Guideline for writing the Research Proposal

Definition: The research proposal is a blueprint, a detailed plan that describes how
to obtain the desired information.
The research proposal: Content
1. The Title:
 Initiating the research process
 Being a basis on which to develop your research
 The research proposal is the key ‘gateway’ to your dissertation. It sets out
the main details of how your research will be conducted.
 Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
Characteristics of an Effective Title
 Avoid using abbreviations.
 Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.
 Use current terminology from the field of study
 Identify key variables, both dependent and independent
 Suggest a relation between variables which supports the major
hypothesis.
 Identify the field of application
 Is limited to 10-15 substantive words.
 Does not include “study of”, “analysis of” or similar words.
 Titles are usually in the form of a phrase.
 A title can also be in the form of a question.
 Use correct grammar and capitalisation.

2. Introduction
 A good formula for the proposal introduction is to put the issue in context
as concisely as possible and answer the question: why do this study? Why
now? Why here? Why me? State the aims of the study. The following is a
list of questions:
 Is there a problem? Why is does it exist? Why does it need to be solved?
 Who will benefit from the study? In what sense will they benefit?
 How will it contribute to what is already known?

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  An important part of introduction is where you state the proposal
objectives. (After addressing the above questions).
Elements Covered in the Introduction:
 Justification / importance of the research for the chosen Field of
application (should include data about the selected field of application)
 Research Problem
o Contextualize the problem (particular context and what is already
known about it) and research gap.
o Show why it matters (Who is / are affect? / What will be the
consequences if the problem is not resolved? / Whose will benefit
from resolving the problem?
o Research Aim (this is a general statement that states WHAT needs
to be studied?)
 Research objectives.(this is more specific statements that states How are
you will achieve the Aim)?

3. The Literature Review:

 A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by
accredited scholars and researchers.
 The purpose of the literature review is to convey to your reader what
knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their
strengths and weaknesses are.
 As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding
concept (e.g. your research objective, the problem or issue you are
discussing, or your argumentative thesis)
 Literature review is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a
set of summaries.

Elements Covered in Literature Review:

 Theoretical and operational definition and components of variables:
o Gives concrete background about the history of the concepts/
variables and to what theory they relates.
o Display the theoretical and operational definition offered for the
concepts/ variables.
 An analysis of the literature regarding the relationship between variables.
o Categorize researches conducted about this relation
o Illustrating the different points of view about the relationship based
on the categorized researches
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 o Elaborate on the research gap found in the literature

 Research question
 Research hypotheses if needed (if not needed, hypotheses grade should
be distributed on other components)
 Develop a theoretical framework

4. The Research Design:

 The research design adopted, whether exploratory, descriptive, or causal,
should be specified. Information should be provided on the following
components:
 Elements Covered in Literature Review:

 Research Approach to Develop Theory (Reasoning) )

• Deductive reasoning: application of a general theory to a specific case
• Inductive reasoning: a process where we observe specific phenomena
and on this basis arrive at general conclusions.
 Research Methodologies: Research Methodology reflects the approach used
to design the implementation of the research. This includes:
• Qualitative approach
• Quantitative approach
• Mixed approach
 Research strategies : with each approach several research strategies are
used :
• Qualitative approach : interview / focus groups/ grounded theory / action
study ……etc
• Quantitative approach : survey / experiment
 Research time horizon: this indicate the time span of the research which
relates to number of times used to collect the data (measure variables) and
the time span between each data collection time. This could be:
• Cross sectional : data are gathered (variables are measured) once at a
specific period of time
• Longitudinal: data are gathered more than once with a fixed time interval
between each measure
 Data required : types of data could be:
• Primary data collected by the researcher him/her self and for the
research purpose.

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 • Secondary data collected by other researcher’s for purpose other than
the researcher purpose.
 Sampling: this should include
• Description of the targeted population with numbers
• Sample size in numbers and how it was calculated or determined.
• Sample type wither it is probability sample or nun- portability with
justification and the sampling technique to be used.
 Data collection method: a description of the questionnaire design and the
measures to be used to measure each variable and its recorded Alfa alpha
Cronbach (for nun numerical variables)
 Statistical techniques to be used : this should include:
• Descriptive statistics used to give more meaningful information about the
characteristics of the sample.
• Analytical statistics used to get to conclusions about the relationship
between variables among a specific sample data. Kind of information to
be obtained (secondary/primary)
5. Initial reference list:
 At least 10 references, half of them Journals.
 Recent and relevant
 Using appropriate written style consistant with journal publications.

Proposal Template

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 Proposed Marking Criteria for the
Research Proposal
Weight 1st 2nd
Marker Marker
1. The Title: It can be a phrase or a question. It Should be short, specific and 5%
point to the study of major variables and field of application
2. Introduction (each point = 5 marks) 15%
 Justification / importance of the research for the chosen Field of
application (should be supported using secondary information about field
of application )
 Research Problem
o Contextualize the problem and research gap (supporting this part with
at least 3 appropriate and relevant references)
o Show why it
o Research Aim
 Research objectives.
3. Literature Review (each point = 8 marks) 40%
Critical review (critical evaluation of what has been done) not just descriptive.
Update; thorough; organize in themes; arranged chronologically within each
theme; and coherent as a whole. A good review should lead to the following :
 Theoretical and operational definition and components of variables
 An analysis of the literature regarding the relationship between variables.
 Research question(s)
 Research hypotheses if needed (if not needed, hypotheses grade should
be distributed on other components)
 Develop a theoretical framework
4. Research Design 20%
This part should cover the following:

 Research Approach to Develop Theory (inductive /deductive) (3 Marks)

 Research Methodologies (qualitative / quantitative / Mixed) (3 Marks)
 Research strategies (survey / interview / experiment…….) (3 Marks)
 Research time horizon (cross sectional / longitudinal…..) (2 Marks)
 Data required (primary or secondary data) (2 Marks)
 Sampling: Population, sample type, sample size (3 Marks)
 Data collection method (questionnaire design / measures) (2 Marks)
 Statistical techniques to be used (2 Marks)
6. References: (each point = 2 marks) 10%
 At least 10 journal articles and few textbooks if highly related
 Quality of the references (periodicals)
 Recent & updated (few old if they are significant)
 Relevance to the topic
 Apply APA style in both in-text citation and references.
7.Overall quality of the report 10%
The student will be judged according to: organization; layout; style; order ;
language; quality of tables and diagram; and using appendices appropriately.