Inquiry-based Research Study – Research Proposal
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(500 words min.)
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Format:
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The attached template should be used as a guide (please use section headings as indicated). You
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should address each of the sections listed as relevant to your research.
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In approximately two pages, analyze your topic and the “problem” you have identified by
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providing the following information. Cite sources from your preliminary research/Discipline
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Awareness to support and illustrate your claims.
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TITLE: A descriptive statement about your project
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Example: Treating Depression through Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
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Increasing Access to Mental Health Care in Underserved Areas
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RESEARCH QUESTION: Develop and refine a question that will drive the research for your
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literature review. Remember that good research questions ask “how” and “why” rather than
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“when.” Use questions that cannot be answered by “yes” or “no.”
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Example: How can online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat depression help
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underserved areas provide access to mental health care?
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PROCESS: Describe the research needed to complete your literature review. (Don’t expect all of
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the sources in your bibliography to appear in the literature review. You will need to do more
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research). In other words, what additional research do you need to answer your research
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question?
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Example: Studies about the efficacy of online CBT to treat depression; data to establish
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Internet access in underserved areas; legal implications for online CBT; what other
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treatment interventions for depression could serve populations in underserved areas.
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PROPOSED PURPOSE FOR THE LITERATURE REVIEW: This is the most important step of
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the proposal because it establishes the focus for the literature review. What will your literature
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review achieve? What use will it be to your proposed audience? For this section, you will need to
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refer to the eight options listed in the USC Research Guide (Purpose of a Literature Review).
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Example: Purposes may vary, but they could address existing conflicts in the published
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research, gaps in the research that illustrate the need for more studies; data to establish
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the available technology to deliver mental health care online; or to critique the existing
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published research, especially if sample sizes are small, etc. The purpose will determine
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the audience.
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PROPOSED AUDIENCE: Who would be interested in reading your literature review? What
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purpose will it serve for this audience? Keep in mind that your literature review can be for one of
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two audiences: a specific scholarly audience (define/describe) OR a specific public audience
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(define/describe).
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Example: Audiences may vary but could include scholars in the field of mental health
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and/or public health. Professional audiences could be technology experts who specialize
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in secure medical information, government agencies that provide support for mental health
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care. Your purpose will determine the audience.
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REFERENCES PAGE: Include a complete reference list of any works you cited in the proposal.
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Use APA documentation style.
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Outline your research topic (for Grant Proposal and Literature Review)
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Identify the significance of the topic to you/your field of study
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List at least three tentative research questions
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Identify at least three types methods you plan to use to explore your topoic (these might include any surveys/studies you would want to examine)
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Outline your concerns regarding the research/writing process
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