Copyright © 2020 pubrica. All rights reserved 1
Research Proposal for Phd Application Biotechnology: Background
Literature Writing
Dr. Nancy Agens, Head,
Technical Operations, Pubrica
I. INTRODUCTION
Preparing a concrete research proposal is an
integral step ofthe PhD application process
in Biotechnology. A well-structured research
proposal highlights the significance of the
study, defines the research problem, outlines
the methodologies, and discusses the
implications of the possible outcomes.The
process of preparing a research proposal
involves critical thinking and excellent
communication of ideas. The review
committee at the university evaluates the
potential of the candidates and the feasibility
of the study based on the proposal.
II. SECTIONS OF A RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
The format, requirements,and guidelines for
preparing a research proposal depend on the
institute and one can obtain this information
from the official sources. Broadly, a
research proposal consists of the following
sections:
i. Introduction which encompasses the
background of the study bringing out
the significance, knowledge gaps,
and the research problem statement
ii. Specific objectives of the study(can
include development of new
methodologies to advance the
Biotechnology field)
iii. Review of literature associated with
the research topic
iv. Approaches and design of
methodologies to address the
research questions
v. Timelines, resources, budgets
vi. Expected outcomes, their
implications, and how the study
advances the field
vii. Citations
Apart from the scientific framework,
parameters like timelines, resources, and
budgets proposed for the project also decide
the feasibility of conducting the research,
and therefore must be realistic and
attainable.An ideal research proposal will
also be flexible in its execution. In addition,
the applicant must keep in mind that the
scope of the research project should
preferably align with the ongoing work in
the department.
III. STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
Writing a research proposal poses several
challenges and students sometime require
Copyright © 2020 pubrica. All rights reserved 2
guidance in translating their ideas to a solid
proposal andassistancewhen faced with
limited timeto develop the proposal.Using
our research proposal writing services,
students can collaborate with research
proposal writers who provide help in writing
and editing high quality proposals
customised to their requirements. The hired
research proposal writers are subject matter
experts in the fields of Biotechnology,
Medicine, and Life sciences with a PhD
degreeand excellent scientific writing skills.
Our research proposalservice provides high
quality contentensuring plagiarism
correction and guidance for developing all
the sections of a proposal.
IV. BACKGROUND LITERATURE
WRITING
In this section, we focus on how to
effectively write background literature for a
research proposal. Background literature is
one of the foremost and important sections
of a proposal that establishes the context of
the research problem. A well-written
background section will generateinterest
about your research problem in the
reader,who thereafter will be invested in the
later sections of the proposal.
The background section in a proposal should
cover the following points
Introduce the research topic
Historical or landmark developments
in the field of research topic
Progress and evolution of the field
Current trends in the field
Gaps in the existing knowledge,
unmet needs, and missing links
Developing and stating the research
problem (problem statement)
Justification of the need for the study
Significance of the study and
contribution to scientific knowledge
A key aspectof writing this section is the
organisation of literature.To achieve this,
one can adopt the funnel approach (Hofstee,
2006) by first covering the broader literature
of the field and later tapering the focus to
studies relevant to the specific topic of
interest.The progress in the field should be
presented in a logical and connected manner
without deviating from the research topic of
interest in Biotechnology. One can compare
the different schools of thoughts and
theories on the topic and discuss the
advantages and limitations and put forth
your point of view supported by evidence.
Fig 1.The funnel approach for reviewing
background literature
V. IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING
RESEARCH GAPS
Reviewing relevant publications from the
past 3-5 years will help determine the recent
trends as well as understand the gaps in
research from the limitations and future
directions, as discussed by the authors. The
identification of knowledge gaps in the field
provides originality and innovation to the
proposal. An in-depth understanding of the
research topic enables the researcher to
ascertain the importance of these knowledge
Copyright © 2020 pubrica. All rights reserved 2
gaps and convert them into significant
research problems that required further
investigation to advance the field. This
provides a sound rationale for the study and
later paves way for laying down the
objectives of the study and designing
methodologies to test the hypotheses. Often
times in Biotechnology field, the prospective
PhD student will be taking forward an
existing project in the lab. In this context,
the background literature will cover the
latest findings from the laboratory and
discuss the missing links and future
directions to take it forward which will be
addressed in the proposed study. This will
also help in demonstrating expertise and
experience in the field in your proposal
which will work to your advantage.
The applicant should consider the following
points while writing the background
literature
The background literature section
should not be exhaustive and instead
should discuss only relevant studies
close to the research topic.
One needs to critically review the
literature and discuss the relevance
of the findings, as opposed to plainly
state the results of the studies by
other research groups. This would
highlight the critical thinking ability
of the candidate which will be
evaluated by the review committee.
In summary, a research proposal is the
cornerstone for academic research, and the
background literature section, in particular,
documents how the research study advances
the field and adds a paradigm to the existing
scientific literature. A compelling research
proposal with a well-researched background
of the study can provide an edge to thePhD
application and increase the chances of
selection. We offer the best research
proposal writing service (includes
writing/editing/proofreading) that provide
expert guidance in preparing a strong
background literaturesection highlighting the
recent trends and knowledge gaps which can
definitely strengthen your Biotechnology
research proposal.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.monash.edu/rlo/graduate-research-
writing/write-the-thesis/writing-a-research-
proposal
2. https://canvas.hull.ac.uk/courses/779/pages/writin
g-the-review
3. Libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/researchproposal
4. https://www.biotecnika.org/2019/11/how-to-
write-good-phd-proposal-phd-application/
5. Sudheesh, K., Duggappa, D. R., &Nethra, S. S.
(2016). How to write a research proposal? Indian
J Anaesth, 60(9), 631-634. doi: 10.4103/0019-
5049.190617
6. Hofstee, E. (2006). Constructing a good
dissertation: A practical guide to finishing a
Masters, MBA or PhD on Schedule. Sandton:
EPE
7. https://orsp.umich.edu/research-proposals-
background-or-significance
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