WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL

BY
Dr. Robert Mugabe
Research proposal
 A research proposal is a document,
which gives an account of what will be
investigated and a detailed plan of
action. It is the first step in developing
a research project
 It is a written presentation of an
intended or planned process that the
researcher will take
 It outlines specific aspects and activities of
the research process. The research proposal
should clearly spell out the research problem,
objectives, research questions/hypotheses,
theoretical/conceptual framework,
significance and scope of the study,
limitations of the study, operational terms,
and the methodology that will be used to
gather and analyze it.
 The process of preparing a proposal
should rely on adequate reading and
citation of relevant literature.
Purpose of the Proposal
 The main purpose of the proposal is to
demonstrate that the person intending
to do research (the student/researcher)
has a clear and systematic
conceptualization of the research
problem and the research process and
that he/she has done adequate reading
and is informed about recent work done
in the area of interest.
Reasons for writing a research
proposal

1. To communicate the researcher’s

research plan to the institution or
individuals who provide evaluative
feed back, give permission for the
research to be conducted or for the
proposal to be registered for a higher
degree or award of research grant.
2. It represents an agreement between the
person who authorizes the study and the
researcher to problem to be investigated.
3. Helps the researcher to organize clarify his or
her ideas
4. Provide a detailed plan of investigation and
incorporates anticipations of problems to be
confronted and contingent course of action
5. It provides an insurance against
oversight and ill-considered choices
during the execution phase of
investigation.
Contents of a research
proposal

 The structure and the format of the

research proposal vary from researcher
to researcher or from institution to
institution, however, the basic principles
remain the same. The following are the
contents of the researcher proposal
 The title of the proposal: this contains
(a) Title page: the title of the study should be
on the first page. It should be written in a
symmetrical manner (centered)
(b) Author’s name: the name of the person
writing the proposal must appear with the
order of the first name, surname.
(c ) Qualification requirement (degree &
diploma)
(d) The purpose of the proposal and the
name of the awarding institution
(e) Date of submission. All this
information should be on the first
page and this page should not be
numbered.
 Table of content. This appears on the
next fresh page. This page is numbered
in Romans it covers the outline of the
proposal indicating on which page each
major chapter, section, subsection is.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction: This tells the reader what the
study is about, the variables of the study and
how the chapter is organized. For example, This
study is an investigation on, ‘the relationship
between employee remuneration and the
performance of business enterprises. In this
study employee remuneration is conceived as
independent variable and performance of
business enterprise as the dependent variable.
 This chapter will present the
background to the study, the statement
of the problem, the purpose or general
objective (which ever is appropriate),
the objectives of the study, the
research questions, the hypotheses, the
scope of the study, the significance,
justification and operational definition of
terms and concepts.
 NB. It is sometimes possible to begin
with the background to the study
without this introduction to the chapter.
But UMI format demands that
Introduction be separated from
Background.
1.1 Background to the study
Background to the study helps the reader to
understand the problem by describing how
the problem was identified and linking the
problem historically to the professional field
or the area of interest. It is a narrative of the
facts that explain what is true or what is
taking place before you state what is puzzling
you.
 It introduces the background of the
problem and gives it international and
national perspectives. It contains the
context of the research to be conducted
to cover cultural, economic and social
situation.
 The background may be funnel-shaped
in the sense that it locates the study
within the boarder global, and narrows
it to the regional, national and finally
local context (Mugenda & Mugenda,
1999) or should give historical,
theoretical, conceptual, and contextual
background (Amin, 2005)
1.2 Statement of the
problem
 This is what is bothering you. A
phenomenon for which you need an
explanation. A knowledge gap, a
situation requiring a solution. The
problem should be stated clearly and
consciously by identifying the
dependent and the independent
variables.
 The researcher should also show the
evidence of the problem. It should not
be just an allegation but should be
factual. Figures and statistics can also
be presented to back up the problem. It
should not exceed 11/2 pages in the
report but in the proposal it should be
about ½ page.
1.3 Purpose of the study
 This states clearly what the researcher
intends to investigate. It is the general
description of the overall aim. It should
specify variables that the researcher
intends to focus on.
1.4 Objectives of the study
 They are the fine statements that show
what is to be achieved at the end of the
study. They refer to specific aspects of
the phenomenon under study that the
researcher desires to bring out at the
end of the research study. Objectives of
the study are split into:
 General objective. This is the overall purpose of
the research. It spells out what the research is to
investigate and accomplish. It is normally a
paraphrase of the title and introduces the dependent
and independent variables.
 Instead of using General objective of the study, you
can use the Purpose of the study, which is the
same as general objective of the study
 Specific objectives
These are refined statements that show
what is to be achieved. They are refined
from the general objective. They break
down the general objective into smaller and
concise statements that the researcher
intends to achieve at the end of the study.
They should be extracted from the research
problem. Objectives should not exceed
five , but 2-3 are recommended.
 NB: If you use,' General objective of
the study’ the next subheading is
‘specific objectives of the study’.
But if you use the ‘Purpose of the
study’, the next subheading is
‘Objectives of the study,
1.5 Research questions/Hypothesis

 Research questions involve restating objectives of the

study in question form. Questions should not exceed
the number of objectives and should be clearly
stated.
 A researcher instead of using research questions
he/she can state research hypotheses. A research
hypothesis is a tentative preposition suggesting a
relationship between variables. It is also defined as a
guess about the nature of the relationship between
two or more variables.
 However, some studies may demand
both the research questions and
hypotheses to be used in the same
study (UMI demands the use of both)
1.6 Justification of the study
 This gives the rationale of the study. It states
why the study is wanted. It can be
theoretical, methodological, contextual, etc.
The justification should reflect an existing gap
in knowledge from a theoretical,
methodological or contextual perspective. The
existing knowledge on the issue under
investigation should be clearly demonstrated
and the gap indicated.
Justification of the study cont’d

 E.g Given the absence of research on

the effect of employee remuneration
and how it affects organizational
performance in Mayuge District Local
Government is the justification for this
study to be undertaken.
1.7 Significance of the study
 This refers to the relevance of the study in terms of
academic contributions and practical use that might
be made of the findings to the organization/sector in
which the researcher is based and to the public at
large. The researcher must tell the reader the
reasons why and how s/he thinks the findings might
change policies, theory or practice. In short, s/he
should indicate who will benefit from the findings of
the study and how.
1.8 Scope of the study
 This sets out the boundary or limit of the
research. The scope has three dimensions.
 Geographic scope. This states the geographical
boundaries of the study. If you use the case study,
geographical scope specifies the location of that case
study and what it does.
 Subject/content scope. This spells out the area in
terms of content or concept being investigated
 Time scope. This spells out the time limit in terms of
data that will be used for the study.
1.9 Conceptual framework
 Research is based on a conceptualization of a
pertinent problem and relationships between problem
variables and how they affect one another. The
conceptual framework is a diagrammatic
representation of the relationship between variables
and how they are operationalized for the purpose of
research. It should indicate the independent and
dependent variables (cause/effect relationship) or vis-
versa, moderating and intervening variables (where
applicable). The source of the variables/framework
and an explanation of the diagrammatic
representation should be made. The conceptual
framework may appear in chapter one one or in
chapter two (Amin, 2005).
CHAPTER TWO:Literature
review
 A literature review is an account of what has been published on
a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. It presents a
survey and discussion of the literature in a given area of study.
It is a concise overview of what has been studied, argued and
established about a topic, and it is usually organized either
chronologically or thematically. The literature should be 10
years or newer except for theoretical review and historical
background. In writing the literature review, candidates are
expected to convey to the readers what knowledge and ideas
have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and
weaknesses are. It indicates whether there has been any
research work in the field you are investigating and what their
findings were
 Indicates the knowledge gaps that need to be fulfilled.
How it should be structured
2.0 Introduction to the chapter. The introduction should
tell the reader how the chapter is arranged and how the
review is to be organised. The rationale of the study,
the sources of literature and the procedure and purpose
of literature review should be stated and briefly
discussed by the candidate in this introduction.
2.1 Theoretical review. Here you give an explanation of
the theory you gave in the theoretical background in a
more detailed way. Give the studies that have used the
theory/theories and the relevance of the theory to your
study
2.2 Actual literature based on subheadings derived from
the objectives of the study.
2.3 Summary of the literature. You summarize the
literature reviewed and identify the gaps to guide your
study
CHAPTER THREE: Methodology
 The methodology chapter is one of the
most important parts of a research
proposal/dissertation. It informs the
reader on what procedures will be
followed by the candidate to come up
with the research results. The chapter
should be structured as follows:
 3.1 Introduction. This should tell the
reader what is contained in the
methodology chapter and how the
chapter is to be arranged. It should give
the rationale of the chapter and a brief
highlight on the aspects of methodology
presented in the chapter.
3.2 Research design. In this
subsection, the researcher identifies
the type of a design (plan) to be used
and gives the reason for the choice.
Some of the common research
designs include; cross sectional,
longitudinal, surveys, case study, etc.
3.3 The study population. This
subsection indicates who will
participate in the study and how the
sample will be selected. It indicates
the number of elements (subjects)
that will be covered by the study.
3.4 Sample size determination. The
researcher explains on how he/she will select the
sample from the study population, i.e. whether to
use Kregcie and Morgan table (1970) or to use
sample determination formula. A sample size of
less that 30 for quantitative is inappropriate.
 If the study is quantitative, the appropriate sample
will be selected according to the researcher’s
needs.
3.5 Sampling technique and procedures. Here you
have to mention how your population categories
will be selected from the population. Here
probability and non-probability sampling techniques
can be used with the reasons for the choice of
each technique.
3.6 Data Collection Methods
This includes the specific techniques to be used in
the collection of data. Data collection methods
include: Face-to-face interview, key informants
interview, focus group discussion, questionnaire
survey, observation, documentary review, etc.
3.7 Data collection instruments
Any tool that is used to collect data is referred
to as data collection instrumentation. They
include: interview guide, questionnaire, key
informants’ guides, focus group discussion
checklist, observation checklists, documentary
review check list,etc.
3.8 Validity and reliability
3.8.1 Validity and reliability. Data collection
instruments used should be tested for their
validity and reliability to ascertain whether the
findings can be accepted or not.
Reliability of an instrument is the

consistence/dependability of an instrument in
measuring what it is designed to measure.
 Validity of an instrument is the extent to
which an instrument measures what it
designed to measure and measuring it
accurately.
 Pre-testing of instruments can be used
to guarantee validity and reliability.
3.9 Procedures of data collection

 This requires the researcher to briefly

explain the procedures that will be
followed in the data collection exercise.
3.10 Data Analysis
 In this section, the researcher must indicate
how data will be analyzed once collected. If
data is of quantitative form hence requiring
quantitative analysis, then the researcher
should indicate the statistical technique to be
used for the analysis.
 For qualitative Analysis, the researcher should
indicate the methods of analysis to use. E.g.
thematic analysis, content analysis.
3.11 Ethical
Considerations
 -Privacy
 -Who will be accessible for data?
 -How will informed consent be
obtained?
References
 These are the sources, which the
researcher used to develop the
proposal, and must be cited in the text
of the proposal. All the surnames of the
authors must be arranged in
alphabetical order.
 END OF PRESENTATION