WRITING A RESEARCH

PROPOSAL

Introduction
Different institutions have different
guidelines concerning a structure of a
proposal
However, in each case, there are certain
essential elements that must be in each
proposal
A research proposal is a document which
gives an account of what will be investigated
and a detailed plan of action.
First step in developing a research project
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Importance of a proposal
Communicates the researcher's
research plan to the institution or
individuals who provide evaluative
feedback,
For permission to conduct research
To be registered for a higher degree or
award of research grants

Importance of a proposal
Represents an agreement between
the person who authorises the
study and the researcher to the
problem to be investigated
The methodology to be used,
The duration of the study and its
cost.
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Importance of a proposal
Helps the researcher to organise and
clarify his/her ideas
Provides a detailed plan of investigation
and it incorporates anticipations of
problems to be confronted and
contingent course of action.
A good proposal also leads to an easier
final report after the research has been
completed
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A proposal has 3 main chapters

Chapter one-introduction
Chapter two-literature review
Chapter three-methodology

CHAPTER ONE-INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Background to the study
Statement of the problem
Purpose of the study
Objectives of the study
Research questions
Hypothesis ( if any)
Scope of the study
Justification of the study
Definition of terms and concepts
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Chapter two-literature review

Introduction
Actual literature review

Chapter three-methodology
Introduction
Research design
Population of study
Sample size and selection
Data collection methodology and instruments
Data analysis
Reliability and validity
NB
References
Appendices

Preliminaries

Title page

Indicate the title the purpose or

institution for which the proposal is
written,
the principal investigator,
the time the proposal is written
The title should be short, precise and
self explanatory.
It is not numbered
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Research topic:
Criteria for selecting a research topic:
Relevance
Avoidance of duplication
Urgency of data needed (timeliness)
Political acceptability of study
Feasibility of study
Applicability of results
Ethical acceptability
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Title page cont.

States what is to be investigated.
It must be accurate, clear, succinct
and provocative.
It comes after you have thought
about the problems
Long enough to give the reader an
idea of the sample and variables
involved in the study
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Introduction
This tells the reader how the chapter
is organized
It tells the reader what is to follow in
the rest of the chapter
It is an introduction of the
introduction

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Background to the study

Sets the stage for the problem to be
researched
Beginning of background is the widest
opening of a funnel.
Provides enough background data for an
outsider to understand the different aspects
of the problem
It must be related to the title.
Should logically and inevitably lead to the
statement of the problem
End of the background represents the
smallest opening of the funnel.
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Background cont.
Different perspectives can be used to build a
background to the study e.g.
Mugenda and Mugenda(1999) argue that the
background can be structured under:
Global perspective -how is your problem
area on a global scale?
Regional perspective- how is it
regionally speaking
National perspective-how is the
situation from a national point of view?
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Example

If the study is about the impact of Decentralisation in eradicating poverty, the

researcher gives a detailed overview of the problem of poverty at a global scale (quoting
authorities where available-but these have to be current), the regional scale and the
national perspective
Globally, the problem of poverty has been prevalent for decades and millions of people
cant afford the basic necessities of life. It is estimated that -% of people in the world
are below the recommended per capita (WHO 2006).
The African continent has not been saved either by the above disturbing occurrence.
In Africa,-% are below the poverty line and this has tremendously affected the
economies .
In Uganda, the problem poverty has affected millions of people since-----

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Background cont.
Amin (2005) argues that the background to
the problem can be structured under four
perspectives namely:
Historical perspective- how has the
problem evolved historically speaking e g if
dealing with education, how was education
managed in the pre-colonial, colonial and
postcolonial periods?
Theoretical perspective- what theories are
driving your study i.e. what theories will
help you to describe, understand, explain
and predict your study?
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Background cont.
Conceptual perspective- what are
the key concepts of your study?. These
are the same as the key variables of
the study which must be reflected in
the title.
Contextual perspective- in which
context are you conducting your
study?. This should be the breeding
ground for the problem
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Background cont.
Other authors argue that if studying an organization
you can build a background by addressing the
following issues:

When was the organization started ?

Why was it started
Who started it
How is it structured
How many people are employed by the organization
What activities has it been doing since it started
What are the major challenges that have been
experienced
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Statement of the problem

A matter of doubt
A discrepancy that exists between what ought
to be as opposed to what is and you are
unsettled about it.
Describes what is wrong that needs to be
investigated.
Describes a social fact which if not resolved will
perpetuate an injustice or a danger to society
or any of its units.
For example: There is a high incidence of business
failure among women and youth in urban areas in
Wakiso.

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 Usually arises logically from the background.

May be only two or three paragraphs of half a page
in length.
What to look out for
How large is the population affected by the problem?
How important, influential, or popular is this
population?
Would this study substantially revise or extend
existing knowledge?
Is the problem of current interest? Is it topical?
Is the problem likely to continue into the future?
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Purpose of the study

This states clearly what the researcher intends to

investigate
Contains the variables to be used in the study.
Best stated in one single sentence.
The purpose should state the target population
The purpose may be a reproduction of the title
They should be stated with directional verbs e.g.
determine, assess.
For example:
This study seeks /attempts to investigate the
relationship between urbanisation and continued
business failure among women and youth in urban
areas in Wakiso.

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Objectives:
Describe the specific task the researcher is
going to carry out in fulfilling the purpose
of the study.
The objectives must follow logically from the
purpose
To formulate the objectives of the study, the
variables have to be conceptualized
Determine the kind of questions to be asked

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Research Questions
The research questions should be
synchronized with the objectives of
the study
The research questions must be stated
in a manner that renders them to
attract the intended type of data
They should not be vague and must
be stated in a clear and concise terms
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HYPOTHSES
Is a proposition suggesting a relationship
between variables
A guess about the nature of the relationship
between two or more variables
A tentative explanation of the research
problem,
Possible outcome of the research
An educated guess about the outcome.
They must be consistent with common
sense or generally accepted truths
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Scope of the study

States the limit in terms of

Content,
Geographical coverage,
Time and theories

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Justification of the study

Why should the study be done now?
Who will benefit from this study and
why?
What will be lost if the study is not
done now and why?
Is the study feasible given the various
types of resources?
Urgency and relevance of the study
have to be justified.
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Definition of terms and concepts

Advisable that the dependent and
independent variables in the study are
defined operationally.(Mugenda, 2003)
Converting concepts into their empirical
measurements or quantifying variables for
thee purpose of measuring their occurrence,
strength, and frequency (Amin, 2005)
State how the variables will be measured in
the study i.e. Literacy, Income
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Conceptual/theoretical framework
To conceptualise is to identify the
variable that when put together
explain the problem.
To put together means to show how
these variable relate to one another
and to the problems often represented
by dependent variable

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Chapter two-literature review

How should it be structured?
Introduction
Actual literature review

After the review of the literature the

researcher decides whether to go ahead
and carry out the proposed research or
modifies it or abandons it.

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Literature review cont.

Avoids reinventing the wheel
It avoids criticising
Recognises gaps .
Is an ongoing activity
It should be done objective by
objective
It should be critical

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Chapter three-methodology

Introduction
Research design
Population of study
Sample size and selection
Data collection methods and instruments
Data analysis
Reliability and validity

NB
References
Appendices
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Introduction
Out lines the method(s) to be used in
carrying out the research:
Research design

Research plan for carrying out research

project
Conceptual structure within which a
research is conducted
Constitutes a blue-print for the
measurement of variables and collection
and analysis of data
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Population & sample of study

Population from which the sample will
be drawn
Sample size and why
Sample selection methods and why i.e.
Simple random
Systematic sampling

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Methodology cont.
Sample size and selection

Number of items to be selected from the

sample
Not to big not too small,
Must meet: reliability, representativeness,
flexibility, and efficiency

Data collection methods and

instruments
Choice of methods Why

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Methodology cont.
Data analysis
Describe techniques intended to use

Reliability and validity

Pre-testing
Can use tape recording
Can use informants to check the
accuracy of perception

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Work plan
A matrix showing each activity, when
it will be carried out, who will carry it
out and expected outcome i.e.
A work schedule
Is a table that summarises the
tasks to be performed in a research
project,
the duration of each activity and
who is responsible for the different tasks

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A GANTT CHART
A planning tool that depicts
graphically the order in which various
tasks must be completed and the
duration of each activity i.e.
the tasks to be performed;
who is responsible for each task;
and
the time each task is expected to
take.
And when
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Budget
This is an estimation of the resources
that are required to carry out the
research, both financial and human
etc.
All aspects of the proposed research
which will cost money should be
estimated, budgeted for and justified.
Specify, for each activity in the work
plan, what resources are required.
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Budget cont.
Present a budget with an explanation
Some of the main areas to cover
include personnel, equipment and
supplies, transport and
communications
Include a 5% contingency fund if you
fear that you might have budgeted for
the activities rather conservatively
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Methodology cont.
References

A list of cited references

Should be up to date
Shows researchers seriousness

Appendix

Detailed important information that

cannot be included in the main body i.e.
Research instruments, copies of maps,
could be detailed budget explanations
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