Preparing Research Proposal

MD. FAZLUR RAHMAN

Professor
Department of Language Education,
IER, DU
frahman71@live.com
 What is research proposal?
The research proposal is a written document that
summarize the prior literature, identifies the
research topic area and the research questions to be
answered, and specifies the procedure that will be
followed in obtaining an answer to these research
questions. It is the formal description of the
procedure to be used in the study.
Johnson & Christensen, 2008
 Getting Started
Brainstor
m

Topic & working title

Provisional research
question/s

Draft research proposal

Sharp, 2009
 Major Sections of a Research
Proposal
According to Fraenkel and Wallen (2009)........
Problem to be investigated
Background & review of related literature
Procedures
 Problem to be investigated
o Purpose of the study:
• the purpose states succinctly what the researcher
proposes to investigate,
• providing a framework to which the details are added
later,
• articulate any assumptions that are basic to the study.
o Justification for the study:
• why this particular subject is important to investigate?
• must present the arguments for the “worth” of the
study,
• a good justification should also include any specific
implications.
 Key questions to ask yourself at this
point
• Have I identified the specific research
problem I wish to investigate?
• Have I indicated what I intend to do about
this problem?
• Have I put forth an argument as to why this
problem is worthy of investigation?
• Have I made my assumptions explicit?
 Problem to be investigated (cont’d)
o Research questions and/or hypothesis
• the particular question to be investigated,
• hypothesis should be stated as clearly and as concisely as
possible (if researcher has it in mind).

o Key questions to ask yourself at this point:

• Have I asked the specific research question I wish to pursue?
• Do I have a hypothesis in mind? If so, have I expressed it?
• Do I intend to investigate a relationship? If so, have I indicated
the variables I think may be related?
 Problem to be investigated (cont’d)

o Definitions
• All key terms should be defined as clear as possible
to the researcher and others.

o Key questions to ask yourself at this point:

• Have I defined all key terms clearly (and, if
possible, operationally)?
 Background and
Review of related literature
• It is a partial summary of previous works related to the
hypothesis or focus of the study.
• Researcher is trying to show that s/he is familiar with the
major trends in previous research and opinion on the
topic and understands their relevance to the study being
planned.
• The review may include theoretical conceptions, directly
related studies, and studies that provide additional
perspectives on the research question.
 Key questions to ask yourself at
this point
• Have I surveyed and described relevant studies
related to the problem?
• Have I surveyed existing expert opinion on the
problem?
• Have I summarized the existing state of opinion
and research on the problem?
 Conceptual Framework

• Develop your concept based on the literature

review.
• Describe the concept developed from the
literature literally.
• Develop a diagram of your concept.
• Show the relations among the aspects of your
research by the diagram so that any one can
understand the process, variables, and their
relationships under your research.
 Procedures

• Research design
• Sample
• Instrumentation
• Procedural details
• Internal validity
• Data analysis
 Research design

• The particular research design to be used in

the study and its application should be
identified.
• It may be the nature the of the study.
• The nature of the data and its implication in
the study.
 Sample
• Researcher should define the population for the
study to which the result will be generalized.

• Researcher should indicate in considerable detail

how s/he will obtain the subjects-the sample- for
the study.

• If a convenience sample must be used, relevant

demographics (gender, ethnicity, occupation, IQ,
and so on) of the sample should be described.
 Key questions to ask yourself
at this point
• Have I described my sampling plan?
• Have I described the relevant characteristics of my
sample in detail?
• Have I identified the population to which the result
of the study may legitimately be generalized?
 Instrumentation
• Whenever possible, existing instruments should be used.
However, you have to make sure that it is sufficiently
reliable and valid for the present study.
• You should describe the instruments you are going to use.
You should describe the focus of the instruments and the
procedures followed in developing the instruments.
• You should describe the procedures how you will check
the reliability and validity of scores obtained from the
instruments.
• You can include some sample items from the instruments
in the proposal.
 Key questions to ask yourself
at this point
• Have I described the instruments to be used?
• Have I indicated their relevance to the present
study?
• Have I stated how I will check the reliability of
scores obtained from all instruments?
• Have I stated how I will check the validity of scores
obtained from all instruments?
 Procedural details

• The procedures to be followed in the study should be

described in detail.
– what will be done?
– when will be done?
– where will be done?
– how will be done?

• The researcher should also make clear how the

information collected will be used to answer the research
question/s or to test the hypothesis.
 Key questions to ask yourself
at this point
• Have I fully described the procedures to be followed
in the study- what will be done, where, when, and
how?

• Have I made it clear that how I will use the

collected information to answer the research
question or hypothesis?
 Internal validity
• Researcher should examine the proposed
methodology for the presence of any feasible
alternative explanations for the results should the
study’s hypothesis be supported.

• Identify the troublesome areas and describe what

s/he would do to eliminate or minimize them.
 Key questions to ask yourself
at this point
• Have I discussed any feasible alternative
explanations that might exist for the results of the
study?

• Have I discussed how I will deal with these

alternative explanations?
 Data Analysis
o Researcher should indicate how the data will be
organized and analyzed.

o Key questions to ask yourself at this point:

• Have I described how I will organize the data I will
collect?
• Have I described how I will analyze the data, including
statistical procedures that will be used?
• Have I described why these statistical procedures are
appropriate?
 Ethical Consideration
• Your research project should be carried out in an
ethically proper manner from start to finish.

• Ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to

protect the interests, status, values and beliefs of
all participants and organizations, including you,
from harm (e.g., physical, social, psychological,
professional).
 Ethical Consideration
You should give a very careful thought to at least the
following:
• Purpose of your study & why it needs to be undertaken at all.
• Obtaining informed consent from all relevant parties.
• Ensuring rigour, accuracy & impartiality in data collection,
analysis, & reporting.
• Respecting privacy, anonymity, & confidentiality.
• Avoiding betrayal & deception.
• Establishing ownership, ‘voice’ & the intended readership.
• Maintaining awareness of cultural sensitivities.
• Assessing personal & professional impact.
Budget
Time Schedule
 Example of Major headings of a
Research proposal
A traditional approach
Title Page
Table of Contents
Abstract (if it is needed in your context)
Introduction
1. A statement of the research topic
2. A statement of the research problem(s) and a summary of prior literature
3. The purpose of the study
4. The research question(s)
5. The hypothesis of the study (if a quantitative study is being conducted)
Method
1. Research participants
2. Apparatus and/or instruments
3. Procedure
Data Analysis
References
Johnson & Christensen, 2008
 Example of Major headings (cont’d)
A “three chapter” approach
Title page
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
1. Statement of the purpose of the research study
2. Statement of the research question(s)
3. Limitations of the proposed research
4. Key terms
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature
1. Insert major headings relevant to identifying the different segments of the
literature review
2. Statement of the research hypothesis
Chapter 3: Method
1. Participants
2. Instrumentation
3. Procedure
4. Data analysis
References
Appendices Johnson & Christensen, 2008
 Quantitative Research Proposal
Title Page
Abstract
Introduction
Statement of the problem
Purpose & research questions or hypothesis
Theoretical perspective
Definition of terms
Delimitations & Limitations of the study
Review of the Literature
Methods
Study design
Procedures, Instruments, Reliability, Validity
Data Analysis
Preliminary results
Potential ethical issues
Timeline, Budget, & Preliminary Chapter outline
References
Appendices
Creswell, 2008
 Qualitative Research Proposal
Title Page
Abstract
Introduction
Statement of the problem
Purpose & research questions
Delimitations & Limitations of the study
Procedure
Qualitative methodology & design
Research site & purposeful sampling
Data analysis procedures
Researcher’s role & potential ethical issues
Methods of validation
Preliminary findings
Anticipated outcomes of the study & tentative literature review (optional)
Timeline, Budget, & Preliminary Chapter outline
References
Appendices
Creswell, 2008
 References
For further study:
Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting,
and evaluating Qualitative and Quantitative research. New
Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2009). How to design and evaluate
research in education. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2007). Educational research:
An introduction. New York: Allyn and Becon.
Johnson, B. & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research:
Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed approaches. Los Angeles:
Sage.
Sharp, J. G. (2009). Success with your education research project.
Cornwall, UK: Learning Matters.