It is essential, when writing a research proposal, to pay close attention to, and adhere to, the format and guidelines that you are being asked to follow for different audiences or stakeholder groups. A second essential part of the process is to elicit, and respond to, feedback from others. It can be useful to have sight of previous proposals that have been successful within whatever system you are operating in.
There has been a trend in recent years for research teams to publish proposals ahead of doing a study. This is viewed as a valuable quality control strategy – the researchers are not able to cherry-pick their findings to confirm their hypotheses because the original research plan exists in the public domain. Published protocols provide valuable insights into both the range of issues that need to be taken into account when designing a research study, and the ways that experienced researchers provide a rationale for investigations.
When reading the proposals listed below, the aim is to focus not so much on the content of each planned study, but on how these researchers explain and justify what they are intending to do.
Proposals for quantitative and mixed methods studies
Alves, P., Sales, C., & Ashworth, M. (2013). Enhancing the patient involvement in outcomes: a study protocol of personalised outcome measurement in the treatment of substance misuse. BMC Psychiatry, 13, 337.
Hooker, L., Toone, E., Raykar, V., Humphreys, C., Morris, A., Westrupp, E., & Taft, A. (2019). Reconnecting mothers and children after violence (RECOVER): a feasibility study protocol of child–parent psychotherapy in Australia. BMJ Open, 9(5), e023653.
Rantanen, T., Pynnönen, K., Saajanaho, M., Siltanen, S., Karavirta, L., Kokko, K., ... & Portegijs, E. (2019). Individualized counselling for active aging: protocol of a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial among older people (the AGNES intervention study). BMC Geriatrics, 19(1), 5.
Stafford, M. R., Cooper, M., Barkham, M., Beecham, J., Bower, P., Cromarty, K., ... & Street, C. (2018). Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of humanistic counselling in schools for young people with emotional distress (ETHOS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 19(1), 1–16.
Proposals for qualitative studies
Arfuch, V. M., Angelats, R. C., Martín, C. A., Carrasco-Querol, N., Sol, M. C. S., Serra, G. G., ... & Berenguera, A. (2020). Assessing the benefits on quality of life of a multicomponent intervention for fibromyalgia syndrome in primary care: patients’ and health professionals’ appraisals: a qualitative study protocol. BMJ Open, 10(11), e039873.
Freitas-Jesus, J. V., Rodrigues, L., & Surita, F. G. (2020). The experience of women infected by the COVID-19 during pregnancy in Brazil: a qualitative study protocol. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 1–7.
Pellicano, E., Lawson, W., Hall, G., Mahony, J., Lilley, R., Davis, C., ... & Yudell, M. (2020). Documenting the untold histories of late-diagnosed autistic adults: a qualitative study protocol using oral history methodology. BMJ Open, 10(5), e037968.
Zheng, K., Sutherland, S., Cardinal, P., Meade, M., Landriault, A., Vanderspank-Wright, B., ... & Weiss, M. (2020). Patient-centred and family-centred care of critically ill patients who are potential organ donors: a qualitative study protocol of family member perspectives. BMJ Open, 10(6), e037527.
