Bachelor in Geomatics

Research Methodology (RMY371s)

Research Planning/ Proposal

 Dr N. Dlangamandla
 Email: dlangamandlan@cput.ac.za
 12 February 2024
 HOW TO A CHOOSE TITLE
• The Understanding of basic research concepts
• Awareness of university requirements for your
qualification
• Choose your areas of interest and narrow it down
• Review the literature (peer reviewed journals and
books)
• Choose specific interesting topics and draw up research
questions
• Evaluate each topic
• Write a concept note
 TITLE
• A title should be specific, concise, descriptive, short
and must guide the reader in terms of problem,
location and product of the research

• Aim of the study should clear

• Contain population and major variables

• Not more than 10 words

• Should describe the research study

 TITLE EXAMPLES
• A proposed digital control system using a mobile
application for municipal solid waste management in
South Africa
• Potential bioremediation of heavy metal ions, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons and biofilms with South African
hot spring bacteria
• Environmental implications of petroleum spillages in
the Niger Delta region of Nigeria: a review
• Assessment of air pollution in the informal settlements
of the Western Cape, South Africa
• Innovative and technological waste management
practices: The awareness of Joe Slovo Township
residents
 EXCERISE 1
• Choose a title and critically analyze it and be creative
and give it to someone to have a look at it and give you
feedback and pointers on how you can improve it, if is
necessary.
 Concept note
• Shortest expression that includes crucial and relevant
information about your project

• It should be specific, descriptive, informative and must be

appealing to your supervisor or faculty board

• Summary of everything related to the proposed project,

why is it important and how you plan to conduct the project

• It contains, research problem statement, research

questions, methods and materials and references

• It is 1- 2 pages long
 EXERCISE 2
• Write a concept note of not more than 2 pages (font
Arial 11, line spacing 1.5) and it must be justified
 Research Proposal
What's is a research proposal?
❖ Research proposal is that concise document that is prepared to show your level
of expertise to support your research interest as well as identifying the necessary
skills, methodology, data analysis to help achieve your research aim.

❖ Research proposal is something like an architect’s plan.

❖
❖It is a carefully prepared document, and it proposes a set of actions…

❖It sets forth a plan of action that you intend to follow.

❖Although you will not have to adhere slavishly to the plan, the general thrust and
directions are clearly outlined (Anderson and Poole, 2009: 27).
 It must fit into what is already
known in the body of research
work.

It must be novel to add a new

theory, framework, or
Requirements paradigm to existing literature.

for a research
proposal It must contain research
questions, aim, and objectives.

It must contain a research

design that is convincing to the
evaluation committee.
 Components of a research proposal
❖A cover page that contains the title of the research, researcher’s name, affiliation
of researcher, degree of the researcher and the name of the institution where
the study will be conducted, contact details (e.g. phone numbers, and email
address).

❖Main components of the research proposal may be presented on the following

headings:

❖Introduction, Review of previous literature, Aim and objectives, research

questions, theoretical framework, research design and methods (research
methodology), ethical considerations, budget, and references.
 Research Proposal
1. Title
• It contains a precise and concise title

2. Clarification of basic concepts or terms

• As various words have different meaning to different
people, especially from different fields.

3. Statement of research problem

• The main component of the proposal, it should be a
paragraph.
 Sample of a research problem
Overfill has been a serious problem facing our city waste facilities
for the last decade. By some estimations, our city dumps are, on
average, 30% above capacity—an unsanitary, unsafe, and unwise
position for our city to be in.

Several methods have been proposed in order to combat this.

Perhaps the most popular of these is the simplest: building two
new landfills on the city outskirts. Others have proposed stronger
recycling campaigns and larger per-bag waste disposal costs as a
way to lessen the potential damage of our trash situation.

Centurion is close to drowning in trash. Action is needed if our

city is to remain the clean, safe place to live it has always been.
 Exercise 3
Write your problem statement and rethink of it and let
someone check it for you.
15 min…
4. Background to the research problem

• Outlines the background of research problem, clarify the area of

research interest.
• Literature overview relevant to the problem/question. A discussion
with regard to the problem by reviewing the literature relevant to the
field of study.

5. Literature review
• Provide shows the faculty research committee that you are well
aware of the past and current research that is happening in your field
of study.
• It depicts that your project will be authentic and not a duplication of
previous studies
• It position your research within an existing body of knowledge
6. Hypothesis
• A hypothesis can be seen as a tentative (recommended) solution to a
problem or sub-problem; thus it must be stated in a form of declaration and
one must be able to test and verify it. It is more "operational" than
problems and sub-problems.

• State if it is statistical or non-statistical hypothesis. If it is statistical state the

level of statistical significance that will be accepted or rejected

7. Research questions
• Fundamental research questions

8. Aims and objectives

• What is it that you aim to achieve or main goals of your project.
• Gives guidance to you throughout the research process
• The objectives ( General, specific and sub-objectives)
 Example of objectives
General objective
The overarching research question to be answered in this study is:
what is the prevalence, causes and possible environmental health
effects of indiscriminate dumping in municipal serviced areas of
Lekwa Municipality.

Specific objectives will be to:

a) Assess the prevalence and causes of indiscriminate dumping
in municipal serviced communities within the Lekwa
Municipality.
b) Characterise the waste streams dumped in municipal serviced
areas.
c) Detect and quantify selected harmful heavy metals (Cd and
Pd) in the contaminated soil.
d) Highlight possible environmental health effects of
indiscriminately dumped waste and solutions thereof.
 Exercise 4
a) Write down your main aim or objective inclusive of sub-
objectives if any.

b) Let someone check them for you…

6. Hypothesis

• State if it is statistical or non-statistical hypothesis. If it is statistical

state the level of statistical significance that will be accepted or
rejected

7. Research questions
• Fundamental research questions

8. Aims and objectives

• What is it that you aim to achieve or main goals of your project.
• The objectives
9. Research design and methodology
• Critical section that attention to detail, it clarifies the method of
investigation,
• It indicates sampling methodology, It indicates statistical methods
• Clarifies why you intended to use a certain method, It also shows
whether the study will require an ethical clearance or not.

10. Delineation of study

• Sets boundaries for the study
• It indicates areas that will not be covered by your research

11. Significance and rational of the study

• It indicates the importance of research, why is it important, to which
audience or industry, will it be beneficial
12. Expected outcomes
• What are the expected outputs (new theory, publications, prototype,
new mathematical models, solution to a practical problem etc.)

13. Ethics
• Address any aspect of your proposed research project that may raise
ethical concerns.
• Consult an approved set of appropriate ethical guidelines that applies
to the type of research you are planning to do.

14. Time frame

• Propose a realistic time schedule for the research project to be
completed.
• Allow for unforeseen obstacles and possible setbacks.
• Deviations: Do you foresee any deviations from this proposal? If so,
then already indicate how you will deal with it.
15. Budget
• What are the expected outputs (new theory, publications, prototype,
new mathematical models, solution to a practical problem etc.)

• Provide a clear, complete, realistic and affordable budget on the costs

of the research project and indicate where the funds needed to
conduct the project will be obtained.

RECORDS
• State where and by whom the records of your study will be kept for at
least three years.
END