Research Proposal & DessertatIon Writing by Prof. Vibhuti Patel

8/7/2019 Research Proposal & DessertatIon Writing by Prof. Vibhuti Patel

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Research Proposal and Dissertation Writing

by

Dr. Vibhuti Patel

Director, PGSRProfessor and Head,

University Department of Economics

SNDT Womens University

Churchgate, Mumbai-400020


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Proposal & Dissertation Writing

as an Art & a Technical Craft

Representation of a programme

A request

Instrument of persuasion

Promise & commitment

plan


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Inform

Others(Research

Report)

Interpret

Data

Analyse

Data

Collection

of

Data

Design

StudyPlan and

strategy

Choose

Topic

Theory

Cycle of Research


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Some starting points for a good

research proposal

Provides a realistic plan for

investigation of your research question

Provides justification of amethodological perspective,

& methods of investigation

Provides data which has the capacityto answer your research question

Adequately considers relevant ethical

issues


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Vital Concerns

Objectives-SMART: Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Relevant, Timely

Contribution to human knowledge-

USP- Unique Selling Point-innovativeness Clear thinking

High level of motivation

Substantiate goals with solid evidence

Proper references

Envisaged time scale

Realistic budget

Abstracts of proposal at the end


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Method or Methodology?

Methods are the techniques/procedures used to collect and

analyse dataMethodology refers to

discussions of how research isdone, or should be done, and thecritical analysis of methods ofresearch


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Important questions for consideration

Whats my research question?

What theories, concepts, models inform myresearch?

What kind of data will I need to answer my

question? How will I collect this data?

What ethical issues are relevant to myresearch?

What are the strengths and limitations of myresearch?

How much can I reasonably achieve in myresearch?

How will my work be judged?


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a question well asked is a questionhalf answered: the way the question

(or hypothesis) is stated shows what

data will be necessary to answer (or

test) it, and probably suggests alsohow and from where or from whom

the data will be obtained

Sharp, pointed and straight questionsto be asked


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Types of research questions

These three types of questions

usually

form a sequence

What ? Why ? How ? What do you want to do?

Why you will succeed? How much will it cost?


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Developing a research question

Having come up with some prototype

questions now refine.

Examine the scope of your question/sSeparate major and subsidiary

questions

Is each question necessary?Refine the wording of your question/s


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Consider carefully the verbs you use

in your question

Explore (initial description)

Describe (detailed account)

Explain (establish the factors responsible)

Understand (establish reasons)

Predict (using an explanation to postulate

future outcomes)

Change (to actively intervene)

Evaluate (assess if desired outcomes are

achieved)


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After finalising the research

question - two questions ...

WHAT research strategy will be used?

WHERE will the data come from?

Official documents/archives

Review of literature

Translation

Field survey/investigation/interviews/

FGD-Focus Group discussion


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Induction

Form of reasoning bottom up

Observations

Measures

Identifying

Patterns

Tentative

Hypothesis or

proposition

Theory


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Deduction

Top down reasoning

Theory

Hypothesis

To test

Observations to address

the hypothesisTest the hypothesis with specific data

Confirm/or disconfirm

the original hypothesis


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Strategies for Answering

research questionsA Research Design needs to answer

3 basic questions:

WHAT will be studied?

WHY will it be studied?

HOW will it be studied?


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Where does your method sit?

Field Research

Literature/ Archive

Unstructured Structured


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Quantitative Research

Quantitative researchers attempt to beobjective, meaning that they wish to develop

an understanding of the world as it is out

there, independent of their personal biases,

values and idiosyncratic notions.

Quantitative research involves numbers.

Usually large volume of participants/ records

Eg. Survey Research, Analysis of existingquantitative data sets

Strength: Representivity

Weakness: Depth of Understanding


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Qualitative Research

Qualitative researchers view themselves as primaryinstrument for collecting data. They rely partly orentirely on their feelings, impressions, andjudgments in collecting data.

Qualitative research involves words Usually smaller volume of participants/records

Eg. Ethnographic research, life history interviews,discourse analysis

Strength: Depth of understanding, Reaching outwhere other methods cant reach to give meaning tonumbers

Limitation: Representivity


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Research Proposal

Title

Introduction (inc. statement of researchproblem/ question/ aims & objectives)

Background/ Literature Review

Research Design

- Method of data selection- Instruments/ techniques to be used

- Methodological limitations

- Methodological significance/ innovation

- Data analysis strategy- Ethical issues

- Timeline

- Resources required-Budget

- Expected outcomes of research


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Plan your Proposal

Decide how long each section will be

Some sections will be quite short (eg

limitations, timeline etc) while other

sections (eg literature review will be quitelong).

The significance of sections will vary

according to your particular project. You

may even have some additional sections

that are needed for your proposal.


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A MUST

Finalise your research question/ problem

statement/ hypothesis

Make sure your writing is logical.

Identify possible weaknesses in your

research design, acknowledge them and

explain why they are there.

Critically review/ edit your own writing, seekothers help with this

Learn to read like a writer examine

structure, style, organisation etc


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Remember

Write with authority (i.e. back up your

statements).

Write for clarity not impressiveness.

Show that you are planning your research

carefully (think about pragmatic issues

agency support/ ethics/ resources you may

need/ potential hurdles).

You are the expert on your topic. Help the

reader to grasp your ideas.

Edit for clarity (dont just proofread).


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References

Ifa list of references is to be included, it is placed atthe end of the text proper and before the sections onpersonnel and budget. The items should be numberedand should be in the order in which they are firstreferred to in the text. In contrast to an alphabeticalbibliography, authors' names in a list of referencesshould not be reversed.

In the text, references to the list can be made in variousways; a simple way is to use a raised number at theappropriate place, like this. Such numbers should be

placed outside any contiguous marks of punctuation. The style of the bibliographical item itself depends on

the disciplinary field. The main consideration isconsistency; whatever style is chosen should befollowed scrupulously throughout.


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Some Ethical Issues:

Reason & purpose of research/programme

Competence in doing it

Consent-How informed? How free?

Benefits & Risks Privacy preservation

Confidentiality

Anonymity

Ownership of date Feedback to participants

Use & Misuse of Results


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Interrelationship between conceptual terms

Ontology Epistemology Methodology Methods Sources

Whats out

there to know?What and how can

we know about it?

How can we go about

acquiring that knowledge?

Which precise procedurescan we use to acquire it?

Which data

can we collect ?


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Budget

Research Personnel/staff

Equipments

Books and Journals Consultancy

Contingency

Material

Travel & Field Work

Institutional Overhead


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Remember that your evaluator will

check

Perspective

Objectives

Literature Survey

Design Tools

Plan for Analysis

Research Questions

Ethical Issues-informed consent Time Line

References


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M.Phil. / Ph. D. Dissertation

transform data into a thesis

the purpose of the thesis and what it shouldachieve;

strategies for organizing your work as you writeyour thesis;

how to the incorporate a theoretical perspective-logical consistency

sound techniques of academic writing;

how to benefit from your supervisors' experience; Meticulous referencing

preparing for the oral examination/viva voce


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Publication of Thesis/research report

What to do about publishingpreliminary findings in professional/peer-reviewed journals, newspapers

and periodicals, newsletter of theinstitution ?

Converting a thesis or research reportinto a book- Preface, forward,acknowledgments, chapterisation,Executive summary, Bibliography,index


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Thank You

Research Proposal & DessertatIon Writing by Prof. Vibhuti Patel

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