CHAPTER THREE

DEVELOPING RESEARCH
PROPOSAL

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 Research Proposal
is a written document of the research topic
chosen.
It is a plan of future research and an
explanation of how it will be achieved.
It systematically outlines the particular
research methodology.
It details the process that will be utilized at
each stage of the research process.
It is the road map of the researcher which tells
us about:
 what, who,
 when, why,
 how to whom the research project will be done.
A proposal is also known as work plan,
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prospectus, outline, statement of intent, or a
draft plan.
 The Purpose/functions of the Research Proposal
 The research proposal is essentially a road map showing
clearly:
 the location from which a journey begins,
 the destination to be reached, and
 the method of getting there.

Purpose of the Research Proposal

1. To convince other people: like:
 other researchers,
 research funding agencies,
 educational institutions, and
 supervisors that your research is worth spending
scarce resources on.
 You convince people of the value of your work by showing
them
 how your research will make a difference to the
world or
 by identifying a dilemma in existing theory which
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your research will help resolve.
 To demonstrate expertise in a particular area
2.
of study.
 You want to convince people that you have:
 enough understanding of the research topic to be
able to do the research properly.
 You do this by intelligently summarizing, comparing
and integrating all the relevant theory and existing
research pertaining to your topic.
3. To demonstrate competency in a particular
area of study.
 It is also to convince the reader that you have all the
necessary skills to carry out the proposed study.
4. To serve as a planning tool.
Many research projects fail b/c they are not
properly planned.
5. To serve as a means of communication;
 It serves to communicate the researcher’s plan to those
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who give consultations and/or disburse fund.
 Contents and Organization of a Proposal
You should begin to write your proposal only:
 when you are confident that you can answer "YES" to the
following five questions:
 Have you read broadly and deeply in the area of your
research topic?
 Have you spent time thinking critically about the
research topic?
 Have you spent time discussing your research topic with
others?
 Have you found out how people in other disciplines think
about your research topic?
 Do you feel ready to begin writing your research
proposal?

Remember: if you start writing too soon:

 you will be forced to stop and
 go back to the initial steps,
 perhaps changing the topic or redefining the title or
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redefining the problem, etc
 Format/Structure of the Proposal
There is no single format for research proposals.

This is because every research project is different.

 D/t disciplines, donor organizations and academic

institutions all have different formats and

requirements.
 In some cases, the sponsor of a given research

decides and presents a format for the presentation

of the proposal.
In other cases, the format or structure of the

proposal is determined by the researcher

6 himself/herself.
 Most commonly followed
structure/format
I: Preliminaries
Title
Table of contents
Abstract or executive summary

II: Body of the Proposal

Introduction
Background
Statement of the Problem
Objectives
Significance
Limitations
Scope/Delimitation
Review of the related literature
Methodology

III: Supplemental
Budgets and schedules
Bibliography/References
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Appendices
 Title
The title page is the “main gate” of the research
proposal, which invites the reader to enter the
research proposal.
An effective title:
 attracts the reader's interest,
 influences him/her favorably towards the
proposal.
 reflects the research under consideration, must
be chosen based on the criteria:
 the relevance it has,
 the feasibility of undertaking the study,
 the applicability of the research result, and
 the cost-effectiveness of the research.
 Title or topic tells what the research proposal is all
about.
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 It should be catchy, concise and descriptive.
Title selection presumes extensive literature
review related to the area of research
interest.
Example: the research topic on:
 “Determinants of Private Investment in
SNNP Regional State”
It is good b/c it is concise and at the same
time contains the three basic elements of a
topic:
 the thing that is going to be explained ( or
explanandum),
 the thing that explains the explanandum (or
explanan) and a
 geographical scope.
 The explanandum of the topic is private
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investment b/c:
 The explanans: are captured by the word
determinants.
 The actual factors that determine private investment
are not stated in the topic b/c it has to be very concise.
 Hence, the key word “determinants” is used.
 Geographical delimitation is : the phrase “SNNP
Regional State”
 Therefore, whenever you design your topic it is better
to think in terms of the most important:
 explanandum and
 explanan and
 delimitation of the proposed research.

 The title is the most widely read part of your proposal

by many people.
 It should not be too long so that it is tedious – usually
b/n 12 and 15 words but no common hard rule
 It should contain the key words – the important words
that indicate the subject.
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 Titles should almost never contain abbreviations.
 The title page
 the title page should contain the following
information:
 title of the research project,
 name of the principal researcher,
 date of submission of the research proposal
(month and year),
 name and address of the institution of the
principal researcher,
 telephone number,
 fax number, and
 e-mail address of the principal researcher.
 The title page has no page number and it is
not counted in any page numbering.
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 Table of Contents
 It outlines the structure of the research proposal.
 The headings and subheadings are structured and numbered, and
 The headings of the table of contents are identical to those in the
body of the report.
Executive Summary/ abstract/synopsis
 It is the section which reflects the whole content of the proposal.
 It should be:
 Concise,
 informative, and
 should provide brief information about the whole problem to be investigated
preferably in less than 300 words.
 Italicized and written by one paragraph
 The basic purpose of an abstract is to market the research idea
especially when you require funding for the research project.
 Funding organizations accept hundreds of research proposals from
different corners of the world.
 Hence, do not expect that the busy proposal reviewer will be
reading the whole contents of your research proposal instead they
read the abstract part.
 Therefore, if you have done excellent research proposal but you
carelessly have written the abstract then your research proposal is
12 going to be rejected.
 The executive summary allows a busy manager
or sponsor to understand quickly the thrust of
the proposal.
 It is essentially an informative abstract, giving
executives the chance to grasp the essentials
of the proposal without having to read the
details.
The abstract should:
Describe the problem (management dilemma and
management questions)
Describe the general objective/research questions
of the study;
Importance of the research
Describe the methodology including sampling
design;
Summarize the total time and
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 Background/Introduction
It provides readers with the background
information for the research reported in the
paper.
 Its purpose is to establish a framework for the
research, so that readers can understand how it
is related to other research.
This is the entrance of your paper through which
your reader will travel a journey of reading.
If your introduction is attractive, your reader
suspended till the last full stop is reached.
In an introduction, the writer should:
 create reader’s interest in the topic,
 lay the broad foundation for the problem that leads to the
study,
 place the study within the larger context of the scholarly
literature, and
14  reach out to a specific audience.
 The statement of the problem:
Is often followed by a more detailed
discussion of the problem area.
Explains its background more fully.

Provides the reader with a more

comprehensive understanding of what has
been done or learned so far by other
researchers.
It must be feasible, clear, significant, and

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ethical
 Research questions and Hypothesis
The research question must be accurately
and clearly defined.
Choosing a RQ is the central element of
both quantitative and qualitative research
RQ should be feasible (can be investigated
with available resources)
 RQ should be clear (specifically define terms
used…operational needed, but give both)
RQ should be significant.
Qualitative Research no Hypothesis
but RQ
Quantitative Research both RQ and
hypothesis
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 Research Objectives
It summarizes what is to be achieved by
the study.
It should be closely related to the
statement of the problem.
It should be SMART.
Specific – states exactly what you need to
achieve
Measurable – includes a quality or quantity
measure
Achievable – what you can do only.
Realistic – can be challenging but must be
achievable
Time bound – with a clear end date or
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timescale
 Methodology
Research approach
Research design
(Descriptive)
Data type and sources
Method of sampling
Method of data
collection
Method of analysis
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 Scope/Delimitation of the
Study
Delimitations are choices made by the
researcher which should be mentioned.
They describe the boundaries that you
have set for the study.
This is the place to explain:
the things that you are not doing (and why
you have chosen not to do them).
the literature you will not review (and why
not).
the population you are not studying (and why
not).
the methodological procedures you will not
19 use (and why you will not use them).
 Limitation of the study
 No research exists without limitations.
 Limitations are difficulties the researcher may encounter
in the research process. These are set of constraints.
 The sources of limitations could be:
 weakness in methodology,
 time and other resource constraint,
 data inaccessibility,
 luck of literature, etc.
 The limitations and delimitations sections describe
situations and circumstances that may affect or restrict
your methods and analysis of research data.
 Limitations are influences that the researcher cannot
control.
 They are the shortcomings, conditions or influences that
place restrictions on your methodology and conclusions.
 Any limitations that might influence the results should be
mentioned.
 A limitation identifies potential weaknesses of the study.
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 Significance/benefits of the
study
Is the benefits to be achieved
by undertaking the research
will be discussed, i.e.,
 what the management and
hence the organization,
the sponsor, or the society
will be benefited should be
emphasized.
21a future researchers
 Literature Review
 It accomplishes several purposes:
 It shares with the reader the
results of other studies that are
closely related to the one being
undertaken;
 It relates a study to the larger,
ongoing dialogue in the literature;
 It provides a framework for
establishing the importance of the
study as well as a benchmark for
comparing the results with other
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Reasons for spending time and
effort on a LR before embarking
on a research project:
to identify gaps in the
literature
to carry on from where others
have already reached
(reviewing the field allows you
to build on the platform of
existing knowledge and ideas)
to identify other people
23 working in the same fields (a
  to provide the intellectual context
for your own work, enabling you to
position your project relative to
other work
 to identify opposing views
 to demonstrate that you can
access previous work in an area
 to identify information and ideas
that may be relevant to your
project
 to identify methods that could be
relevant to your project
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 Thank
You!!!
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