how many of you came up with your own research proposal as i notice alot of people apply for already prepared topics and such like

I wrote my own research proposal for a humanities-based subject. I think it's good to do it this way.

what was it about and how did you get on with it

I wrote my own research proposal, which was fairly generic at the time. I don't think I could have coped with a project written by someone else. The only thing that I would suggest you -if you are going to write your own -is to think how to make your topic attractive for your Uni/dept. rather than to yourself! Also think about the potential for future development (e.g. post-doc) and why that particular uni would benefit from your research.

I work in linguistics (semantics & syntax is language acquisition). What area are you working in?

I worked quite a bit with my supervisor. I approached him with the original ideas, I wrote it up and then he made some suggestions. My project is linked with my MA dissertation, so it was a logical step really.

I wrote my own research proposal before the university knew if they could offer a studentship (just to do research there), and when they found out they could and had to advertise for it they used my exact, word for word proposal as the advertisement! In one way I found it complementary, but in another I was slightly annoyed that they didn't even let me know they were going to do that...

i wrote my own - finally i get to do what i really want. then i applied at the university where the professor is who i wanted as my supervisor. so i basically put my own interests first, then found the place were it would be best to pursue them, my private life comes last.

i wouldn't do it any other way. but that's different for everyone.

I sorted out my proposal with the help of the person who should/wants to be my supervisor, he and several others liked it and I got the interview etc- but now someone in the dept has put a spanner in the works asking for a load of refs to be put in disbelieving I have supporting evidence, which I do) - the prospective supervisor and I spent ages getting it down to the required 2 pages so it could hardly have everything in, if it did it would be the thesis wouldn't it? Am writing a reply at the moment, and trying hard not to be rude, when in fact what I want to say is 'you idiot, this is the outline proposal, not the whole thing'it is going to add another 6 pages to the proposal!

How confident are you in working on a topic which someone got funding and pass it on to you ? I'd like to work on my own thing but due to funding constraint, may take up some formualted topic with research questions being identified already. The subject area still lies in social science but is completely new to me.

sourapple - i suppose it makes some things easier, other things harder. the positive side, i guess, is that you identify less with your project, thus making it easier to let something be good enough, and you get less full blown crises when you are critizised. the negative side, perhaps, is that in times of struggling it is harder to find the motivation to go ahead.

hey thanks for all the comments and joyce how did it go as you left a bit of a cliffhanger there

I'm still working on it! I hope to get it sorted by tomorrow and sent to my potential supervisor, who just happens to be head of the department. The thing is it is going to include stuff that both myself and the supervisor(s) think is a possible outcome of present changes, but I think the guy doesn't agree. the subject is in education, but from a sociological aspect rather than a bit of action research which appears to be the in thing at the moment, and perhaps more acceptable to this person. It will be very controversial so I guess it is something I will have to get used to. Its not that I mind the challenge it is just that two sides is hardly going to give enough space to include loads of evidence is it?

Hi,

like Joyce I am in the process of writing the proposal. Using the word process is correct as it goes to and fro with corrections and changes. Although this is somewhat tiresome it does make that one sees the idea from all angles before embarging on a research project and then halfway finding out that it actually cannot be done or that the basis is flawed.

Well I've fnished it, apart from getting someone to read it to make sure it makes sense. It is now 23 pages long (double spaced instead of the single spaced, no break between paragraphs, size 8 font, minimum margins of the original) . Hope I've answered all the comments.

It depends on the area and the funding you want. If you're applying for a specific project that has funding attached, you won't need a proposal. If you're self-funding or applying to a research council (for general funding as opposed to specific project) you will have to write your own

What you have to include in a proposal depends on the institution/research council. Some people only have to submit a few words outlining the general area, others have to submit up to 5,000 words