RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Dr Msabila
 Learning Objectives
• By the end of this session, students are expected
to be able to:
• Define the terms proposal and research proposal
• List components of a research proposal
• Write a statement of the problem
• Write rationale of the study
• Conduct literature review
• Objectives, hypothesis, Research methodology
• Access and write references using various styles
 Introduction
• Proposal: A well written report that
describes your current thinking about
your research interest.
• All research starts from an interest and a
genuine curiosity about something in the
world around you.
• A proposal is not the same as finished
research.
• Proposals are flexible and not ‘written in
stone’.
• Simply a document describing in detail the
proposed research project/study
• Is a structured, formal document that explains
what you plan to research(Topic), why it worth
researching, and how you plan to investigate it
(Methodology)
• General purpose of the research is to convince
your research supervisor, committee or
institution
 Purpose of Proposal
• Persuade the readers to do something, or
to persuade your employer to fund a
project or to implement a program that
you would like to launch.
• A proposal functions as a guide.
• Proposals help to map out your
question(s), explain why the question is
important to you, and to identify the
steps you will take to try to answer the
question(s).
 Purpose
• Help to communicate to others, while
reminding yourself what you are doing,
why you are doing it, and how and when
you plan to do it,.
• The most basic composition of a
proposal, as with any other written
document, is it needs a beginning (the
introduction), a middle (the body of
material to be presented) and an end
(the conclusion/recommendation).
 Research Proposals
• Research Proposal: A document written by a
scientist that describes in details the program
for a proposed scientific investigation.
• It can be envisaged as the process (step by step
guidelines) of planning and giving structure to
the prospective research, with the fina1 aim of
increasing the validity of the research.
• It is a written submission to spell out the nature
of the design and the means and strategies that
are going to be used in a logic format.
Purpose of Research Proposal

• Provides a defined topic scope of the

research
• Helps you to understand further how
to address the technical problems of
writing research.
Components of Research Proposals

• Title
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Time schedule
• Budget (where applicable)
• References
• Appendices
 Proposal title
• Describes what the study is about
• Should be brief and specific
• “Assessment of risk factors for anemia in
pregnant”
• Should reflect an issue which is researchable
• Approximately 15-30 words
 Steps in title selection
• Choose a topic of interest
• Identify keywords for the title
– From the topic
• Reflect on the key issues
– Find out the independent variable and dependent variable
• Formulate the title
– Try to link the variable
• An assessment……………….
• The impact of………..
• Determination of……….
• The effects of…………
 INTRODUCTION
• Background information
• Problem statement
• Goal and objectives
• Research question/hypothesis
• Rationale/justification and significance of the
study
 i. Background information
• Brief overview of the problem the researcher
aims to study
• Helps to clarify what has brought about the
need of the study
• Convinces the reader that the problem
existing and should be addressed
• Describe the problem globally up to the locally
level
 i. Background information
• Where to get information
– Online research
– Library
– Speaking to experts
– Reading various literature
 ii. Problem statement
• State the research problem (statement of the
problem )
• Refers to an issue or concern that is confusing
the research
• Example “why HIV Prevalence is increasing in
college students despite free supply of
condoms?”
 ii. Problem statement
• Important questions of problem of statement
– What is the problem?
– Importance of the problem (magnitude,
relevance)
– Analysis of the present situation(what’s known )
– Identify the gap(what’s not known)
• Literature search is therefore essential
• Brief (2 to 3 paragraphs)
 iii. OBJECTIVES
• 1. BROAD OBJECTIVE
– General statement which reflects the intention or
purpose of the research
– Tell what the researcher want to archive by end of
the study
– Usually one (1) or 2
 iii. OBJECTIVES
• 2. Specific objectives
– Gives the means by which the goal/aim of the
study could be archived
– Describe hoe you’re going to achieve the goal
– You could have more than one specific objectives
up to six (6)
 iii. OBJECTIVES
• 2. Specific objectives
– Should be SMART
• Specific
• Measurable terms
• Achievable/attainable
• Realistic
• Time bond
 iv. Research questions
• Refers to the questions the researcher will
answer by undertaking the study
• What are we trying to find out
– E.g What are the risk factors of having low hb level
– What are the effect of alcohol among alcohol
users
• Questions should be clearly defined and
specify the topic of interest
 v. Research Hypothesis
• Is a guess or assumption
• What answer do we expect to the research
question
• Types
– Null hypothesis- states the there is no difference/
relationship between existing variables
– Alternative- there is the difference between the
variable studied
• At the end of the study hypothesis should be
tested
vi. Rationale or Justification of the study
• Shows the significance of the issue being
studied
• Questions to ask
– Why is it important to conduct
– Why now
– Who will benefit
– What is the expected outcome
– E.t.c
 Literature Review
• A literature review provides a helpful guide to
a particular topic.
• It can be used as a foundation and as support
for a new insight that you contribute.
• The focus of a literature review is to
summarize and synthesize the arguments
and ideas of others without adding new
contributions.
• A researcher needs to find out what has been
done already, and build on that foundation,
because scientific research is cumulative.
 Literature review
• This involves determining what has
been done and what still needs to be
done, and examining what books and
professional journals have already
revealed in your area or country, or
in other areas/countries with similar
problems/context.
Importance of literature review

• It prevents you from duplicating work

that has been done before.
• It helps you to find out what others
have learned and reported on the
problem you want to study.
• This may assist you in refining your
statement of the problem.
 Importance …
• It helps you to become more familiar
with the various research approaches
that might be used in your study.
• It should provide you with convincing
arguments for why your particular
research project is needed.
• Identifying gaps, strength and
weakness of what people have done
 Sources of Information
• Individuals, groups, and organizations
• Published information (books, articles,
indexes, abstract journals).
• Unpublished information (other research
proposals in related fields, reports, records,
computer databases)
• Different sources of information can be
consulted and reviewed at various levels of
the administrative system within your
country and internationally
 Examples of Resources
• 1. Community and district or regional
levels
– Opinions, beliefs of key informants (through
interviews), in addition to written sources
– Dispensary, health centre (HC) and hospital
based data from routine HMIS registers
– Clinical observations, reports of critical
incidents
– Local surveys, annual service reports
– Statistics issued at ward, district and levels
– Newspapers, books, articles
 Examples…
• 2. National level
– Articles from journals, books identified
during literature searches at university and
other national libraries, WHO, UNICEF
libraries, etc.
– Special collections, (e.g., newspapers,
archival records, library or)
– Documentation, reports and raw data from
MoHSW, central statistical offices, non-
governmental organisations (e.g., annual
health sector indicator profile)
 Examples…
• 3. International level
– Information from bilateral and
multilateral organisations (e.g. UNAIDS,
USAID, UNICEF, WHO).
– Computerized searches for international
literature (from national library or
international institutions).
 Writing a Literature Review
• Organise your notes in groups of related
statements according to which aspect of
the problem they touch upon (e.g.,
community factors, service factors, etc.).
• Use your problem analysis diagram as a
framework (and adapt the diagram in
turn as you find more literature).
• Decide in which order you want to
discuss the various issues.
 Where Do You Put Which
Information?
• Some literature can be used to
describe the local context (district,
region, country) or problem.
• All facts mentioned need a source,
except some general and well known
statements.
• For the description of the selected
problem, use all available raw or
published literature.
 Where …
• Literature from other countries or regions
may be used to illustrate your point.
• If these sources are many, you may have
a separate section on international
literature.
• More complex studies using theoretical
models should have a separate section
discussing these models, which could
come after the section of statement of
the problem.
 Where…
• When drafting the background section or the
statement of the problem, usually do not
describe sources one by one. Instead, write a
coherent discussion in your own words, using
all relevant literature linked to each other.
• It is possible to cite several sources for one
statement. Reference all the literature
referred to in your review.
• At the end of your paper, list your references
in order, using the format described above.
 Where …
• In research proposals, the references
come before the annexes.
• Select one style of references (such
as Vancouver, Harvard, etc.) and use
it consistently for citations and
reference lists in your proposal.
 Bias in Literature
• Bias: A distortion of the available information
in such a way that it reflects opinions or
conclusions which do not represent the real
situation.
• Understanding the various types of bias helps
to be critical of the existing literature.
• If you have reservations about certain
references or if you find conflicting opinions in
the literature, then discuss these openly and
critically. Such a critical attitude may help you
avoid biases in your study.
 METHODOLOGY
• Routes to be followed in order to achieve the
set objectives and eventually the overall goal
of the study.
• So it’s the way of explaining how a researcher
intends to carry out the research.
• It’s a logical systematic plan to resolve a
research problem
• So it’s all about approach
 METHODOLOGY
• Science of learning the way research should
be performed systematically.
• Simply a guide to research and how will be
carried out.
 METHODOLOGY
• It Comprises of
Study Area
Study Design
Sample size
Sampling techniques
Data Collections
Data analysis
Variable Definition
Ethical issues
 i. Study Area
• Is a geographical area where a research is
conducted
• It’s a primary area where data are to be
obtained
• Comprises of climate, topography, resources
• Cultural aspects, Location, boundaries
• Study population of area.
• Must include the Map of the study area
 i. Study Area
• The study will be conducted at Sengerema district
hospital. Sengerema district is one among the 7
district in Mwanza Tanzania East Africa and one among
169 nationwise. It is bordered to the north and east by
Lake Victoria, to the south by Geita region and to the
southeast by the misungwi District. As per 2002
population of Sengerema district was 501,915.And
about 60% of the population are peasant and the rest
involves in pasturing and fishing. And the climatic
condition of the District mostly warm
 ii. Study Design
• Research design that is the type of the
research studies case control, cohort studies
and cross sectional studies.
• This determines how the research will be
conducted to reach conclusion or obtains
detailed data.
• Study designs simply means epidemiological
designs
 iii. Sample size
• This tells us about the number of participants
in the study.
• Simply a number of individuals or
observations included in a study or
experiment
• A larger sample size can lead to a narrower
margin of error, meaning the results are closer
to the true population parameter.
 iii. Sample size
• Methods for determination of sample size
– Non-mathematical/non-scientific
– Using statistical methods/formulae
– Scientific tables
 iii. Sample size
• So they represent a population
• Small number of sample yields invalid results
• Usually the sample size is calculated using a formula called
Andrew Fischer’s formula
• N=
• N-sample size required
• Z- Standard normal deviation at 95% CI
• P- % of population estimated to have particular characteristics
if not known we use 50%. Also we can use Prevalence
• q- 1-P
• d- degree of accuracy desired always set at 0.05
 iii. Sample size
• So they represent a population
• Small number of sample yields invalid results
• Usually the sample size is calculated using a formula called
Andrew Fischer’s formula

• N=
• N-sample size required
• Z- Standard normal deviation at 95% CI
• P- % of population estimated to have particular characteristics
if not known we use 50%. Also we can use Prevalence
• q- 1-P
• d- degree of accuracy desired always set at 0.05
 iii. Sample size

• N= z P (1-P)/e 2 2

• Where N= sample size

• Z= Standard normal deviation Z=1.96

• P=proportional of the study population

• e= Marginal error e=0.05

 iv. Sampling techniques
• Also the sampling techniques must be stated
• Where there are various sampling as listed
below
– Probability sampling includes random, systematic
and cluster sampling techniques
– Non probability sampling
 v. Data Collection techniques
• Also the techniques used to collect data must
be explained in the research methodology
• This includes
– Questionnaire, Interview, Focus group discussion
and observation methods
• Also explains the methods like using epidata
or kobo toolbox for data collection after the
techniques has been identified.
 vi. Data Analysis
• Also in the research methodology data
analysis tools must be identified in order to
look for the strength of given methods
– SPSS
– Excell
– Mat Lab
 Vii. Definition of variables
• Define in two groups which are
– Independent and dependent criteria
– Just briefly outlined
viii. Inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Must state which type of participant must be
included as the criteria for sample selections
• Also participants who meet general criteria
but misses some criteria are to be excluded
 ix. Dissemination of results
• You must state how and where will you share
the results of your study
 Ethical Considerations
• Discuss the ways in which your study
will protect confidentiality and the
physical and mental well-being of
participants
• Researcher must obtain informed
consent/Permission
• Permission of conducting research
e.g relevant official or government
 Ethical consideration
• The following must be considered
– Informed consent
– Confidentiality
– Anonymity/privacy
– Potential for harm
– Results communication
 TIMEFRAME/PLANNING
• Provides timeline for the study
• List the times and dates of each steps of your
research process
 13 thoctober
11 thoctober
8 thoctober

9 thoctober
3 rdoctober
AUGUST

4 thoctober

5 thoctober

6 thoctober

7 thoctober

10 thoctober

12 thoctober
2 ndoctober
2021
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Research proposal preparation

Pilot study

Travel to the field research area

Introduction to the authority and letter

submission

Data collection

Data analysis

Report writing

Report presentation to the Supervisor

Report submission
 BUDGET
• Estimate costs involved in your study
• Itemize anticipated costs of planned activities
S/N Inputs Item Unit Quantity Unit cost Total cost

pen 10 200 2000

Marker pen 2 2500 5000

1 Stationary Ream bundle 3 10,000 30,000

Notebook 5 2500 12500
Printer 1 300,000 300,000
Modem 1 35,000 35,000
Laptop 2 550,000 110,000
2 Network device External disc 1 100,000 100,000
Flash 1 35,000 35,000
Power bank 1 70,000 70,000
assistant 4 days 20,000 80,000

Supervisor 4 15,000 60,000

3 Allowance
Runner 4 10,000 40,000
In-charge 1 50,000 50,000

Going 1 30,000 30,000

4 Transport
Return 1 30,000 30,000

GRAND TOTAL 989,500

 Writing References
• The format suggested here for references and
citations has been adopted as standard by biomedical
journals. This format is called the ‘Vancouver System’.
• For an article, the following information should be
noted
– Author(s) (Surname followed by initials).
– Title of article
– Name of Journal
– Year, Volume (number)
– Page numbers of article
– Example: Louria D.B. (1996). Emerging- and re-emerging
infections: The societal variables. International Journal of
Infectious Disease 1(2), pp. 59-62.
 Writing References…
• For a Book following information should be
noted
– Author(s) (Surname followed by initials).
– Title of book
– Place
– Publisher
– Year
– Edition
– Example: Abramson J.H. (1990) Survey Methods
in Community Medicine, 4th ed, Edinburgh:
Churchill Livingstone.
 Writing References…
• For a Chapter in a book the reference include
• Author(s) of chapter (Surname(s) followed by
initials)
• Chapter title
• Editor(s) of book, (Surname(s) followed by
initials)
• Title of book
• Place
• Publisher
• Year
• Page numbers of chapter
 Writing references…
• Example: Todd J and Barongo L,
Epidemiological methods. In: Ng'weshemi J,
Boerma T, Bennett J and Schapink D (eds).
HIV prevention and AIDS care in Africa: A
district level approach. Amsterdam: KIT
Press, 1997: 51-68.
• There are many systems in use for
referencing to literature. Always carefully
look what system is used in the journal you
are submitting an article to and follow it
systematically.
 Writing references…
• At present many journals use as few
punctuation marks as possible. In
Harvard style, the format looks as
follows 􀂃 Abramson J.H 1990, Survey
methods in community medicine, 4th
edn, Edinburgh, Churchill
Livingstone.
 References
• Corlien, M. V., Pathmanathan, I. & Brownlee, A.
(2003). Designing and Conducting Health
System Research Projects. Amsterdam: KIT
Publishers
• Kothari, C.R. (2004). Research Methodology:
Methods and Techniques (2nd ed.). India:
• New Age International (P) Limited. Walonick,
D.S. (2005). Elements of a Research Proposal
and Report. Retrieved from
http://www.statpac.com/research-papers/resea
rch-proposal.htm (date unknown).