ZQMS-ARC-REC-002

ASSIGNMENT COVER
REGION:
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PROGRAMME:
BACHELOUR___________________________________________________ INTAKE:
JANUARY -JUNE____2024

FULL NAME OF STUDENT: _RIMIRE

TENDAI_______________________________________ PIN: _P2258174Y_______

MAILING ADDRESS:
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CONTACT TELEPHONE/CELL: O775818335_________________________ ID. NO.: _07-

168939-Z-07_______________

COURSE NAME: RESEARCH METHOD_____________________________________

COURSE CODE: _AECS 3O8_______

ASSIGNMENT NO. e.g., 1 or 2: ___1________________________ DUE DATE:

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ASSIGNMENT TITLE: COMPONENTS OF RESEARCH

PROPOSAL________________________________________________________

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MARKER’S COMMENTS:
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OVERALL, MARK: _____________ MARKER’S NAME: ________________________

MARKER’S SIGNATURE: _______________________________ DATE: ___________

Issue Date: 02/04/24

Research proposal is an important initial task to pursue in order to investigate the potential
and order of the proposed research. It is important to have a general understanding of the
“research” being undertaken before engaging with a research proposal. The research proposal
also discusses the necessary sections, such as the title, background and justification,
objectives, research questions, hypotheses, data collection and methods, relevance and scope,
and references. This article provides a comprehensive description of the complicated
processes associated with designing a research proposal, highlighting its core significance,
purpose, and fundamental components. The components of a research proposal all contribute
to the success of the full research project in different ways.

Walliamam (2005), agues that research is a methodical exploration of an issue or resolution,

based on critical analysis of relevant evidence. According to Kerlinger 2017 ,scientific
research may be defined as a systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical investigation of
hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among observed phenomena This
definition includes the fundamental concepts required to define the methodology of scientific
research and explains a process that has been generally acknowledged for ages.

A brief research proposal highlights a topic. It is prepared before data collection. It addresses
what, how, and why the research will be done. Research should not be considered a
recreational activity. It should be constructive and have a purpose. The proposal should
demonstrate to readers that the research would be worthwhile. The proposal should explain
what the researches expected results are to address this. . The outcomes, however, are the
“deliverables” researchers anticipate from their research. Academic research based on the
types of data collected may be classified into two primary categories. The primary method is
known as “desk research,” and it refers to any kind of study that is undertaken using just
published and unpublished materials as its source of data; in other words, the research is
primarily reliant on secondary data.

A research proposal serves two distinct purposes: the “internal purpose” and the “external
purpose.” The “internal purpose” of the research proposal constructively forces the
researchers to carefully design and plan the research within relevant methodological,
ontological, and epistemological frameworks, which might also be understood as constructing
a good research design. According to Peters (2003), the external purpose is to persuade
scholars and readers that the researcher has an important, relevant, new, and innovating
research idea and hypothesis, that it is of high scientific quality, properly formulated with
sound methodology, and that the planned research could be implemented with realistic time
and resource utilisation.

The components of a research proposal are complicated and demands meticulous attention to
every detail. It is essential to incorporate relevant sources of information throughout the
proposal to support and authenticate the idea presented. It should contain a short overview of
the project, a list of objectives, and a description of the methodology to be used, an estimate
of the timeline, a budget, and a bibliography. In addition to providing background
information and an explanation of the topic’s significance, the proposal should contain a list
of sources that demonstrate its familiarity with the subject.

Angelson (2022) argues that there should be a good descriptive and attractive title in
accordance with the proposed research. One can also combine words to create an appealing,
related title and avoid boring traditional topics. There could be short, catchy titles, then a
subtopic or subtitle that goes into more detail and gives more information. One should always
choose keywords for the title that effectively and accurately describe the topic of proposed
research, include terminology and concepts associated with the research that are relevant,
avoid using jargon and buzzwords as much as possible since they might cause confusion
among the readers, and after that, proofread your title to verify that it is devoid of any
typographical or grammatical mistakes.

Background and justification should include an overview of the research that has already
been accomplished on the subject and explain what new knowledge will be obtained from the
study that is being proposed. In addition, it should explain why the proposed study is
necessary and important, and it should also provide a rationale for any hypotheses or
questions that the research will examine. It should describe a brief review of the existing
knowledge base and the major conclusions relevant to that particular subject. There should be
a detailed conceptual and theoretical framework that describes the existing studies to date,
and there may be one’s own framework.

It should highlight the objective of the proposed research work along with the concerns that
contributed to the demand for conducting the research. This should be straightforward and
concise in nature. The specific objectives (the scope and number depend on the type of
research proposal), which should explicitly formulate what the study will contribute to the
area specified in the general objective, should answer the question, “How will this study
contribute to the area specified in the general objective?” Researchers should avoid using
ambiguous verbs like “understand” and “study” and instead choose for more particular verbs
such as “determine,”“develop,”“calculate,” and “compare” in order to explain the planned
actions in a concise and straightforward manner. The sequence in which certain objectives are
accomplished should often go from the simple to the more meticulously analytic.

While preparing a proposal for research, it is crucial to take into consideration prospective
research questions. Research questions raised during research should be researchable. It
should be relevant to the research being done, have a precise understanding, and not be
arbitrary or ambiguous in either way, limiting the scope of the research and decreasing the
number of units of analysis. Research questions should be specific and measurable so that the
findings can be quickly and precisely analysed. They must also be associated with previous
research or related to current relevant topics, identify gaps in previous knowledge, and seek
to address those gaps through research. Subsequently, questions should be linked to the
overall objectives of the research proposal. In the meantime, there should be new questions or
old questions that have been reformulated and taken one step further. Moreover, research
questions should contribute to the existing knowledge base.

While drafting a proposal for research, it is essential to consider the possible hypotheses that
might be tested. A hypothesis is a testable scientific statement that is formulated with the
purpose of being tested through the collection and examination of empirical evidence and
data. It should be formulated as a response to each research question, and all variables
included in hypotheses must be measurable. One of the most important things about a
hypothesis is that it can be tested. It should be based on previous findings, reflections, and the
process of obtaining and measuring information on certain variables in a defined and
systematic manner is referred to as “data collection.” This establishes the basis for one to
answer reasonable questions and derive outcomes once the procedure has been completed.

According to Abdulai (2014), data can be analysed using quantitative and qualitative
techniques. The research proposal should be able to provide comprehensive knowledge of the
subject matter, regardless of whether it incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data
collection techniques. The data collection and methodology section of the proposal should
make it abundantly clear how and why the data should be collected. The description of the
data required to answer the research questions (the main variables), how to get such data
(sampling means determining which individual or group should be included and how many
should be included), and how to assure the quality of the data must be provided

. Also, it should include a discussion of the specific methodologies that are used to examine
the particular variables. Avoid providing a constructed general description of the
methodologies you used and instead focus on developing a particular methodology (such as
historical, comparative, and case study approaches, etc.). Everyone is familiar with these
approaches; thus, explain why this way is the most pertinent and advantageous for the
researcher’s objectives.

It's important to mention the importance of formatting in the methodology chapter. All of the
chapters in a research proposal should be formatted consistently, with a clear and professional
layout. The text should be double-spaced, with a 12-point font, and all headings should be
properly formatted. Margins should be 1" on all sides, and page numbers should be included
in the footer. All figures and tables should be clearly labelled and referenced in the text.
Proper formatting is important for clarity and readability, and it helps to make a good
impression on the reader

Since it demonstrates why the research is significant and what contribution it will make to
the discipline, the relevance and scope of the study in the research proposal are an essential
component. The researcher must explain in a broad context how the findings of the proposed
research would result in a significant improvement over the findings of the previous studies
and how they would enhance the subject as a whole. The uniqueness of the research the
researcher wants to conduct should be demonstrated in the proposal. As such, the researcher
should explain why the findings of the research are significant. The research proposal should
not only explain the relevance and scope of the study but also explain how the findings could
be utilised. This information is crucial in developing the credibility of the research and
highlighting that the researcher has the required ability to facilitate high quality findings.

In order to maintain the ethical standards of the research proposal, there must be a list of
references to key works and texts that are discussed within the proposal, as well as a selection
of sources that are relevant to the proposed research. It is essential to include citations and
references for any content that is not exclusively the researcher’s own conception. In addition
to including a list of works cited at the end of your research proposal, your references should
be included within the body of the document itself. To avoid being charged with plagiarism,
it is crucial to correctly cite all of your sources. Use the right style, such as “MLA,”“APA,”
or “Chicago,” to appropriately cite a source. Examples of accurate citations can be obtained
in the style guides that correspond to each of the abovementioned styles.

The references section is an important part of a research proposal, as it provides evidence to

support the claims made in the proposal. By citing sources, the researcher is demonstrating
that the research is based on evidence and is not simply the opinion of the researcher. The
references also allow the reader to verify the information and explore the topic further if they
wish. In a sense, the references section helps to give the research proposal credibility and
authority.

Even if a proposal is well-written, it's still important to have it edited and proofread by
someone else. This can help to catch any errors or mistakes that may have been missed, and
can also provide feedback on the overall quality of the proposal. When editing a research
proposal, it's important to pay close attention to the overall structure, as well as the style and
tone. It's also important to check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. However,
editing should not just be about correcting errors - it should also be about improving the
overall clarity and flow of the proposal. It can be helpful to read the proposal out loud, or to
have someone else read it, to identify any areas that are unclear or confusing. Editing and
proofreading is typically the final stage of writing a research proposal, after the references
have been added. It's important to do a thorough job of editing and proofreading, to ensure
that the proposal is in its best possible form before submission.

Research proposal length depends on the programme, discipline, and institution. Even so,
most research proposals are 5–15 pages long, with a normal length of 10 pages and 2000–
3500 words, including references. A research proposal should be brief and thorough enough
to describe the proposed research work, including the study design, methodology, analysis,
ethics, schedule, and budget. The proposal should not be lengthy or repetitive. The researcher
should always consider the proposal’s audience and examine the proposal’s institutions or
funding agency’s criteria. They usually specify or suggest a proposal length.

It is essential to acknowledge the profound importance of a research proposal, as it fulfils a

multitude of purposes within the complexities of the research work. It serves as a
comprehensive roadmap, defining the objectives, methodology, and projected outcomes of
the study. Through a well - defined and coherent proposal, it is ensured that the research work
will be carried out in a methodological and swift manner. The rationale for completing this
study is based on its ability to demonstrate its significance, pertinence, and prospective
contributions to the existing field of knowledge. It is crucial to note that a meticulously
constructed research proposal plays an essential role in securing necessary funding,
prestigious scholarships, and helpful resources.

References
AbdulaiR.T. (2014). Essential Ingredients of a Good Research Proposal for Undergraduate and
Postgraduate Students in the Social Sciences.

Angelsen, A. (2013). Measuring Livelihoods and Environmental Dependence:Methods for Research

and Fieldwork. Routledge.

Kerlinger, F. (1986). Foundations of Behavioral Research (3rd ed). Hollt,Rinehart and Winston.

Peters.A.D. (2003). Winning Research Funding. Gower.

Walliman, N. (2005). Your Research Project. In Step -by-Step Guide for the First Time Research.