UNIT THREE

WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Unit contents

 Meaning of research proposal

 Contents of research proposal
 Styles of referencing and paraphrasing
Unit Objectives
After the end of this unit, students would be able to:-

oDefine research proposal

oList and discus contents of research proposal
oDevelop a skill about styles of referencing and paraphrasing
oDevelop a research proposal
3.1 What is Research Proposal?
Research in social science is a process of trying to gain a better
understanding of the delicate and complex human interaction and
experience

Research will be successful only when it is carefully planned

A researcher needs detailed description of the process by which

the research will be completed

A document that describes the planned research process is

called a research proposal
 A research proposal is a plan for engaging in systematic inquiry of the topic
to gain better understanding of the phenomenon that the researcher is
interested in
 It is simply a road map. A researcher and a military commander share
similarity in the preparation for their missions
 A completed research proposal must demonstrate, among other things:
 the research is worth doing;

 the researcher is capable to carry out the research;

 It is carefully planned and can successfully be executed.

 why the study you are proposing is a vital component of discovery in the
field, make a compelling case as to why your study is the “next best”
study to conduct
 The proposal should also be very specific about:

 methodology and the research participants you will study,

 what instruments or techniques you will use to study them,
 And how you will analyze the data collected.
 Finally, the proposal should answer the “so what” question
(how will the findings from this study make a difference to
other researchers or practitioners in the field)

 By the end of the proposal, the reader should have a clear idea
of “how the study will be conducted and why it is important
 But, the first step in a research project is identifying a topic. The
researcher can get a topic from interesting, curious, and anomalous
that he observes, discovers, or stumbles across

 He must therefore have an idea of what to research on and the how

to research on question must only come next
 You need to take time to refine ideas into research topic. Consider
the following in deciding on your topic:

What is your research topic

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?

 You may start with a crude idea and refine it further narrow it
down until you get it specific, Example:-

Conflicts
Conflicts between religious groups

Factors leading to conflicts Between Religious Groups (BRG)

Political, Economic and Cultural factors leading to conflicts
BRG
Economic factors leading to conflicts BRG

Economic factors leading to conflicts BRG in the South......

in Asia...... in India...... in an Indian city...... in Hyderabad

TOPIC: Economic factors leading to conflicts between

religious groups (Muslims and Hindus) in Hyderabad
 Attributes of good research topic

 Is the topic something which you are really fascinated with?

 Do you have, or can you develop within the time frame, the necessary
research skills to undertake the topic?

 Is it achievable within the available time?

 Will the project topic still be current when you finish the research?

 Is it achievable within the finance that will likely be available?

 Are you reasonably certain of being able to get access to data you
likely require to the topic?
 Will your proposed research be able to provide fresh insights to the
topic?

 Does your research topic match your career goals?

 Steps in Research Proposal

 Sequence of steps: Most studies adopt three important and general

components of proposal and the seven specific research steps

 A research proposal does not show a linear sequence of components. It

is rather a spiral process taking the researcher back and forth until the
process ends
 Steps in proposal:

1.Introduction

2.Discussion of related literature (critical literature

review) and theoretical framework

3.The research design and methods

3.2 Chapter One: Introduction

Includes an overview of the proposal, a discussion of the topic or

focus of inquiry, the context of the problem we deal with, the
general research questions, the research's purpose, its potential
significance, and its limitations (if any)
This section must be written well, engage readers’ interest, and
forecast the forthcoming section
Must present the context (general background), must introduce
the problem (policy, social, institutional etc.),
 must outline the broad area of theory and related researches,
must sketch specific research approach, data gathering and
analysis technique, and must specify its purpose, questions, and
significance
1.1 Background

oBackground is a brief introduction which presents background

information about the problem area, in the form of a discussion

oIt sets the stage for discussion of the specific problem. It also sets
the stage for the entire study and puts your topic in perspective

oThe introduction often includes spectacular/salient and general

statements about the need for the study

oIt uses dramatic illustrations or quotes to set the tone

1.2 Problem Statement

is very important, yet very confusing to understand

This is a clear statement of the specific problem to be investigated

This should in a way indicate why the particular problem is of

importance

Statement of the problem should be specific and backed by evidence, is

the focal point of your research

Statement of the problem is one sentence but with several paragraphs of

elaboration
 Present information (data/statistics and opinions of other writers or
professionals) to show how the problem is affecting business, social or
political trends and why it is important enough to study
 You need to be able to clearly answer the question: "what is the
problem"? and "why is this problem worth my attention"?
 Statement of the problem indicates why your problem is an important
one by answering questions such as these:
Is the problem of current interest? Is it topical?

Is the problem likely to continue into the future?

Will more information about the problem have practical

application?
  Will more information about the problem have theoretical importance?

 How large is the population affected by the problem?

 How important, influential, or popular is this population?

 Would this study substantially revise or extend existing knowledge?

 Would this study create or improve an instrument of some utility?

 Would research findings lead to some useful change in best practice?

 Is there evidence or authoritative opinion from others to support the need

for this research?

Anthony Stacey ay: “If your Research Problem is poorly worded, unfocused
or ambiguous, the rest of your research is likely to go off‐track very early; you
will do a great deal of unnecessary reading and writing, losing sight of the big
picture (and probably your mind!).”
1.3 Study objective or Objectives of the study

Objective is a paragraph that explains what the study intends to

accomplish
This is a brief outline of what the researcher wants to find out
It has the general and specific objectives of the study
The general objective is stated in a general statement giving the major
purpose of the study
Specific objectives derive from the general, are more specific and
numbered
Has two parts: the ultimate purpose and the path to achieve the
ultimate
 Objectives of the study must be framed in such a way that it
leads to the research question (s)
 You can have specific objectives in addition to broad objective.
Objectives must meet to the following requirements:
Should not be too vague, ambitious or broad in scope;

just repeat each other in different words;

just be a list of things related to your research topic

go into the details of the research;

1.4 Research question (s)

These are specific questions derived from the research objectives,

which can also be numbered
No elaboration is included in this section

Research question organizes the research, gives direction and

coherence, delimits the research, showing its boundaries, keeps the
researcher focussed, points to data that will be needed, relates
logically to research objective
 Research question must be:

Clear, as succinct as possible, with place (and time)

Points to specific data

Can be answered

Make it as analytical as possible

Incorporates concepts from the theoretical framework

Avoid “how to solve the problem” questions

Do not repeat research objective with a question mark

Has a domain and variables

Variables

Variables refers to the features of the domain to be studied

Ex, To what extent are Southern Sudanes migrants to Gambella

in the last 5 years contributed into the local instability?
1.5 Significance of the study

It is a justification for the need for research

A researcher should justify the importance and the urgency of

the study

Shows how the result of your study is useful to the beneficiaries

The significance of the study answers the questions why is your

study important (i.e. to whom is it important, and what benefit(s)
will occur if your study is done)
3.3 Chapter Two: Review of Literature

2.1 Introduction

Review of literature is the part of a research proposal process.

Has two main parts:

1. Judgment as to the value of each piece of work reviewed

2. Organization of ideas and findings into review

Literature review is part of demonstrating awareness of existing

knowledge, helps you to show gaps in existing knowledge and
your likely contribution to fill those gaps
 Review of the literature is not a summary of articles and books
read, each article or book being given one paragraph
 The significance of your research will be evaluated in relation to
other people’s research and their findings
 You need to assess the existing intellectual territory

 Review of the evidence provides the foundation on which your

research is built
 The theoretical and empirical framework from which the problem
arises must be briefly described
 A brief resume of related studies found in journals, magazines ,
abstracts and reports should be made
Serves a number of other purposes:

 Helps to further refine research questions and objectives

 Helps to highlight research possibilities that has been

overlooked implicitly in research to date.

 Helps to discover explicit recommendation for further study-

a justification for your own questions and objectives

 Helps to avoid simply repeating work that has already been

dealt with

 Helps to discover research approach and strategy relevant to

your study
2.2 Theoretical and conceptual framework

A framework is a skeletal structure designed to support or

enclose something
It is like the lenses through which you view the world

It is a framework that specifies the theory used as basis for the
study, mention the proponents of the theory, cites the main points
emphasized in the theory, Supports the exposition of the theory by
ideas from other experts; a useful high-level theory gives you a
framework for making sense of what you see
 Particular pieces of data, which otherwise might seem
unconnected or irrelevant to one another or to your research
questions, can be related by fitting them into the theory
 The conceptual framework describes the relationship between
specific variables identified in the study
Chapter Three: Research design &Methodology

The research questions and objectives must be turned to research

design
Research design and methodology refers to the blue print that
you prepare using the research method chosen, and it delineates the
steps that you need to take
It is the general plan of how we go about answering the research
questions
It tells how the goals of a research project can be accomplished,
tells what is to be done at what time
Methodology

Methodology involves the learning of the various techniques that

can be used in the conduct of research and in the conduct of tests,
experiments, surveys and critical studies
connotes a set of rules and procedures to guide research and
against which its claims can be evaluated
It is therefore fundamental to the construction of all forms of
valid knowledge
•Methodology-two ways of understanding:-
 First:- it’s a set of rules and procedures for reasoning

 Conventions for classification and definition, deduction,

induction, sampling procedures and so forth allow one to
proceed systematically through the evidence

 Second:-it is a communication tool:-In order to be able to

communicate with others, especially one's peers, one
follows certain conventions
Styles of Referencing

Styles of referencing differ (example, author date systems,

numeric systems, etc.)

Currently two referencing styles are commonly used:

 The Harvard style(the sociological style) and

 The American Psychological Association (APA) style, both
of which are author-date systems
1)The Harvard style Referencing in the text (in-text citation)
 The Harvard style is an author-date system

 It usually uses the author’s name and year of publication to

identify cited documents within the text
 All references are listed alphabetically at the end of the text
Citations in the text

If the author’s name is part of the statement, put only the year in brackets:

e.g. Jones (1992) has provided evidence that these factors are incomplete

If the author’s name is not part of the statement or does not naturally occur in
your writing, put the author’s surname and date in
brackets

 E.g. There is some evidence (Jones 2011) that these factors are incomplete. If
there are two authors, give both:

e.g. It is claimed that government in the information age will “work better and
costless”(Bellamy and Taylor 2010, p.41)

Note: if you are giving a direct quotation then you need to include the page
number.
 If there are more than two authors, cite only the first followed by
‘et al.’(which means ‘and others’):

 e.g. …adoptive parents were coping better with the physical

demands of parenthood and found family life more enjoyable
(Levy et al. 2011)
Referencing in the references or bibliography
In the references or bibliography the publications are listed alphabetically by
author’s name, and all authors’ surnames and initials are normally listed in full
If there is more than one work by the same author, these are listed chronologically.

References – Books
AUTHOR(S) (Year) Title. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher.
◦ e.g. Peter, S.J. (2007) Textiles. 10th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
→one author.
◦ e.g. David, P. and John, N.B. (2010) Electronic style: a guide to citing electronic
information. London: Meckler. → Two authors.
◦e.g. Frank, E. et al. (2011) There organized National Health Service. 6thed.
Cheltenham: Stanley Thrones. →more than two authors.
oe.g. KEARNEY, R. and RAMUSSEN, D. (eds.) (2001) Continental Aesthetics
–Romanticism to Postmodernism: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers
Ltd. → books by one or more editors.
•e.g. Yonas, A. (2011) Labor, skills and training. In: Dessalegn, R. et al,
(eds.)The reorganized National Health Service. 6th ed. Addis Ababa:
BirhanenaSelam, pp. 135-155. → Book chapter in the edited book.
References – Journal articles
 AUTHOR(S) (Year) Title of article. Titleof journal, Vol. no. (Part no./ Issue/
Month), Pages, use p. or pp. e.g. LU, H. and MIETHE, T.D. (2002). Legal
representation and criminal processing in China.British Journal of Criminology,
42 (2),pp. 267-280.
Reference s Vs. Bibliography
A reference list is a list of all of the sources you have cited in your work
 A bibliography is a list of the sources you have used to help you write
your assignment but not cited.
Note- Taking
The process of note- taking can be done either in the form of paraphrasing
or directly
quoting the author's ideas.
•1) Paraphrasing
• Refers to “restating or rewording a passage from a text, giving the same
meaning in another form" (Hult 1996, p.43.). The main objective of
paraphrasing is to present an author's ideas in your own words
2) Incorporating Direct Quotes
General principles of direct quotes:
 If your quotations are four lines in length or less (40 words or less), surround
them with
quotation marks and incorporate them into your text
 If your quotations are longer than four lines (40 words), set them off from the
rest of the text by indenting five spaces from the left and right margins and
triple-spacing above and below them.
Major Components of a research proposal

1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction/Background
4. Statement of the problem
5. Literature review
6. Hypotheses /Questions
7. Conceptual framework
8. Objective/Aim of the study
9. Ethical considerations
10. Research methods
– Study design
– Study subjects
– Eligibility Criteria (if any)
– Sample size
– Sampling methods
– Method of data collection
– Description of variables
– Data quality assurance
– Operational definitions
– Plan of data analysis
11. Work plan
12. Budget
– Personnel
– Consumable supplies
– Equipment's
– Travel
– Communications
– Publication
– Overhead costs for institutions or associations
– General administrative cost
– Operational and maintenance
– Depreciation and use allowance
13. References

14. Appendices/Annexes
– Questionnaire & other collection forms

– replica tables

– Biographical data on the principal investigator

– The consent form (if any)