Developing a Research Topic

Research Proposal

Contents of a Research Report

Developing a Research Topic
 The first step is deciding upon a topic.

 A clearly defined research topic is the first step in successful

research because it highlights the problem.

 Before you can begin to research anything, you must

CLEARLY understand the problem or question that you are
researching.

 One purpose is to convince your potential supervisor(s), advisory

committee, school, etc. that you are capable of doing the research
and that your project is viable.

 How do you decide upon a research topic?

Sources of Selecting a Problem
It depends on:
 Your own observation
 Deduction from theory
 Your own practice
 Theory or model testing
 Literature gap
 Evaluation of existing programs
 Developing or analyzing policies
Considerations for Research
Topic/Problem/Question
It should be:
 Of interest to you
 Significant
 Researchable (i.e. access to data, etc.)
 Feasible (financially and technically)
 Of practical value (applicable in practice)
 Focused
 Clear
 Ethical
 Choosing a Topic
 There are some important requirements in
choosing a topic:

1. You are interested in the topic.

2. A faculty member is prepared to supervise
you.
3. You can obtain relevant data on the topic.
4. You have relevant knowledge and skills on the
subject.
Broad Topic V Narrow Topic
◦ Broad topic
 Difficult to find relevant sources if topic is
broad/ambiguous
 Example: Job Security in Pakistan

◦ Narrow topic
 Provides precise information
 Example: Job Security in Pakistan: A Case Study of
Beverages Industry
 More Specific Example: Job Security in Pakistan: A
Case Study of Beverages Industry in Karachi (or in
Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi)
 Even More Specific Example: Job Security in
Pakistan: A Case Study of Pepsi Co., Karachi
Narrowing down the Topic
 By geographical distribution (Which city or town or village?
Where? What area? Street? Exact location?)

 By sampling (rather than studying the entire population, sampling

is done to evaluate the characteristics of the total population)

 By rationale approach (through inductive reasoning to solve a

specific problem)

Deductive reasoning: An approach from general to particular/specific

solution. Inductive reasoning: An approach from particular/specific to
general solution.
 Format of a Research Topic
 The topic should address the research problem, thematic area,
organization, or geographic area.

 It’s better to start the topic with a noun, or present participle, or

article such as: Identifying Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior of
Buying Luxurious Brands; Exploring New Trends in E-advertising in
Pakistan; An Analysis of Financial and Non-financial Performance of
UBL from 2006-2010.

 Try to avoid topics that start with a question mark, such as: What is
the impact of ….. because it may be a research question; or
negative meaning words, such as: The Adverse Effect of Smoking ......
because it may show researcher bias.
 Key Steps in Selecting
Research Topic
 Four steps are very significant in most of the research
projects:

1. Choose a topic (considering the problem).

2. Think of an aim of the study.
3. Choose some potential research questions or hypotheses.
4. Make or choose (from literature review) a theoretical
framework to identify important variables to analyze or work
on.
 Literature Gap
 The gap, also considered the missing piece or pieces in the research
literature, is the area that has not yet been explored or is under-
explored. This could be areas of further study (esp. from a recent
study), or population or sample (size, type, location, etc.), research
method, data collection and/or analysis, or other research variables
or conditions.
https://ncu.libguides.com/researchprocess/literaturegap

 See this example below from Frisch, C. & Huppenbauer, M.

(2014). New insights into ethical leadership: A qualitative
investigation of the experiences of executive ethical leaders. Journal
of Business Ethics, 123(1), 23-43. DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1797-9
Illustrated Literature Gap
Steps in Choosing a
Research Problem
Move on to next
stage of research 1.Read literature on
design your research topic,
check results, and
identify gaps 2. Generate list of
Yes No
interesting potential
6.Does a suitable questions
problem exist?

3. Check
literature.
5. Eliminate Have questions been
impractical questions answered already?
4. Test
feasibility

Figure 3.1. How to identify a research problem (adapted from Collis & Hussey, 2003)
 Research Proposal

 Research Plan

 Research Design
 Research Proposal
It is a draft of the first chapter or
preliminary work of the study.

It is planning in advance about how to

do a research and designing its
methodology.

A proposal is like a lay out plan or

design an architecture has made.
Types of Research Proposals
Internal Proposal: Internal proposals are presented to the
in-house management by the researcher, which are short and
snappy; a one to three-page memo from the researcher to
management outlining the problem statement, study
objectives, research design, resources inclusive of budget, and
schedule is enough to start a study.

External Proposal: External proposals are presented to the

donor agencies, government, or any outside organizations by
the researcher, which are detailed and may comprise
introduction, as well as literature review, and research design
sections.
Types of Research Proposals
Solicited or Unsolicited Proposals: A proposal can
be either solicited or unsolicited.

A solicited proposal is developed in response to a

request for proposals by government or a donor agency,
and is likely to compete against several others for the
contract or grant.

An unsolicited proposal represents a suggestion by a

contract researcher for a research that might be done.
Such proposals do not compete against others.
 Benefits of the Proposal
1. It allows the researcher to plan and review
the project’s steps.

2. It serves as a guide throughout the

investigation.

3. It helps in making time and budget estimates.

Moreover, it suggests human, technical, and
instrumental requirement.
• Sometimes a researcher receives grants or
stipends on doing a particular research
project. In that case, a proposal must meet
the specific guidelines set by the Sponsor.

• Budget
- Too high budget will be rejected
- Too low budget can be suspicious.

• Late proposal will not be reviewed.

 Format of the Research
 It varies from study to study:

 Research Proposal (RP) [also called

synopsis] for a class project

 RP for an independent study (IS) or

research paper/article

 RP for a thesis or dissertation

 Professional/Commercial RP
 Modules in a Professional
Research Proposal

 Executive Summary Qualifications of

 Problem Statement Researcher
 Research Objectives
Budget
 Importance of Study
 Research Design Schedule
 Delimitations Technical Staff Req’d
 3 Optional Steps: Facilities Available
 Initial Literature Review
 Initial Methodology and Data
Work Plan
Analysis (as a result of a pilot study) Project Management
 Discussion of Initial Results References or Bibliography
Appendices
 RP Format For Academic Purpose

 Title Page - Table of Contents - Abstract (without findings)

 Introduction or Background of the Study/Problem
 Problem Statement - Study Objectives
 Research Questions and/or Hypotheses
 Methodology - Gap and Scope of the Study
 Rationale/Benefit of Research - Limitations

 Optional Steps: Initial Literature Review

 Initial Research Design (population, sample
selection, size, and sampling method)
 Initial Data Analysis (as a result of a pilot study)
 Initial Conclusion (if any in special cases)
 References/Bibliography and Appendix if any
 Research Report Format (for Academic Purpose)
 Title Page - Table of Contents - Acknowledgement
 Abstract
 Introduction or Background of the Study/Problem
 Problem Statement - Study Objectives
 Research Questions or Hypotheses
 Methodology - Scope and Gap of the Study
 Rationale/Benefit of Research - Limitations
 Literature Review (extensive contents in pro reports)
 Research Design (Population, Sample Selection, Size, & Method)
 Data Analysis
 Conclusion and Recommendations
 Areas of Further Study
 References/Bibliography and Appendix if any
Format of an Abstract
It describes:
 Research problem (or may start with purpose)
 Purpose/Objective(s) of the study
 Research design (data collection methods, sampling design and sp. size)
 Findings and Results (any specific hint)
 Conclusion (any specific hint)
 Originality of research and value (optional)
 Key words (for abstracting/indexing agencies)
 Abstract is optional in a proposal, if given, it doesn’t discuss results and
conclusion. Some abstracts only discuss about the problem and the
steps undertaken for its solution.
 Size: Usually 1 page or 150-200-250 words.
Research Report Format:
Abstract contd…
 A 2nd format is to start with the problem and purpose,
research methods with sampling description, and hints about
the benefits of findings.

 A 3rd format of the abstract comprise of one paragraph only

that discusses about the purpose (that indirectly highlights the
problem) and the methods cum efforts done to resolve the
problems.

 Note that keywords are part of any form of abstract. The

term executive summary is used in long reports, which can
be of 4-5 or more pages in length.
Research Report Format: Chapter 1,
INTRODUCTION
 1.1 Background (of the problem/study)
 1.2 Problem Statement
 1.3 Research Objectives
 1.4 Research Question/Hypotheses
 1.5 Methodology
 1.6 Scope and Gap of the Study
 1.7 Rationale/Benefit of the Study
 1.8 Limitations

 (Chapter/Section) Summary (optional)

 (Chapter/Section) References (optional)
 Problem Statement: It should be short and concise and
comprise of one paragraph stating how the situation turns as
a problem or a potential opportunity, but it should not offer a
solution. Usually, there are no citations when it seems a
typical problem like poverty, otherwise there can be citations
and corresponding references.

 Research Objective(s): They flow from problem statement;

should be minimum, written concisely, and achievable.

 Remember, there is a nexus among topic (which hints the

problem), the research problem, objectives, and questions or
hypotheses.
 o Scope of the Study: It should maintain the way data is to
collected and analyzed during the study (optional) along with its
thematic scope, geographic scope, analytic scope, and proposed
actions for implementations of the findings, such as the study
will help in defining new trends.
 Rationale/Benefit of the Study: It should enumerate the
significance and benefits of the study, such as, it may help in
improving quality, cutting cost, saving time, money, and effort,
improved services, increased safety, improved productivity,
solving a complex issue, or tapping an opportunity.

 Limitation or Delimitations: Limitations state the

constraints of time, financial and technical resources, limited
geographic scope, and sample size, etc. , whereas delimitations
state the pertinent variables selected for a study.
Chapter 2, LITERATURE REVIEW
 2.1 Definition of the technical term concerned with the topic (if any,
suppose marketing of consumer banking products or micro finance, if the
topic of study is on that).
 2.2 International Scenario
 2.3 Regional Scenario
 2.4 National Scenario
 2.5 Location of Study’s Scenario
 2.6 Similar Studies (their methods and results)
 2.7 Theoretical/Conceptual Framework (This is used in quantitative
studies, whereas in qualitative studies, it is not followed, but relevant
models can be discussed).

 (Chapter/Section) Summary (optional)

 (Chapter/Section) References (optional)
Literature Review
 This section examines the recent (or historically significant)
research studies, company data, or industry reports that act
as a basis for the proposed study.

 If the problem has a historical background, it is better to begin

with the earliest references. Suppose the ref. of 2018 will
appear before the ref. of 2010.

 Emphasize the important results and conclusions of other

studies, the relevant data and trends from previous research,
and particular methods or design that could be duplicated or
should be avoided.
Literature Review contd.
 If your study deals solely with secondary data, show the
weaknesses or faults in the design, discuss the relevance of
data, and the bias or lack of bias in it.

 Make sure that every table, figure, or graph contains a number,

title, source (if possible), and relative explanation.

 Close the literature review section by summarizing the

important aspects of the literature and interpreting them in
terms of your problem.
Chapter 3, METHODOLOGY
 3.1 Research Design
 3.2 Data Collection Methods
 3.3 Research Approach (suppose any qualitative method)
 3.4 Questionnaire design using in-depth or semi-structured and
open-ended questions
 3.5 Sampling plan (target population, characteristics, sampling frame,
sampling size, and procedure)
 3.6 Data analysis tools (description of tools)
 3.7 Justification of the research design (optional)
 3.8 Research ethics (optional)

 (Chapter/Section) Summary (optional)

 (Chapter/Section) References (optional)
Chapter 4, DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS
AND RESULTS
 Exploratory findings (in qualitative study)

 4.1 Exploratory findings (textual or subjective interpretation

of the perceptions, attitudes, or behaviors of the majority,
minority, and various clusters, if any, among the sample group)
and answering the research questions.

 4.1 Discussion of Results (matching the results with those of

the similar studies)
Chapter 4, DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS
AND RESULTS contd.
 4.2 Implementation of findings (through proposed actions,
changes in standards, policies, programs, etc. and if findings can
not be applied instantly, then, describe reasons or areas for
further study)

 (Chapter/Section) Summary (optional)

 (Chapter/Section) References (optional)
Chapter 5, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 Start the discussion with the research problem, research questions,
and objective(s), and provide a nutshell overview of the entire
probe through conclusion and recommendations. Conclusion
discusses only those facts that are discussed in literature review and
findings. It’s better to restate those facts in new words and sentences.

 (Chapter/Section) Summary (optional). Note that a summary

discusses only those points mentioned anywhere in the current
chapter, but it’s better to restate those facts in new words and
sentences.

 (Chapter) References (optional)

Additional Sections
 Limitations and Areas of Further Study (suppose the same
study to be done in future with some additional factors, or
geographic locations, broader samples, with other techniques of
research, etc.)

 REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX(ICES)/ANNEX(ES)/ADDENDUM(A) (It is not

considered as the body of the study and the study ends at
conclusion and implications or recommendations section). Put all
the questionnaires, charts, formulas, tables, figures, and additional
data in the appendix, if they seem “interesting to know” rather than
“essential to know”. More than one appendix is given numbers like,
1, 2, 3.
Use of Proper Tenses in Intro’ and
Methodology Sections
 Use present tense in intro’ and methodology sections. For
example, one can write in the research design section of
intro’ and methodology section that the primary data is
collected through interviews from 06 respondents as
samples. However, the action of data collecting will
occur in future.

 Or use future tense in intro’ and methodology sections, when

preparing the proposal and then report, but convert
such sentences into past tenses, when your report is
finished.
 Use of Proper Tenses in Intro’ and
Methodology Sections (contd….)

 For example, while preparing the proposal and then

the report, one researcher wrote in the research
design section of intro’ and methodology section
that the primary data will be collected through
interviews from 06 respondents as samples. But
when the report was completed, he changed his
words and wrote, the primary data was collected
through interviews from 06 respondents as samples.
Use of Proper Grammar
in Proposal or Report
 Please note the appropriate punctuation or format of the report.

 Do not use underlines or colons (:) with titles or anywhere in

the proposal or report.

 Remember, every topic has an identification number, and all

the titles should be bold and have respective numbers, like
(1.1), but it depends on the format of a research journal.

 Italicize words or use colon/semi colon, when it is utmost

vital. Ask your supervisor about the standard font to be used,
font size, and line space.
Use of Proper Grammar
in Proposal or Report contd.
 Use right pronouns. Add the words like: ‘In this project, I am or
we are going to research about the dimensions of …………’,
rather do not mention, it is intended to find the dimensions of
…………...

 Check spelling and grammar of the proposal or report.

 Value and Cost of Research
Cost Benefit Analyses
• Cost should not exceed the benefits.

Value/Benefits Cost/Dis-benefits
Research helps in: Research costs:
• Decreased Uncertainty Research Expenses
• Increased Performance Delay in Decision Making
• Correct Decisions Possible Erroneous Research Results