2. 2
OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION
1. INTRODUCTION
2. PURPOSES OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
3. FORMAT/CONTENTS OF THE RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
4. GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING RESEARCH
PROPOSALS
5. CRITIQUING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
6. EVALUATING RESEARCH PROPOSALS
3. 3
1. INTRODUCTION
The proposal is like a blue print that an
architect prepares before commencing
building construction and submits for
approval.
Needed for applying for research funding,
or for approval by the Doctoral committee.
4. 4
2. PURPOSES OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1. To organise your ideas
• Writing is the best way to develop a plan.
2. To convince your audience
• Relevance Feasibility / Viability
3. To contract with your client
• Deliverables
• Time Line
• Budget
5. 5
3. FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1. Title of the Research Study
2. Abstract: (Written last but presented second)
3. Statement of the Problem: (either in question form or as
a declarative statement)
4. Significance of the problem: Need for the study.
5. Objectives of the study: State the objectives in specific
(unambiguous) terms
6. Review of Related Literature
Should summarise areas of agreement and disagreement in
findings.
6. 6
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
7. Hypotheses or Research Questions
Hypothesis is a tentative proposition
about the relationship between two or
more variables; it has to be tested before
it is proved or disproved.
The research questions are those
questions to which the researcher wants
to find answers.
7. 7
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
Define all unusual terms that could be
misinterpreted.
Variables should be defined in clear
operational terms
The statement of delimitations and limitations
will help to minimize the dangers of over
generalization.
8. Definitions, Assumptions and Limitations
8. 8
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
Tools to be developed
Or Ready made standardised tools
(their Validity and Reliability)
9. Design of the study
The entire research Plan
9.1 Research Method
9.2 Information sources
9.3 Sampling procedure
9.4 Tools to be used for data collection
9. 9
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
Statistical techniques to be used
9. Design of the study (contd...)
9.5 Methods of Collecting Data
9.6 Method of Analysis and interpretation of
Data
9.7 Organisation of Thesis or Report /
Publication of results.
10. 10
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
10.Time Schedule
Which are the steps that are
sequential?
Which are the processes that can
proceed simultaneously?
Dates for completion of each step in
the form of a Gantt Chart
(Work Plan)
12. 12
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
Indicate the positions, tasks, and
number of persons required to fill the
different positions
11. Organisational chart of the Project Team
13. 13
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
i. Salary or Honorarium to the personnel to be
employed
ii. Travelling costs
iii. Cost of equipment
iv. Cost of Books and Journals
v. Cost of Stationery and Printing
vi. Cost of computer time and related work
vii. Postage
viii. Miscellaneous and contingent expenses
ix. Total cost (Grand Total)
12. Cost Estimation
Specify under the following Heads
14. 14
FORMAT / CONTENTS OF THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL – Contd..
13. List of References
What is the difference between
Bibliography and References?
15. 15
4. GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
1. Provide sufficient detail for clarity
2. Utilise appendices to provide cumbersome but
important material
3. Make sure a hasty reader is guided to critically
important parts of the proposal via subtitles,
underlining, punctuation, paragraphing, spacing,
diagrams, flowcharts and tables
4. If you deviate from sponsor’s prescribed format, be
sure the deviation is justified and that reviewers will
agree advantage outweighs convenience of
consistent format for the many proposals they
review
16. 16
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS - Contd..
5. Provide a table of contents
6. Be sure quality of writing is indicative of
your scholarship
7. Critical Review: Ask a colleague to
critically review the entire proposal. Clarify
any points that require explanation for him
/ her
17. 17
5. CRITIQUING THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
• After completing the draft of a
proposal, the author / researcher
should go through it again carefully
with a critical eye.
• It is also profitable to have colleagues
read the proposal.
• Often someone else can identify
weaknesses or omissions that are not
evident to the author.
18. 18
CRITIQUING THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
• Certain common weaknesses found in
research proposals
1. The Problem is Trivial
2. The Problem is Not Delimited
The topic given below is too broad to be considered
feasible for a Doctoral research project
“The Teaching of English as Revealed in the
Courses of Study of the English-Speaking
Nations of the World”.
In order to produce a feasible proposal, the
researcher must focus the study.
19. 19
CRITIQUING THE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
• common weaknesses…
3. The Objectives, Hypotheses or research questions
are too broadly stated
4. The Procedures are lacking in detail
5. A simple design is used to investigate a complex
problem
6. Relevant variables are not considered or are lightly
dismissed
Failure to consider relevant extraneous variables is a
serious error in a research proposal.
20. 20
6. EVALUATING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
1. The extent to which the components of the
proposal fit together
The three criteria described below can be used
for evaluating research proposals.
Your rationale for conducting the research should include
a study of the previously published research, including
relevant theories in the topic area.
This study should inform your research question(s) and
objectives.
21. 21
EVALUATING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
Your proposed methodology should flow directly from
these research questions and objectives.
The time that you have allocated should be a direct
reflection of the methods you employ, as should the
resources which you need.
Criteria 1 Contd..
22. 22
EVALUATING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
2. The viability of the proposal
This is the answer to the question:
“Will this research be carried out
satisfactorily within the timescale?”
Three criteria - Contd..
23. 23
EVALUATING
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
3. The absence of pre-conceived ideas
Three criteria - Contd..
Your research should be an exciting journey into
the unknown. Don’t be like the student who came
to the committee of the University to talk over a
research proposal and said, ‘Of course, I know
what the answer will be’. When asked to explain
the purpose of doing the research if he already
knew the answer, he became rather defensive, and
eventually looked for another project guide and,
probably, another topic.
24. 24
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATION
1. INTRODUCTION
2. PURPOSES OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
3. FORMAT/CONTENTS OF THE RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
4. GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING RESEARCH
PROPOSALS
5. CRITIQUING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
6. EVALUATING RESEARCH PROPOSALS
