Research Proposal

Section 2
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
WHAT IS A PROPOSAL???
 A proposal is a written plan for a thesis/ dissertation or
other scientific projects, which is developed by a student
for consideration and approval by relevant committees.
 Research proposal (plan) is what you propose to do. It
shows that you understand your field of research and
you know how to conduct that
research.
THE FIRST DRAFT PROPOSAL
Before you write the first draft, think of these two
questions:
1. WHAT is my tentative title (thesis title)?
E.g.: H1NI vaccine in protecting children in X and Y
region etc…
2. WHY do I want to do this title?
Develop …, produce …, evaluate …,treat …., analyze,
find ….etc.
 A short research proposal typically includes the following
sections:
1. Title page
2. Introduction
3. Objectives
4. Literature Review
5. Design and methodology
6. Bibliography (References).
✓Title page
It includes:
Title
Name, qualifications and address of candidate
Name, qualifications and address of advisors/ supervisors
Place of experiments
Duration
The title
✓
The title should:
Be informative and concise
Convey to the reader the main focus of your research
Try to limit your title to a single sentence and exclude any words that are
not essential to the overall understanding of the title.
The title is usually only formulated after the research problems have been
stated in a final format. The wording of the title can be altered at a later
stage of the research when necessary; this is why the word “provisional” has
been kept. Examples:
The presence and absence of calcium chloride on growth of bakery
yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this section is to provide a background for
the material to
follow and to set up the hypothesis
The introduction is the first component of research
publication after title . It is usually brief and
communicates precisely the scope (what was the
rationale and aim of the study) of the paper.
It should describe the study back ground (the available
base of knowledge), significance, and aims. It should
clearly define or describe what research
questions/hypothesis being tested, respectively.
OBJECTIVE
 A research proposal objective is a concise statement
that outlines the purpose of a proposed project. The
objective also defines how it intends to answer the
identified research question. It should be specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
(SMART).
It typically includes an explanation of why this

research must be conducted and what its results may
contribute to knowledge in the field.
Literature review
A literature review is a summary of previous
research on a topic. Literature reviews can be
either a part of a larger report of a research
project, a thesis or a bibliographic essay that is
published separately in a scholarly journal.
A literature review is a body of text that aims to
assess the critical points of current knowledge
and or methodological approaches on a
particular topic.
 The literature refers to the previous works or
sources of information relevant to your research
area, either theoretical (idea-based) or empirical
(collected or observed data).
PURPOSE OF LITERATURE
1. Note the original contribution by others
2. Identify what methods or problems that have been picked
up by others in the field? And how they might affect your
research?
3. Indicate what is the most appropriate methodology for
your research based on the literature you have reviewed?
4. Identify what sources of information or data which have
been
identified that and might be useful to you?
5. Outline some of the limitations and/or gaps in the
literature
6. Justify your own research: you need to draw on your
literature review to justify your own research (make it
sense OK).
Sources of literature
 The following are the common sources:
1. Books
2. Reference materials
3. Journals
4. Conference papers
5. Dissertations
6. Internet indexes/abstracts printed
7. Electronic databases
8. Government publications
9. Theses
DESIGN, METHODOLOGY AND
PROCEDURES
The following sections are normally included in the protocol:
1. Setting
2. Study design
3. Study population
4. Materials and equipment
5. Data collection (methods)
6. Data analysis (Statistics)
As with the theoretical framework and methodology, it is

important to demonstrate that you have read other studies in
your area of research. You should be able to address the
strengths and limitations of the methods in similar research
and justify why you have chosen the method that you have
1. Setting
Setting includes the time, location, and
everything in which a research takes
place.
✓2.Study design
When choosing a study design ,many factors must be taken into
account. Different types of studies are subject to different types of bias
.Describe the type of study E.g.:
Observational studies,
includes:
1. Cohort study (prospective cohort, retrospective cohort, time series
study)
2. Case-control study (nested case-control study)
3. Cross-sectional study (community survey (a type of cross-sectional
study)
Treatment studies can be:
1. Randomized controlled trial (double-blind randomized trial or
single-blind randomized trial or non-blind trial)

2. Nonrandomized trial (quasi-experiment) it involves interrupted
time
series design (measures on a sample or a series of samples from the
same population are obtained several times before and after a
manipulated event or a naturally occurring event)
3.Materials and equipment
List items needed for the research including equipment,
instruments and consumables. These can be kits,
chemicals, glassware, writing materials,safety items
etc…
4.Data collection (methods)
How will you go about collecting your information
(surveys, experiments,interviews)? This should also
include any equipment or instruments that you will need
for this purpose
5.Methods
Strictly and accurately describe methods you will follow
or modified. Don’t forget to cite the original reference
from whom you copied the methods.
Methods should not be attributed to the source from
where you read it but to the original source in which it
has been first described or first modified.
6.Data analysis
Once you have the information, what will you do with it?
Include any tools you will use to assist you with analysis
(E.g.: Programs, Models).
REFERENCES (BIBLIOGRAPHY)
A reference in academic literature, is a previously published written
work within academic publishing that has been used as a source for theory
or claims referred to in the text.
References contain complete bibliographic information so the interested reader

can find them (in libraries).
References can be added either at the end of the publication or as footnotes.
Bibliography is a systematic list of books and other works such

as journal articles. Bibliographies range from "works cited" lists at the end
of books and articles to complete, independent publications.
Formats in citing references (bibliography) vary, but an entry for a book or

other sources usually contains the following information: author(s), title,
publisher, volume, pages and date of publication
✓ Examples:
✓ Menzel, Z.M. And Paxton, B.F. (1986). The
pattern of growth, flowering,fruiting of guava
varieties in subtropical Queensland. Austr. J.
Exp.Agric. 26: 43-48.
Teaotia, S.S. Panoky, I.C., Awasthi, R.K., Dobey,
P.S. (1962). Further studies on guava
(Poiduiroquajava L.). Punjab Hort. J. 9: 42-47.

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Section 2

It typically includes an explanation of why this

As with the theoretical framework and methodology, it is

References contain complete bibliographic information so the interested reader

Bibliography is a systematic list of books and other works such

Formats in citing references (bibliography) vary, but an entry for a book or

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