Research Proposal

Research Proposal

Research Plan

Research Design

Synopsis

Research Proposal
Planning in advance about doing
research and its methodology.

It is a written statement specifying:

- The problem to be studied
- The plan of action/Method to solve it.

Designing a research Proposal is like

an Architecture who designs the
building.

It is a Road map showing clearly:

a.

the location : the journey starts,

b.

the destination to be reached and

c.

the method/s of getting there,

It is based mainly on three questions:

What?
Why?
How?

A good research design consist of the

following main questions: [Wilkinson, 1990]
a. Why this study is being made?
b. What the study is about?
c. What are the types of data needed?
d.

Where the data needed can be found?

e. In what area the study will be carried?

f. What period of time the study will
include?
g.

How much material or how many cases

(samples) will be needed?

h. Which sampling method will be

adopted
if any?

i. What tools/techniques for getting data

will be adopted?
j. What type of research will it be?
k. How the data will be analyzed?
l. How best can these questions be
addressed to achieve the desired
results within minimum of time,
expenditures and energy.

Why Research Proposal?

1. It allows the researcher to plan and

review the projects steps
2. It serves as a guide throughout the
investigation
3. Forces time and budget estimates

4. To get the Research grants/stipend

5. To organize your thoughts
6. A requirement of the degree
7. It forces the proposer to think through the research
process prior to initiate the study.
8. Results are compared with the proposal

9. It describes the research of others who have

worked previously.
10. It suggests the necessary data, its methods
and analyses.
11. It enables the requester/sponsor to judge the
value and quality of the research project
before a stamp of approval is placed on it

Types of Research Proposal

Types of Research Proposal

Internal
- Depart

External
- Govt
- Donors

Solicited
It is a response to RFP
and competing others

un-Solicited

Important Stages of Research Design

Important Stages of Research Design

1. Formulation of Research Problem.
2. Survey of the Literature
[rely on accredited studies]
3. Conceptual/ Theoretical Framework
- Thorough Review of lit
- Interaction of the subj experts

4. Formulation of Research Issues.

5. Raise series of questions to suits the
research problem/issue.
6. Transformation of R.Q to spec: obj:
7. Transform of obj: into R. Hypothesis

7. Scope [scope of study

- Area
- Period
- Which cases to be included
[which students: MBA?BBA? MBE E? MBA D etc All business schools? etc].

8. Data Requirement and Data Source:

Type of data and the sources.

9. Analytical Framework
- Analytical methods
- Statistical techniques to use if any
- Models in use if any.
10. Limitations of Study
The time factor and some other restrictions
coming up during the investigation may
impose reasonable limitations.

11. Chapter Outline/Proposed Contents

12. Good research can be bad
poor reporting and poor presentations.

13. Report/IS/Thesis/Dissertation Design

It varies, depends where is being submitted and
What is its requirement?

Evaluation of the Research Proposal

Evaluation of the Research Proposal

It must be neatly presented .

Although a proposal produced only on a word processor

and bound with an expensive cover will not meet the
requirement.
Unorganized proposal will not get proper attention.

Major topics should be easily found and

logically organized [paging and sections].

Proposal must meet the specific guidelines

set by the Sponsor.

Writing Style

. Convincing Abstract

. Clear R Question/Problem
. Scholarly Background
. Relevant Previous Research Work
. Research Design
. Appropriate Population and sample size
. Adequate sample Size

 Budget
- Too high budget will be rejected
- Too low budget can be suspicious
Late proposal will not be reviewed

Modules of the Research Proposal

It varies from study to study:

RP for a class project
RP for a thesis
RP for a Dissertation
Professional/Commercial RP

RP Format For Academic Purpose

Back ground of the study/problem
Problem Statement
Study Objectives
Literature Review
Importance of Research
Research Design
- Population, Sample Size, Sampling method
Data Analyses
Schedule
Bibliography and Appendix if any

Appendices
Any information which is not that much
important and not necessarily very directly
linked to the text can be given in
appendices.
If the material is interesting to know
rather than essential to know, should be
given in appendix/ces.

RP
TitleFormat
page
Table of Contents
Background of the study
Problem Statement
Research Objectives
Hypothesis if any
Research Design
Population, Sample size, sampling method
Schedule
Bibliography
Appendices if any.

Value and Cost of Research

Cost Benefit Analyses
Cost should not exceed the benefits.
Value/Benefit

Decreased uncertainty
Increased performance
Correct Decision

Cost
Research Exp
Delay in Decision
Possible Erroneous research Results

Evaluating the Research Proposal

Proposal must be neatly written in
appropriate writing style
Major topics should be easily found and
logically organized
Proposal must meet specific guidelines
set by the sponsor
Technical writing style must be clearly
understood and explained