Want to know how can you write a successful public relations research proposal before your dissertation writing? Undoubtedly, it’s a very challenging task to write a research proposal for a public relations dissertation because it’s not a cup of tea for everyone to write and present the whole idea of research work and make it successful. Your instructors will get to know from your research proposal whether it has some worth and relevance to the subject or not.
Public relations is one of the hottest topics these days due to its increasing demand in almost every field. According to Statista, the global market size of public relations in 2023 will be approximately $107 billion US dollars, with a 6.6% increment in it from the last year. It is expected that in 2027, its value will increase by $ 133.82 billion US dollars.
As a professional or student in public relations, you are aware of the value of participation and successful communication. If you want to convey the main idea of your research work to a greater audience, you must make efforts to write a good research proposal that can stand alone. However, if you need any sort of help writing your public relations research proposal, you can contact The Academic Papers UK to avail of their best research proposal writing services.
Here, we have divided the whole process into 10 steps that you should take to write a successful research proposal on public relations.
Importance of Public Relations Research Proposal
Public relations (PR) is a dynamic and ever-changing area of study which is crucial in determining how businesses and individuals interact with their target audiences.
Indeed, the study of PR is a vast and varied field with lots of prospects for investigation and inquiry in the academic world. Whether you are working on a research project, studying a case study on public opinion, or the impact of social media on influencer marketing, you have to understand their entry requirements and work placements.
Students and scholars can delve deeply into a variety of aspects of this profession by writing a perfect public relations research proposal in any academic year they are studying. According to Truelist, 88% of PR professionals claim that digital storytelling would be the top future trend in the public relations sector so you can select this topic for further research as well.
12 Steps to Write a Winning Public Relations Research Proposal
Writing a strong research proposal is an essential first step for anyone interested in exploring the field of PR research. A strong research proposal helps you to make advances in the field by showing the significance of your topic in addition to outlining your goals.
It should be written precisely and effectively from 500 to 1500 words and 1 to 2 pages or paragraphs; if it fails due to any reason, you’ll lose your chance of studying and exploring the topic further.
Following are some basic steps that will lead you towards writing a winning public relations research proposal.
1. Understand the Objective of Writing a Research Proposal
Understanding the basic goal of a research proposal is crucial before getting into the specifics. Research objectives are the results that we want to achieve through the research. On the basis of these objectives, we perform the whole research by collecting data and doing its analysis.
By setting the research objectives, you’ll be able to work accordingly, and it helps you to keep on track. But where will you write these objectives? Well, you can write them either in between the intro and research question or in the introduction.
According to the book Research Proposals 2e by Martyn Denscombe, here is a diagram showing different research questions that we need to find out
2. Identify the Research Issue to Select Topic
Selecting a topic for your research demands thorough reading, understanding and analysing your subject. Mostly, you have an idea about what kind of research you want to do in a specific field.
Choose a specific study topic or problem before you start. Your research question must be precise, concise, clear and relevant to the public relations industry. Think about problems that require more research, knowledge gaps, or new trends that you can discuss in your public relations research proposal.
3. Specify the Goals of the Research in Introduction
After the problem has been identified, clearly state your study goals in the introduction. It is the start of your research proposal that sets the scene and a plot to explain your research. Explain your topic and research goals clearly in this part.
These should be SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Your goals list will serve as a roadmap for your investigation and assist you in writing a perfect research proposal.
4. Conducting a Literature Review
To understand the knowledge already available on your study topic, a thorough literature review is important. Go through books, industry papers, academic publications, and PR-related case studies. Determine your niche by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the current study.
Choose the models or theoretical frameworks that will work best for your research. Select frameworks that will help you achieve your goals and serve as the basis for your research. Justify these frameworks’ applicability to your research.
5. Research Design
Describe the type of study design you will use, such as mixed-methods, quantitative, or qualitative, in your public relations research proposal. Explain in detail how you will conduct this research and methods. Also, provide evidence for your decision by emphasising how well it fits your research goals.
6. Data Collection and Examination
Describe the techniques you plan on using to gather data. Surveys, interviews, content analysis, and observation may all be part of this. Talk about the methods you’ll use to make sure your data is authentic and reliable. Describe the methods you’ll use to examine the information gathered. Indicate how you plan to analyse the data and make your conclusions.
7. Discuss Importance in Conclusion
In your public relations research proposal summary, highlight the significance of your research. Emphasise how it solves the research problem, closes gaps in the literature, and advances the subject of public relations. Make sure to cover all the questions that can come to your reader’s mind in your research proposal.
In the book Qualitative Research Methods in Public Relations and Marketing Communications, the author explains what you need to know and cover in your proposal:
8. Citations
Provide a thorough list of all the references you used in your research proposal. Make sure you regularly use the proper citation style (APA, MLA, etc.) throughout the proposal. Add any other documents in the appendices if needed.
9. Focus on the Real-World Applications
Go over the practical applications of your research topic in the real world. Describe the significance of your research and how it advances the discipline of public relations. Think about the practical use of the work that you have thought of and the advantages it will provide to professionals in this sector.
10. Make Your Language Easily Understandable
Write your public relations research proposal in the easiest and most understanding way so that a non-technical person who knows nothing about this subject can get an idea about your work.
What you have to do is write short but complete sentences and avoid using difficult terms in them. Don’t use technical terms and jargon until they are absolutely necessary for your topic.
11. Ethical Considerations
Talk about any ethical issues, including informed consent, privacy, or any conflicts of interest, that are relevant to your research. Describe the steps you will take to address these concerns and maintain the ethical integrity of your research.
13. Review and Revise
After writing a research proposal, keep it aside and give yourself a short break. After a while, come up with a fresh mind and thoroughly read, edit and proofread your writing. At this point, make sure that your writing has no spelling, grammar, or clarity problems and make it completely error-free. It will help to polish your writing and to convey your study in a clear, engaging and concise way to achieve academic success.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, writing an effective public relations research proposal is a daunting and challenging task, but you have to make efforts to make it successful. Your research proposal should not only be based on your research idea but also cover all the research questions in it. It must portray the importance of your work to the reader. Never forget that the first step in carrying out fruitful PR research is writing a well-organized proposal.
However, like most of the other students, if you also don’t have the skills to write a successful proposal and still get confused about how to start writing it, you can get research proposal help from experts who have better public relations understanding than students.