Turn a health research interest into a clear, feasible study. This guide helps prospective Master’s and PhD students prepare a research proposal and discuss a project with a potential supervisor.
Start with a focused question
Write down the population, the problem, the setting, and the outcome you want to understand. Replace a broad topic such as “student mental health” with a question that specifies who, where, and what will be measured.
Planning example: Among postgraduate students at one university, how is weekly paid work associated with self-reported sleep quality? This is an example of an association question, not a claim that paid work causes poor sleep.
A practical proposal outline
- Background: Explain the problem and summarize what existing research already establishes.
- Gap: Identify the specific uncertainty your study can address.
- Question and objectives: State one primary question and a small number of supporting objectives.
- Design: Explain how the proposed study can answer that question.
- Participants and data: Describe eligibility, recruitment, measurements, and data access.
- Analysis: Connect each objective to a planned analysis. Identify potential confounding and missing data.
- Ethics and feasibility: Consider consent, confidentiality, required approvals, time, costs, and recruitment capacity.
- Contribution: Explain what the findings could add and what the study cannot establish.
Check feasibility before applying
Can you access the data or recruit the participants? Is the required supervision available? Can the project fit the degree timeline? What would you do if recruitment or data access falls short? A smaller well-defined project is often easier to explain than an ambitious project with unresolved practical requirements.
Prepare for a supervisor conversation
Bring a one-page concept note, your academic CV, two or three relevant publications, and questions about fit, resources, and supervision. Explain how your interest connects to the supervisor’s work without claiming that they have agreed to supervise you.
Your next step
Draft a one-page concept note using the outline above. Then explore biostatistics, systematic reviews, academic writing, and graduate funding.