how to write a postdoc research proposal

Slip to main content

Lex Academic®

• Blog & Resources

How to Write a Postdoc Research Proposal | Lex Academic Blog

6 December 2021

By Dr Michelle Liu (DPhil Oxon)

In an increasingly competitive job market, securing a postdoc somewhere is probably the best option many recent graduates can hope for. In the UK, where I am writing from, there are postdoc positions tied to specific research projects with restricted areas of research. There are also postdoc positions (e.g., British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships, Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships, Mind/Analysis Studentships, various JRFs at Oxford/Cambridge colleges) where areas of research are unrestricted.

Writing a postdoc research proposal is almost nothing like writing a paper for journal publication. For a start, grant referees may not be in your subject area, in which case striking the right tone and level of technicality in your proposal is important. Moreover, some of funders may care a lot more about impact than your average journal reviewers. So, it may be essential to think about whether your research project has wider applications and ramifications.

In this blog post, I will discuss what I think might be helpful for someone writing a postdoc research proposal. Given my area is philosophy, what I am offering here is perhaps more pertinent to philosophy than other subject areas (though I hope the general tips will apply across different disciplines in the Humanities). I shall mainly focus on writing research proposals where areas of specialisation are open. Of course, two successful research proposals can look quite different. So, it’s worth looking at some successful samples, if you can, before you start.

First, what topic should you propose? You should definitely propose a topic that you are already very familiar with. This could be an extension of your PhD thesis. Alternatively, it could be a new area that you have already begun to research. Not everyone can sustain a passion for one topic for 3-4 years. It’s likely that some of you started working on other topics during your PhDs. But if it’s a new area, then it should be a topic you already formed plans to write papers on – or even better, have published in. It is not an understatement to say that writing a research proposal is often a retrospective process. Sometimes, you already have a good idea of what your research outcomes will be, though the details still need filling in. You are working backwards in your proposal, guiding your grant reviewers through how one should go about investigating the topic.

A catchy title is also a good idea.

In terms of the overall structure of the proposal, I tend to think it’s helpful to have three sections: the introduction, the main body, and the outcome.

The opening paragraph is where you introduce your research topic to your (very often) non-specialist audience. Make sure you avoid jargon and write in plain English, but in an engaging way that captivates your readers. Think about why your topic is worth pursuing.  Why should anyone care? It’s worth considering how your own research compares and contrasts with the existing research on the topic. Make sure you give the impression that your project is exciting and will make a new contribution to the field.

The main body of the proposal goes into details about your aims and methodology, and exactly how you will carry out the project. The first thing to consider is timeframe. How might you divide your research time? What issues do you want to investigate for each period? For a typical three-year research fellowship in the UK, you could, for instance, divide it into three one-year periods and focus on investigating one question for each period.

I find it very helpful to frame the research plan in terms of guiding questions, with one question naturally leading to the next. Framing it in this way helps bring out your research goals and outcomes. For each question, think how you might go about answering it. What kind of literature do you want to engage with? Is there a popular view in the literature that you would like to criticise? Is there a hypothesis you want to investigate? You might have already made up your mind that you want to argue for thesis T when answering the research question you pose. But in this case, it may still be helpful to frame T as a hypothesis that you want to investigate in order to give referees a future-orienting sense of the project. In my own experience, I often find myself unsure of how to answer a specific research question that I raised. The advice I have received is that it is better to be specific and clear about what you want to argue for, even if you are not quite sure of it. Sometimes, you might have to put things in a way that sounds more confident than you actually are. It’s okay to be speculative; you don’t necessarily need to stick to your research plan. Also, I think it is better to show ‘positive’ outcomes (e.g., arguing for a new theory T) rather than ‘negative’ outcomes (e.g., arguing against theory X).

Depending on the nature of the topic, it may be appropriate to investigate it using case studies. In my own Leverhulme-funded project on polysemy, I investigate three case studies:  gender terms, sensation terms, and emotion terms. It is worth thinking about why these case studies were chosen. How are they related to each other? What overall purpose do they serve? In my own work, the three case studies were carefully chosen to encompass three different classes of words, i.e. nouns, verbs, and adjectives, from which wider philosophical implications about polysemy are to be drawn.

In the final section of the proposal, you should lay out the specific results you aim to achieve through your project as well as its wider impact. If your research is divided in several periods, think about what your output is for each period. It might be a specific paper for each period, in which case state the provisional title of the paper and the journal you are aiming to publish in. Again, this might not be what you in fact achieve if you secure the grant. It is also worth considering where you want to disseminate your research. Are there conferences that you want to attend or organise?

It is almost obligatory to include a section in the research proposal about the wider implications of the project. What significant impact does the research promise? It would be ideal if your project has wider social ramifications, such as clarifying conceptual confusions in a popular debate or resolving issues in certain clinical or policy-making contexts. If social impact is hard to find, it is still important to talk about how the project can advance debates in your field and what potential it has for applications in related research areas.

Finally, don’t forget to include references at the end as you are bound to cite research in your proposal.

Getting Feedback, etc.

There are other aspects of a postdoc application besides writing a research proposal. Some funding bodies give generous research allowances, in which case you will need to draft a budget outlining how you want to spend the money. This can involve various things from purchasing books to organising workshops or conferences. If the latter, it is important to give a breakdown of the costs. Where do you want to host the conference? How many speakers do you want to invite? How much would it cost to host each speaker? The last question depends on whether the speaker is domestic or international.

Often, you will also be asked to summarise your past and current research experience in your application. Here, you will inevitably mention your doctoral work and the papers that you have already published, that are under review, or that are in preparation. It is important to give the impression that your existing research experience naturally leads to your proposed project. Try to convey the idea that you are ideally suited to conduct the proposed project.

If your project is tied to a host institute, it is vital to explain (either in your proposal or elsewhere) the reasons for choosing a particular institution. What are its areas of expertise and how are they related to your research project? Mention members of the department whose work is relevant to yours. Also, how does your research contribute to the teaching and research in the host department?

Now that you have a draft for your research proposal, it is important to get a second opinion. In most universities, there are research offices dedicated to helping academics secure grants. Writing a grant application is a meticulous and formal process that involves peer reviews – something I was utterly unaware of when I was fresh out of my DPhil. However, graduate students or graduates who have not yet secured a university position are unlikely to have access to the expertise in the research office. In these cases, it would be wise to seek help from your supervisors as they are likely to offer useful insights.

Just as there are general tips that one can give to improve one’s chances for journal publication, I believe there are patterns that converge in successful grant applications. Like others, I am slowly figuring out both cases through experience and the helpful advice I’ve received from others over the years. Of course, it is undeniable that luck often plays a decisive role in grant success. My Leverhulme project on polysemy didn’t make it through the internal selection round at one institution, but I was lucky enough to apply at the last minute and eventually secure funding with my current institution. I hope that what I offer here may be helpful to some recent graduates, and I welcome others to share their successful experiences.

Dr  Michelle Liu is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the University of Hertfordshire. Her project is titled ‘The abundance of meaning: polysemy and its applications in philosophy’. Liu completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford in 2019 and was a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Hertfordshire from 2019 to 2021.

Be notified each time we post a new blog article

Postdoctoral Fellowship Research Statements: What I Wish I Knew Before Writing

Written by Andrew Feldman

Of course, the odds of receiving postdoctoral fellowships are not high (typically single digit percentages). Knowing these odds, I applied for eight fellowships: four through university departments and four through government agencies. I initially felt like I had no idea how to be successful, especially since I received none of the 12 doctoral fellowships I had previously applied for. I also had a rough start: my first postdoctoral fellowship application was rejected a month after submission for being slightly out of scope. It certainly required mental fortitude to continue through this application process.

After speaking with colleagues in my field, common themes emerged in how they approach proposals, especially in how to write a stand-out research statement. At this point starting the fifth year of my PhD, I understood the importance of conveying a strong vision in my research statement: it is essential for getting and staying funded regardless of how stellar one’s publication record is. While I knew the motivation and methodology well, my colleagues taught me that conveying my vision in a convincing, focused, and exciting way for other scientists is a different matter. I believe their collective advice was pivotal to improving my research statement and ultimately getting me on the “funded” pile for three of the eight fellowships. I share some of these insights here.

1) Why now? Why me? When formulating your idea, focus on ensuring that your proposal answers why this research should be completed right now, as opposed to anytime. Many committees strongly weigh how much of a priority your research question is. The best introductions will extend beyond an informative literature review and directly state why answering your question is necessary and urgent.

They also want to know: why are you the best person to address this problem as opposed to someone else? Explicitly sell your fit to your research problem and your vision. Lean on your PI choice here – PIs can fill in any technical knowledge gaps and provide complementary tools to those learned during your PhD.

Most surprising to me is how much focus you need place on “why now? why me?” in your motivation. There is no fixed number, but be sure you spend more real estate motivating why the problem and approach is so amazing rather than on addressing every pitfall with your research question and approach.

2) Your audience is broader than you think. Many proposal writers will incorrectly assume (like I initially did) that their committee will include that harsh reviewer of their journal articles who can identify all methodological shortcomings. Rather than trying to defend against this omniscient and unlikely reader, keep the focus on convincing a researcher of an adjacent field that your questions and approach are spectacular. An excellent research statement will ultimately excite any researcher enough to fund the work.

Another nuance to consider: postdoctoral fellowships are mainly offered through federal government agencies (i.e., NSF, NIH, etc.) and specific university departments. Government-based fellowships will be reviewed by researchers closer to your field (but not quite as close as that of a journal article review). In this case, lean slightly towards convincing them that you understand the limitations of the approach and that your background fits the problem. By contrast, university departmental fellowships will typically have committees of professors that will not be in your exact field. For this audience, lean towards exciting them with an accessible, clear problem motivation, provide only a broad overview of the methods you would use, and be very brief.

3) Spend time just thinking: resist the urge to open Microsoft Word and start typing. Spend time purely thinking and schematically charting out your research problem and anticipated results. If you sufficiently plan, the statement will write itself.

4) Less is more: your reviewers are just as busy as you are. They want to see your main idea fast. You may see a ten page limit and feel an urge to cram in as much material as possible. I did this initially, but the statement will quickly become noisy. Instead, prioritize reader friendliness. This means more pictures and less walls of text. Reviewers are thankful for 1.5 spacing, 12 point font, and schematic figures with question marks and arrows that clearly convey your research questions. Use parsimony in discussing methods – mention only the essential methods and main anticipated challenges.

5) Start early: I started formulating my research statement in June 2020. My first deadline was in early August 2020. While this seems early to start, it was not! Give yourself at least two months before your first fellowship deadline to formulate a problem with your prospective PI (or any co-PIs) and write your statements. Provide adequate time for your PI(s) to provide feedback on your ideas and statements. If applying to multiple fellowships with different PIs and/or different project topics, start even earlier.

Lastly, I encourage asking your colleagues for help. Folks around you regardless of career stage have likely spent a significant portion of their time writing research statements. The MIT Communication Lab was a great source of help for me that I used multiple times! Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I was always glad I did.

Feb 20 2023

• Writing a Winning Postdoctoral Research Proposal: A Guide and Template

Eddy Haminton

Career advice

If you are interested in pursuing a postdoctoral position, one of the first steps is to write a research proposal that outlines the project you plan to undertake. A postdoctoral research proposal is an important document that can help you secure funding, support, and a position at a university or research institution. In this blog post, we will provide a guide to writing a postdoctoral research proposal, as well as a template to help you get started.

The purpose of a postdoctoral research proposal is to demonstrate your research expertise, creativity, and vision, as well as to provide a clear plan for the research you plan to undertake. A good research proposal should be clear, concise, and well-organized, and should provide a strong rationale for the proposed research. It should also outline the research objectives, methods, and expected outcomes.

Here is a basic template for a postdoctoral research proposal:

I. Introduction

• Provide a brief overview of the research area and context for your proposed research
• State the research problem or question that your project will address
• Provide a rationale for the importance of the proposed research

II. Objectives and Research Questions

• Clearly state the research objectives of your project
• Provide a list of specific research questions that you plan to address

III. Background and Literature Review

• Provide a summary of the key literature in the research area
• Discuss how your proposed research builds on and contributes to the existing research

IV. Methodology

• Provide a clear and detailed description of the research methods you plan to use
• Explain how your methodology will help you achieve your research objectives
• Discuss any potential limitations of your proposed methodology and how you plan to address them

V. Expected Outcomes and Significance

• Clearly state the expected outcomes of your research
• Discuss the potential impact and significance of your research for the research area and beyond

VI. Timeline

• Provide a timeline for the completion of the proposed research
• Break the project into specific milestones and indicate the time required to complete each milestone

VII. Budget

• Provide a detailed budget for the proposed research
• Indicate the costs associated with equipment, materials, travel, and other expenses

VIII. Conclusion

• Summarize the key points of your research proposal
• Reiterate the importance and significance of your proposed research

When writing a postdoctoral research proposal, it is important to tailor your proposal to the specific research area and institution you are applying to. It is also important to be realistic about the feasibility of your proposed research, given the time and resources available.

In conclusion, a postdoctoral research proposal is a critical document that can help you secure a postdoctoral position and funding for your research. By following the template above and tailoring your proposal to the specific research area and institution you are applying to, you can increase your chances of success. Good luck with your postdoctoral research proposal!

Tags: Writing a Winning Postdoctoral Research Proposal: A Guide and Template

Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Personalized and Adaptive Learning with AI and...

March 14, 2023

Maximizing Data Quality in Cohort Research: Strategies and Tools

February 29, 2024

10 Tips Help You Hunt Scholarships Successfully

January 29, 2023

Featured Jobs

Editors' picks, recent posts.

Why Engineering Might Be the Career for You

March 29, 2024

Water Catchment Systems: An Essential Guide for Homeowners

March 27, 2024

Revolutionising Food Production Recruitment in the UK: Overcoming Challenges &...

March 22, 2024

The different settings that FNPs work in

March 18, 2024

Digital Marketing as a Career

March 17, 2024

How to Choose a Healthcare Staffing Company: Caliber Health &...

This site uses cookies to deliver our services and to show you relevant ads and job listings. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy , and our Terms and Conditions . Your use of AcademicGates’s Products and Services, is subject to these policies and terms. If you do not use the cookie, some functions may not work properly.

Loading metrics

Open Access

Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Postdoctoral Fellowship

Affiliation Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America

Affiliation Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America

Affiliation Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Cancer Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America

* E-mail: [email protected] (LM); [email protected] (CMB)

Affiliation Asian Liver Center and Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America

Affiliation Stanford Biosciences Grant Writing Academy, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America

• Ke Yuan, 
• Lei Cai, 
• Siu Ping Ngok, 
• Li Ma, 
• Crystal M. Botham

Published: July 14, 2016

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004934
• Reader Comments

Citation: Yuan K, Cai L, Ngok SP, Ma L, Botham CM (2016) Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Postdoctoral Fellowship. PLoS Comput Biol 12(7): e1004934. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004934

Editor: Fran Lewitter, Whitehead Institute, UNITED STATES

Copyright: © 2016 Yuan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: Dr. Ke Yuan is supported by American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant (15SDG25710448) and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Proof of Concept Award (SPO121940). Dr. Lei Cai is supported by Stanford Neuroscience Institute and NIH NRSA postdoctoral fellowship (1F32HL128094). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Postdoctoral fellowships support research, and frequently career development training, to enhance your potential to becoming a productive, independent investigator. Securing a fellowship sends a strong signal that you are capable of conducting fundable research and will likely lead to successes with larger grants. Writing a fellowship will also increase your productivity and impact because you will learn and refine skills necessary to articulate your research priorities. However, competition is fierce and your fellowship application needs to stand out among your peers as realistic, coherent, and compelling. Also, reviewers, a committee of experts and sometimes non-experts, will scrutinize your application, so anything less than polished may be quickly eliminated. We have drawn below ten tips from our experiences in securing postdoctoral fellowships to help as you successfully tackle your proposal.

Rule 1: Start Early and Gather Critical Information

Crafting a competitive fellowship can take 6–9 months, so it is imperative that you start early. You may even want to start looking for postdoctoral fellowships before you finish your doctoral degree. Compile a comprehensive list of fellowships that you can apply to. This list should include key information to organize your game plan for applying, including Sponsor (agency sponsoring the fellowship) name; URL for funding information; Sponsor deadlines; and any other requirements or critical information.

To find suitable fellowships, start by asking your faculty mentor(s), laboratory colleagues, and recent alumni about their experiences applying for fellowships. Federal agencies in the United States, such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF); foreign governmental agencies; and other organizations, such as societies, foundations, and associations, often solicit fellowship applications. Additionally, many institutions offer internally supported fellowships as well as institutional research training grants.

Once you have an exhaustive list of fellowships you are eligible for, start gathering critical information that you can use to inform your writing. Read the fellowship instructions completely and identify the review criteria. Investigate the review process; NIH’s Center for Scientific Review reviews grant applications for scientific merit and has a worthwhile video about the Peer Review Process [ 1 ]. Sometimes Sponsors offer notification alerts about upcoming funding opportunities, deadlines, and updated policies, so make sure to sign up for those when offered. Also, gather previously submitted applications and reviewers’ comments for the fellowships you will to apply to. Both funded and unfunded applications are useful. Sometimes Sponsors make available funded abstracts like NIH’s Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT), and these provide critical information about the scope of funded projects.

Many institutions have internal policies and processes that are required before a proposal can be submitted to a Sponsor. These requirements can include waivers to assess eligibility and internal deadlines (five business day internal deadlines are standard), so make sure you also gather relevant information about any internal policies and processes required by your institution.

Rule 2: Create a Game Plan and Write Regularly

Writing a compelling fellowship takes time, a lot of time, which is challenging to balance with a hectic laboratory schedule, other responsibilities, and family obligations. To reduce stress, divide the fellowship requirements into smaller tasks by creating a detailed timeline with goals or milestones. Having a game plan with daily and/or weekly goals will also help you avoid procrastination. Make sure you are writing regularly (i.e., daily or every other day) to establish an effective writing practice. This will increase your productivity and reduce your anxiety because writing will become a habit. It is also important to make your writing time non-negotiable so other obligations or distractions don’t impede your progress.

Rule 3: Find Your Research Niche

It is crucial that you have a deep awareness of your field so you can identify critical knowledge gaps that will significantly move your field forward when filled. Keep a list of questions or problems inherent to your field and update this list after reading germane peer-reviewed and review articles or attending seminars and conferences. Narrow down and focus your list through discussions with your mentor(s), key researchers in your field, and colleagues. Because compelling projects often combine two seemingly unrelated threads of work to challenge and shift the current research or clinical practice paradigms, it is important to have a broad familiarity with the wider scientific community as well. Seek opportunities to attend seminars on diverse topics, speak with experts, and read broadly the scientific literature. Relentlessly contemplate how concepts and approaches in the wider scientific community could be extended to address critical knowledge gaps in your field. Furthermore, develop a few of your research questions by crafting hypotheses supported by the literature and/or preliminary data. Again, share your ideas with others, i.e., mentor(s), other scientists, and colleagues, to gauge interest in the significance and innovation of the proposed ideas. Remember, because your focus is on writing a compelling fellowship, make sure your research questions are also relevant and appropriate for the missions of the sponsoring agencies.

Rule 4: Use Your Specific Aims Document as Your Roadmap

A perfectly crafted Specific Aims document, usually a one-page description of your plan during the project period, is crucial for a compelling fellowship because your reviewers will read it! In fact, it is very likely your Specific Aims will be the first document your reviewers will read, so it is vital to fully engage the reviewers’ interest and desire to keep reading. The Specific Aims document must concisely answer the following questions:

• Is the research question important? Compelling proposals often tackle a particular gap in the knowledge base that, when addressed, significantly advance the field.
• What is the overall goal? The overall goal defines the purpose of the proposal and must be attainable regardless of how the hypothesis tests.
• What specifically will be done? Attract the reviewers’ interest using attention-getting headlines. Describe your working hypothesis and your approach to objectively test the hypothesis.
• What are the expected outcomes and impact? Describe what the reviewers can expect after the proposal is completed in terms of advancement to the field.

A draft of your Specific Aims document is ideal for eliciting feedback from your mentor(s) and colleagues because evaluating a one-page document is not an enormous time investment on part of the person giving you feedback. Plus, you don’t want to invest time writing a full proposal without knowing the proposal’s conceptual framework is compelling. When you are ready to write the research plan, your Specific Aims document then provides a useful roadmap.

As you are writing (and rewriting) your Specific Aims document, it is essential to integrate the Sponsor’s goals for that fellowship funding opportunity. Often goals for a fellowship application include increasing the awardee’s potential for becoming an independent investigator, in which case an appropriate expected outcome might be that you mature into an independent investigator.

We recommend reading The Grant Application Writer’s Workbook ( www.grantcentral.com ) [ 2 ] because it has two helpful chapters on how to write a persuasive Specific Aims document, as well as other instructive chapters. Although a little formulaic, the Workbook’s approach ensures the conceptual framework of your Specific Aims document is solid. We also advise reading a diverse repertoire of Specific Aims documents to unearth your own style for this document.

Rule 5: Build a First-Rate Team of Mentors

Fellowship applications often support mentored training experiences; therefore, a strong mentoring team is essential. Remember, reviewers often evaluate the qualifications and appropriateness of your mentoring team. The leader of your mentoring team should have a track record of mentoring individuals at similar stages as your own as well as research qualifications appropriate for your interests. Reviewers will also often consider if your mentor can adequately support the proposed research and training because fellowship applications don’t always provide sufficient funds. It is also useful to propose a co-mentor who complements your mentor’s qualifications and experiences. You should also seek out other mentors at your institution and elsewhere to guide and support your training. These mentors could form an advisory committee, which is required for some funding opportunities, to assist in your training and monitor your progress. In summary, a first-rate mentoring team will reflect the various features of your fellowship, including mentors who augment your research training by enhancing your technical skills as well as mentors who support your professional development and career planning.

As you develop your fellowship proposal, meet regularly with your mentors to elicit feedback on your ideas and drafts. Your mentors should provide feedback on several iterations of your Specific Aims document and contribute to strengthening it. Recruit mentors to your team who will also invest in reading and providing feedback on your entire fellowship as an internal review before the fellowship’s due date.

You also want to maintain and cultivate relationships with prior mentors, advisors, or colleagues because fellowships often require three to five letters of reference. A weak or poorly written letter will negatively affect your proposal’s fundability, so make sure your referees will write a strong letter of recommendation and highlight your specific capabilities.

Rule 6: Develop a Complete Career Development Training Plan

Most fellowships support applicants engaged in training to enhance their development into a productive independent researcher. Training often includes both mentored activities, e.g., regular meetings with your mentor(s), as well as professional activities, e.g., courses and seminars. It is important that you describe a complete training plan and justify the need for each training activity based on your background and career goals.

When developing this plan, it is helpful to think deeply about your training needs. What skills or experiences are missing from your background but needed for your next career stage? Try to identify three to five training goals for your fellowship and organize your plan with these goals in mind. Below are sample activities:

• Regular (weekly) one-on-one meetings with mentor(s)
• Biannual meeting with advisory committee
• Externship (few weeks to a few months) in a collaborator’s laboratory to learn a specific technique or approach
• Courses (include course # and timeline) to study specific topics or methods
• Seminars focused on specific research areas
• Conferences to disseminate your research and initiate collaborations
• Teaching or mentoring
• Grant writing, scientific writing, and oral presentation courses or seminars
• Opportunities for gaining leadership roles
• Laboratory management seminars or experiences

Rule 7: STOP! Get Feedback

Feedback is critical to developing a first-class proposal. You need a wide audience providing feedback because your reviewers will likely come from diverse backgrounds as well. Be proactive in asking for feedback from your mentor, colleagues, and peers. Even non-scientists can provide critical advice about the clarity of your writing. When eliciting feedback, inform your reviewer of your specific needs, i.e., you desire broader feedback on overall concepts and feasibility or want advice on grammar and spelling. You may also consider hiring a professional editing and proofreading service to polish your writing.

Some fellowships have program staff, such as the NIH Program Officers, who can advise prospective applicants. These individuals can provide essential information and feedback about the programmatic relevance of your proposal to the Sponsor’s goals for that specific fellowship application. Approaching a Program Officer can be daunting, but reading the article “What to Say—and Not Say—to Program Officers” can help ease your anxiety [ 3 ].

Rule 8: Tell a Consistent and Cohesive Story

Fellowship applications are often composed of numerous documents or sections. Therefore, it is important that all your documents tell a consistent and cohesive story. For example, you might state your long term goal in the Specific Aims document and personal statement of your biosketch, then elaborate on your long term goal in a career goals document, so each of these documents must tell a consistent story. Similarly, your research must be described consistently in your abstract, Specific Aims, and research strategy documents. It is important to allow at least one to two weeks of time after composing the entire application to review and scrutinize the story you tell to ensure it is consistent and cohesive.

Rule 9: Follow Specific Requirements and Proofread for Errors and Readability

Each fellowship application has specific formats and page requirements that must be strictly followed. Keep these instructions and the review criteria close at hand when writing and revising. Applications that do not conform to required formatting and other requirements might be administratively rejected before the review process, so meticulously follow all requirements and guidelines.

Proofread your almost final documents for errors and readability. Errors can be confusing to reviewers. Also, if the documents have many misspellings or grammar errors, your reviewers will question your ability to complete the proposed experiments with precision and accuracy. Remove or reduce any field-specific jargon or acronyms. Review the layout of your pages and make sure each figure or table is readable and well placed. Use instructive headings and figure titles that inform the reviewers of the significance of the next paragraph(s) or results. Use bolding or italics to stress key statements or ideas. Your final documents must be easy to read, but also pleasing, so your reviewers remain engaged.

Rule 10: Recycle and Resubmit

Fellowships applications frequently have similar requirements, so it is fairly easy to recycle your application or submit it to several different funding opportunities. This can significantly increase your odds for success, especially if you are able to improve your application with each submission by tackling reviewers’ comments from a prior submission. However, some Sponsors limit concurrent applications to different funding opportunities, so read the instructions carefully.

Fellowship funding rates vary but, sadly, excellent fellowships may go unfunded. Although this rejection stings, resubmitted applications generally have a better success rate than original applications, so it is often worth resubmitting. However, resubmitting an application requires careful consideration of the reviewers’ comments and suggestions. If available, speak to your Program Officers because he or she may have listened to the reviewers’ discussion and can provide a unique prospective or crucial information not included in the reviewers’ written comments. Resubmitted fellowships are many times allowed an additional one- to two-page document to describe how you addressed the reviewers’ comments in the revised application, and this document needs to be clear and persuasive.

The ten tips we provide here will improve your chances of securing a fellowship and can be applied to other funding opportunity announcements like career development awards (i.e., NIH K Awards). Regardless of funding outcomes, writing a fellowship is an important career development activity because you will learn and refine skills that will enhance your training.

• 1. National Institutes of Health. NIH Peer Review Reveal—a front-row seat to a review peer review meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBDxI6l4dOA .
• 2. Stephen W. Russell and David C. Morrison. The Grant Application Writer’s Workbook–National Institutes of Health Version. Available: www.grantcentral.com .
• 3. Spires MJ. What to Say—and Not Say—to Program Officers. The Chronicles of Higher Education. 2012. Available: http://chronicle.com/article/What-to-Say-and-Not-Say-to/131282 .

• Search This Site All UCSD Sites Faculty/Staff Search Term
• Meet the Team
• Postdoc Listserve
• News and Updates
• Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Additional Insurance
• Leaves & Time Off
• Benefits & Services
• Retirement, Welfare, & Financial Planning
• Health & Wellness
• Childcare Reimbursement & Dependent Care Programs
• Other Benefits & Services
• Taxability of Salary & Benefits
• UCPath Preparation Tips
• Appointment & Guidelines
• PX Contract
• Move Reimbursement
• Postdocs Data
• Postdoc Coffee Connection
• Essential Training
• EPIC Bootcamp
• Ethical Challenges of Research
• New Postdoc Orientation
• Individual Development Plan
• Foundational Training
• Specialized Training Paths
• Calendar of Events
• Mentoring Award
• Postdoctoral Scholar Award
• National Postdoc Appreciation Week
• Postdoctoberfest
• Finding Funding Opportunities
• Selecting a Funding Opportunity
• Writing the Proposal
• Writing Groups
• Proposal Submission and Award Administration
• UCSD Fellowships
• Schmidt AI in Science Postdocs Program

Fellowships & Funding

Successful funding applications present reviewers with a strong research plan in an engaging and logical manner. They take commitment and time to craft. Below are events, strategies, and resources to help you during the writing stage of your proposal. Start writing your proposal early to take advantage of these resources!

   ✔ Establish a timeline for completion of proposal segments

   ✔ Start a writing group for peer-reviewing, accountability, and encouragement (See Successful Writing Groups )

   ✔ Follow the solicitation instructions exactly & use sponsor templates

UC San Diego Postdoc Proposal Development Events

Postdoc fellowship forum.

Monthly workshops with Professor Mark Lawson to answer all your questions and review your fellowship applications. This is a great way to meet fellow postdocs who are also developing proposals. Generally the 4th Tuesday of the month from 12-1:30pm.

Funding your Future Events

Funding workshops tailored to UC San Diego Postdocs. Check the website and your emails for upcoming events.

Funding Fest

Funding Fest is an annual series of funding workshops held in the spring/summer. Find the workshop right for you and your proposal!

Writing Resources

Opsa grant writing resource library.

• How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing , Paul J. Silvia, PhD.
• They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein
• Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write an Effective NIH Grant Application , Otto O. Yang
• Everything You Wanted to Know About the NCI Grant Process But Were Afraid to Ask , The National Cancer Institute
• Writing Science: How to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded , Joshua Schimel
• The Complete Writing Guide to NIH Behavioral Science Grants , Lawrence M. Scheier, William L. Dewey
• NIH 101 , Grace C.Y. Peng, PhD
• Writing the NIH Grant Proposal: A Step-by-Step Guide , William Gerin

UC San Diego Research Development

Explore the Research Development website for proposal writing resources, early career award guidance, and access to the Research Development & Grant Writing News articles.

New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding

Strategies for identifying and competing for research grants. Geared towards new faculty, but includes tips applicable for postdoc grant writers. 

EMU Handbook for Proposal Writers

Helpful tips for grant development, maintained by Eastern Michigan University.

Agency-Specific Resources

National institutes of health.

• Write your Application
• Planning & Writing
• National Cancer Institute Preparing Grant Applications
• National Institute of General Medical Sciences NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowships FAQs
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Fellowship (F) Advice

Environmental Protections Agency

• Tips for Writing a Competitive Grant Proposal  

National Science Foundation

• Advice for Proposal Writers

Useful Links

• Postdoc Funding (FR)
• Office of Research Affairs (ORA)

More Resources

• Postdoc Community
• Listserve - Postdocs
• Listserve - Staff
• Search for a Position
• Advertise a Position

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER COLUMN
• 06 November 2018

How to design a winning fellowship proposal

• Crystal M. Botham 0 &
• Tanya M. Evans 1

Crystal M. Botham directs the Stanford Biosciences Grant Writing Academy at Stanford University in California.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Tanya M. Evans is a neuroscientist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Looking to win a US graduate or postdoctoral research fellowship? Don’t focus only on your current research: you’ll need a proposal that outlines your specific goals for career development and training.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 563 , 283 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07297-x

Related Articles

How should I apply for a fellowship?

• Institutions

How I fled bombed Aleppo to continue my career in science

Career Feature 08 MAY 24

Illuminating ‘the ugly side of science’: fresh incentives for reporting negative results

Hunger on campus: why US PhD students are fighting over food

Career Feature 03 MAY 24

My PI yelled at me and I’m devastated. What do I do?

Career Feature 02 MAY 24

Dozens of Brazilian universities hit by strikes over academic wages

News 08 MAY 24

France’s research mega-campus faces leadership crisis

News 03 MAY 24

US National Academies report outlines barriers and solutions for scientist carers

Career News 02 MAY 24

Recruitment of Principal Investigators by the School of Life Sciences, Peking University

The School of Life Sciences at Peking University is actively seeking talents, with an emphasis on bioinformatics/computational biology/AI/RNA biology.

Beijing (CN)

School of Life Sciences, Peking University

2024 Recruitment notice Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology: Shenzhen, China

The wide-ranging expertise drawing from technical, engineering or science professions...

Shenzhen,China

Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology

Head of Operational Excellence

In this key position, you’ll be responsible for ensuring efficiency and quality in journal workflows through continuous improvement and innovation.

United States (US) - Remote

American Physical Society

Rowland Fellowship

The Rowland Institute at Harvard seeks outstanding early-career experimentalists in all fields of science and engineering.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Rowland Institute at Harvard

Postdoctoral Fellowship: Chemical and Cell Biology

The 2-year fellowship within a project that will combine biochemical, cell biological and chemical genetic approaches to elucidate migrasome biology

Umeå, Sweden

Umeå University

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

How to Write a Research Proposal

When applying for a postdoc position, fellowship, or grant you will often be asked to submit a research proposal as part of your application. A good proposal will demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the subject matter and a feasible research plan that will yield significant findings.

The requirements and length of a research proposal can vary widely depending on the field and institution you are applying to. While the following information is pertinent for most proposals, you should read each application’s guidelines carefully and include all the requested information.

Most proposals begin with an abstract. The abstract is a short summary (no more than a couple hundred words) of the entire proposal. It gives a brief overview of the key points of the proposal as well as the conclusions.

The main body of your research proposal should answer these four questions: Why is the research important? What is your goal? How you will do it? What are the expected outcomes?

Why Is the Research Important?

This section will cover the current state of research on your topic and any recent major findings by other researchers. You should then move onto your own proposed project, explaining the problem it will solve or gap it will fill in the current knowledge. Define the scope of the project and any theoretical approaches you will be using. It is key that you contextualize this project and explain how it will contribute to the field.

What Is Your Goal?

Once you have identified your research problem, you must clearly state your key research questions and the objectives of your project. This can take the form of a succinct hypothesis or a more open-ended line of inquiry.

How Will You Do It?

This question is answered by the methods section, which should be the longest section of your proposal. This section shows the reader that you have a realistic plan to answer your research questions. The exact approach you take will depend on your field, but broadly you should explain how you will collect your evidence and how you will analyze it. More specifically, this section will include some combination of what experiments you will conduct, techniques you will use, sources you will consult, evidence you will use, any ethical considerations, research strategies, controls, statistical analysis, data collection methods. Be sure to explain why you have chosen to use these research methods rather than others.

Immediately after the methodology, you will need to include an estimated research timetable that goes through what you will work on month by month and when you expect to complete each step of the project. This also includes publishing your results. Make sure to also include what book manuscripts and journal articles you will complete during the research proposal, as well as any conferences you plan to submit abstracts to about the project.

What Are the Expected Outcomes?

This next section covers the expected results and output of the research project. Understandably, you haven’t done the work yet so you don’t know what the exact outcomes will be. However, based on your previous research and this project’s literature review, you should be able to make some fairly accurate predictions. Then it’s time to zoom out and extrapolate the impact your results will have on the field as a whole.

The Big Picture

When put all together, a postdoc research proposal includes a table of contents, an abstract, an introduction, a problem statement and hypothesis/objectives, a literature review, the research methods, a timetable, the expected results, appendices (if necessary), and references.

Make sure that you get feedback early and often from your mentors and colleagues while working on your proposal. If possible, make an outline for them to review first so you don’t spend valuable time working on an underdeveloped idea. Once you have finished the proposal, spend some time carefully editing it so that there are no typos or grammatical errors. If the research proposal if for a grant application, ask someone familiar with that grant’s application format to look over your formatting. Ensure your proposal conforms to the formatting conventions since the application will be judged both on content and format.

One last piece of advice: Remember that your research proposal is not a binding document. It’s a proposal that can (and probably will) change during the course of the postdoc.

Discover related jobs

Discover similar employers

Accelerate your academic career

Major PhD Fellowships

Looking for a way to fund your PhD? Here are several full and partial sc...

Homesickness in Grad School

Homesickness often goes hand in hand with a big move, especially if you’...

6 Ways to Make Yourself More Employable

Here are some things you can do in the to stand out on the job market.

“Academic Positions helped me find the right PhD project.”

Oldouz will soon be starting her PhD in sustainability pathways and chal...

PhD, Postdoc, and Professor Salaries in Belgium

Academic salaries for Flemish (Dutch-speaking) or Wallonian (French-spea...

Fight Procrastination

Here are our best tips to stop procrastinating and get to work.

Jobs by field

• Machine Learning 169
• Electrical Engineering 163
• Artificial Intelligence 154
• Programming Languages 139
• Molecular Biology 130
• Mechanical Engineering 109
• Cell Biology 109
• Materials Chemistry 104
• Materials Engineering 100
• Electronics 100

Jobs by type

• Postdoc 315
• Assistant / Associate Professor 154
• Professor 119
• Researcher 117
• Research assistant 90
• Lecturer / Senior Lecturer 71
• Engineer 54
• Management / Leadership 51
• Tenure Track 41

Jobs by country

• Belgium 262
• Netherlands 174
• Switzerland 124
• Morocco 114
• Luxembourg 56

Jobs by employer

• Mohammed VI Polytechnic Unive... 114
• KU Leuven 109
• ETH Zürich 67
• Ghent University 64
• KTH Royal Institute of Techno... 62
• University of Luxembourg 54
• Eindhoven University of Techn... 54
• University of Twente 47
• Karolinska Institutet 32
• Manchester Metropolitan Unive... 31

This website uses cookies

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. Thanks!

• New Postdocs
• Taking Courses
• Professional Development
• Individual Development Plans
• Funding and Awards
• External Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Memberships
• SBU Postdoc Spotlight
• Hiring Postdocs
• International Postdocs
• Maintaining Postdoc Data Records
• Mentoring Resources
• Postdoc Fringe Rate for Grants
• Postdocs in Faculty Start Ups

Grant and Proposal Writing

Fulbright application accelerator.

The Fulbright Application Accelerator supports applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program , which can fund study, research, or English teaching abroad. Grad students who have not earned a PhD by the Fulbright Campus Nomination Deadline may apply.

Application Accelerator

This annual advising program supports SBU applicants to NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program , which offers three years of funding for research-based graduate study in the sciences.

Grant Writing Series

Our Grant Writing Series helps graduate students and postdocs find and secure suitable grants or fellowships for their research needs. Participants gain orientation on effective grant-seeking strategies, practice exercises to communicate their research to non-specialist reviewers, and develop a one-page draft of their research project. All are welcome to participate.

University of Southern California

Office of postdoctoral affairs, proposal guideline for the usc postdoctoral scholar research grant.

The primary purpose of the Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant is to facilitate the independence of our postdoctoral scholars and help launch their research careers. It does so by providing grants that assist postdoctoral scholars in developing independent research projects and serves as a stepping stone to external funding such as the NIH K99/R00 and F32 grant programs.

To achieve these goals, a USC Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant provides up to $25,000 in research support.

We will start accepting applications February 8, 2016.

Eligibility for Research Grants

Postdoctoral scholar category.

The Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant is only open to USC Postdoctoral Scholars with the following job titles and codes: Postdoctoral Scholar – Research Associate (Job Code 98227), Postdoctoral Scholar – Teaching Fellow (98223), Postdoctoral Scholar – Fellowship Trainee (Job Code 98219), and Postdoctoral Research Associate (Job Code 98067).

Applicants must be full-time postdoctoral scholars working with USC faculty throughout the award period.

Current Research Support Limits

Postdoctoral scholars who already have a significant externally-funded research award are not eligible. Among eligible postdoctoral scholars, potential for independence and future external funding will be an important consideration in making awards, with priority given to awards that make an appreciable difference in postdoctoral scholar’s research potential.

Evidence of a strong mentoring relationship with one or more USC faculty is a requirement for all applicants. This may be demonstrated in part by uploading a copy of the postdoctoral scholar’s completed Individual Development Plan , signed by both the postdoctoral Scholar and the mentor. A brief statement of support from the mentor is also required.

Types of Assistance

• Research materials, small equipment and supplies that are necessary to carry out the proposed research;
• Travel funds related to the proposal, including conferences and registration, and foreign travel, to complete research which promises to lead to publication;
• Assistance with publication, including manuscript preparation and permission fees;
• Salary for applicant (at their current rate), plus fringe benefits.

Grant Conditions

• The Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant is not intended to supplement currently funded efforts or to provide interim bridge funding.  Applicants must clearly demonstrate how their project differs from that of their mentor’s and therefore cannot be funded by their mentor’s grant(s)
• Awardees have discretion in the budgeting and rebudgeting of funds to meet their research needs within the general guidelines of the award and the terms of the proposal; however, funds may not be transferred to another project.
• Permanent equipment required for the conduct of a research project, and purchased with Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant funds, becomes the property of the University.
• Awards will include fringe benefits, but awards are not assessed indirect costs.
• Awards are not transferable to other institutions. Recipients must be postdoctoral scholars working with USC faculty for the duration of the award period.
• Awards are not transferable to other researchers.

Postdoctoral Scholars Mentor Criteria and Activities

Applicants are required to include a research mentoring component in their proposal. A well-considered and substantive research mentoring plan that promises to strengthen the applicant’s project will be considered in the evaluation of the proposal. Any full-time USC faculty member at the rank of Associate Professor or above of any type may serve as a mentor. A postdoctoral scholar’s mentor may support the applicant’s research through activities including:

• Identifying prior and current scholarship and research related to the project;
• Assistance in preparing the research design and executing the research activities;
• Arranging forums for the presentation, dissemination, and/or critique of the applicant’s research;
• Identifying potential publication sources and assisting in the preparation and submission of articles and manuscripts;
• Establishing linkages between applicant and other investigators at USC and at other institutions who are conducting research on the same or similar topics;
• Identifying potential funding sources and assisting in the preparation of grant proposals to external funding agencies.

Research Proposal Evaluations

Research proposals submitted to the Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grant are evaluated by faculty panels. The panels advise the Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs on which proposals merit funding and at what dollar amount. Because of limited resources and intense competition, not all proposals can be funded and some will be funded for less than the requested amount. In reviewing research grant requests, the faculty panel will consider:

• The significance and originality of the proposed scientific research;
• Evidence that the project can be completed as proposed;
• The impact of funding on investigator’s ability to initiate scholarly research;
• The likelihood that the project will lead to independence and to external funding;
• Appropriateness of budget for proposed research or scholarly activity.

Notification and Term of Award

In the event of a favorable panel recommendation, and approval by the Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, postdoctoral scholars will be notified of the amount and conditions of the award by the end of May 2015. Copies of the notification of the award will be sent to department chairs and deans.

Reporting and Acknowledgement of Support

Awardees are asked to submit a brief report (including an accounting of expenditures and any external support received) within 30 days of the termination of the grant. A formal request for a final report will be sent to awardees at the close of the grant period. These reports will be reviewed and portions of the report may be reprinted to build support for the award among the university community and to make decisions about how best to use the award to promote productivity in the future.

Any publication arising from work supported by the grant should acknowledge the University of Southern California Postdoctoral Scholars Research Grant. Copies of publications should be submitted to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

For more info and a listing of past recipients, please visit the Provost’s Postdoctoral Scholar Research Grants page

Skip to Content

• How to Apply for a Postdoc

Like any application packet, the postdoc application should present a coherent portrait of you as a potential colleague and postdoc.

The average postdoc application will include some or all of the following materials:

• Job letter/letter of interest
• Curriculum vitae
• Research proposal
• Proposed course
• Statement of participation in campus community

Postdoc Cover Letter

The job letter or letter of interest for a postdoc application is similar to the academic job letter (see the Academic Statements Guide).

The cover letter should be on letterhead of your department or institution, with one inch margins. Font should be Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font, at 12pt. If no length guidelines are given, you probably have two sides, but refer to the application instructions.

Following the academic job letter guide, in the second project paragraph, give your detailed research and publication plan for the duration of the postdoc. If the postdoc involves teaching, you will retain a brief teaching paragraph, but you will include a longer discussion of your proposed course. If teaching is not involved, you may choose to include a brief teaching paragraph or not, as seems good to you.

Instead of the “fit” or “tailoring” paragraph, discuss how you will use the postdoc to write and research, and how you will participate in the scholarly community of the campus. Remember that tailoring is key: you must reframe your past work to fit the topic of the postdoc. Be aware that you are being considered solely on how you will be able to fulfil the topic of the postdoc and how you will incorporate that work into your participation in the departmental and campus community.

Research Proposal

The research proposal should be on plain paper, with one inch margins. Font should be Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font, at 12pt. If no length guidelines are given, you should assume you have one side.

Your introduction should explicitly cover the importance of your project. Use the remainder of the research proposal to discuss a concrete and attainable timeline and plan of work. Focus on the publication plan for this project, and conclude by discussing how the postdoc fits into your larger research trajectory and career plan.

Course Proposal

The course proposal should be on plain paper, with one inch margins. Font should be Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font, at 12pt. If no length guidelines are given, you should assume you have one side.

Propose a course that is neither so general that anyone could teach it, nor so minutely focused that no student will sign up for it. Tailor the course to both your specific research and the topic of the postdoc. Ideally this course should be timely, rigorous, original, and something that no one but you can offer or do justice to. The course proposal instructions may require that you write a title and catalog description, a proposed syllabus, and perhaps a justification. For the proposed syllabus, make sure you are designing the course around the correct number of weeks of term for your target institution. For the justification, be ready to demonstrate the usefulness of the course in terms of filling a gap in the department catalog, or updating a course previously offered.

Statement of Participation

The statement of participation should be on plain paper, with one inch margins. Font should be Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font, at 12pt. If no length guidelines are given, you should assume you have one side.

This statement, if required, is intended to demonstrate that you will be active in your department and on campus while you are there, rather than disappearing into your office, locking the door, and writing your book. You will participate in the life of the department and the scholarly community in concrete ways that you outline based on your careful research into your target department and institution. Consider campus programming or initiatives you’d like to contribute to, or faculty you might collaborate with, and indicate your interest in conferences, campus talks, symposia, speaker series etc.

• Help & Support
• Guide to Academic Job Applications
• Guide to Academic Job References
• Guide to Academic Networking
• Guide to Negotiating an Academic Job Offer
• How to Write a CV
• Interviewing for an Industry Job
• Negotiating Your Salary & Benefits
• Networking for Your Industry Job Search
• Get Involved
• Professional Development

How to Write a Research Proposal for PhD/postdoc Position

Also See: University of Quebec Scholarships 2023 in Canada

• Start by identifying your research question or problem: The first step in writing a research proposal is to identify the research question or problem that you will be addressing. This should be a clear and concise statement that outlines the main focus of your research.
• Provide a brief overview of your research: In your proposal, you should provide a brief overview of your research, including its purpose, goals, and expected outcomes. This should help the reader understand the significance of your research and why it is worth pursuing.
• Describe your research method: You should provide a detailed description of your research method, including the design, participants, and data collection and analysis techniques you will be using. You should also explain how your research will contribute to the current knowledge in your field and why it is important.
• Outline your research schedule and timeline: You should provide a detailed outline of your research schedule and timeline, including any milestones or deliverables. This will help the reader understand how you plan to complete your research and how long it is expected to take.
• Discuss any potential challenges or limitations: In your proposal, you should also discuss any potential challenges or limitations that you may encounter while conducting your research. This will help the reader understand the risks and limitations of your research and how you plan to address them.
• Include a budget and funding request: If you are requesting funding for your research, you should include a detailed budget and funding request in your proposal. This should outline the costs associated with your research, such as equipment, supplies, and personnel, and explain how the funding will be used.
• Edit and proofread your proposal carefully: Before submitting your proposal, make sure to edit and proofread it carefully to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors. You should also consider having someone else review your proposal for feedback and suggestions.

By following these tips, you can write a strong and compelling research proposal that will help you get the funding and support you need to pursue your research goals.

Title: “Exploring the Impact of Social Support on Mental Health Outcomes in LGBTQ+ Youth”

Research question: How does social support impact mental health outcomes in LGBTQ+ youth?

Overview: LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for mental health issues such as depression and anxiety due to the unique challenges they face, including stigma and discrimination. Previous research has shown that social support can be a protective factor for mental health, but there is limited research on the specific effects of social support on mental health outcomes in LGBTQ+ youth. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationship between social support and mental health outcomes in a sample of LGBTQ+ youth.

Method: This study will use a mixed-methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The sample will consist of 100 LGBTQ+ youth aged 18-25, recruited through community-based organizations and online social media platforms. Data will be collected through online surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews. The survey will include measures of social support, mental health symptoms, and other relevant variables. The focus groups and interviews will explore the experiences and perspectives of LGBTQ+ youth on the role of social support in their mental health. Data will be analyzed using statistical techniques such as regression analysis and thematic analysis.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of 18 months, with data collection occurring in the first 12 months and data analysis and writing in the final 6 months. Key milestones include the recruitment of participants (Month 1), completion of data collection (Month 12), and submission of the final report (Month 18).

Budget and funding request: The total budget for this study is $50,000 , which includes the cost of participant recruitment and incentives, data collection and analysis, and personnel expenses. This funding request includes $20,000 for participant recruitment and incentives, $15,000 for data collection and analysis, and $15,000 for personnel expenses.

This is just an example of a research proposal, and your own proposal may look different depending on your research question, methods, and other factors. However, this example should give you an idea of the type of information that should be included in a research proposal for a Ph.D. or postdoc position.

You should also apply for these Scholarships

Scholarships in Spain Without IELTS | Fully Funded

Finland Government Scholarship 2023 | Fully Funded

University Of Victoria Scholarships in Canada 2023

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Latest Post

University of Bradford Scholarship 2024 in Uk

University of Winnipeg Scholarships 2024 in Canada

SBW Berlin Scholarship 2024 in Germany | Fully Funded

Erasmus+ Scholarships Without IELTS 2024 – Fully Funded

Université Paris Saclay Scholarship 2024

University of Padova Scholarship 2024 in Italy

• Bachelor Scholarships
• Business Scholarship
• College Scholarship in USA
• Fellowship/Exchange Program
• International Jobs
• Master Scholarships
• Medical Scholarship
• Online Courses
• PhD Scholarships
• Postdoctoral Scholarships
• Scholarships
• Universities Acceptance Rate
• Without IELTS Scholarships 2024

© Scholarshipsguider.com| All rights reserved

Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

The Professor Is In

Guidance for all things PhD: Graduate School, Job Market and Careers

The Postdoc App: How It’s Different and Why

By Karen Kelsky | May 28, 2013

For the next few months I will be posting the “best of the best” Professor is in blog posts on the job market, for the benefit of all those girding their loins for the 2013-2014 market.  Today’s post was originally published in 2011.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has come to my attention that many junior people do not have a clear picture in their minds of the requirements of a postdoc application.

Some treat it too much like the job application. And some treat it too differently from the job application. The fact is, it falls somewhere in the middle. It’s quite different from a job application…..and yet many of the same principles apply.

For the purposes of this post, I’m going to assume that the postdoc application is requiring a cover letter, a 4 page research proposal, a description of a proposed course, and a brief statement articulating how you will participate in the scholarly community of the campus. While not all postdocs will require this exact set of documents, by discussing these here, we can address the major requirements, expectations, and potential pitfalls of the typical postdoc application effort. I will take them in order.

Cover Letter

This cover letter will be very similar to your job cover letter as explained in this post . It will contain the standard set of paragraphs to start: introduction, dissertation, dissertation import, publications.  In all of this first part, the relevance of your work to the stated mission of the postdoc will be emphasized clearly.  This requires carefully tailoring the cover letter materials. It’s difficult but it must be done.  If your topic is Mexican women immigrant workers, then for a gender postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects changing gender relations at home or abroad; for a globalization postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects changing labor mobility globally; for a Latin American Studies postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects new economic circumstances in Mexico.  This tailoring requires an original recasting or reframing of your work to meet the mission of the postdoc!  Failure to do this reframing means failure to get the postdoc.

After the discussion of research, the postdoc app letter will specifically discuss the plan of work for the postdoc year–ie, month by month, what new research and revisions will be made.

It will then include a very brief discussion of teaching experience (much shorter than for a regular job cover letter), followed by a discussion of the proposed class required by the postdoc, and how the proposed class will also advance the mission of the postdoc.

Lastly, in place of the typical tailoring paragraph, the letter will conclude with a brief paragraph explaining how the research and writing time of the postdoc will be used, how the scholarly community on campus will advance the project, and how the candidate will participate in said scholarly community.  The letter will be no more than 2 pages long.

The principle in operation here—and the one that too many applicants don’t seem to grasp—is that the campus is funding this expensive postdoc not so some random academic can come and sit in an office and write for a year, but rather, to “buy” the energy, contributions, and participation of an additional world-class scholar to their campus community for the period of that year. The postdoc, dear readers, is not meant to serve YOU. Rather, you are meant to serve the postdoc. That means, that in every document, you articulate how you will PARTICIPATE in campus/departmental scholarly life. You do this, however, as in all professional documents, without flattering, pandering, or begging. Rather, you identify faculty on campus with whom you would collaborate, and initiatives and programs on campus that are likely to house interdisciplinary conversations and debates to which your project relates, and you articulate clearly your interest in engaging with them in substantive ways.

4-Page Research Proposal

This research proposal looks very much like a grant application, and Dr. Karen’s Foolproof Grant Template will serve you well here, at least for the opening paragraphs. As in all research proposals you will want to open by proving the importance and urgency of your topic. Following the standard Dr. Karen template, you will construct the Proposal As Hero Narrative, with yourself in the role of Hero.

You may follow the Foolproof Grant Template all the way through to the point where it breaks off into things like budget and methodology. In place of those sections, you will focus entirely on timeline. The point of a postdoc research proposal is to, first, articulate an important and significant project, and second, articulate a coherent and feasible plan of work. It is this second element that most applicants fail to grasp.

Remember: the postdoc is not there to serve you, you are there to serve the postdoc. What does that mean? It means that the postdoc wants to see publications result from your time there. The postdoc wants to be mentioned in the acknowledgments of your book. The postdoc wants to be in the line, in the footnote, “this research was supported by generous funding from xxxxx.” The postdoc committee is going to judge the applications based on how likely it is that the applicant is going to efficiently and effectively use the time on campus to complete a specified set of publications. You will impress them when you include a month-by-month timeline/plan of work that shows explicitly what new archival/etc. research you will conduct, and when, what book chapters you will complete, and when, and what journal articles you will finish and submit, and when.

You will conclude this document with a strong and expansive conclusion that clearly shows how the postdoc year will play into your larger scholarly and career trajectory as a world-class scholar. Why? Because the postdoc wants to get part of the fame and glory that attaches to you as you move ahead in the world.

Postdocs are in the business of supporting the next generation of leaders in the scholarly world. To the extent that you represent yourself as a leader , you will do well. To the extent that you represent yourself as a little lost sheep desperately looking for a chance to get out of teaching for a year while you try and figure out what your book is about, you will do poorly. Be aware that the vast majority of postdoc applications are written by the latter.

Proposed Class Description

A point of vast confusion among postdoc applicants seems to be how to pitch the required class. Many applicants do not clearly grasp the difference between the postdoc and an adjunct. As such, the class they propose is one that is adjunct-level. Basically, applicants too often envision a course that is generic and basic. This is a mistake.

Postdocs are very expensive. If a campus wanted a generic and basic course, it would hire a cheap adjunct. There are many available. Instead, however, they are advertising for a postdoc. That means, they want a highly specialized course, that reflects the postdoc’s unique and distinctive scholarly program. The class can’t be absurdly specialized, of course. If the applicant’s specialization is the emerging gay male community in Jakarta, the course cannot be “Emerging Gay Male Communities in Jakarta.” Too narrow. Neither should it be “Introduction to Indonesia,” or “Gender and Sexuality.” Too broad. Rather, it should be pitched somewhere around, “Global Sexualities,” or “Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asia,” or “Queer Globalizations.” The final choice for how to pitch the course will hinge on the climate of the department and the campus, and the postdoc mission itself—if it’s an Asian area studies postdoc, then you’d prioritize SE Asia, if it’s a gender postdoc, then you’d prioritize Global Sexualities, if it’s a transnational studies postdoc, then you’d prioritize Queer Globalizations. Get it? The tailoring happens here.

Statement of Participation in Campus Community

Here’s what the postdoc committee does not want: someone who arrives, walks into their allotted office, and is never seen again for the rest of the year. Here’s what they do want: someone who arrives and dives into the scholarly work of the department and the campus community. A postdoc is (should be) exempted from all service work on campus. However, the postdoc should make herself visible as an involved and interested departmental member. She should show up for brown bags and talks, symposia and conferences, and coffee and lunch with colleagues. In this statement, you articulate your orientation in that direction. Identify programs and initiatives in the department and on campus, by name, and discuss how you anticipate participating. Mention two or three faculty members by name, and how you look forward to engaging with them.

In all things, however, do NOT fall back into graduate student habits . You are NOT on campus to “learn from” or “study with” the scholars there. Rather, you ARE one of the scholars there. They may well learn from you. The proper stance here is that of a colleague who brings her own dynamic field of expertise to the campus, and who looks forward to energetic and innovative interactions with the colleagues there.

In sum, remember that, no matter how much you need that postdoc to get your book written, the postdoc is not there to serve you. You are there to serve the postdoc, but as a first-rank, world-class scholar and specialist in your field whose work speaks directly—DIRECTLY—to the mission of the postdoc. By virtue of your energy and brilliance, you cause the postdoc committee to pick you, out of all the competitors, to spend the year on their campus, sharing your work, and augmenting their teaching and intellectual profile and advancing their scholarly cause. Remember, make them want you.

Similar Posts:

• How To Write a Course Proposal for a Job/Postdoc App
• Two Pet Peeves From the World of Grants
• Stop Acting Like a Grad Student, Redux: “After My Defense, I Will…”
• Academic Job Search Live Webinars Start Friday!
• Getting Ready for the Job Search

Reader Interactions

September 26, 2011 at 9:22 am

Good advice– and also great insight into the expectations for those who are fortunate to have a postdoc position!

September 26, 2011 at 4:52 pm

Great advice!

One little thing — are the font shifts in you posts intentional? I find them somewhat hard on my eyes and more difficult to read than they should be. If it’s intentional and for a good reason, by all means make my eyes work a little harder, but otherwise, a standard font and size would be much appreciated. Thanks!

September 27, 2011 at 6:56 am

what degree of font shifts are you seeing?? I type up the posts in word and then paste into the blog. I don’t use any font shifts in my docs, but I have noticed that after pasting into the blog, there is a very very subtle shifting of fonts, paragraph by paragraph. The fonts are so similar, on my monitor, as to be virtually indistinguishable, so I have never dealt with the issue. Is that not the case for you?

October 9, 2011 at 2:36 pm

I think the problem might be in the blog software that’s being used to generate your HTML for the site here – when I have a quick look at the source for the page the first paragraph block has both a font and a size specified, e.g. , whereas the second paragraph has only the font size specified.

My guess is that Firefox or Safari are using the specified font for the paragraphs where it is specified, and then defaulting to whatever the browser has set internally for the paragraphs where it is not. This is probably a problem with the HTML that Word is generating (if that’s how you’re doing it).

Perhaps one way to do it might be to put everything in in plain text? The other option would be to learn to use something like Markdown (it’s really easy – here’s a link to its article on Wikipedia ) and then generate the HTML from that. Most blog software will be able to handle Markdown.

P.S. Thanks for the pointers. I’m currently applying for postdocs here in Australia, and your tips have been really useful so far!

September 27, 2011 at 10:23 am

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post!

P.S. I also wondered whether the font shift was intentional. It is a small issue, but it is a bit distracting.

September 27, 2011 at 11:29 am

If i understood why the font shift was happening, I’d take steps to make it stop, but I have absolutely no idea why a doc that is cut and pasted en masse from word would end up with different fonts in it in the blog! it’s a total mystery to me. if anyone has an idea, please do let me know.

November 12, 2012 at 1:56 pm

Perhaps you’ve already solved this problem, but Word is notorious for including lots of hidden styles and junk code when pasted into web interfaces. One solution is to write your pieces in a plain text editor (such as Notepad), then do your formatting in the blog interface after pasting.

Thanks for your excellent site!

September 27, 2011 at 12:50 pm

Dear Professor:

I was wondering if you could comment specifically on how to pitch the research proposal aspect of the postdoc in a way that is both different from but still speaks to your dissertation research. I am having trouble understanding how to manage the fact that I still will be publishing articles and working on turning my dissertation into a book, and yet they are asking for a research proposal that is distinct from that. Would it be something like researching the historical background of phenomena that you didn’t get to fully analyze in your dissertation? Especially for a field like anthropology where “research” typically means a fieldwork project (yet postdocs aren’t fieldwork grants) I’m curious about what to say. I find myself re-explaining my dissertation research and I’m worried I’m not making enough of a distinction between dissertation and postdoc research. Is it okay to do phrase it as a continuation of the dissertation project, as long as you highlight the work you will be doing, stating it as “new research” rather than what I would otherwise consider revisions to and expansions upon my dissertation? Or is it really supposed to be an entirely new project?

Thanks so much!

February 23, 2012 at 11:41 am

I share Nicholas’s concern as I draft my post-doc research proposal. Any suggestions?

March 6, 2012 at 1:37 pm

I wonder this as well, is it understood that most people don’t tackle the “next project” until later in the post doc as they are still dealing with their first project even thoug that was the project they pitched?

March 6, 2012 at 9:25 pm

Nicholas, first off, I sincerely apologize for taking so long to respond. I sometimes lose track of comments and queries on the blog, when a large number come for different posts at the same time.

Here is the answer. In most cases, in the humanities and social sciences, what a one year postdoc calls “research” is in fact the transformation of your dissertation into a book or series of articles. This is NOT the case for science postdocs, so for information on those, please seek advice of specialists in your field. But when they ask for a statement of research, what they mean is that you articulate the dissertation research in terms of its topic, its methods, and its significance, and you then describe its individual chapters. You follow that by a timeline that articulates exactly how you will revise each individual chapter into an appropriate book chapter or article, as well as write any new chapters/articles that are required by the project once it is launched in the public sphere. Many postdocs have a light teaching load and some limited research funding precisely to offer you the opportunity to do a bit more research in the archives or your field site, perhaps over winter break or a short visit, but it is understood that this is merely to augment the research you have already done for the dissertation. You will mention this in the 4-page proposal as precisely that—a short-term research stint to provide you with needed materials to complete your revisions of Chapter 4, for example, or to form the basis of a new final chapter, etc.

If the postdoc is a two year postdoc, then the situation changes to some extent. Then, typically, your research proposal will clearly articulate a plan not merely for completing the new manuscript(s), but also submitting them to presses/journals. That is typically planned to occur at the end of the first year. The second year is then to be spent developing ideas and materials for a second major project. Nobody expects the project to be finished in one year, but the second year provides the opportunity to write perhaps one major article on the topic, attend a couple of conferences, begin the archival work, etc. to launch the second major project of your career.

September 27, 2011 at 4:41 pm

I’m not sure what platform you’re using for the blog, but I *think* the easiest thing to do would be to copy and paste, and then “select all” and pick the font + size you want. Weird things happen when cutting and pasting, so I find handling it post-paste is often the simplest solution.

September 27, 2011 at 10:57 pm

i’ll try that.

September 27, 2011 at 7:56 pm

this (as always) sounds like great advice!

One thing you said made me think of a tangential question: How should a postdoc initiate casual meetings to get to know individual faculty members? Something like: “I would like to chat with you over coffee about subject X?” Is it necessary to have read something by that person before the meeting? Or can it just be more casual than that? –Forgive me, I know I am acting like a grad student here…

September 27, 2011 at 9:06 pm

No apologies necessary HERE! This is where you ask the grad student questions so that you don’t act like one out THERE!

So yes, it goes like this: “would you be free for coffee one day next week? I’d love to hear more about your work. It sounds fascinating!” And then, maybe try and skim something ahead of time, or at least visit their website. They’re flattered, and you think about ways that your work and theirs might have some productive connections. But don’t treat the coffee like an interview! Just a nice casual talk, starting with a bit of small talk about families and settling in, and so on, and then, “so, I saw that you’re working on/giving a talk on xxx. That is so fascinating! How is it going?” They talk. Eventually they’ll say, “So, enough about me. Tell me about YOUR work. I was so intrigued when I read your application, and I’m really glad you’re here.” Then you answer in a relatively brief and conversational (non-interview) way. And then it goes from there.

February 12, 2012 at 7:39 am

I am applying for a postdoc at an R1. The postdoc announcement calls for “a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, sample publications, and three letters of recommendation.” Would including a research proposal be too much to include with the standard 2-page cover letter? Since they didn’t ask for it, I don’t want to send too much; on the other hand, I don’t want to send too little. Your thoughts?

February 12, 2012 at 10:59 am

the phrase “statement of interest” is ambiguous here. It is not a “letter of interest” and it is not a “research statement.” I’d strongly advise that you contact them and ask which they want. And send that, and nothing else! Nothing alienates a committee more than extra materials that they don’t want.

May 3, 2012 at 8:59 pm

Hi Karen, I have decided to go back on the job market after four years in a tenure-track assistant professor position. My department changed leadership and the department is headed in a new direction, which does not suit my strengths. I plan to apply for postdocs, but I am in research transition and my new research is not related at all to my past research. My past research is purely scientific and my new research is headed towards science education. Although I have worked with people in the new field, gotten grants, presented at conferences, I have no science education publications. How can I make my application more competitive for a science education postdoc?

May 3, 2012 at 10:01 pm

I think you should seriously rethink this decision. I don’t know the details of your case, obviously, but it seems to me you’re about to completely derail your career. I’d suggest you stay at the current place and get tenure. Then move to a tenured position. Postdocs go to more junior people, typically, and you’d be unlikely to get one. If you did, once you took one, you’d be very unlikely to read tenure track land again afterward.

September 23, 2012 at 7:06 pm

Hello Karen,

I am in a similar boat. 4th year TT at an R4 in a department in the humanities. My research has steadily become more science-y in nature and I am not at all content with my current job. Because there are very few jobs in my area and I would like to work in a related, but different, discipline, I am considering a postdoc to get the training that I would need to do so. Is this categorically a bad idea? What does someone in this situation have to gain by getting tenured, getting loaded up with service so they can’t publish much and ultimately getting stuck in a job that makes them unhappy?

Thanks, confused

June 12, 2012 at 10:31 am

I am curious how you would adjust the postdoc cover letter to cater for a postdoc fellowship that is working on someone else’s project. It would seem logical to dispense with the month by month plan, but can I replace this with a paragraph addressing the specific skills the job ad mentions? This seems to not fit with the tone of the cover letter, but I’m not sure how else to pitch the letter.

June 12, 2012 at 1:02 pm

good question. I’d still be specific–if the other project has a timeline, reveal that you are familiar with it. If not, then as you say, speak to the specific skills required by the job.

June 13, 2012 at 3:08 pm

Great! Thanks!

And of course “I am familiar with software xyz” is telling, while “I worked with xyz software while working on abc project” is showing?

June 13, 2012 at 8:05 pm

yes, exactly.

August 1, 2012 at 11:22 am

I’m a lecturer in computer science department, got my PhD in April 2011. I was accepted as an academic visitor (3-12 months) in Warwick by a professor there who asked me to propose my own idea, secure my own funding and he will supervise and support my research. My government offers postdoc fellowships and I’m supposed to submit a proposal, get Warwick approval, then send it to them to get the funding. I never wrote a postdoctoral proposal before and made a lot of research and came to the conclusion that it ranges from something like a graduate research proposal, to something with cover letter, and budget. Then I came across your above post, which is by the way, very helpful. I think in my case it’s sufficient to have a 4-page research proposal, including the abstract, intro (state-of-the-art, limitations), objectives, work plan (methodology, timeline), and references. No? One more thing please. I’ve read the comments and questions above, some imply that postdoc is intended as a continuation of parts of the PhD work into books chapters and articles. Does that mean my proposal can include my future plans I had in my thesis?

August 2, 2012 at 3:21 pm

Your understanding seems to be accurate—but generally any postdoc competition will be very clear about the required docs and their length! So check that thoroughly and don’t hesitate to call someone at the agency to ask.

Your proposal must reflect the work you’ll actually do during the funded period. If your previous phd work can be brought to completion with time left over, then the proposal should clearly indicate what new research you’ll be doing.

October 3, 2012 at 6:01 pm

Hi Karen, One of the post-docs I’m applying to requires the following application materials: a curriculum vitae a detailed statement of research interests and teaching methods a writing sample of 20-30 pages detailed proposals for the two courses mentioned above three letters of recommendation

What is the “detailed statement of research interests and teaching methods”? A cover letter or a combination of research statement + teaching philosophy? Thanks !

October 4, 2012 at 11:04 am

Ah, I’m asked this so often I should write a blog post! The ‘detailed statement’ may be understood as a way of saying “cover letter.” It is ambiguous enough, however, that you would be justified in appending your RS and TS to the package as well, as optional additions.

October 6, 2012 at 9:15 am

There’s no “research project” mentioned among the required documents so I’ll just assume this is more than the usual cover letter; I did a 3-page document following the structure you suggested for the research statement + 1 page teaching philosophy. BTW, thanks for all the blog posts, I really appreciate what you’re doing.

September 23, 2016 at 7:56 am

Dear Dr. Kelsky, I am applying for a post-doc that asks for 40 page writing sample. The best piece of writing I have that directly relates to my research proposal and is under the 40 page limit is a combination of two chapters of my dissertation. Is it appropriate in this (or any other) case to include a note at the top of one’s writing sample that contextualizes the piece?

September 23, 2016 at 8:53 am

i should clarify that by combination of two chapters of my dissertation, I do not mean that one chapter simply follows on anther. I mean that I blend the concepts of two chapters into one shorter piece of writing. It is, frankly, somewhere between an article manuscript and short dissertation chapter.

October 10, 2012 at 6:53 am

Hi, I am trying to prepare a postdoc research proposal and my discipline is Education. I am a bit con fused that shall my proposal aim at doing something new or i aim or concentarte on the aspect of my research which i think needs further unfolding. For example, creating an educational model ina specific context. Can you pleae guide me in this respect. Furthermore, the template link in the above blog has not worked for me is there any other way of getting it. Pleae let me know. Many thanks the blog has cleared many other confusions i had in mymind.

November 8, 2012 at 12:30 pm

Great post!!! I am trying to write a proposal and tried the link above for the template to sort of get me started but it is not working. Can you kindly send me the working link or the template? Thanks

November 9, 2012 at 5:18 pm

the link is fixed now.

November 11, 2012 at 2:09 pm

Thanks a lot to the effort you have invested here. I am nearing the end of my PhD (in Germany) and I was brought in contact by my Prof with a Prof at Standford. He is looking for a postdoc and we have had a very nice chat, so after experssing my interest in his work he asked me to submit a detailed CV and a (statement of work). What I came to understand from him is that I should submit a project proposal, provide a summar of my skills and explain how would I fit in their group.

My question is how detailed should the statement of work be? I have looked on the web and I have found recommendations ranging from 2 pages to 15 pages. I am confused, in particular that I wont be applying for funding for example, since he has the funding already.

thank you again,

November 12, 2012 at 10:07 am

This is not a standard document, so we have to judge by what’s being asked. If you’re putting a project proposal, summary of skills, and a brief statement of fit, then that could certainly be 4-5 doublespaced pages long.

November 26, 2012 at 2:48 pm

Thank you again for the speedy reply. Well I honestly do not know if I should submit a detailed proposal, since the Prof. has already a project he wants to hire someone to work on and we have discussed that project actually. Also, I have seen on the web that its recommended for (statement of work) to use the (bullets) style, does that apply for such a case as mine?

November 22, 2012 at 7:14 am

thank you for your interesting description of Postdoc application requirements. I am just wondering what “A cover letter with an indication of (and justification for) the level of support requested” means (the application is for a Visiting Scholar Fellowship, suitable also for Postdocs) ? Should one write the “exact” amount of financial resources needed? Or simple the months (5 or 10) needed for your research?

November 27, 2012 at 12:21 pm

This should represent both the months of support you need, as well as the amount requested per month—in other words, the total amount needed and why—this would cover cases such as replacing a salary you currently get, supporting a family, paying for research…whatever your circumstances are. Presented without drama, self-pity, or rhetorical flourish–just the facts.

November 28, 2012 at 3:28 am

Thanks for the great post. I have some question regarding post doc app. In Europe, most of postdoc app require the candidate to demonstrate “how you meet the criteria of the post” (generally there is a list of essential and desire criteria), rather than a research proposal, or teaching statement etc.

Do I still need to do project and teaching plan or I can just “show” them how I have met the criteria.

In general, the postdoc/direction topic is already given when they advertised the job.

Any advice for this type of application?

November 28, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Hi Karen, I’m applying for a post-doc that specifically asks for a bibliography as part of the (3,000 word) research statement. How much of a bibliography should it be? I suspect that more than 1-2 pages is over the top. I’m a literature scholar, so the bibliography could be quite long… Thanks!

November 29, 2012 at 8:31 am

The biblio should be one full page max.

October 7, 2014 at 4:59 pm

Thank you so much for your post. I have a bibliography-related question as well. The ad for the postdoc I’m applying to asks for a Research Statement of no more than 2000 words, without specifying whether or not I should include bibliography in those 2000 words. What is the usual praxis? Could I write a 2000 word statement and then append a bibliography?

Thank you in advance!!

October 8, 2014 at 4:10 pm

The blbio will not count against the word limit.

December 12, 2012 at 7:36 pm

Hi! Thanks for the information here, it has really been helpful in getting my post-doc applications together . I still have a couple of doubts: 1) I’m interested in labs which are not directly related to my field of work (I’m from a biochemistry/signal transduction background, but the position is in immunology). They always “prefer graduates with a micriobiology/immunology background”. In my cover letter, after I outline my research ideas, should I still justify why I should be considered? Or will my research plan speak for itself?

2) It’s getting close to the holidays! Will it be sensible to send my applications now (by the 18th of Dec, latest) or wait until Jan? There are no deadlines per se, the lab websites only request post-doc applicants to write to the PI.

Thanks a lot!

January 13, 2013 at 5:21 am

I appreciate your post and have an atypical query I was wondering if you could answer? I earned a BS, MS, and Phd in molecular biology (5 1/2 year)s at UGA after a BS in psyhology and MS in neuroscience. I then did a post doc from 2006-11 but finances cut so my position was eliminated…that would be fine but my marraige was going south as we had a new child an I was working hard to save that, had a trauma based degenerative issue requiring several surgeries, my father died at 59 in a protracted death in 2011 which I spent with him blah blah. So in trying to be with my daughter after his death, I started a business that the humerous period continued (details if needed). SO HOW should I approach my letter and statements? My references are all solid, I am reasonably published, have comments extolling a great skill in research design and work ethic. But I REMAIN flummoxed as to how to assemble a professional letter when personal elements encroached on my tenure and I have been away for year (to be close to my daughter…a tough wrong move). Anything you can suggest would be most appreciated. Warm regards, Rich

January 13, 2013 at 10:46 am

When circumstances are this distinctive, only individualized work will help. I suggest you get in touch with me. However, to give a general rule: the most important thing in any job doc is to simply focus on what you’ve done, with no mention at all of what you haven’t, with no detailed explanations/justifications/excuses for any supposed “gaps.” At most you might say, after a substantive and factual description of your research and pubs, “A deaht in the family/a health issue required me to take a year’s hiatus in 2011. I am now returned to active research, and will be publishing….”

January 24, 2013 at 5:50 am

I’ve just discovered you’re website. It’s so helpful!

I’m currently applying for a three year UK post doc. You specify the differences for a one year and two year position, how would a three year position differ further?

The position is interdisciplinary, but I’m an anthropologist (researching ‘at home’), would it be appropriate to propose further significant ethnographic research?

Also have you written anywhere about realistic time periods to propose for chapter revision, article submission etc?

January 30, 2013 at 12:06 am

Thanks for the tips. The post doc position I am applying for includes a question of “advantages of doing post doc at the University”. Do you think it is reasonable to write that the position will provide a basis to revise my thesis and the opportunity to publish it as a book? Or do you think it sounds selfish?

March 14, 2013 at 7:12 pm

I wonder if there is any difference in applying for so-called “Teaching Post-Docs,” where the aim is to support the post-doc as s/he increases his/her teaching experience, with some research being expected but not specified… in fact, the one I’m thinking of doesn’t even want a research outline, just a cover letter and CV!

April 16, 2013 at 8:09 am

thank you for this great piece. I had no idea on how to apply for a post doc, but I followed your suggestions and not only did I get the job, my application was very complimented! Thank you so much!

May 3, 2013 at 6:44 am

Great advice, I appreciate your post. I have a question regarding IP and revealing an idea through a research proposal. I have a bad experience when I sent a comprehensive research proposal with full technical details of my own idea to one of the “great” professors in one of the top east coast universities. My application was rejected and the professor said he is not interested in my proposal. But, few months latter I found out one of his students is working on my idea with my proposed research methodology and technique! Now, I am considering applying for another lab, with another topic and proposal, but I afraid if the same experience happen. My question is, if I don’t send a proposal and just send a cover letter including my research interests would be workable?

Many thanks

August 26, 2013 at 6:40 pm

I have just come across this blog post as well as your previous one for crafting cover letters for academic positions. You mention the importance of tailoring your statements to the institution. Although you discuss the importance of mentioning specific faculty, how do you tailor your cover letter for different types of institutions, more specifically a research vs. a teaching one?

I apologize if you’ve dealt with this in other comments, there are just so many comments because of the fantastic quality of your posts. Thank you for your time!

September 19, 2013 at 6:47 am

Is it possible to sound too far along with turning your diss into a book for a postdoc? I’m applying for several 3-year postdocs, and they generally say that typically the first 2 years are devoted to turning the diss into a book and the 3rd year to a new book project. I finished my diss over a year ago, am in conversation with a major press about publication, and ideally plan to send them the manuscript for review next summer, before the postdoc would start. That may not happen, of course; maybe it will take me 2 years from now. And even if it does there would obviously be revisions based on the reviews from the press. So there are a number of ways I could lay out my 3-yr postdoc research plan. But are postdoc search committees more interested in your first than your second book, in terms of their place in your acknowledgments, etc? Or would the fact that an applicant is relatively far along with the first book be a plus?

September 20, 2013 at 9:24 am

I am curious about how ambitious a research proposal for a 3-year postdoc should be. I am ABD in Anthropology, finishing in June, and currently applying for two 3-year postdocs. Should I propose one year for submitting the book manuscript plus two years for new research? Also, because I’m an anthropologist, most new research would involve travel for data collection. Should I assume (and write into the proposal) that I can travel and collect data in the summer and analyze during the year? Thanks for your advice.

September 20, 2013 at 2:03 pm

yes, what you’ve described here is good. It is also possible to spend 2 years on book 1. Whatever you do, be sure and articulate a clear term-by-term timeline of work.

September 24, 2013 at 12:31 pm

This is incredibly helpful. Thank you! I’m currently applying for a post-doc that does *not* ask for a cover letter, but it does ask for a “personal statement” of 2000 words “outlining their completed research (including dissertation), work in progress, professional goals and plans for publication, and any other information relevant to their candidacy.” In this case, would you suggest combining the first few paragraphs of a standard job letter with a more detailed research proposal (as outlined above)? Many thanks for your help!

October 2, 2013 at 2:23 am

Hi, Karen- Thank you for sharing your expertise!

I’m applying for a writing program postdoc. Would you recommend changing the order, content, and length of my discussion about my research & teaching? I’ve been drafting a letter that goes into teaching for my 2nd & 3rd paragraphs, then goes on to discuss dissertation and research that I plan to pursue in the 4th paragraph. Thank you in advance for your response.

November 4, 2013 at 7:24 am

Do I need different letters of recommendation for postdocs and job applications? It took me 2 months to get the job rec letters from my advisers and dissertation committee members, so I am reluctant to ask for additional letters…

November 6, 2013 at 4:07 pm

This is so helpful. I am late to the party but perhaps Dr. Karen has insight on the “Personal Statement,” which is required by many post-docs and dissertation year fellowships? I’m currently working on two post-doc applications, for example, that ask for statements of research, teaching philosophy, and a “personal statement.” as both of these are minority post-docs, I’m tempted to infer that they want applicants to tell them stories about overcoming racism/sexism, and how these struggles inform their research. But perhaps I’m wrong? Thank you for this blog, it is very helpful!

November 10, 2013 at 11:49 am

the personal statement is a constant headache, and I don’t yet have a post on it, although I definitely will when I’m back to blogging (or in the book that I’m writing). The critical thing with the PS is that it folds your background into a NARRATIVE OF RESEARCH FOCUS! In other words, just telling about your childhood and all your hopes and dreams and struggles —which is what EVERYONE defaults to for this wreteched doc—is unhelpful. It has to still be an academic document, which merelyties together your personal background with the work of scholarship and teaching that you hope to do.

January 19, 2015 at 1:56 pm

Hi Karen: Have you addressed the personal statement yet. I showed a draft to my advisor & she indicated that I needed more specifics about what I expected out of the postdoc than the personal related narrative. Also, I received my doctorate in 1993. Since I have published a little but spent most time working in the public health field I am applying for – project managing, presenting, providing TA, conducting workshops, evaluating, consulting, conducting research – very actively engaged. But…how do I explain the many reasons for not going back into academia that will be acceptable & show I’m a valued candidate. Truth is, I wanted practical experience, had children, had to work, take care of my parents etc. & back then didn’t have a mentor to show me the value.

November 11, 2013 at 1:55 pm

I also have a quick question that is related to the PS or rather, via PS, to the diversity postdoc positions. I am seriously considering applying for one, I feel I can address the requirements very well but was wondering how much recruitment for these relies on candidates’ ethnicity. I am a white European from a former Eastern block country and not sure if I count as ‘diverse’ enough…? Any thoughts?

November 27, 2013 at 1:44 am

Dear Karen:

Thanks so much for this entry. It is extremely helpful. I am in my last year of a social science PhD program and was lucky enough to secure a tenure-track job for next year. One of the conditions I negotiated was being able to postpone my start date for a post-doc. I was wondering if you had any strong feelings about whether or not to include this new job in my post-doc application as I’ve received mixed advice from my dissertation committee and colleagues. If you do think mentioning it is a plus, how much emphasis should one give (i.e., list on the CV only, or also mention in the CL, PS, and/or RP)? Again, thanks for this and all your other posts!

January 5, 2014 at 3:58 pm

I stumbled across this website the other day while searching for tips on writing job and post doc applications. I can’t tell you how delighted I am to have found it because it is filled with heaps of useful advice. Thank you!

January 9, 2014 at 11:58 am

I am applying for a 3 year post-doc in history for recent PhDs. I finished my dissertation one year ago. My quandary: the application asks for a 500 word project description and a 2 page CV. In such a short proposal, what is the most essential information to include?

(Writers of successful proposals will be asked to later submit a longer application that includes a writing sample–but not a more detailed proposal–for the final selection process)

Thanks in advance for your advice!

February 12, 2014 at 7:51 am

Hi Karen, I am a finalist for a postdoc and I have a Skype interview scheduled. Is there a major difference between preparing for a postdoc Skype interview and a tenure track one?

February 12, 2014 at 9:04 am

Yes and no. All the regular interviewing rules apply (read all my posts on interviewing) but you’ll be focused on the specific things to be accomplished during the postdoc term, and in terms of teaching–ONLY the course or courses that are required under the postdoc (if any).

March 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm

Thank you for the thoughtful advice and insights. I am writing my first cover letter to apply for a postdoc at MIT. I was pretty stressed that I dont have a chance to be accepted there, but reading your post helped me to make sure I have done my best in preparing a cover letter which speaks of my experience and presents my personality well. The rest is out of my control 😉

Best, Helia

June 9, 2014 at 6:20 am

Dear Prof Karen Thanks for all the great informations. I am applying for the post-doc positions. Can you advise me on writing a cover letter to a post-doc positon, where its research is new for me, and not connected to my previous researches. I can quickly adapt to the new techniques.

Thanks a lot in advance

June 9, 2014 at 8:36 am

Email me at [email protected] to discuss whether I can help you or not.

June 28, 2014 at 4:27 am

Thanks for the info. I was very interested in what you were saying about showing willingness to participate in the intellectual life of the university. I am currently writing an application for a Philosophy postdoc and find some parts of it rather difficult (BTW, it is a pure research position, which is a good thing because I do not have the people skills to be a teacher, even “participation” is a stretch for me). The research proposal is fine. I think the work plan is OK, even if a bit repetitive (I write a journal article on this, on that etc.) But methodology? I’m a philosopher — I read stuff, think about it a while, and write something. Benefits of the project to the host institution? Why don’t you ask them? Qualities of host organization? Somewhat at a loss I just went through the staff list and had a quick look at their lists of publications. Is this the way to go, or is it too obvious? Transfer of knowledge? Writing articles again.

July 14, 2014 at 12:39 pm

On the Cdn front postdocs are highly centralised (mostly done through the federal tri-council online application system). On this end proposals are evaluated independently (and paid from govt funds) and we can choose where to hold them (assuming that department is willing to host us).

Two keys things I was told (and perhaps made the difference between an unsuccessful application last year and a successful one this year are: 1) to emphasis your suitability for a project and feasibility clearly (ie you’ve used this method, been to this country before, etc. etc.) 2) be very clear about outputs (how many articles, in what type of location?). Teaching is not usually required, but showing “fit” with the department you choose is important (list others doing related work, for example).

Gauging the relative enthusiasm of the department that would host you is also important (and sussing out what kind of space they have for you, whether they will have other postdocs, what kinds of opportunities there may be).

July 24, 2014 at 7:52 am

This is really helpful to hear – I am in the process of preparing my SSHRC postdoc application and trying to understand what aspects seem to really count. The consensus definitely seems to be that feasibility and fit matter greatly.

When you say gauging the enthusiasm of the department, do you mean this might be expressed in your own program of work or in the letter from your potential supervisor/the institutional nomination form?

August 20, 2014 at 5:08 am

Hi Karen, Thank you for your post, which I find extremely helpful. I am applying for a one year postdoc in social sciences which puts particularly emphasis on the training it offers to develop skills for future academic career. A 2 pages “Academic Career Statement” and a 2 pages “Research Proposal” are among the requested documents. I am particularly puzzled by the statement which requires indicating (in this order): (i) why I think that the programme in general, and its academic practice training/activities in particular, will benefit me; (ii) my research and teaching interests and experience, and career plans. Is this statement a kind of cover letter that requires putting significant and particular emphasis on why and how the programme will benefit my career plans? How would you suggest I structure it?

August 20, 2014 at 8:19 pm

You’ll want to sketch your research, then discuss why the program, dept and campus will serve that research program (be specific, name names!), and then articulate the longer-term career plan you envision. Finish with a conclusion tying it all together.

August 22, 2014 at 12:11 pm

September 17, 2014 at 1:54 pm

Hi, Karen. Thanks for this post. It was extremely helpful! I’m applying for a postdoc that requires both a research proposal (and assumes that you’ll be revising your dissertation into a book manuscript) and a dissertation abstract. My manuscript plans are to adapt my dissertation for an area studies audience, which will make the project less theoretically compelling but more marketable. With this in mind, I’m unsure of what “problem” I should highlight in the proposal–the one geared for the manuscript, or the one that drove the dissertation. Can I use the dissertation problem, but then explain how I’ll adapt it to an area studies audience? Thank you.

September 29, 2014 at 11:55 am

Question about the cover letter for postdoc

Mid cover letter you state: “After the discussion of research, the postdoc app letter will specifically discuss the plan of work for the postdoc year–ie, month by month, what new research and revisions will be made.”

At the end of the letter you say: “Lastly, in place of the typical tailoring paragraph, the letter will conclude with a brief paragraph explaining how the research and writing time of the postdoc will be used, how the scholarly community on campus will advance the project, and how the candidate will participate in said scholarly community.”

I am wondering if there is a distinction between “research and writing time” and plan for the postdoc year re: research and revisions? I assume that perhaps the later statement of yours is more of a summary statement? My postdoc CL has a limit of 1.5 pages so I’m trying my best to not be redundant. Any thoughts here?

September 29, 2014 at 3:44 pm

Right, the latter, tailoring part is not a timeline per se, it’s just a general statement of ways you envision contributing to life on campus and/or drawing from the resources there.

October 2, 2014 at 3:12 pm

I am currently applying for a 3-year post-doc at a university with two faculty members whose research and theory has been very influential on my own. I know one of them very well and the other not at all. Is it appropriate in a research proposal to mention that I would welcome interaction with these scholars, or does that sound too grad-studenty? The online application does not accommodate a cover letter.

October 3, 2014 at 8:57 am

All postdoc proposals will have a paragraph on contributions to/interactions with the faculty and programs.

October 4, 2014 at 11:22 pm

The 3-yr. postdoc I am applying to requires just a single, 3,000 words or less personal statement that summarizes everything (it’s a nightmare to write). As for the future research section, how specific should I be on my timeline? I would imagine that a month-by-month summary would take up too much of the document. Should I do semester-by-semester?

October 14, 2014 at 4:19 pm

I have a similar question. How should one structure the publication timeline over the course of three years? Paragraph form? A spreadsheet? I’m also asked to write 1 personal statement (2,000 words).

October 15, 2014 at 7:41 am

paragraph form. Just write, “in Fall 2015 I will….. In Spring I will turn to….”

October 25, 2014 at 6:27 am

Hi, and thank you for the post. I was wondering about whether it is appropriate to include chapter breakdowns for the book, and where they would go in terms of the breakdown you suggest. This was the advice I was given by a faculty member. The idea was that this would give some sense of the project as a whole, which could also be part of the timeline by including information about whether chapters had been published as articles, were still in draft form, needed to still be written, etc.

November 2, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Thank you Karen, very good tips! I have one question: the program I am applying ask to describe expected products. I expect to write a book manuscript during one year. It is sufficient? Or would be good to mention the submission of a paper to peer-reviewed journal also? Thanks!

December 3, 2014 at 11:00 am

Hi Karen, thanks very much for the extremely useful website! I recently applied for a Mellon Post-Doc at UofT, I did not, however, know about this page before. From what I’ve read, I might have most of what you are describing here, in the sense that I TRIED to convey these things in the application, but the work plan (so, as you say, what most applications fail to do), is only divided into years (2), and not terms, let alone months. I was wondering whether you’d think this implies immediate rejection of the project by the Committee and if so, what do you suggest should be the level of detail in the plan, for future reference? Month – journal I wish to publish in/title or theme of the article + topic to be researched during that month?

best wishes and thank you!

December 3, 2014 at 7:53 pm

I don’t think that issue alone would disqualify your application. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

December 12, 2014 at 10:10 am

Uff, that’s a relief! Thank you, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for myself! 😉

December 10, 2014 at 1:52 pm

Hi Karen, Thank you for writing this helpful article. I’m applying for a post-doc that is specifically focused on conducting archival research for a broader project (in the humanities). Basically, the professor in charge of the project needed additional support. This seems to be a lot different than many of the post-docs I’ve seen. Since the research is for a bigger project, I was thinking of writing my statement as such: 2 paragraphs on my current research; 2 paragraphs on how my research and experience ties into the overall project and its goals; 1-2 paragraphs on how I intend to become an active member of the scholarly community at the university; 1-2 paragraphs on my future research plans. Any thoughts?

December 13, 2014 at 3:59 pm

I have a question about writing the research proposal for a research postdoc in which the plan is to turn the dissertation into a book. I know you very helpfully outlined this already in your comments, but I’m trying to tease apart the differences in how the dissertation is presented in the cover letter and the research proposal in this case.

I’m wondering whether it is (a) better to focus more heavily on the content of the dissertation in the paragraph in the cover letter and then refer to that in the research proposal, or (b) whether to be more brief in the cover letter and go into the details of the dissertation in regards to how it will be turned into a book in the research proposal. I guess what I’m asking is in this case, since the research proposal is about the dissertation + new/additional research for additional chapters, how do you recommend avoiding being too redundant when talking about the dissertation in both the cover letter & research proposal. Thanks so much!

January 10, 2015 at 3:11 pm

Dear Karen, I find your comments being very interesting and informative. Reading through them one can learn so much! I just completed my PhD in creative writing and am contemplating to apply for two year postdoctoral research in Europe. Would you be so kind as to advise what would be more beneficial for me: 1. make a two year proposal and in the first year work on the publications from my theoretical PhD exegesis; then embark on creation of another novel in a second year?

2. work on my Master of Arts by research book publication that has been in progress since 2009. Is it appropriate so to speak “step back” into the past study during the postgraduate research? 3. make a fresh proposal for a new novel and the theoretical exegesis and start all over?

Looking forward to hearing from you Many thanks Kind Regards Grazina

February 23, 2015 at 4:12 pm

One thing to keep in mind in 2014: A few departments (such as the one I am teaching in) have begun pitching the post-doc to the administration as the more humane alternative to an adjunct or series of adjuncts. Therefore we are seeing more post-docs expecting a 1/2 or 2/2 teaching load as well as research and publication requirements. If your post-doc ad wants you to teach more than the one course, it’s probably best to assume that you are replacing a lost tenure track line, and that teaching is really going to matter.

February 23, 2015 at 5:05 pm

This is valuable insight. thanks.

February 24, 2015 at 4:54 pm

Thank you for this very helpful post.

I’m working on a postdoc application right now that asks only for a letter, CV, writing sample, and references. The postdoc is heavily focused on raising the department profile (so thanks for your discussion of that in your post!), so applicants are asked to include a discussion of the proposed research project — along with a discussion of how we meet each of the six requirements.

In a case like this, would you still suggest sticking to two pages for the cover letter? It seems like quite a lot of information to squeeze into two pages, and I don’t want to shortchange any of the requirements or my research proposal. What do you think?

February 25, 2015 at 2:38 pm

My guess is if we worked together we’d accomplish it in two pages. 🙂 But if it requires the res project, pubs, timeline, AND proposed course(s), as well as the six requirements, I can see it might edge onto a third page, but I’d stop it at 2.5 pages max.

February 25, 2015 at 2:42 am

Hi Karen, I obtained my PhD in 2012. I’ve been self employed since then and doing ok. I also have 2 extra publications since my PhD and a book about to be published. I am told it is impossible to get a Post doc in North America due to the number of yours spent outside academics since 2012. Do you think it is still possible to get a post doc? I really want to return to academics. Regards, Richie.

June 4, 2015 at 8:36 am

I COMPLETED MY PHD LAST YEAR IN FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MAJORING IN FOOD QUALITY CONTROL AND ASSURANCE. CAN YOU GIVE ME IDEA OF AVAILABLE POSTDOC POSITIONS SO I CAN APPLY?

June 5, 2015 at 8:01 am

No. I don’t find or suggest postdocs. I help people on their proposals.

July 30, 2015 at 4:18 am

Dear Karen, I find your blog of much help and I am following your rules to tailor a good postdoc application. However, I am partecipating to a call for a postdoc position that requires a project of only three pages. I followed Dr. Karen’s Foolproof Grant Template and I think I achieved a good proposal but I do not have any space left for a proposed timetable/timeline. What you suggest to sort out this issue? Thank you S.

July 30, 2015 at 2:35 pm

You have to reduce all parts after the first two intro paras so that you DO have room for the timeline! If you worked with me, that’s what we’d do.

July 31, 2015 at 2:08 am

Dear Karen thank you very much for your kind help and for your answer. Honestly, am thinking about working with you

October 22, 2015 at 7:27 am

I have a question about the Academic Career Statement that is required to apply for a post-doc. Should the career statement be written in a cover letter format of the kind “Dear Mr. x” ? Thank you!

October 23, 2015 at 6:48 pm

i’m not sure what you mean by career statement, but docs for postdocs are not written as letters unless there is specifically a cover letter requested as part of the application.

November 15, 2015 at 10:07 am

Dear Karen,

I’ve searched your blog and read your book (thank you for both!), but I don’t see very much on crafting Personal Statements for postdocs. I’m working on one now that requires me to explain “why [I] should be selected for the program.” Following your general postdoc guidelines, I made a case for how my work both fits with what they already offer and injects some new blood. However, I’m finding a lot of advice about using the Personal Statement to “address strengths and weaknesses,” explain gaps in one’s CV, and “humanize” one’s application on other academic websites. For the sake of the insecure and broke, can you do some debunking and break down the Personal Statement the way you break down the Research Statement and Cover Letter?

Many thanks, Amber

November 28, 2015 at 2:22 am

Dear Karen, Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I completed my PhD in 2011, and supervisors too busy (and important h’mm!) to discuss next steps. So I worked from home to turn my thesis into a book and happily it will be published in 2016. I would really appreciate your views on how to approach a potential mentor for post-doctoral research under some form of affiliation if no funding available. One scholar I would like as a mentor is inviting potential PhD applicants with research ideas to make contact. I wonder what sort of cover letter is appropriate to ask for post-doc support and whether to include a detailed research proposal. I am prepared to research without any funds as I have struggled this far without support. It’s the intellectual input I need to take forward new research. Any suggestions welcome, thank you. Sal

January 5, 2016 at 3:27 am

Thank you very much for this very useful and helpful blog post, and for your very useful book.

I am currently finishing my PhD and applying to postdocs. For two applications, they request me to submit a CV and a research proposal, but no cover letter. I decided to ‘integrate’ a cover letter in the research proposal (400 words over the 1500 requested for the research proposal). Is it a good solution? what would be your advice in such situation?

These two positions are fellowship where we can join as pre- or postdoc, and they main ‘obligation’ to the fellows is to publish/complete a writing over the year, either completing a chapter as pre-doc, or publishing the PhD as postdoc, or write and publish an article. They ask for a 1500 words research proposal, I allocated 500 words to the publication of my thesis, giving some details on its content but mainly focusing on why I should have it published and why this publication is needed and timely, and then 9 have about 700 words and on a new project, for which I clearly state that it will be a long-run project to be completed over several year and I intend solely to initiate it during the postdoc and participate in conferences to present it. First, do you think this is a good idea to say that i will ‘only’ initiate the project with them? may be i could argue this will then constitute a good asset for my future ‘world class career’ as you mentioned in the blog post? Also in such case, how detailed should be the work plan?

Thank you very much in advance.

I wish you a nice day.

September 14, 2016 at 3:18 pm

Hi Dr. Kelsky,

Thank you so much for your work – it has been so helpful to me as I navigate the stressful job and postdoc application process.

I have a specific question about how to format the documents for one postdoc in particular. This application asks for a “personal statement” of 1500 words max, which details “completed research, works in progress, professional goals and plans for publication, and other relevant iformation” in addition to a 500-word statement discussing (essentially) “what the institution can do for you and what you can do for the institution”.

My question is this: Is the “personal statement” more like a research statement, or should it be written more like a cover letter? Incidentally, there is no cover letter requested with this appliacation.

October 17, 2016 at 12:03 pm

Hi Dr.Kelsky. Thank you for the post, I found it useful. But I have specific question, what is an academic career statement? Is it different from cover letter or research statement? Thank you in advance

November 27, 2016 at 11:34 am

Thank you so much for this post. I’m not sure if you are checking comments on this post anymore, but just in case, I have a question. I am working on my application for a post-doc position that asks for a “a 3-5 page (double-spaced) statement of research interest/research proposal.” What kind of document do you imagine they are looking for here? The research proposal that you’ve outlined here, that sort of resembles a grant proposal? Or a more traditional research statement?

Many thanks.

February 28, 2017 at 4:49 am

Dear Karen, a word of thanks for the tips and advises on how to compile a postdoc application. I hope to apply for a postdoc and the tips you shared here have been helpful

August 26, 2017 at 8:03 pm

Hi Dr Karen, Brilliant post, edgy and very informative. Thank you so much!

A couple of small suggestions: – the link to the ‘writing the cover letter’ post seems to be broken, though i found it through a site search. – I’d place this reply box before the other comments – since there have been many commenters (which is the best possible problem, isn’t it?! :D) scrolling to get here takes a while.

I’m so glad you wrote this post since I’m about to write said proposal and have no idea. Now i have some idea how to position myself.

September 5, 2017 at 11:18 am

Hi Karen! Thank you so much for this very helpful post.

I have a question about pitching courses for the postdoc. I am applying to a humanities postdoc that asks for two courses: one, an introduction to a topic of my choice for first and second-year students from different fields, and the second, a more advanced seminar in my own discipline aimed at juniors and seniors in my host department.

Your post above recommends designing a specific course that bears a clear relationship to your diss work, while speaking to a broader field. I have done this for the advanced course, but wonder if, in this case, it might be a nice complement to offer something more general for the introductory-level course. I am considering proposing an introductory lecture on film & media theory (my field), which I do not see offered in any of the university’s departments (but they do state film as one of the fields appropriate for the postdoc).

My line of thought is that this could offer something new to the university, and since film is an inherently interdisciplinary field, it speaks to the call to offer a class that could draw students from different departments. (In my current university, we get tons of students from sciences and other humanities in our courses.) I have also already sole-taught a version of this course, which I am eager to develop further.

Thanks for your input!

September 9, 2017 at 6:29 am

I’m currently in the process of applying for a post-doc at a major R1 three years after the doctorate. I would like to use this time to convert my dissertation which I feel has strong publishing potential (and already has a chapter in the works with a major publisher)into a book. In the “project plan” description can I describe my dissertation, current publications, and my timeline for converting it into a contracted book, or do I need a whole new “study”? If the latter, is there any way that I can “connect” a “new” study to my underlying objective of publishing my dissertation manuscript into a book? My current position does not grant me the time or resources to commit to this project to the same degree a post-do would. THANK YOU!!

October 17, 2017 at 11:26 am

Thank you all, especially Dr.Karen. I am writing postdoc RS and still learning about it.

I have some questions: How do you calculate the budget that you need for turning of the dissertation into a book? Or budget for a future research? Also I read elsewhere “include potential funding partners”, is it requirement to find a funding source to apply a postdoc?

January 29, 2018 at 1:42 pm

Dear Dr. Kelsy,

I learned a lot concerning postdoc applications thanks to your blog posts and your book.

I do have a question though regarding certain postdoc fellowships that only demand a cover letter (and no research proposal or statement). How not to exceed two pages in that case, when you need to address past and future research as well as teaching experience and goals in one document?

Any advice? Thank you in advance.

October 4, 2018 at 5:23 am

The link to the general job application cover letter post (“Why Your Job Application Cover Letter Sucks”) is broken; this is the correct link: http://theprofessorisin.com/2016/08/26/why-your-job-cover-letter-sucks/

February 8, 2020 at 12:24 am

This is amazing. Thank you very much. I had been looking for advice about a postdoc application and never found anything valid out there.

Thank you so much for this post.

August 20, 2020 at 2:02 pm

I understand why it is important to present yourself as a colleague rather than a student. However, I’m seeing postdoc calls that ask applicants to identify a “faculty mentor” which, to me, suggests they’re thinking of the postdoc more like a student than a colleague. Is this a sign that an application written in the tone of a confident colleague would not be well received? Are they instead looking for sentences communicating sentiments like “I want/need mentorship?” Or should the language of “faculty mentor” just be disregarded as a quirk?

August 26, 2020 at 12:25 pm

this is a v. good question. In this case, yes,they want youto imagine a mentorship relationship but even there, it should be less like: “I’m a studetn in need of teaching” and more, “I’m a junior scholar who will benefit from some conversation and support.”

[…] career. However, it’s not exactly the same application process, but more like some kind of job-PhD application hybrid . Finally, from everything I’ve read it seems like it won’t ever be too early to start thinking […]

[…] The Postdoc App: How It’s Different and Why […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Who Is Dr. Karen?
• Who Is On the TPII Team?
• In The News
• Why Trust Me?
• Testimonials
• Peer Editing
• PhD Debt Survey
• Support Fund
• I Help With Custody Cases for Academics

Get on my schedule to work on your tenure track job cover letter, CV, grant applications, book proposals, interview preparation, and more.

Check for Openings

• Trending Blogs
• Geeksforgeeks NEWS
• Geeksforgeeks Blogs
• Tips & Tricks
• Website & Apps
• ChatGPT Blogs
• ChatGPT News
• ChatGPT Tutorial
• How to Search for a Word in Google Docs
• How To Share a PPT In Google Docs
• How To Add Stars In Google Docs
• How to Insert Word Art in Google Docs
• How to Use Find and Replace in Google Docs
• How To Link a Video To Google Docs
• How to Move a Table in Google Docs
• How to Remove Page Breaks in Google Docs
• How to Work Offline in Google Docs
• How to Open a Pdf in Google Docs
• How to Make A Resume on Google Docs
• How to Add a Page in Google Docs
• How To Use Google Docs To Write Blogs
• How to Make a Timeline in Google Docs
• How To Type Other Languages In Google Docs
• How to Use Add-Ons in Google Docs 2023
• How to add Page Numbers in Google Docs
• How to Insert a Vertical Line in Google Docs
• How to Insert Shapes in Google Docs

How to Write a Research Proposal in Google Docs

Ever wonder “ why ” something happens or “ how ” to fix a problem that keeps popping up? Maybe you have a wild “what if” idea. Those are awesome questions that can lead to amazing discoveries! A research proposal is your key to unlocking those answers and making a real difference.

Think of it like this: You’re a detective on a case. Google Docs is your super cool notepad to plan your investigation. This guide will show you how to use it, step-by-step, to write a killer research proposal.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to grab people’s attention with a super interesting intro (think detective laying out the clues!)
• What to write in each part of your proposal (no need for fancy research jargon here!)
• How to use Google Docs’ awesome features to keep yourself organized and work with others (sharing is caring!).

So, put on your detective hat, open Google Docs, and let’s turn your question into a mind-blowing research proposal!

Table of Content

What is a Research Proposal?

Ph.d. research proposals, free research proposal templates by google docs, tips for a strong research proposal, faqs – writing a research proposal in google docs.

A research proposal is a blueprint for a research project . Writing a research proposal involves outlining your objectives , methodology, and expected outcomes . A research proposal includes Research Questions, background and significance, Literature review, methodology, Timeline, budget, and Expected outcomes. The purpose of making a research proposal is to convince others of the importance of the project. By using Google Docs , you can easily make any research proposal while collaborating with others.

• Your proposal should contain at least the following elements in the list of Ph.D. Research Proposal,
• A provisional title for the Proposal.
• A key question, hypothesis, or broad topic for further investigation.
• An outline of the key aims of the research proposal.
• A brief outline of key literature in the area.

Google Docs is a platform where it provides a variety of free templates in many fields. Anybody can check and edit the templates according to their need. Here are some of the free templates provided below for your reference where you can edit accordingly and make your research proposal differently.

Research Proposal Free Template 1

To Download this template Click here

Research Proposal Free Template 2

To Download this template Click Here

Research Proposal Free Template 3

Writing a research proposal in Google Docs is an easy process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Sign in to Google Docs

Go to Google Docs and sign in to your Google account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create one.

Step 2: Create a New Document

Click on the “+” (New) button to create a new document. You can choose a blank document or use a template if available.

Step 3: Set Up Your Document

Set up your document according to the guidelines provided by your institution or the requirements of your research proposal. This includes formatting your title page, adding headings, and adjusting margins.

Step 4: Structure Your Proposal

Use headings (e.g., Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology) to organize your proposal into sections. You can easily add headings by selecting the text and choosing a heading style from the toolbar.

Step 5: Write Your Proposal

Start writing your proposal under each section heading. Google Docs provides a familiar word processing environment with basic formatting tools like bold, italic, and bullet points.

Step 6: Collaborate with Others

If you’re working with collaborators or seeking feedback, you can easily share your document with others. Click on the “Share” button in the top right corner, enter the email addresses of the people you want to share with and choose their permission level (e.g., edit, comment, view).

Step 7: Review and Edit

Once you’ve completed your proposal, review it carefully for any errors or inconsistencies. You can use the spelling and grammar check tools to help you proofread your document.

Step 8: Finalize Your Proposal

Make any final adjustments and ensure that your proposal meets all the requirements. Double-check formatting, headings, and citations before submitting.

Step 9: Save and Share

Google Docs automatically saves your work as you go, but it’s a good idea to save a final copy to your Google Drive or download it as a PDF or Word document. Share the final version with your advisor or colleagues as needed.

By following these steps, you can effectively write a research proposal using Google Docs and take advantage of its collaboration features and convenience.

• Put a precise objective and research question that your proposal aims to address.
• Ensure your proposal addresses a significant problem or gap in knowledge within your field.
• Conduct a Literature Review of existing research to provide context and support for your proposal.
• Outline the methods and techniques clearly that you’ll use to conduct your research.
• Highlight the potential impact and contributions of your research.
• Provide a realistic timeline for completing your project work.
• Clearly outline the budget needed for your research.

Writing a research proposal in Google Docs offers many benefits for researchers. The platform’s collaborative features enable teamwork, allowing multiple contributors to edit and provide feedback in real time. Google Docs’ auto-save function ensures that your work is constantly backed up, reducing the risk of data loss. By learning Google Docs’ features, researchers can turn up the proposal writing process and enhance their productivity. Therefore, utilizing Google Docs for making research proposals is an efficient and effective approach, motivating researchers to collaborate, create, and communicate their ideas easily.

Does Google Docs have a proposal template?

Yes, Google Docs offers many proposal templates. Open Google Docs, click on the Template Gallery, and search for “proposal” and you’ll get to see many of them. Then, select a template that suits your needs and customize it for your research proposal.

How do I write a research proposal for Google?

Use Google Docs to create a new document, structure it with sections such as Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results, Conclusion, and References, and collaborate with others by sharing the document.

What is the format of writing a research proposal?

The format of writing a research proposal typically includes, Title Page Abstract Introduction Literature Review Methodology Results and Discussion Conclusion References

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads.

• Google Docs
• Google Docs Tips
• Google docs
• Google Workspace

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

• For Administrators
• For Faculty

POSTDOCTORAL AFFAIRS

• Announcements
• Positions at Northwestern

Postdoctoral Research Opportunity – Translational Brain Tumor Research

The Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University is seeking outstanding postdoctoral scholars for expansion of basic and translational studies related to modulation of the blood-brain barrier to enhance passage of drugs, biologicals and cells for treatment of neurological diseases and brain cancer, precision medicine-based approaches to cancer drugs for gliomas, and the study of the effects of ultrasound therapy on the brain across species.  

This position offers an opportunity to work in the NIH-funded lab of Dr. Adam Sonabend , a neurosurgeon-scientist with a background in translational brain tumor research, the study of glioma progression, and regulation of transcription. The Sonabend Lab has a strong translational emphasis and relies on patient tumor specimens and clinical data, transgenic mouse glioma models, next-generation sequencing data (ChIP-seq, exome sequencing, RNA-seq), and cutting-edge technologies such as whole genome CRISPR screens for advancing our projects. Most projects involve analysis of clinical-trial related specimens, where biological questions are investigated.

The lab has strong collaborations with expert groups in complementary fields including Dr. Maciej Lesniak’s lab (Northwestern University) for tumor immunology, Dr. Ali Shilatifard (Northwestern University) for epigenetics, and Dr. Raul Rabadan’s lab (Columbia University) for computational and systems biology. The department offers a nurturing environment for career development, a stimulating community of several brain tumor research labs, weekly conferences and seminars of interest.

The postdoctoral fellow will be expected to build a publication record including submissions to leading cancer biology journals; supervise rotating undergraduate, graduate and medical students; apply for internal and/or extramural funding; and attend national meetings that will help to build an international reputation.  

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, cancer biology, gene therapy or neuroscience.  

Required Competencies:  

• Experience working with small animal models and mammalian cell culture.
• Ability to design and conduct experiments, maintain accurate GLP style recordkeeping, and collaborate effectively within a team environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to prepare and present research at meetings and write scientific manuscripts in fluent English.

Preferred Competencies:  

• Expertise in immunology and flow cytometry techniques.
• Cloning, western blot, immunofluorescence, qPCR.
• Familiarity with next generation sequencing data and gene expression analysis.
• CRISPR, gene silencing and over-expression techniques.
• Assembly of viral vectors.  
• Basic coding and next-generation sequencing analysis.  

Interested applicants must send a current curriculum vitae, a cover letter containing a short summary of research experience and aspirations, and names and contact information for at least three professional references to Dawn Rose  via email at  [email protected] . Applicant must be able to begin employment no later than August 1, 2024 .  

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.  

Sandeep Kashyap

How to write a perfect project proposal in 2024?

Introduction

The primary purpose of writing a project proposal is to secure funding, gain approval, or secure resources from the most important stakeholders of a project. 

For that, you need to explain the following in simple terms in a project proposal:

• What do you want to do and what are your goals for the project? 
• How are you going to achieve your goals? 
• How are stakeholders going to benefit from the project?
• What do you want from stakeholders?
• How are you going to use the money and resources granted by stakeholders? 

In this post, we will learn about all these about writing a perfect project proposal in 2024. We will look at different types of project proposals, a project proposal template, and a real-world example of a project proposal.  

What is a project proposal? 

A project proposal is a project management document that outlines a project’s objectives, timeline, budget, goals, and requirements. 

It is primarily written for stakeholders to secure funding, gain approval, and secure resources. However, other types of project proposals are also sent to win projects from clients.   

A project manager should have a good understanding of the project and its key stakeholders for writing an effective project proposal. It is because a manager needs to get into the heads of the project’s stakeholders to understand what they expect from a project and write an effective project proposal accordingly to ensure buy-in for the project.

Benefits of writing a strong project proposal

Writing a strong project proposal offers a surprising number of benefits beyond simply securing funding or approval. Here are five key benefits of writing an effective project proposal:

• Clearly defines the project to increase the chances of success  
• Makes it easy for stakeholders to mutually understand the project 
• Ensures everyone involved is on the same page about goals, roles, and expectations
• Helps identify potential roadblocks early for proactive planning of solutions  
• It can attract funding, and talent, and even serve as a marketing tool

Difference between a project proposal, a project charter, and a project plan

It is important to note that a project proposal is different from a project charter and project plan. Let’s understand the difference between these terms.     

Project proposal vs. project charter 

A project charter is a formal document that outlines the project’s goals, objectives , and resource requirements for a shared understanding of the team. It can’t be created until the project proposal is approved. Whereas a project proposal is written during the initiation phase.

Project proposal vs. project plan  

A project plan is a detailed guide that provides step-by-step instructions for executing, monitoring, and managing the approved project. It is created during the planning stage after the project charter and project scope is defined. Whereas, a project proposal is a persuasive tool for securing project approval and resources.

Read more: Project management plan – everything you need to know about

Project proposal types 

Project proposals are of six different types. Each has a different goal. A manager may have to write a project proposal for external and internal stakeholders to run a project successfully. Therefore, it is important to know about the different types of project proposals.

1. Solicited project proposal 

A solicited project proposal is sent in response to a request for proposal (RFP). RFP is a document sent by a company to vendors to seek out resources required for a project. It includes the details of the scope of the work and the payment company pays for the resources. 

RFP is sent to many vendors. Thus, while writing a solicited project proposal, you need to keep in mind that you may be competing against other vendors to secure a project. Thus, you need to keep your tone persuasive.

2. Unsolicited project proposal 

This type of proposal is sent without having received a request for a proposal (RFP). A company has not sent a request for proposal to vendors but you know that the company is seeking resources from third-party vendors. You may or may not be competing against the other vendors in this type of proposal.

3. Informal project proposal

It is a type of project proposal that is created when a client makes an informal request for a project proposal from vendors. It means there is no formal RFP. Thus, the rules for writing a project proposal are less concrete. You can follow any format that can secure you a project.   

4. Renewal project proposal

A project manager writes this type of proposal to existing clients to extend their services to the client. In this type of proposal, you focus on highlighting past achievements to secure a renewal for the future.

5. Continuation project proposal 

The purpose of the continuation project proposal is to inform the client that the project is beginning and communicate the progress. You are not persuading the client with this type of proposal.   

6. Supplemental project proposal

As the name suggests, this type of proposal is sent to the stakeholders who are already involved in a project to secure additional resources. The purpose is to convince the client to invest additional resources during the project execution phase.

How to write a winning project proposal?

You need to include certain elements in the project proposal to make sure it is good. Have a look at the steps to learn how to format a project proposal. 

A. Pre-writing stage

The pre-writing stage is crucial for creating a compelling and successful project proposal. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps involved:

1. Understanding the audience 

The first step is to identify decision-makers and understand the mindset of the audience for which you are writing a proposal. Thoroughly research the client’s needs, goals, and expectations. This includes understanding their industry, current challenges, and past projects. 

Determine who will be reviewing and approving the proposal. This will help you adjust the tone, level of detail, and overall focus to cater to their expertise and interests. Tailor your proposal to directly address their specific concerns and priorities.

2. Project requirements gathering 

To create an effective project proposal that has a higher chance of getting accepted, gather the project requirements. Usually, it is mentioned in the Request for Proposal (RFP) where specific requirements, evaluation criteria, submission deadlines, and any other instructions are provided. 

If there is no RFP, schedule meetings or interviews with key stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of the project requirements. This allows you to ask clarifying questions, gather feedback, and ensure your proposal aligns perfectly with their expectations. 

3. Team brainstorming

Writing a project proposal is teamwork. Involve your team in brainstorming sessions to make a strong proposal. When a team is involved, it diversifies perspectives and expertise, leading to a more comprehensive and well-rounded proposal. Discuss the project goals, potential solutions, and resource needs with your team. Refine the proposal concept based on the collective knowledge and ensure everyone is aligned on the final approach.

B. Writing the proposal

1. start with writing an executive summary .

An executive summary is a concise overview of what a project is all about. It talks about the most important details or information of the project. 

It primarily talks about the problem a project will solve, the solution a project will provide, and the benefits stakeholders will get from investing in this project. 

It is important to keep in mind to explain these items briefly as you are going to explain the problem and solution in detail later in your proposal.     

The purpose of writing an executive summary is to pique the interest of the stakeholders in a project. It is like the elevator pitch of an entrepreneur whose purpose is to attract the stakeholders for further discussion.

2. Explain the problem in the project background

The project background is a one-page section that focuses on highlighting the opportunity by talking about the project problems you are going to solve. It talks about the problem and its history such as statistics, references, and start date. 

It discusses what has been done so far to solve the problem by others or earlier projects. What is the current state of the problem, and how your project will focus on solving it? 

This section indicates the opportunity and the next section of vision explains how you are going to seize the opportunity.       

3. Project vision and solution

Project vision is the section where you present the solution to the problem. Vision statement defines your vision for the project, the solution you are going to work on, and how it will solve the problems. 

This section tells what goals and objectives you are going to achieve from the project. Thus, it also acts as a north star or success criterion for your project. 

Now, stakeholders know what a project is all about; the problems, the solution, and the objectives. And they are interested to know how you will achieve the proposed objectives of a project. 

The next sections of a project proposal talk about the project approach, scope, deliverables, milestones, budget, resources, and timeline.  

Read more: Project objectives: learn how to write them for business growth

4. Project scope and deliverables

This section describes all the work items you need to work on a project. It involves breaking a large project into small tasks so that stakeholders can easily understand the project scope.

 It also includes describing key milestones and project deliverables during the execution phase of your project life cycle. 

The purpose is to provide stakeholders with enough information to make decisions about funding and resources.    

5. Project timeline

Project stakeholders have a clear idea about the scope of the project. But the very next question that comes to stakeholders’ minds is how much time a project will take to complete. 

You need to propose an estimated timeline for the project describing when the key deliverables and milestones will be delivered and achieved.

6. Project methodology

With every project, the risks of cost, scope, time, and quality are associated. Thus, you need an effective project management approach to manage these risks.

In this section, you explain to stakeholders about the project approach you are going to use for project management . It includes defining project management methodology, tools, and governance for your project.

79% of teams worldwide use digital collaboration tools . The choice of your project management tool is going to influence how the project will be planned, executed, and managed and its potential risks are identified and mitigated successfully. 

ProofHub is an all-in-one project management and team collaboration software that provides you with a centralized platform to collaborate with a team on a project proposal. 

ProofHub strengthens your project proposal’s “Implementation Plan” by providing a platform to meticulously define tasks, assign roles, and track progress . Its work plan section allows for a detailed breakdown of the project with clear task dependencies and time estimates, visualized through a Gantt chart .

Team members can be assigned to specific tasks, ensuring accountability, while resource allocation demonstrates a well-planned approach. 

Real-time progress updates, collaborative discussions within tasks, and reporting capabilities showcase transparency and proactive management.

By incorporating ProofHub, your proposal presents a clear picture of efficient execution, giving the reader confidence in your ability to deliver the project successfully.

Learn more about ProofHub’s collaboration capabilities !

7. Project resource requirements

Project resource requirements talk about the resources you need to complete your project which includes materials, human resources, and technology. It is a key section that is crucial for the success of the project because every project needs resources to convert a plan into action.          

This section of the project proposal briefly describes the project resources you need for the project and how you are going to utilize these resources. 

It does not explain the nitty gritty details of resource allocation. But, it gives a fair idea of why you need specific resources for your project and how these will be utilized. 

Read more: 2024 guide to project resource management: processes, challenges & tools

8. Estimate project costs and budget

Project resources come at a price. Thus, in this section, you will define the project costs and create a project budget. It is the responsibility of a project manager to write this section in such a way that it covers all the project expenses. 

At the same time, it also provides the opportunity for stakeholders to jump in and help you mitigate unexpected costs.  

It also includes estimating project costs everything from the cost of project technology to team salaries and materials.

9. Closing statement 

At this point of a project proposal, stakeholders have complete information about the project: scope, cost, time, objectives, and impact. You just have to briefly summarize the problem your project addresses and remind stakeholders about the benefits they will get from this project. 

You can use cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate why your project is profitable. Thus, in this section, you wrap up your project proposal with a persuasive and confident conclusion to convince stakeholders to close the deal. 

I hope these steps help you write a winning project proposal. Now, let’s have a look at some practical tips from experts to write a winning proposal.

Additional tips to write a perfect project proposal

Here are the five practical project proposal tips for writing a proposal:

• Clarity and conciseness: Do not use jargon or make your proposal overly complex. Keep it simple so that project sponsors can understand it easily.    
• Strong value proposition: You want your project proposal to be accepted. Give strong emphasis on the benefits of your project and how it addresses the existing problems.
• Compelling visuals: Make your proposal compelling so that project sponsors read it. If it is not persuasive and visually interesting, project sponsors may not read it.  
• Proofreading and editing: Do not make silly grammatical mistakes and fact check and proofread your proposal. Wherever required provide statistics to back your claims.  
• Use collaboration tools: A project proposal involves explaining about project scope, cost, time, and resources. Use a project management tool like ProofHub to create a plan and collaborate with a team to create an effective project proposal.

Project proposal examples 

A project proposal in project management is primarily sent to the stakeholders to secure funding, gain approvals, and request resources from stakeholders.        

Here is a real-world example to get an idea of how to write a proposal for a project:

Project Proposal: Implementation of a CRM System to manage company customers, prospects, and leads 

1. Executive 

The Customer Success Manager at XYZ Corporation is proposing the implementation of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. 

Currently, the company is using a legacy system that makes it difficult to manage data and ensure the alignment between the sales and marketing teams. It results in poor customer service to the customer and missed opportunities. 

The new CRM system streamlines the company’s customer interactions, improves data management, and enhances overall customer satisfaction. 

This results in enhanced customer relationships, improved operational efficiency, and increased business growth.  

2. Background 

• Lack of centralized data management system
• Lack of alignment between marketing and sales departments
• Not able to provide exceptional customer experience due to operational inefficiencies

3. Vision 

• Implementing CRM to improve customer data management by centralizing all customer information into a single database
• Enhance communication and collaboration among sales, marketing, and customer service teams
• Increase customer satisfaction and retention through personalized and timely interaction

4. Project scope

• Researching and selecting a suitable CRM solution based on the specific needs and requirements of XYZ Corporation.
• Customizing the CRM system to align with the company’s business processes and workflows.
• Migrating existing customer data from legacy systems into the new CRM platform.
• Phase 1: Research and Selection (1 week)
• Phase 2: Customization and Configuration (2 weeks)
• Phase 3: Data Migration (1 week)
• Phase 4: Training and Adoption (2 weeks)
• Phase 5: Go-Live and Deployment (2 weeks)

5. Project management approach  

Hybrid project management : Waterfall during the planning of each phase of the project and Agile during the implementation of the CRM.

6. Project resource and budget  

The estimated budget for the CRM implementation project is $50,000, including software licensing fees, customization costs, training expenses, and implementation services.

7. Project risks and mitigation

• Potential resistance from employees toward adopting new technology 
• Integration challenges with existing systems and applications: 

Mitigation:

• Addressed through providing training sessions for employees to ensure hassle-free adoption of the CRM system.
• Managed through careful planning and coordination with IT vendors and stakeholders.

8. Conclusion

The implementation of a CRM system for XYZ Corporation enhances customer relationships, improves operational efficiency, and drives business growth. We seek approval from the executive management team to proceed with the implementation of the CRM system as outlined in this proposal.

Project management proposal template

Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan. – Karen Tate

A project management proposal template provides the framework and detailed proposal outlining to create a project proposal. It outlines the sections you need to include in a project proposal and the instructions in each section. By following the instructions in the template, you know how to make a project proposal, customized to your business needs.

Here is the project management proposal template: 

1. Executive Summary 

In this section, you will summarize the complete project proposal and add the most important details of the project. 

Outline the following details in brief in the executive summary:

• Project background and vision
• Project goals and deliverables
• Project budget, timeframe, resource, and success criteria      

2. Project Background 

In this section, you will talk about the problem a project is going to solve or the business opportunity a project intends to grab. Explain it in-depth because it forms the basis of the project.

Here is what you need to include:

• Project history and stats of similar projects  
• The basis upon which the project is created

3. Project vision   

This section includes the project vision statement. You explain the solution to the project problem and define the goals of the project. 

Here is what you need to do:

• Write a project vision
• Present a solution       
• Write the SMART goals you want to achieve

4. Project plan

It includes multiple sections as below:

4.1 Project scope and deliverables  

Project scope defines all the work you need to do to complete the project.

Project deliverable is something that is of the end-user or customer value.

4.2 Project timeline 

Every project has a start and an end date. Similarly, there is a timeframe for each task and deliverable.

4.3 Project approach 

Every project follows an approach to project management and uses project management tools. For example, construction projects follow the Waterfall methodology whereas software development projects follow the Agile methodology.

4.4 Project risks

A project risk is something that can impact the cost, time, and scope of the project.

List here all the project risks, likelihood, impact, mitigation plan, and risk owners in a table.

4.5 Project resource requirements

Project sponsors need to know about the details of the resources required to approve the budget for the Project Proposal. 

Define the project resource requirements here in the table: 

• Technology requirements 
• Human resources requirements
• Material requirements    

4.6 Project estimated cost and return on investment  

A project sponsor wants to know the project costs and return on investments.

4.7 Project ownership and communication plan   

This section includes the details of the key stakeholders of the project. 

• Project sponsor: who owns the project 
• Project customer: who the project is being delivered to
• Manager: who is responsible for managing the project and informing the status to stakeholders  

5. Call to action 

In this section, provide your contact details for the client to get in touch with any questions or allow the project sponsor to authorize the project if they are happy with the project proposal.

It is important to keep in mind the above-mentioned are the standard sections that are included in most project proposals. If you want to add some other elements to your project proposal, you can add the sections as per your needs to format a project proposal.

Create a winning project proposal with the right tool

A good project proposal convinces stakeholders why the project should be carried out. It should clearly describe project problems, project objectives, benefits for stakeholders, your requirements from stakeholders, and how you will utilize the secured resources. You need to have a good understanding of the project and project sponsors and stakeholders before writing a project proposal.   

To create an effective project proposal, you need cross-collaboration between departments to gather key details and project management software to plan a project.    

That’s where a feature-rich project management software, ProofHub, comes into play. It helps you with team collaboration and project planning for the project proposal. You can create a project plan using a Gantt chart , create tasks using task management software , and collaborate with the team using chat and a centralized file-sharing system .

Organize, manage, and collaborate seamlessly with ProofHub – All-in-one solution for projects, tasks, and teams

Related articles

• How to manage projects with a tool like ProofHub
• 10 Common project management challenges (and How to solve them)
• Project objectives: learn how to write them for business growth
• The 11 best project management software for your team

How long should a project proposal be?

A project proposal should not be too long. Ideally, a project proposal should take 1-2 pages but it also depends on the complexity of the project and the format you choose.

What section of a proposal presents a list of project costs?

Project costs are briefly covered in the Project Cost section. However, it depends on the template you choose. The detailed breakdown of the project costs is attached with the project proposal in the reference document.

What section of a proposal identifies the key issues and discusses the project goals?

Project background and project vision are the sections that talk about the key issues and project goals. However, it is explained in brief in the executive summary also.

• Share on LinkedIn
• Email this Page
• Share on Facebook
• Share on WhatsApp

Try ProofHub, our powerful project management and team collaboration software, for free !

 No per user fee.    No credit card required.    Cancel anytime.