Writing Research Proposal

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Writing Research Proposal

• IBC 484

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Structure of Research

• Most research projects share the same general
  structure. http//www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb
  /strucres.php

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Problem Formulation

• "Well begun is half done" --Aristotle, quoting an
  old proverb
• Where do research topics come from?
• So how do researchers come up with the idea for a
  research project?
• Probably one of the most common sources of
  research ideas is the experience of practical
  problems in the field?
• The Literature Review

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Concept mapping is a structured process, focused
on a topic or construct of interest, involving
input from one or more participants, that
produces an interpretable pictorial view
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data analysis

• The data analysis involves three major steps,
  done in roughly this order
• Cleaning and organizing the data for analysis
  (Data Preparation)
• Describing the data (Descriptive Statistics)
• http//www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.p
  hp
• Testing Hypotheses and Models (Inferential
  Statistics)

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Key Elements

• http//www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/guideeleme
  nts.php
• Formatting http//www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb
  /formatting.php
• Title Page
• Abstract (on a separate single page)
• The Body (no page breaks between sections in the
  body)
• Introduction (2-3 pages)
• Methods (7-10 pages)
• Sample (1 page)
• Measures (2-3 pages)
• Design (2-3 pages)
• Procedures (2-3 pages)
• Results (2-3 pages)
• Conclusions (1-2 pages)
• References
• Tables (one to a page)
• Figures (one to a page)
• Appendices
• Sample Paper http//www.socialresearchmethods.net
  /kb/sampaper.php

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Researching a company

• US Census Bureau http//factfinder.census.gov/home
  /saff/main.html?_langen
• http//www.census.gov/
• http//www.fedstats.gov/
• Company profile Volksvagen http//web.ebscohost.
  com/ehost/companyinfo?vid5hid109sidacdcd865-a
  c6f-431f-aad7-8199f4ddf76040sessionmgr108
• LexisNexis https//www.lexisnexis.com/ap/auth/

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Business research proposal

• Business research proposal is like doing a real
  business.
• In a real business you have to be confident in
  yourself, be good in persuading people and be
  able to make effective advertising of your goods
  or services.

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• Your major goal, while writing a business
  research proposal, is to persuade the members of
  a committee that your business research will be
  the most valuable and fascinating.
• First of all, you should have a clear idea in
  your mind that your business research is really
  going to be the most precious one.
• Second, you should develop the exact strategies
  for writing a business research proposal. You
  have to know every step that you will make when
  writing this task.

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• In the business research proposal tell about the
  expected outcomes of your work, possible
  difficulties and time limits.
• This will persuade the committee that you have
  thought over the whole research thoroughly. You
  know what you want to achieve, what can bother
  you and how you can overcome it.

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• Your business research proposal should be
  detailed. Tell about the methods you are going to
  use for achieving the results. Say why these
  exact methods are suitable for that aim.
• Do not forget that it is extremely important here
  to sound confident. Give the reasonable arguments
  that will support your every point of view.

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How to prepare a research proposal?

• Normally a proposal should be between 1500 and
  2000 words and will include the following
• A working title of the topic area
• This should do more than convey the key words
  associated with the proposed research.
• General overview of area
• This should take the form of a brief abstract of
  the general area of study and identify the
  discipline(s) within which it falls. You might
  also refer to the way in which your own
  background gives you competences in your chosen
  area.

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Literature review

• Identification of the relevant literature
• In this section you should develop your proposal
  to demonstrate that you are aware of the debates
  and issues raised in relevant bodies of
  literature. References to key articles and texts
  should be made to show that you appreciate their
  relevance to your research area. A PhD is an
  original piece of research and so you should
  demonstrate that your proposed area has not been
  studied before. So you need to identify your
  niche which will lead on to the thesis
  preparation.

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• Key research questions
• Since you need to demonstrate that the topic can
  be completed within the normal time period
  allowed, you need to demonstrate that it is
  manageable, and so focus on key questions within
  your niche area.
• Methodology
• You need to demonstrate an awareness of the
  methodological tools available to you and show
  some understanding of which would be suitable for
  your research. It may be that qualitative
  methods, including the analysis of interviews, is
  appropriate. Alternatively your approach may
  involve forecasting or statistical, financial or
  econometric modelling. In other cases you may be
  combining methodologies. You need to specify the
  approach you feel will be most appropriate.

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• Timescale/research planning
• You need to demonstrate an awareness of the need
  for planning and the timescale of the research.
• Bibliography
• You should include a short list of references to
  key articles and texts included in the
  application.

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Questions

• 1.If you want to set up a coffee shop near the
  university and school, what is your research
  topic?
• 2.Identify the problem statement.
• 3.Identify the objectives
• 4.The hypotheses
• 5. The research methodology.
• 6. The examples of the questionaire?