OUTLINE FOR RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. INTRODUCTION (provide a broad yet meaningful of the subject matter under

investigation)

2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS (between 3-5 only and should correspond with

chapters)

3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES (as above)

4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK (depending on the topic/subject matter under

investigation, this can also be a separate chapter. At the Ph.D. level, it must be a
chapter on its own.)

5. LITERATURE REVIEW (Should be fairly extensive and cover the major as well
as most recent works. Provide a critical appraisal of the works under review and
not mere summaries. These can be addressed in a thematic manner as well.)

6. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY (e.g. the work’s contribution to knowledge)

7. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (quantitative, qualitative or mixed-method;

methods of obtaining data i.e. primary & secondary sources, interviews
(structured or semi-structured); methods of sampling, etc.)

8. SCOPE OF STUDY (outline the perimeters/boundaries of the study. If

periodization is used, justify it.)

9. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY (highlight the limitations in obtaining data,

shortcomings/limitations of theoretical model, etc.)

10. OUTLINE OF THESIS/DISSERTATION (provide a tentative outline of study i.e.

between 5-6 chapters only)