Research Proposal
Research Proposal
Research Proposal
Topic Selection
A subject or issue or event that is selected for conducting research is known as a research topic. The research
topic is the main theme of research. Selecting a good topic may not be easy. It must be narrow and focused
enough to be interesting, yet broad enough to find adequate information. A good research topic should be
something that one is deeply interested in, is scientifically original and significant, and is manageable in
terms of availability of time, resource and data.
Any research topic comes from an existing unsolved problem. Research topics in management come from
problems in business such as: management techniques and practices; administrative policy formulation and
review; product development and marketing; relation between the private and public sectors; relationship of
HR practices to performances; and many other areas.
Before selecting your topic, make sure you know what your final project should look like. Each class or
instructor will likely require a different format or style of research project.
A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with
sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The
only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those results.
Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your
writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.
Purpose and Function of Research Proposal
Major purpose of every research proposal is to provide tentative outline or blue print of an intended research.
Besides this, some important purposes of research proposal are listed below:
1. To justify the rationale: Proposal is prepared to justify the rationale and importance of proposed
research. It proves that the research is essential in the subject selected by the researcher as topic. Such
work increases the value of research.
2. To provide Information: Researcher prepares proposal to provide the information regarding the
population and sample, source of data, data collection techniques, tools and techniques of data analysis,
decision criteria, etc. It provides information to the research committee which evaluates and approves the
research proposal.
3. To prepare plan: Research proposal is a plan for action that explains the purpose/objective, area, process
and estimated results of the research. It also makes easier to the work of research to be conducted in future.
4. To form base for contract: Research proposal is a contract that will form the basis of agreement between
the parties involved e.g. the researcher, supervisors, donors, institutions (i.e. universities and colleges).
5. To provide the judgment tools: It provides the judgment tools for the judgment of quality of research
and strength of researcher organization to make decision regarding whether the proposal should be
accepted or not.
6. To remind: proposal reminds to the researcher about research objective, proposed objective, proposed
methodology and research area. Thus, it helps to the researcher to do the work being within the limit of
research scope.
7. To provide overall roadmap of the proposed research work.
Steps of Proposal Writing
Every proposal accompanied with certain procedural steps for its fulfillment. Every essential step in proposal
writing demands fulfillment of some pertinent ingredients. Basic steps of proposal writing are almost same
for all research though area or topic of the research may differ. Such essential steps of research proposal are
described briefly as below:
1. Title: Title of the proposed study should be written in brief as far as possible but must be clear and specific.
The title is a vital component of every research proposal because it reflects the entire content of the subject.
Every reader can estimate the tentative result output from the research title. It gives clear picture regarding
subject matter of study, tentative population and sample, area of study, etc.
2. Introduction or Background of the study: Introduction or background of the proposed study must be
described clearly so as to track the right information of the topic. In this segment, introduction and
background of research problem is incorporated. Review of literature will be helpful to provide additional
knowledge and information previously identified by other research scholars on the same or similar
research problem. While preparing background information and statement of the problem equal emphasis
have to be given in regards of identification of related variables and their interrelationship. This helps to
make empirical observation and test. Additionally, in this section, some key terms used for the purpose of
investigation should be defined. In some instances, it is necessary to develop operational definition for the
measurement too.