Chapter 3

Research Proposal
Introduction
A written proposal is often required when a study is being suggested. It ensures that the
parties concur on the project’s purpose and on the proposed methods of investigation.
The research proposal is essentially a road-map, showing clearly the location from which
a journey begins, the destination to be reached, and the method of getting there.
Time and budgets are often spelled out, as are other responsibilities and obligations.
Depending on the needs and desires of a manager, substantial background detail and
elaboration of proposed techniques may be included.
A Proposal is also known as a work plan, prospectus, outline, statement of indent, or
draft plan. The proposal tells us what. Why, how, where, and to whom the research will
be done. It must also show the benefit of doing the research.
The length and complexity of research proposals range widely. Business research
proposals normally range from 1 to 10 pages. Every proposal should include two basic
sections;
• Statement of research question
• Brief description of research methodology.
The purpose of research proposal
The purpose of the research proposal is;
1. to present the management question to be researched and relate its importance
2. to discuss the research efforts of others who have worked on related management
questions.
3. to suggest the data necessary for solving the management question and how the
data will be gathered, treated and interpreted.
In addition, a research proposal must present the researcher’s plan, services, and
credentials in the best possible way to encourage the proposal’s selection over
competitors. Before starting the research the researcher should have a well-planned and
adequately documented proposal.
Benefits for the researcher
1. It encourages the researcher to plan and review the project’s logical steps.
2. The researcher can assess previous approaches to similar questions and can revise
the research plan accordingly.
3. It offers the opportunity to spot flaws in the logic, errors in assumptions, or even
management questions that are not adequately addressed by the objectives and
design.
4. It is used as a guide throughout the investigation.
5. At completion, the proposal provides an outline for the final research report.
6. A thorough proposal process is likely to reveal all possible cost-related activities,
thus making cost estimation more accurate.

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Structuring the Research Proposal

Your proposal should include the following essential parts among others:

1. Title

✓ It should suggest the theme of the study

✓ It should not be burdened with pompous words, unscientific terms,
argumentative, emotional or biased words.
✓ It should not be too long or short
✓ It should not be too board or narrow

2. Background of the Study:

This introduction section begins with the background information regarding the
problem under investigations. The background should provide readers with a brief
summary of literature and research related to the problem being investigated. In
general, the background begins with a broader perspective of the problem and
becomes narrower as it proceeds. The background narrows the focus of the study
and provides a brief rationale for why the particular study is worth pursuing.
Generally, the introduction section of the proposal consists of about two to three
pages, but may vary considerably depending on the nature of the study. This section
is normally expanded in chapter 2 (Review of Related Literature) later on.

What you write about and how you write can reveal a great deal about your
knowledge and interest in your subject. This is true of your proposal, but perhaps
most so in this section. Use the background section as an occasion to show the
depths of your knowledge of the topic by demonstrating your fluency in accepted
understandings and literature as well as your fresh insights and approaches. You
may also use this review to implicitly reveal what has drawn you to the topic in the
first place. Doing this will help convince the reader that your interest in the topic is
justified and that you are likely to sustain that interest over the time required to
complete the project.

3. Statement of the Problem:

Having provided a broad introduction to the area under study, now focus on the
issues relating to its central theme, identifying some of the gaps in the existing body
of knowledge. The main unanswered questions need also be identified. Some of the
main research questions that you would like to answer through your study should
also be raised. Knowledge gained from other studies and the literature about the
issues you are proposing to investigate should be an integral part of this section. In
other words, once the investigator is able to collect different studies conducted in his
field of investigation from various sources and examine each one of them critically
for the points mentioned above, he will be in a position to state his problem in
unambiguous and more precise terms.

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  The problem statement describes the context for the study and it also
identifies the general analysis approach.
 A problem may be defined as the issue that exists in the, literature,
theory, or practice that leads to a need for the study.
 It is important in a proposal that the problem stand 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.
 Effective problem statements answer the question “why does this
research need to be conducted?” If a researcher is unable to answer this
question clearly and concisely, and without resorting to hyper speaking
(i.e, focusing on problems of macro or global proportions that certainly
will not be informed or alleviated by the study), then the statement of the
problem will come off as ambiguous and diffuse.

Examples of problem statements are as follows:

 This study will compare, contrast, investigate, describe, determine,

examine, develop, clarify, or evaluate the issue being studied.
 The purpose of this study will be to determine the variables that explain
the difference between males and females and identify those variables
that differ significantly between the two genders.
 This study is designed to investigate graduate students’ perceptions
regarding the difficulty of coursework at AMU and determine which
courses are more difficult than others.

Usually, the problem of investigation is stated in two ways:

a) In the form of statement or

b) In question form

In some cases, the problem is stated with the help of more than one statement or a
question.

Specifically, this section should:

• Identify the issues that are the basis of your study;

• Specify the various aspects of/ perspectives on these issues;
• Identify the main gaps in the existing body of knowledge;
• Raise some of the research questions that you want to answer through your
study;
• Identify what knowledge is available concerning your questions, specifying the
difference of opinion in the literature regarding these questions if differences
exist; and
• Develop a rationale for your study with particular reference to how your study
will fill the identified gaps.
• Present it from General to Specific

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 4. Objectives of the Study: General and Specific objectives ought to be
listed

Objectives are the goals you set to attain in your study. Since these objectives inform
a reader of what you want to achieve through the study, it is extremely important to
word them clearly and specifically. The investigator will spell out the objectives of
the present study in the form of statements and while doing so, he takes care that
the objectives mentioned are well within the scope of the investigation envisaged by
him.

The objectives of the study are listed under two headings:

❖ Main objective; and

❖ Sub-objectives/Specific objectives

The main objective is an overall statement of the thrust of your study. It is also a
statement of the main associations and relationships that you seek to discover or
establish. The sub-objectives are the specific aspects of the topic that you want to
investigate within the main framework of your study.

Sub objectives should be numerically listed or using bullets. They should be worded
clearly and unambiguously. Make sure that it contains only one aspect of the study.
The objectives should start with such action words as “to determine”, “to find out”,
“to ascertain”, “to measure”, “to explore”, etc. The wording of your objectives
determines the type of research design (e.g., descriptive, correlational or
experimental) you need to adopt to achieve them. The following figure displays the
characteristics of the wording of objectives in relation to the type of research study:

5. Research Hypothesis, if any, which indicates the relationships

between/among variables

Hypotheses are tentative conclusions derived from observation, experience, reading

and the like. The problem statement is further explicated in this section of the
proposal. Hypotheses and research questions emerge from the problem statement
and operationalize it in terms of specific variables and relationships to be examined
and reported. Hypotheses and research questions also suggest methodology for the
study and serve as the basis for drawing conclusions in the last chapter.

6. Methodology

• Data Collection Methods: questionnaires, interviews, observations,

• Data sources: primary, secondary, both
• Sample Design:

 Probabilistic : simple random sampling(lottery system), systematic

random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling
 Non probabilistic : Judgmental sampling, convenience sampling,
quota sampling

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 • Data Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation tools

7. Significance of the Study

This section addresses “the so what” of the study and report. It describes or explains
the potential value of the study and findings to the social sciences or the filed of
specialization. This section, therefore, should identify the audiences for the study
and how the results will be beneficial to them. Remember, research is conducted to
add to the existing knowledge base and/or solve a problem. How your particular
research will do these should be articulated in this section.

8. Definition of terms

 Define all unusual terms that could be misinterpreted

 Technical terms need to be defined operationally

9. Scope/Delimitation

Delimitation addresses how the study will be narrowed in scope, that is, how it is
bounded. This is the place to explain the things that you are not doing and why you
have chosen not to do them-the literature you will not review (and why not), the
population you are not studying (and why not), the methodological procedures you
will not use (and why you will not use them). Limit your delimitations to the things
that a reader might reasonably expect you to do but that you, for clearly explained
reasons, have decided not to do.

10. Limitations of the Study…..preferably included in the final report.

Limitations are factors, usually beyond the researcher’s control, that may affect the
results of the study or how the results are interpreted. Stating limitations of the
study may be very useful for readers because they provide a method to acknowledge
possible errors or difficulties in interpreting results of the study. Limitations that
are readily apparent at the start of the research project may develop or may become
apparent as the study progresses. In any case, limitations should not be considered
alibis/excuses; they are simply factors or conditions that help the reader get a true
sense of what the study results mean and how widely they can be generalized. While
all studies have some inherent limitations, you should address only those that may
have a significant effect on your particular study.

Examples of frequently encountered limitations might include the following:

 Due to the small/unique sample available for the study, results may not
be generalizable beyond the specific population from which the sample
was drawn.
 Due to the failure of sample respondents to answer with
candor/frankness, results might not accurately reflect opinions of all
members of the included population.

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  Due to the length of the study, a significant number of respondents
available in the preliminary testing may be unavailable or unwilling to
participate in the final stage of testing.

Although stating limitation of the study assists the reader in understanding

some of the inherent problems encountered by the researcher, it is also
important for the researcher to design and conduct the study in a manner that
precludes having such numerous or severe limitations that any results of the
study are essentially useless.

11. Time schedule

 You should prepare a realistic time schedule for completing the study
 Divide the tasks to subparts and assign starting and completion time
 You can use Gant chart

12. Budget schedule

✓ Break down of the activities to be performed and materials needed with their
estimated cost

S.N Activities to be performed Estimate expense (in Birr)

1 Different expenses (travel, data collectors…) xxxx
2 Typing of the paper xxx
3 Printing xxx
4 Photocopying xxx
5 Purchase of equipment (specify) xxx
6 Tools( soft wares if any) xxx
7 Books and journals xxx
8 Total xxxxx
9 Contingency (15% of the total expenditure) xxx
10 Total estimated budget xxxxx

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