in writing a concept paper one should have a background knowledge

How to write a concept paper effectively

Planning to Write

Sunaina Singh

What is a concept paper?

Simply put, a concept paper is a preliminary document that sets out to explain what a proposed study is about, why it is being undertaken, and how it will be carried out. It scrutinizes a concept or idea and provides an overview of the project a researcher wants to embark on.

A researcher might need to write a concept paper to obtain permission to undertake the research project or to seek financial support for it. This means that a well-framed and compelling concept paper has high chances of convincing the target reader that the proposed research project is worth carrying out. In other words, an impressive concept paper might help a researcher secure the approvals or grants they are looking for.

Why write a concept paper?

Concept papers are typically prepared by entrepreneurs working on a business proposal or product, or by students and researchers in academia. Such documents are aimed at securing feedback on a research idea and seeking potential investors or funders. In fact, such a document might even help determine whether a project idea is feasible in the first place.

In academia, a concept paper might be needed before an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral candidate commences work on a research project with a supervisor. Even advanced career researchers or principal investigators might need to draft a concept paper when submitting a project proposal to a funding body to obtain the necessary grants.

Listed below are some reasons why concept papers are important.

1. To explore and expand an idea: Researchers can use concept papers to transform an incipient research idea into a focused, high-quality study proposal. The paper is also a means to obtain feedback that can be used to strengthen a detailed proposal at a later stage.

2. To draw the interest of funding agencies : Through an effective concept paper, an investigator can justify why their project is worthy of funding. If the project is within the mission of the funding body and has potential to advance the field, the investigator has a high chance of success in obtaining the required grants.

3. To identify potential flaws or gaps beforehand: Putting in time and effort in writing a concept paper will help develop a focused description of the project and will allow the researcher to examine the problem from all angles. At early stages, experts or funders might spot potential gaps and weaknesses in the proposed project. Accordingly, the researcher can identify solutions and improve the proposal (e.g., in terms of the goals or methodology).

4. To serve as the foundation of the full proposal: A concept paper is preliminary, as it precedes a full proposal. Funding agencies often ask for concept papers before the full proposal submission. This helps assess whether the identified experimental methods are appropriate and can be performed within the specific timeframe drawn up for the project.

5. To help a researcher stick to project timelines: A concept paper defines a timeline, which helps the investigator to keep the project on track, manage time effectively, and reach the targeted milestones successfully.

How should a concept paper be structured?

A concept paper could be within 5 pages for proposals for master’s or PhD projects. Concept papers written as part of funding applications might even be up to 20 pages long. The format and flow of the paper would depend on the type of project and expected outcome.

Funding bodies requesting concept papers might provide a template or format, which should be adhered to. However, if templates or formats are not specified, a concept paper may be structured according to the chief elements described below.

1. An impactful title: The title should be sufficiently informative and leave a lasting impression. It should reflect the purpose and significance of the study. The title should not be too long (ideally within 15 words). The title could even be in the form of a question.

2. A clear mission statement: In a few sentences, the study objective(s) or research question should be stated. Given that the main objective of a concept paper is to convince the reader that the proposed project is worth executing, it must convey the novelty and research rationale in a convincing manner.

3. A brief yet effective overview:   A concept paper should present a survey of the problem, supported by a preliminary literature review of the research topic. However, the review need not be too detailed. The paper should provide a summary of what is already known about the topic and an explanation of what knowledge gaps the research is expected to fill. Any contradictory theories may also be indicated.

4.   An outline of the proposed methods: The methods that the researcher plans to use to answer the research question should be described. This section would cover ethical issues (if applicable), experimental materials and methods, the type of data to be collected, and the methods by which the data will be collected and analyzed. The estimated time to achieve different research goals should also be indicated.

5. A statement of the expected implications : A concept paper would be incomplete without a concise section on short-term and long-term impacts of the research, potential applications, impact on society and policies, and any other future visions. Know how to write a statement of the problem in a step-by-step way.

What are the key points to remember when drafting a concept paper?

1. Keep the reader in mind: If the concept paper targets experts in the field or potential collaborators/partners, it should be tailored accordingly, e.g., it can contain technical language. If the audience comprises potential sponsors/funders, the concept paper should be streamlined, keeping in mind their priorities and requirements. Such a version should contain minimal jargon and be easily digestible by non-specialists.

Bonus takeaway exclusively for community members

2. Note that a concept paper is not a journal article: Concept papers differ from journal articles in that the primary aim of a concept paper is to convince a sponsor of the feasibility and significance of a project. In that sense, it is akin to a sales pitch! It should highlight the project’s purpose and impact. To strengthen one’s case, previously awarded grants or published papers may also be indicated.

3. Make a good impression: While a concept paper should be cogent and compelling, it goes without saying that the document should be well-written and well-formatted, as well as free of grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Clarity, consistency, and conciseness are key. In the absence of a formatting template, basic formatting should be in place, e.g., uniform font, adequate line spacing, and appropriate margins. Under Editage’s Scientific Editing Service , a researcher can have a concept paper assessed by a subject matter expert for an in-depth critique on the content and further checked and corrected by editors for language and readability.

Are you brimming with ideas for a research project? Now that you know the main elements that might give your proposal an edge over others, maybe you are ready to set a project in motion by starting with a concept paper. 

Related reading:

• 5 Practical tips for writing your first scientific paper [Download publication schedule planner]
• The basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research proposal
• What reviewers look for in a grant proposal

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How to write an effective concept paper?

Concept paper, meaning 

A concept paper refers to an academic or research paper that is written with the primary purpose of identifying and explaining an idea or a concept related to a particular scholarly field or discipline before conducting a research. It is an unbiased research written in the form of a theory or hypothesis using relevant and impartial methods of research. It unravels and explains the positive and negative aspects of a research study utilizing various opposing theories to reveal gaps and criticisms.

In technical terms, a concept paper provides an overview of the project. Concept paper helps us to have a detailed knowledge on what is the process of paper works, projects, business proposals, research paper, etc. Concept paper is very useful for both students during university projects and entrepreneurs working on a business proposal.

What is concept paper in research? 

A concept paper in research or academia refers to a critical and detailed summary of a research project by reflecting the interest and issues pertinent to a particular academic field or study. In academia, concept papers are usually written by a university student who is on the verge of conducting a research. A concept paper outlines the research about to be conducted with the purpose to have a structured goal and direction while conducting research.

Concept papers are also known to be rare proposals, which on average consists of 5000 words or less and is considered the first crucial step in proposal development. It is written by a professional, student, or a researcher in an institution or organization with the intention of providing a brief summary about a research project during the course of being conducted. It forms an assessment of an idea in a balanced manner, giving an in-depth explanation of a particular idea.

What is a concept paper in general? 

1. It clarifies a concept: Dissecting or breaking ideas into parts to give a collective idea about a concept.

2. It conveys the essence of an idea and explains it.

Point of view 

 There are two types of point of view in a concept paper

• Subjective (personal) – light, informal, familiar, or literary: This point of view is usually found in newspaper articles where the information presented is informal for the reason that the audience can understand the language easily and enjoy having a brief overview or general idea about a particular subject without the need to emphasize deep learning. For example, articles that present concepts related to everyday living, such as inspirational philosophy written with the purpose to correlate with the common man.
• Objective (impersonal) – serious, formal, or literary: Objective point of view refers to information that is mostly part of academic journals, academic books, and scholarly magazines that are written and presented in a highly analytical tone. For example, journal essays, articles based on philosophy, or any subject related to the academic discipline that is written with the purpose of study and reflects subject-matter expertise, contributing to scientific discussions and theories. It involves enumerating of parts, structure, levels, stages, etc. of the concept being dealt with, as well as explaining of various supporting details and stating of implications.

How to create a concept paper? 

A concept paper requires an academic format to structure and follow in order to explain a concept appropriately. The following consists of 11 fundamental ways on how a writer can explain an idea or concept in a professional and organized manner.

Patterns of development 

1. Defining: Giving the meaning of the concept

2. Describing: Characterizing the concept by providing its characteristics.

3. Comparing: Equating with other concepts to ascertain similarities between concepts.

4. Making an analogy: This is similar to comparing, but also includes any deduction about of what has been compared.

5. Contrasting: Pairing or linking it with another concept with the purpose of identifying the differences between the concepts.

6. Classifying: Arranging concepts into groups, based on ways they are alike.

7. Illustrating: Giving proof or evidence, so the reader could understand the concept.

8. Narrating: Talking about the concept elaborately in a narrative manner.

9. Explaining a process: Explaining the different aspects of the process.

10. Analyzing cause and effect: Giving a critical explanation about the causes and effects of the idea or concept.

11. Listing: Enumerating, trying to take a rundown about what these kinds of concepts are.

These patterns of developments are necessary so that the reader of your academic paper can understand with much ease, such as your arguments or not necessarily arguments but the definitions or the ideas you wish to either explain or extrapolate in your paper.

Examples of a concept paper 

The following is an example of an explanation of a concept (as part of a concept paper):

“There are five main types of food chemicals: Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Carbohydrates include such things as sugars and starches and consists of carbon and hydrogen only. Fats contain oxygen and are found in dairy products and fatty meats. Together, carbohydrates and fats form the main energy-giving part of the human diet.

A protein contains nitrogen as well as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Every day, more than 1 million cells die in the human body, but the proteins carefully rebuild them.  Proteins are found in foods such as meats, eggs, and cheese.”

As you can see, the author of the short selection is trying to explain something about food chemicals by classifying them into carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The author then directed himself (or herself) to explain food chemicals by breaking down what makes up such food chemicals. He goes on by explaining the sub-ideas, just so he or she could give more insight on what food chemicals are and what they do to the human body.

It is evident that there is no added reaction to or reflection on how the selection has been written. Everything is pure and simple definition of terms and explanations. This goes to show that concept paper in its plain sense is more of a discussion-type written work by following the necessary steps on how to write an academic paper.

Why concept paper is important 

Concept papers are known for their use in different fields such as business, sciences, technology, and academics. Specifically, this output can be used while preparing for a business proposal, product, or research proposal. These are the reasons which gives concept paper its significance.

The following points provide benefits of a concept paper to understand its value and importance as well as clarification on when to write a concept paper:

1. Clarification of product value: Using a concept paper can help define the importance of a certain product feature or research development. Also, the product or research impact on society and economy can be discussed and explained in this output.

2. A better definition of the duties and responsibilities: A concept paper helps to identify the main stakeholders involved in the project. Starting with the sponsor, who will then pick the project leader, who then assembles the core team and supporting teams at the start of the project. Creating the necessary stability inflow to facilitate the execution.

3. Improvement in communication: A concept paper is an expression of what leaders, sponsors, and the core team have in mind. It involves sharing information with those who will support the project by creating the necessary engagement and communication with those who are not fully dedicated to the project.

4. Maintaining focus during the execution: A timeline is clearly defined and visualized in concept papers. These allow teams to keep the project on track and maintain the discipline of daily management routines, designer views, and event management.

Always take into consideration that the flow of a concept paper depends on what kind of output you are working on.

Why write a concept paper? 

A concept paper has several uses:

1. First, it is the basis of the full proposal.

2. Second, it helps determine whether a certain project is attainable or not.

3. Third, it is used to draw the interest of a potential funding agency or client.

4. Lastly, it is used to receive informal feedback on the ideas during the discourse of preparing a full proposal.

In short, a concept paper is a preliminary document for a proposal. It shows a preview of the improvement that the proposer would like to implement.

Additional information on explaining a concept:

There are three ways of explaining a concept

1. Definition – It is a method of identifying a given term and making its meaning clearer: its main purpose is to clarify and explain concepts, ideas, and issues.

Definition can be presented in 3 ways: informal, formal, or extended.

1. Information definition – Done through brief explanation.

2. Formal definition – Explains a term by indicating where that term came from and the quality that makes the term different from others.

3. Extended definition – It is composed of at least one paragraph, providing full description and complete information.

To better present an idea, one should identify the important elements contained in a definition: for example, as defined, for instance, meaning, to define, for example, is defined as, such as, to illustrate.

2. Explication – It is a method of explanation in which sentences, verses, quotes, or passages are taken for a literary or academic work and then interpreted and explained in a detailed manner.

3. clarification – it is a method in which the points are organized from a general abstract idea to specify and concrete examples are given.,   parts of a concept paper .

A concept paper usually ranges from 500 to 2000 words. The following sections discussed in a concept paper comprise the content of the paper.

Two outlines of concept paper:

1. concept paper for a project.

Use the following structure when you want to present a business project: 

1. Cover page

• State the name of the proponents and their affiliations.
• State the personal data of the proponents.
• State the date of submission and the head of that project.

2. Introduction

• Present what the topic contains and why they need to support the project.

3. Rationale or background

• State the importance of the project and what are the problems that need solution.

4. Project description

• Provide the goals and objectives of the project, timeline expressed in months and years, as well as the benefits and the possible outcome.
• State the methodology (action, planning, project activities, or approach).

5. Project needs and cost

• State the outline of the main budget, the description, and the amount.
• Explain how the budget will be used.
• List the personnel or equipment needed for the project.

2. Concept paper for academic research

Use the following structure to present an idea or concept for a research you would like to pursue.

1. Title page

• State the proponent’s name, institution, the title of the project, and date of submission.

2. Background of the study

• Provide the current state of the field you are researching on, knowledge and problems to be addressed by the research.
• Supply the site of the previous study that can prove your claims, and the reason why you want to investigate the topic.

3. Preliminary literature review

• Provide a theoretical framework, related literature that supports your topic.

4. Statement of the problem/objectives

• State the general problem in one sentence, including the research questions and objectives.

5. Abridged methodology

• Provide the data analysis scheme to be used, data collection procedure, instruments to be used, and the participants of the study

6. Timeline

• Provide a timeline that is set in months and years.

7. References

• Provide the list of all sources like books, journals, and other resources cited in your paper.

Guidelines in writing a concept paper

1. Cost and methodology should be reasonable.

2. The budget, methodology, and timeline should be clearly mentioned.

3. Use statistics and figures when discussing the rationale for the project.

4. Use no more than 5 pages (single-paced) excluding the cover page. Do not overwhelm the readers with unnecessary details.

5. Never request funding for planning the proposal.

6. Adjust your language based on the intended readers. You may use technical terms for target readers composed of scholars and scientists. However, refrain from using jargon when your targeted readers are not professionals or experts.

7. Include the overview of the budget if it is required. If not, then skip the budget section. Instead, you may simply include the type of support you require or need, such as personnel, travel expenses, and communication equipment.

8. Be sure that the basic format details are incorporated, such as page numbers.

9. Cite your references.

The aforementioned analysis will help readers to write effective concept papers for business project and academic research papers.

Relevant links

How to write an effective literature review for academic publishing – Author Assists Blog

Difference between thesis and dissertation: Main components of writing an effective thesis paper – Author Assists Blog

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How to Write a Concept Paper for a PhD: A 10-Step Guide

Table of contents

You’re ready to enroll for your Ph.D. studies but feeling anxious. You don’t know whether your application will be accepted or what it would take to be accepted.

Aside from your academic qualifications, a concept paper is one of the most critical determinants. If you’re planning to pursue a Ph.D., you need to learn how to write an effective concept paper to convince your professors.

Writing a concept paper requires strong analytical skills, advanced research knowledge, and excellent writing skills.

This blog post will give you a step-by-step guide on how to write a concept paper for a Ph.D. to get you a step closer to becoming a doctor of philosophy.

What is a concept paper for Ph.D.?

A concept paper for a Ph.D. is a written statement outlining the objectives and concepts of a proposed research study. It acts as an introduction to your dissertation or full thesis.

It is also an important part of the application process for Ph.D. programs and helps the admissions committee evaluate a student's research potential.

It typically includes background information on the topic to be studied, an overview of existing research, and the proposed research design. It also highlights potential results from the proposed study and their practical applications.

Ultimately, concept papers for Ph.D. programs help determine whether a student is qualified to pursue doctoral-level work in their chosen field.

How long is a Ph.D. concept paper?

The length of your concept paper will depend on your field of study and the requirements set by your university. Generally speaking, most universities expect concept papers to be between 3-5 pages long. Some papers may be longer or shorter depending on how much detail your project entails.

Key takeaways

A concept paper for Ph.D. includes:

• Background information on the topic;
• Overview of existing research;
• Proposed research design;
• Potential results from the study;
• Practical applications of the study.

How to Write a Concept Paper for Ph.D.?

An effective concept paper will help you get approval from your professor or adviser to begin your doctoral work.

What are the characteristics of a good concept paper?

A good concept paper should present an idea or topic in a clear and concise manner. It should provide an overview of what the research project will cover and explain why it’s important.

Additionally, it should highlight any potential implications of the research study and how they can be addressed or minimized. The goal of the paper is to convince the reader that your proposed project is worth pursuing and that it contributes new knowledge to your field of study.

What are the 5 elements of a concept paper?

The five elements of a concept paper are:

• Background;
• Purpose statement;
• Problem statement;
• Research questions or hypotheses;
• Significance or implications for practice.

These elements work together to provide a comprehensive overview of your proposed research project and show why it’s worth pursuing.

Here are the steps to write an outstanding concept paper that stands no chance of being rejected.

1. Define the title and purpose of your study

The first step in writing a concept paper is defining the title and purpose of your study. What will your research be about? And what are you trying to accomplish through it?

The title and purpose of your study will set the foundation for your concept paper. This part should be concise and clear so that readers understand the basis and significance of your research. When formulating the title, ensure it accurately reflects the main focus of your entire research study.

2. Describe the background and scope of your study

The next step is to provide an overview of the background information of your study topic and explain how it relates to your proposed project.

When describing the background of your study, you need to provide some context about why this topic is important enough to warrant academic inquiry.

Highlight any existing studies or theories related to your topic so that readers understand why you have chosen it as part of your dissertation research.

3. Identify the problem statement

Next, identify a problem statement that outlines what issue or gap in the knowledge you are attempting to address through your research project. Every good concept paper should include a well thought problem statement.

Your problem statement should be precise and concise so readers can easily understand what they can expect from reading further.

Here, you should make it clear why there’s a need for further investigation in your chosen field and how your research will contribute new insights into existing knowledge.

4. List your goals and objectives

Now that you’ve established your problem statement, you need to outline the specific goals and objectives that will guide you through your research.

Here, you outline what steps you’ll take and what specifically you hope to achieve in every stage of the study. This could mean anything from creating new theories, testing existing theories or models, exploring the techniques used in other studies, etc.

Your goals and objectives will give the readers a heads-up about what outcomes they can expect from the project.

Ensure whatever goals and objectives you list are measurable and achievable within the scope of your research study.

5. Formulate research questions

Next, formulate detailed research questions (and accompanying hypotheses) based on the topic you plan to explore.

These questions should include the variables you plan to manipulate or measure during data collection. Ensure the questions are clear and written in simple language so readers can understand what you’ll address through the study.

Also, don’t forget to create hypotheses for every research question you write. These are specific claims that will act as the starting points for further inquiry and potential conclusions for the study.

6. Explain the theoretical framework of the study

Once you’ve formulated your research questions, the next step is to explain the theoretical framework or foundational concept of the study.

Identify and briefly explain the theories that inspired you and connect them back to your intended study.

This will set out the context of your project and show that you’ve read and understood existing knowledge on the subject. This theoretical knowledge will come in handy if your application is accepted.

7. Write the literature review

The next step is to write the literature review . Here, you identify information and existing knowledge from previous studies and other published articles.

Your literature review should also include summaries or reviews of key texts related to your topic. You can get information for this section from peer-reviewed articles and online journals like OpenDOAR and CORE.

Remember, all the facts, statistics, and other relevant information must be accompanied by appropriate citations and references.

8. Describe the proposed research methodology

After writing the literature review, go ahead and describe the research design and methodology you’ll be employing.

Some of the critical details to include in this section include:

• What data collection methods you’ll use? (e.g., surveys, interviews, or questionnaires).
• How many participants will form your sample size?
• What data analysis methods will you use? (e.g., qualitative versus quantitative).

Be sure to highlight any ethical considerations involved in your research methodology. For instance, explain the informed consent procedures you’ll use if your research involves human participation.

Also, explain how you’ll minimize the potential risks associated with participating in your research activities.

9. Explain the significance of the study (and its implications)

Now that you’ve explained the methodology, it’s time to let the readers understand why this study is important and why it makes a significant contribution to existing research.

Additionally, explain how this study will impact theory development and its significance for policymakers or practitioners in your field of study.

You should also discuss any potential implications of conducting this research (e.g., ethical considerations or political ramifications).

10. Include references/bibliography

Finally, include references or a bibliography at the end of your concept paper to build credibility for your research paper.

A bibliography enables you to give credit where it belongs by recognizing the owners of your reference materials.

Ensure you format references properly according to the style specified by the institution you’re applying to. This could be for example APA , MLA, or  Harvard referencing style .

What is the difference between a concept paper and a research paper?

A concept paper outlines what you plan to do (in future tense), while a research paper explains what you did (in past tense) after completing your research project. In other words, a concept paper serves as an introduction to your research, while a research paper provides evidence-based results from experiments conducted during your study.

Final thoughts

The thought of writing a concept paper for your Ph.D. can be intimidating at first. However, once you know the right approach to take and invest enough time, the writing process becomes hassle-free.

Start by brainstorming your ideas, researching related topics, and creating an outline. Also, ensure you clearly define your concept and know the exact approach you’ll be taking. This way, you won’t find yourself stuck when your concept paper has been approved for further research.

After completing the paper, revise it to ensure everything is clear and accurate with no typos. In the end, you’ll have an excellent concept paper that will pave the way for you to pursue your doctoral studies.

If you need help writing a concept paper for your Ph.D., turn to Writers Per Hour for assistance. With expert Doctoral writers on the team, we can draft a compelling concept paper that is 100% original and written from scratch as per your requirements.

Last edit at Jul 27 2023

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What is a Concept Paper and How do You Write One?

• By DiscoverPhDs
• August 26, 2020

What is a Concept Paper?

A concept paper is a short document written by a researcher before starting their research project, with the purpose of explaining what the study is about, why it is important and the methods that will be used.

The concept paper will include your proposed research title, a brief introduction to the subject, the aim of the study, the research questions you intend to answer, the type of data you will collect and how you will collect it. A concept paper can also be referred to as a research proposal.

What is the Purpose of a Concept Paper?

The primary aim of a research concept paper is to convince the reader that the proposed research project is worth doing. This means that the reader should first agree that the research study is novel and interesting. They should be convinced that there is a need for this research and that the research aims and questions are appropriate.

Finally, they should be satisfied that the methods for data collection proposed are feasible, are likely to work and can be performed within the specific time period allocated for this project.

The three main scenarios in which you may need to write a concept paper are if you are:

• A final year undergraduate or master’s student preparing to start a research project with a supervisor.
• A student submitting a research proposal to pursue a PhD project under the supervision of a professor.
• A principal investigator submitting a proposal to a funding body to secure financial support for a research project.

How Long is a Concept Paper?

The concept paper format is usually between 2 and 3 pages in length for students writing proposals for undergraduate, master’s or PhD projects. Concept papers written as part of funding applications may be over 20 pages in length.

How do you Write a Concept Paper?

There are 6 important aspects to consider when writing a concept paper or research proposal:

• 1. The wording of the title page, which is best presented as a question for this type of document. At this study concept stage, you can write the title a bit catchier, for example “Are 3D Printed Engine Parts Safe for Use in Aircraft?”.
• A brief introduction and review of relevant existing literature published within the subject area and identification of where the gaps in knowledge are. This last bit is particularly important as it guides you in defining the statement of the problem. The concept paper should provide a succinct summary of ‘the problem’, which is usually related to what is unknown or poorly understood about your research topic . By the end of the concept paper, the reader should be clear on how your research idea will provide a ‘solution’ to this problem.
• The overarching research aim of your proposed study and the objectives and/or questions you will address to achieve this aim. Align all of these with the problem statement; i.e. write each research question as a clear response to addressing the limitations and gaps identified from previous literature. Also give a clear description of your primary hypothesis.
• The specific data outputs that you plan to capture. For example, will this be qualitative or quantitative data? Do you plan to capture data at specific time points or at other defined intervals? Do you need to repeat data capture to asses any repeatability and reproducibility questions?
• The research methodology you will use to capture this data, including any specific measurement or analysis equipment and software you will use, and a consideration of statistical tests to help interpret the data. If your research requires the use of questionnaires, how will these be prepared and validated? In what sort of time frame would you plan to collect this data?
• Finally, include a statement of the significance of the study , explaining why your research is important and impactful. This can be in the form of a concluding paragraph that reiterate the statement of the problem, clarifies how your research will address this and explains who will benefit from your research and how.

You may need to include a short summary of the timeline for completing the research project. Defining milestones of the time points at which you intend to complete certain tasks can help to show that you’ve considered the practicalities of running this study. It also shows that what you have proposed is feasible in order to achieve your research goal.

If you’re pitching your proposed project to a funder, they may allocate a proportion of the money based on the satisfactory outcome of each milestone. These stakeholders may also be motivated by knowing that you intend to convert your dissertation into an article for journal publication; this level of dissemination is of high importance to them.

Additionally, you may be asked to provide a brief summary of the projected costs of running the study. For a PhD project this could be the bench fees associated with consumables and the cost of any travel if required.

Make sure to include references and cite all other literature and previous research that you discuss in your concept paper.

This guide gave you an overview of the key elements you need to know about when writing concept papers. The purpose of these are first to convey to the reader what your project’s purpose is and why your research topic is important; this is based on the development of a problem statement using evidence from your literature review.

Explain how it may positively impact your research field and if your proposed research design is appropriate and your planned research method achievable.

Do you need to have published papers to do a PhD? The simple answer is no but it could benefit your application if you can.

The answer is simple: there is no age limit for doing a PhD; in fact, the oldest known person to have gained a PhD in the UK was 95 years old.

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Reference management software solutions offer a powerful way for you to track and manage your academic references. Read our blog post to learn more about what they are and how to use them.

The scope of the study is defined at the start of the study. It is used by researchers to set the boundaries and limitations within which the research study will be performed.

Dr Ayres completed her PhD at the University of Warwick in 2017, researching the use of diamond to make electrochemical sensors. She is now a research scientists in the water industry, developing different analytical techniques and sensors to help keep our water systems safe.

Abdullah recently finished his PhD at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His computer science research developed deep learning-based algorithms for medical image analysis.

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