Introduction to

Thesis and Dissertation Proposal

Writting
CHAPTER ONE (introduction, background, problem
statement, hypothesis, research questions)

SPK
 Lesson objectives
• By the end of the lesson, participants should
be able to:
• Formulate a research topic
• Introduce and give a study background
• State a research problem
• Formulate research questions and hypothesis
 Parts of a Proposal
• Title
• Abstract Chapter three
Chapter one
• INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND • Methodology
• 1.0: Introduction
• 1.1: Back ground to the study topic
• 1.2: Back ground to the study areas
Plan of Work
• 1.3: Problem statement
• Research Question Appendices
• 1.4: Conceptual frame work
• 1.5: The Goal Reference
• 1.6: Aim
• 1.7: Specific objectives
• 1.8: Justification
Chapter two
• Review of Literature
 Writing a Proposal:
Developing a Focused Project
Writing Thesis/Dissertation Proposals: The
Big Picture

Your proposal describes your proposed plan of work:

• What you intend to study (scope and research questions).
• How you intend to study your topic (methodology).
• Why this topic needs to be studied (significance).
• When you will complete this work (timeline).
• (Occasionally) Where you will conduct this work.
 Writing Thesis/Dissertation Proposals

Purpose:
• Justify and plan (or contract for) a research project.
• Show how your project contributes to existing research.
• Demonstrate that you understand how to conduct discipline-
specific research in an acceptable time-frame.
Audience:
• Your supervisor and faculty board
• Sponsors /benefactors
Proposal Writing and Anxiety: General
Advice
• Establish a writing schedule.
• Begin by free-writing.
• Keep a small notebook with you to write down
relevant thoughts.
• Say parts of your writing into a recording device.
• Compose different parts in different computer files or
on different index cards.
• Start with more “clear cut” sections first.
Proposal Writing and Anxiety:
Proposal-specific Advice
• Understand that the proposal will be negotiated--
be prepared to revise!
• Think of the proposal as an introduction to your
thesis or dissertation.
• Remember that the proposal is not a binding
contract.
• Remember that your proposal is not meant to limit
ideas, but to help you think practically.
• Ask colleagues to form a writing group.
• Talk to your advisor!
 Research topic/study Title
Helps to ;
• Orient your readers to your research topic.
• Indicate the type of study you will conduct.

Examples:
• Role of the Hydrologic Cycle in Vegetation
Response to Climate Change: An Analysis Using
VEMAP Phase 2 Model Experiments
• Geographic Representations of the Planet Mars,
1867-1907
 Abstract
• Provide a brief (100-350 word) overview of
the proposal
• Summarize important elements (Introduction,
Statement of the Problem, Background of the
Study, Research Questions or Hypotheses, and
Methods and Procedures).
• Should be written last after writing the
proposal
 Introduction/Background
The introduction
• Establish the general territory (real world or
research).
• Describe the broad foundations of your study—
provide sufficient background for readers.
• Indicate the general scope of your project.
• Engage the readers.
 Introduction
• Has two components- introduction of the
topic and background to the study area
Introduction to the study topic
• Most important and it comes first
• Begins with some general information about
the subject e.g. history, types, uses, methods
• Begins from general to specific details e.g.
from global to regional, national and local
situation
 Introduction to the study
• The opening sentences should be directly
related to the study subject to give the reader
what to expect
 Sample abstract
Background: The health risks of obesity are a forever growingconcern for societies
worldwide. While obesity is a widely researched topic for people within the general
population, the writer found there is be a limited amount conducted within the
intellectual
disability population.
Aim: The purpose of the present literature review was to investigate obesity within
the
intellectual disability population.
Method: A literature review was conducted by searching databases such as CINAHL,
The
Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, PsycINFO, MEDLINE and
PsycARTICLES. There was also a manual search of theJournal of Intellectual Disability
Research and the Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability.
 Introduction
• The second component of the introduction is
the background to the study area
• Describes the study area politically, socially,
culturally, geographically, economically,
religiously, ethnically and the important public
health components of the area
• Only give the details that impact on the study
which are relevant. Make it brief
 What is problem Statement/Statement of the
Problem?

/
• This section convinces the reader of the
relevance of the study (magnitude, severity of
the problem).
• It provide enough background data for an
outsider to understand the different aspects of
the problem, or the different factors influencing
the problem and the context in which it occurs.
 What is a……..
• Research Problem: A situation or circumstance
that requires a solution to be described,
explained, or predicted.
• It is an unsatisfactory situation that should be
addressed.
• Problem statement: A specific, definitive
statement that specifies the question or issue
to be investigated in a research study
(Baumgartner & Hensley, 2006)
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 Statement of the Problem

• Answers the question: “What is the gap that needs to

be filled?” and/or “What is the problem that needs to
be solved?”
 If there is a knowledge gap in an area that need to be
investigated, the research problem identifies this gap.
Where as the research topic is simply a broad area of
interest, the research problem identifies what is
problematic about that topic.

Research Statement: A statement specifies exactly

what is being studied.

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How to write a problem statement
• State (in one paragraph) the problem or issue of
public health concern being faced despite
measures that have been put in place to combat
it (magnitude, severity of the problem).
• State (in one paragraph) the health outcome that
is impacted by this problem if it is not corrected
(the problem of the problem)
• State (in one paragraph)the immediate public
health benefits that are addressed if the problem
is solved
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How to write a problem statement
• State the long term benefits of addressing the
problem (one paragraph)
• How will your study results contribute to
solving the problem (one paragraph)

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A good problem statement exhibits the
following
– Basic description of the research problem
– The discrepancy between what is and what should
be
– Its size, distribution, and severity (who is affected,
where, since when, etc.)
– An analysis of the major factors that may
influence the problem and a convincing argument
that available knowledge is insufficient to answer
a certain question and to update the previous
knowledge

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A good problem statement exhibits the
following
– A brief description of any solutions that have been
tried in the past, how well they have worked, and
why further research is needed.
– A description of the type of information expected
to result from the research and how this
information will be used to help solve the problem

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 Example of a problem statement

Hazardous noise is an important occupational health problem because it leads to

hearing loss and may lead to increased stress and other deleterious physiological
effects… More than 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job…
Use of hearing protection devices, specifically ear plugs is known to reduce noise
exposure and prevent noise – induced hearing loss… there are, however, relatively
few investigators who have examined factors related to the low use of hearing
protection by workers.

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Exercise: in groups, formulate a problem
statement for each of the topics below
• Contributory factors to the prevalence of
Tunga Penetrant infestation in Busoga region
• Factors leading to thefts of babies from
mothers delivering at Mulago hospital
• Determinants of suicide tendencies by youth in
Kampala city
• Factors leading to the chronic occurrence of
Plague in Western Nile

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 Research Questions
• Detail the problem statement
• Further describe and refine the issue under
study
• Add focus to the problem statement
• Guide data collection and analysis
• Sets context

26
 Research Question

• A Research Question is a statement that identifies

the phenomenon to be studied.
• It is a direct rewording of the objectives phrased
interrogatively rather than declaratively
– Questions that are simple and direct invite an
answer and help to focus attention on the kinds
of data needed to provide that answer.

27
 Research question
• Too many research questions will increase the
complexity of the study and the actual
feasibility of answering every question.
• A sensible strategy is to establish a single
primary research question around which to
focus the study plan.

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 Research Question

Example of a research question:

– What is the relationship between
the nurses’ job satisfaction and their
tendency to leave the work setting?

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 Research question
• A well-thought-out and focused research leads
directly into your hypotheses.
• What predictions would you make about the
phenomenon you are examining?

30
 Exercise 2
• Write a research question/research questions
for your topic

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 What is a conceptual framework?
• A written or visual presentation that:

– “explains either graphically, or in narrative

form, the main things to be studied – the key
factors, concepts or variables -
• Diagram of proposed causal linkages among a
set of concepts believe to be related to a
particular public health problem.
 Conceptual model/framework
• „ Concepts = in boxes
• „ Processes = shown by arrows
• „ Can reflect factors at multi levels (macro to micro)
„Often draw on:
• „ One or more theories
• „ Empirical evidence
• „ Knowledge specific to the particular case
„Serve to:
• „ Summarize and integrate knowledge
• „ Provide explanations for causal linkages
• „ Generate Hypothesis
 Where does the conceptual framework fit in?

• Problem Provides the

statement structure/content for
• Research the whole study based
Question on literature and
personal experience
• Conceptual
frame work
• The Goal
• Aim
• Objectives
• Justification .
 Building a conceptual model

• „Start with the endpoint (dependent variable,

outcome, or target point for intervention)
• „Identify potential correlates, based on
empirical or theoretical evidence
• „Show antecedent or mediating variables by
proximity to dependent variables
 Conventions for drawing a
conceptual model
1) Only include concepts that will be
operationally defined and measured
2) Present left-to-right or top-to-bottom
3) Use arrows to imply causality
4) Label concepts succinctly (in a few words)
5) Do not include operational definitions or
values of variables in the model
 Example: Tobacco Prevention
and
Control
„
Let’s start with
our intervention:
Smoking bans
„ And our goal: A
reduction in
morbidity and
mortality.. Our
analytic
framework will
connect these
Two.
Designing a conceptual
frame work
Smoking Bans
Might Result from
Community
Education Efforts
„
Developing a conceptual
model
Bans Might Reduce
environmental
tobacco smoke
(ETS) Exposure
Developing a conceptual
framework
Bans Might
Increase Smoking
Cessation
„
Developing a conceptual
framework
bans Might Reduce
Smoking Initiation
 Developing a conceptual
framework
Bans Might
Increase ETS in the
Home
• concern that
smokers might
respond to
workplace smoking
restrictions by
compensating at
home, smoking
more and thus
increasing ETS
exposures in the
home.
Other examples…………………..
 Research Hypothesis
• An hypothesis is a statement or explanation that
is suggested by knowledge or observation but .
Strong hypotheses:
– Give insight into a research question;
– Are testable and measurable by the proposed
experiments;
– are a tentative prediction about the nature of the
relationship between two or more variables.

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 Nature of Hypothesis

• ƒ A good hypothesis is stated in declarative

form and not as a question.
– “Are swimmers stronger than runners?” is not
declarative, but
– “Swimmers are stronger than runners” is.

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 Nature of Hypothesis

• A good hypothesis posits an expected relationship between variables

and clearly states a relationship between variables.
• For example, the research hypothesis
• “Children who participate in three hours of lap reading with
parents per week will score higher on a test of reading
comprehension than children who do not”
• states a clear relationship between hours of reading and test score.

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 Nature of Hypothesis

• Hypotheses reflect the theory or literature on

which they are based.
• A good hypothesis has a substantive link to
existing literature and theory.
– In the above example, let’s assume there is
literature indicating that reading to children is one
way to increase their comprehension. The
hypothesis is a test of that idea.

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 Nature of Hypothesis

• A hypothesis should be brief and to the point.

• Good hypotheses are testable hypotheses.

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 Hypotheses

• Examples

– RQ: Is a happy worker a productive worker?

– H1: Happier workers are more productive than unhappy
workers.

– RQ: Does increasing the happiness of workers make them more

productive?
– H1: Increasing the happiness of workers does not increase
productivity.
 Hypothesis examples
1. The health of children living in urban areas is better
than those living in traditional rural communities.
2. There is difference in malaria prevalence rates
between district “A” and district “B”
3. Increase in the frequency of face washing leads to a
reduction in trachoma prevalence

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 Hypothesis
• Hypotheses should be developed before data
are collected.
• Normally, no more than three primary
hypotheses should be proposed for a research
study.
 Exercise 3
• Set research hypotheses for your topics

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 References
• MUGISHA JF (2011) Lecture notes for health
sciences students
• Trinity College, Dublin (2015)
Prevalence of Obesity Sample ID Literature Review.
pdf
• Getu Degu and Tegbar Yigzaw (2006). Research
Methodology LECTURE NOTES For Health Science
Students, University of Gondar
• The Johns Hopkins University and Jane Bertrand
(2006). Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
Course 380.611