Research Method Unit 3

Unit Three
Process in Research Proposal

Development
What is the research proposal?
What is a research proposal?
 It is a detailed plan of your study.
 It is a document which sets out your ideas in an

easily accessible way.
 The intent of written proposal is to present a focused

and scholarly presentation of a research problem
and plan.
 Describes what you will do, why it should be done,

how you will do it, and what you expect will result.
Research Proposal
What a proposal should contain?
It is based on your clear research question.
• What do you want to do? – Research question
• Why do you want to do it? – Rationale
• Why is it important? – Introduction of practical

importance or knowledge advancement
• Who has done similar work? - Background
• How are you going to do it? -Methodology
• How long will it take? – plan of work

Research Proposal
• Identifying a research topic – the first step
• The criteria for selecting is:

 Relevance/significance
 Avoidance of duplication
 Urgency of data needed
 Feasibility of study
 Applicability of results
 Your Interest and knowledge to the area
 Ethical acceptability
Components of a Research proposal
• Logical order of a research proposal development is:
 Title/research topic
 Summary/Abstract
 Introduction/background (Questions or Hypothesis – optional)
 Objectives
 Literature review
 Methodology - Materials, Methods and procedures
 Scope and Limitations
 Work plan
 Budget and funding
 References
 Appendices/Annexes
The Format
• Front page: Title, name of the researcher, department.
• Second page: content (optional)
• Third page: Abstract – between 200 – 300 words.
• Fourth onwards (with bold headings): Introduction

with (question/hypothesis) Objectives, Methodology,
Scope and limitation, Literature review, Schedule
• Last page: References used in proposal

development
Components of a proposal
• Title – the fewest possible words that
adequately describe contents of the study.
It is a label; not a sentence
It shouldn’t contain any abbreviations
The title page has no page number and is

not counted.
• Summary/Abstract – a one page brief summary of
the thesis proposal.
 It show that your work fits with the topic
 It show what a contribution your work will make.
 It should specify the research question and how it is

going to be answered.
 Do not put any information not stated in the main

text.
 Never contain references, figures and tables.
 It comes first but written last.

• Introduction/Background – background
information of the research proposal.
 It establishes a framework for the research
 Shows what the contribution your work will be
 It should motivate the reader to reader the whole

paper
 Should cite the most recent and relevant works,

and should explain why work is required.
• Statement of the problem or Rationale – the

issue that leads to a need for the study.
 It answer the question ‘Why does this research

need be conducted?’
 Presents the foundation for everything to follow

in the proposal.
Differences among Topic, Problem,
Purpose and Questions
General Topic Distance Learning
Research Lack of students in

Problem distance classes
To study why students do not

Statement of
attend distance education
the problem
classes at a community college.
Does the use of web site

Specific Research
technology in the classroom
Question/
deter students from enrolling in
Hypothesis
a distance education class?
• Objective (aim of the study) – aim which the enquirer
seeks to bring about as a result of completing the research.
Objectives should be simple, specific, stated in advance,

stated using action verbs
 Objectives can be classified into:
 General objective – showing what exactly is to be

studied, and the desired outcomes from the study.
 Specific objectives – shows in greater detail the

specific aims of the research project.
• Literature review – a description of the literature
very relevant to your study.
 Gives an overview of what has been said, who the key
authors in the area are, what are the prevailing theories
and hypothesis, etc.
 Relevant materials could be from books, journal articles,

theses and dissertations, government reports, etc.
• Be very careful to check your sources when doing your

literature review.
• Many trade magazines are not peer reviewed.

What is the Process of Conducting
a Literature Review?
• Identify key terms
• Locate literature
• Critically evaluate and select the literature
• Organize the literature
• Write a review - not copy paste!

• Write what you have learned from the literature in
your own words
• Questions and/or Hypothesis – the speculative
proposition of the problem statement
 Hypothesis is a derivation of a particular assertion or
prediction. It is subject to test for confirmation or reject.
 Question is an interrogative statement that can be

answered by subsequent data analysis and discussions
Does the use of web site technology in the classroom deter
Question
students from enrolling in a distance education class?
The use of web site technology in the classroom deter

Hypothesis
students from enrolling in a distance education class.
• Materials and methods, and procedures – a detailed
description of the activities and the methodological
steps you will take to achieve your objectives.
• Depending upon the type of study, it includes:
 Description of study area, study design and study

participants
 Sampling technique and sample size used
 Methods of data collection
 Method (s) of data analysis, etc.

• Study design:
Depending upon the type of study, it could be:
 Observational studies – the researchers stand

apart from events taking place in the study
 Experimental/intervention studies – the

investigator tests the effect of an intervention on
the events taking place in the study.
• Scope and Limitations
 Scope – indicates what will be covered by the

study and what will be excluded
 Limitations – indicates those important

considerations that were supposed to be
addressed but not considered due to justifiable
reasons
• Work plan – a schedule that summarizes the

different components of a research proposal and how
they will be implemented. Here,
 States different phase/components of the study
 Describe the activities in each phase
 Indicate time frame to accomplish the various

aspects of the study
 Could be presented in table, chart or graph

• Budget and funding – the cost of conducting
research.
 Budget items need to be explicitly stated with

justification
 Costs are typically:

 Direct costs – personnel, consumable supplies,
equipment, travel, publication, etc.
 Indirect costs – overhead and administrative

costs.
• References – list of all the sources of

information that you obtained while conducting
research (preparing the proposal)
 The style of writing list of references various
from one discipline to another E.g. APA,
Harvard, Numbered etc…
• Appendices/annexes – additional
information provided for the reader. These
include, for example,
 Dummy tables
 Biographical data
 Questionnaire, forms, etc.

Before you start writing, ask these
questions yourself …
 Do you have the a clear research question?
 Have you read broadly and deeply in that

area?
 Have you discussed the topic with peers?
 Do you have enough time and fund to start?

In proposal writing, be prepared for
 To make mistakes and to learn.
 To write and rewrite many times.
 To spend many hours looking for

information.
 To have your writing criticized.
 May sometimes feel confused and hopeless.

Tips for successful proposal writing
• Make it simple
– Avoid showy language, unnecessary jargon, and double speak by
cutting down every unnecessary word.
• Read your work loud
– A sentence that is difficult to say will be difficult to read.
– Each sentence must follow logically from the before: chain of ideas.
– Every sentence must contain one idea only.
• Revise , revise, revise.
– Check spelling and grammar.
– Each sentence must follow logically from the before: chain of ideas.
– Every sentence must contain one idea only.
• Put an end to it
– The faster you finish the proposal and submit it the less time you
have wasted thinking about writing it.
End of Unit Three

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Unit Three

Process in Research Proposal

 It is a document which sets out your ideas in an

 The intent of written proposal is to present a focused

 Describes what you will do, why it should be done,

• What do you want to do? – Research question

• Why do you want to do it? – Rationale

• Why is it important? – Introduction of practical

• Who has done similar work? - Background

• How are you going to do it? -Methodology

• How long will it take? – plan of work

• The criteria for selecting is:

 Urgency of data needed

 Your Interest and knowledge to the area

• Second page: content (optional)

• Third page: Abstract – between 200 – 300 words.

• Fourth onwards (with bold headings): Introduction

• Last page: References used in proposal

It is a label; not a sentence

It shouldn’t contain any abbreviations

The title page has no page number and is

 It show that your work fits with the topic

 It show what a contribution your work will make.

 It should specify the research question and how it is

 Do not put any information not stated in the main

 Never contain references, figures and tables.

 It comes first but written last.

 It establishes a framework for the research

 Shows what the contribution your work will be

 It should motivate the reader to reader the whole

 Should cite the most recent and relevant works,

• Statement of the problem or Rationale – the

 It answer the question ‘Why does this research

 Presents the foundation for everything to follow

General Topic Distance Learning

Research Lack of students in

To study why students do not

Does the use of web site

Objectives should be simple, specific, stated in advance,

 Objectives can be classified into:

 General objective – showing what exactly is to be

 Specific objectives – shows in greater detail the

 Relevant materials could be from books, journal articles,

• Be very careful to check your sources when doing your

• Many trade magazines are not peer reviewed.

• Identify key terms

• Critically evaluate and select the literature

• Organize the literature

• Write a review - not copy paste!

 Question is an interrogative statement that can be

The use of web site technology in the classroom deter

• Depending upon the type of study, it includes:

 Description of study area, study design and study

 Sampling technique and sample size used

 Methods of data collection

 Method (s) of data analysis, etc.

Depending upon the type of study, it could be:

 Observational studies – the researchers stand

 Experimental/intervention studies – the