2. What is a Research Proposal?
• A research proposal, in whatever context, sets out the
broad topic someone would like to research (substance),
what the research would set out to achieve (aims and
objectives), how you would go about researching it
(methodology), how you would undertake it within the
time available (outline plan) and what the results might
be in relation to knowledge and understanding the
subject matter (potential outcome).
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3. What is a Research Proposal?
• A research proposal is intended to convince others
that you have a worthwhile research project and that
you have the competence and the work-plan to
complete it (Sidik, 2005).
• A research proposal should contain all the key
elements involved in the research process and
include sufficient information for the readers to
evaluate the proposed study.
• All research proposals must address the following
questions: What you plan to accomplish, why you
want to do it and how you are going to do it.
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4. Purpose of a Research Proposal
• The purpose of a proposal is to sell your idea to the
funding agency/institution/organization etc. This means
that the investigator must convince the funding agency
that:
• The research problem is significant and worthy for
the study;
• The technical approach is narrative and likely to
yield results; and
• The researcher is the right person to carry out and
accomplish the work described in the research
proposal.
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5. Why a good preparation is needed?
• A good preparation for a research proposal is
necessary as:
• it assists the researcher in project formulation,
planning, performance and monitoring of the
research;
• the quality of the proposal contributes to the
evaluation outcome; and
• a poorly prepared proposal may not be
considered at all or cannot be considered fairly
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6. Components of a Research Proposal
• Title
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Expected outcome
• References
• Work Plan - time frame and schedule of activities
• Budget
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7. Title
– The title of a research proposal should be concise
and descriptive
– To adequately describe the contents of your
document in the fewer possible
words
– To give the reader immediate access to the main
subject matter
• An effective title not only pricks the reader's interest,
but also predisposes him/her favorably towards the
research proposal.
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8. Example of a poor tittle
• Establishment of 3D Micro Geodetic Network
Control and Analysis of Regional
Administrative Building Structure for the
Purpose of Controlling Deformation
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Lecture Notes Ardhi University
Gwaleba MJ
8
9. Introduction
– The introduction is the part of the research
proposal (or research) that provides readers
with the background information for the
research reported in the research proposal. Its
purpose is to establish a framework for the
research, so that readers can understand how it is
related to other research.
– It provide the necessary background or context for
the research problem.
– Clearly state the problem and purpose of the study
– Indicate the authors who have worked or are
working in this area, describe their chief
contributions.
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10. Introduction
• The introduction generally covers the following
elements:
– State the research problem, which is often referred to
as the purpose of the study.
– Provide the objectives of the study. The objectives
identified should be general as well as specific.
– Research questions/Hypothesis
– Identify the rationale /significance of the proposed
study and clearly indicate why it is worth doing.
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11. Research Problem
• A problem may 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).
• A research problem, 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
(Kothari, 2004, p. 24)
• The research problem (problem statement) describes the
context for the study and it also identifies the general analysis
approach.
• Effective problem statements answer the question “Why does
this research need to be conducted.
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12. Research Problem
Example 1– possible research problems
– Wind erosion is causing widespread destruction of crop land
and pastures in the valley
– We do not know the priority areas for intervention
– It is impractical to monitor wind erosion over large areas by
ground survey
or conventional aerial photography
– It is not known how to monitor wind erosion over large areas
in a cost effective manner;
– Priority areas for intervention have not been identified;
– There are no established methods for identifying priority
areas;
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13. Research Problem
• In order for research to be conducted, one must notice
a problem in the existing literature that has not been
previously addressed. Hence, the following questions
should be answered:
– Why does this research study need to be conducted?
– What specific issues does this study raise that have not
been observed in other literature pertaining to the topic?
• Answering the above questions may allow readers to
understand why the particular study is important and
how the study may attempt to answer new or never
before asked questions.
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14. Research Problem
Examples of research problem.
I. Tanzania have old Reference Frame – ARC1960 which is
required to be consistent all over Tanzania = However NOT
consistent + Transformation parameters are different even
within a region!! = Problem in Mapping
II. AFREF – No Unified Reference Frame for Africa – Difficulties in
Inter-countries Engineering projects
III. Tanzania VD was established period less than 18.6 years –
Systematic errors were not removed.
• Students
• Formulate your Problem
• Eg No database for XXXX
• GIS tool for XXX
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15. Research Problem
Other Examples of research problem.
– It is not known what land-use practices are most
associated with wind erosion;
– The physical and social causes of wind erosion in
this area are not known;
– Interventions to minimize erosion are not known
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16. Research Problem
Other Examples of research problem.
– Expenses in Producing electricity using Water
Sources
– Can we use Wind Mill????
– Can we Identify location?
– Is Wind mill less expensive?
– How about Radio-Active Materials- Uranium????
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17. Research Problem
Normally a research problem should
satisfy the following criteria:
– state the key variables included in the
study;
– state relationship between variables;
– state population to which results would
be applicable;
– avoid redundant words; and
– use only acceptable scientific terms.
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18. Research Objectives
• Main/general objective
– Overall statement of the goal of the research
– Statement of the main relationships that the researcher seeks to discover
or establish
– The main objective of a study states what researchers
expect to achieve by the study in general terms
• Specific objectives
– Specific objectives should systematically address the various
aspects of the problem as defined under ‘Statement of the
Problem’ and the key factors that are assumed to influence or
cause the problem.
– They should specify what you will do in
your study, where and for what purpose.
– They should be numerically listed, be very specific, and contain only
one aspect of the study in each one of them
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19. Research Objectives
• Examples of main/general objectives
– “To determine the causes of wind erosion in
the valley”
– “To determine the applicability of Unmanned
Aerial Photos (UAV) to wind erosion mapping
and monitoring in the valley, and the main
factors which affect its success.
– To asses the compatibility of xxxx
– To determine xxxx
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20. Research Objectives
• Examples of general/main objectives
– The main objective of this research is to upgrade
deformation network from 1D to 3D and use
available 1D data to assess for vertical deformation
of Machinga Complex overhead Bridge. – Pendael
Joseph 2016
– To determine the extension rate of Nyasa rift using
GPS data - Vainess 2016.
– The main objective of the research is to assess the
reliability of RTK method in 3rd order control
densification with reference to Static method.
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21. Research Objectives
• Examples of specific objectives
– “To determine factors related to wind erosion in the study area”
– “To determine which land-use practices are most associated with wind
erosion”
– “To determine which soil properties are most associated with wind
erosion”
– “To relate these factors with presumed processes”
– “To identify and quantify the causes of wind erosion in the study area”
– “To determine which wind erosion features, and of what dimensions,
can be visually interpreted on UAV”
– “To determine the accuracy with which UAV can be georeferenced
with single-receiver GPS and mosaicked into a seamless image”
– “To determine the costs of a UAV mission in local conditions
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22. Research Objectives
• Objectives of the research
• Should be stated clearly
• Be clear and concise
• Must be measurable and feasible
• Should answer the Research problem
• Test the hypothesis
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23. Research Questions/ Hypothesis
• Research questions ask what relationships exist between
the different variables in the study, while the hypothesis
predicts the relationship between variables
• A research question poses a relationship between two or
more variables but phrases the relationship as a question.
They address key issues, one at a time.
• Research questions aimed at finding something new.
• A research question is a way of formulating a problem so
that you are directed to the answers.
• A hypothesis is a prediction of a relationship between one
or more factors and the problem under study that can be
tested.
• Research hypotheses are relevant to theoretical research
and are typically used in quantitative inquiry.
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24. Research Questions/ Hypothesis
• Questions are of two main types:
– Observational: ‘What’, ‘where’ or ‘which’ questions;
– Analytical: ‘Why’ or ‘how’ questions.
• Examples of research questions
– What are the factors related to wind erosion in the study
area?
– Which land use practices are most associated with wind
erosion?
– Which erosion features can be visually interpreted by
UAV?
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25. Research Questions/ Hypothesis
• Examples of hypothesis
– “The recent Global Geopotential Model, EGM08
produces geoidal heights that are closer to the
GPS/leveling geoidal heights than both the EGM96
and AGP03 geoid models”.
– “Most mountains found in Arusha are the result of
volcanic eruption”
– Depth of Mtera dam is decreasing due to siltation
– Private school produces better students than
Public schools.
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26. Significance of the Study
• Indicate how your research will refine, revise,
or extend existing knowledge in the area under
investigation.
• Note that such refinements, revisions, or extensions
may have either substantive, theoretical, or
methodological significance.
• What is the impact of your research to a community
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27. Significance of the Study- ARU
Continuing Research
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The Ardhi University in Collaboration with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech) of the United States of America are doing joint research titled: Implications
of Volcano-Tectonic Interactions on Continental Rift Initiation Using a Near-Real-
Time GPS Network.
This research aims at understanding interaction between the volcano activity and
tectonic rifting beneath Oldoinyo Lengai Mountain at Natron area. Monitoring volcano
deformation in a developing rift is key to understanding how continental rifts initiate
because volcanism often precedes observable surface rupture.
Detecting volcanic deformation signals and interaction with tectonic activities are key
indicative of impending volcanic eruption and other associated hazards before it
happens.
28. Literature Review
• The aim of the literature review is to provide
adequate background information on the research
being proposed, especially on:
– the prevalence or incidence of disease or health
problem
– the current status of selected research topic
• The Literature Review provides the background for
the research problem and illustrates
to the reader that the researcher is knowledgeable
about the scope of the theory.
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30. Literature Review
• The literature review serves several important
functions including:
– Gives credits to those who have laid the groundwork
for the proposed research.
– Demonstrates your knowledge of the research
problem.
– Demonstrates your understanding of the theoretical
and research issues related to your research question.
– Shows your ability to critically evaluate relevant
literature information.
– Indicates your ability to integrate and synthesize the
existing literature
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31. Literature Review
– Provides new theoretical insights or develops a new
model as the conceptual framework for your research.
– Convinces your reader that your proposed research
will make a significant and substantial contribution to
the literature (i.e., resolving an important theoretical
issue or filling a major gap in the literature)
• In a proposal, the literature review is generally brief and
direct to the point.
• Select and reference only the more appropriate citations.
• Make key points clearly and briefly.
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32. Research Methodology
• Research methodology is a structured set of
guidelines or activities to assist in generating valid
and reliable research results.
• The main purpose of methodology is to enable
researchers to plan and examine critically the
logic, composition, and protocols of research
methods; to evaluate the performance of
individual techniques; and to estimate the
likelihood of particular research designs to
contribute to knowledge (Krippendorff (2004,
p.xxi).
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33. Research Methodology cont’d
• For quantitative and qualitative researches, the
method section typically consists of the following
sections:
– Research design -Is it a questionnaire study or a
laboratory experiment? What kind of design do you
choose (qualitative, quantitative or ?)
– Selection of case study area and description of the case study
area
– Sampling – you need to calculate your sample size
based on the type of study you are conducting. There
are several formulas for sample size calculation.
– Data collection methods - How do you plan to carry out your
study? What activities are involved? How long does it
take?
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Sidik (2005): How to Write a Research Proposal
34. Research Methodology cont’d
– research instruments - What kind of measuring
instruments or questionnaires do you use? Why
do you choose them? Are they valid and reliable?
– Data Reliability and Validity
– Data Processing and analysis and interpretation
• this includes plans for processing and coding data,
computer software to be used (eg Statistical Package
for Social Sciences SPSS, NVIVO, etc), choice of
statistical methods, confidence levels, precision levels
etc.
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35. Research Methodology cont’d
• Research Design: Is the arrangement of
conditions for collection and analysis of data in a
manner that aims to combine relevance to the
research purpose with economy in procedure
(Kothari, 2004)
• Clearly indicate the methods of data collection
either within a quantitative or qualitative
methodology; as well as the techniques for data
collection, e.g. questionnaires, and measurement
(the validation of the techniques)
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36. Research Methodology cont’d
• Why Research Design?
– Research design is needed because it facilitates
the smooth sailing of the various research
operations, thereby making research as efficient
as possible yielding maximal information with
minimal expenditure of effort, time and money
(Kothari, 2004).
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37. Research Methodology cont’d
• A case study
– A case study is a method of learning about a
complex phenomenon through extensive
description and analysis of that instance in its
contextual settings.
– A case study is “not a methodological choice, but
a choice of [the] object to be studied. It is a type
of qualitative research in which in-depth data are
gathered relative to a single individual, program,
or event for the purpose of learning more about
an unknown or poorly understood situation .
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38. Research Methodology cont’d
• Sampling: refers to the process through which a
group of representative individuals is selected from a
population for the purpose of statistical analysis
– The respondents selected should be as representative of
the total population as possible in order to produce a small
cross-section.
– Sample size refers to the number of items to be selected
from the universe to constitute a sample.
– To determine the appropriate sample size, consideration is
taken to the following factors including level of precision
and confidence level desired, among others.
• Sampling should be done before collection of data
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41. Research Methodology cont’d
• Data collection methods: Often, two types of data
are collected for research namely, primary and
secondary data. Different instruments/tools are
used to collect the named data above.
• The primary data are those which are collected
afresh and for the first time, and thus happen to
be original in character. In contrast, secondary
data, are those which have already been collected
by someone else and which have already been
passed through the statistical process.
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42. Research Methodology cont’d
• Primary Data Collection: in experimental research, data
are collected during the course of doing experiment. In
descriptive research, data are collected through
interviews, surveys and observations.
• Secondary data collection: are collected from
published documents including;
– Scientific articles;
– Published text books;
– PhD Thesis reports;
– Conference proceedings reports;
– Research reports from International Organization like FAO,
UN Habitat, etc
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43. Research Methodology cont’d
• Data Reliability and Validity: Validity refers to “the
degree to which the findings of survey are interpreted
in a correct way and while reliability is the degree to
which the findings of research are independent of any
accidental circumstance.
• In order to ensure reliability and validity of data to be
collected in this study, different methods have
designed to crosscheck from multiple sources of
evidence on a given problem under investigation
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44. Research Methodology cont’d
• Data Processing and Analysis: When data has
been collected, need to be processed and
analyzed in accordance with the context laid
down at the time of developing the research
plan
– Data processing is regarded as a series of actions
or operations that converts raw data into useful
information.
– Can be done through editing, coding, classification
and tabulation.
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46. Research Methodology cont’d
– Data analysis is the process of bringing order,
structure and meaning to the mass of collected
data.
• Analysis of data can be done either qualitatively or
quantitatively.
• Qualitative data analysis begins right from the field.
Interpretation depends on researcher’s judgment. It is
based on subjectivity
• Quantitative data analysis often occurs after all or much
of data have been collected. Interpretation depends on
existing theories and it is based on positivity.
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47. Expected Output
• The researcher is required to explain the
expect output for the research is undertaking
at early stage.
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48. Referencing
• It is a method used to demonstrate to your readers
that you have conducted a thorough and appropriate
literature search,
and reading.
• It is an acknowledgement that you have used the
ideas and written material belonging to
other authors in your own work (Imperial College
London Library)
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49. Why Referencing is Important?
– It is crucial to successful research.
– Helps the reader to find the original source if they
wish.
– Improves your writing skills
– Adds authenticity to your argument.
– Shows that you have read widely
– To avoid plagiarism
• Accurate referencing is a key component of
good academic practice and enhances the
presentation of your work .
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50. What is Citation?
• When you use another person’s work in your
research, either by referring to their ideas, or by
including a direct quotation, you must
acknowledge this in the text of your research.
This acknowledgement is called a citation
(Imperial College London Library)
• Citation must include:
– Name of the author
– The title of the work published
– The year of publication of the cited work, etc.
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51. Work plan
• Planning for the research proposal should include
the time frame and activity schedule for the
proposed research.
• The time frame may include time for:
– Formulation of the research problem
– conduct of the research
– analysis of data
– writing up of research report
• The activity schedule is essential for effective
monitoring of project.
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52. Work plan
• The activity schedule should list the time frame for
major activities, and include milestones.
• A most effective way of plotting the activity schedule
is by using the Gantt Chart.
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54. Research Budget
• It is essential to request for an adequate budget
for the study you are planning to conduct:
– Provide a total breakdown of the budget
needed
– Give appropriate estimates of costs depending on the
different areas, eg: travel and transportation,
questionnaire printing, communication,
accommodation, etc.
– Provide adequate justification, especially for costly
items
– Follow the guidelines provided by the sponsors where
you plan on obtaining the grant from
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