field should determine ways to mentor and support practitioners. Our field will greatly benefit from these contributions in the form of answers to applied questions, a more research-engaged and connected practitioner group, and overall long-term career satisfaction. Importantly, these efforts are likely to bridge the research-to-practice gap that exists in our field.

Survey of BCBAs’ Research Practices in Applied Settings

Introduction.

Amber Valentino and Jessica Juanico of Trumpet Behavioral Health invite you to participate in a research study. The purpose of this study is to gather information regarding research activities in applied settings. This form includes detailed information about the study to help you decide whether to participate. Please read it carefully and be sure you do not have any questions before you agree to participate.

You will complete a short survey about applied research. The survey is anonymous and it should take you less than 20 min to complete.

Risks and Benefits

There are minimal risks to participating in this survey study. Possible risks include discomfort completing a questionnaire that asks you about your experiences. Loss of confidentiality is also a risk in most research projects. To minimize those risks, no identifying information will be collected. If you have had a bad research-related experience, please contact the principal investigator of this study right away at [email protected]. There is no direct benefit to you for your participation in this research study. This study will help the researchers learn more about the barriers to and opportunities for practitioners to conduct research in applied settings.

Confidentiality

Every effort will be made to keep the information you provide as part of this study confidential. Your information will be collected through SurveyMonkey™, which will keep your responses confidential. The information collected in SurveyMonkey™ will be securely stored in a restricted-access folder on Box.com , an encrypted, cloud-based storage system.

Voluntary participation and withdrawal

Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. If you agree to participate now and change your mind later, you may withdraw at any time by not completing the questionnaire. If you choose to withdraw after you have already submitted the survey, withdrawal will not be possible as the questionnaire is anonymous. The research review committee (RRC) at Trumpet Behavioral Health has reviewed and approved this study. If you have questions about the research study itself, please contact the principal investigator at [email protected].

Informed consent

Informed consent will be obtained on the subsequent page. Please be sure to retain a copy of this form for your records; you can save or print the letter before completing the survey.

• I understand my participation is voluntary, all responses will be kept confidential, and I AGREE to participate.
• I choose not to participate. (Logic ➔ End of survey)
• No (Logic ➔ End of survey)
• 0–2 years
• 3–5 years
• 6–9 years
• Children (0–9 years old)
• Adolescents (10–19 years old)
• Adults (19+ years old)
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Other (please specify)
• 0–50 employees
• 51–100 employees
• 101–250 employees
• 251–500 employees
• 501+ employees
• No (Logic ➔ Question 12)
• No (Logic ➔ Question 14)
• Research mentoring/supervision
• Regular research groups
• Active research projects for employees to participate
• Writing projects for employees to join
• Opportunities to present at conferences
• Opportunities to write
• Opportunities to publish
• No (Logic ➔ Question 16)
• How much time does your organization provide its employees to conduct research (please report in hours per month)?
• Lack of time
• Lack of knowledge
• Lack of interest
• Lack of research community
• Lack of appropriate protections (e.g., IRB)
• Fear of making a mistake
• Lack of research mentorship available
• Lack of research ideas
• Lack of opportunity
• List any other barriers associated with conducting research in your applied setting.
• N/A (I already conduct research and there are no barriers to me doing so.)
• Indifferent
• Yes, it has influenced me to accept or not accept a position.
• No, opportunities for research have never influenced job choice.
• Very important
• Somewhat important

Summary of Recommendations

Compliance with ethical standards.

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards (however, please note that given the discussion status of this article, it did not involve any human participants).

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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• A Research Guide
• Research Paper Guide

How to Write a Research Plan

• Research plan definition
• Purpose of a research plan
• Research plan structure
• Step-by-step writing guide

Tips for creating a research plan

• Research plan examples

Research plan: definition and significance

What is the purpose of a research plan.

• Bridging gaps in the existing knowledge related to their subject.
• Reinforcing established research about their subject.
• Introducing insights that contribute to subject understanding.

Research plan structure & template

Introduction.

• What is the existing knowledge about the subject?
• What gaps remain unanswered?
• How will your research enrich understanding, practice, and policy?

Literature review

Expected results.

• Express how your research can challenge established theories in your field.
• Highlight how your work lays the groundwork for future research endeavors.
• Emphasize how your work can potentially address real-world problems.

5 Steps to crafting an effective research plan

Step 1: define the project purpose, step 2: select the research method, step 3: manage the task and timeline, step 4: write a summary, step 5: plan the result presentation.

• Brainstorm Collaboratively: Initiate a collective brainstorming session with peers or experts. Outline the essential questions that warrant exploration and answers within your research.
• Prioritize and Feasibility: Evaluate the list of questions and prioritize those that are achievable and important. Focus on questions that can realistically be addressed.
• Define Key Terminology: Define technical terms pertinent to your research, fostering a shared understanding. Ensure that terms like “church” or “unreached people group” are well-defined to prevent ambiguity.
• Organize your approach: Once well-acquainted with your institution’s regulations, organize each aspect of your research by these guidelines. Allocate appropriate word counts for different sections and components of your research paper.

Research plan example

• Writing a Research Paper
• Research Paper Title
• Research Paper Sources
• Research Paper Problem Statement
• Research Paper Thesis Statement
• Hypothesis for a Research Paper
• Research Question
• Research Paper Outline
• Research Paper Summary
• Research Paper Prospectus
• Research Paper Proposal
• Research Paper Format
• Research Paper Styles
• AMA Style Research Paper
• MLA Style Research Paper
• Chicago Style Research Paper
• APA Style Research Paper
• Research Paper Structure
• Research Paper Cover Page
• Research Paper Abstract
• Research Paper Introduction
• Research Paper Body Paragraph
• Research Paper Literature Review
• Research Paper Background
• Research Paper Methods Section
• Research Paper Results Section
• Research Paper Discussion Section
• Research Paper Conclusion
• Research Paper Appendix
• Research Paper Bibliography
• APA Reference Page
• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography vs Works Cited vs References Page
• Research Paper Types
• What is Qualitative Research

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Putting Applied Research to Work in Your School or District

What is applied research, steps of applied research, form a research team, develop research questions, design research and collect data, analyze processes and disseminate findings, why you should try applied research, figure 1. the elements of applied research.

• The types of data to be collected (such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, observational field notes, student and teacher work, and existing quantitative metrics).
• The timeline for collecting data (such as one month, one semester, or an entire year).
• A plan for analyzing data (such as dividing up the data into manageable chunks, discussing themes that emerge from the data).
• Strategies for validating data (such as having multiple data sources and multiple interviewers).
• The types of research participants (such as what constituencies are important to understanding a diversity of perspectives on the issue).

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• Research Process

Writing a Scientific Research Project Proposal

• 5 minute read
• 98.2K views

Table of Contents

The importance of a well-written research proposal cannot be underestimated. Your research really is only as good as your proposal. A poorly written, or poorly conceived research proposal will doom even an otherwise worthy project. On the other hand, a well-written, high-quality proposal will increase your chances for success.

In this article, we’ll outline the basics of writing an effective scientific research proposal, including the differences between research proposals, grants and cover letters. We’ll also touch on common mistakes made when submitting research proposals, as well as a simple example or template that you can follow.

What is a scientific research proposal?

The main purpose of a scientific research proposal is to convince your audience that your project is worthwhile, and that you have the expertise and wherewithal to complete it. The elements of an effective research proposal mirror those of the research process itself, which we’ll outline below. Essentially, the research proposal should include enough information for the reader to determine if your proposed study is worth pursuing.

It is not an uncommon misunderstanding to think that a research proposal and a cover letter are the same things. However, they are different. The main difference between a research proposal vs cover letter content is distinct. Whereas the research proposal summarizes the proposal for future research, the cover letter connects you to the research, and how you are the right person to complete the proposed research.

There is also sometimes confusion around a research proposal vs grant application. Whereas a research proposal is a statement of intent, related to answering a research question, a grant application is a specific request for funding to complete the research proposed. Of course, there are elements of overlap between the two documents; it’s the purpose of the document that defines one or the other.

Scientific Research Proposal Format

Although there is no one way to write a scientific research proposal, there are specific guidelines. A lot depends on which journal you’re submitting your research proposal to, so you may need to follow their scientific research proposal template.

In general, however, there are fairly universal sections to every scientific research proposal. These include:

• Title: Make sure the title of your proposal is descriptive and concise. Make it catch and informative at the same time, avoiding dry phrases like, “An investigation…” Your title should pique the interest of the reader.
• Abstract: This is a brief (300-500 words) summary that includes the research question, your rationale for the study, and any applicable hypothesis. You should also include a brief description of your methodology, including procedures, samples, instruments, etc.
• Introduction: The opening paragraph of your research proposal is, perhaps, the most important. Here you want to introduce the research problem in a creative way, and demonstrate your understanding of the need for the research. You want the reader to think that your proposed research is current, important and relevant.
• Background: Include a brief history of the topic and link it to a contemporary context to show its relevance for today. Identify key researchers and institutions also looking at the problem
• Literature Review: This is the section that may take the longest amount of time to assemble. Here you want to synthesize prior research, and place your proposed research into the larger picture of what’s been studied in the past. You want to show your reader that your work is original, and adds to the current knowledge.
• Research Design and Methodology: This section should be very clearly and logically written and organized. You are letting your reader know that you know what you are going to do, and how. The reader should feel confident that you have the skills and knowledge needed to get the project done.
• Preliminary Implications: Here you’ll be outlining how you anticipate your research will extend current knowledge in your field. You might also want to discuss how your findings will impact future research needs.
• Conclusion: This section reinforces the significance and importance of your proposed research, and summarizes the entire proposal.
• References/Citations: Of course, you need to include a full and accurate list of any and all sources you used to write your research proposal.

Common Mistakes in Writing a Scientific Research Project Proposal

Remember, the best research proposal can be rejected if it’s not well written or is ill-conceived. The most common mistakes made include:

• Not providing the proper context for your research question or the problem
• Failing to reference landmark/key studies
• Losing focus of the research question or problem
• Not accurately presenting contributions by other researchers and institutions
• Incompletely developing a persuasive argument for the research that is being proposed
• Misplaced attention on minor points and/or not enough detail on major issues
• Sloppy, low-quality writing without effective logic and flow
• Incorrect or lapses in references and citations, and/or references not in proper format
• The proposal is too long – or too short

Scientific Research Proposal Example

There are countless examples that you can find for successful research proposals. In addition, you can also find examples of unsuccessful research proposals. Search for successful research proposals in your field, and even for your target journal, to get a good idea on what specifically your audience may be looking for.

While there’s no one example that will show you everything you need to know, looking at a few will give you a good idea of what you need to include in your own research proposal. Talk, also, to colleagues in your field, especially if you are a student or a new researcher. We can often learn from the mistakes of others. The more prepared and knowledgeable you are prior to writing your research proposal, the more likely you are to succeed.

Language Editing Services

One of the top reasons scientific research proposals are rejected is due to poor logic and flow. Check out our Language Editing Services to ensure a great proposal , that’s clear and concise, and properly referenced. Check our video for more information, and get started today.

• Manuscript Review

Research Fraud: Falsification and Fabrication in Research Data

Research Team Structure

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Research Proposal Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template

If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.

• Research proposal example/sample – Master’s-level (PDF/Word)
• Research proposal example/sample – PhD-level (PDF/Word)
• Proposal template (Fully editable) 

If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:

• Research Proposal Bootcamp : Learn how to write a research proposal as efficiently and effectively as possible
• 1:1 Proposal Coaching : Get hands-on help with your research proposal

FAQ: Research Proposal Example

Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.

Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.

Can I copy one of these proposals for my own research?

As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .

How do I get the research proposal template?

You can access our free proposal template here .

Is the proposal template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.

Where can I learn more about proposal writing?

For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.

For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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The Applied Research Building

Designed to Enable Real World Innovations

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The Applied Research Building (ARB) is a highly specialized, one-of-a-kind, 89,000-square-foot facility that pairs new applied research capabilities with state-of-the-art equipment and technology and brings together several interdisciplinary university programs under one roof.

It will provide regionally unique capabilities for the university, allow for expansion of industry and advanced manufacturing partnerships, and turn research and discovery into practical, real-world solutions that produce societal impact.

The ARB houses the state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to advance research in optics, manufacturing, space exploration, and more. Learn about eight of the building's key facilities for driving forth applied innovations in these areas.

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Thermal Vacuum Chamber

While the average temperature on a typical April day in Tucson is about 81 degrees Fahrenheit, temperatures on Mars average about minus 81 degrees. All materials – even aluminum and titanium, both of which are commonly used to fabricate nanosatellites – perform differently under different conditions. Spacecraft and high altitude, balloon-borne, science payloads benefit from testing in the conditions they will operate in after launch. The Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVC) simulates both the pressure and temperature conditions found in space, as well as the near space environment. This facilitates testing the performance of all components and subsystems prior to launch.

• The TV chamber can fit objects the size of an entire pickup truck inside of it
• It weighs 40 tons, or roughly 81,000 pounds
• It is 30 feet long
• Normal atmospheric pressure is defined as 1 atmosphere or 760 torr
• The TVC can maintain a vacuum pressure at 5 torr for balloon borne missions, and as low as 1x10-5 torr for space based missions
• The TVC can cool its inner shrouds to -10C for balloon borne missions
• The TVC can cool its inner shrouds to the temperature of liquid nitrogen, or -315°F
• Tests inside the TVC can run from a day to two weeks

Anechoic Chamber

This nonreflective, echo-free room is called an anechoic (a-nih-KOH-ik) chamber. The chamber is built with radio-wave-absorbing material applied to the walls, ceiling, and floor. The absorptive material – a carbon-filled foam – is designed to keep sound waves from bouncing. The conditions of the anechoic chamber allow researchers to test satellite antennae for their command, control, and data relay performance.

• In an anechoic chamber, speech sounds muffled, like when your ears need to pop in an airplane.
• The quietest place on Earth is an anechoic chamber built and owned by Microsoft. The measured noise level is -20.3 decibels, 20.3 decibels below the threshold of human hearing. In it, you can hear the sound of your own beating heart, flowing blood, and grinding bones.
• The almost absolute silence in an anechoic chamber gradually manifests into a ringing in your ears.
• Over time, the lack of reverberation in a room like this causes people to lose their balance.

Laboratory for Advanced and Additive Manufacturing

The Laboratory for Advanced and Additive Manufacturing uses state-of-the-art digital fabrication techniques to design and fabricate complex materials with on-demand properties that are not achievable using conventional manufacturing methods. This space enables collaborations among manufacturing experts from the College of Medicine, the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, the College of Engineering, and others to be at the forefront of manufacturing advances that embody the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Advanced manufacturing efforts at the University of Arizona focus on defense, space, aerospace and biomedical and communications technology.

• The university's industry partners in this area include Raytheon, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and NASA.
• The first printer to create three-dimensional objects appeared in 1983, just a year after the first CD was manufactured.

Imaging Technology Laboratory

Under the direction of research professor and astronomer Michael Lesser, the ITL is a world-leading supplier of advanced scientific imaging sensors for visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray light detection. The most common applications for its imaging technologies are in the fields of astronomy, satellite imagery such as Earth observations, and the manufacturing of electronic devices. What's more, the lab has developed and supports camera systems used on telescopes owned and operated by the University. The lab's industry partners include Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, while its federal funding agencies include NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. The lab at ARB is a clean room, meaning it is designed to filter out airborne particles and pollutants like dust, microbes, and aerosols.

• The ITL was located off campus prior to the opening of the Applied Research Building.
• The lab has delivered more than 4,000 sensors to scientific and industrial imaging communities across the globe.
• The lab has developed and supports camera systems used on telescopes owned and operated by the University.
• Although UV waves are invisible to the human eye, some insects, including bumblebees, can see them.

Want to collaborate with the Imaging Technology Lab?

Contact Mike Lesser: [email protected] 520-621-4236

Mission Operations Center

After launch, spacecraft and balloons must be carefully monitored and commanded from thousands if not millions of miles away. A mission operations center performs this work while a science operations center coordinates the distribution and processing of data. The ARB’s Mission Operations Center equips us with with all the computers, networks, and software needed to control missions from right here in Tucson.

• UArizona faculty Marcia Rieke is the principal investigator for the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), and UArizona’s George Rieke is the science team lead for the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). The Mission Operations Center for the JWST is located at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Lockheed Martin provides the mission operations center for the UArizona-led NASA mission to retrieve material from the surface of an asteroid, OSIRIS-REx under the direction of the NASA mission manager at Goddard Space Flight Center.
• UArizona is now one of very few American universities with the capability to provide mission operations support for NASA Class D missions.

The CubeSat Laboratory

This laboratory is a dedicated space for the fabrication of nanosatellites, often called “CubeSats,” and small space instruments, which represent the next generation of technology for space exploration and scientific investigation. The lab is designed to maximize reliability of space hardware by providing a clean environment for assembly. A major benefit of miniaturized satellites is cost and schedule efficiency: they are easier to mass produce and have a standard size and shape, commodifying access to space. They are less expensive to build than traditional satellites and, because of their compact size, they often piggyback on rockets carrying other spacecraft.

• A typical CubeSat is about the size of a toaster, though the smallest are 4-inch cubes weighing less than 3 pounds.
• CubeSats have become increasingly popular in space exploration over the last two decades, with NASA launching its first CubeSat, GeneSat, in late 2006 and now hundreds are launched per year.
• UArizona is expected to launch the CatSat CubeSat later this year.

Space Materials Curation Facility

The Space Materials Curation Facility will house materials used to differentiate between artificial and natural objects in the Earth-Moon system. The collections include rocket body paint samples, mylar, metals, kapton, solar cells, and similar items used for building and coating satellites and spacecraft, as well as a small representative set of meteorites. Researchers use telescopes on Earth to capture a space object’s spectral signature—the wavelengths of light that bounce off an object’s surface. They use that data to identify what it is (artificial versus natural) and where it came from. This work is important to space traffic management and national security. With nearly 100 missions planned to the moon over the next decade, there is an increased risk of collisions with space debris. Samples curated at the facility will help ensure that use of orbital space between the Earth and moon remains safe, secure, and sustainable.

• The European Space Agency estimates that there are presently more than 170 million pieces of debris, or “space junk,” (over the size of 1 millimeter) orbiting Earth. Any of these objects would have the ability to cause harm to operational spacecraft.
• Even a one-centimeter object could penetrate the shields on the International Space Station.

High Bay Facility

With 40-foot ceilings similar to those found in warehouses, the ARB's high-bay payload laboratory will offer teams of scientists and engineers a dedicated space to assemble high-altitude stratospheric balloons such as the University of Arizona-led, NASA-funded GUSTO mission.

These high-altitude balloons are used for critical everyday operations such as providing accurate weather data by measuring and transmitting information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. They can also be used for more sophisticated scientific exploration, as in the case of GUSTO, which will send a balloon to near-space, carrying a telescope that will study the interstellar medium – the gas and dust between the stars, from which all stars and planets originate.

• The double doors to enter the high bay facility at the ARB are the nation’s largest doors.
• Balloon-borne astronomy fills an important gap between ground-based observatories and space telescopes by allowing telescopes and other instruments to reach altitudes where they experience less interference from Earth's atmosphere.
• UArizona is home to another high bay facility, located at UA Tech Park at The Bridges, which opened in December 2022.
• Each of the letters of the Hollywood sign overlooking Los Angeles, California is roughly as tall as the high bay facility at the ARB.

The Applied Research Building in the News

Featured Coverage

Mission control: university of arizona applied research building houses space institute, future endeavors.

January 30, 2024

The 89,000-square-foot University of Arizona Applied Research Building expands the university's already considerable research capabilities thanks to state-of-the-art equipment and technology, including a 40-ton thermal vacuum chamber used to replicate the conditions in outer space – the largest of its kind at any university in the world.  

UArizona’s $85M Applied Research Building opens

Photo by Kelly Presnell April 7, 2023

The University of Arizona celebrated the grand opening of its Applied Research Building Wednesday. Eight departments among four colleges—including the College of Medicine – Tucson—will have dedicated space there.

As bold and wonderous as space exploration itself

"Radical in design, the building itself is a highly calibrated machine, uniquely suited to house complex and sensitive research demands with optimal performance in its desert environment. "

More News Coverage

More about the ARB

Media Contact

Lisa Romero

Associate Vice President, Research Communications and Marketing

• Read more about Lisa Romero

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• university of new orleans
• campus news
• uno-chart helps craft state hazard mitigation plan

CAMPUS NEWS: APRIL 18, 2024

Hazard mitigation, uno-chart helps craft state hazard mitigation plan.

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UNO-CHART helped the state of Louisiana create a hazard mitigation plan. FEMA requires such plans for states to receive disaster aid and grants.

The University of New Orleans Center for Hazards Assessment, Response and Technology (UNO-CHART) helped craft the Louisiana State Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was recently approved by FEMA. The plan remains in effect until March 2029.

State hazard mitigation plans are required by FEMA to qualify states to receive federal aid and grants. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) worked with researchers at UNO-CHART, the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center, and LSU to develop the plan.

UNO-CHART supported the update of the Louisiana State Hazard Mitigation Plan with a focus on the planning process; state mitigation capabilities; the overall mitigation strategy; local coordination and capacity building; mitigation in action across the state, and plan review, evaluation, and implementation. Additionally, UNO-CHART updated the Statewide Community Rating System (CRS) Strategy and plans to update the current Statewide Repetitive Loss Strategy over the next year.  

“UNO-CHART has participated in multiple mitigation planning efforts at the university, local and state level,” said Monica Teets Farris, director of UNO-CHART. “We worked on the 2019 State Mitigation Plan and were pleased to once again have the opportunity to support planning that will guide risk-informed decision-making for our state for the next five years.”

UNO-CHART is an applied social science hazards research center at the University of New Orleans that partners with and supports Louisiana communities in efforts to achieve disaster resilience with a focus on mitigation.

“Having a strong state hazard mitigation plan is critical to help Louisiana communities prepare and recover from disasters,” said Jeffrey Giering, Louisiana’s state hazard mitigation officer. “Partnerships with these universities are critical to our success and enable us to move the state’s emergency preparedness plan forward.”

The next phase of the statewide planning effort is to share information about natural hazard risk and ways to reduce this risk in Louisiana. Parishes throughout the state will be updating parish-level hazard mitigation plans and often use the Louisiana State Hazard Mitigation Plan as a baseline.

You can download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org .

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