Writing a research proposal for a Ph.D. in law is a fundamental task. It is a brief summary of the proposed research. It encompasses the issues or questions that you are going to answer in your research these should refer to the current state as well as any recent debates on your specific topic.
In this article, we are going to discuss in detail how to write a research proposal Ph.D. in law The law research proposal is important to find out why the research on this topic is important and how you are going to carry it all along.
PhDs are the areas where there is originality as well as innovation, originality can be some ways or methods applied to the already existing theories.
Introduction
A research proposal is a formally structured document that encompasses the research questions as well as the strategy you are going to use to answer them along with the worth and scope of research. The main aim of the research proposal is that it helps in convincing the advisor as well as supervisors that your topic is worth searching for and it is manageable as well.
We can consider that we have to sell our research idea and convince the management. This is the first step in starting research. A research proposal is as important in law as in any other field of research. In a Ph.D. in law, the focus is given on research proposals.
If the research proposal is accepted the legal researcher can further conduct a preliminary literature review. It’s better to understand first how to write a research proposal Ph.D. in law.
Importance of a Ph.D. Law Research Proposal
In this article, we have discussed each factor of how to write a research proposal Ph.D. in law with reference to the legal research proposal. A research proposal in law also depends on the specific methodology that has been chosen by the researcher.
The research proposal is of great importance as it helps the supervisor to get a better understanding of the research as well and they can check if the research is meeting the guidelines of the institute or not. The research proposal should have a title with a good and clear explanation.
Ph.D. law research proposals are of great importance as they can give you a very clear idea that your research will be completed on time or not.
Components of Research Proposal in Ph.D. in Law
Writing a research proposal for a Ph.D. in law can be a hectic job but it is necessary for completing the Ph.D. The research proposal length should be around 2,500 words long. Here we will discuss the components of the research proposal.
A title
A title is a research topic on which you are about to do the research it should be clear as well as a succinct research description. If the title is good the supervisor can have the whole idea of research. A title should be fair as well as help a reader to understand the research as well. A title can be helpful in providing assistance to the reader in clarifying the arguments covered in the paper.
Introduction
The title is followed by the introduction. In the introduction, you have to explain the purpose of research and you should focus on the fact that why this research is important. There should be three factors that should be covered in the introduction i.e.
Problem statement, motivation, and the original approach to solve this problem. Introduction can work as an abstract in the research proposal you should cover all the factors of research in it.
Background of Proposal
The background of the proposal is also known to be a literature review of the proposal. It is an examination and analysis of the research that is related to your topic. You can define the research that is already done on your topic as well and you can also identify gaps as well as problems that are related to your field. This can help in taking the research further or doing any new research on them.
Contribution
The contribution is the original approach or it can be considered a comprehensive explanation or presentation of the proposed research. In this part, you elaborate on your thinking or arguments which were raised in the previous section you can also elaborate on your research question.
You also have to explain the value and worth of the chosen problem and you have to give a summary of the approach you are going to use for solving or investigating the problem.
Methodology
It can be defined as a chapter that elaborates on what you have done and how you have done it. The methodology is the methods and schedule you to use to solve your problem. It encompasses comprehensive detail about the problem as well as the data collection methods along with sampling and any analytical strategy you are going to use.
It also covers the schedule which elaborates on what activity has been performed and when in short the timetable of activities.
References
References can be stated as a bibliography that is used to cite the already proposed literature. It is usually at the end of a document. There are several types of references but mostly Harvard referencing style is preferred.
References help in minimizing plagiarism as well as avoiding plagiarism as it is clearly cited which data is copied and which is your own. You can use the already existing data by citing it in your document. It also helps in providing evidence of the research.
Tips for How to Write a Research Proposal Ph.D. in Law (Do’s and Don’ts)
There are several do’s and don’ts which may help in writing a better research proposal
Do’s
- The research proposal has to answer and cover questions like what, why, and how.
- While writing a research proposal always keep in mind that you have to convince the supervisors.
- You should be more specific while writing descriptions.
- Your topic should contribute to the field it should be original and unique.
- Your proposal should have one problem and you should only focus on it.
- Use the feedback of the supervisor to make the research better.
- Methodology should be clear as well as specific.
- Submit a supporting statement alongside the research proposal
- You should go through the previous Ph.D. samples related to your study.
- All the information used should be accurate.
- Latest references should be used.
Don’ts
- Don’t write your proposal if you don’t have a clear topic.
- You should not have a simple description of any study area.
- Don’t use the topic in which significant literature exists.
- Don’t use the topics that are in trend or are fashionable as there is a lot of research that already exists.
- Don’t solve a lot of problems in one thesis.
- You should avoid the comparisons in the proposal
Conclusion
In conclusion, a research proposal is the most essential part of a dissertation in a legal Ph.D. as this helps you in carrying out the research and convincing the supervisor that your research is worth it so it’s better to know first about how to write a research proposal Ph.D. in law. The research proposal should have an extensive explanation of the research topic.
The important thing is that you have to make sure that your research topic is original as well as worthy. You have to consider the fact while writing a research proposal that the uniqueness of the topic is not the only key for its success your research topic should be able to create value as well as contribute in the field of research.
It’s better to have a topic that is more valuable and original but you need practical examples to get it approved by the supervisors. One should take their time to find out the practicalities related to the research and they must have a methodological plan as well. Hopefully, after reading this article you got the idea of how to write a research proposal Ph.D. in law.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is a research objective?
The research objective helps in describing the intention of the research project that you are trying to accomplish. This is a summary of the overall purpose as well as the approach used in the dissertation.
- Are research Aims and Objectives different?
Research aims are broader and objectives are more specific. The research aims are more concentrated on long-term outcomes whereas the research objectives are more concentrated on short-term outcomes.
- Is there a difference between a research plan and a proposal?
Yes, a research plan assists in organizing thoughts. A research proposal is also known as a dissertation proposal and it helps in convincing others that your research question is more relevant as well as worthy.
- Is there a difference between the research proposal of a Ph.D. and a master’s?
The research proposal for master’s level and Ph.D. is different from the original findings are more extensive in Ph.D. rather than masters level.
- What is critical thinking and how does it benefit the dissertation?
Critical thinking is the potential of a person to analyze and evaluate the information or assumptions including your own opinions. Critical learning is more of questioning as well as learning with a broad view. This can help the researcher in developing new ideas which is based on theories.
