Unit V

Developing a Research Proposal

Dr. Sudeep Thepade
 Syllabus
• Format of Research Proposal
• Individual Research Proposal
• Institutional Proposal
• Proposal for a Student
• A Presentation and Assessment by a Review
Committee consisting of Guide and Expert
only
 Finding a Mentor
• Get ideas from your department @ potential
mentors and their areas of research.

• Meet with the mentor to discuss their previous work

& their resident research projects.

• Ask about time availability and collaborators.

• Review some background papers together.

 Choosing a Project
• Establish a good rationale for the project (scholarship/
motivation/ purpose).

• Build on your mentor’s previous publications (experience).

• Make sure the key variables are in the chart (if a chart
review).

• Be sure there is time for reviewing the literature, getting

approvals, analyzing data and preparing a manuscript (with
accompanying powerpoint presentation).

• If the project involves making phone calls or mailing out

questionnaires, collecting base data from somewhere, setting
up some advance experiementation environment be sure
several months are available.
 Developing Research Questions
• Are the research objectives feasible?
(Time? Sample size? Technical expertise?)

• Are the questions novel? Interesting? Useful?

(Will the answers open up new areas of research?)

• Is the scope of the study well focused?

(Collecting too much data wastes time and money)

• Is it ethical to ask these research questions?

(Unacceptable physical risks or invasion of privacy?)
 Introduction
 …is format and detailed statement of intent of the researcher
 …..presents and justifies a plan of action and shows the investigation plan
 Introduction
Question to be asked Steps to be taken Elements of the step
What is the problem? Selection and statement -Problem identification
Why should be studied? of the problem - Problem prioritization
- Justification
What information is already Literature review -Sources
available? -Reviewing
Why do conduct research? Formulation of aim and -- Aim, goals
What is the achievement of objectives -General and specific objectives
the research? - Hypothesis
How to carry out the Research methodology -Variables
research? - Types of the research
How to collect data and - Data collection techniques
information? - Sampling
Wherefrom to collect data - Data analysis process, plan
and information? -Data processing plan
-Data interpretation process, plan
 Introduction
Question to be asked Steps to be taken Elements of the step

Who will collect and when? Work plan -Personnel, manpower

- Timetable

How will be monitored? Research administration -Administration

How the research findings will plan - Monitoring
be used? -Identification of potential
users
What and how much resources Budget -3 Ms: Man, materials, money
are needed? Funding Organizations - Fund collection, fund raising
Who will provide the
resources ?
Who will submit? Proposal preparation -Researcher
How to submit? Proposal presentation - Proposal
Where to submit? Appropriate authority - Presentation techniques
 What is a research proposal?
• Various terminologies are used to mean a research proposal depending on
why the research is carried out?
Research outline
Synopsis of research
Plan of research
Research/project proposal
Thesis plan
Etc
.. ..a blue print of future activities of a research project
…..some sort of preconceived framework for starting the activities
…..deals with ideas of researcher about what research he/she wants to do,
what objectives and methodology he/she has set, how much time and
resources are required to complete it, how the research finding are to be
reported, and so on.
 What is a research proposal?
• …..deals with ideas of researcher about
 what research he/she wants to do
 what objectives and methodology he/she has set
 how much time and resources are required to complete it
 how the research finding are to be reported
 and so on.
 ..is an individual’s or a research institute's formal offer to produce a
product or render service to a client in response to a request from the
client
 ….a work plan, prospectus, outline, and statement of intent ahead.
 In short, he/she is proposing a work frame for completing the research
 How to write 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.

•Generally, 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.

•Regardless of your research area and the methodology you choose, 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.

The proposal should have sufficient information to convince your readers

that you have an important research idea, that you have a good grasp of the
relevant literature and the major issues, and that your methodology is sound.
 How to write research proposal?
Common Mistakes in Proposal Writing
Failure to provide the proper context to frame the research question
Failure to delimit the boundary conditions for your research
Failure to cite landmark studies
Failure to accurately present the theoretical and empirical contributions by other
researchers
Failure to stay focused on the research question
Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research
Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues
Too much rambling -- going "all over the map" without a clear sense of direction.
(The best proposals move forward with ease and grace like a seamless river.)
Too many citation lapses and incorrect references
Too long or too short.

(Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C.Psych. Research Director, Graduate Program in Counselling

Psychology, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, Canada)
 Components/elements of research
proposal
•Title
•Introduction
•Statement of the problem
•Rationale/justification/significance of the research
•Scope and limitations of the study
•Review of literature
•Objectives of the research
•Operational definitions of terms used
•Hypothesis
•Methodology Used
•Time schedule/work plan
•Budget/estimated cost built up
•Organization of the report/chapter outline
•Bibliography/References
•Conclusions
•Appendix
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Title
• First page – title of the research; researcher’s name; name of
institute/organization where the researcher belongs; name of the
sponsoring organization, name of the supervisor, co-supervisor;
date; etc
• In selecting the title, the following points should be taken care of:
 Reflect the theme of the research
 Be self-explanatory
 Be brief
 Language be simple and unambiguous
 Be specific to a particular domain
 Bracket; arithmetic figures, etc be avoided
 Avoid confusing meaning
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Introduction
 Thereoretical background
 Background of the problem
 Etc

Statement of the problem

 Definition
 Nature
 Extent
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Rationale/justification/significance of the research
Importance
Addressing the national context problem
Bridging the knowledge gaps
Useful to the society/community
Present state of affairs
Affected stakeholders

Scope and limitations of the study

Boundaries of the research
Aspects and issues addressed
Shortcomings of the research – resource and time constraints
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Review of literature
Researches so conducted; vital information
Issues discussed; unaddressed issues
Relevancy to the present research
Finding out information/knowledge gaps

Objectives of the research

• Contextual/consistent to the title
• Concise, clear-cut, expressed in simple language, precise, self-
explanatory
• Distinctive, quantifiable , measurable
• Two types of objectives : general/broad/overall; specific
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Operational definitions of terms used
Clear-cut meaning of the terms used

Hypothesis
Proposition subject to verification
May be null, accepted, rejected
Guide/lead the research

Methodology Used
Selection of appropriate approach
Tools/techniques to be used
Data collection techniques
Data processing, analysis, interpretation techniques
Data/information presentation techniques
 Components/elements of research proposal

Time schedule/work plan

Time line of the assigned tasks
 Time line of the resource flow – 3Ms
Budget/estimated cost built up
Cost built up – resource personnel, support staff, stationery, transport, utilities,
house rents, miscellaneous, etc
Organization of the report/chapter outline
Outline of the dissertation/report
Four major parts of the report: introductory, findings and discussion, summary, and
conclusion
Part Desired share (%) Acceptable share (%)
Introductory 10 15
Findings and Discussion 80 70
Summary and Conclusion 10 15
Total 100 100
 Components/elements of research
proposal
Bibliography/References
Related documents to be consulted/studies
Follow technicalities in writing bibliography/references
To be presented in alphabetic order
To be presented in classified manner viz., manuscripts, books, journals,
commission reports, newspapers, etc

Conclusion
State about the feasibility of the proposed research/study
Upcoming challenges
Upcoming treats, difficulties, hindrances
Make a conclusive remarks
 Tips and Tricks
• Read and read
• Take notes
• Talk to supervisors, experts, fellows
• Write topics and topics
• Get confused, get afraid
• Generate a number of research questions
• Systematize research questions
• Cut down these in line with your coherent thinkings
 Common Mistakes
• To provide context to frame research question(s)
• To delimit the boundary of research issue(s)
• To cite landmark studies undertaken so far
• To present accurate theoretical background of the study
• To focus the research questions(s)
• To develop coherent and persuasive arguments
• Too much detailed or too much short on major issues
• Too much rambling – going all over without clear cut sense of direction
• Incorrect citation/references
• Too long or too short
 DOs and DO NOTs
•DO
Produce/prepare a professional looking proposal
Make it interesting
Make it informative, meaningful
Write easy way to read
Present content in a page
Use clear headings/sub-headings
Be concise, precise
Check spelling, grammar
Present in accurate/acceptable format

DO NOTs
Use no ward which you do not understand
Use of difficult ward unimpressive to the readers/supervisor/authoruty