HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH BASED PROPOSAL

The information you discover about your topic is called content. It is the knowledge
generated from the process, as well as the initial area to be presented. Another component
of a research is process.
Process involves how you go about unearthing information. This involves selecting a
research topic, stating the research problems, and formulating a hypothesis or a thesis
statement (Pesirla et al, 2013).
Typically, the content is structured into several chapters, which include the following
(Borràs,2017).

1. Title: provides concise information about the context of the text

2. Abstract: provides a summary of the entire research paper
3. Introduction/Rationale: presents the topic and the background or context of the study.

Introduction consists of four (4) major parts:

Part 1: What is the study about?

● State the main thesis of the investigation.

Part 2: What do the other authors say about the topic?

● Summarize the major literature/studies conducted on the topic.
Part 3: What are the gaps in the knowledge based on the literature reviewed?
● Identify what has not been explored by other authors.

Part 4: How do you intend to address these gaps?

● Outline your plan to address these gaps.

PARTS OF RESEARCH

1. Statement of the Problem/Objective:

● These must be as clear as possible. They should be presented in a form of a list.
●
2. Theoretical framework:

● This covers the theoretical basis of your research. Thistranslates the theories into
their component concept expressed at the variable level.

3. Methodology:

● This explains the design of the research and the methods of gathering and analyzing
data. This explains how the research has been conducted, which tools were used,
how data were gathered, and how they have been managed. Depending on the type
of research you are doing, this section typically includes:
 ● Research Method, Research Design, Research Instrument, Research Environment,
Research Respondents, Sources of Data, Statistical Treatment of Data (for
quantitative research).

4. Results and Discussion:

● This presents the analysis of data following the procedure described in the section on
methodology, with reference to the theoretical framework.

5. Conclusion:
● This sums up the contributions of the study and recommendations
for future study.

CHOOSING A TOPIC

Research topics must be verifiable, measurable, attainable, and factual. You also
know that a workable topic meets the following requirements.

1 You can find enough material on the topic.

2 The topic is relevant, and it interests you.
3 The topic is objective, not subjective.
4 The topic on a limited scale is ready for investigation.

WRITING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS Also known as Research Problems, these

are the objectives you wish to answer in your study. This consists of the main problem,
which is broken down into smaller units called the subproblems. Note: Your limited topic will
be used to make the research question that you are going to investigate. For example, in the
study "Suprasegmental Features of Philippine English as Spoken in Southern
Cebu" by Gabayan (2015) includes the following. Statement of the Problem (Main
problem) This study investigates the distinct suprasegmental features of Philippine English
variety in the southern towns of Cebu, in terms of stress, pitch, and intonation. Specifically, it
describes the following: (Subproblems) 1. Characteristics of southern Cebuano-Visayan
linguistic variety, 2. Features of the Philippine English variety in the aforementioned
variables, and 3. L1 interferences in suprasegmentals that affect English utterances among
Southern Cebuanos on the lexical, syntactic, and discourse levels.

HOW TO GO ABOUT WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPER

To be successful in your writing, make sure you take the preliminary stages to guarantee an
easier and smoother experience. McGraw-Hill's Concise Guide to Writing Research Papers
presents these steps at length (Ellison, 2010). They are summarized here for you.

1. Ascertain your access to information source, such as the Internet or your local library. The
former is more preferred since the Internet can contain information as much as 100 libraries
can. However, be very meticulous with your choice of website. Read only from reputable
sources.
2. Document your research. Good research papers require that you accurately represent
and cite the information you found in your research. Documenting sources is easiest if you
do it as you go along your study.

3. Avoid making your reference list or works cited the last thing you do in the writing process.
This usually becomes a hassle since it is too easy to forget the source of a significant fact,
and finding them later becomes time-consuming.

4 Do a literature review. This provides an up-to-date understanding of the subject and its
significance to your own. It also identifies the methods used in previous research on the
topic (Labaree, 2009).

CHOOSING A TOPIC

Research topics must be verifiable, measurable, attainable, and factual. You also know that
a workable topic meets the following requirements.

1 You can find enough material on the topic.

2 The topic is relevant, and it interests you.
3 The topic is objective, not subjective.
4 The topic on a limited scale is ready for investigation.

WRITING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Also known as Research Problems, these are the objectives you wish to answer in your
study. This consists of the main problem, which is broken down into smaller units called the
subproblems.

Note: Your limited topic will be used to make the research question that you are going to
investigate.

For example, in the study "Suprasegmental Features of Philippine English as Spoken

in Southern Cebu" by Gabayan (2015) includes the following.

Statement of the Problem

(Main problem) This study investigates the distinct suprasegmental features of Philippine
English variety in the southern towns of Cebu, in terms of stress, pitch, and intonation.
Specifically, it describes the following: (Subproblems)

1. Characteristics of southern Cebuano-Visayan linguistic variety,

2. Features of the Philippine English variety in the aforementioned variables, and
3. L1 interferences in suprasegmentals that affect English utterances among Southern
Cebuanos on the lexical, syntactic, and discourse levels.

WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Introductions often use the four-paragraph essay as standard format. A four paragraph
essay follows a simple structure.

Paragraph 1: Introduction/thesis
Paragraph 2: First point, description, or argument
Paragraph 3: Second point, description, or argument
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
Paragraph 1 - deals with the thesis of the study. A thesis is a claim or assertion that you wish
to prove or disprove. A thesis statement s a single declarative statement that states the
controlling idea of your research paper. A thesis statement is a preview of what the paper is
about. It states the topic and the writer's specific focus on the topic (Goldenberg, 1997).

1. Dos
a. Use a confident tone.
b. Suggest (not state) your paper's conclusion.

2. Donts
a. Begin with "The purpose of my paper…" or "ln this paper, I will write about..."
b. Use hedge words and phrases like probably, might, I think, seems, apparently, etc.

E.g., This paper contends that languages have their own distinct features, but this does not
mean
Superiority or inferiority to another (Gabayan, 2015).

Paragraph 2 - is a summary of what other authors say about the topic. This is what is
traditionally labeled as the Review of Related Literature. To do this, write a topic sentence
that introduces the most important observation from your research that supports your thesis.
Present an idea, an example, or argument that supports your topic. Lastly write a transition
sentence that suggests, or is linked to the next paragraph (Ellison, 2010).

An accented first language speech is also often manifested in the way they speak English.
This is what Braj Kachru calls interference. This interference is presumably a result of
contrasts between the phonological features of the different Cebuano native languages and
General American English. Interference as a subject in language learning is often ignored
(Kachru, 2001).

Paragraph 3 - identifies what gaps or areas of analysis have not been explored by other
authors. Follow the steps in Paragraph 2, only this time highlight the area or body of
knowledge that has not been studied, or thoroughly explored.

Previous studies of the Philippine English phonology, such as that of Tayao and Llamzon
have dealt much with segmental phonemes, describing vowels and consonants. There is,
however, very little material on suprasegmentals. Tayao (2009) in her study recommends
that further investigation of suprasegmental features of speech be conducted to include
morphophonemic changes that appear because of speech. This study is of such endeavor. It
describes the suprasegmental features of the English spoken by Cebuanos in the southern
part of the province.

Paragraph 4 - is an outline of your strategy to address the gap. You may write this as
follows: Summarize the evidence or arguments presented in the succeeding paragraph.
Write a sentence that reintroduces or restates your thesis. Finally, write an outline that states
how you will go about answering the objectives of your study. This helps readers identify
what you want them to learn from your paper.

This paper considers different social characteristics before analyzing the amount of influence
L1 has on the target language. The description is analyzed and categorized to identify the
language interference that the different groups experience in speaking English.

THEORETICAL/CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many cases,
to challenge and extend existing knowledge within the limits of critical bounding
assumptions. The theoretical framework is a structure that can hold or support a theory of a
research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory that explains
why the research problem under study exists (Abend, 2008). Thus, in this section, we
translate the theories into their component concept expressed at the Variable level.

A theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together with their definitions and
reference to relevant scholarly literature, existing theory that is used for your particular study.
The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that
are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that relate to the broader areas of
knowledge being considered.

The theoretical framework is most often not something readily found within the literature.
You must review course readings and pertinent research studies for theories and analytic
models that are relevant to the research problem you are investigating. The selection of a
theory should depend on its appropriateness, ease of application, and explanatory power.
http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/theoreticalframework

The theoretical framework strengthens the study in the following ways:

1. An explicit statement of theoretical assumptions permits the reader to evaluate them

critically.

2. The theoretical framework connects the researcher to existing knowledge. Guided by a

relevant theory, you are given a basis for your hypotheses and choice of research methods.

3. Articulating the theoretical assumptions of a research study forces you to address

questions of why and how. It permits you to intellectually transition from simply describing a
phenomenon you have observed to generalizing about various aspects of that phenomenon.
4. Having a theory helps you identify the limits to those generalizations. A theoretical
framework specifies which key variables influence a phenomenon of interest and highlights
the need to examine how those key variables might differ and under what circumstances.

DEVELOPING THE FRAMEWORK

Here are some strategies to develop an effective theoretical framework:

1. Examine your thesis title and research problem. The research problem anchors your
entire study and forms the basis from which you construct your theoretical framework.

2. Brainstorm about what you consider to be the key variables in your research. Answer the
question, "What factors contribute to the presumed effect?"

3. Review of related literature to find how scholars have addressed your research problem.
Identify the assumptions from which the author(s) addressed the problem.

4. List constructs and variables that might be relevant to your study. Group these variables
into independent and dependent categories.

5. Discuss the assumptions or propositions of this theory and point out their relevance to
your research.

6. A theoretical framework is used to limit the scope of the relevant data by focusing on
specific variables and defining the specific viewpoint [framework] that<br>
the researcher will take in analyzing and interpreting the data to be gathered. It also
facilitates the understanding of concepts and variables according to given definitions and
builds new knowledge by validating or challenging theoretical assumptions.

A good Theoretical Framework begins with an assumption. To make an assumption, you

need to go back to your research problem. In our previous example, the research problem is
to investigate the distinct features of the Philippine English as spoken in Southern Cebu.
This study assumes that variations occur in Philippine English evidenced by the way it is
spoken in Southern Cebu. The assumption is then followed by a theoretical anchor/s later
explained in succeeding paragraphs. For papers whose theoretical framework may be
rooted in a specific theory, the work is expected to test the validity of that existing theory in
relation to specific events, issues, or phenomena. However, this is not always the case.
Sometimes you will have to develop your own framework from which your analysis of the
research problem is derived. Based upon the above example, it is perhaps easiest to
understand the nature and function of a theoretical framework if it is viewed as an answer to
two basic questions:

1. What is the research problem/question?

2. Why is your approach a feasible solution?
These questions can only be answered through a thorough review of literature and the gaps
in the research that emerge from the review process. This means, a complete theoretical
framework is only possible after a comprehensive review of the literature (Weick, 2014).

Just as a research problem in your paper requires contextualization and background

information, a theory requires a framework for understanding its application to the topic
being investigated. When writing and revising this part of your research paper, keep in mind
the following:

1. Clearly describe the framework, concepts, models, or specific theories that underpin your
study. This includes noting who the key theorists are in the field who have conducted
research on the problem you are investigating and, when necessary, the historical context
that supports the formulation of that theory. This latter element is particularly important if the
theory is relatively unknown, or it is borrowed from another discipline.

2. Position your theoretical framework within a broader context of related frameworks,

concepts, models, or theories. As noted in the example above, there will likely be several
concepts, theories, or models that can be used to help develop a framework for
understanding the research problem. Therefore, note why the theory you have chosen is the
appropriate one.

3 The present tense is used when writing about theory. Although the past tense can be used
to describe the history of a theory or the role of key theorists, the construction of your
theoretical framework is happening now. Note that you need to observe tense consistency in
writing your piece.

4. You should make your theoretical assumptions as explicit as possible. Later, your
discussion of methodology should be linked back to this theoretical framework.

WRITING THE METHODOLOGY

The methodology describes the context and setting of the study. It specifies the study
design, identifies the main variables, describes the data collection instruments and
procedures, and outlines the methods of analysis. For certain studies it may describe the
population or the research respondents or research subjects or key informants, describe the
sampling strategy, the research instrument, and the research environment.

For textual investigations, you need to include Sources of Data.

Simply put, methodology is a statement of the procedure you will follow in conducting the
research. Depending upon the type of research you are conducting, the methodology could
include the following (Ellison, 2010):

1. A step-by-step sequence of procedures performed in conducting the study

2. Questions to be asked in personal interviews
3. A profile of the people you plan to interview
4. The questionnaire you will use in the interview

The Methodology section should provide readers with sufficient detail about the study
methods to be able to reproduce the study if so desired. Thus, this section should be
specific, concrete, technical, and fairly detailed. The study setting, the sampling strategy
used, instruments, data-collection methods, and analysis strategies should be described. In
the case of qualitative research studies, it is also useful to tell the reader which research
tradition the study utilizes and to link the choice of methodological strategies with the
research goals (Perneger &amp; Hudelson, 2004).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this section, present the findings based on your analysis of the collected data. Report on
response rates and be able to explain the implications of these rates/results. Present key
findings with respect to the central research question. Discuss the main results with
reference to previous research. Additionally, present secondary findings/ outcomes or
subgroup analyses, etc.

The Results section is typically straightforward and factual. All results that relate to the
research question should be given in detail, including simple counts and percentages. Resist
the temptation to demonstrate analytical ability and the richness of the dataset by providing
numerous tables of nonessential results (Perneger &amp; Hudelson, 2004).

In addition, Pergener and Hudelson (2004) state that references should be used wisely. Key
assertions should be referenced, as well as the methods and instruments used. However,
unless the paper is a comprehensive review of a topic, there is no need to be exhaustive.
Also, references to unpublished work, to documents in the grey literature (technical reports),
or to any source that the reader will have difficulty finding or understanding should be
avoided.

This is not the section to be overcome with hesitation. The Discussion section allows the
most freedom. Some researchers think this is the most difficult to write, but with the
reminders you are given, you should be all right.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS

This section is a short but significant part of the paper. The summary of findings answers the
subproblems that were first presented at the early stages of writing your paper. Take the
findings on the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION and summarize them into a single statement
that answers your questions. The CONCLUSION is a single paragraph that answers the
main problem of your study. Lastly, depending on what is required of you, the
recommendations are provided based on the findings of your study. The number of
recommendations is equal to the number of subproblems of your paper. On some occasions,
however, some scientific journals do not require a recommendation section. This makes your
work a little simpler.
CITATION

It is essential to cite all the sources used as, otherwise, you could be accused of plagiarism
as previously discussed. There are various citation styles, e.g., American Psychological
Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Modern Languages Association
(MLA).