While both the Research Proposal and the Research Report are done in a research project, the Proposal is normally the first formal writing in a study mission that the researcher does, and the Report the last. In other words, the Proposal introduces a desired research undertaking, and the Report seals the project by explaining what was done.
In terms of basic content, the Proposal and Report deal with the same subjects.
Having looked at the above clarifications, we can now try to see what exactly a Research Proposal is.
A Research Proposal is a plan dealing mainly with:
- Explanation of a study that an individual or group would like to do.
- Why the investigation needs to be done.
- How the research is to be conducted; the time; place and who or what the tests will be done on.
- The type and level of resources required for the project.
- Seeing if studies done by other individuals or groups give us a clue to the problem being faced.
What Key Purposes does a Research Proposal Serve?
Preparing a Research Proposal is significant because:
1. Some researches may be sensitive and thus may require approval of government or other authorities.
2. It informs potential funders of the resources required.
3. It explains the investigation proposed.
4. It is a show of transparency in business offers. If the study is part of a school dissertation programme, the Research Proposal enables tutors to see where a student requires advice.
The Main Parts of a Research Proposal
In a business environment, whether or not management is to favour carrying out of the research will depend a lot on how well the proposal is written. So, it is important that the Proposal clearly state what the suggested investigation is about and give compelling reasons for doing it.
In general, a business research is expected to have components given below:
I. TITLE
The title must clearly state what the investigation concerns. It has to contain just enough words to fully convey the complete message.
II. INTRODUCTION
The introduction not only describes the investigation and may include a list of the sub-parts it consists of.
Background. The background unfolds a concise historical picture making the research necessary.
Problem statement. The problem statement must explain challenges presented by a prevailing situation, and also show that a research has to be done.
Research Objectives. Under this sub-heading, the researcher must give the direction in which the investigation is to be done.
A typical research objective, in a project concerning falling sales figures, would be:
To find out if any new competitor has grabbed market share.
The objectives given must be based on the problem that has been identified. They are, in this way, the purpose of the research.
The Hypothesis. A hypothesis is an ‘educated assumption’ made by the researcher suggesting the expected result. Hypotheses are often given where a relationship is believed to exist between variables.
When a hypothesis is given, the research normally has to subject it to testing to confirm or dispel it.
One use of a hypothesis is that it suggests a general point around which the study can be centred. Assume the following hypothesis:
Customers are more willing to buy coffee in the colder season than in the warmer.
In this case, the study will revolve around coffee and the readiness of customers to buy it in the colder season and the period of higher temperatures.
Literature Review. In the literature review part of the proposal, the researcher has to give summaries of the relevant material different authors have done on the problem.
Reviewing literature is a way to make a connection between research work and other relevant publications of the past and the proposed study.
The rule is that the researcher start with general writing and end with examining information specifically dealing with the problem being faced.
The researcher has to seek to bring out areas in which existing writing appears to shed insufficient light, and point out any biases.
If someone else has done the same research, and with regard to the same country, for example, the researcher could suggest changes in approach, such as using a bigger sample or doing the study in a different locality – to see if the same results would be obtained.
At the end of the literature study, the researcher is expected to have captured, and stated, the general principles or theories that govern different situations relating to the problem being investigated.
Significance of the Study. The reasons for the research must come out clearly and convincingly. In the business environment, management will be more ready and enthusiastic to support a study the importance of which they find difficult to ignore.
Limitations and Delimitations. Limitations are handicaps on the research, such as inadequacy of time or financing, or old age of equipment to be used in the study.
Delimitations give the boundaries of the investigation (for example, the geographic area beyond which the study will not be done).
II. STUDY METHODOLOGY
This is the part in which the scientific aspect of the proposed research is to be explained. The researcher states exactly how the study is to be conducted. Some of the key sub-titles normally are:
Research Design. The research design is the fundamental type of the study. Researches can be quantitative or qualitative – and these actually have sub-classes.
Population and sampling techniques. The total number of subjects that the research will be about (population) must be given. So, too, should the nature of the sample. That has to include the type of sampling method to be used and the size of the sample. Reasons must be stated why a particular approach has to be employed.
Data collection. How is the data to be obtained from the respondents? Is it by questionnaire? Is it by use of focus groups? What is the rationale for the decision?
Research Equipment. The researcher must state any devices or instruments to be used and how useful she or he considers them.
II. DATA ANALYSIS
What has to be given here is how the data collected will be treated. It is about how the data will be made more meaningful and aid decision-making. For example, is any computer software to be employed to get useful patterns or summaries? Can any sample diagrams be given to help make the methods clearer? The motivation for the chosen data-handling ways needs to be stated.
III. OUT COMES
Here, the researcher merely declares that the results of the study will be given matter-of-factly. That is, without adding or taking away anything. Normally, here, the researcher states the expected results. The conclusions made in the literature review will be helpful here.
IV. CONCLUSIONS
These constitute the understanding of the studied population that the researcher gets from the results, as regards the objectives that were stated. It must not be forgotten that the whole purpose of the research is to address the objectives earlier given.
The researcher must remind the readers that this is the section where she or he will give the answers to the research question. She/he must also explain that it will be important to look at issues beyond the research to see if the results have implications on them.
V. RECOMMENDATIONS
The researcher states that this section is where remedial action is to be presented. The reader must remember that researching is principally a problem-solving process and must naturally include what can be done, and why, to bring about positive change.
VI. TIME-TABLE
The researcher has to give a schedule of the work to be done. Table ‘X’ is a sample time-table.
SAMPLE SCHEDULE OF RESEARCH PROJECT
PHASE
|
ACTIVITY
|
TIME PERIOD
| |||||||
1
|
Project discussions/
Continued literature review/Preparation of questionnaire
|
10 Jan-25 Feb
| |||||||
2
|
Testing and Review of Questionnaire
|
26 Feb-11 Mar
| |||||||
3
|
Field Interviews
|
12 Mar-11 Apr
| |||||||
4
|
Data Analysis
|
12 Apr-1 My
| |||||||
5
|
Report Writing
|
2 Jun-1Jul
| |||||||
6
|
Presentation of Report
|
2Jul-9Jul
| |||||||
Table 'X'. A simple mock research time-table.
VII. BUDGET
The purpose of the budget is that it shows the amount of financial resources needed to do the study – all activities require commitment of resources of some kind.
A sample budget is given in Table ‘Y’.
SAMPLE RESEARCH BUDGET
ITEM
|
DESCRIPTION
|
TOTAL ($)
|
1
|
Remuneration
01 x Programme Manager
($500/day x 15 days)
03 x Field Researchers
($200/day x 15 days)
01 x Statistician
($300/day x 3 days)
|
$7,500.00
$9,000.00
$ 900.00
|
Sub-total
|
$17,400.00
| |
2
|
Transport
Accommodation and Meals
Stationery and other Office Costs
|
$2,000.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
|
3
|
Sub-total
|
$7,000.00
|
ESTIMATED TOTAL RESEARCH BUDGET $24,400.00
| ||
Table ‘Y’. Sample cost projections for a research project.
VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY
This, the researcher will state, will be a list of works used in the preparation of the Proposal. It has to include works cited in-text and those not mentioned in the passages.
IX. APPENDICES
All material that can strengthen the case for a research on the identified problem, such as devices to be used and full CV’s of the researcher team members and questionnaire.
Other inclusions in the appendix section are lists of acronyms and definitions.
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