Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
To guide your introduction , include information about:
As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
? or ? , , or research design? | |
, )? ? | |
, , , )? | |
? |
To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasise again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
Research phase | Objectives | Deadline |
---|---|---|
1. Background research and literature review | 20th January | |
2. Research design planning | and data analysis methods | 13th February |
3. Data collection and preparation | with selected participants and code interviews | 24th March |
4. Data analysis | of interview transcripts | 22nd April |
5. Writing | 17th June | |
6. Revision | final work | 28th July |
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
To determine your budget, think about:
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement.
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, June 13). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 5 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-proposal-explained/
Other students also liked, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, what is a literature review | guide, template, & examples, how to write a results section | tips & examples.
A Straightforward How-To Guide (With Examples)
By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | August 2019 (Updated April 2023)
Writing up a strong research proposal for a dissertation or thesis is much like a marriage proposal. It’s a task that calls on you to win somebody over and persuade them that what you’re planning is a great idea. An idea they’re happy to say ‘yes’ to. This means that your dissertation proposal needs to be persuasive , attractive and well-planned. In this post, I’ll show you how to write a winning dissertation proposal, from scratch.
Before you start:
– Understand exactly what a research proposal is – Ask yourself these 4 questions
The 5 essential ingredients:
The research proposal is literally that: a written document that communicates what you propose to research, in a concise format. It’s where you put all that stuff that’s spinning around in your head down on to paper, in a logical, convincing fashion.
Convincing is the keyword here, as your research proposal needs to convince the assessor that your research is clearly articulated (i.e., a clear research question) , worth doing (i.e., is unique and valuable enough to justify the effort), and doable within the restrictions you’ll face (time limits, budget, skill limits, etc.). If your proposal does not address these three criteria, your research won’t be approved, no matter how “exciting” the research idea might be.
PS – if you’re completely new to proposal writing, we’ve got a detailed walkthrough video covering two successful research proposals here .
Before starting the writing process, you need to ask yourself 4 important questions . If you can’t answer them succinctly and confidently, you’re not ready – you need to go back and think more deeply about your dissertation topic .
You should be able to answer the following 4 questions before starting your dissertation or thesis research proposal:
If you can’t answer these questions clearly and concisely, you’re not yet ready to write your research proposal – revisit our post on choosing a topic .
If you can, that’s great – it’s time to start writing up your dissertation proposal. Next, I’ll discuss what needs to go into your research proposal, and how to structure it all into an intuitive, convincing document with a linear narrative.
Research proposals can vary in style between institutions and disciplines, but here I’ll share with you a handy 5-section structure you can use. These 5 sections directly address the core questions we spoke about earlier, ensuring that you present a convincing proposal. If your institution already provides a proposal template, there will likely be substantial overlap with this, so you’ll still get value from reading on.
For each section discussed below, make sure you use headers and sub-headers (ideally, numbered headers) to help the reader navigate through your document, and to support them when they need to revisit a previous section. Don’t just present an endless wall of text, paragraph after paragraph after paragraph…
Top Tip: Use MS Word Styles to format headings. This will allow you to be clear about whether a sub-heading is level 2, 3, or 4. Additionally, you can view your document in ‘outline view’ which will show you only your headings. This makes it much easier to check your structure, shift things around and make decisions about where a section needs to sit. You can also generate a 100% accurate table of contents using Word’s automatic functionality.
Your research proposal’s title should be your main research question in its simplest form, possibly with a sub-heading providing basic details on the specifics of the study. For example:
“Compliance with equality legislation in the charity sector: a study of the ‘reasonable adjustments’ made in three London care homes”
As you can see, this title provides a clear indication of what the research is about, in broad terms. It paints a high-level picture for the first-time reader, which gives them a taste of what to expect. Always aim for a clear, concise title . Don’t feel the need to capture every detail of your research in your title – your proposal will fill in the gaps.
In this section of your research proposal, you’ll expand on what you’ve communicated in the title, by providing a few paragraphs which offer more detail about your research topic. Importantly, the focus here is the topic – what will you research and why is that worth researching? This is not the place to discuss methodology, practicalities, etc. – you’ll do that later.
You should cover the following:
Importantly, you should aim to use short sentences and plain language – don’t babble on with extensive jargon, acronyms and complex language. Assume that the reader is an intelligent layman – not a subject area specialist (even if they are). Remember that the best writing is writing that can be easily understood and digested. Keep it simple.
Note that some universities may want some extra bits and pieces in your introduction section. For example, personal development objectives, a structural outline, etc. Check your brief to see if there are any other details they expect in your proposal, and make sure you find a place for these.
Next, you’ll need to specify what the scope of your research will be – this is also known as the delimitations . In other words, you need to make it clear what you will be covering and, more importantly, what you won’t be covering in your research. Simply put, this is about ring fencing your research topic so that you have a laser-sharp focus.
All too often, students feel the need to go broad and try to address as many issues as possible, in the interest of producing comprehensive research. Whilst this is admirable, it’s a mistake. By tightly refining your scope, you’ll enable yourself to go deep with your research, which is what you need to earn good marks. If your scope is too broad, you’re likely going to land up with superficial research (which won’t earn marks), so don’t be afraid to narrow things down.
In this section of your research proposal, you need to provide a (relatively) brief discussion of the existing literature. Naturally, this will not be as comprehensive as the literature review in your actual dissertation, but it will lay the foundation for that. In fact, if you put in the effort at this stage, you’ll make your life a lot easier when it’s time to write your actual literature review chapter.
There are a few things you need to achieve in this section:
When you write up your literature review, keep these three objectives front of mind, especially number two (revealing the gap in the literature), so that your literature review has a clear purpose and direction . Everything you write should be contributing towards one (or more) of these objectives in some way. If it doesn’t, you need to ask yourself whether it’s truly needed.
Top Tip: Don’t fall into the trap of just describing the main pieces of literature, for example, “A says this, B says that, C also says that…” and so on. Merely describing the literature provides no value. Instead, you need to synthesise it, and use it to address the three objectives above.
Now that you’ve clearly explained both your intended research topic (in the introduction) and the existing research it will draw on (in the literature review section), it’s time to get practical and explain exactly how you’ll be carrying out your own research. In other words, your research methodology.
In this section, you’ll need to answer two critical questions :
In other words, this is not just about explaining WHAT you’ll be doing, it’s also about explaining WHY. In fact, the justification is the most important part , because that justification is how you demonstrate a good understanding of research design (which is what assessors want to see).
Some essential design choices you need to cover in your research proposal include:
This list is not exhaustive – these are just some core attributes of research design. Check with your institution what level of detail they expect. The “ research onion ” by Saunders et al (2009) provides a good summary of the various design choices you ultimately need to make – you can read more about that here .
In addition to the technical aspects, you will need to address the practical side of the project. In other words, you need to explain what resources you’ll need (e.g., time, money, access to equipment or software, etc.) and how you intend to secure these resources. You need to show that your project is feasible, so any “make or break” type resources need to already be secured. The success or failure of your project cannot depend on some resource which you’re not yet sure you have access to.
Another part of the practicalities discussion is project and risk management . In other words, you need to show that you have a clear project plan to tackle your research with. Some key questions to address:
A good way to demonstrate that you’ve thought this through is to include a Gantt chart and a risk register (in the appendix if word count is a problem). With these two tools, you can show that you’ve got a clear, feasible plan, and you’ve thought about and accounted for the potential risks.
Tip – Be honest about the potential difficulties – but show that you are anticipating solutions and workarounds. This is much more impressive to an assessor than an unrealistically optimistic proposal which does not anticipate any challenges whatsoever.
The final step is to edit and proofread your proposal – very carefully. It sounds obvious, but all too often poor editing and proofreading ruin a good proposal. Nothing is more off-putting for an assessor than a poorly edited, typo-strewn document. It sends the message that you either do not pay attention to detail, or just don’t care. Neither of these are good messages. Put the effort into editing and proofreading your proposal (or pay someone to do it for you) – it will pay dividends.
When you’re editing, watch out for ‘academese’. Many students can speak simply, passionately and clearly about their dissertation topic – but become incomprehensible the moment they turn the laptop on. You are not required to write in any kind of special, formal, complex language when you write academic work. Sure, there may be technical terms, jargon specific to your discipline, shorthand terms and so on. But, apart from those, keep your written language very close to natural spoken language – just as you would speak in the classroom. Imagine that you are explaining your project plans to your classmates or a family member. Remember, write for the intelligent layman, not the subject matter experts. Plain-language, concise writing is what wins hearts and minds – and marks!
And there you have it – how to write your dissertation or thesis research proposal, from the title page to the final proof. Here’s a quick recap of the key takeaways:
Hopefully, this post has helped you better understand how to write up a winning research proposal. If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog . If your university doesn’t provide any template for your proposal, you might want to try out our free research proposal template .
This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .
Thank you so much for the valuable insight that you have given, especially on the research proposal. That is what I have managed to cover. I still need to go back to the other parts as I got disturbed while still listening to Derek’s audio on you-tube. I am inspired. I will definitely continue with Grad-coach guidance on You-tube.
Thanks for the kind words :). All the best with your proposal.
First of all, thanks a lot for making such a wonderful presentation. The video was really useful and gave me a very clear insight of how a research proposal has to be written. I shall try implementing these ideas in my RP.
Once again, I thank you for this content.
I found reading your outline on writing research proposal very beneficial. I wish there was a way of submitting my draft proposal to you guys for critiquing before I submit to the institution.
Hi Bonginkosi
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, we do provide a review service. The best starting point is to have a chat with one of our coaches here: https://gradcoach.com/book/new/ .
Hello team GRADCOACH, may God bless you so much. I was totally green in research. Am so happy for your free superb tutorials and resources. Once again thank you so much Derek and his team.
You’re welcome, Erick. Good luck with your research proposal 🙂
thank you for the information. its precise and on point.
Really a remarkable piece of writing and great source of guidance for the researchers. GOD BLESS YOU for your guidance. Regards
Thanks so much for your guidance. It is easy and comprehensive the way you explain the steps for a winning research proposal.
Thank you guys so much for the rich post. I enjoyed and learn from every word in it. My problem now is how to get into your platform wherein I can always seek help on things related to my research work ? Secondly, I wish to find out if there is a way I can send my tentative proposal to you guys for examination before I take to my supervisor Once again thanks very much for the insights
Thanks for your kind words, Desire.
If you are based in a country where Grad Coach’s paid services are available, you can book a consultation by clicking the “Book” button in the top right.
Best of luck with your studies.
May God bless you team for the wonderful work you are doing,
If I have a topic, Can I submit it to you so that you can draft a proposal for me?? As I am expecting to go for masters degree in the near future.
Thanks for your comment. We definitely cannot draft a proposal for you, as that would constitute academic misconduct. The proposal needs to be your own work. We can coach you through the process, but it needs to be your own work and your own writing.
Best of luck with your research!
I found a lot of many essential concepts from your material. it is real a road map to write a research proposal. so thanks a lot. If there is any update material on your hand on MBA please forward to me.
GradCoach is a professional website that presents support and helps for MBA student like me through the useful online information on the page and with my 1-on-1 online coaching with the amazing and professional PhD Kerryen.
Thank you Kerryen so much for the support and help 🙂
I really recommend dealing with such a reliable services provider like Gradcoah and a coach like Kerryen.
Hi, Am happy for your service and effort to help students and researchers, Please, i have been given an assignment on research for strategic development, the task one is to formulate a research proposal to support the strategic development of a business area, my issue here is how to go about it, especially the topic or title and introduction. Please, i would like to know if you could help me and how much is the charge.
This content is practical, valuable, and just great!
Thank you very much!
Hi Derek, Thank you for the valuable presentation. It is very helpful especially for beginners like me. I am just starting my PhD.
This is quite instructive and research proposal made simple. Can I have a research proposal template?
Great! Thanks for rescuing me, because I had no former knowledge in this topic. But with this piece of information, I am now secured. Thank you once more.
I enjoyed listening to your video on how to write a proposal. I think I will be able to write a winning proposal with your advice. I wish you were to be my supervisor.
Dear Derek Jansen,
Thank you for your great content. I couldn’t learn these topics in MBA, but now I learned from GradCoach. Really appreciate your efforts….
From Afghanistan!
I have got very essential inputs for startup of my dissertation proposal. Well organized properly communicated with video presentation. Thank you for the presentation.
Wow, this is absolutely amazing guys. Thank you so much for the fruitful presentation, you’ve made my research much easier.
this helps me a lot. thank you all so much for impacting in us. may god richly bless you all
How I wish I’d learn about Grad Coach earlier. I’ve been stumbling around writing and rewriting! Now I have concise clear directions on how to put this thing together. Thank you!
Fantastic!! Thank You for this very concise yet comprehensive guidance.
Even if I am poor in English I would like to thank you very much.
Thank you very much, this is very insightful.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
By Jason G. Gillmore, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Hope College, Holland, MI
A research plan is more than a to-do list for this week in lab, or a manila folder full of ideas for maybe someday—at least if you are thinking of a tenure-track academic career in chemistry at virtually any bachelor’s or higher degree–granting institution in the country. A perusal of the academic job ads in C&EN every August–October will quickly reveal that most schools expect a cover letter (whether they say so or not), a CV, a teaching statement, and a research plan, along with reference letters and transcripts. So what is this document supposed to be, and why worry about it now when those job ads are still months away?
A research plan is a thoughtful, compelling, well-written document that outlines your exciting, unique research ideas that you and your students will pursue over the next half decade or so to advance knowledge in your discipline and earn you grants, papers, speaking invitations, tenure, promotion, and a national reputation. It must be a document that people at the department you hope to join will (a) read, and (b) be suitably excited about to invite you for an interview.
That much I knew when I was asked to write this article. More specifics I only really knew for my own institution, Hope College (a research intensive undergraduate liberal arts college with no graduate program), and even there you might get a dozen nuanced opinions among my dozen colleagues. So I polled a broad cross-section of my network, spanning chemical subdisciplines at institutions ranging from small, teaching-centered liberal arts colleges to our nation’s elite research programs, such as Scripps and MIT. The responses certainly varied, but they did center on a few main themes, or illustrate a trend across institution types. In this article I’ll share those commonalities, while also encouraging you to be unafraid to contact a search committee chair with a few specific questions, especially for the institutions you are particularly excited about and feel might be the best fit for you.
While more senior advisors and members of search committees may have gotten their jobs with a single research project, conventional wisdom these days is that you need two to three distinct but related projects. How closely related to one another they should be is a matter of debate, but almost everyone I asked felt that there should be some unifying technique, problem or theme to them. However, the projects should be sufficiently disparate that a failure of one key idea, strategy, or technique will not hamstring your other projects.
For this reason, many applicants wisely choose to identify:
Having more than three projects is probably unrealistic. But even the safest project must be worth doing, and even the riskiest must appear to have a reasonable chance of working.
Your proposed research must do more than extend what you have already done. In most subdisciplines, you must be sufficiently removed from your postdoctoral or graduate work that you will not be lambasted for clinging to an advisor’s apron strings. After all, if it is such a good idea in their immediate area of interest, why aren’t they pursuing it?!?
But you also must be able to make the case for why your training makes this a good problem for you to study—how you bring a unique skill set as well as unique ideas to this research. The five years you will have to do, fund, and publish the research before crafting your tenure package will go by too fast for you to break into something entirely outside your realm of expertise.
Biochemistry is a partial exception to this advice—in this subdiscipline it is quite common to bring a project with you from a postdoc (or more rarely your Ph.D.) to start your independent career. However, you should still articulate your original contribution to, and unique angle on the work. It is also wise to be sure your advisor tells that same story in his or her letter and articulates support of your pursuing this research in your career as a genuinely independent scientist (and not merely someone who could be perceived as his or her latest "flunky" of a collaborator.)
Regarding collaboration, tread lightly as a young scientist seeking or starting an independent career. Being someone with whom others can collaborate in the future is great. Relying on collaborators for the success of your projects is unwise. Be cautious about proposing to continue collaborations you already have (especially with past advisors) and about starting new ones where you might not be perceived as the lead PI. Also beware of presuming you can help advance the research of someone already in a department. Are they still there? Are they still doing that research? Do they actually want that help—or will they feel like you are criticizing or condescending to them, trying to scoop them, or seeking to ride their coattails? Some places will view collaboration very favorably, but the safest route is to cautiously float such ideas during interviews while presenting research plans that are exciting and achievable on your own.
Some faculty advise tailoring every application packet document to every institution to which you apply, while others suggest tweaking only the cover letter. Certainly the cover letter is the document most suited to introducing yourself and making the case for how you are the perfect fit for the advertised position at that institution. So save your greatest degree of tailoring for your cover letter. It is nice if you can tweak a few sentences of other documents to highlight your fit to a specific school, so long as it is not contrived.
Now, if you are applying to widely different types of institutions, a few different sets of documents will certainly be necessary. The research plan that you target in the middle to get you a job at both Harvard University and Hope College will not get you an interview at either! There are different realities of resources, scope, scale, and timeline. Not that my colleagues and I at Hope cannot tackle research that is just as exciting as Harvard’s. However, we need to have enough of a niche or a unique angle both to endure the longer timeframe necessitated by smaller groups of undergraduate researchers and to ensure that we still stand out. Furthermore, we generally need to be able to do it with more limited resources. If you do not demonstrate that understanding, you will be dismissed out of hand. But at many large Ph.D. programs, any consideration of "niche" can be inferred as a lack of confidence or ambition.
Also, be aware that department Web pages (especially those several pages deep in the site, or maintained by individual faculty) can be woefully out-of-date. If something you are planning to say is contingent on something you read on their Web site, find a way to confirm it!
While the research plan is not the place to articulate start-up needs, you should consider instrumentation and other resources that will be necessary to get started, and where you will go for funding or resources down the road. This will come up in interviews, and hopefully you will eventually need these details to negotiate a start-up package.
Your research plan should show the big picture clearly and excite a broad audience of chemists across your sub-discipline. At many educational institutions, everyone in the department will read the proposal critically, at least if you make the short list to interview. Even at departments that leave it all to a committee of the subdiscipline, subdisciplines can be broad and might even still have an outside member on the committee. And the committee needs to justify their actions to the department at large, as well as to deans, provosts, and others. So having at least the introduction and executive summaries of your projects comprehensible and compelling to those outside your discipline is highly advantageous.
Good science, written well, makes a good research plan. As you craft and refine your research plan, keep the following strategies, as well as your audience in mind:
Learn more on the Blog
Here is where the answers diverged the most and without a unifying trend across institutions. Bottom line, you need space to make your case, but even more, you need people to read what you write.
A single page abstract or executive summary of all your projects together provides you an opportunity to make the case for unifying themes yet distinct projects. It may also provide space to articulate a timeline. Indeed, many readers will only read this single page in each application, at least until winnowing down to a more manageable list of potential candidates. At the most elite institutions, there may be literally hundreds of applicants, scores of them entirely well-suited to the job.
While three to five pages per proposal was a common response (single spaced, in 11-point Arial or 12-point Times with one inch margins), including references (which should be accurate, appropriate, and current!), some of my busiest colleagues have said they will not read more than about three pages total. Only a few actually indicated they would read up to 12-15 pages for three projects. In my opinion, ten pages total for your research plans should be a fairly firm upper limit unless you are specifically told otherwise by a search committee, and then only if you have two to three distinct proposals.
Hopefully, this question has answered itself already! Your research plan needs to be a well thought out document that is an integrated part of applications tailored to each institution to which you apply. It must represent mature ideas that you have had time to refine through multiple revisions and a great deal of critical review from everyone you can get to read them. Moreover, you may need a few different sets of these, especially if you will be applying to a broad range of institutions. So add “write research plans” to this week’s to do list (and every week’s for the next few months) and start writing up the ideas in that manila folder into some genuine research plans. See which ones survive the process and rise to the top and you should be well prepared when the job ads begin to appear in C&EN in August!
Jason G. Gillmore , Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Hope College in Holland, MI. A native of New Jersey, he earned his B.S. (’96) and M.S. (’98) degrees in chemistry from Virginia Tech, and his Ph.D. (’03) in organic chemistry from the University of Rochester. After a short postdoctoral traineeship at Vanderbilt University, he joined the faculty at Hope in 2004. He has received the Dreyfus Start-up Award, Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award, and NSF CAREER Award, and is currently on sabbatical as a Visiting Research Professor at Arizona State University. Professor Gillmore is the organizer of the Biennial Midwest Postdoc to PUI Professor (P3) Workshop co-sponsored by ACS, and a frequent panelist at the annual ACS Postdoc to Faculty (P2F) Workshops.
Other tips to help engage (or at least not turn off) your readers include:
Accept & Close The ACS takes your privacy seriously as it relates to cookies. We use cookies to remember users, better understand ways to serve them, improve our value proposition, and optimize their experience. Learn more about managing your cookies at Cookies Policy .
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA | service@acs.org | 1-800-333-9511 (US and Canada) | 614-447-3776 (outside North America)
Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society
In business, you should never make decisions on the fly. This is true especially for important business decisions that deals with the financial status of the business. Making decisions without proper thought or extensive research is not only costly for the company but also affects the long-term sustainability of the organization. You may also see baseline project plan examples .
Research is important for business organizations, either for profit companies and also for nonprofit organizations. To help you create a research project plan, here are some research project plan examples you can use and download for free.
Size: 19 KB
Size: 30 KB
Size: 32 KB
Size: 35 KB
Size: 100 KB
Size: 28 KB
Size: 58 KB
Size: 78 KB
Size: 57 KB
Size: 157 KB
Size: 71 KB
Size: 65 KB
Size: 62 KB
Here are some important tips in creating a research project plan. Take note that a research plan comprises one step in your company achieving profitability and sustainability. When you want to venture into a new business, specifically starting a new project, you first need to do research, and a research project plan helps you identify problems and create solutions for your new project.
First and foremost, you need to choose a project that can help your business attain higher revenues. Never use company resources to fund a research plan for your own personal hobby. This does not benefit the company in any way and will only cause unnecessary losses for your company.
If you are a business owner, discuss possible projects with your management team. Together, you can brainstorm and finalize on the project you are going to pursue. Think of projects that are going to bring in income for your business. This may be an expansion project or a project that ventures into another industry (for example, your business provides laundry services but you want to invest in a fast-food chain).
Remember, choosing a project will not immediately mean that your going to fund it right away. That is why you need to create a research project plan first before you start purchasing materials or begin working on your actual project.
After a choosing the project to work on, it’s now time to work on the details of the actual research action plan . There are numerous research materials and research procedures you can choose from, but choosing the right ones will be crucial in the result of the research action plan.
The research materials will depend on the project you chose. Look for research materials that will help you identify problems as well as create solutions for the problems being identified.
Choose established theories and research strategies that can help you in your study. You can find these theories and strategies from hundreds of books, publications, journals, and online resources that are available at your disposal (or at your nearest public library).
Establishing a timeline will help you create a blueprint for your research action plan. The timetable helps you focus which tasks to prioritize and which tasks to work on later. Additionally, a timetable helps you set a concrete deadline for the research action plan. A timetable gives you additional focus and extra motivation. You may also see comprehensive project plan examples .
Remember that working on a project requires time, and you should not be in a rush to create your research action plan. Depending on the size of the project, the research action plan should amount to at least six months to one year including the data gathering phase, creating the first draft, presenting the plan to the management team, and making the final revisions of the research action plan.
Having a timeline also helps you eliminate last-minute stress in creating the action plan . When you establish a timetable beforehand, you will have more time to research and create a plan that will eventually result to a more well-researched and well-written research action plan.
Together with the timeline, a preliminary outline also gives you a guide on how to create an effective research action plan. Create an outline on what you are going to list down and discuss in the research action plan . To help you create a preliminary outline, list down the main topics that you intend to cover and organize them in a loose order.
To help you keep track of your progress, you can always write your outline in a journal. This way, you can easily revise and add ideas in which you can think can benefit the research action plan. Also in the journal, you can list down questions you think can further develop your research, as well as adding information from the sources you previously gathered. You may also like community project plan examples .
Size: 300 KB
Size: 46 KB
Here are the types of data gathering procedures you can use for your research project plan . You may use one or a combination from the research gathering procedures listed below. Your research will be dependent on the data or information you gather. A research should never rely on mere assumptions, but data that is both gathered and analyzed.
Conducting an interview is one of the most common yet most effective forms of data gathering. Interviews can either be done in personal or by telephone (smartphone).
There is one rule of thumb when doing interviews: be prepared. You can never obtain quality information if you go into an interview without preparing the questions beforehand or making an outline on how to conduct the actual interview. You will only be embarrassing yourself to the respondent (or the recipient of the interview). You may also like migration project plan examples .
Take note that when making the questions for the interview, the questions should be focused, clear, and should encourage open-ended responses. Depending on the nature of your interview, you should get the most out of your respondents. Even if the questions are answerable by a phrase or a sentence, it should still encourage multiple answers from your respondents. You may also check out agile project plan examples .
Handing out general questionnaires is also another popular and effective data gathering procedure. Compared to interviews, questionnaires are less formal since they are just given to the respondents and the researcher would just wait for the respondent to finish answering the questionnaires. Also, there is no pressure when the respondent answers the questionnaire compared to being interviewed face-to-face.
Sometimes in an interview, the interviewer asks a certain question and follows it up with another question, making the respondent uneasy in answering the question instead. The respondent may not be able to answer the question in the manner that he intended to be since he was pressured by the interviewer to answer a specific type of answer which will be preferred to his study. You might be interested in quality project plan examples .
Compared to open-ended answers from respondents in an interview, questionnaire or general survey results are easier to compile and analyze. Additionally, questionnaire responses can be analyzed with quantitative methods by assigning numerical values to Likert-type scales.
Observation meanwhile pertains to the researcher obtaining data by doing observations to a group of respondents. Observations allow researchers to study dynamics of a situation, frequency counts of target behaviors, or other behaviors as indicated by needs of the evaluation. You may also see marketing project plan examples .
Observations are specifically effective in obtaining information about a particular group and can also produce qualitative (e.g., narrative data) and quantitative data (e.g., frequency counts, mean length of interactions, and instructional time). You may also like what is a project management plan?
Observations, together with focus groups (as discussed below) are less used compared to interviews and questionnaires/surveys.
Focus groups are similar to observations, but focused groups are conducted by groups instead of individuals. The aim of a focus group-type of data gathering procedure is to obtain information about combined perspectives and opinions. The responses meanwhile are often coded into categories and analyzed thematically. You may also check out nonprofit project plan examples .
General Documents and records meanwhile pertain to the researcher basically gathering and examining data gathered from numerous sources (e.g., books, publications, novels, online sources). This type of data gathering procedure does not focus on the respondents but on the other information and analysis formulated in the research action plan.
Books and online references are not the only sources the researcher can obtain data, as he can also gather data from databases, meeting minutes, reports, attendance logs, financial records, and newsletters.
Size: 99 KB
Size: 272 KB
To further help you in creating a research project plan, here is a sample research project plan outline. Take note that the research project plan below is only an outline and does not include comprehensive analysis, which is a requirement for a standard research project plan. You may also see construction project plan examples .
1. introduction.
This research action plan aims to identify the possibility of High Energy Sports Store, Inc. opening one new store by the end of 2018 and two new stores by mid 2019. High Energy has been in operations for over three years, with three stores currently in operations. The store is the official authorized reseller of popular athletic shoe brand Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour and also sells various sportswear from the said brands. You may also like quality management plan examples .
This research action plan aims to answer the following questions:
The research will utilize the distribution of survey questionnaires as the main data gathering procedure. The research will involve 100 respondents and the demographic of the respondents are specifically regular customers of the current stores which are currently in operations.
The said survey questionnaires will be given to the customers once they arrive in the stores. If they are not available to fill out the questionnaires, the questionnaires will be sent to their respective email addresses or social media accounts. Before the questionnaires are given out, High Energy will have a master list of the respondents.
*The recommendations will base from the data gathered and analyzed from the respondents, and will also answer the questions as listed in the “ Statement of the Problem .”
*The conclusion will stem from the recommendations and will also support the findings from the data that was gathered and analyzed.
Size: 96 KB
Size: 219 KB
We hope you found this article to be informative as well as helpful when you will be creating your own research action plan. A research action plan is necessary for the company to avoid jumping right into conclusions when deciding to invest in a new project or venture.
Take note that a research plan comprises one step in your company achieving profitability and sustainability. When you want to venture into a new business, specifically starting a new project, you first need to do research, and a research project plan helps you identify problems and create solutions for your new project.
Text prompt
Create a study plan for final exams in high school
Develop a project timeline for a middle school science fair.
Negotiating your salary can be a key step in advancing your career and boosting your financial stability—but it can also be pretty intimidating. The good news is that with the right approach, it doesn’t have to be so scary. That's where a salary increase letter comes in.
Whether you're asking for a raise due to your great performance, increased responsibilities, or changes in the market, a well-crafted letter asking for salary increment can be a powerful (and smooth) way to make your case.
In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about writing a salary increase letter, from understanding its purpose to tips on crafting an effective one. We'll also include sample letters and templates to help you get started. Plus, we’ve interviewed Muse career coach Jenn Smith , who shares her top advice on navigating this critical career move.
Need a higher salary? Check out open jobs on The Muse for your next big move »
A salary increase letter is a formal document that employees use to request a raise from their employer. Unlike a salary review letter—which is typically initiated by the employer to communicate pay adjustments—a salary increase letter is written by the employee seeking a boost in compensation.
Writing a salary increase letter can be necessary for several reasons:
When writing a letter to request a salary increase, it's generally more effective to address it to your direct manager or your department’s director rather than HR. Your manager is more familiar with your work, contributions, and the value you bring to the team. They are also likely involved in budget decisions and have the authority to advocate for your raise.
Yes, writing a salary increase letter can be a formal and respectful way to request a raise. It allows you to clearly articulate your reasons, provide evidence of your achievements , and give your employer time to consider your request. Plus, a letter is a documented record of your request and can be reviewed by decision-makers at different levels of the organization.
On the other hand, having an in-person conversation can be generally more effective. “This allows you to present your case dynamically, outlining your accomplishments, contributions, and the value you bring, and respond to questions or concerns in real-time,” Smith says, adding that a direct conversation also allows for immediate feedback. “Your manager can provide insights into decision-making, share any constraints or considerations, and offer guidance.”
She also believes it’s a good idea to supplement your conversation with a follow-up email to ensure clarity and provide a reference for future discussions.
These tips will prepare you for writing an effective pay raise letter:
Conducting extensive research will strengthen your case and help you present a compelling argument.
“Research industry salary benchmarks for your role, experience level, and geographic location,” Smiths says. “Use reliable sources like industry salary surveys, compensation reports, and online salary databases.”
Additionally, be sure to understand your company's salary ranges, performance evaluation criteria, and typical raise percentages.
Timing is crucial when it comes to writing a letter requesting pay increase. Making your request at the wrong time can significantly reduce your chances of success.
“Typically, organizations have annual or semiannual performance review cycles,” Smiths says. “Discuss this with your manager before the performance review process starts so they can consider it as they begin budget conversations.”
One common mistake she sees is “asking for a raise at an inappropriate time, such as during a company's financial downturn or immediately after a major organizational change or layoffs.” Avoid doing that at all costs.
Begin your letter by setting the context for your request and remind your employer of your role within the company. Clearly state your position, tenure with the company, and the purpose of the letter.
In the main section of your letter, outline your accomplishments and contributions to the company. Highlight specific achievements, projects, or responsibilities that demonstrate your value.
Provide evidence of your impact, such as performance metrics, positive feedback from clients or colleagues, and examples of how your work has benefited the company, explaining how your contributions justify the proposed raise.
Summarize your key points and reiterate your appreciation for the opportunity to discuss your compensation. Express gratitude for the support and experiences you have gained and reiterate your commitment to the company. This positive tone reinforces your professionalism and leaves a lasting impression.
Here’s a sample letter for salary increase request to show you how these tips can be put into practice:
Alex Johnson 123 Elm Street Springfield, IL 62704 [email protected] July 25, 2024
Emma Thompson Director of Sales Innovative Tech Solutions 456 Maple Avenue Springfield, IL 62704
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I hope you are well. I am writing to formally request a review of my current salary. I have thoroughly enjoyed working at Innovative Tech Solutions over the past three years and appreciate the opportunities for growth and development that have been provided to me.
During my time here, I have consistently exceeded expectations and made significant contributions to the Sales team. For example, I spearheaded a new email marketing campaign that increased sales by 15% and successfully launched our new TechY product line, resulting in a 20% revenue boost.
In addition to my core responsibilities, I have taken on new challenges, such as leading the training program for new sales representatives and managing key client accounts, which have significantly contributed to our team's success.
I have also undertaken several professional development activities, including completing a certification in Advanced Sales Strategies and attending workshops on market trends, which have further enhanced my skills and ability to contribute to our team.
Based on my research of industry standards and salary benchmarks for my role and experience level, I believe that an adjustment in my compensation is warranted. Therefore, I respectfully request a salary increase to $85,000. This adjustment would better reflect the value I bring to the team and align my compensation with industry standards.
I am confident this increase will further motivate me to continue delivering high-quality work and contributing to the success of Innovative Tech Solutions. I am more than willing to discuss this request in person and provide any additional information that may be required.
Thank you for considering my request and for your ongoing support.
Sincerely, Alex Johnson
Now, here's a template for a raise request letter to help guide you in drafting your own:
[Your Name] [Your Address] [Email Address] [Date]
[Recipient’s Name] [Recipient’s Title] [Company’s Name] [Company’s Address]
Dear [recipient’s name],
I hope you are well. I am writing to formally request a review of my current salary. I have thoroughly enjoyed working at [Company’s Name] over the past [number] years and appreciate the opportunities for growth and development that have been provided to me.
During my time here, I have consistently exceeded expectations and made significant contributions to the [Department] team. For example, I [List your accomplishments, using quantifiable results whenever possible, such as increased sales by 15% through a new email marketing campaign; successfully launched a new product line, resulting in a 20% revenue increase; etc.].
In addition to my core responsibilities, I have taken on new challenges, such as [List additional responsibilities].
In addition to these accomplishments, I have undertaken several professional development activities, including [certifications, courses, and training programs], which have further enhanced my skills and ability to contribute to our team.
Based on my research of industry standards and salary benchmarks for my role and experience level, I believe that an adjustment in my compensation is warranted. Therefore, I respectfully request a salary increase to [desired salary or salary range]. This adjustment would better reflect the value I bring to the team and align my compensation with industry standards.
I am confident this increase will further motivate me to continue delivering high-quality work and contributing to the success of [Company Name]. I am more than willing to discuss this request in person and provide any additional information that may be required.
Sincerely, [Your name]
Typically, you should ask for a raise once a year, ideally around your annual performance review. If you have taken on significant additional responsibilities or have had exceptional achievements, it might be appropriate to request a salary review sooner. However, be mindful of your company's financial health and the timing of your request.
Waiting for a performance review is often a good strategy, as this is a natural time for salary discussions. However, if you feel that your contributions have significantly outpaced your current compensation, you might consider requesting a meeting outside of the review cycle. Just ensure your request is well-timed and substantiated.
If a salary review is denied, consider asking for specific feedback. “Work with your manager to set clear goals—create a development plan that outlines the steps you need to receive a raise,” Smith says. “Consider discussing alternative forms of compensation, which could include bonuses, additional vacation days, flexible working arrangements, and professional development opportunities.”
Whether you opt for a formal letter via email , a direct conversation, or a combination of both, the key is to present a well-reasoned case for your increased-salary request. When crafting your letter, keep these takeaways in mind:
add to folder:
Find out more about Lexology or get in touch by visiting our About page.
Click here to watch the video.
How to Report Foreign Retirement on U.S. Tax Forms
It is very common for U.S. Taxpayers who are considered U.S. Persons for tax purposes to have been employed in a foreign country and accumulated foreign retirement/pension over their lifetime. In addition, some U.S. Persons may also have invested in foreign personal retirement funds in countries such as the U.K. or Australia. From a U.S. tax filing and reporting perspective, foreign retirement plans/schemes may be treated much differently than retirement plans based in the United States. And, there are many complexities involving the reporting of foreign retirement plans. Some of the more common issues include:
Treaty Country vs. Non-Treaty Country,
Is there tax-deferred status in the foreign country; and
Is the retirement specifically excluded for certain types of reporting in the U.S. (Example, RRSP)
In addition to any tax implications of owning a foreign retirement plan, U.S. Taxpayers may also have to file several different international information reporting forms to be compliant with the Internal Revenue Service’s rules and regulations. Some of the more common U.S. tax forms that taxpayers may have to file to report their foreign retirement plan include:
Form 3520/3520-A; and
Form 8938 (FATCA);
*Golding & Golding previously published the Is Foreign Retirement Disclosed on IRS International Reporting Forms article back in 2021 and has since updated and expanded the summary.
First, Employment Retirement vs Personal Retirement
One of the preliminary questions that a U.S. Taxpayer must consider in determining how to report a foreign retirement plan — and which tax forms to file — is whether or not the retirement plan is considered an employment retirement plan or a personal retirement plan. The U.S. government generally provides better tax treatment for employment-based retirement plans (through U.S. tax treaties ) such as a 401-K equivalent than it does for personal retirement plans where the foreigner invests in foreign mutual fund-wrapped ‘personal’ retirement plans.
Treaty vs Non-Treaty Retirement
The next key issue is whether or not the retirement plan is located in a treaty country or a non-treaty country. In general, foreign retirement plans located in treaty countries will receive better treatment for tax purposes than their non-treaty country counterparts. A few common examples include the Australian Superannuation (which is located in a treaty country) and the Singaporean CPF or Malaysian EPF (which are not located in treaty countries). Without a tax treaty in place, the general rule is that the growth within a foreign retirement plan is taxable.
Form 1040 Tax Document
Form 1040 is the primary document in a U.S. individual’s tax filing. Similar to U.S. retirement income, foreign retirement income is also reported on Form 1040 — but the tax implications of a foreign retirement may be different than a domestic retirement fund.
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114)
The FBAR is used to report foreign bank and financial accounts. The term ‘financial accounts’ is very broad and involves all different types of foreign accounts — including retirement plans.
As provided by the IRS:
Form 8938 (FATCA)
FATCA is the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act . FATCA (for individual tax reporting) was introduced in 2012 on the 2011 tax return. Taxpayers file Form 8938 to report their specified foreign financial accounts. And, similar to the FBAR, Form 8938 requires the taxpayer to report foreign retirement plans:
Form 3520-A/3520 (Foreign Trust)
This is where foreign retirement reporting can get much more complicated. Forms 3520 and 3520-A are used to report foreign gifts, foreign inheritance, and foreign trusts. At first glance, it would not appear that Form 3520/3520-A is required to report a foreign retirement — but the problem lies in the fact that technically, a foreign retirement plan can be considered a foreign trust. As a result, in some circumstances, the taxpayer may have to file these forms to report their foreign retirement. Presumably, the U.S. government did not develop these forms to have to report foreign retirement plans, which is why the U.S. government has also published various Revenue Procedures and even proposed foreign trust regulations in 2024 seeking to limit the reporting of foreign retirement on Forms 3520 and 3520-A.
Revenue Procedure 2014-55 (RRSP and RRIF)
This Revenue Procedure refers specifically to Canadian Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP) and Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIF). While these types of Canadian retirement plans are still reportable on the FBAR and Form 8938, they are not reportable for Form 3520/3520-A as foreign retirement plans.
Revenue Procedure 2020-17
With the globalization of the U.S. economy, it is simply not feasible for the United States government to prepare separate Revenue Procedures for every country-specific type of retirement plan, similar to how they did it for Canadian retirement plans. Therefore, the U.S. government published a catch-all revenue procedure to assist taxpayers with tax-deferred retirement and non-retirement savings plans which serves to help minimize the reporting on forms 3520 and 3520-A — but does still require the reporting of foreign retirement plans on the FBAR and Form 8938.
Proposed Foreign Trust Regulations
In addition to the recent revenue procedure 2020-17, in 2024 the IRS released certain proposed regulations involving foreign trusts . These regulations expanded upon the above-referenced revenue procedure to help minimize the reporting requirements for foreign retirement plans on forms 3520 and 3520-A.
Form 8621 is used to report Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFIC), which includes foreign mutual funds and foreign ETFs. PFIC reporting can be very complicated, and since many foreign pension plans contain mutual funds and ETFs, reporting foreign pension plans may require separate PFIC reporting as well. There are some exceptions to having to file Form 8621, and sometimes the foreign retirement plans can fall into those exceptions. Otherwise, the taxpayer may have to parse out each fund contained in their foreign retirement plan and include it on their tax return (this is typically in situations in non-treaty countries that do not qualify for any other exception).
Common Foreign Retirement Examples
Here are a few common examples to consider for reporting purposes.
Treaty Country Employment Pension
Non-Treaty Country Employment Pension
Treaty Country Personal Pension
Foreign Pension/Insurance
Late Filing Penalties May Be Reduced or Avoided
For Taxpayers who did not timely file their FBAR and other international information-related reporting forms, the IRS has developed many different offshore amnesty programs to assist Taxpayers with safely getting into compliance. These programs may reduce or even eliminate international reporting penalties.
Current Year vs. Prior Year Non-Compliance
Once a Taxpayer missed the tax and reporting (such as FBAR and FATCA ) requirements for prior years, they will want to be careful before submitting their information to the IRS in the current year. That is because they may risk making a quiet disclosure if they just begin filing forward in the current year and/or mass filing previous year forms without doing so under one of the approved IRS offshore submission procedures. Before filing prior untimely foreign reporting forms, Taxpayers should consider speaking with a Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist who specializes exclusively in these types of offshore disclosure matters.
Avoid False Offshore Disclosure Submissions (Willful vs Non-Willful)
In recent years, the IRS has increased the level of scrutiny for certain streamlined procedure submissions. When a person is non-willful, they have an excellent chance of making a successful submission to Streamlined Procedures. If they are willful, they would submit to the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program instead. But, if a willful Taxpayer submits an intentionally false narrative under the Streamlined Procedures (and gets caught), they may become subject to significant fines and penalties .
Need Help Finding an Experienced Offshore Tax Attorney?
When it comes to hiring an experienced international tax attorney to represent you for unreported foreign and offshore account reporting, it can become overwhelming for Taxpayers trying to trek through all the false information and nonsense they will find in their online research. There are only a handful of attorneys worldwide who are Board-Certified Tax Specialists and who specialize exclusively in offshore disclosure and international tax amnesty reporting.
Penalties for fbar explained with examples (willful & non-willful) *, 10 facts about form 3520-a all taxpayers should know *, 10 facts about irs form 8938 all taxpayers should know *, irs compliance options for malta pension plan participants *, 10 facts about form 3520 all taxpayers should know *.
If you would like to learn how Lexology can drive your content marketing strategy forward, please email [email protected] .
Share Incentives & Globally Mobile Employees - UK Tax Issues Explained - Learn Live
Designing, Implementing & Operating Employee Ownership Trusts - Learn Live
The ABC of Share Classes - All You Need to Know - Learn Live
Appointing & Removing Trustees - An Introductory Guide for Private Client Professionals - Learn Live
You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. |
Updated: Jul 24, 2024, 11:45am
No one wants to get sick while on vacation, and an illness or injury can be one of the most devastating events that can happen during a trip. Travel medical insurance is designed to help in these cases.
It’s especially important if you’re traveling outside the country, where your U.S. health plan may have limited or no coverage. And Medicare doesn’t cover health care outside the U.S., except in very narrow cases.
Travel medical insurance pays for emergency medical expenses during a trip. The plan will reimburse you, up to the plan limits, if you;re traveling and have an unexpected illness, injury or medical condition that’s covered by your travel medical insurance.
Generally, there are two forms of travel medical insurance:
Travel medical insurance covers medical emergencies while traveling, like a sprained ankle while sightseeing. It doesn’t cover non-emergency or elective procedures.
Travel medical insurance pays “reasonable and customary” charges for bills such as:
When you’re buying travel medical insurance, it’s important to know the difference between these coverage types.
Travel medical insurance can be primary or secondary coverage, depending on the plan.
How often you travel in a calendar year could be the deciding factor between these two coverage types. Here’s the difference between the two.
What’s covered and excluded by a travel medical insurance plan will depend on the travel insurance company. Here are some common exclusions.
Featured Travel Insurance Partners
WorldTrips Atlas America
14 days to 99 years
Yes, up to 364 days
Via VisitorsCoverage's Website
IMG (VisitorsCoverage) Patriot America Plus
Yes, up to 365 days
Travel insurance plans generally cover pre-existing conditions as long as you buy your plan within a couple of weeks after you make your first trip deposit. Buying your plan promptly lets you lock in a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver . For example, Allianz Travel requires you to meet the following requirements before it will cover expenses due to a pre-existing medical condition:
Travel insurance is a broad term to describe comprehensive coverage that packages together pre- and post-departure benefits, such as cancellation, delay and interruption coverage. These plans usually include travel medical insurance—referring to benefits for U.S. citizens when traveling for short periods, such as a vacation. You’re compensated for medical bills according to your policy.
But travel medical insurance can refer to several other types of coverage, too. For example, there’s travel medical insurance for visitors to the U.S . These policies are designed for non-U.S. citizens traveling to the states, and mirror U.S. health plans as they come with much higher coverage limits, copays, deductibles and provider networks.
There is also travel medical insurance that works like U.S. health plans for American citizens traveling internationally. These plans are designed for people from the U.S. who are living temporarily in foreign countries for periods longer than the typical vacation.
Even travelers in good health should have some form of travel medical insurance if they’re going outside the U.S. According to Allianz Travel , the most common overseas medical emergencies their policyholders experience include:
If you don’t have the right coverage and you get injured or sick on your trip, you’ll be stuck paying medical bills out-of-pocket.
Senior travelers, especially, should ensure they have good medical benefits when traveling abroad since Original Medicare doesn’t provide benefits outside the U.S.
“If you’re traveling outside the United States, you absolutely need some form of travel medical insurance. You also need to look at where you are traveling outside the country because medical care varies greatly around the world,” says Mueller.
You also want to consider emergency medical evacuation insurance . This pays for you to get to the nearest adequate medical facility, or even back home, depending on your condition. For example, this would be essential coverage if you’re vacationing in a remote part of the world. Medical evacuation back to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Be aware of your travel insurance policy’s rules for evacuation. For example, some policies might pay to transport you back to the U.S. only after you’ve been hospitalized for seven days following a medical emergency.
Related: Travel Insurance Considerations For Those With Disabilities
Start by determining how much coverage you need. The amount of travel medical insurance you need depends on several factors:
Next, research policies that have the amount of coverage you need. Most travel insurance companies offer free quotes on their website. You can save time by visiting an insurance comparison website that compares quotes from multiple companies. Before you buy a travel insurance policy, compare quotes from multiple insurers to get the best price.
The average price for a stand-alone travel medical insurance policy is $92.75 per trip , according to Forbes Advisor research.
However, some travelers can secure a basic travel medical insurance plan for as little as $2 or less per person per day of coverage.
Company | Cost per trip with medical coverage limit of $100,000 and a $100 deductible |
---|---|
Atlas International | |
Voyager Choice | |
Patriot International Lite | |
Keep in mind that travel medical insurance can also be part of or added to a comprehensive travel plan that includes other types of coverage, like trip cancellation insurance and trip interruption insurance. The average cost of a comprehensive travel insurance plan varies based on the cost of your trip, duration of trip, plan benefits selected and your age.
How much you pay for travel medical insurance depends on four primary factors:
As a general guideline, it’s wise to buy at least $100,000 in travel medical expense coverage.
The most generous travel insurance plans provide $500,000 per person for emergency medical expenses. Other good plans have ample medical coverage of $250,000 or $100,000 per person. And some have less, which you might find sufficient. See Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best travel insurance .
Selecting a plan that provides medical evacuation coverage is a good idea. For example, emergency medical evacuation from a cruise ship can cost between $50,000 and $100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . But in remote areas, it can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, says Daniel Durazo, spokesperson for Allianz.
Here are examples of travel insurance plans with at least $100,000 coverage for medical expenses and at least $500,000 for emergency evacuation.
Company | Travel insurance policy | Emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage limits per person | Average travel insurance cost |
---|---|---|---|
How do i use my travel health insurance.
If you have a medical emergency while traveling abroad, contact your travel insurance company for assistance. Travel insurance companies offer 24/7 global assistance hotlines to help travelers in emergencies, including coordinating medical treatment, language translation and arranging for medevacs.
Do i need travel insurance if i already have health insurance.
If you are traveling outside of the U.S., consider buying travel medical insurance even if you have a U.S.-based health plan. Many health plans won’t cover you outside the U.S. or provide only limited global coverage. If you get sick or injured, you could be stuck paying for your medical expenses out-of-pocket.
Senior travelers should definitely get travel medical insurance because Original Medicare isn’t accepted outside the U.S., except in very limited cases.
It’s best to buy travel insurance within the first 14 days of your first trip deposit to get a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver . This waiver means that pre-existing conditions won’t be excluded from your travel medical coverage.
Even if you miss the window from your first trip deposit, you can still buy travel insurance at the last minute .
Look at comprehensive travel insurance plans if you want coverage for problems such as trip cancellation, trip delay, trip interruption and lost baggage.
If you only need travel medical coverage, it doesn’t make sense to spend money on coverage you won’t use and you can focus on medical-only plans.
Travel health insurance requirements aren’t common, but some countries require travelers to provide proof of medical coverage before being granted entry.
Always check a country’s entry requirements before leaving the country. If your trip includes an organized tour, it’s also a good idea to check with the tour operator to determine if they have any specific insurance requirements.
Yes, most travel medical insurance policies cover Covid like any other illness.
Covid medical coverage will fall under the limits of the plan’s travel medical insurance. It can cover any medical costs associated with contracting Covid during your trip, including doctor bills, medication and hospitalization. The best Covid travel insurance plans provide at least $100,000 in medical expense benefits and $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.
Additional travel insurance benefits, such as travel delay insurance, can cover the extra costs of Covid quarantines. For example, if you contract Covid during a trip and have to extend your stay because of a quarantine, your travel insurance plan can reimburse you for the extra costs—assuming the plan includes Covid coverage and you test positive.
Get Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best insurance companies and helpful information on how to find the best travel, auto, home, health, life, pet, and small business coverage for your needs.
With 15 years of immersion in the world of personal finance, Ashley Kilroy simplifies financial concepts for individuals striving toward financial security. Her expertise has been showcased in reputable publications including Rolling Stone, SmartAsset and Money Talks News. She's committed to equipping readers with the knowledge needed to achieve their financial goals.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in November, says he knows nothing about Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project , a detailed political plan by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation that proposes radical changes in the federal government.
“I have no idea who is behind it,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post July 5. “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying, and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal."
Read more: How Project 2025 could affe c t lives of students ; Heritage Foundation president says the second American Revolution will be bloodless " if the left allows it to be ."
“Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them,” Trump wrote.
While the Trump campaign has its own plan, called Agenda47 , Trump has a history with many of the Project 2025 contributors. At least 31 of the project's 38 creators – writers, editors or directors – were connected with the Trump administration.
What is project 2025.
Project 2025 is one of many how-to guides for a new Republican administration. Under federal law, the Biden administration must cooperate with Trump's team now as it prepares for a potential transition. Those efforts will speed up after Election Day should the Republicans win the White House.
" Mandate for Leadership, The Conservative Promise, Project 2025 " is the Heritage Foundation's blueprint for a second Trump administration. More than 100 conservative groups were consulted.
It includes significant changes in the federal government, a database of potential administrative employees and training to help them carry out those changes out, and a plan of action for Trump's first 180 days in office.
"It is not enough for conservatives to win elections," the project site states. "If we are going to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left, we need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration."
President Joe Biden and other Democrats have said the plan, which would expand presidential powers, " will destroy America ."
The plan recommends the reinstatement of Schedule F , an executive authority that would change the classification of as many as 50,000 federal workers to political appointees in civil service.
Trump imposed Schedule F on Oct. 21, 2020. Biden repealed it on Jan. 22, 2021.
Other suggestions in the document include :
Trump accepted guidance from the Heritage Foundation in the first year of his administration. The administration used 64% of the policy recommendations found in the foundation's " Mandate for Leadership " publications, according to foundation officials.
Even if Trump wins the election, it remains to be seen how many of the Project 2025 recommendations his administration will adopt. Any real policy will come from agencies in his new administration, and through legislation written by members of Congress.
Aside from Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation is a " revolving door for Trump officials ," according to The Washington Post, which noted that the foundation is a sponsor of the Republican National Convention.
If Trump wins in November, many of those connected to Project 2025 " would likely help fill out his administration," Reuters reported.
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Heritage Foundation; Reuters
Many types of diets exist, including low-fat diets. A low-fat diet plan includes foods with very low amounts of fat—3 grams (g) or less—per 100 calories. These types of diets can be helpful for people who want to lower their cholesterol or reduce their obesity risk.
Here's why cutting fatty foods can be helpful and what a day of low-fat eating might look like. The included sample menu for a low-fat diet plan walks you through a day of meals, including snacks and dessert.
A low-fat diet is an eating pattern in which a person consumes food that has 30% or fewer calories from fat. Foods deemed low in fat have less than 3 g of fat in a 100-calorie serving.
There are plenty of low-fat whole foods to choose from, including:
The goal of low-fat diets is to reduce heart disease-related risks. A low-fat diet has its advantages for various people beyond those at risk for heart disease . It can also be beneficial for reducing the risk of cancer, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
Dietary fat intake can be a contributing factor to cancer development in some people. Research has shown that a higher fat intake has been associated with breast, colon, and lung cancer. More research is needed to determine the links between different types of fat and their roles in cancer risk.
A low-fat diet can benefit people at risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. A diet low in saturated fats can be helpful. Too much saturated fat can increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing heart disease risk. Cutting saturated fats from the foods you eat can lower calories and reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet.
Low-fat diets can also be an option to promote better metabolic health overall. Metabolic syndrome refers to conditions like obesity, diabetes , and stroke, which increase the risk of major cardiovascular events.
Research has shown that eating plans incorporating low-fat meals and physical activity can help people improve metabolic health. One such plan is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet .
Dietary fat intake has been associated with obesity , particularly in connection with low physical activity. Dietary fat is more energy-dense, meaning it has more energy or calories in a certain amount of food.
Dietary fat is also related to a higher calorie intake. If a person isn't using more calories than they're consuming, higher calorie intake can eventually lead to obesity. It's important to note that any source of excess calories may result in obesity.
Fat is a vital macronutrient, so the goal is moderation. Completely removing fat from your diet would be very difficult. You would also risk missing out on important nutrients like bone-building minerals and fat-soluble vitamins. High-quality fats from unsaturated sources, like nuts, avocado , and olive oil, promote heart health. Make sure these fats make up the majority of your intake.
Recommendations include limiting saturated fat to 5% to 6% of total calories for people who follow a 2,000-calorie diet and need to lower their cholesterol. That's only 13 g of saturated fat per day. Here's what a balanced, low-fat meal plan can look like.
Here's an example of breakfast on a low-fat diet plan:
Try the following low-fat lunch option:
Snacks that can maintain your energy and keep you full throughout the day on a low-fat diet may include:
A low-fat dinner can look like:
Some dessert options include:
Low-fat diets can be beneficial in some cases, but they do have downsides. Some foods may be low in fat but high in carbohydrates . Eating these foods might increase the risk of heart disease or metabolic disorders.
Some fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are considered healthy. These fats lower LDL cholesterol. You'll want to limit fat consumption in general. Keep in mind that a low-fat diet that reduces all dietary fat intake can result in missing out on the LDL-lowering benefit of healthy fats.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you decide to try or have been prescribed a low-fat diet:
Low-fat meals can be fresh, delicious, and easy. You consume 30% or fewer calories from fat on a low-fat diet plan. Some foods to eat include egg whites, lean meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables.
Set a target and limit daily saturated fat intake to promote heart health and keep calories in check. Discuss your needs with a healthcare provider for a more personalized plan. You may also consider setting up an appointment with a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Bhandari P, Sapra A. Low fat diet . In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
National Cancer Institute. Fat consumption .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease facts .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides .
Castro-Barquero S, Ruiz-León AM, Sierra-Pérez M, et al. Dietary strategies for metabolic syndrome: A comprehensive review . Nutrients . 2020;12(10):2983. doi:10.3390/nu12102983
Rolls BJ. Dietary energy density: Applying behavioural science to weight management . Nutr Bull . 2017;42(3):246-253. doi:10.1111/nbu.12280
MedlinePlus. Obesity .
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 .
American Heart Association. Saturated fat .
American Diabetes Association. Fats .
COMMENTS
Here's an example outline of a research plan you might put together: Project title. Project members involved in the research plan. Purpose of the project (provide a summary of the research plan's intent) Objective 1 (provide a short description for each objective) Objective 2. Objective 3.
If you want to learn how to write your own plan for your research project, consider the following seven steps: 1. Define the project purpose. The first step to creating a research plan for your project is to define why and what you're researching. Regardless of whether you're working with a team or alone, understanding the project's purpose can ...
A research plan is a comprehensive documented outline of your entire project, encompassing the research process and the anticipated outcomes. This strategic document aids in defining objectives, summarizing the necessary steps to achieve them, and detailing the requirements for obtaining conclusive results.
A research plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the entirety of your research project. It details the research process, from defining the problem statement and research objectives to selecting the research method and outlining the expected outcomes. This plan serves as a blueprint for your research activities, ensuring a focused and ...
A research plan is a framework that shows how you intend to approach your topic. The plan can take many forms: a written outline, a narrative, a visual/concept map or timeline. It's a document that will change and develop as you conduct your research. Components of a research plan. 1. Research conceptualization - introduces your research question.
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
A research plan or proposal is a document that describes a research project, including its purpose, methods, objectives, timeline, budget, participants, expected outcomes, and preliminary studies. This proposal usually outlines what the researcher wants to achieve, explore, or corroborate and explains the importance of the project.
Writing a Research Plan. To write out your research plan, begin by restating your main thesis question and any secondary ones. They may have changed a bit since your original proposal. If these questions bear on a particular theory or analytic perspective, state that briefly. In the social sciences, for example, two or three prominent theories ...
What is a research proposal? Simply put, a research proposal is a structured, formal document that explains what you plan to research (your research topic), why it's worth researching (your justification), and how you plan to investigate it (your methodology). The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince your ...
Follow Examples. As you read this page, look at our Sample Applications and More to see some of the different strategies successful PIs use to create an outstanding Research Plan. Keeping It All In Sync. Writing in a logical sequence will save you time. Information you put in the Research Plan affects just about every other application part.
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about: Your overall research objectives and approach. Whether you'll rely on primary research or secondary research. Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects. Your data collection methods.
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: 'A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management'.
Make sure you can ask the critical what, who, and how questions of your research before you put pen to paper. Your research proposal should include (at least) 5 essential components : Title - provides the first taste of your research, in broad terms. Introduction - explains what you'll be researching in more detail.
The research plan, however, serves another, very important function: It contributes to your development as a scientist. Your research plan is a map for your career as a research science professional. As will become apparent later in this document, one of the functions of a research plan is to demonstrate your intellectual vision and aspirations.
A research plan is a thoughtful, compelling, well-written document that outlines your exciting, unique research ideas that you and your students will pursue over the next half decade or so to advance knowledge in your discipline and earn you grants, papers, speaking invitations, tenure, promotion, and a national reputation.
What is a research plan? A research plan outlines the objectives, methodology, timeline, and resources needed for a research project, acting as a roadmap for systematic investigation. Reforge can enhance the development and execution of research plans with tools and strategies that streamline each phase, from data collection to analysis and ...
A quality example of a research proposal shows one's above-average analytical skills, including the ability to coherently synthesize ideas and integrate lateral and vertical thinking. Communication skills. The proposal also demonstrates your proficiency to communicate your thoughts in concise and precise language.
Here is an explanation of each step: 1. Title and Abstract. Choose a concise and descriptive title that reflects the essence of your research. Write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. It should provide a brief overview of your proposal. 2.
The research process is an iterative one, and it is important to review and revise the research plan and methodology as necessary. Researchers should assess the quality of their data and methods, reflect on their findings, and consider areas for improvement. ... Following is a Research Process Example: Research Question: ...
A research plan is your research roadmap. And like any map, you use the plan to steer you and your team in the right direction. In essence, it is a document that reminds the researcher of the important details about the study. Plan vs. Proposal. A research plan is different from a research proposal. Although both talks about the study, the ...
Study Plan for Scholarship Application. Market Research Business Plan Examples in PDF. Improve Research Conduct. Research Plan. Action Research Proposal. Empirical Research. Research Agenda. Research Strategic Plan. What Should be in a Project Plan?
Sample Research Project Plan Outline. To further help you in creating a research project plan, here is a sample research project plan outline. Take note that the research project plan below is only an outline and does not include comprehensive analysis, which is a requirement for a standard research project plan.
An example is A/B testing, where one group of research participants, group A, is exposed to one treatment and then compared with the group B participants, who experience a different situation. An example might be showing two different television commercials to a panel of consumers and then measuring the difference in perception of the product.
1. Research salary benchmarks. Conducting extensive research will strengthen your case and help you present a compelling argument. "Research industry salary benchmarks for your role, experience level, and geographic location," Smiths says. "Use reliable sources like industry salary surveys, compensation reports, and online salary ...
For example, consider this fall's predicted hyperactive hurricane season. "Having an emergency plan in place — including knowledge of local shelters and emergency contacts — can literally be ...
One of the preliminary questions that a U.S. Taxpayer must consider in determining how to report a foreign retirement plan — and which tax forms to file — is whether or not the retirement plan ...
No one wants to get sick while on vacation, and an illness or injury can be one of the most devastating events that can happen during a trip. Travel medical insurance is designed to help in these ...
The plan recommends the reinstatement of Schedule F, an executive authority that would change the classification of as many as 50,000 federal workers to political appointees in civil service ...
"President Trump's campaign has been very clear for over a year that Project 2025 had nothing to do with the campaign, did not speak for the campaign, and should not be associated with the ...
More research is needed to determine the links between different types of fat and their roles in cancer risk. Heart Disease . ... Sample Meal Plan . Fat is a vital macronutrient, so the goal is ...