In every academic and professional field the research endeavorus are preceded by a research proposal. Research proposal is something that helps our research supervisor to know total research process that we propose to undertake,and also helps in examine, suitability and validity of the research. In any academic field, our research proposal will have to undergo number of approvals. Unless the approvals are provided we are not able to start our research process. Hence it is very important to study closely what constitutes in a research proposal. It is mandatory to have a research proposal in terms of both Qualitative and Quantitative research. Despite having a similar structure of proposal the difference lies between the methodologies and procedure followed to to conduct the research.
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| Picture by - Siddhartha shukla |
A research proposal is a overview plan of entire research work that is to be conducted. It is basically a designed strategy to find the solutions of problems and to conclude the objectives of the research. A research proposal should outline the various task you plan to undertake to full fill your research questions. Main function of research proposal is to have a detail operational plan for obtaining answers to the research questions. The research proposal should provide answers to the following stated important points
- What are we proposing to do
- how we plan to proceed
- why we selected the proposed strategy.
Contents of Research Proposal
A research proposal should contain the following information about the study
- Introduction (Including a brief literature review);
- Theoretical framework;
- Conceptual framework;
- Objectives or research questions;
- hypotheses to be tested, if applicable;
- Study design that we are proposing to adopt;
- Sampling design and sample size;
- Data-processing procedures;
- Proposed Chapters;
- Problems and limitations of study;
- Proposed time frame of the study.
- Enables you to return to the proposal for your own guidelines in decision making at different stages of the research process;
- Convinces your research supervisor to allow you to work on the research.
Some Important Points to be Considered
Introduction of Research Proposal
Generally your research topic is introduced in 3 categories (i) Globally (ii) Nationally (iii) Locally.
Always start with a broad perspective of the main subject area you are going to work on, before gradually narrowing the focus to central problem. Always cover the area on following aspects
- an overview of main area of your research study
- historical perspective
- philosophical or ideological issues relating to topic
- major theories
- literature review
- main problems, issues and advance under the topic
- important theoretical & practical issues related to topic
- main findings relating to core issue.
Objectives of the study
The major points that your research is based on should be enlisted in this section. Always use action-oriented verb such as 'to determine','to find', & 'to ascertain' in formulating the objectives and sub-objectives. Also your objectives should be concluded in the conclusion with help of results and findings.
Hypotheses to be tested
A statement of assumptions about the prevalence of a phenomenon or about a relationships between two variables that you plan to test within the framework of your study is nothing but the hypothesis.
Hypothesis formulation have an obligation to draw conclusion about in report.
Study Design
The study design should cover detail plan of proving/answering your research questions in descriptive, cross-sectional, before-and-after, experimental or non experimental design. Include all the details of various logistical procedures we intend to follow while executing the study design.
Work Schedule
You must set a detail work time plan that must act as a guideline to conduct and finish your research within certain time frame.
