Introduction
When you’re writing your research proposal as a part of your Ph.D. application, it can feel like a lot is on the line. You have to show that you have the ability and the drive to complete this degree successfully—and that means presenting your research with enough detail that someone reading it can understand why you want to investigate this topic, what you hope to find out, and how you will go about doing so.
And if you’ve never written a research proposal before, it can feel like an alien document. After all, these tend to be things that other people write and not something we usually read first-hand. But to get through your Ph.D. program with flying colors, you need to be able to write an excellent research proposal. So let’s take a look at some useful examples of an engineering research proposal.
What is an Engineering Research Proposal?
A research proposal is a document in which you lay out the details of your proposed research. This includes why you want to do this research, what you want to learn or find out as a result of this research, who you are going to collaborate with on this research, what methods you are going to use to do this research, and how long you think it will take. In short, it’s a bit of a snapshot of what the next few years of your life will look like—with the goal of getting your research funded.
Once you have your research proposal written, you will send it along with your application to the department where you want to do your Ph.D. They will then take a look at your proposal and decide whether it’s a good fit for their program. If it is, then they’ll send your proposal to the professors who have been assigned to your research. If they agree to hire you, you’ve just taken the first big steps on your path to becoming a Ph.D. engineer!
Why Write a Research Proposal?
If you’ve never written a research proposal, you might be wondering why you have to do it. After all, your advisor is the one who will be reading your research, not the school you’re applying to. And the answer is that you are trying to convince the committee that your research is worth funding. It’s their job to review all of the applications to make sure that their department can find the money for each one.
For example, if you want to do a study on how a new type of engine is more energy efficient than the ones in use today, your committee will look at your proposal to see if it’s worth the cost. But if your research proposal doesn’t have the right information, they can’t make an informed decision. And if they can’t make an informed decision, they can’t fund your research—and your Ph.D. program will fall through.
How to Write a Good Engineering Research Proposal?
A good research proposal starts with a good research question. You need to be able to answer why your research is worth studying. What is the point of the research? Why do you want to do this research? If you can clearly state your research question, you’ll be well on your way to writing a good proposal. Next, you need to explain how you will go about your research.
You need to tell the committee how you will collect your data and what resources you will use. If you will be collaborating with someone on the research, you also need to let them know. Then, you need to explain your research timeline. How long do you think the research will take if you get the funding? How do you plan to break up your timeline? Will you be conducting research full-time, part-time, or only during summer break?
Example 1 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
Let’s look at an example of a research proposal written by a Ph.D. student in computer engineering. In this example, the student wants to find out if there are ways to make computer systems more secure from hackers. So he is proposing to conduct research on quantum computers and whether or not they can be used to make systems more secure. In the introduction, he lays out his reasons for conducting this research. He explains that quantum computers are becoming more popular and that people are starting to wonder if they could be used to protect data.
He writes that he wants to investigate this question. In the methods section, he tells the committee how he would collect data. For example, he might create a fake quantum computer and see if it can withstand attacks. Or he might work with an existing quantum computer and see if it can protect data. He writes down the equipment he would use, including the computers he would need to create the quantum computer.
Example 2 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
Another example is a research proposal written by a Ph.D. student in civil engineering. In this example, the student wants to find out how buildings can be better equipped to withstand earthquakes. He wants to see if there are ways to make buildings more flexible so that they can better withstand strong earthquakes. In the introduction, he explains that there are buildings that perform well during an earthquake, but others that fail.
He wants to investigate the differences between these buildings and see what he can do to make buildings better at flexing during an earthquake. In the methods section, he describes how he will conduct his research. This includes talking to engineers and architects who specialize in earthquake-resistant buildings to see what they do to make their buildings more flexible. It also includes looking at existing buildings and seeing what they do to make them stronger.
Example 3 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
This example is a research proposal written by a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering. In this example, the student wants to find out if he can find new ways to store energy. In the introduction, he writes that there are many sources of energy, but that only some of them can be stored. He writes that he wants to find new ways to store energy and make it available when we need it. In the methods section, he writes down the equipment he will use. For example, he will use a computer to create simulations to see how different ways of storing energy work. Or he will work with engineers who can build prototypes.
Example 4 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
This last example is a research proposal written by a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. In this example, the student wants to find out if there is a better way to make cars and other vehicles. He wants to find out if there are ways to make cars that are more environmentally friendly and less expensive to run. In the introduction, he writes that there are many ways to produce cars, but none of them are perfect.
He writes that he wants to find new ways to make cars that are better for the environment and less expensive to run. In the methods section, he describes the materials and equipment he will use. For example, he might take different types of car engines and see which one is better for the environment. Or he could work with engineers to produce prototypes of new car engines.
Example 5 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
In this other example, a Ph.D. student in computer engineering wants to find out if it would be better to use computer programs to make voices or if we should continue recording voices for robots. He wants to see if computer programs could produce voices that are as good or better than human voices. In the introduction, he writes that computers could create better voices for robots than humans do.
He explains that people create different voices for different robots and that computers could create the same voices every time. In the methods section, he writes how he would conduct this research. He might create computer programs that would create voices or work with engineers to build robots that use computer programs for voices. He might also create computer programs that would listen to the voices produced by humans and decide if they are better or worse.
Example 6 of a Good Engineering Research Proposal
In this final example, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering wants to find out if he can find new ways to detect forest fires before they happen. He wants to use sensors in the forest to detect when a forest fire starts so that someone can be sent out to put it out before it spreads. In the introduction, he writes that forests in many parts of the world are being destroyed by forest fires and logging, which puts a lot of wildlife at risk.
He suggests that people can help fight against deforestation by planting trees, especially if they live in a place where there are forests. The last paragraph of the introduction ends with the author letting the reader know that he or she can also help fight deforestation by not eating meat, as livestock production is responsible for up to almost half of all deforestation.