BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

KMBN203
DR. HIMANI GREWAL
 CONTENT
• Research: – Definition, Meaning, Importance types and
Qualities of Research; Research applications in functional
areas of Business, Emerging trends in Business research.
• Research & the Scientific Method: Characteristics of
scientific method. Steps in Research Process
• Concept of Scientific Enquiry: – Formulation of Research
Problem – Management Question – research Question –
Investigation Question
• Research Proposal – Elements of a Research Proposal,
Drafting a Research Proposal, evaluating a research proposal.
 RESEARCH - DEFINITON
• Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual
application in the investigation of matter. The primary purpose for
applied research is discovering, interpreting, and the development of
methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge.
• “Research refers to the systematic method consisting of enunciating
the problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or data,
analysing the facts and reaching certain conclusions either in the form
of solution(s) towards the concerned problem or in certain
generalizations for some theoretical formulation.” (Kothari and Garg)
• According to Fred Kerlinger, research is an organized enquiry
designed and carried out to provide information for solving problem.
• Creswell says that “Research is a process of steps used to collect and
analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue”.
 RESEARCH - MEANING
• Business research is a systematic inquiry that provides information to guide
managerial decisions.
• In other words, it is a process of planning, acquiring, analyzing, and
disseminating relevant data, information, and insights to decision makers in
ways that mobilize the organization to take appropriate actions that, in turn,
maximize performance.
• This entire process by which we attempt to solve problems is called research.
Thus, research involves a series of well-thought-out and carefully executed
activities that will enable the manager to know how organizational problems
can be solved, or at least considerably minimized.
• Business research is an organized, systematic, data-based, critical, objective,
scientific inquiry or investigation into a specific problem, undertaken with the
purpose of finding answers or solutions to it.
• Fundamentally, research provides the needed information that guides managers
to make informed decisions to successfully deal with problems.
 CONTINUED
• Search for knowledge
• A scientific and systematic search for knowledge on a
specific topic
• An investigation or enquiry specially through search for
new facts in any branch of knowledge
 IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
• Besides the above the following are the importance of Business Research:
• A research problem refers to a complexity which a researcher or a scientific
community or an industry or a government organization or a society experiences.
It may be a theoretical or a practical situation. It calls for a systematic
understanding and possible solution.
• Research on existing theories and concepts help us recognize their range and
applications.
• It is the bank of knowledge and provides strategy for solving problems.
• It is important in industry and business for higher profits, output, efficiency and
to improve the quality of products.
• Mathematical and logical research on business and industry reduces the
problems in them.
• Inventions can be done through research
• Social research helps find answers to social problems. They explain social
phenomena and try to find solution to social problems.
QUALITIES OF RESEARCH
TYPES OF RESEARCH
• The essential types of research are as follows:
• Basic Research:
• It is also known as pure or fundamental research.
– This research is mainly conducted to increase knowledge base. It is driven purely by
interest and a desire to expand our knowledge.
– This type of research tends not to be directly applicable to the real world in a direct
way, but enhances our understanding of the world around us.
– Pure research can be exploratory, descriptive or explanatory.
– Basic research generates new ideas, principles and theories indifferent fields.
– Basic research concentrates on fundamental principles and testing theories.
– It is sometimes implicitly said that basic research doesn’t have practical applications.
For example, someone conducting basic research on cheating behavior may design a
study examining whether students from illiterate families cheat more often than
students from literate families.
– Notice that the research is not done to reduce cheating or help people who cheat or any
other “applied” aspect, but to increase the understanding of cheating behavior.
• Applied Research:
– Applied research is mainly related with solving practical
problems rather than focusing on knowledge expansion.
– It is mainly used to find solutions to problems which occur
on a daily basis and develop new innovative technologies.
– The main aim of applied research is to provide better
technologies for humans to enhance their standard of living.
– Example: Investigating which treatment approach is the most
effective for treating cancer patients whereas researching
which strategies work best to motivate workers.
• Quantitative Research:
– Quantitative research is generally related with the positivist concept.
– It usually involves collecting and converting data into numerical form
so that statistical calculations can be made and conclusions drawn.
– Objectivity is very vital in quantitative research.
– Therefore, researchers try to avoid their own presence, behavior or
attitude affecting the results (e.g., by changing the circumstances
being studied or causing participants to behave differently).
– They also examine their methods and results for any possible bias.
– The aim of quantitative research is to develop mathematical models,
theories related to phenomenon. Quantitative research is mainly used
in social sciences.
• Types of Quantitative Research:
• Survey research
• Survey research is one of the most widely used methods to gather data, especially for
conducting business research. Surveys involve asking various survey questions to a set of
audiences through various types like online polls, online surveys, questionnaires, etc.
Nowadays, most of the major corporations use this method to gather data and use it to
understand the market and make appropriate business decisions.
• Various types of surveys, like cross-sectional studies, which need to collect data from a set of
audiences at a given point of time, or longitudinal surveys which are needed to collect data
from a set of audiences across various time durations in order to understand changes in the
respondents’ behavior are used to conduct survey research. With the advancement in
technology, surveys can now be sent online through email or social media.
• For example: A company wants to know the NPS (Net Promoter Score) score for their website
i.e. how satisfied are people who are visiting their website. An increase in traffic to their
website or the audience spending more time on a website can result in higher rankings on
search engines which will enable the company to get more leads as well as increase its
visibility. Hence, the company can ask people who visit their website a few questions through
an online survey to understand their opinions or gain feedback and hence make appropriate
changes to the website to increase satisfaction.
• Correlational research
• Correlational research is conducted to understand the relationship between
two entities and what impact each one of them has on the other. Using
mathematical analysis methods, correlational research enables the
researcher to correlate two or more variables.
• Such research can help understand patterns, relationships, trends, etc.
Manipulation of one variable is possible to get the desired results as well.
Generally, a conclusion cannot be drawn only on the basis of correlational
research.
• For example: Research can be conducted to understand the relationship
between colors and gender-based audiences. Using such research and
identifying the target audience, a company can choose the production of
particular color products to be released in the market. This can enable the
company to understand the supply and demand requirements of its products.
• Experimental research
• Experimental research is based on trying to prove a theory. Such research may be useful
in business research as it can let the product company know some behavioral traits of its
consumers, which can lead to more revenue. In this method, an experiment is carried out
on a set of audiences to observe and later analyze their behavior when impacted by
certain parameters.
• For example: Experimental research was conducted recently to understand if particular
colors have an effect on consumers’ hunger. A set of the audience was then exposed to
those particular colors while they were eating, and the subjects were observed. It was
seen that certain colors like red or yellow increase hunger.
• Hence, such research was a boon to the hospitality industry. You can see many food
chains like Mcdonalds, KFC, etc., using such colors in their interiors, brands, as well as
packaging.
• Another example of inferences drawn from experimental research, which is used widely
by most bars/pubs across the world, is that loud music in the workplace or anywhere
makes a person drink more in less time. This was proven through experimental research
and was a key finding for many business owners across the globe.
• Online research / Literature research
• Literature research is one of the oldest methods available. It is very economical, and a lot
of information can be gathered using such research. Online research or literature research
involves gathering information from existing documents and studies, which can be
available at Libraries, annual reports, etc.
• Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, such research has become even more
simple and accessible to everyone. An individual can directly research online for any
information that is needed, which will give him in-depth information about the topic or
the organization.
• Such research is used mostly by marketing and salespeople in the business sector to
understand the market or their customers. Such research is carried out using existing
information that is available from various sources. However, care has to be taken to
validate the sources from where the information is going to be collected.
• For example, a salesperson has heard a particular firm is looking for some solution that
their company provides. Hence, the salesperson will first search for a decision maker from
the company, investigate what department he is from, and understand what the target
company is looking for and what they are into.
• Qualitative Research:
– Qualitative research is the approach usually related with the social
constructivist concept which emphasizes the socially constructed nature of
reality.
– It is about recording, analyzing and attempting to reveal the in debt meaning
and significance of human behavior and experience, including conflicting
beliefs, behaviors and emotions.
– The qualitative method tries to answer why and how of decision-making
rather than what and when.
– The approach to data collection and analysis is logical but allows for greater
flexibility than in quantitative research.
– Data is collected in textual form on the basis of observation and
communication with the participants, e.g. through participant observation,
in-depth interviews and focus groups.
– It is not converted into numerical form and is not statistically analyzed.
• Descriptive Research:
– Descriptive research is used to describe characteristics of an
observable fact being studied.
– Descriptive studies are structured in such a way that it cannot be
changed frequently, so it can be said that they are rigid in nature.
– They cannot identify cause and effect relationship between
variables.
– Descriptive research answers questions such as who, when, where,
what and how.
– This type of research describes what exists and may help to
reveal new facts and meaning.
– The purpose of descriptive research is to observe, describe and
document.
• Exploratory Research:
– Exploratory research is carried out for a problem that has not been clearly
defined.
– The main aim of this research is to gather initial information which helps to
define problems and recommend hypothesis.
– Exploratory research helps to settle on the best research design, data collection
method and selection of subjects.
– Exploratory research often relies on secondary research such as reviewing
available literature, or qualitative approaches such as informal discussions with
consumers, employees, management or competitors, and more formal
approaches through in- depth interviews, focus groups, projective methods, case
studies or pilot studies.
– Exploratory research can mainly be conducted when researchers lack clear idea
of the problem.
– The results of exploratory research are not generally useful for decision-making,
but they can provide major insight into a given situation.
• Historical Research:
– It is defined as the type of research that examines past events or
combinations of events to arrive at an account of what has happened in the
past.
– Historical research is carried out to discover the unknown; answer
questions, recognize the relationship that the past has to the present; record
and assess activities of individuals, agencies, or institutions; and assist in
understanding the culture in which we live.
– Historical research can exhibit patterns that occurred in the past and over
time which can facilitate us to see where we came from and what kinds of
solutions we have used in the past.
– We usually will notice that what we do today is expressly rooted in the
past. Historical research involves the process of collecting and reading the
research material collected, and writing the document from the data
collected.
• Experimental Research:
– It is commonly used in sciences such as sociology and psychology,
physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, etc.
– It is a collection of research designs which use manipulation and
controlled testing to understand fundamental processes.
– Usually, one or more variables are manipulated to establish their
effect on a dependent variable.
– Experimental Research is mainly used when: there is time priority
in a causal relationship (cause precedes effect) or there is
uniformity in a causal relationship (a cause will always lead to the
same effect) or the magnitude of the correlation is great.
– Experimental research is important to society as it helps us to
improve our daily lives.
 – Quantitative Business Research
• It is a method of analyzing the largest group that meets your target goals. It uses
mathematical techniques and data to explain the important stats about your
business and market. Usually, this data uses multiple-choice questionnaires that
can help you be profitable with your sales. For instance, quantitative research can
answer questions such as;
– Are your customers aware of the services or products you offer?
– How many people are interested in buying your products or services?
– Who are your best customers and what are their buying habits?
– How long the visitor stays on your website, and which is their exit page? The result of
quantitative business research is in the numerical form, such as;
– 40% of customers rate the new product as “attractive”
– 70% of prospective customers use the Internet to book their hotel room
– 6 out of 10 customers will buy a new food product after trying the free in-store sample
The quantitative research methods include various surveys such as postal, telephone,
online, and face-to-face.
 – Qualitative Business Research
• This business research focuses on attitudes, intentions, and beliefs.
Qualitative research includes questions such as “Why”? or “How?”.
• The aim of this research is to gain insights into customers’ distinct
behaviors and response to a new product. This research is beneficial for
your new products and marketing initiatives to test reactions and rectify
your approach.
• You can collect qualitative data using common methods such as case
studies, focus groups, and interviews. This data is often valuable but can be
time-consuming and expensive to collect, especially for a small business or
a startup.)
• Following are the types of qualitative research- interview, focus group,
ethnographic study.
• Interviews
• Interviews are somewhat similar to surveys, like sometimes they may have the
same types of questions used. The difference is that the respondent can answer
these open-ended questions at length, and the direction of the conversation or the
questions being asked can be changed depending on the response of the subject.
• Such a method usually gives the researcher detailed information about the
perspective or opinions of its subject. Carrying out interviews with subject matter
experts can also give important information critical to some businesses.
• For example: An interview was conducted by a telecom manufacturer with a group
of women to understand why they have less number of female customers. After
interviewing them, the researcher understood that there were fewer feminine
colors in some of the models, and females preferred not to purchase them.
• Such information can be critical to a business such as a telecom manufacturer and
hence it can be used to increase its market share by targeting women customers by
launching some feminine colors in the market.
• Focus groups
• Focus groups are a set of individuals selected specifically to understand their
opinions and behaviors. It is usually a small set of a group that is selected keeping
in mind the parameters for their target market audience to discuss a particular
product or service. Such a method enables a researcher with a larger sample than
the interview or a case study while taking advantage of conversational
communication.
• Focus group is also one of the best examples of qualitative data in
education. Nowadays, focus groups can be sent online surveys as well to collect
data and answer why, what, and how questions. Such a method is very crucial to
test new concepts or products before they are launched in the market.
• For example: Research is conducted with a focus group to understand what
dimension of screen size is preferred most by the current target market. Such a
method can enable a researcher to dig deeper if the target market focuses more on
the screen size, features, or colors of the phone. Using this data, a company can
make wise decisions about its product line and secure a higher market share.
• Case study research
• Case study research is one of the most important in business research. It is also used as
marketing collateral by most businesses to land up more clients. Case study research is
conducted to assess customer satisfaction and document the challenges that were faced
and the solutions that the firm gave them.
• These inferences are made to point out the benefits that the customer enjoyed for choosing
their specific firm. Such research is widely used in other fields like education, social
sciences, and similar. Case studies are provided by businesses to new clients to showcase
their capabilities, and hence such research plays a crucial role in the business sector.
• For example: A services company has provided a testing solution to one of its clients. A
case study research is conducted to find out what were the challenges faced during the
project, what was the scope of their work, what objective was to be achieved, and what
solutions were given to tackle the challenges.
• The study can end with the benefits that the company provided through its solutions, like
reduced time to test batches, easy implementation or integration of the system, or even
cost reduction. Such a study showcases the capability of the company, and hence it can be
stated as empirical evidence of the new prospect.
• Ethnographic research
• Ethnographic research is one of the most challenging research but can give extremely
precise results. Such research is used quite rarely, as it is time-consuming and can be
expensive as well. It involves the researcher adapting to the natural environment and
observing its target audience to collect data. Such a method is generally used to
understand cultures, challenges, or other things that can occur in that particular setting.
• For example: The world-renowned show “Undercover Boss” would be an apt example
of how ethnographic research can be used in businesses. In this show, the senior
management of a large organization works in his own company as a regular employee
to understand what improvements can be made, what is the culture in the organization,
and to identify hard-working employees and reward them.
• It can be seen that the researcher had to spend a good amount of time in the natural
setting of the employees and adapt to their ways and processes. While observing in this
setting, the researcher could find out the information he needed firsthand without
losing any information or any bias and improve certain things that would impact his
business.
 Research applications in functional
areas of Business
• How do organizations use CSR (corporate social responsibility) to
reinforce brand equity?
• Impact of brand image on customer loyalty
• Influence on Social Media advertising on consumer behaviour
• Does social media influence buying behaviour
• How do males and females differ in their buying behaviour of
mobile phones
Emerging trends in Business research
• Continuous innovation in research methods is the need of the hour,
considering we live in a world characterized by vast data volumes,
dynamic consumer behavior, and the need for real-time insights.
This necessitates a reimagining of our research paradigms,
embracing new trends that promise deeper understanding and a
competitive edge. Here are some of the trends that have
characterized 2023 for business research methods.
• Data analytics and big data
• Decision-making – a process that previously relied on subjective
assessments and data gathering – has transformed since the turn of
the century. As data becomes abundantly available, business research
methods needs to be geared towards decoding vast amounts of data
and transforming it into actionable business insights.
• Generative AI and Machine Learning
• The challenge remains unaddressed – how can most executives
individually make sense of the data available? Generative AI answers this
by simplifying the complexities of data science. This is why
organizations are more open to investing in AI. This can be backed
by 40% of businesses indicating a willingness to increase AI investment.
• Evolving qualitative methods
• Qualitative methods have always been a cornerstone in business research
methods. Even so, it has evolved and upgraded over the years.
Ethnographic and observational studies offer a new-found perspective.
Therefore, by immersing researchers in real-world scenarios, this
approach allows for a nuanced understanding of consumer behaviors and
preferences.
• Increasing focus on data security
• As business research methods primarily rely on data, ensuring
its security has become paramount. Insider security breaches,
highlighted by the latest IBM Cost of a Data Breach report,
underscores the challenges organizations face.
• With 82% of data breaches involving cloud data, implementing
robust data security measures is imperative.
• Firewalls and zero-trust protocols offer some protection, but
securing data at internet endpoints still poses a challenge.
• As regulations become stricter, the need for an engineering-first
approach to customize security features for organizations is
evident.
 Objectives of Research
• To discover the answers for the questions which are unanswered.
• To gain familiarity with the concepts.
• To highlight the pertinent characteristics of an individual, situation
or a group.
• To analyze the collected information.
• To test a hypothesis or to find out causal relationship
between variables.
• To design new policies and to modify the existing
ones.
 Research & the Scientific Method:
Characteristics of scientific method.
• The scientific method is the process of objectively establishing
facts through testing and experimentation.
• The basic process involves making an observation, forming a
hypothesis, making a prediction, conducting an experiment
and finally analyzing the results.
• The principals of the scientific method can be applied in many
areas, including scientific research, business and technology.
Steps in scientific research
continued
 Formulation of Research Problem
• The first step in the research process is the selection of a suitable
problem from the field chosen by the researcher.
• Problem means a question or an issue to be examined. A research
problem refers to some kind of problem which a researcher experiences
or observes in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation.
• The researcher has to find out suitable course of action by which the
objective can be attained optimally in the context of given
environment.
• Thus, selection of research problem has high value to the society and
the researcher must be able to identify those problems that need an
urgent solution
• The features of a good research problem are its:
• i) significance, ii) originality, iii) feasibility, iv) clear and unambiguous
 The Management-Research Question
Hierarchy
• A useful way to approach the research process is to state the basic dilemma that
prompts the research and then try to develop other questions by progressively
breaking down the original question into more specific ones. This process can be
thought of as the management-research question hierarchy.
• The process begins at the most general level with the management dilemma, a
symptom of an actual problem, such as rising costs, declining sales, or a large
number of defects, or emerging behaviors, attitudes, etc. that signal an opportunity.
• A management question is a restatement of the manager’s dilemma in question
form.
• A research question is the hypothesis that best states the objective of the research;
the question that focuses the researcher’s attention.
• An investigative question is the question the researcher must answer to
satisfactorily answer the research question.
• A measurement question is the question asked of the participant or the
observations that must be recorded.
 Continued
Types of Management Question-
• Evaluation of Solutions
• Control
• Choice of purpose or objectives
• Troubleshooting
Types of Management Question
Categories General Question Sample Management Questions

• Should we reposition brand X as a

Evaluation of solutions therapeutic product from its current
• How can we achieve the
(choices between concrete actions to solve cosmetic positioning?
objectives we have set?
problems or take advantage of opportunities) • How can we improve our program for
product repairs and servicing?

• What goals should XYZ try to achieve

in its next round of union negotiations?
• What goals should we set for sales and
Choice of purpose • What do we want to
profits in the next 5 years?
(choice of objectives) achieve?
• What goals should XYZ set for its return
on its investment portfolio?

• Why does our department have the lowest

Troubleshooting sales-to-web page visit ratio?
• Why is our (blank) program
(diagnosing ways an organization is failing to • Why does our recruiting program generate
not meeting its goals?
meet its goals) the lowest hire-to-offer ratio in the
industry?

Control
• How well is our (blank) • What is our product line’s sales-to-
(monitoring or diagnosing ways an
program meeting its goals? promotion cost ratio?
organization is failing to meet its goals)
Formulation of Research Question
 Continued..
“Why is productivity in Japan so much higher
than in India”?
• Investigation Question-
• What sort of productivity is being referred to?
• With what industries the same is related?
• With what period of time the productivity is being talked about?
• Research Question-
• “What factors were responsible for the higher labour productivity
of Japan’s manufacturing industries during the decade 1971 to
1980 relative to India’s manufacturing industries?”
• Management Question-
• “To what extent did labour productivity in 1971 to 1980 in
Japan exceed that of India in respect of 15 selected
manufacturing industries?
• What factors were responsible for the productivity differentials
between the two countries by industries?”
• For an effective formulation of the problem following aspects of the problem are to
be considered by the researcher.
• Definition of the problem: - Before one takes up a problem for the study one needs
to define it properly. The issues for inquiry are to be identified clearly and specified
in details.
• If any existing theoretical framework is tested, the particular theorem or theories
must be identified. Similarly if there are any assumptions made and terms used the
meaning of them must be made clear. As far as possible the statement of the
problem should not give any scope for ambiguity.
• Scope of the problem: - The research scholar has to fix up the four walls of the
study. The researcher must identify which of the aspects he is trying to prove.
Taking the example of sickness he should specify.
• (1) Whether his study extends to all types of small scale industries, or limited to
only few of them.
• (2) Whether the study is limited to find cause for sickness or also to prescribe
certain prescriptions etc.
• Justification of the problem: - Many a time research studies are put to the test of
justification or relevance. In the scientific curiosity of the problems, the problem that
needs urgent solution must be given preference.
• Feasibility of the problem: - Although a problem needs urgent attention and is
justifiable in several respects, one has to consider the feasibility of the same.
Feasibility means the possibility of conducting the study successfully. The elements of
time, data, Cost is to be taken into consideration before a topic is selected for study.
• Originality of the problem: - In social sciences, particularly in commerce and
management, there is no systematic compilation of the works already done or on
hand. Two people may be doing a work more or less on similar topic. In such
situations it is not advisable to continue work in the same manner. What is advisable is
that, each of them should try to focus on different aspects, so that they could enrich
the field of knowledge with their studies. Another problem faced by a researcher is
that a problem which he intends to do is already worked out. Should he repeat the
same or not? This depends upon the situation or circumstances which engage his
attention.
 What is a research proposal?

• Simply put, a research proposal is a structured, formal document that

explains what you plan to research (your research topic), why it’s worth
researching (your justification), and how you plan to investigate it (your
methodology).
• The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is
to convince your research supervisor, committee or university that your
research is suitable (for the requirements of the degree program)
and manageable (given the time and resource constraints you will face).
• The most important word here is “convince” – in other words, your
research proposal needs to sell your research idea (to whoever is going to
approve it). If it doesn’t convince them (of its suitability and
manageability), you’ll need to revise and resubmit. This will cost you
valuable time, which will either delay the start of your research or eat into
its time allowance (which is bad news).
 What goes into a research proposal?
• A good dissertation or thesis proposal needs to cover the “what“, “why” and “how”
of the proposed study. Let’s look at each of these attributes in a little more detail:
The WHAT
• Your proposal needs to clearly articulate your research topic. This needs to
be specific and unambiguous. Your research topic should make it clear exactly
what you plan to research and in what context. Here’s an example of a well-
articulated research topic:
• An investigation into the factors which impact female Generation Y consumer’s
likelihood to promote a specific makeup brand to their peers: an Indian context
• As you can see, this topic is extremely clear. From this one line we can see exactly:
• What’s being investigated – factors that make people promote or advocate for a
brand of a specific makeup brand
• Who it involves – female Gen-Y consumers
• In what context – the Indian context
 The WHY
• As we touched on earlier, it’s not good enough to simply propose a
research topic – you need to justify why your topic is original. In other
words, what makes it unique? What gap in the current literature does it
fill? If it’s simply a rehash of the existing research, it’s probably not going
to get approval – it needs to be fresh.
• But, originality alone is not enough. Once you’ve ticked that box, you also
need to justify why your proposed topic is important. In other words,
what value will it add to the world if you achieve your research aims?
• As an example, let’s look at the sample research topic we mentioned earlier
(factors impacting brand advocacy). In this case, if the research could
uncover relevant factors, these findings would be very useful to marketers
in the cosmetics industry, and would, therefore, have commercial value.
That is a clear justification for the research.
• So, when you’re crafting your research proposal, remember that it’s not
enough for a topic to simply be unique. It needs to be useful and value-
creating – and you need to convey that value in your proposal. If you’re
struggling to find a research topic that makes the cut, watch our video
covering how to find a research topic.
The HOW
• It’s all good and well to have a great topic that’s original and valuable, but
you’re not going to convince anyone to approve it without discussing
the practicalities – in other words:
• How will you actually undertake your research (i.e., your methodology)?
• Is your research methodology appropriate given your research aims?
• Is your approach manageable given your constraints (time, money, etc.)?
• While it’s generally not expected that you’ll have a fully fleshed-out
methodology at the proposal stage, you’ll likely still need to provide
a high-level overview of your research methodology. Here are some
important questions you’ll need to address in your research proposal:
• Will you take a qualitative, quantitative or mixed-method approach?
• What sampling strategy will you adopt?
• How will you collect your data (e.g., interviews, surveys, etc)?
• How will you analyze your data (e.g., descriptive and inferential statistics,
content analysis, discourse analysis, etc, .)?
• What potential limitations will your
methodology carry?
• So, be sure to give some thought to the
practicalities of your research and have at least
a basic methodological plan before you start
writing up your proposal. If this all sounds
rather intimidating, the video below provides a
good introduction to research methodology
and the key choices you’ll need to make.
How To Structure A Research Proposal

• Now that we’ve covered the key points that need to be addressed
in a proposal, you may be wondering, “But how is a research
proposal structured?“.
• While the exact structure and format required for a research
proposal differs from university to university, there are four
“essential ingredients” that commonly make up the structure of a
research proposal:
• A rich introduction and background to the proposed research
• An initial literature review covering the existing research
• An overview of the proposed research methodology
• A discussion regarding the practicalities (project plans, timelines,
etc.)