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Writing A Quantitative Research Proposal / Thesis

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DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.5145.8806

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KURSUS PERSEDIAAN IJAZAH DOKTOR FALSAFAH
INSTITUT TADBIRAN AWAM NEGARA (INTAN)

3. WRITING A QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL / THESIS

SKST 6404:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
IN DEFENCE STUDIES

Dr. Guido Benny

1
 RESEARCH TOPIC

2
 RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 Title  Scope and Limitations
 Abstract  Significance
 Introduction/  Review of Literature
Background  Theoretical &
 Problem Statement Conceptual Framework
 Rationale/Research  Definition of variables
Questions  Methodology
 Purpose/Aims/  Overview of Chapters
Objectives  Plan of Work
 Hypothesis  Bibliography
3
Tips on Titles, from “Piled Higher and Deeper”

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 Creating a Working Title
 Orient your readers to your research topic.
 Indicate the type of study you will conduct.

Examples:
 Public Opinion of Regional Cooperation and the Formation of ASEAN
Community: A Comparative Study in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore
 The Evolving Southeast Asia – China Relations: The Security and Military
Dimensions
 Implication of China’s Accession to the WTO on Malaysia’s Export to China
and Manufacturing Foreign Direct Investment Inflows into Malaysia
 Big Power in East Asia: Perception and Attitudes of the Public in Indonesia,
Malaysia and Vietnam
 Security in the Korean Peninsula: DPRK’s Perplexity towards China’s
Influence
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 Abstract
 Provide a brief overview of the proposal
 Summarize important elements
 (In Proposal: Introduction, Problem Statement, Research
Questions or Hypotheses, Theories, Methods and Procedures)
 (In the Final Report: same as above + Conclusions and
Implications).
ASEAN has outlined ambitious plans to integrate the region by the end of 2015 through its
community building initiatives. While the economic integration appears to be moving fast,
the awareness and participation among public to this initiative seems to be lacking. The
proposed research will study “attitudes and participation” of young professionals in Malaysia,
Indonesia and Vietnam towards the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). It will examine in
detail aspects of awareness, attitudes, perceived relevancy, perceived impact, as well as
preparedness, involvement and supports for the AEC. Using public choice theory, it will use
opinion survey method in soliciting information from some 750 young professionals, with
equal distribution from each country. Since researches based on opinion surveys about
ASEAN are scarce, the findings of this study will reveal valuable insights into the nature of
attitudes and participation. It will also be useful for policy consideration and programme
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planning, aimed at integrating the young professionals in the AEC initiatives.
 Introduction/Background
 Establish the general territory (introduction about
real world of research).
 Describe the broad foundations of your study—
provide sufficient background for readers.
 Indicate the general scope of your project.
 Provide an overview of the sections that will appear
in your proposal (optional).
 Engage the readers to the problems / issues.

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 Problem Statement

 Answer the question: “What is the problem that needs to be

solved?” and “What is the research gap that needs to be filled?”
 State the problem clearly early in a paragraph.

 Limit the variables you address in stating your problem or

question.
 Consider framing the problem as a question.

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 Research Questions
 Provide a more detailed account of the points
summarized in the introduction.
 Describe the research questions.
 May include one main question and some more
detailed questions
 Example of Main Q: How does knowledge and perception towards
ASEAN influenced public attitudes for ASEAN Community?
 Detailed Questions:
1. How knowledgeable is the public about ASEAN, ASEAN Community?
2. What perception does the public have of the ASEAN Community?
3. What are the public’s attitudes and supports towards the ASEAN Community?
4. How does the knowledge and perception influence public atttitudes and
supports for the ASEAN Community
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 Research Objectives
 Explain the goals and research objectives of the study: how to answer
the research questions
 Show the original contributions of your study.
 Knowledge: to define, to describe, to identify, to indicate, to recognize, etc.
 Comprehension: to assess, to compare, to contrast, to demonstrate, to describe, to
differentiate, to discuss, to distinguish, to explain, to interpret, to predict, to understand,
etc.
 Application: to apply, to calculate, to examine, to investigate, to measure (quantitative),
to utilize, etc.
 Analysis: to analyze, to criticize, to identify, to infer, to measure (quantitative), to
summarize.
 Synthesis: to arrange, to collect, to combine, to compose, to construct, to create,
to develop, to formulate, to generalize, to integrate, to suggest, etc.
 Evaluation: to appraise, to assess, to compare, to determine, to estimate (quanti),
to evaluate (quanti), to measure (quanti), to project (quanti), to rank, to rate, to
recommend, to revise, to select, to test.
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 Research Objectives
1. How knowledgeable is
the public about ASEAN,
ASEAN Community?
2. What perception does the
public have of the ASEAN
Community?
3.What are the public’s
attitudes towards the
ASEAN Community?
4. How does knowledge and
perception influence public
atttitudes and supports for
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ASEAN Community
 1. discuss and analyze the public’s
knowledge on ASEAN, and their
awareness of the concept of the
ASEAN Community.
 2. examine public perception of the
idea and formation process of the
ASEAN Community and its three
pillars.
 3. discuss public agreement, attitudes,
and supports for the idea of ASEAN
Community, APSC, AEC, and ASCC
 4. analyze the influence of knowledge
and perception on public attitudes and
supports.
Scope and Limitation
 Scope: Limit your study in terms of variables, time (when?) and place
(where?).
 Scope: Specify what you will study and WILL NOT study.

 Limitation: what obstacles you will face?

 Difficulties in finding the true informants?
 Place under study is faraway land.
 Unability to speak, read and understand the local languages  Dependent
on English literature
 Don’t write: unable to get informant  lazy?
 Don’t write: time constraints  not professional?
 Don’t write: resources limitation, budget  stingy?
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Research Significance

 To whom your study is important? What are

the importance of your study?

 Practical significance: contribution for

outside stakeholders or for policy making.
 Academic significance: Substantive,
methodological, and theoretical contributions
for the discipline of ......................

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Hypothesis
 Hypothesis is the preliminary answers to your research questions that will
be tested in the study.

 = Arguments in qualitative study.

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 Review of Literature

Writing the literature review allows you to understand:

 How other scholars have written about your topic
(tailored to Research Questions).
 The range of theories used to analyze materials or
data
 How other scholars connect their specific
research topics to larger issues, questions, or
practices within the field.
 The best methodologies and research techniques
for your particular topic.
 Potential gaps in knowledge  Establish a need
for current and/or future research projects 
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justification of the importance of your study.
 Theoretical Framework

 Specify which Theory(ies) you will use for the study.

 Example in International Relations Discipline: Realism?
Neorealism? Liberalism? Neoliberalism? Constructivism?
Marxism? Postmodernism? Copenhagen School? Feminism?
 What are the theories in your discipline? Choose either
one or combination of more than one theories.
 Discuss the underlying assumptions of the theories and
their relations to you study.

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 Conceptual Framework
 Specify which model or framework you will use for the
study.
 Independent variables?

 Dependent variables?

 Mediating Variables?

 Intervening Variables?

 Relationship between variables?

 Discuss the definitions from previous studies and

determine operational definitions for your study.
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 Methodology
1. Introduce the overall methodological approach.

2. Indicate how the approach fits the overall research design.

3. Describe the specific methods of data collection.

4. Explain how you intend to analyze and interpret your

results (i.e. statistical analysis, theoretical framework).
5. If necessary, provide background and rationale for
unfamiliar methodologies.
6. Address potential limitations.
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 Overview of Chapters

19
 Overview of Chapters

 Some proposals include a sentence length description of

each chapter (i.e. chapter two reviews relevant literature;
chapter three discusses the methodology).
 Other proposals include more in-depth reviews of body
chapters that might include major hypotheses, arguments,
methods, etc. for each chapter.

20
 Bibliography & Appendices
 Include a working bibliography of key texts that inform your
study and methodology.
 Your appendices may include Experiment Diagrams,
Permissions for Human Subject Testing, etc.

 Both bibliographies and required appendices tend to be

discipline specific: know what the requirements are.

 Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)?

 American Psychology Association (APA) Style?

 University’s Style of Writing. Eg: Gaya UKM (UKM Styles)

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In the Thesis: Findings and Analysis
 What is the findings of your research.
 Must answer all Research Questions / achieve Research Objectives.

ANALYSIS
 Analysis on the findings of your research.
 Compare to previous studies.
 Hypothesis testing
 Think about implications of the findings
 There are some (or several) arguments in answering your research questions.
 These arguments must be supported by facts or examples or illustrations
 Details: Read: Guidelines on writing a first quantitative academic article
22
In the Thesis: Findings and Analysis
 How to divide chapters?
 Typical Quantitative Studies: One chapter for findings; another
chapter for Analysis
 Chapter 1: Introduction
 Chapter 2: Theoretical and Conceptual Framework, and
Methodology
 Chapter 3: Findings
 Chapter 4: Analysis
 Chapter 5: Conclusion

23
In the Thesis: Findings and Analysis
 How to divide chapters?
 Qualitative / Quantitative Studies: Divided by Research Questions
/ Issues / Variables.
 Chapter 1: Introduction
 Chapter 2: Nationalism sentiments in three Countries
 Chapter 3: Opinions of the formation of ASEAN Community
 Chapter 4: Effects of nationalism sentiments on Opinions for the
Formation of ASEAN Community
 Chapter 5: Conclusion

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In the Thesis: Writing Conclusion
 Conclusion is not summary.
 Conclusion = answers of your research questions in brief form
(much shorter than findings and analyses).
 Dedicate only one or two paragraphs for each research question.

Implication, Recommendation and Suggestions

for Future Studies
 Implication of the study for practise, knowledge and theories
 Recommendation for Practice / Policy makers
 Suggestions for Future Studies (based on the findings of your study
and limitation or weakness of your research).
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KURSUS PERSEDIAAN IJAZAH DOKTOR FALSAFAH
INSTITUT TADBIRAN AWAM NEGARA (INTAN)

3.5. Casestudy:
Quantitative Study
Benny, G., Moorthy, R., Daud, Sity & Othman, Z. 2015. Impact of
Nationalist Sentiments and Commitment for Prioritising the ASEAN
Economic Community: Empirical Analysis from Survey in Indonesia,
Malaysia and Singapore. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences
6(1S1): 188 – 199.

Dr. Guido Benny,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, guidobenny@ukm.edu.my
 1. Introduction
 What is the research puzzle?

 What is the objective of the study?

 What is the research argument?

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 2. Literature Review
 How is the extent of past researches regarding this issue?

 What do past researches discuss?

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 3. Hypothesis
 What are the hypotheses?

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 4. Methodology
 Research Approach?
 Method of data collection?
 What are the object of the study?
 What are the instruments of study?
 How many respondents are involved?
 What are the Dependent variable? Predictors?
 What methods of analysis are used?

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 5. Results and Discussion
 What are the findings?
 Are the hypothesis confirmed or rejected?

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 7. Conclusion
 What are the conclusions?
 What are the implications?
 What are the suggestions for future research?

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