A seminar to help lecturers to prepare their research proposal and guide their final year undergraduate students.

1. Hiram Ting
Researcher, MBA Facilitator
ILQAM, UiTM, Samarahan Campus
11 June 2015

2. Education
B.Com from UC, NZ
MBA and PhD from UNIMAS
Employment
Swinburne University Sarawak
SEGi College Sarawak
Open University Malaysia
Research Interest
Generation Cohort Studies
Advertising and Communication
Disposition and Consumer Behavior
Research Methodology (Qualitative,
Quantitative and Mixed-methods)
Hiram Ting, MBA PhD

3.  Session 1 (8:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
Understanding Research Proposal
Prior Decision to Research Proposal
Components of Research Proposal
 Session 2 (10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Selecting A Topic
How to Start – The 3Cs
Research Problem and Objective
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

4.  Session 3 (1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Literature Review
Research Design
Research Methodology
Significance of the Study
 Session 4 (3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
How to Start Writing – PRD2
Utilizing Resources
Common Mistakes

7. Session One

8.  The study is gonna be tough…
 The journey is lonely…
 Supervisors know everything…
 Reviewers/examiners are there to make you suffer…
 Lost of momentum in the second semester/year…
 I need to get things done quicker…
 Keep attending workshops to ―learn‖ and etc…

11.  A research proposal is a formal and initial effort to carry out
research, usually written, stating the problem that will be
tackled and the plan to solve the problem.
 It presents the problem that is being researched and why it
is important (in relation to its objective, significance and
contribution).

12.  It proposes procedures that are required to collect data,
solve the problem, and thus fulfil research objectives.
 It is a concise write-up to indicate the candidate‘s interest in
undertaking the proposed research and demonstrate their
capability in carrying it out. It is a prerequisite to registration
and often a gauge to ensure candidates are ready to
proceed with their research.

13.  Research process problems to avoid includes ill-defined
management problem, non-researchable questions, and
politically-motivated research.
 Research process problems to think twice includes
research areas which your supervisors are not familiar with,
background and topics that you are not interested in and/or
can hardly find online.

14.  What do you think of the followings?
1. Investigating Intention of Tourists to visit Cultural Sites.
2. Determining Factors Affecting Business Performance using
Facebook.
3. Developing A Political-Switching Model in Malaysia.
4. Exploring Lifestyle Change of the Minorities: A Case of
Orang Asli.
5. Internal Marketing: How Managers Practise Marketing?
6. What about yours?

15. Common Challenges:
 Choosing the right topic.
 Knowing and explaining research problem.
 Knowing what is the background study.
 Finding the gaps in literature.
 Knowing how to tackle ―so what?‖, ―what is so great about
it?‖.
 Knowing how to prepare a proposal and the flow.
 Justifying what theory(ies) and why.

16. Common Challenges:
 Knowing research methodology.
 Determining the right instrument.
 Different opinions between supervisors and among
colleagues.
 Issues with ―keep reading‖; how much and where to stop.
 Issues with writing, including starting to write.
 Issues with presenting and defending research proposal.
 Dealing with panelists and examiners.

17. Interest &
Background?
Advice &
Suggestion?
Talk to
potential
supervisor?

18.  Introduction
 Research Problem/Problem Statement
 Rationale/Purpose of the Study
 Review of the Literature
 Proposed Research Framework
 Research Questions/Proposed Hypotheses
 Proposed Methods and Procedures
 Significance of the Study
 Limitations and Delimitations
 References
 Time Frame/Gantt Chart

19. Source:
http://sydney.edu.au/b
usiness/__data/assets/
pdf_file/0014/90410/R
esearch_proposal.pdf

20. Sample of Research Proposal
 https://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/researchc
ourse/develop_writing.html
 http://www.education.uwa.edu.au/student
s/research/sample-proposals
 Take note that different universities,
disciplines and faculties may require
different proposal format and content.
 Hence, it is important to talk to your
potential/proposed supervisor, check
proposal guidelines, and refer to your
seniors‘ works.

21. Session Two

22. Topic Selection Consideration
 Personal interest
 Organizational support
 Ethical issues
 Relevance of the study
 Contribution to the field
 Time constraints
 Breath and scope
 Economic factors

23. Topic Selection Consideration
 Sources of topic selection (with reference to concept,
context and content) includes journals, books, and
dissertations in your field, conferences, workshops,
presentations, recommendations about future research,
courses, workplace, potential supervisor, expert
consultations and online library services.

25.  A concept is a generalized idea about a class of objects,
attributes, occurrences or processes that has been given a
name. E.g. knowledge sharing, purchase decision, beliefs
about product and entrepreneurial intention.
 A context is any environmental factors or information that
may influence the research process or help explain the study.
E.g. background, geographic location, time of day, social
factors, and demographic factors.
 A content is a subject-specific information through which
concept is understood. It refers to particular issue so as to
articulate the nature of the content involved.

26. CONCEPT
Knowledge
Sharing Behavior
Attitudinal
Beliefs
Motivation and
Intention
Post-purchase
Decision
CONTEXT
Academic staffs
Malaysian Varsities
Advertisement
about Safety Belt
RWMF in Sarawak
held in 2016
Products made in
China and Japan
CONTENT
Willingness to share
knowledge
Factors stimulating
their response
Intention to join
and join again
Handling dissonance
by ethnic groups

28.  Problem can be defined as ―any situation where there is a
gap between the real situation and the ideal situation‖.
 This is an area of conflict, concern, or controversy (a gap
between what is wanted and what is observed). Most
relevant references that support the claim need to be
included.

29.  Problem statement can be described as follows:
 An existing problem where the managers want to find a
solution.
 Situation where it is not a problem currently but the
managers feel it can be improved.
 Fields where conceptual clarity (e.g. broadening or
deepening) is needed for better development of theory or
explanation of the phenomenon.
 The understanding of the nature of problem will affect
planning and decision on research design.
 It is critically important to differentiate problem from
symptom.

30.  ―The problem statement describes the context for the study
and it also identifies the general analysis approach‖
(Wiersma, 1995, p. 404).
 ―A problem might be defined as the issue that exists in the
literature, theory, or practice that leads to a need for the
study‖ (Creswell, 1994, p. 50).
 It is important in a proposal that the problem stands out—
that the reader can easily recognize it. Sometimes, obscure
and poorly formulated problems are masked in an extended
discussion. In such cases, reviewers and/or committee
members will have difficulty recognizing the problem.

31.  Explain what has been done and what is lacking or needs to
be done is crucial. Identifying the gap in literature creates
an opportunity for you to make a contribution to the
research in the area.
 Some of the ways to find the gap in literature:
1. Require critical literature review.
2. Read limitations and future studies in recent theses and
journal articles.
3. Refer to literature in other discipline.
4. Discuss with the right people in the field of study.
5. Using techniques and tools may be useful but it does not
help at all if you don‘t read and keep reading.

32.  Examples:
Research Gap identified: A study of the changes over the
last decade.
There have been a number of valuable studies of self-
employment using cross-section data (Rees and Shah,
1986; Blanchflower and Oswald, 1993; Taylor, 1996), all of
which present evidence on a number of employment and
personal characteristics on the sector. However, none of
these studies provides a picture of the changes over the last
decade or forecasts the trends in self-employment as the
recession of 1990 took hold.

33.  Examples:
Research Gap identified: A study of the changes over the
last decade.
There have been a number of valuable studies of self-
employment using cross-section data (Rees and Shah,
1986; Blanchflower and Oswald, 1993; Taylor, 1996), all of
which present evidence on a number of employment and
personal characteristics on the sector. However, none of
these studies provides a picture of the changes over the last
decade or forecasts the trends in self-employment as the
recession of 1990 took hold.

34.  Exercise:
 What do you think of the above?

35.  Research objective explains the purpose of research.
 It is developed based on research problem so as to make
sure whether it is achievable, and hence, address the
problem.
 Usually research objectives are listed from general to the
specific ones.
 Consistency must be verified by evaluating whether each
objective is discussed in research design, data analysis
and the discussion of findings.

36.  The objectives should be expressed in such a way that the
reader can determine whether the objectives have been
achieved or not.
 Examples:
 To investigate…
 To develop a model…
 To explore…
 To determine relationships…

38.  The three categories of research
questions can be viewed as
collective and intertwined with types
of research studies:
1. Descriptive questions
2. Relational questions
3. Causal questions

39.  A hypothesis is a specific statement
of prediction or educational guess
described in terms what a
researcher expects will happen in a
study.
 Problems, objectives, questions and
hypotheses must be mutual
reflecting.

40. Theory
 Theories are constructed in order to explain, predict and
master phenomena (e.g. relationships, events, or the
behavior).
 A theory makes generalizations about observations and
consists of an interrelated, coherent set of ideas and
models.
 The theoretical framework of the study is a structure that
can hold or support a theory of a research work. It presents
the theory which explains why the problem under study
exists.
 Thus, the theoretical framework is but a theory that serves
as a basis for conducting research.

41. Examples of theories
List of Theories:
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Alphabetic%20
list%20of%20theories/
Management Theories:
http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/
Marketing Theories:
http://www.learnmarketing.net/theory.htm
Psychology Theories:
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/u/psycholog
y-theories.htm
Sociology Theories:
http://sociology.about.com/od/Sociology101/tp/Major-
Sociological-Frameworks.htm
Grounded Theory:
http://www.qualres.org/HomeComm-3821.html

42. Elaboration Likelihood Model
 Origin
Petty and Cacioppo (1979)
 Core Assumption
The ELM is based on the idea that
attitudes are important because
attitudes guide decisions and
other behaviors. While attitudes
can result from a number of
things, persuasion is a primary
source.
 Preferred Method
Experiment, questionnaire
 Reference
Cacioppo, J.T. & Petty, R.E.
(1979). Effects of message
repetition and position on
cognitive response, recall and
persuasion. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology,
27, 97-109

43. Concept
 A concept is an image or symbolic representation of an
abstract idea. Chinn and Kramer (1999) define a concept
as a ―complex mental formulation of experience‖.
 While the theoretical framework is the theory on which the
study is based, the conceptual framework is the
operationalization of the theory.
 A conceptual framework is the researcher‘s own position
on the problem and gives direction to the study.
 It may be an adaptation of a model used in a previous
study, with modifications to suit the inquiry.

46. A list of established criteria for ‗good‘ conceptual framework:
1. Selectivity: there should be a clear and logical justification
why a conceptual model includes certain elements and
excludes others (Whetten, 1989).
2. Parsimonious use of variables: as few variables as
possible should be used, restricting the model to the ‗vital
few‘ (Pfeffer, 1982; Whetten, 1989).
3. Specificity: a framework should be precise and clear, with
clear boundaries as to what it covers, and what it does not
cover (Pfeffer, 1982).

47. 4. Comprehensiveness: considering the intention of the
framework, all elements should be taken into account that
are needed to support any claims made (Whetten 1989).
5. Novelty: it is not sufficient just to repeat what others have
done – a framework should have its own conjecture and be
surprising in offering new insights, which often involves
negating an existing and accepted theory (Davis, 1971;
Siggelkow, 2007)
6. Meaning: does the framework present us with an
instrument that helps understand an existing, real-life
managerial problem? The relevance to a practical problem
seems to be the point of greatest agreement in the
literature (Schmenner, 2009)

48. Session Three

49.  Literature reviews must demonstrate a thorough
understanding of the literature that pertains to your thesis
topic.
 To synthesise (similar findings, themes, approaches?) and
criticise (differences & disagreements re findings,
interpretation of relationships and other results, historical
changes, contexts, perspectives?).
 To show and explain the roots of the theories, concepts or
research approaches which underlie your subject area.

50.  Summary table and mapping are two useful techniques
that help you to visualise connections and relative
relationships between things.
 These associations are between literatures, and can help to
identify issues such as proximity and connections in terms of
ideas and findings, broadly identifying the key concepts
across the literature and how each paper or piece of material
fits into this overall summary table or conceptual map
 Every time you read a new piece of literature for your
literature review, make any necessary additions to your
summary table or changes to your map.
 How you visualise and design your table or map is entirely
personal. However, literature reviewing is a dynamic and
cumulative exercise and there are always new sources and
new angles to consider.

51. Specific Reasons for the Review
 To identify what has already been done;
 To keep current in their field;
 To have a better idea and bigger picture about the research; to
help in the planning and correcting of what needs to be done;
 To state clearly gaps in the literature and problem statements;
 To provide the significance of study and rationale for research;
 To identify research strategies and procedures, and also
specific measurements or scales (self-construct, adopt or
adapt);
 To identify underlying and competing theories, build research
framework, and deepen or broaden existing knowledge;
 To ensure relevant variables are not left out;
 To help interpret data and discuss findings from the research.

52. What and How Many to Review
 Consider and know your research problem.
 Identify and determine key concepts and context of your
research.
 Search for relevant journal articles using concepts + context
using Google Scholar. Recent journal articles and seminar
papers are more preferred.
 Go through the first 30 results, and select articles that may be
of relevance based on the titles and the short description.
 Search for a good thesis with similar topics online or in library.
 Scan the selected articles in order to determine if they are
relevant. Use the keywords and references to search for more
relevant articles.
 There is no fixed number of articles for preparing research
proposal.

53.  First Pass is a quick scan to get a bird's-eye view of the article
and should take about 5 to 10 minutes. It consists of the
following steps:
1. Carefully read the title, abstract, and introduction;
2. Read the section and sub-section headings;
3. Glance any figure of underlying theoretical foundations or
table that shows variables under investigation;
4. Glance over the references, mentally ticking on the ones
you've already read.

54.  Second Pass requires reading of the article with greater care.
 However, it is fine if you cannot understand the formula,
research terminologies and the presentation of findings.
 It helps to jot down the key points or to make comments in the
margins, as you read (either manually using various
techniques or software).
 After this pass, you should be able to grasp the content of the
article. You should be able to summarize the main thrust of the
article, with supporting evidence, to someone else.

55. Descriptive
Summarizes what other
people have found without
saying what these findings
mean for your investigation.
Usually a chronological list
of who discovered what, and
when.
Analytical
Synthesizes the work and succinctly passes
judgment on the relative merits of research
conducted in your field.
Reveals limitations or recognizes the
possibility of taking research further,
allowing you to formulate and justify your
aims for your investigation.
Example:
"Green (1975) discovered
…."
"In 1978, Black conducted
experiments and discovered
that …."
"Later Brown (1980)
illustrated this in ……"
Example:
There seems to be general agreement on x,
(see White 1987, Brown 1980, Black 1978,
Green 1975). Although x is largely seen as a
consequence of y (Green, 1975; Brown,
1980) , x and y are also regarded as ….
(Black, 1978). While Green's work has
some limitations in that it …., its main value
lies in …."
Examples of poor and good review:

56.  Paradigm: ―the set of common beliefs and
agreements shared between scientists about
how problems should be understood and
addressed‖ (Kuhn, 1962).
 Ontology: ways of constructing reality, ―how
things really are‖ and ―how things really work‖.
 Epistemology: different forms of knowledge of
that reality, what nature of relationship exists
between the inquirer and the inquired? How do
we know?
 Methodology: What tools do we use to know
that reality?
Ontology
EpistemologyMethodology

57. Paradigm Ontology Epistemology Question Method
Positivism Hidden rules
govern teaching
and learning
process
Focus on reliable
and valid tools to
undercover rules
What works? Quantitative
Interpretive/
constructivist
Reality is created
by individuals in
groups
Discover the
underlying
meaning of events
and activities
Why do you act this
way?
Qualitative
Critical Society is rife
with inequalities
and injustice
Helping uncover
injustice and
empowering
citizens
How can I change
this situation?
Ideological
review,
Civil actions
Pragmatic Truth is what is
useful
The best method
is one that solves
problems
Will this
intervention
improve learning?
Mixed Methods,
Design-Based

60.  Take note that it is a proposed methodology.
 Primary components
 Research paradigm and design
 Population and sample
Incl. research site, sampling strategy and size
 Instrument design
 Data collection
 Data analysis
 Other Considerations
 Conceptual framework (In chapter 2 or 3?)
 Propositions/Hypotheses
 Preliminary study
 Ethic issues

61. Deciding Population and Sample
 Despite being methodology, knowing your population and
sample, and overall research carried-out are some of the
earliest decisions.
 Population is determined not based on geographical
locations (unless the studies are localized), but concepts
and contexts.
 Probability vs. Non-probability Sampling

62. Sampling techniques

63. Factor of Concerns in Choosing Sample Size
 Purpose of Study
 Quantitative or qualitative?
 Exploratory or Explanatory?
 Probability or non-probability? Can we use sample size
formula?
 Generalization or Saturation? How many is enough?
 Complexity of Model
 Number of variables, items and indicators (arrows
pointing to endogenous variable)
 Types of Analysis
 Certain analytical methods require minimum sample size.
 Power Analysis

64. Factor of Concerns in Choosing Sample Size (cont.)
 Variance (or Heterogeneity)
A heterogeneous population has more variance (a larger
standard deviation) which will require a larger sample.
A homogeneous population has less variance (a smaller
standard deviation) which permits a smaller sample
 Magnitude of Error (Confidence Interval)
How precise must the estimate be?
 Confidence Level
How much error will be tolerated

65. Instrument Design
 Proposing the use of the most appropriate instrument is
crucial as it will determine whether the collected data is
valid and useful for subsequent analysis and interpretation.
 Notwithstanding research proposal, it is important to know
which is more appropriate and justify with valid reasons. As
long as the proposed method is justifiable, it should be fine.
Things may change after proposal defense and doing more
studies.

66. Data Collection
 Important consideration as they will affect data reliability
and validity:
1. Adopt, adapt or self-developed items.
2. The type of respondents you have.
3. Number of items (time needed to complete each data
collection)
4. Positive and negative worded statements.
5. Forced scale or randomized the items or section
approach.
6. Translation in cross-culture studies
 How and when to administer data collection is proposed.
 Procedural control can be mentioned to indicate
awareness of potential errors and mistakes.

67. Data Analysis
 Types of Analysis
1. Parametric (assumption: normal distribution)
2. Non-parametric (distribution free)
 Number of Variables Involved
1. Univariate
2. Bivariate
3. Multivariate
 Types of Software
1. Qualitative: ATLAS.ti, Nvivo, Leximancer
2. Quantitative: SPSS, AMOS, PLS, Lisrel
 Proposed Types of Analysis – Factor Analysis, SEM, Panel
Analysis

68.  It is basically about expected results and contribution.
 Expected results are written based on your objectives and
hypotheses.
 Expected contributions ought to be conceptual, empirical
and/or methodological.

70. Example of contribution:
 The present study will extend existing knowledge about
brand loyalty by integrating the theories of …
 As past studies predominantly look at leadership from the
leader‘s perspective, the addition of leadership from the
follower‘s perspective will bring in additional understanding
of leadership concept and the importance of followership…

71. Example of contribution:
 By incorporating feminist theory (sociology) into the study
(management), a holistic model will be developed to provide
greater insights into the role of female managers not only in
relation to the organizations internally, but also to the
society externally…
 The inclusion of generation value as moderating variable in
the model will deepen the use of diffusion of innovations
theory in developing markets by articulating…

72.  The limitations and delimitations sections of your research
proposal describe situations and circumstances that may
affect or restrict your methods and analysis of research
data.
 Limitations are influences that the researcher cannot
control. They are the shortcomings, conditions or
influences that cannot be controlled by the researcher that
place restrictions on your methodology and conclusions.
Any limitations that might influence the results should be
mentioned.

73.  Delimitations are choices made by the researcher which
should be mentioned. They describe the boundaries that
you have set for the study. This is the place to explain:
1. the things that you are not doing (and why not).
2. the literature you will not review (and why not).
3. the population you are not studying (and why not).
4. the methodological procedures you will not use (and why
not).

74.  Citation is important because it is the basis of academics,
that is, the pursuit of knowledge.
 References acknowledge that part of your work is based on
the work and material of others.
 Failure to acknowledge that some of your opinions and
information have come from others may be regarded as
plagiarism.
 References show your reader the range and nature of your
source materials.
 It is important that any reference you give to published
sources provides sufficient detail to enable anyone to find
for themselves the book or article you are citing. An
accurate and detailed description of your source allows your
reader to find and read it.

75.  Time frame needs to be well-planned and referred to for the
research to be conducted systematically, completely and
ethically.
Planner Template
http://ithinkwell.com.au/PhDToolkit/index.html

76. Session Four

77.  Start writing is always difficult. You cannot write without
reading. You also cannot write without being determined to
sit down and do nothing but writing.
 Your research proposal needs to tell an interesting "story"
which leads up to how and why you are doing your
investigation. In your literature review, if you are writing a
story which reads like one thing after another, this is likely
to be descriptive. However, if your story is comparing,
contrasting and evaluating the previous literature, you are
on the right track.

78.  Start writing by planning (P).
1. Plan your research, jot down your ideas or topics. It
involves a lot of thinking progressively.
2. Define your research problem and objective.
3. Consider about your research carried-out.
4. Manage your time (continuity) and focus (concentration)
to facilitate contemplation of your ‗storyline‘ (linking or
combining ideas), reading and writing.

79.  Start writing by reviewing (R).
1. Search for materials based on your ideas or topics;
scan them to decide whether they are relevant.
2. It involves a lot of reading so as to revise your research
problem, objective and carried-out (methodology).
3. When reviewing the relevant materials, consider how
they help you better understand your ideas and topics.
4. When reviewing, copy/paste important quotes and jot
down notes based on your understanding, either
manually or with computer-aided software, to facilitate
drafting later.

80.  Start writing by drafting (D).
1. Start with something simplest by sketching your
proposal with the main components. Then gradually put
literature and your notes under each component (sub-
heading).
2. You can use summary table or mapping method. The
purpose is to gather relevant literature and synthesize
them in your writing.
3. Use academic-writing book/resources, such as
Phrasebank, to help construct ‗research-like‘ sentences.
4. You will have more than one draft proposal, but it will
get better if continue reading and drafting.

81.  Start writing by discussing (D).
1. Talk to relevant people about your ideas and your
understanding of the materials, get them to comment or
even criticize. Join relevant forum or social group.
2. Attend conferences and discuss with experts or
delegates to get more feedbacks.
3. When you get more ideas or better understanding from
discussions, jot them down somewhere and put them in
your draft proposal.
4. ‗Feed‘ your proposal so that it would ‗grow‘, rather than
‗manufacture‘ it and expect it to be ‗produced‘.

85. 1. Google Scholar
2. Online databases, such as Emerald Insight, Sage.
3. Online tools and videos, such as Youtube, Dropbox
4. Social networking sites, e.g. Facebook, personal blogs.
5. Library, where you can get past theses, statistics, historical
records etc
6. Local and/or international conferences, call for papers
7. Postgraduate colloquiums, seminars and workshops

86. 1. Not reading enough, not writing.
2. Studying alone.
3. Ambiguous research problem.
4. Lack of relevant literature to support the study (e.g. underlying
theory, gap of study and why it is important).
5. Incomprehensible research design.
6. Limitations are not considered thoughtfully.
7. Unsuitable respondents selection.
8. Wrong selection of analytical methods.
9. Expected results and contribution are not evident.
10. Poor academic writing, including grammatical mistakes.
11. Lack of clarity in explanation and emphasis on key points.

90. Hiram Ting, PhD
Email: hiramparousia@gmail.com
Facebook: Sarawak Research Society
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING