Unit 4

Research Proposal
Development

1
4. Research Proposal Development

4.1 Meaning of Research Proposal

4.2 Types of Research Proposal
4.3 Structure of Research Proposal
4.4 Referencing – rationale and techniques
4.5 Referencing Styles
Introduction
• All research endeavours in every academic and professional field are preceded by
a research proposal.
• A research proposal informs your academic supervisor(advisor) or potential
provider of a research contract of your conceptualisation of the total research
process that you propose to undertake, and examines its suitability and validity.
• Both for qualitative and quantitative research studies you need to write a
research proposal. Both do have a similar structure. However, their main
difference is in proposed procedures and methodologies for undertaking the
research endeavour.

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Research Proposal: the basics
• What: problem/theme > research question
• Why : relevance > objective/aim
• How : gathering data > methodology + analysis

clusters of research prop. 30%

research
activities data collection 30%

analysis 20%

writing thesis 20%

time 4
 Starting up
Potential topics within your discipline
L
Personal interest I
T
E
Final topic/Problem Policy T
Research Objective
Practical R
Social -aim A
Relevance -goal T
Theoretical -justification U
R
E

Central research question R

E
V
Sub-questions I
E
W 5
Methodology
 4.1 Definition and Meaning of Research Proposal
• After the selection of a research problem and setting
proper direction for investigation, the researcher should
write out a proposal, synopsis, or plan for research. 
Research Proposal is a systematic plan, which brings to focus
the preliminary planning that will be needed to accomplish the
purpose of the proposed study/Research.
• A research proposal is essentially a road map/blueprint,
showing clearly the location from which a journey
begins, the destination to be reached, and the method of
getting there

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 Cont’d…
• Research proposal is a written document of
research plan meant to convince specific readers
whereas research design deals with choosing a
specific holistic research designs from among all
possible research designs to address the research
topic.
• Hence, it can be claimed that a research proposal
presumes availability of the research design.

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 Cont’d…
In short, research proposal is a document written by the
researcher that presents details of the program in the
scientific research process and provide an answer for the
following issues:
 What will be done
 Why it will be done
 How it will be done
 Where it will be done
 To whom it will be done
 What is the benefit of doing it
 When it will be done
 What are the resources required to do it

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 4.2 Types of Research Proposal
Solicited proposals: Submitted in response to a specific
solicitation issued by a sponsor. Such solicitations,
typically called Request for Proposals (RFP), or Request
for Quotations (RFQ), are usually specific in their
requirements regarding format and technical content, may
stipulate certain award terms and conditions & has hard
deadline .
Unsolicited proposals: Submitted to a sponsor that has not
issued a specific solicitation but is believed by the
investigator to have an interest in the subject.

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 Cont’d…
Pre-proposals: Requested when a sponsor wishes to
minimize an applicant's effort in preparing a full proposal.
Pre-proposals are usually in the form of a letter of intent or
brief abstract. After the pre-proposal is reviewed, the
sponsor notifies the investigator if a full proposal is
warranted.
Continuation or Non-competing proposals: Confirm the
original proposal and funding requirements of a multi-
year project for which the sponsor has already provided
funding for an initial period (normally one year). Continued
support is usually contingent on satisfactory work progress
and the availability of funds.

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 Cont’d…
Renewal or competing proposals: Are requests for continued
support for an existing project that is about to terminate, and, from
the sponsor's viewpoint, generally have the same status as an
unsolicited proposal.
Supplemental Proposal: Is a request for an increase in support
during a current budget period for expansion of the project’s scope
or research protocol or to meet increased administrative costs that
were unforeseen at the time of the new, non competing continuation,
or competing application.

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 4.3 The Importance of Research Proposal
• It serves as a basis for determining the feasibility of
the project in terms of competency and rationale.
• It provides a systematic plan of procedure for the
researcher to follow.
• It serve as a contract between parties
• It gives the research supervisor a basis for guiding
the researcher while conducting the study.
• It reduces the probability of costly mistakes.

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 Function of a proposal

A research proposal’s main function is to detail the operational plan for

obtaining answers to your research questions. In doing so it ensures and
reassures the reader of the validity of the methodology for obtaining
answers to your research questions accurately and objectively.
 what you are proposing to do;
how you plan to proceed;
Why you selected the proposed strategy.
A research proposal should communicate the purpose and plan of the
research in such a way that it:
enables you to return to the proposal for your own guidance in decision
making at different stages of the research process;
Convinces your research supervisor or a reviewer that your proposed
methodology is meritorious, valid, appropriate and workable in terms of
obtaining answers to your research questions or objectives. 13
 4.4 Structure and Components of the Research
Proposal
A specific structure of the business research proposal
depends on the institutional and organizational requirements
and may vary from institutions to institutions.
• However, the variability does not usually affect the basic
components, which can fall in the following three major
parts:
I. The Preliminary Part
II. The Body Part
III. The Supplementary Part

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 I. The Preliminary Part
 It consists of cover page, table of content and abstract

1. The cover page-aka title page/the fly page

• It is the main gate/lens of the proposal, hence special attention
should be given for its appearance and structure
• Title of the research should appeal to the approver or should be the
knowledge/competent area and interest of the researcher. It should at
least include: the research title, prepared by, submitted to, name of the
organization, address, and month and year
• The title should be informative, concise and attractive
• The title should not be burdened by pompous words and should not
include terms of unscientific; rhetorical, argumentative, emotional, or
biased nature.

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 Cont’d…
2. The table of content
• It is part of the proposal that presents the major heading and the
subheadings of the proposal with their respective page number, which
can be developed manually or automatically from the computer
references menu
• Assign Arabic No for body part & others with Roman No.
3. The abstract/Summary
It is a one page or less brief summary of what will be studied, why a
particular topic is important to address and how you will do it in half
to one page .
A well prepared summary enables the reader to:
 Identify the basic content of a document quickly & accurately.
 Determine its relevance to their interest, and
 Decide whether they need to read the entire document
 In research proposal development abstract is optional.
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 II. The Body Part
 It consists of
1. Introduction
1.1. Background of The Study/General Introduction
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Research Questions and/ Hypothesis
1.4 Objectives of the study
1.5 Significant of the study
1.6 Scope and limitations of the study
1.7 Organization of the study.
2. Literature review
3. Research methodology

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 Cont’d…
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of The Study
 This is part of the proposal provides sufficient general background
information
• To allow the readers to understand the context and significance of the
problem you want to address within the context of theories or existing
research or within your own experience and/or observation.
• To give strong justification for selecting such research problem from
global, regional, country and unit of analysis point of view
• To link and relate the proposed research problem with the existing
stock of knowledge.
In background of the study, the paragraph settings are
usually to be made as an inverted triangle

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 Cont’d…
1.2 Statement of the Problem
 The statement of problem is the focal point of your research. It is just one sentence that
can be easily identified and accompanied by several paragraphs that elaborate the problem
through indicating the gap theoretically and/or empirically. Because it affects and directs
the research questions, objectives, hypothesis, the methodology and other issues in the
research process.
 Ex: A researcher may have observed a problem (symptoms) of employee turnover (20%)

in a year, and the real problem can be known by conducting research on employees who
left the organization, and of course the research result may indicate that organization’s
salary is not in par with the market(the real problem), which in fact needs solution.

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 The problem statement

• focus on issues relating to its central theme, identifying some of the gaps in the existing body of
knowledge. Identify some of the main unanswered questions.
 Elaborate the debate concerning the theme and identify the issues that are the basis of your study;
 Summary of important findings
 relevant background of the study
 specify the various aspects of' perspectives on these issues;
 identify the main gaps in the existing body of knowledge;
 raise some of the main research questions that you want to answer through your study;
 identify what knowledge is available concerning your questions, specifying the differences of opinion
in the literature regarding these questions if differences exist;
 Develop a rationale for your study with particular reference to how your study will fill the identified
gaps.
Ask yourself the following questions?
– What is the issue?
– What is the knowledge gap?
– What is the context?
– Why the need for the study?
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 Cont’d…
1.3 Research Questions and Hypothesis
• After research problem statement, the researcher’s job is , with the
help of previous preliminary literature review , to define research
questions ,which have to be drawn from the statement of the problem
to be raised in WH questions.
• Research questions are stated for new research areas where it is
difficult to hypothesize the relationship between variables.
• What type of research questions are made for descriptive type of
research design where as how and why questions are mostly raised to
explain the variables (explanatory research design).
• The research questions will be numbered.

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 Research ideas and their derived research
questions

Research Ideas Basic Research Questions

• Capital Structure and • How does the debt-equity mix of

Profitability a company affect its profitability?
• How effective is the accounting
• Accounting Training and training in improving quality of
Quality of AI AI?

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 Cont’d…
• Hypothesis formulation in research proposal is made after a careful
review of literature review which will help to describe, explain and
predict the r/ship b/n variables.
• Hypothesis is an educated guess before the data collection about the
problem because hypothesis is literally derived from previous
literatures which were empirically tested on similar units of analysis
by previous researchers.
• So the job of the researcher is to formulate a temporal solution based
on the previous research findings with the assumption of the same
behavior of the current units of analysis’ problem.
• A formulated hypothesis will later be tested to refute the null
hypothesis, which will ultimately be interpreted as a successful guess
of the solution to the research problem if null hypothesis is refuted.

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 Cont’d…
1.4 Objective/Aim of the Study
 The objective of the study delineate the ends, the goals or the
destinations which the researcher seeks to bring about as a result of
completing the research undertaken. In other words , the objectives of
a research project summaries what is to be achieved by the study.
 This section of the research proposal can be categorized in tom two.
These are general and specific objectives.
The general objective of the study emanates from the research title
indicated by the researcher
The specific objectives should most of the time match research
questions raised after problem statement in the proposal and will be
numbered.

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 Phrasing research questions as research objectives

Research Questions Research Objectives

• How does the debt-equity mix • To examine the effect of debt-

of a company affect its equity mix of a company affect
profitability? its profitability

• How effective is the • To assess the effectiveness of

accounting training in accounting training in improving
improving quality of AI? quality of AI

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 Cont’d…
1.5. Significance/Value/Benefit/ of the study
 This section describes the contributions of the study to knowledge,
which could be:
• in the form of new knowledge in the field as a result of knowledge
gaps noted that were uncovered by the previous studies
• Lack /shortage of information about a problem.
• a check on the major findings of other studies
• a check on the validity of findings in a different population
• a check on trends over time (A wide time gap between the earlier
study and the present one)
• a check on the other findings using different methodology rather
than duplicating any previous research.

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 Cont’d…
By doing so, the researcher should convince his/her research advisor
(director), or the funding organization, the reason why he /she has to
conduct the research in that particular area and cost of doing the research
must be justified by its utility to the various stakeholders or user of the
research findings including:
• Student researcher-for academic course fulfillment
• Organization- Unit of Analysis on which the problem was identified
and research was made(especially empirical research)
• Scientific community- including other researchers for further
improvement and in depth the investigation or testing the findings for
replication to increase its reliability for theory building
• Policy makers-country
• Academia and education- curriculum planners and developers

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 Cont’d…
1.6 Scope/ Delimitation of the Study
Scope provides the boundary or framework of the study for which the
conclusions will be confined.
It can be delimited with respect to:
• Theoretical Scope: the boundary of the theory that will be covered
and not covered by the research.
• Geographical Scope: it is the specification the geographical location
such as certain particular industry type, case or any unit of analysis
as well as time coverage that the research will cover.
• Methodological Scope: A research will not use all types of the
research designs, all types of data analyzing tools. Hence, the
researcher needs to justify how he/she use the selected
methodologies. This determination of the research methodologies
that will be used in the research.

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 Cont’d…
1.7 Limitation of the Study
the researcher should indicate possible barriers that may hinder and
may affect the validity of research output . This may include:
• Poor choice/development/ delivery of instruments while measuring
concepts&/variables
• Lack of access to the right and relevant data due to poor
cooperation.
• Practical weaknesses in the methodologies adopted.
• Sampling restriction
• Lack of up-to-date literature in the areas
• Usual time borne situation in the study site
One cannot deny how time and finance are critical resources that
influence over the validity of any research and they are infact
assumed to be taken obvious constraint in research investigation and
hence not stated as limitations of the study.

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 Cont’d…
1.8 Organization/ Chapterization of the Study
This section presents the outline of the main research in
briefly.

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 Cont’d…
2. Literature Review
 Literature is any scholarly work that you consulted and used as a
foundation for your research work from the available journals,
magazines, abstracts and reports .
 Literature review is a systematic process of identifying, reading,
evaluating, summarizing, comparing and contrasting the major
theories arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches and
controversies in the previous works related to the subject of the
research work with similar title and organization, industry, country,
case or units of analysis.
 The theoretical and empirical framework from which the problem
arises must be briefly described and then researchers should be in a
position to develop the conceptual framework to address the research
problem scientifically.

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 Literature review
• As a rule, the literature review includes:
• a conceptual framework, and theoretical and empirical information about the main issues under study;
• Some of the major research findings relating to your topic, research questions raised in the literature, and
gaps identified by previous researchers. The literature review asks how similar and related questions have
been answered before.
• How to organize a literature review
• A. Introduction: define the topic, together with your reason for selecting the topic.
• B. Body: this is where you discuss your sources.
• C. Conclusion: summarize the major contributions, evaluating the current position, and pointing out flaws
in methodology, gaps in the research, contradictions, and areas for further study.

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 Cont’d…
 Sources or works of previous authors should be properly quoted, even if the
statement may be known fact. At least it has to be stated in an anecdotal sources way,
to begin with the explanation of for example a given phenomenon. Failure to state so
is plagiarism
 In general, review of literature will help the researcher to reshape and guide the
overall research process. Particularly, literature review in the research proposal helps
the researcher has two objectives:
• You want to show that you are already familiar with the existing body of
literature.
• You want to show that there are gaps in the scientific knowledge

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 Cont’d…
3. Research Design and Methodology
• This part of the proposal writing has to be done carefully by the researcher as it is a
blue print that will guide him/her, when the proposal gets approval from the
authorized body for actual investigation of the research problem.
• Each activity carried out and detail procedures followed by the researcher must be
clearly listed as this will help interested future researchers to replicate the study,
which in turn increases the reliability of the research findings, otherwise falsifies it.
• This section of the proposal describe the research design, research area and
population, ethical clearance, sampling methods and procedures, materials and
methods, and method of data analysis and mode of presentation.

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 Cont’d…
3.1 Study/Research design
• A research design guides the researcher after proposal approval. Any amendment in the
research investigation needs to get advice from advisors as it affect the research deign .
• The research design will help the researcher to describe or explain or predict the
phenomenon under investigation
• The researcher carefully select the type of the research design and clearly specify the
proposed design with reason

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 Research/Study design
 Describe the study design you plan to use to answer your research questions. (For example, say
whether it is a case study, descriptive, cross-sectional, before-and-after, experimental or non
experimental design.)
 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your study design.
 Your study design should include information about the following:
 
Who makes up the study population?
Can each element of the study population be identified? If yes, how?
Will a sample or the total population be studied?
How will you get in touch with the selected sample?
How will the sample's consent to participate in the study be sought?
How will the data be collected (e.g. by interview, questionnaire or observation)?
In the case of a mailed questionnaire, to what address should questionnaire be returned?
Are you planning to send a reminder regarding the return of questionnaires?
How will confidentiality be preserved?
How and where can respondents contact you if they have queries?

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 Cont’d…
• Recall that the research design is many factors such as interest and
intention, philosophical world view, strategy of inquiry, research
method to be followed .
For example: the researcher may be interested to describe the research
phenomena-hence descriptive research design will be used and its
statistical analysis will be done based on mean and standard deviation
about the observation of the phenomena(the what analysis). Or, the
researcher may be interested on the same topic with the previous
researcher, but want to explain (explanatory research design) will be
used.
 Therefore the type of the research design to be adopted in any
research undertakings, either qualitative or quantitative or mixed

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 Cont’d…
3.2 Study Area and Population
• The area of the study is actual place/area selected by the researcher
where research problem be observed for investigation.
• The population constitute the total elements from where samples will
be drawn and inferences are to be made.
• The subjects are units of analysis of the study on which the
investigation is focused to solve the research problem. Research
participants are those respondents from whom relevant facts can be
gathered to solve the problems.
• Participant selection must carefully be thought by the researcher in
incorporating them in the study

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 Cont’d…
3.3 Ethical clearance
• Medical and behavioral studies who select human as a
research participant should pass ethical clearance by
maintaining the harmlessness of the research investigation
and maintaining private information of the individuals who
participated in the study.
• Besides, any research undertakings should justify their utility
to the society at large and avoid any investigation that is in
contrary to the common good

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 Cont’d…
3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Methods
• It is important to determine who will be included or excluded from participating in
the study (quality) and their number (quantity). Careful selection of sample size and
technique enhances the reliability of research findings.

• After sample size determination, researchers can apply probabilistic or non

probabilistic methods and procedures to select the sample respondents depends on
the nature of the population and the researcher’s capacity to access to the
participants. Any sampling method selected must be justified by the researcher of its
validity

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 Cont’d…
3.5 Data Type and Method of Collection
Type and Source of Data
• This section should present the proposed type of data including the sources affect
the validity of the research output.
Method of Data Collection
• It also include selecting and specifying the proposed methods of data collection
from the available methods used in the data collection process (questionnaire,
interview, observation and focus group discussion), which depends on the nature of
the study and the research participants.
• The proposed instrument needs to be designed appropriately and carefully to avoid
any barrier of communication

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 Cont’d…
Description of Variables and Measurements
• Variables are identified in the statement of the problem and their
relationship is stated in the research hypothesis. Or, research
questions are set for the variables to be investigated.
• As variables are in the lowest echelon of the theory, it should not
leave room for ambiguity in describing, defining, predicting or
explaining it.
• Variables should be deconstructed from constructs using
operationalization. Data gathering are about these variables so that it
can be accurately measured with the available scientific research
instruments.
• In the proposal writing all variables should be clearly listed along
with research instruments used to get data about the variables and
how they are measured

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 Cont’d…
Data Quality Assurance
Data quality assurance is measured using two parameters.
• Data quality assurance is measured based on its internal validity which is
instrument validity-using correct research instrument to accurately measure the
variable during the data collection procedures.
• Besides, Data consistency must also be checked using reliability test (Cronbach’s
alpha of acceptable level, say greater than 80%)

Operational Definitions
Any concepts and variable used in the study should be defined contextually in an
objectively measurable way so as to avoid misunderstanding between the author and
replicators or readers of the research results.

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 Cont’d…
3.6. Method of Data Analysis and Presentation
This plan of data analysis should describe the kind of data analysis
that will be conducted, e.g. content analysis, simple cross-tabulations,
univariate analysis or multivariate analysis, which depends on the
research design selected by a researcher.
For example, a researcher may follow a qualitative research design
and hence make content analysis. On the other hand, the researcher
may select explanatory research design and use statistical analysis of
regression.

 There should be further description of the extent to which the results

will be interpreted in light of the set of objectives, and how results
are to be presented beyond the specified analysis techniques.

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 III. The Supplementary Part
4. Work Plan and Budget
4.1 Work Plan/Schedule
• In research proposal writing the timing of the research as a project
should be indicated with the help of Gantt Chart or table the planned
start and finish date of the research including details of activities from
the beginning of the research process to the end and allotted time for
each activity within the given time schedule

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Work schedule
• You must set yourself dates as you need to complete the research within a
certain time-frame.
• List the various operational steps you need to undertake and indicate against
each the date by which you aim to complete that task.
• Remember to keep some time towards the end as a `cushion' in case the
research process does not go as smoothly as planned.
• Develop a chart .

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Work plan…
• Work plan is a schedule, chart or graph that summarizes the different
components of a research proposal and how they will be implemented.
• In the work plan
• Different components/phases/stages of the study should be stated
• Description of activities in each phase
• Time required to accomplish the various aspects of the study should also be indicated

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The Gantt Chart
• A GANTT chart is a planning tool that depicts graphically the order in
which various tasks must be completed and the duration of each
activity.
• The GANTT chart indicates:
• the tasks to be performed;
• who is responsible for each task; and
• the time each task is expected to take.

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49
 4.2 Budget Schedule
• The research proposals which are submitted to governmental or non-governmental
organizations for financial assistance should also include a budget schedule.
• It represent the estimated cost to carry out the planned activities in the research work broken
down by phases.
• the budget section of a proposal should be presented in as per to the budget format provided
by the sponsor.
• Budget items need to be explicitly stated
• Cost for every budget item should be quantitatively shown
• Their might be a need for budget justification of certain costs whose requirement is not
obvious
Indirect costs
• Overhead costs for institutions or associations Direct costs:
Personnel: Salaries and wages
• General administrative cost Consumable supplies:
• Operational and maintenance Equipments
Travel
• Depreciation and use allowance Communications
Publication
Other direct costs

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 Cont’d…

Reference/Bibliography
This is the section where referenced/potentially relevant books, journals magazines
and other documents should be listed under.
• Sources used from previous authors (author, year,…) in the literature review or
anywhere in the research work must be acknowledged/cited either quoted word for
word or paraphrased from the author (in text) and referenced following the
recommended referencing systems such as from APA (American Psychological
Association) referencing style; Harvard University’s referencing style etc.
• However, there should be consistency. Once you started to use APA referencing
style or Harvard University referencing style, you need to finish in the same
manner.

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References/BIBLIOGRAPHY
• References may be made in the main text as well as at the end.
• Follow Harvard or APA style(read the document carefully and choose one and use it
consistently.

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Cont…
For a book give:
• the author,
• the year of publication,
• the title, and the edition number if there is one,
• the name of the publisher,
• the page numbers for your reference.
For an internet reference give:
• the author of the web page,
• the title of the item on the web page,
• the date the item was posted on the web page
• the date the item was accessed from the web page
• the complete and exact URL.

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Appendices/Annexes

• Include in the appendices of your proposal any additional information

you think might be helpful to a proposal reviewer. example,
• Appendix include:
• Questionnaire & other collection forms
• Dummy tables
• Biographical data on the principal investigator
• The consent form (if any)

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 Cont’d…
Appendices/Annexes
• Any relevant attachment especially questionnaire, interview
guide, FGD guide or other research instruments should be
annexed if deemed necessary for detail looking.
• But one must be careful of indicating in the body of the
proposal that the annex should be referred. For example,
(see appendix “C”)

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 4.5 Evaluating the Research Proposal
Common Mistakes in Proposal Writing
• Failure to provide the proper context to frame the research question.
• Failure to delimit the boundary conditions of the research.
• Failure to cite landmark studies and accurately present their theoretical and empirical
contributions
• Failure to stay focused on the research question.
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.
• Too much rambling — going "all over the map" without a clear sense of direction.
(The best proposals move forward with ease and grace like a seamless river.)
• Too many citation lapses and incorrect references.
• Too long or too short.
• Failing to follow the appropriate referencing style

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 Guideline for Technical evaluation of Research proposal

• Appropriateness and clarity of conceptual/ theoretical

framework.
• Logical relationship between the conceptual /theoretical
framework and the problem of the study.
• clarity and adequacy of research method
• Realistic work Plan/Activities
• itemized financial breakdown of the total project cost.

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 End of Chapter Four

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Prepared by: Tesfa N. (PhD)
Group Assignment 30%
• Identify your own research topic.
• Write the introduction section of the topic you identified.
• Write the statement of the problem for your topic.
• Review literature for your identified topic
• Formulate your own research question and hypothesis (relevant to your topic)
• Develop a conceptual framework (if needed)
• Define clearly your general and specific objectives.
• Write clearly the research design/methods for the identified topic.
• Develop your work plan
• Prepare estimated budget of your research
• Choose one method of citing references and write all the references you used.

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In Summary
 What is your research topic? Do you already have a question?
 Is there a lot of information about that topic? About what
aspects there is a shortage of info? Is there a debate?
 Why do you find this research topic interesting? Why should
others be interested (and specifically who?)?
 How does your research topic relate to your academic
discipline?
 If you would formulate a ‘working hypothesis’ what would
that be?
 Is your conclusion about individuals, groups, situations and/or
processes?
 Do you already have an idea about sub-questions?
 Did you already start with reading about the research
location?
 Which methods are you going to use?
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 References

• Make reference notes from the first moment of

orientation
• Record all bibliographical data
• Try to read the original sources
• Refer in research proposal to literature as much as
possible

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 Some commonly researched areas in
business
1. Employee behaviors such as performance,
absenteeism, and turnover.
2. Employee attitudes such as job satisfaction, loyalty,
and commitment.
3. Employee selection, recruitment, training, and
retention.
4. Organizational performance (financial and non-
financial)
5. Auditing practices.
6. Consumer behavior.
7. Strategic performance.
8. Task environment analysis.
9. Brand loyalty.
10. Creating and managing corporate culture.
11. Use of expert systems in daily decision making.

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