3

Developing a Research Proposal

 The purpose of Research  Literature Review
proposal
 Limitation & Delimitation
 Structure of a proposal  Research Design &
 Preliminary Methodology
 Body of the Proposal  Supplemental
 Background of the study  Work plan
 Statement of the problem  Budget
 Research Objectives  Bibliography
 Research Hypothesis  Appendices
 Significance of the  Proposal writing
Research Assignment
 3.1 The purpose of Research proposal

 The research proposal is the document that finally establishes that there
is a niche for your chosen area of study and that the research design is
feasible.
 The purpose of the proposal is to help you (as student) to focus and
define your research plans.
 These plans are not binding, in that they may well change substantially
as you progress in the research.
 However, they are an indication to your faculty of your direction and
discipline as a researcher.
 They also help you to prepare your application to the Ethics Committee.
 3.1 The purpose of Research proposal

The proposal is expected to:

 Show that you are engaging in genuine enquiry, finding out about
something worthwhile in a particular context;
 Link your proposed work with the work of others, while proving
you are acquainted with major schools of thought relevant to the
topic;
 Establish a particular theoretical orientation;
 Establish your methodological approach, and
 Show you have thought about the ethical issues
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Preliminary
Cover page/Title Page
 Identifies topic, writer, institution and degree;
 Title of the research should appeal to the approver or should be the
knowledge/competent area and interest of the researcher.
 proposed research title (should be descriptive of focus, concise, eye-
catching and preferably use key words from the international information
retrieval systems)
 Show writer's name and qualifications
 Department, university and degree proposal is for, name of the
organization, address, month & year
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Summary/Abstract
 The theme area of the research including methodology, statement of the
problem and other relevant items will be concisely stated in half to one
page about the proposal.
 In research proposal development abstract is optional.
Table of Content
 After accomplishment of research proposal writing table of content which
comprises title and page number can be developed manually or
automatically from the computer references menu.
 lists sections of proposal and page references use a hierarchy for titles and
subtitles
 use the numbering system as follows: 1; 1.1, 1.2...; 1.1.1 etc.)
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Background of the Study
 It is the starting point for the researcher in addressing general facts
empirically or supported by theory with regard to the topic under
study;
 Provides background information relating to the
social/political/historical/ educational (etc.) context of the study;
 May include historical, cultural, political, social or organizational
information about the context of the research
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Background of the Study
 May include a theoretical starting point or policy

 May include personal motivation

 May problematize the current status quo
 The study addresses here usually what existing theories if any explain
about the selected research area and what it looks like globally, regionally,
similar country experience, at national/country level, local, industry level
and finally the unit of analysis depending on the type of the research
design.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Background of the Study

 The most frequently observed weakness here is failure to state
background of the study and to acknowledge the source for empirical
facts even if known to the public as true or accepted.
 A researcher, with objective of adding new knowledge after findings of
the study on the existing knowledge must properly cite previous authors
work and empirical facts’ source should be properly indicated.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Background of the Study

 The study needs to consistently bridge the theory with the topic;

 Sometimes researchers ignore to state anything about their research

topic and proceed to statement of the problem without saying a word
in the background of the study.
 Finally, it is should be observed in background of the study that
paragraph settings are made in line with Deductivism or Inductivism
approach.
 Answers the WHAT question
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 A research problem, in general, refers to some difficulty which a researcher
experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation and
wants to obtain a solution for the same.
 Follows from background to persuade the reader that the study is needed
and will be useful/interesting;
 May include reference to a ‘gap’ in the research literature, to the need to
apply certain ideas in a new context, or to the significance of your particular
topic
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 Conditions for a research problems to exist
o There must be an individual (or a group or an organization)
facing the difficulty
o There must be means/ courses of action
o There must be objectives/ possible outcomes to obtained
o There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher
o The courses of action available must provide some chance of
obtaining the objective
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen, for it will be
a difficult task to throw any new light in such a case.
 Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average
researcher;
 Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided;
 The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible so
that the related research material or sources of research are within
one’s reach.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 The importance of the subject, the qualifications and the training
of a researcher, the costs involved, and the time factor are few
other criteria that must also be considered in selecting a problem.
 In other words, before the final selection of a problem is done, a
researcher must ask himself the following questions:
 Whether he/she is well equipped in terms of his background to
carry out the research?
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those who
must participate in research as subjects?
 If the answers to all these questions are in the affirmative, one may
become sure so far as the practicability of the study is concerned;
 When research problem is stated (statement of the problem), the
researcher should clearly indicate the gap (theoretical or empirical)
that has to be approached theoretically and/or empirically;
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
 Body of the Proposal

Statement of the Problem

 Clearly stating research problem is the core of any research before any
resource is committed to carry out.
 A researcher may be initiated by the existence of symptoms in the organization
and hence investigate the real problem through empirical research in the
organization.
o For example, a 20% employee turnover in a year in a given service
organization is an indicator for the existence of a problem (symptom),
 Answers the WHY question
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Research Objectives
 States clearly and succinctly the purpose of the study

 Outlines the key aims

 The purpose is expressed in terms of the broader context of the study
 This section of the research proposal can be categorized in to two. These
are general and specific objectives.
 The general objective of the study emanates from the research title
indicated by the researcher and specific objectives should most of the
time match research questions raised;
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Research Hypothesis/Questions
 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).
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Research Hypothesis/Questions
 Hypothesis formulation in research proposal is made after a careful
review of literature review which will help to describe, explain and
predict the relationship between variables.
 Hypothesis is an educated guess before the data collection about the
problem.
 It is an educated guess because hypothesis is literally derived from
previous literatures which were empirically tested on similar units of
analysis by previous researchers.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Research Hypothesis/Questions
 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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
 Body of the Proposal

Significance of the Research

 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 user of the research findings.
 Beneficiaries of the research output are mostly categorized as three;
o Student-for academic course fulfillment
o Organization- Unit of Analysis on which the problem was identified and
research was made(especially empirical research)
o Scientific community-for further improvement and in depth the
investigation or testing the findings for replication to increase its reliability
for theory building.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
 Body of the Proposal

Literature Review
 Preliminary literature review is to reevaluate previous authors’
work on similar title and organization, industry, country, case or
units of analysis.
 This will help the research to develop hypothesis for the study to be
tested empirically.
 shows your supervisor and Faculty that you are aware of significant
writers/researchers in the field, and indicates which issues/topics
you will focus on in your review (this may change later)
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Literature Review
 Shows that you can be judicious in your selection of issues to focus on
and take an approach of critical inquiry;
 Situates your own research within the field
 This is not expected to be extensive for the proposal
 You should conduct an initial survey of the main theorists and a library
information search to establish your directions
 You should demonstrate critical analysis
 Your review should be shaped by your argument and should seek to
establish your theoretical orientation
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
 Body of the Proposal

Literature Review
 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.
Limitation and Delimitation of the Study
 Delimitation is the issue of scope of the study
 It is setting the boundary for your research investigation, usually
defined by its population.
 it is very important to clearly define population of the study;
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Limitation and Delimitation of the Study

 Delimitation is also made to time coverage and as well to certain
particular industry type, case or any unit of analysis.
 It affects generalizability of research findings.
 With regard to limitations of the study, the researcher should indicate
possible barriers that may hinder him/her from, for example to collect
data, not securing cooperation of very important research
participants whose exclusion may affect the validity of research
output, and so on.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

 Body of the Proposal

Limitation and Delimitation of the Study

 Limitation of the study is emanated from non availability of data from
crucial research participants, non availability of adequate empirical
research outputs , non availability of correct research instrument to
measure the variables, small sample size, etc which could possibly
affect internal validity and generalizability of the research result.
 One cannot deny, the critical resources influence over the validity of
any research carried out by researchers all over the world (time and
finance)
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Research methods, materials and procedures
 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;
 Outlines and describes the research plans – ways in which it will be
conducted;
 Includes your understandings of the nature of knowledge (paradigm)
and how this affects your choice of research approach
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Research methods, materials and procedures
 Includes description of and rationale for selection of participants,
methods of data collection and analysis, procedures you will use to
ensure ethical practice, validity and reliability;
 Answers the HOW question;

Study area
 This is where the researcher selects the actual area of problem
investigation.
 Most applied researches consider the place where the actual research
problem be observed for investigation.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Research Design and methodology

Study/Research design
 Research design guides the researcher after proposal approval
 Any amendment to the actual research investigation will affect the
research deign and the researcher has to get advice from the advisor
before changing actual research problem investigation that deviates
from the previous research design.
 The research design will help the researcher to describe or explain or
predict the phenomenon under investigation.
 The type of the research design to be selected by the researcher
depends on his/her intention in a way to address the phenomena.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Study/Research design
 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).
 The researcher may be interested on the same topic with the previous
researcher, but want to explain (explanatory research design) will be
used.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Study/Research design
 Therefore the type of the research design to be adopted in any research
undertakings, either qualitative or quantitative or mixed, cross-sectional or
longitudinal, exploratory or explanatory, case method or survey method,
ethnographic or phenomenological, experimental or quasi experimental,
field research or laboratory, solely depends on the researcher’s interest
and intention considering other scientific research limitations set on the
type of research design used when a give topic is selected.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Study subjects/research participants
 Study subjects are units of analysis 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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Research Design and methodology
Sample size and Sampling methods
 The issue of sample size and sampling methods are very important
elements in research methodology as these determine who will be
included or excluded from participating in the study and their
number.
 Careful selection of sample size and technique enhances the
reliability of research findings.
 Before sample size determination, knowledge of the population
(correct definition of population is imperative.)
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Sample size and Sampling methods
 After population definition, source of population (finite or infinite)
should be identified.
 This will help the researcher to determine or statistically estimate the
sample size for the research.
 As a rule of thumb, large population size and non availability of
population parameters to determine statistical sample size, researchers
usually assume at least 10% of the population is adequate to be
represented in the sample.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Research Design and methodology

Sample size and Sampling methods
 The researcher must convince the reader why he/she has selected a
certain portion of the population for representativeness.
 For a population size of 100 or less in most researches, we can find the
sample size is the total population.
 In principle, sample size should be large enough to carry statistical
analysis.
 Large sample size is at least 30. For practical reasons, however, the
researcher may face limited number of units of analysis that may be,
say less than 30.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Research Design and methodology
Sample size and Sampling methods
 After sample size determination how to pick research participants to
engage them in the study from the total population is sampling
technique/method.
 Whether probabilistic or non probabilistic method is applied 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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Research Design and methodology
Method of data collection, sources and Research instruments
 The methods of data collection including the sources affect the validity
of the research output.
 common research instruments- questionnaire, interview, observation
and focus group discussion
 The research instrument selected by the researcher must be carefully
designed so as to ensure correct responses from the research
participants through careful instrument design.
 The researcher should carefully learn the appropriate type of research
instrument;
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Description of variables and measurements

 Variables are identified in the statement of the problem and their
relationship is stated in the research hypothesis.
 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.
 All variables should be clearly listed along with research instruments
used to get data about the variables and how they are measured.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Data quality assurance
 Data quality assurance is measured using two parameters.
– its internal validity which is instrument validity-using correct research
instrument to accurately measure the variable during the data
collection procedures
– Data consistency must also be checked using reliability test
(Cronbach’s alpha of acceptable level, say greater than 70%).
 Operational definitions
 Any 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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Plan of data analysis
 This plan of data analysis 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.
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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Supplemental
Work plan
 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.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal
Supplemental
Budget
 The amount of money required to carry out the research work
should be planned for each activities in detail.
Bibliography
 Sources used from previous authors in the literature review or
anywhere in the research work must be acknowledged either
quoted word for word or paraphrased from the author. Any
idea taken from somebody’s work should be given due
respect with proper citation of the author year of publication
and date.
 3.2 Structure of a proposal

Supplemental
Appendices/Annexes
 Any relevant attachment especially questionnaire 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”)
 Individual assignment 2

Proposal writing Assignment

• Instruction
Select your own research topic and get
approval from instructor and write your
research proposal
NB: it will be presented in class
End of chapter 3