Preparing

a Research
Proposal

by: Deogani O. Gargueña

 Introduction

– A written proposal is required whenever a study is undertaken. It

offers assurance that the researcher understands the purpose of
the study and proposed methods of investigation.
– The research proposal can serve many useful functions. The most
important is that it helps to think out the research project the
researcher is about to undertake and predict any difficulties that
might arise.
 Cont…
A research proposal or synopsis may be
termed a written or online electronic
document (containing details of the plan,
procedure, possible outcomes and
underlying rationale of a future research
study) submitted by an intended researcher
or group of researchers to the respective
organizations or authorities for seeking their
approval to conduct the proposed research
study.
 Importance of the Research
proposal
– It helps in proper evaluation of the worth, value and feasibility of
the proposed research study.
– It may provide the following kinds of information about the
research study (Gravetter & Forza):
– What will be done?
– What may be found?
– How the planned research study is related to other knowledge in
the area?
 Types of Research Proposal
Research proposal for Research Proposal for
Degree Financial assistance
• Prepared by those • If financial assistance is
researchers/ individuals required by a researcher
who are required to for his study, he submits
conduct a research the research proposal to
study for the fulfilment a government or private
of their Master ’s or agency requesting for
Doctoral Degree. The financial assistance.
submitted proposal is Such an agency then
evaluated by experts to asks experts for
determine the recommendations after
significance of the evaluating the proposal.
proposed study.
Research Proposal for
Grants by Government
• Various organizations
such as UGC, NCERT and
the ICSSR provides
grants for promotion for
research. Colleges and
university teachers can
submit their proposals
for evaluation and are
provided grants if
experts recommend.
Sections of a Research Proposal

i) Introductory - Tile Page

Section - Introduction

ii) Methodological - Description of the

Sections
Section plan

iii) Concluding - Analysis and

Section findings of the study
 1) Introductory Section

i) Title Page: The contents of this page may contain the

following:
– The title of the proposed study.
– Researcher's name and his affiliation such as class and section in
the case of a student, or department and institution in case of a
teacher or professional.
 ii) Introduction
– The introductory portion of a
research proposal is mainly
aimed to provide the readers
with a clear rationale of
undertaking the present
study on the part of the
researcher.
Introduction of the Research Proposal Should
Contain Following Points

A) A formal brief discussion about the subject area or field to

which the present study belongs.
• B) Broad perspective of the related past studies

C) Rationale for doing the present research

• D) Statement of the research problem

E) Objectives of the study

• F) Hypothesis of the study

 A) A Formal Brief Discussion about the
Subject Area of the Study

– A brief discussion about the

subject areas is to be
provided just to show the
link for the topic of the
present study.
B) Broad Perspective of the Related Past
Literature

– Here the researcher is

supposed to provide a
summarized review of the
related literature concerning
with the present problem to
summarize what is already
known and not known.
 C) Rationale for Doing the Present
Research

Here the researcher is required

to provide a rationale for
conducting the present study
while arguing in the most
logical and satisfying way.
D) Statement of the Research Problem

– Here the researcher is

supposed to state and define
his research problem in a
clear and concise way for
getting others to known
about what the problem is &
what it needs to investigate.
E)Purpose or Objectives of the Study

Here the researcher is

supposed to state the
purpose or objectives of his
research study as clearly and
concisely as possible.
F) Statement of the Hypothesis

– The researcher here is required to

write down the hypothesis or a set
of few appropriate hypotheses.
– Here the research question
describes the overall focus of the
study, which is then broken down
into foreshadowed questions liable
to be addresses during the
execution of the study (Lodico et al.,
2006)
 ii) Methodological Section
– This section is specifically focused on describing the planning on
the part of a researcher about the execution or finding answer to
the problem or research questions of his study.
– Here a researcher is supposed to describe and write down all what
he is planning to do for realizing the objectives of his study.
 1) Selection of the
subjects for the
study

4) Procedure Subsections of 2) Decision about

employed for Methodological the method of
data collection Section data collection

3) Decision about
the research design
 A) Selection of the Subjects or
Participants of the Study

– Here the researcher is

supposed to discuss and
write down the type of
subject/ subjects chosen for
the study, including the
methods used to select the
participants
B) Decision about the Instrument or
Methods of Data Collection

– Here the researcher is

supposed to mention about
the type of instruments,
methods or devices that he
will be using for collecting
needed information or data
from the subjects of his study
or other available sources
pertinent to his research
study.
 C) Decision about the Research Design used
for Carrying out the Study:-
– while conducting a research,
a researcher is supposed to
discuss and write about the
design employed in the
study.
– For example- in conducting
experimental research, a
researcher is supposed to
discuss and write about the
experimental design.
D)Writing about the Procedure Employed
for Data Collection

– Here the researcher is

supposed to describe and
write about the procedure
employed for collecting data
or information from the
subjects of the study.
– Description of selected tool/
instrument/ methods or
devices is required.
 iii) Inferential and Concluding
Section
– This section of the research proposal is composed of following
sub-section:

A) Data Analysis Techniques: in this sub-section, the

researcher is supposed to discuss and write about the proposed
ways, methods, techniques ort procedure employed for analysing the
collected information or data. The outcomes of analysis and
acceptance or rejection of hypothesis will also be mentioned in this
section.
 B)Possible Conclusion or Findings of the
Study
– In this sub-section, the
researcher is supposed to
write about the possible
conclusions or findings of the
study that may be arrived at
as a result of the efforts
made by the researcher in
analysing or interpreting the
collected information or
data.
C) Mentioning about the Possible Benefits
of the Study
– The researcher is required to
write about the benefits or
advantages that may be
supposed to be drawn through
the execution of the proposed
study.
– How the study will help,
support and extend the
understanding of the topic will
be explaind (Lodico, 2006).
 D) Mentioning about Limitations of the
Study
– The researcher may write
about the limitations of the
participants included in the
study, the method of sampling
used, tools employed for data
collection, techniques used for
data analysis, his own
limitations regarding the time
and resources needed for the
proper execution of the study.
E) Mentioning about the Time Schedule
and Budget

– The researcher is supposed

to mention about the
approximate time taken in
conducting the study.
– The type of resources to be
acquired for the study will
also be used along with the
expenditure needed for the
execution of the study.
 F) Write down the Bibliography

– All the references being cited

at different places of the
prepared research proposal to
be mentioned.
– All the books, journals and
other literature and on line
resources to be mentioned.
G) Providing Appendices
– The researcher is supposed to
make provision of appendices
giving place to the material that
was intentionally denied a place
in the main body of the research
but appears to be quite
significant in terms of providing
the complete picture of the
things described there, e.g.
tables, figures, booklet of tool.
Recommended Proposal Document
Format
Table of
Title Page Abstract
Contents

Introduction
& Statement List of figures List of Tables
of the (if any) (if any)
Problem

Review of References
Methodology
Literature
Errors while Writing a Research Proposal
(Robb, 1971)

– The 1st error is failure to state all of the basic assumptions that are
relevant to the study. This situation usually occurs in questionnaire
studies, in which necessary assumptions are taken for granted
without being designated as basic assumption of the study.
– The 2nd errors concerns relevant assumptions. Such assumptions
are nether applicable nor necessary to the study.
– The 3rd error is that of selecting unsustainable assumptions which
cannot be defended by any logic, empirical evidence or
authoritative sources.
 Research Proposal Research Report
Writing Writing
– It is concerned with the – It is concerned with a research
possible research study. study that has already been
– Future tense is used. completed.

– Providing an abstractis – Past tense is used.

optional. – Providing an abstract is
– Literature review provides mandatory.
the basis for the study. – Literature review stands for the
comparison how the present
study is better than the past
studies.