Chapter 4: Writing Strategies

and Ethical Considerations

Writing a Proposal
Isolde Jaux M. Baldonadi
Writing a Proposal
What are the major points that will be
addressed in the proposal?

How will these major points convey a

coherent study?

What are the core arguments to be advanced

in the proposal?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

What do readers need to better understand your topic?

What do readers need to know about your topic?

What do you propose to study?

What is the setting, and who are the people you

will study?
What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

How will you analyze the data?

How will you validate your findings?

What ethical issues will your study
present?
What do preliminary results show about the practicability
and value of the proposed study?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

How will you analyze the data?

How will you validate your findings?

What ethical issues will your study
present?
What do preliminary results show about the practicability
and value of the proposed study?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

How will you analyze the data?

How will you validate your findings?

What ethical issues will your study present?

What do preliminary results show about the practicability

and value of the proposed study?
9 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WRITING A PROPOSAL

How will you analyze the data?

How will you validate your findings?

What ethical issues will your study
present?
What do preliminary results show about the practicability
and value of the proposed study?
 • Introduction
Statement of the problem (including existing
literature about the problem, deficiencies in
the literature, and relevance of study for
audiences)
 Purpose of the study
The research questions

Example: A • Procedures
Philosophical assumptions or worldview of
Qualitative qualitative research
Qualitative design (e.g., ethnography, case
Constructivist/Inter study)
Role of the researcher
pretivist Format Data collection procedures
 Data analysis procedures
 Strategies for validating findings  Appendixes
 Proposed narrative structure of the
study
 Anticipated ethical issues
 Preliminary pilot findings (if
available)
 Expected impact and significance of
study
 References
 Interview questions,
 Observational forms,
 Timeline,
 Proposed budget,
 Summary of proposed content of
each chapter in the final study
 • Introduction
Statement of the problem (including power,
oppression, discrimination, need to develop
rapport with community, etc.; issue
addressed; existing literature about the
problem; deficiencies in the literature; and
relevance of the study for audiences)
Purpose of the study
The research questions
Example 4.2 A
Qualitative • Procedures
Philosophical assumptions or worldview
Participatory–Social Qualitative research strategy
Role of the researcher
Justice Format
 Data analysis procedures
 Strategies for validating findings
 Proposed narrative structure
 Anticipated ethical issues
 Preliminary pilot findings (if
available)
 Significance of the study and
transformative changes likely to
occur
 References
 Appendixes
 Interview questions,
 Observational forms,
 Timeline,
 Proposed budget,
 Summary of proposed chapter
 • Introduction
Statement of the problem (issue, existing
literature about problem, deficiencies in
literature, relevance of study for audiences)
Purpose of the study
Research questions or hypotheses Theoretical
perspective
• Review of the literature
• Methods
 Type of research design (e.g., experimental,
survey)
Example 4.3 A  Population, sample, and participants
 Data collection instruments, variables, and
Quantitative materials

Format
 Data analysis procedures
 Anticipated ethical issues in the study
 Preliminary studies or pilot findings
 Appendixes
 Instruments
 Timeline
 Proposed budget
 • Introduction
 The research problem
 Existing research on the problem
 Deficiencies in the literature
 Relevance of study for audiences

• Purpose
• The research questions and hypotheses
Quantitative questions or hypothèses
Qualitative questions
Mixed Methods questions
Example 4.4 A • Philosophical assumptions or worldview
Mixed Methods • Literature review

Format
Methods
 Definition of mixed methods research
 Type of design used and its definition
 Challenges (validity) in using this design and how they will be addressed
 Examples of this design
 Quantitative data collection
 Quantitative data analysis
 Qualitative data collection
 Qualitative data analysis
 Mixed methods data analysis procedures
• Researcher’s resources and skills
• Potential ethical issues
• References
• Appendixes
 Instruments
 Protocols
 Diagrams
 Timeline
 Budget
 Summary of major content for each chapter
 Designing the Sections of a
Proposal

Here are several tips about

designing the overall structure of a
proposal
 Proposal tips
Specify the sections early in the design of a proposal

Find proposals that other students have authored

under your advisor and look at them closely

Determine whether your program or institution offers

a course on proposal development or some similar
topic
 Proposal tips
Sit down with your advisor, and go over his or
her preferred format for a proposal
THANK YOU