9

Research I
Quarter 4 – Module 1:
Research Proposal
(Methodology and Bibliography)

DIVISION OF ANGELES CITY

Research I – Grade 9
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 1: Research Proposal (Methodology and Bibliography)
First Edition, 2021

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 9

Research I
Quarter 4 – Module 1:
Research Proposal
(Methodology and Bibliography)
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.
Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.
Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge of lessons in each
SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed with completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for a better understanding
of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-
check what you are learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We
trust that you will be honest in using these.
In addition to the material in the main text, notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they
can best help you with your home-based learning.
Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.
If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.
Thank you.
 What I Need to Know
This module was designed and written with you in mind to help you master
the nature of the research proposal. In the previous module, the introduction,
formulation of a research question, and hypothesis have been introduced. Now the
students are ready to write a detailed description of the procedures to be
undertaken, and list all sources cited in their study. The scope for this module
permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used
recognizes the diverse vocabulary levels of students. The activities are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. However, the order in which you read
them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

Formulate a good research proposal – MELC Q4W1-3

The module contains:

I. Methodology
1. Procedures
2. Risk and Safety Considerations
3. Data Analysis
II. Bibliography
After going through this module, you are expected to:
 describe the proposal’s experimental procedures, risks and safety
considerations, and data analysis;
 list the sources used in the required format; and
 write the methodology and bibliography sections of the proposed study.

What I Know

Directions: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. Which of the following best describes the methodology in a proposal?
a. a diagram of how the project will be done
b. a statement of the dos and don’ts of the experiment
c. a written structure of the data gathered in the experiment
d. a written plan on how the experimentation will be conducted
2. Which of the following is NOT a part of the methodology?
a. sampling technique
b. analyses of the samples
c. the result from the data collected
d. all materials and amount to be used

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3. Which is the correct way to write if the sentence starts with a number?
a. 10 grams of ipil leaves c. Ten (10) grams of ipil leaves
b. Ten grams of ipil leaves d. both a and b
4. Which statement is written correctly (pronounce use) in methodology?
a. I will analyze the samples for the antibacterial property of lemongrass.
b. He/she will analyze the samples for the antibacterial property of
lemongrass.
c. The researcher will analyze the samples for the antibacterial property
of lemongrass.
d. The researcher analyzed the samples for the antibacterial property of
lemongrass.
5. Which of the following is NOT a safety practice in experimenting?
a. wearing gloves, goggles, and a lab coat
b. immediate decontamination after spills
c. slight inhalation of solvents and chemicals not labeled
d. disposal of chemicals and sharp tips in proper waste containers
6. Which is the best way to present the procedures in the methodology?
I. Procedures are enumerated or listed as in the laboratory manual.
II. Materials to be used are mentioned as the details of the procedure are given.
III. Headings and subheadings help logically direct the researcher to the steps
to follow.
IV. Procedures are given in the order that they should be done in the actual
conduct of the experiment.
a. I and II c. I, II, and III
b. III and IV d. II, III, and IV
7. Which of the following are excellent sources for the methodology?
a. laboratory manuals c. personal experiences
b. published sources d. replication of prior researches
8. Which of the following is TRUE about bibliography?
a. reading materials not cited in the research
b. compilation of related studies for the last 10 years
c. documents the written sources of information used in the study
d. list of all books, papers, journal articles, and communication about the
research
9. Which of the following should NOT be in the bibliographic entry?
a. blogs c. journals
b. books d. conference papers
10. Which of the following statements is written correctly (verb tense) in the
methodology section of the research proposal?
a. The coir fibers were obtained from the shells of randomly selected
mature coconuts.
b. The coir fibers will be obtained from the shells of randomly selected
mature coconuts.
c. The coir fibers had been obtained from the shells of randomly selected
mature coconuts.
d. The coir fibers are being obtained from the shells of randomly selected
mature coconuts.

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Lesson Research Proposal
1
The presentation of the Research Proposal in this module is focused on these
elements:
I. Methodology, a detailed description of the following:
1. Procedures
a. Materials
b. Methods
2. Risk and Safety Considerations
3. Data Analysis
II. Bibliography
Thus, specific discussions are labeled in a pre-laboratory perspective, a guide
before conducting the research. Generally, the discussions are written in the future
tense of the verb.
More so, the methods in the procedure part are divided into several sections:
collection and preparation to be done, sampling procedure, and the analyses to be
performed with the samples. Likewise, the bibliographic entries should be written in
the required American Psychological Association (APA) format.

What’s In

In the first part of formulating a good research proposal, writing a good

introduction and research questions were presented.
The important key elements of a good introduction/rationale present the
thorough literature review, the problem that the study addresses, the research
question, significance, and the aims of the study. As a result, a research topic was
conceptualized with a good introduction along with the other essential elements
present.
However, it is always useful to revisit the introduction part of the approved
study when one must plan on what to pursue next.

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Activity I: My Proposal
Directions: Read and answer the following guide questions related to the proposed
study which was approved by your teacher.
Guide questions:
1. What is the working title?

2. What is/are the problems to be addressed?

3. What is/are the objective/s of the study?

4. What is the formulated hypothesis?

5. Write one related study (follow the APA Reference Format 7th ed. below) and
point out clearly how the cited study is related to your problem.
APA Book Format: Author, A., & Author, B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book
(7th ed.). Publisher. DOI or URL

APA Journal Article: Author, A., & Author, B. (Year). Title of the article.
Name of the Periodical, volume(issue), #-#, https://doi.org./xxxx

How is the cited study related to the problem?

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 What’s New

Before conducting experimental research, a work plan plays a very vital role.
The methodology in the research proposal aims to inform the readers of the steps to
be undertaken by the researcher: the proposed procedures and materials, the
experimental design, collection and analysis of data, and the risks and safety to be
considered in the conduct of the experimentation.

Activity 1: What I need to do?

Directions: Read the excerpt methodology carefully and answer the guide questions
that follow.

Methodology

Paragraph 1:
Peeling of saba and corn are to be collected, sundried, and cut. The used bond
paper will also be gathered. The used paper will be pulped in sodium hydroxide.
Saba and corn peeling pulp will be bleached.

Paragraph 2:
Five treatments will be prepared using the bleached saba, corn, and paper
pulps: Treatment A (100% recycled paper); Treatment B (50% corn + 50% recycled
paper); Treatment C (50% saba +50% recycled paper; and Treatment D (25%
corn
+ 25% saba + 50% recycled paper).

Paragraph 3:
Binding solutions will be added to the treatments, after which each of the
treatments will be allowed to dry. Five replicates of each setup will be prepared,
making a total of 20 hand sheets. The resulting hand sheets will be compared in
terms of folding endurance, tearing strength, and permeability or the extent that
an ink mark can penetrate a sample sheet.

Paragraph 4:
The use of certain chemicals containing strong acid and bases may pose threat;
therefore, proper handling of the set-up and use of personal protective equipment
will be always observed. Proper disposal of the expected wastes and discard of the
excess chemicals should also be planned well in the conduct of the experiment.

Source: Adopted from a Project Proposal Chemistry “The Utilization of Saba

(Musa compressa) and Corn (Zea mays) Peelings as Components of Handmade
Paper (Rabago, Joaquin, and Cruz 2000, 115)

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Guide Questions:

1. What information is shown in paragraph 1?

2. What is the use of the five treatments in paragraph 2?

3. Which paragraph clearly says the step-by-step procedures to be done?

4. Which paragraph clearly states the physical analyses of the samples?

5. What important information is identified in paragraph 4?

What is It

I. Methodology

The methodology section of a research proposal contains details about how

the research will be conducted. It involves the materials to be used, the study design,
the methods, and the work plan to be undertaken to complete a project.
It must contain all the necessary information that will guide the researcher to
conduct the laboratory processes including the risks and safety to be considered,
and how the data will be analyzed. Also, the purpose of writing this section is to
convince a funding agency (if available) that the method to be used is sound and it
is the most suitable approach to address the problem which was chosen.

1.1 Content
The methodology section of the research proposal informs the reader of the
steps to be undertaken and how they will be done. It includes the following:

a. all the materials and amounts to be used in the study

b. description of the experimental and control setups
c. kind of data to be gathered
d. number of trials and replicates to be done
e. description of the samples and population
f. sampling techniques
g. identification and classification of variables
h. chemical, physical, and microbiological analyses of the samples
i. testing to be done with the prototype for the engineering projects
j. risks and safety to be considered
k.statistical analysis for the data to be collected
(Rabago, Joaquin, and Cruz 2000, 19)

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1.2 Organization, Style, and Format

a. Preparation and collection of the specimen and materials to be used

should be clearly stated. Materials that will be used in the study like
glassware, equipment, and chemicals are to be mentioned as the
details of the procedure are given. They are not enumerated nor listed
individually as in the laboratory manual. As much as possible, the
amounts of materials to be used are indicated as accompanied by the
units of measurement.
Example:
Twenty-four Petri dishes, cut filter paper and folder, forceps,
and glass containers will be sterilized at 121 C and 15 pounds pressure
for 15 minutes and will be stabilized at 13 minutes.

b. The research design should be clearly stated for achieving the

objectives of the study. It is important to describe which will be the
study population, the selection of the study subjects, and the
randomization process.
Example:
Twenty eggs of the same size (small, medium, or large), date of
production, and which will come from the same breed of chickens will
be used in the investigation. The experimental eggs with cracks will be
sealed with three coatings of colorless nail polish while the control eggs
also with the cracks will not be sealed. The number of eggs which will
be hatched in each group will be counted after subjecting both groups
to the same conditions for hatching.
Since the sample (20 chicken eggs) is homogenous (same size,
date of production and will come from the same breed), the
Completely Randomized Design (CRD) is an appropriate experimental
design for this research.
The eggs will be numbered from 1 to 20 and will be randomly
assigned either to the experimental or control group until there will
be
10 eggs in each group. The designation of even-number is to the
experimental group and odd-number to the control group.

Source: Adopted from a study done by PSHS students to determine the

effectiveness of nail polish to seal cracks in chicken eggs intended for
hatching. (Rabago, Joaquin, and Cruz 2001, 25)

c. Headings and subheadings of the procedure in the methodology

section are meant to help the readers with the order of what should be
done in the actual conduct of the experiment. The procedure should
NOT be written as directions or steps to be followed in a recipe. It is
written in a narrative form. When using a method described in another
published source, words and time can be saved by providing the
relevant citation to the source.

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 Example:
General Procedure
1. Formulation of Test Pieces
Three formulations will be prepared as shown in Table 1.
2. Forming of Test Pieces
The mixture (20 g) will then…
3. Air Drying
The pressed discs will be…

d. Standard analyses/tests are not to be described in detail.

Example:
A performance test will be conducted for the prototype products.
The ceramic tile will be tested for modulus of rapture to determine its
flexural strength.

e. Describe how the data will be analyzed. Indicate what types of data
analyses to be employed to answer each of the questions or hypotheses
to be tested. The information should include statistical tests to be used
about the questions to be addressed.
Example:
"A Paired t-test will be used to compare mean flight duration
before and after applying stabilizers to the glider's wings."
"One way ANOVA will be used to determine whether both the
treatment and the extracts showed a significant difference from each
other.”
“T-test is to be used to separate a set of significant difference means
into subsets of the homologous means to further recognize which are
different.”

f. Abbreviations are never used on the first citations. The same rule
applies to scientific names. They are spelled out completely on the first
citation; however, abbreviations may be used in the later citation.
Example:
Escherichia coli is spelled out in the first citation while the
abbreviated E. coli is written in the succeeding citations.

g. In the proposal report, the methodology section is written in the future

tense. The passive voice is generally used. Personal pronouns are not
used; instead, the researcher is suggested to use the third person.
Example:
The researcher will analyze the samples for protein content using
the modified Kjeldahl method.

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 h. If the sentence starts with a number, the number is to be spelled out.
Example:
Ten grams of malunggay leaves will be mixed with 50 ml of tap
water to prepare an aqueous solution extract of the sample.

i. Know the important properties of all the reagents or materials to be

used. If these have harmful properties, they should be stated clearly
how they will be handled and if appropriate supervision is needed.
Proper disposal of materials after the experimentation should be
indicated.

II. Bibliography

This section documents the written sources of information used in the study.
It includes pertinent resource materials in the research proposal. It lists all books,
papers, journal articles, and communication cited in the paper. A common oversight
error among many research papers is the non-inclusion of cited works in the
bibliography. Sometimes, cited materials included in the Review of Related
Literature are not listed. (Rabago, Joaquin, and Cruz 2001, 43)
The most practical and useful way to arrange the bibliographic entries is in
alphabetical order, listed by authors. For a more convenient listing, use the
following categories:
I. Books
II. Journals
III. Periodicals
IV. Conference Papers
V. Websites

A sample bibliography is presented below to guide you in writing your own.

I. Books

Cottrell, S. (2013). The study skills handbook (5th ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Franks, A. (2005). Margaret Sanger's eugenic legacy: The control of female fertility.
McFarland & Company.

II. Journals

Pettigrew, T. F. (2009). Secondary transfer effect of contact: Do intergroup contact

effects spread to noncontacted outgroups? Social Psychology, 40(2), 55-
65. http://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335.40.2.55
Muldoon, K., Towse, J., Simms, V., Perra, O., & Menzies, V. (2012). A longitudinal
analysis of estimation, counting skills, and mathematical ability across the
first school year. Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a002824

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 For further clarification on how to write a bibliography of the research paper,
consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
This is the prescribed bibliographic format being followed in the International
Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Here is an example of the excerpt proposed methodology and bibliography

sections showing steps to be undertaken and how it will be done.

Methodology

Collection and Preparation

The materials which will be needed for conducting the experiment are
triclosan E. coli (Strain k-12), tryptic soy agar plates, tryptic soy broth,
ethanol, distilled water, cotton swabs, filter paper, forceps, incubator, paper
disks, and 6 locally available antibiotics.

In this procedure, the experimental unit – triclosan E. coli will prove

its resistance when expose to common antibiotics. The six antibiotics that will
serve as the independent variables are amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin,
kanamycin, streptomycin, and sulfamethoxazole.

The amount of resistance of the triclosan E. coli which is the

dependent variable will be measured through the diameter of the zone of
inhibition which will be formed when treated with the antibiotics. The
constants in the experiment are temperature, the triclosan solution, bacteria,
light exposure, agar plates, growth, time, and method for measuring
resistance. The experimental control will be a group of triclosan resistant
bacteria that will not be exposed to any treatment of an antibiotic.

The data collection table for my experiment will be as follow:

Length of Zone of Inhibition (in mm)
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial Average
Antibiotic 1 2 3 4 5
Amoxicillin
Triclo-
san Ampicillin
Ciprofloxacin
E. coli Kanamycin

Streptomycin

Sulfa m e t
hoxa z ol e
Triclo-
water
san
E. coli

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Procedures and Data Analysis
1. Prepare Plates of Bacteria
Transfer E. coli (Strain k-12) from stock cultures to tryptic soy
agar plates. Spread the bacteria uniformly on the plate to make a
bacterial lawn (Welden and Hossler, 2003).
2. Prepare Triclosan Solution
Dissolve Triclosan powder in a solution of 17.5% ethanol and 82.5%
distilled water (triclosan concentration of 500 µg/ml.) (Do different
dilutions of disinfectants affect the development of bacterial
resistance?, 2007).
3. Make Bacteria Resistant to Triclosan
Transfer bacteria from a liquid culture into an agar plate. Apply a
paper disk soaked in triclosan solution to the tryptic soy agar plate with
E. coli. Incubate 24 hours at 37°C. Measure the width of the zone of
inhibition. The zone of inhibition is the diameter from the one side of
the inner margin of the bacterial lawn to the other side of the inner
margin of the bacterial lawn. Isolate the bacteria most resistant to
triclosan from each plate by rubbing a sterile cotton swab across the
inner margin of the zone of inhibition. Transfer the bacteria to liquid
culture. Incubate for 24 hours at 37°C. Repeat between 6-10 times
(Welden and Hossler, 2003).
4. Test Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics.
Dip a sterile cotton swab into the liquid culture of the triclosan
resistant bacteria. Spread the bacteria uniformly on the plate to make
a bacterial lawn. Place a magazine disk of antibiotics into the center of
the plate. Incubate for 24 hours at 37°C.
5. Measure Zone of Inhibition
The zone of inhibition around each disk will be measured. If the
zone of inhibition is 10 mm or less the bacteria is resistant to the
antibiotic, if the zone of inhibition is 11-l mm the bacteria have
intermediate resistance to the antibiotic, and if the zone of inhibition is
16mm or more, the bacteria is susceptible to the antibiotic (Do different
dilutions of disinfectants affect the development of bacterial
resistance?, 2007).
6. Data Analysis
The effect of cell concentration on antibiotic activity will be
analyzed with the t-test. The data which will be collected independently
from the samples will compare their measurements using analysis of
variance (ANOVA).

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Risk and Safety

A senior supervising scientist before experimentation will assess

certain risks, such as ingestion, inhalation, or any other dangerous contact
with hazardous chemicals associated with experiments which will be
performed. During experimentation, gloves, goggles, and a lab coat will be
worn. A fume hood will be used when working with chemicals that emit
dangerous fumes, such as ethanol. Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for
all chemicals to be used during experimentation will be read and reviewed
before experimentation. Chemicals and sharp tips will be disposed of in
proper waste containers.
Other laboratory activities that require standard microbial practices
which will be observed are:
 Mechanical pipetting only (no mouth pipetting allowed)
 Safe sharps handling
 Avoidance of splashes or aerosols
 Daily decontamination of all work surfaces when work is complete
 Hand washing
 Prohibition of food, drink and smoking materials in lab setting
 Biohazard signs
 BSL-1 labs also require immediate decontamination after spills.
Infection materials are also decontaminated prior to disposal, generally
using an autoclave.
Bibliography
Journals

Antibiotic drugs. (2006). Science resource center. Retrieved October 2, 2008,

from Gale Group (--) database Antibiotics. (2008). Science resource
center. Retrieved October 2, 2008, from Gale Group database.

Do different dilutions of disinfectants affect the development of bacterial

resistance? (2007, March 22). Science buddies. Retrieved July 30,
2008, from http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair.-
projects/project ideas/MicroBio_pO13 .shtml

Glaser, A. (2004, March). The ubiquitous Triclosan: A common antibacterial

agent exposed. Pesticides and You, 24(3), 12-17. Glaser, A. (2005,
October 4).
Websites

Problems with Triclosan and antibacterial products. In Eco-logical. Retrieved

September 18, 2008, from Grinning Planet Web site:
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005 /l 0-4/triclosan-article.htm.

Senese, F. (1999, June 27). What are triclocarban and triclosan (ingredients
in some antiseptic soaps)? In Chemistry of everyday life. Retrieved
August 5, 2008, from General chemistry online Web site:
http://antione.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/print-
triclosan.shtml.

12
Welden, C. W., & Hossler, R. A. (2003, January). Evolution in the lab: Biocide
resistance in E. coli. The American Biology Teacher, 65(1),56-61.

Source: Adapted from the Research Plan, “The Effects of Triclosan Resistant E.
coli Bacteria when Exposed to Common Antibiotics.” (“Info for All,” n.d.)

What’s More
Directions: Read the excerpt methodology and bibliography sections from a
research plan. Analyze whether the content and format are followed correctly.

Methodology

Two bags of empty and discarded mango pods will be collected from the
province and another two bags of sawdust will be obtained from lumberyard.
The mango pods will be shredded to the desired size and the following mango
pod (MP): sawdust (SD) mixtures (proportion determine by weight) will be
prepared: 3:1. 1:3, 1:1, 4:0, 0:4. Each setup will be packed in bags, each 310
g of substrate. Enough water will be added until moisture level of about 65%-
70% is reached. The bags of substrate will be given a week for the component
pods and sawdust mixtures and water to set. Five replicates of each setup will
be prepared, making a total of 25 bags.
The bags will be sterilized, allowed to cool, then inoculate aseptically
with 1 inch X 1 inch block of oyster mushroom spawns obtained from NIST.
The bags will be stored in a fruiting cabinet with temperature, light, and
moisture control (OYSTER MUSHROOM, 2021). Daily observations from
the mycelia growth will be done although the mushrooms are expected to
sprout after an incubation period of 30 days.
The observation and recording of data will focus on the following:
1. Substate where basidiocarps will first appear
2. Color and general appearance of basidiocarps
3. Sampling of mushrooms from each setup for cooking and tasting
4. Counting the number of sprouts from each setup and averaging the
replicates
5. Harvesting, weighing, and averaging the weights of the replicates

Bibliography

Alam, N., Amin, R., Khan, A., Ara, I., Shim, M. J., Lee, M. W., Lee, U. Y., &
Lee, T. S. (2009). Comparative Effects of Oyster Mushrooms on Lipid
Profile, Liver and Kidney Function in Hypercholesterolemic Rats.
Mycobiology, 37(1), 37–42.
https://doi.org/10.4489/MYCO.2009.37.1.037

13
 Cont. of Bibliography

OYSTER MUSHROOM. (2021). Nhb.gov.in.

http://nhb.gov.in/report_files/oyster_mushroom/oyster%20mushroom.htm

Jurak, E. (n.d.). How mushrooms feed on compost: Conversion of

carbohydrates and lignin in industrial wheat straw- based compost
enabling the growth of Agaricus bisporus. https://edepot.wur.nl/343963

Source: Adapted from the Research Plan, “Mongo Pods as Medium for Growing
Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus).”

Activity 1: Critiquing Methodology and Bibliography

Directions: Evaluate the above sample methodology and bibliography by placing
a mark (/) on the given criteria.

Checklist of Criteria Yes No

A. Methodology

1. Does the study define and classify the variables?

2. Are the sources of samples and materials given?
3. Is the sampling procedure defined evidently?
4. Are the treatments to be given to the samples defined
clearly?
5. Is the data gathering procedure defined in the study?
6. Are the risks and safety considerations specified?
7. Are the orders of the procedure clear and appropriate for
the study?
8. Is the use of the third person and future tense of verbs
evident?
B. Bibliography
1. Are the cited sources listed in the bibliography?
2. Are the bibliographic entries in alphabetical order?
3. Is the listing of sources categorized?
4. Is the required format followed correctly?

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Activity 2: What’s Wrong
Directions: For the items marked under NO answers in Activity 1, explain and
provide the appropriate content and format.

A. Methodology:

B. Bibliography:

Activity 3: Finding Related Studies for Methodology

Reviewing and organizing related studies is basic to all research. Through

an extensive review of research, you can learn which materials, procedures, and
processes have proved to be useful and relevant to the study.

Directions:
1. Use prior knowledge about the survey of literature and related studies.
2. Find at least three (3) references that will provide you with the
appropriate methodology for your research proposal.
3. Use science journal articles, books, published/conference papers, and
internet sites.
4. Follow specific content, format, and style in writing a methodology.
5. Be guided with the following specifications in finding the related
studies/literature for your methodology:

a. Is the related study/literature comprehensive?

b. Are the references current/updated (published in the last 5 years)?
c. Does the study/literature show relevance to the problem under study?

15
 What I Have Learned

Directions: Fill in the blank to complete the statements with the correct words/terms
provided in the box.

bibliography passive methodology materials third

headings and subheadings sampling review related literature

future alphabetical data standard analyses

The (1) section describes in sufficient detail the procedures

employed in the research so it can be evaluated and repeated if necessary.
(2) are meant to help direct the reader through labels, not sentences. The
(3) are given in the order that they are done during the actual experiment.
(4) like glassware, equipment, and chemicals are mentioned as details of
the procedure are given. (5) are not to be described in detail.
Abbreviations are never used on first citations. In the research proposal, the
methodology is written in the (6) tense. (7) voice is generally
used. Personal pronouns are not used, and instead, the researcher is alluded to
using the (8) person.
The bibliography section documents the written sources of information used
in the study. A common oversight error among many research papers is the non-
inclusion of the cited works in the bibliography. Sometimes, cited materials included
in the (9) are not listed in the bibliography. The most practical and
useful way to arrange the bibliographic entries is in (10) order, listed by
authors.

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 What I Can Do
Congratulations on reaching this section- the detailed procedures on how
the experimentation will be performed and the cited works in the bibliography.

Directions: Follow through with the approved topic and introduction that you have
developed in the previous module, write the appropriate methodology for
the research proposal, and list all the cited sources in the bibliography
sections. Be guided using the rubric for the research plan. (Note:
Modified version of the research proposal template and rubric are
provided below).

Title/Topic

A complete research proposal is

required in all projects.
Name
School
Category (Field of Study)
Research Teacher
Question or Problem being addressed.

Hypothesis/Engineering Goals

Rationale
A brief synopsis of the background that supports your research problem and
explains why this research is important scientifically and, if applicable, explain your
research's societal impact.

Review Related Literature (IMRAD format includes this part in the introduction,
however, it is a good practice to have a file of the sources used in the study).
Provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a particular topic
and demonstrate how the current study fits within a larger field of study.

Materials List
List of ALL items used in research. Ensure concentrations of all chemicals, source
and amount of all living organisms, and all equipment used.

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Procedures (Research Methods)
DETAIL description of method/procedures, risk and safety, and proper disposal (if
needed).

Bibliography
List at least five (5) major references (e.g., scientific journal articles, books,
internet sites) from the literature review. Please use a variety of sources; five
sources from the internet will NOT suffice.

Source: https://studyres.com/doc/6525986/rsef-research-plan-template
https://www.societyforscience.org/

Rubric for Research Plan

Tentative/Working Title:

CRITERIA Possible Points

A. Rationale for the Project

 Include a brief synopsis of the background that supports
your research problem (3) 8
 Explain why this research is important (3)
 Include at least 2 internal citations in APA format (2)
B. Research Question(s), Hypothesis(es), Expected
Outcome, Engineering Goals(s)
 Is there a clear connection between this section & the
rationale above (3)
If Experimental
 Research Question is clearly stated & specific and logical
(3)
 Hypothesis clearly stated with Hypothesis explanation: 9
specific cause & effect identified (3)
If Engineering
 If an engineering project, goals are specific & clearly stated
(6)
C. Procedures
 Sequential & detailed (2)
 Includes Risk & Safety (1)
If Experimental
 Tests hypothesis that is stated in the above section (2)
11
 Method for data collection clearly state (2)

18
  Control & experimental group identified & designed
correctly (2)
 Repeated Trials used (2)
If Engineering
 Clear building plan (thought was given to materials) (4)
 Method of testing (4)
D. Bibliography
 Minimum of at least 5 science/engineering major
journal articles, must pertain to project topic in
proper APA format (10) (minus 1 point for each error
in references, max 5 points)
 No spacing within citation, single space between citations 12
(2)
 2-point bonus for 10 or more references (can only receive
once)
E. Format
 FUTURE tense (2)
 A, B, C, D Format (2) 10
 Times New Roman/Size 12 font, Double Spaced (2)
 Title – Bold-faced and centered (2)
 Research Plan is written above title (2)
Total Points Earned 50

Source: commackschools.org

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 2
1

Assessment

Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if incorrect.

1. An organized, well-written, concise, and complete proposal is the key into

conducting an easier experiment.
2. The methodology section of the proposal informs the readers of the steps
undertaken by the researcher and how he did them.
3. Ideally, headings and subheadings are meant to help direct the readers
in the methodology section.
4. A scientific research proposal should contain a conclusion.
5. The procedure in the proposed methodology section should be presented on how
they should be done in the actual conduct of the experiment.
6. The materials to be used should not be listed individually as in the laboratory
manual.
7. Standard analyses are to be discussed in detail.
8. In the proposal report, the methodology is written in the past tense.
9. A useful way to arrange the bibliographic entries is alphabetically listed by
authors.
10. A number at the start of a sentence is written in numeric form.

Additional Activities

Reflect on this:

A thorough search of related studies avoids unintentional replication

of studies that have already been concluded in the past.

Directions: Evaluate three (3) of the references listed in the bibliography following
the guide questions:
1. What background information among research studies is related to your current
study?
2. Are the recommendations stated in the related study relevant to your stated
problem?
3. What innovation is presented in your study as comparedto the related studies?