PROPOSAL WRITING

Developing a research topic . . . .

1. Generate topic ideas (know what interests you)
2. Ask questions about your topic
 What do I already know about this topic?
 Who was involved in it? (inventor, victim, instigator, bystander)
3. Define your topic (avoid research topics that are too broad or too narrow)
4. Focus your research topic

Area of interest Focused research topic

Genetics Impact DNA testing has in law enforcement
Global warming How glacial melting affects penguins in the Arctic
Football and America How ads portray football as an American sport
Developing a research topic . . . .
5. Broaden a research topic
 A topic can be expanded or focused by adding or eliminating the:
 Time period (year or century)
 Specific population (male, female or nationality)
 Geography (country or state)
6. Select keywords to use as search terms
 Identify the keywords and central ideas of the chosen topic and write them down
 List synonyms or alternate terms for the original keywords
 Refine search terms by using controlled vocabularies
 Controlled vocabularies are standardized terms that databases
use to organize information
Developing a research topic . . . .
6. Select keywords to use as search terms (continuation)

Step 1. Identify keywords from Step 2. synonyms for keywords Step 3. Look up controlled
original topic and research question vocabulary terms
Environmental protection Conservation Environmental policy
Environmental impact analysis
Conservation of natural resources
Toxic Dumps Pollution Pollutants
Waste disposal

 Most databases and indexes give users a way to look up their controlled vocabulary
terms by using the “help” or “Search Tips”
Developing a research topic . . . .
6. Select keywords to use as search terms (continuation)

Keywords:
Calendula officinalis
Antimicrobial
Disc diffusion assay
Resistant strain
Clinical isolates
Developing a research topic . . . .
6. Select keywords to use as
search terms (continuation)

Keywords
Bioactivity
Embryotoxicity
Marine natural products
Secondary metabolites
Developing a research topic . . . .
7. Research and read more about your prospect topic
 Can you find enough information to answer probable research question(s)?
8. Draft the working title of your research topic
 Should convey what is to be answered or proven about a given topic
 The development of a research title assumes that there is sufficient evidence
or information to support the chosen topic
Topic: Effects of cyber bullying
Topic: Antiprotozoal property of plants on psychological health
Developing a research topic . . . .
9. Develop your research question
 Statement that identified the phenomenon to be studied
8. Formulate your hypothesis
 Specific predictions about the nature and direction of the relationship between variables
 Give insight into a research question
Strong hypotheses
 Are testable and measurable
10. Set your objectives
 Steps you are going to take to test your hypotheses and what you want to accomplish
within the allotted time
 Objectives are measurable and highly focused
 Each hypothesis is matched with a specific aim
 The aims are feasible given limited time & money
Sample Research Study
Online grant writing tutorial for drug abuse researchers
Existing gap: Currently, there are few online resources available to new and minority drug abuse researchers.

Research Question
“What resources would be helpful to new and minority drug abuse researchers?”
Hypothesis

“A grant writing tutorial would be helpful to new and minority drug abuse researchers. Those researchers
who utilize an online grant writing tutorial will have higher priority scores on their next grant
application than those who do not.”
Research Objective

“Conduct a rigorous empirical evaluation of the online grant writing tutorial, comparing outcome and
process measures from two groups ― those with exposure to the tutorial, and those without.”
Research Study Analysis
Potential of chitosan-loaded nanoemulsions to control
different Colletotrichum spp. isolated from tropical fruits
Existing gap: Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. is a devastating fungal disease for most
of the tropical fruits and vegetables.Currently, synthetic fungicides such as Prochloraz and
Benomyl are used to control Colletotrichum spp. that infest fruits and vegetables. However, the
food industry perceives that consumer demands expedient, fresh and healthy product that is free
from synthetic fungicides. Thus, there is a real challenge of finding naturally occurring fungicides.

If you are the researcher, formulate the Research Question, Hypothesis and Objective of this study.
Research Study Analysis
Potential of chitosan-loaded nanoemulsions to control
different Colletotrichum spp. isolated from tropical fruits
Existing gap: Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. is a devastating fungal disease for most of the
tropical fruits and vegetables.Currently, synthetic fungicides such as Prochloraz and Benomyl are used to
control Colletotrichum spp. that infest fruits and vegetables. However, the food industry perceives that
consumer demands expedient, fresh and healthy product that is free from synthetic fungicides. Thus,
there is a real challenge of finding naturally occurring fungicides.

Research Question
“What naturally derived antimicrobial agent would be effective against Colletotrichum spp. ?”
Hypothesis
“An antimicrobial coating using chitosan in the form of nanoemulsions would exhibit antifungal effects
against Colletotrichum spp. isolated from tropical fruits.
Research Objective
“Investigate the antifungal activity of chitosan-loaded nanoemulsions against anthracnose caused by
Colletotrichum spp. isolated from different tropical fruits.
Literature review . . . .
An account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and
researchers. Its purpose is to convey to the readers what knowledge and ideas
have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
 A literature review must:
 Be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question
being developed
 Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
 Identify areas of controversy in the literature
 Formulate questions that need further research

Remember that….
A literature review is a DISCURSIVE PROSE, not a list of describing or
summarizing one piece of information after another
Literature review . . . .
 Development of the literature review requires four stages:
 Problem formulation: Which topic or field is being examined and what are its
component issues?
 Literature search: Finding materials relevant to the subject being explored
 Data evaluation: Determining which literature makes a significant contribution to
the understanding of the topic
 Analysis and interpretation: Discussing the findings and conclusions of
pertinent literature

 Must contain the following elements:

 An overview of the subject, issue or theory along with the objectives of the literature
review
 Division of work under review into categories (e.g. those in support of a particular
position, those against and those offering alternative theses entirely)
Literature review . . . .
 Must contain the following elements:
 Explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others
 Conclusions

 Purpose:
 Places each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject
under review and points the way forward for further research
 Identifies new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous research and
resolves conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies
 Identifies areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort
 Places one's original work (in the case of theses or dissertations) in the context
of existing literature
Literature review . . . .
Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
Primary source: An original document containing firsthand information about a topic
 Diaries  Photographs
 Interviews  Speeches
 Letters  Works of literature
 Original works of art  Original journal research articles

Secondary source: Contains commentary on or discussion about a primary source

Most important feature: Offers interpretation of information from primary sources

 Biographies  Indexes, abstracts, bibliographies

 Dissertations (used to locate a secondary source)
 Journal reviews  Monographs
Literature review . . . .
Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
Tertiary source: Presents summaries or condensed versions of materials, usually with
references back to the primary and/or secondary sources
Note: Good place to look up facts or get a general overview of a subject
 Dictionaries
 Encyclopedias
 Handbooks or Textbooks

Subject Primary Secondary Tertiary

Art Painting Critical review of the painting Encyclopedia article on the artist
History Civil War diary Book on a Civil War Battle List of battle sites
Literature Novel or poem Essay about themes in the work Biography of the author
Political science Geneva Convention Article about prisoners of war Chronology of treaties
Literature review . . . .
Where to look for literary materials ?
Literature review . . . .
Where to look for literary materials ?

www.library.ust.edu.ph
Literature review . . . .
Evaluating the relevance and credibility of a literary material . . . .
Validity/Accuracy:
Is the source valid?
Is it peer-reviewed?

Accuracy: Validity: Does it contain

Is the same details of author?
research cited
in other sources? Location: Is the location relevant to you?

Currency: Check publication date

Coverage:
Does this cover
the area being
studied? Is the Objectivity: Are there proofs to
sample size support the data? Were the
adequate? methods used appropriate?
Beware of Predatory Journals . . . .
Predatory publishing: An exploitative publishing business model that involves charging
publication fees to authors without providing the editorial and publishing services
associated with legitimate journals (open access or not).

Potential predatory publishers & standalone journals:

https://scholarlyoa.com/2016/01/05/bealls-
list-of-predatory-publishers-2016/
Beware of Hijacked Journals . . . .
Hijacked journals: Journals for which someone has created a counterfeit
website, stealing the journal’s identity and soliciting articles submissions
using the author-pays model (gold open-access)

Probable hijacked journals:

https://scholarlyoa.com/2016/01/05/bealls-
list-of-predatory-publishers-2016/
Literature review . . . .
Synthesis matrix: A chart that allows a researcher to sort and categorize the different
arguments presented on an issue
Sample synthesis matrix (writingcenter.fiu.edu)

Author

Supporting
details
Main idea
supporting
the topic
Writing the literature review . . . .
 CONNECT and GROUP relevant research based on common themes or trends
 Each paragraph should discuss one specific trend, not one specific author
 Literature reviews are not annotated bibliographies: they should not have one
paragraph per source unless that source is especially formative to the writer’s
study
 The topic sentences in a literature review should illustrate the connection across
multiple studies
 Common phrases to use when connecting studies :
• “One trend in the research is….”
Phrases to
• “Research seems to agree that....” highlight
• “Numerous authors support the claim that….” agreement
• “There is strong convergent evidence for....”
Writing the literature review . . . .
 The topic sentences in a literature review should illustrate the connection across
multiple studies
 Common phrases to use when connecting studies :
• “The evidence on X is mixed for....” Phrases to
• “There is overall debate regarding....” highlight
• “A lack of consensus exists on the point of…” disagreement
• “There are two conflicting camps on the issue of….”
Sample literature review (www.cmu.edu)
Sample literature review (www.cmu.edu)
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
In-text citations
Used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source
 For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry
in your reference list
Bibliography
Alphabetized list of books, articles, and other sources
used in writing the paper
 References or Works Cited: title used to refer to this section of the paper encompassing the
list of items actually cited in the paper. This section is placed at the end of the research paper.
Bibliography
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Bibliography
To learn more of in-text citation
& bibliography writing . . . .

http://www.apastyle.org/index.aspx
 Albert Einstein
“If we knew what it was we were
doing, it would not be called
research, would it? ”

THE END . . . .