MUF555

Research Methodology
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GUIDELINES TO CONTENTS OF A RESEARCH

PROPOSAL

1.

COVER PAGE: Title of Research, Your name, Student

ID, Course code, Program code, Semester (see
template)

2.

Background / Introduction to the Study (Choose

one only)
a. Brief introduction of the issue/topic
b. Start with general issues first (about 1-2 paragraphs)
c. You may have some references cited, but save the important ones for
the Literature Review
d. This section should be about 1 2 pages

3.

Statement of the Problem / Problem Statement

a. Minimum 1 page
b. Refer to notes/slides on Problem Statement for more details of the
contents of the Problem Statement
c. Should end with This study/project will therefore look at

4.

Purpose / Objectives of the Study (Choose one

only)
a. If you choose Purpose, then what you intend to do must be written out
in one paragraph.
b. If you choose Objectives, then what you intend to do must be in point
form

5.

Research Questions
a. Should be broad questions on issues/problems that you want to
research
b. Research questions should NOT be questions which you want to ask in
your questionnaire/interview
c. Should have at least 3 4 questions.
d. Each Research question must match with the Objectives (1 1, 2 2, 3
3)

Prepared by
Assoc Prof. Dr Ghaziah Mohd Ghazali

MUF555
Research Methodology
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.

Significance of the Study

a. This is where you write about how your topic is important: to whom is
it important? Why is it important to do a study on your topic?
b. What is the impact of doing this study?
c. Does anybody benefit from your research? Please do not say that it
will benefit your sample/help studentsetc. It must benefit someone
else.
d. Write just one short paragraph

7.

Scope of the Study

a. Write just one paragraph or two about what it is that limits your study
b. Example: sample you chose is only limited to the Klang Valley, to one
university, students who learn music only, parents in Shah Alam only,
etc

8.

Definition of Terms (Optional)

a. Include all the terms or words that may need clarification that you use
in your proposal
b. Do not assume that your readers will know what the terms mean. You
need to define them
c. You may use the dictionary of any source to define the terms used in
your study. Make sure you cite the title of the dictionary and year of
publication

9.

Review of Literature
a. Refer to notes on Literature Review
b. Must be a minimum of 3 5 pages (1.5 - double spaced)
c. Must use correct citation techniques (references to articles, journals,
books, etc as taught in class)
d. Materials used in the Lit review of the proposal may be used again in
the actual written thesis later on

10.

Methodology
a. Research design
i. Briefly say what method you are going to use in your study
ii. Quantitative? Qualitative?
iii. What or who are your Primary & Secondary sources?

Prepared by
Assoc Prof. Dr Ghaziah Mohd Ghazali

MUF555
Research Methodology
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iv. If you are going to analyse and look at scores/music mention

the score/music.

b. Sample (if any/relevant)

i. Who are your sample?
ii. Why have you chosen them?
iii. How are you going to identify/select them?

c. Data collection
i. Describe briefly how you plan to collect data
ii. Refer to notes/slides on data collection

d. Data analysis
i. Describe how you plan to analyse your data
ii. If you use quantitative method, how would you analyse your
data?
iii. If you use qualitative method, how would you analyse your
data?
iv.

11. References
a. Citations, quotations and references to other sources used in the
Introduction/Problem Statement/Literature Review are gathered in this
section

b. Refer to sample of citation format

c. Refer to notes on APA style of listing citations for this section
d. Items in this section are listed in to ALPHABETICAL ORDER according
to their Authors name(s).

e. Remember to indent the second line of each entry

Prepared by
Assoc Prof. Dr Ghaziah Mohd Ghazali