RESEARCH PROPOSAL PREPARATION & MOTIVATIVE EFFORTS

JUSTIN K GEORGE AISSMS-15MCH003

WHAT IS A RESEARCH? “RESEARCH IS AN HONEST, EXHAUSTIVE,

INTELLIGENT SEARCHING FOR FACTS AND THEIR

MEANINGS OR IMPLICATIONS WITH REFERENCE

TO A GIVEN PROBLEM.THE PRODUCT OR FINDINGS OF

A GIVEN PIECE OF RESEARCH SHOULD BE AN

AUTHENTIC, VERIFIABLE AND CONTRIBUTION TO

KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD STUDIED.”

- P.M COOK

MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH

Desire to get research degree

Desire to face challenges in solving the unsolved

problems

Desire to get intellectual joy doing some creative

work

Desire to be of service to the society

Desire to get responsibility

HOW TO SELECT A RESEARCH TOPIC?

Based on the SMART concept:

S = Specific.

M = Measurable.

A = Achievable.

R = Realistic.

T = Time specific.

RESEARCH PLANNING

A research plan is the key to successful research.

The approach to the research needs to be carefully

constructed and designed.

“The heart of the research plan is the research

proposal”

RESEARCH PROPOSALVarious terminologies 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

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.

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL

• Organising and developing your topic ideas

• Testing the scope of the research

• Identifying an appropriate supervisor

• Convincing other people of the merit of your idea

• Initiating the research process

• Obtaining support and early access rights

• Being a basis on which to develop your research

ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. Background of the study

2. Statement of the problem

3. Objectives of the study

4. Significance of the study

5. Limitation of the study

6. Definition of terms

7. Literature review

8. Methodology

1. Background of the study

Establish the area of research in which your work

belongs, and to provide a context for the research

problem.

Provides information to the research topic.

In an introduction, the writer should create:

i. reader interest in the topic, ii. lay the broad foundation for the problem that leads to the study.

2. Statement of the problem

When you start a research, you have a question that

you wish to seek answer for.

The question leads to a problem that needs to be

solved by the research.

Begin the research with A DESCRIPTION OF THE

PROBLEM or THESIS STATEMENT

3. Objectives

state the specific purposes to address the problem

areas of the project

should be clear as to what the proposal intends to

achieve

must be attainable within the timeframe and resources

required.

4. Significance of the study

Why your research is important and what contributions

will it give to the field.

State how your findings CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

and WHY IT IS IMPORTANT that the research be carried

out.

5. Limitation of the study

It is not possible to include all aspects of a particular

problem.

STATE WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED!

A too wide area of investigation is impractical and

will lead to problems.

SPECIFY THE BOUNDARIES of your research

6. Definition of terms

Terms or concepts that you use should be defined and

explained unless they are familiar or obvious.

Refer to authoritative sources for definitions.

7. Literature review

Shows that you are aware of the literature study that

is required in your research area.

Your review a substantial amount of reading materials

before writing your proposal.

Shows that you have the theoretical knowledge in

your chosen research area

By reviewing related literature at this stage, it will

make you:

i. aware of other similar work which has been done.

ii. expose methodologies that have been adopted and

which you may use or adapt.

iii. provide sources of information that you do not

have yet.

By reviewing related literature at this stage, it will

inform you:

iv. if a chosen area has already been researched

extensively.

v. approaches that you do not know of before

8. Methodology

Describe data that you will use in the research, the

methodology to be adopted and justify your choice of

methodology

Inform readers

a. kinds of data going to be collected

b. research procedure (interviews? observations?

questionnaires?)

If outside organizations involved, explain how you

are going to get hold of the data.

Indicate why the methodology is used.

If existing methodology is not to be used, explain

why you need to use an adapted methodology.

HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH PROPOSAL?

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.

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)

Too much detailed or too much short on major issues

Incorrect citation/references

DOs AND DO NOTsDO

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

Check spelling, grammar

Present in accurate/acceptable format

DO NOTs

Use no word which you do not understand

Use of difficult word unimpressive to the readers/supervisor/

authority.

CONCLUSION

Planning the research and writing the proposal is often

the most difficult part of the research process.

Evaluation involves assessing the soundness and merit

of the research plan.

“The heart of the research plan is the research

proposal”

THANK YOU