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Preparing ResearchPreparing Research

Proposals and ReportsProposals and ReportsChapter Twenty-FourChapter Twenty-Four

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Preparing Research Proposals and ReportsPreparing Research Proposals and Reports

Chapter Twenty-FourChapter Twenty-Four

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What is a Research Proposal?What is a Research Proposal?

It is a written plan of a study. It spells out in detail what the researcher

intends to do.

It permits others to learn about theintended research and to oer suggestionsfor improving the study.

It also helps the researcher clarify what

needs to be done and to avoidunintentional problems.

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The Major Sections of a Research ProposalThe Major Sections of a Research Proposal

 There are four topics addressed in this There are four topics addressed in this

area:area:

1  The purpose of the study

!  The "usti#cation for the study

$  The research %uestion&hypothesis' includingvariables to be investigated

(  The de#nition of terms

)ee Figure !(.1' *rgani+ation of a ,esearch ,eport.

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Organization of a Research Report (1)Organization of a Research Report (1)(Figure !"1)(Figure !"1)

Introductory section

Title PageTable of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Main Body

I. Problem to be investigated

A. Purpose of the study including assumptions!

B. "ustification of the studyC. #esearch $uestion and hypotheses

%. %efinition of terms

&. Brief overvie' of study

  II. Bac(ground and revie' of related literature

A. Theory) if appropriate

B. *tudies directly relatedC. *tudies tangentially related

  III. Procedures

A. %escription of the research design

B. %escription of the sample

C. %escription of the instruments used

including scoring procedures!

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Organization of a Research Report ()Organization of a Research Report ()(Figure !"1)(Figure !"1)

%. &+planation of the procedures follo'ed the

'hat) 'hen) 'here) and ho' of the study!

&. %iscussion of internal validity

F. %iscussion of e+ternal validity

,. %escription and -ustification of the statistical

techni$ues or other methods of analysis used

  I. Findings%escription of findings pertinent to each of the

research hypotheses or $uestions

  . *ummary and conclusions

A. Brief summary of the research $uestion being

investigated) the procedures employed) and

the results obtained

B. %iscussion of the implications of the

findings/their meaning and significance

C. Limitations/unresolved problems and

'ea(nesses

%. *uggestions for further research

  #eferences Bibliography!

  Appendi+es

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Purpose of the Stud#Purpose of the Stud#

 The purpose states succinctly what the researcherproposes to investigate.

 This should be a concise statement' providing aframewor to which details are added later.

Clari#cation of the #eld of interest should beconsidered here.

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$ustification of the Stud#$ustification of the Stud#

 The researcher must mae clear why thisparticular study is important to investigate.

e or she must present an argument for the study.

/ good "usti#cation should also include anyspeci#c implications that follow if relationships areidenti#ed.

 There could be an implication that currentmethods are not good enough' however' thisshould be made e0plicit.

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Research %uestion or &#pothesisResearch %uestion or &#pothesis

 The particular %uestion to be investigated The particular %uestion to be investigated

should be stated here.should be stated here.

Favoring hypotheses will help clarify andFavoring hypotheses will help clarify and

become a strategy point.become a strategy point. It should be clearly stated as concisely asIt should be clearly stated as concisely as

possible.possible.

 There should be any inference made if a There should be any inference made if ahypothesis is well-stated.hypothesis is well-stated.

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'efinitions'efinitions

/ll ey terms should be de#ned./ll ey terms should be de#ned.  The researchers tas is to mae the The researchers tas is to mae the

de#nitions as clear as possible.de#nitions as clear as possible.

)ometimes' terms will have to be modi#ed)ometimes' terms will have to be modi#edto #t the present study.to #t the present study.

2hile it is probably impossible to eliminate2hile it is probably impossible to eliminateall ambiguity' the clearer the terms used'all ambiguity' the clearer the terms used'

the fewer the di3culties that will bethe fewer the di3culties that will beencountered with the study.encountered with the study.

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acground and Re*ie+ of ,iteratureacground and Re*ie+ of ,iterature

 This may be a lengthy section since it is a partialsummary of previous wor related to the focus ofthe study.

 The researcher should demonstrate a familiaritywith previous research and understand therelevance of the study being planned.

/ ma"or weaness of many literature reviews isthat they cite references without indicating their

implications for the planned study.

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ProceduresProcedures

 The procedures section includes discussion The procedures section includes discussion

of the following:of the following: ,esearch 4esign,esearch 4esign

)ample)ample InstrumentationInstrumentation

5rocedural detail5rocedural detail

Internal validityInternal validity

4ata analysis4ata analysis

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Results-FindingsResults-Findings

,esults of a study can be presented only in aresearch report.

,esults are usually not found in the proposalsection.

 This section is found near the end of the researchreport and constitutes the description of what indof analyses were performed.

 The data are revealed by the form of statistical

analysis that was applied to the data' and anysigni#cance that was observed.

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'iscussion'iscussion

 The discussion section of a report presents theauthors interpretation of what the results implyfor theory and&or practice.

,esearchers place their results in a broader

conte0t. ere' di3culties as well as limitations of the studyare noted' and suggestions for futureconsiderations are included.

,esults and 4iscussion sections should be ept

separate' since the 4iscussion section goesbeyond the data.

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.eneral Rules to /onsider .eneral Rules to /onsider 

/ research report should be written as clearlyand concisely as possible.

,esearch reports are always written in the pasttense and free from "argon.

/ style manual 6/5/ manual should beconsulted before beginning the report. *nce the report is completed' it is a good idea

to have a thesis formatter&editor chec for styleand grammar.

Computeri+ed programs have made researchreports easier to complete' due to self-correctingprograms.