1

MANUAL FOR
PROJECT PROPOSAL
AND
PROJECT REPORT
OF

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(CMBA)
COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
(CMPA)

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

ISLAMABAD
2

The Project Handbook has been prepared with a view to equip our
Commonwealth MBA and MPA students with some basic and necessary
information on writing a research proposal and final project report. This will
assist the students in thinking through many aspects of crafting implementing
and defending the research project. It is our attempt to share some of many ideas
that have surfaced in the past that definitely make the task of completion of
research so much easier. We have tried to give some suggestions on the
following: selection of a topic, developing a project statement, writing Literature
Review, Research Design, and Data Analysis, Conclusion and Findings,
Bibliography and such other necessary components.
Guidelines of a research report have been provided on the format and style of the
project and specimens have been annexed for guidance. We hope that all given
information will help you in choosing the project title, and conducting research
work.
With this in mind enjoy the manual. We hope it will help you to finish your
research in good shape.

Majed Rashid
Head, COL MBA/MPA Program

Introduction
This master level Research Project Manual is designed for all Commonwealth
Master of Business Administration / Public Administration students. The
students will be required to conduct a research study in the academic field of the
chosen area after completion of the course work for (COL EMBA/MPA).
The research project carries a weight of (06) credits and is an integral part of
Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme. After successful completion of
required courses and research project (code 5598) each student will receive COL
MBA / MPA degree. This manual has been developed to provide broad
guidelines to the students and help them in preparing their project synopsis and
final report.
The university hopes that after following these guidelines the students of this
prestigious programme will be in a position to write an excellent research report
and create a value addition for them.

Wish you good luck

Nazim Hussain

Procedure for opting and completing the project course

Following are the requirement to be met by the students for opting and
completing of project course CC-5598.
1. The student must have a valid admission in Project Course (CC-5598)
2. The Student will have to contact his/her assigned study centre for allocation of
supervisor.
3. The required qualification of project supervisor has already been provided to
the study centres
4. The student will have to complete the synopsis and final project report under
the guidance of supervisor.
5. The synopsis must be duly signed by the supervisor before submission to the
department for evaluation and approval.
6. The supervisor is bound to guide the students to complete their
synopses/proposals in stipulated time period.
7. Every draft of final project report must be checked and signed by the
supervisor before submission to the department for evaluation and approval.
8. If any draft report is not approved and sent back to the student with any
observation then supervisor must ensure that the student has incorporated the
suggested changes before resubmission.
9. After approval of the final report the student will have to appear for viva voces
in the department. Final decision of award of degree to the student will taken
by viva voce panel. The student cannot challenge the panels decision.
10. The student must ensure that he/she has completed 14 taught courses, got
the project report approved and received a letter of invitation for appearing
for viva voce.

NOTE:
The total time of completion of degree (course work and research work) is 5 years after
this period the registration of the student will be expired.

Research Proposal and Final Report

The mission of Allama Iqbal Open University is to deliver the collaborative
Master of Commonwealth MBA / MPA degree in such a way that can provide
the students with latest managerial skill and capabilities. The program aims at
delivering high quality theoretical and practical knowledge.
All research reports normally use the same format. It does not matter whether
you are doing a customer satisfaction research, employees opinion survey,
research on impact of globalization research or a marketing research. All have
the same basic structure and format. The difference will be in the contents.
The distinguishing feature of research is an original contribution to the existing
body of knowledge. Thus the final research report for the project course (code
5598) is a document whose purpose is to prove that the student has made an
original contribution to the existing knowledge.
The research report must highlight the following important aspects:

Student has identified a worthwhile question or problem, relating to the

generic

discipline

of

Management

Sciences

(Business

or

Public

Administration as per his or her enrolment)

S/he has solved the problem or answered the question(s) raised during
research

Their contribution to knowledge lies in their findings.

It has been observed that the students enrolled in the project course do not get
the approval of topic and proposal / synopsis from the programme management
office, Allama Iqbal Open University campus Islamabad before starting their
research. Therefore, at the outset, students of final semester of COL MBA/MPA
are required:
(i)

To select the research topic in consultation with the Supervisor provided

by their approved study centre

(ii)

To develop and submit a research proposal / synopsis to the department

for approval / acceptance prior to starting their research.

What is Research
Research is an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC way of FINDING ANSWERS to
QUESTIONS or solutions of problems.
1)

Systematic: because there is a definite set of procedures and steps which

the students/researchers will follow. There are certain things in the
research process which are always done in order to get the most accurate
results.

2)

Organized: in that there is a structure or method in going about doing

research. It is a planned procedure, not a spontaneous one. It is focused
and limited to a specific scope.

3)

Questions: are central to research. If there is no question, then the answer

is of no use. Research is focused on relevant, useful, and important
questions. Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or purpose.

4)

Finding Answers: is the end of all research. Whether it is the result after a
testing hypothesis or answer to a simple question, research is successful
when we find solutions answers. Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still
an answer.

The research Process

1. Observation
2. Preliminary Data gathering (Preliminary Data gathering about situation i.e.
broad problem area)
3. Problem definition
4. Literature Review & Theoretical framework (variables identified)
5. Hypotheses
6. Research design
7. Data collection ,analysis and interpretation
8. Findings
9. Report writing
10. Report presentation
11. Decision making

Important Steps
Identifying a Project/Research Topic
Research begins with defining a topic in which a student may be interested and
willing to put effort. Research topic should relate to the subject whom the
students have studied in their programme (Management Sciences, Business or
Public Administration). The three significant characteristics of a research
topic/problem are that is should be significant, researchable and new or add a
new angle to established facts. Some important elements of selecting a topic are
as under:

First you select a problem/topic in a general area that is related to the area
of your expertise and interest. Second step is to narrow down the general
problem area to make it specific, and researchable.

Formulate a research topic in order to achieve your objective.

Access to the data must be ensured about the topic prior to its finalization.

The topic should be open to methods of research.

The selected topic should be in a field in which there is real need for the
research.

Must keep in mind why the research is important and to whom.

Students need to describe the research context clearly.

While thinking about research topic:

Discuss ideas with colleagues

Browse the literature, especially journals

Discuss ideas with your supervisor he/she is an expert within the

discipline and can help you decide on an appropriate topic

Setting the topic in context

When placing your topic in context it is often useful to think about the following:

What is the scope of the topic?

What is the purpose of the research?

Who are the intended audience?

What is the time period?

What is the geographical coverage?

What are the relevant/related disciplines?

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Some More Tips for Problem Formulation

"Well begun is half done" --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb

Research Topic Ideas

Try to pick a topic that you are interested in. You are going to have a lot of
research and experimentation ahead of you so it helps to produce good science if
you have enthusiasm in what you are doing. Find a broad topic and do a little
preliminary work, perhaps making a shortlist of possible areas of interest.
1. Be realistic. If you have difficulty with transport then there is no point
picking a project in some far-flung, inaccessible area. You may have to go
back to resample or clarify your data. For a field study that requires lots of
walking or climbing you need to be reasonably fit. If you are not very
good at approaching strangers then avoid a subject that requires you to
ask people to fill in questionnaires. Play to your strengths and avoid your
weaknesses.
2. With the above in mind, check out the facilities your department offers.
For example, some departments offer help with statistics or using
computer programs.
3. Take into account the amount of time and resources you have. It is better
to pick a focused topic and be thorough than to try and perform some
complex research that you struggle to finish. Your topic must be broad
enough to ensure that you have enough data but narrow enough to
maximize your time and resources.
4. Try and be a little different; if a large number of students research the
same topics then there could be a lot of people fighting over one copy of a
book or journal.
5. Will you need help? For some areas of research you may need to ask the
help of friends to take samples. An example is psychology where you
need to tempt people to answer your questions or perform your tests.
What measures will you need to entice people? Asking favors, bribery or
threats? Try to ensure that you have thought about this before you start.
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6. Remember that people are there to help you. If you not sure of where to
start, often the most difficult part, do not be afraid to ask questions from
those more knowledgeable in the subject. It is common to feel a little
nervous and overwhelmed before starting on a long project but that will
pass. Remember that the reputation of your supervisor and department is
judged by how well you perform in your research paper so they will try
their best to guide you.

Types of Business research

Applied research
This research is conducted to solve a current problem faced by the organization
in the work setting, demanding a timely solution.
Basic research (fundamental, pure)
Following are the characteristics of basic research:
a. It is to generate a body of knowledge by trying to comprehend how
certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved.
b. The findings of such research contribute to the building of knowledge in
the various functional areas of business.

Selection of Study
The students are advised to choose some current issue faced by the organization
in which they are going to conduct their research. Here are some examples of
Applied and basic research issues, the preference should be given to the applied
research.

Applied Research topics

1. Causes of low productivity of employees of Fazal Steel mills Islamabad
2. The possible measures to make the budgetary control system of NHA
effective
3. Human Resource practices to ensure Job Satisfaction in Askari Bank
limited with Special emphasis on performance appraisal.
4. The Impact of Compensation, Training & Development on the
organisational Commitment of Employees of PTCL
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Basic Research Topics

1. Effective measures to stop bankruptcy.
2. Implications of the theories of Scientific School of Management in 21st
century.
3. TQM / Is It Effective In Reaching Quality Goals?
4. Management of the Interview and Hiring Function
5. Employee Stock Ownership Plans

How to Develop Project Proposal / Synopsis

The aim of the project proposal must be to ensure that:

There is a need for the research and its significant and important.

Student is contributing something original in the research report.

The topic is feasible in terms of the availability of data.

The topic must match with the academic field i.e. MBA / MPA.

Research can be completed within the expected time period.

The project proposal helps you focus your research aim, clarify its importance
and the need, describe the methods, identify problems and plan alternatives.
Preparing a project proposal is an important part of your research. Following
key elements must be included in the project proposal:

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Chapter 1
1.

Introduction

Introduction of study along with its origin, history, Background, and

rationale of the study

2.

Broad problem area:

-

Area in which researcher has find some specific problem to

carry out his research

3.

Statement of the Problem

4.

Objectives of the Study

5.

Significance of the Study

6.

Scope of Study

Chapter 2

Literature review

1. Distribute this chapter according to heading and sub-heading

2. Theoretical Framework
3. Research Hypothesis

Chapter 3

Research Methodology

1.

Research Design

2.

Population of the Study

3.

Sampling Techniques

4.

Sample Size

5.

Research Tools

6.

Data Collection

References
Appendices

Note: Chapter 4 and 5 must be included in Final Research Report

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Outline / Structure/ Contents of Chapters

CHAPTER 1
1)

Introduction

This section begins with a few short introductory paragraphs (couple of pages).
In introduction the context of the research is made clear and choice of the topic is
defended. The relationship between the research problem and the research
objectives must be explained. Introduction section sets the stage for the project
report and puts the topic in perspective. It contains general statements about the
need for this study. It is a brief description of what the project report is all about.
It briefly summarizes the topic and some of the reasons why it is worthwhile to
do research on this specific topic. Introduction is a bird eye view of the answers
to the main questions that will be answered in your research report. The basic
goal of the introduction is to catch the attention of the reader. Key point is that
when you are writing the introduction; put yourself in your readers position.
2)

Background Information of the Topic

Brief background information of your topic is necessary. It could be possible that

the reader may not have any experience with some of the material you have
provided in your research report. So you need to give it to him or her.
3)

Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem is the focal point of the research. A problem does
not necessarily mean that something is seriously wrong with current situation
that needs to be rectified immediately. A problem could simply indicate an
interest in an issue where finding the right answers might help to improve an
existing situation. Thus, it is fruitful to define a problem in a situation where a
gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal states. The statement of
problem should be brief, concise, and very specific statement not more than 5 6
sentences in a paragraph.

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4)

Objectives of the Study

Objectives are statements of specific actions needed to accomplish the purpose.

Enough objectives should be included to achieve the purpose, but objectives not
required to achieve the purpose should be omitted. This purpose statement or
paragraph explains what the study intends to find. The purpose of the study
might be to:

Overcome the difficulty

Understand the causes or effects

Provide a new interpretation

Understand what makes successful or unsuccessful

5)

Significance of the Study

This section creates a perspective for looking at the problem. It points out how
study relates to the larger issue and uses a persuasive rationale to justify the
reason for the study. It makes the purpose worthwhile. The significance of the
study may be:

Why is your study important?

To whom is it important?

What benefits will occur if your study is done?

6)

Research Question

The research question must be stated in such a way that these are testable and
answerable. Usually a descriptive research may try to find answers to questions
rather than test hypothesis.

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CHAPTER 2
Literature Review

A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature

related to your selected area of study. The review should describe, summarise,
evaluate and clarify this literature. It should give a theoretical base for the
research and help you (the researcher) determine the nature of your research.
The purpose of a literature review is for you to take a critical look at the literature
(facts and views) that already exists in the area you are researching. A literature
review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited
scholars and researchers. The purpose of literature review is to convey to the
readers what knowledge and ideas have already been established on the topic,
and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature
review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the
problem or issue you are discussing or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a
descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries.

A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually
has an organized pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A
summary is a recap of important information of the area, but a synthesis is a reorganization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new
interpretation to old material or combine new and old interpretations, or it might
trace the intellectual progression in the field, including major debates.
Depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and
advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant, aspects.

A literature review is a summary of previous research on a topic. Literature

reviews can be either a part of a large report of a research project, a thesis or a
bibliographic essay that is published separately in a scholarly journal. Some
questions to think about as you develop your literature review:

What is known about the subject?

Are there any gaps in the knowledge of the subject?

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Have areas of further study been identified by other researchers that you
may want to consider?

What methods or problems were identified by others studying in the field

and how might they impact your research?

What is the most productive methodology for your research based on the
literature you have reviewed?

What is the current status of research in this area?

What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to

you?

Besides enlarging your knowledge about the topic, writing a literature review
lets you gain and demonstrate skills in two areas:
1.

Information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using

manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and
books

2.

Critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify

unbiased and valid studies.

A crucial element of all research degrees is the review of relevant literature.

There are good reasons for spending time and effort on a review of the literature
before embarking on a research project. These reasons include:
To identify gaps in the literature
To avoid reinventing the wheel (this will save time and will stop you from
making the same mistakes as others)
To carry on from where others have already reached (reviewing the field
allows you to build on the platform of existing knowledge and ideas)
To increase breadth of knowledge of your subject area
To provide the intellectual context for your own work, enabling you to
position your project relative to other work
To demonstrate that you can access previous work in an area
To identify information and ideas that may be relevant to your project

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A good Literature Review

A literature review must do the following:
a. It should organized around and related directly to the project/thesis or
research question you are developing
b. Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
c. Identify areas of controversy in the literature
d. Formulate questions that need further research/project
The literature review develops a relationship between academics and your
research. Your task must be to show how the academic literature sheds light on
your topic. The purpose of the literature review is to refine the statement of the
research problem or question, not to offer a tutorial on the topic. Do not repeat
large passages from a text.
Final Note
A literature review is a piece of discursive prose, not a list describing or
summarizing one piece of literature after another. Its usually a bad sign to see
every paragraph beginning with the name of a researcher. Instead, organize the
literature review into sections that present themes or identify trends, including
relevant theory. You are not trying to list all the material published, but to
synthesize and evaluate it according to the guiding concept of your
project/thesis or research question.
A sample of a portion of literature Review is given in the box below:

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Review of Related Literature:

Research Problem: Impact of Role Conflict, Role Ambiguity, and Supervisory

Support on Turnover Intentions

Role conflict can be defined as when the priorities of systems are conflicting with each
other in a role this is called role conflict (Katz and Kahn, 1978). In earlier researches role
conflict was found as one of the major component of job related stress. Role conflict is one
of the major components of job related stress (Jackson and schuler, 1985). As described
earlier job stressors have different impact upon variety of organizations and multiple
occupational structures. Differed results are found while examining two different
occupational study regarding stressors, (Lakshmi, Shanker, Paul, 1999). Role conflict
negatively influence in-role performance and job satisfaction, which further negatively
influence turnover intentions (Scott B. Mackanzie, Philip M. Podsakoff, 1998). Studies
show that role conflict also has positive impact on job performance depending upon the
nature of occupation and organization (Barry et al., 1996).
Most of the organizations now a day have great concern with the area of job stress. The
impact of factors creating job stress differs from organization to organization and sector
to sector. There are two main components of job related stress i.e. conflicting work
responsibilities and ambiguous work (Jackson and Schuler, 1985). Role ambiguity has
been a focused concern for the researchers while studying work related stress. Studies
have shown that increased role ambiguity influence job performance negatively (Barry J.
Babin, James, 1996). Role conflict (RC) and Role ambiguity (RA) had been influencing
nagatively in different occupational structures in various organization (Michaels et al.,
1987). Previous researches had been continuously examining the relationship of Role
ambiguity and Job performance in different occupations and different organizations.
Improved job outcomes can be attained by decreasing the ambiguities of an employee
about his work responsibilities. An obvious negative relationship has been found in
previous researches. (Fried, Rowled, and Ferris, 1984).
The current model explains the impact of job performance on turnover intentions is
negative. There are number of researches which significantly justify this impact and
support it. In various researches the relationship of job performance with job satisfaction
of workforce and its turnover intentions were examined. Previous researches show that
job performance and job satisfaction both are important variables which influence the
turnover intentions directly and indirectly. Job performance has a positive relationship
with job satisfaction of employees (Rose and Boles, 1994). A positive relationship between
job performance and job satisfaction is found (Babin and Boles, 1998). Recently a positive
influence of job performance on job satisfaction was evidenced (Netemeyerat. El, 2004).
All these previous studies show a positive relationship of job performance and job
satisfaction. On the other hand job satisfaction has a negative relationship with turnover
intentions. Relevant prior researches empirically evidenced this relationship. As
hypothesized by (Mackanzie, Podsakoff, 1998) that job satisfaction is directly related to
turnover intention and there is a strong negative influence of job satisfaction on turnover
of employees. Role performance influences turnover intentions negatively (Scott B.
Mackanzie, Philip M. Podsakoff, 1998) Job satisfaction has a strong positive impact on
organizational commitment with a significant negative impact of organizational
commitment on turnover intentions (Charles H. Schwepker Jr., 1999). Job performance
has significant negative impact on turnover intentions indirectly through affective
organizational commitment (Osman M. Karatape, 2005). After reviewing all these
20

researches it is evidenced that job performance has a negative impact on turnover

intentions.
Organizations experience that job stress creates higher turnover rate in all sectors.
Literature from previous researches shows that banking sector has no exception.
According to Barry J. Babin, (1996) Supervisors support helps the employees to reduce
the role conflict and role ambiguity by enhanced interaction of employees and supervisory
staff. Supervisory support influences job satisfaction positively, which ultimately results
in less turnover intentions of employees (Osman M. Karatape, 2005). The extent to
which supervisory staff supports employees; the effects on job performance of workers will
be seen (Barry J. Babin, James, 1996). Supervisory Support is a main resource that helps
employees in coping with increased job stress and decreased Job Satisfaction, which leads
to high turnover intentions. The researchers have shown great concern with the impact of
supervisory support on job satisfaction and intention to leave. Supervisory support at
workplace increases job satisfaction (Sergeant and Frenkl, 2000) and decreases Turnover
Intentions (Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux, and Brinley, 2005).

Theoretical Framework
Theoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is
based. It is logically developed, described and elaborated network of associations
among the variables relevant to the problem situation.
The purpose of the theoretical framework is to demonstrate the researchers
knowledge and expertise in the chosen field of research, concentrating on the
research problem. Although the study may be based on other researchers work
and publications, the relevant message has to be the authors own
interpretation.
The theoretical framework should contain the relevant information on the chosen
field of research, based on a study of the theoretical basis of the topic. The more
you are able to introduce new and novel viewpoints and critically evaluate their
relevance, the greater the merit of the work. New ideas and interpretations
ensure that the authors own voice can be heard.
One way to construct the theoretical section is to work your way up from
existing studies to your own research problem. Then, at the end of the chapter,
you should put forward more comprehensive reasoning for your own choices,
thus gaining more credibility and strength for your interpretation from the
theoretical discourse of others. If the thesis introduces new research methods, or
uses less-known existing methods, these are introduced separately, either
21

directly after the theoretical framework or under a new sub-heading. A sample

theoretical frame work for reference is given below:
Research Problem: Turnover Intentions

Independent

Mediating

Dependents

Role Conflict

Role
Ambiguity

Job Performance

Turnover Intentions

Supervisory
Support

Hypothesis of the study:

Following are the hypotheses upon the basis of relationship of different variables
of the study.
H1. Role conflict has negative impact on job performance.
H2. Role ambiguity has negative impact on job performance.
H3. Employees job performance has negative impact on turnover intentions.
H1. Supervisory support has positive impact on job performance.

Research Hypothesis
According to Leedey and Ormond (2001) A hypothesis is a logical supposition,
a reasonable guess, an educated conjecture. It provides a tentative explanation
for a phenomenon under investigation. However, hypotheses are not unique to
research. Hypotheses are constantly generated in the human mind as we work to
understand day-to-day phenomena. By formulating a series of reasonable
guesses of cause and effect we are able to understand and explore the events in
our surrounding environment.

22

The hypothesis is formulated after observation and the review of preliminary

data prior to the execution of the study. The hypothesis logically follows the
review and it is based on the implications of previous research as it precedes the
study procedure because the entire study is determined by the hypothesis
(including: subject, instruments, design, procedure, analysis and conclusions).
The hypothesis should be logical and testable. Hypotheses are essential for
experimental

studies,

for

co-relational

studies

and

for

studies

determining/measuring the impact of one or more variables on other variables.

How to Write a Hypothesis
One of the crucial parts of designing and writing up any research paper is how to
write a hypothesis.
In fact, it is not as difficult as it looks, and if you have followed the steps of the
scientific process and found an area of research and potential research problem,
then you may already have a few ideas. It is just about making sure that you are
asking the right questions and generating your hypothesis statements correctly.
A research hypothesis is a testable statement of opinion. It is created from the
research question by replacing the words "Is there" with the words "There is",
and also replacing the question mark with a period. The hypotheses for the three
sample research questions would be as follows:

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A sample of Research Questions, Hypothesis and Null

Hypothesis are as follow:
Questions
1. Is there a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers
and their attitudes towards the revised advertising budget?
2. Is there a significant relationship between perceived need for the new
product and the price that customers would be willing to pay for it?
3. Is there a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims
residents with respect to what they feel are the most important problems
facing the community?

Hypotheses
1. There is a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers
and their attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.
2. There is a significant relationship between perceived need for the new
product and the price that customers would be willing to pay for it.
3. There is a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims
residents with respect to what they feel are the most important problems
facing the community.
It is not possible to test a hypothesis directly. Instead, you must turn the
hypothesis into a null hypothesis. The null hypothesis is created from the
hypothesis by adding the words "no" or "not" to the statement. For example, the
null hypotheses for the three examples would be:

Null Hypotheses
1. There is no significant relationship between the corporate level of managers
and their attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.
2. There is no significant relationship between perceived need for the new
product and the price that customers would be willing to pay for it.
3. There is no significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims
residents with respect to what they feel are the most important problems
facing the community.

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CHAPTER 3
1)

Research Methodology

This chapter describes the basic research plan. It indicates the practical way in
which the whole research study/project has been organized. You have to
describe clearly what method will be used during your study for example
documentary research, face to face interviews, and questionnaire. The nature of
the study whether it is exploratory, descriptive and types of the research i.e.
survey, comparative or a case study must be stated.

The research methodology must be appropriate to the research question. You

need to explain why your chosen method is suitable for your research. At the
proposal stage well selected and clearly justified methodology should be
provided.
2)

Research Design

Research design provides the glue that holds the research project together. A
design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the
research project - the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and
methods of assignment - work together to address the central research questions.
The term Research Design is often used to refer to the pragmatic aspects of the
way the research was conducted. The researcher needs to explain these matters
to the readers. How you plan to carry out the study should be thoroughly
described. Who will be involved, especially the sample and population and
sampling techniques should be clearly stated.
3)

Population

It is incumbent on the research to clearly define the target population. Population

refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest that the
researcher wishes to investigate. Most research in education and social sciences
involves the collection of data from human beings. The total numbers of
individuals to whom the results of the research are intended to apply constitute

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the research population. It is important to describe clearly and to explain the

nature of the population.

4)

Sampling Technique

Sampling is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the

population. There are two major types of sampling design: Probability and NonProbability. Probability sampling includes random sampling, stratified
sampling, multi-stage sampling while non-probability sampling includes
convenient and judgemental sampling. The researcher must give the exact
technique which is used for selection of sample.
5)

Sampling Size

A sample is a sub-set of population; it comprises some numbers selected from it.

There are no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and
judgement. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the
population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which
it is drawn.

It is not possible to collect the data from all individuals of

population for the researcher that is why he/she selects a sample size from the
population which might consist of 100, 150 or 200 etc numbers/elements from
the population.
6)

Concerns in Statistical Sampling

Representativeness
This is the primary concern in statistical sampling. The sample obtained from the
population must be representative of the same population. This can be
accomplished by using randomized statistical sampling techniques or probability
sampling like cluster sampling and stratified sampling. The reason behind
representativeness being the primary concern in statistical sampling is that it
allows the researcher to draw conclusions for the entire population. If the sample
is not representative of the population, conclusions cannot be drawn since the
results that the researcher obtained from the sample will be different from the
results if the entire population is to be tested.

26

Practicability
Practicability of statistical sampling techniques allows the researchers to estimate
the possible number of subjects that can be included in the sample, the type of
sampling technique, the duration of the study, the number of materials, ethical
concerns, availability of the subjects/samples, the need for the study and the
amount of workforce that the study demands. All these factors contribute to the
decisions of the researcher regarding to the study design.
Sampling Risks
There are two types of sampling risks, first is the risk of incorrect acceptance of
the research hypothesis and the second is the risk for incorrect rejection. These
risks pertain to the possibility that when a test is conducted to a sample, the
results and conclusions may be different from the results and conclusions when
the test is conducted to the entire population.
The risk of incorrect acceptance pertains to the risk that the sample can yield a
conclusion that supports a theory about the population when it is actually not
existent in the population. On the other hand, the risk of incorrect rejection
pertains to the risk that the sample can yield a conclusion that rejects a theory
about the population when in fact, the theory holds true in the population.
Comparing the two types of risks, researchers fear the risk of incorrect rejection
more than the risk of incorrect acceptance. Consider this example; an
experimental drug was tested for its debilitating side effects. With the risk of
incorrect acceptance, the researcher will conclude that the drug indeed has
negative side effects but the truth is that it doesnt. The entire population will
then abstain from taking the drug. But with the risk of incorrect rejection, the
researcher will conclude that the drug has no negative side effects. The entire
population will then take the drug knowing that it has no side effects but all of
them will then suffer the consequences of the mistake of the researcher.
7)

Research Tools/Instruments

Once you have selected a topic, you must clearly define the research tools. It
helps if you actually state your topic idea. Research tools are basically
instruments used for collecting the required information from the sampled
population. These instruments include questionnaire, interview, observation,
27

check list and sometimes documents. Students are required to clearly mention
the scales used for the development of questionnaire in research report proposal.
8)

Data Collection

Data collection is a term used to describe a process of preparing and collecting

business. A formal data collection process is necessary as it ensures that data
gathered is both defined and accurate and that subsequent decisions based on
arguments embodied in the findings are valid.
Data Collection Tools & Techniques
Administering written questionnaires
A written questionnaire (also referred to as self-administered questionnaire) is a data
collection tool in which written questions are presented that are to be answered by the
respondents in written form.

A written questionnaire can be administered in different ways, such as by:

Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer

the questions and asking for mailed responses;

Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving
oral or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the
questionnaires; or

Hand-delivering questionnaires to respondents and collecting them later.

The questions can be either open-ended or closed (with pre-categorised

answers).
Types of questionnaire:
There are several types of questionnaire and each is designed to explore different
aspects or elicit different responses. Some of the more common include:
1. Dichotomous Multiple choice
2. Importance

28

3. Bipolar
4. Likert
5. Rating scale 1 - 5
6. Buying propensity

These can be used in any combination as long as the questionnaire is not too long
and it is focussed. In the fictitious examples below the data is merely illustrative.
Dichotomous
This is a fairly typical basic type of question, not too intrusive and merely asks
you to answer yes or no. As such it cannot assess the degree of feelings in
between the poles:

Do you have a salary bank Account with National Bank?

Yes
Yes

No

Multiple choices
This is a question offering three or more answers - and allows a greater breadth
of response.
How did you first hear about Banks web site services?
1.
1

2.
3.
44.

5.
6.

Television
Radio
Newspaper
Magazine
Internet
Other: Please Specify _______________

29

Importance
In this type of question the respondent is asked to rate the importance of an issue
to them on a scale of 1 to 5

Having another branch of National Bank in my Town

1
Extremely
Important

33

Very
Important

Somewhat
Important

Not very
Important

Not at all
Important

Bipolar
The question asks for a response to be marked between two opposite ends of the
scale:
How would you describe the local branch of National Bank:
Conveniently _____
Friendly

_____

_____

_____

_____

Service Oriented
Efficient

Inconveniently
Unfriendly
Unhelpful
Inefficient

Likert
This question examines how strongly the respondent agrees with a statement
and can help assess the feelings of customers towards issues.
Development Financial Institutions generally give better services than banks?
Strongly
Agreed
1

Agree

Neither agree
nor disagree
3

Disagree
Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

44

Rating scale
This question type rates the replies in terms of a scale from e.g. poor to first class.
As with all these types of questions it is sometimes necessary to have an even
30

number of boxes. To avoid the middle of the road response, commonly taken by
those trying to avoid making a stand.

How would you rate the services of your local branch of national bank?
First Class

Good
Good

22

Fair

Poor

Very Poor

Buying propensity
This type of question is trying to elicit a customer's future intentions by asking
whether they might buy a product and can help assess the needs and likely take
up of a new product if developed.
Care needs to be taken with these questions as they may reflect wants rather than
needs!

If National Bank of Pakistan offers credit card facility, would you be more likely to avail it?
Definitely

Probably
Probably

22

Be unsure

Probably Not

Definitely Not

All of the above are quantitative type questions. What they ask is for a response
within pre-defined parameters that allows input into spreadsheets and hard
analysis. Although this facilitates the input into data analysis sheets and
subsequent number crunching - the respondent is not allowed to say what they
think. They can only answer the question by marking the pre-designated boxes.
Qualitative questions can allow more freedom for answers but are much harder
to analyze as each respondent will use his/her own words. Often the question
will be couched along the lines of:
31

Describe in your own words your opinion of National Banks local branch.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

This has the advantage that the respondent can say what s/he likes, which can
yield very interesting information that might not have been thought of at design
phase; but on the other side, that s/he can also respond in an unlimited and often
unconstructive manner, making analysis much harder. Whichever question types
are used they must always be designed with the express intention of:
1.

inconveniencing the customer/respondents as little as possible;

2.

being aimed at an homogeneous segment; and

3.

Having been designed to elicit specific information that supports

your marketing initiative.

32

CHAPTER 4
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Data analysis can be descriptive, graphic and statistical. Often a combination of
all three forms is used. The analysis portion of the research report should be
described in detail. Each question requires its own analysis. Each question
should be answered using above mentioned methods of analysis. Different
techniques are used to analyze the data depending on the objectives of research
and research problem. The researcher must describe the technique or software
which he/she has used for data analysis.

Results of your research must be presented clearly and concisely. Tables and
figures should be correctly presented. Results must be discussed in terms of your
research topic and objectives. There should be a relationship between results,
problem statement, literature review and your research objective.

33

CHAPTER 5
Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations
At the beginning of this chapter the purpose, objectives, questions, or hypotheses
must be presented in this form of a summary of the research study limitations
that might have hindered or restricted the researcher. The conclusions are your
interpretations of the meanings of the findings based on the data and their
relationships to the literature, the problem, and the solution of the problem.
Avoid to present recommendations based on your own beliefs and biases that
are not supported by your data. Recommendations must be based on the data
analysis and must be compatible with the objectives of the study. There are two
types of recommendations; first are the recommendations related to the study,
second are the recommendations for other researchers.
Limitations (Delimit your research scope)
The investigator states the restrictions and limitations which he imposes on his
study. It is a statement of the limit or scope of investigation. The statement will
provide information concerning who, what, where and how many. It will
determine the boundaries of the research in hand.
This delimitation will mention the geographical limits of the study i.e. whether
the study will be covering a single town, a district, a region, a state or a country.
It will specify the time limits of the study i.e. whether the study will be spread
over a few days, a few months, a year or a number of years. It will have to
specify the type of institution to be covered. Recognition of the limitation of the
study helps to focus attention on pertinent objectives and helps to minimize the
danger of oversimplification.
The scope, limitations of the research must clearly be mentioned in the proposal
as well as in the Research report so that the other researcher might design their
research in the same work setting might prevent their research from duplication
of results. The depth of understanding regarding the groups must be clear;
additionally the limitations of your data gathering tool which you have used
must also be discussed in this section of your report. Describe the boundaries of
the study that you determine. Delimitations define the parameters of the
34

investigation. In academic research the delimitations will frequently deal with

such items as population/sample, treatment(s), setting, and instrumentation.
A sample of this section is given below for you guidance:

Limitations
1. Delimitations define the parameters of the investigation. In business research the
delimitations will frequently deal with such items as population/sample,
treatment(s), setting, and instrumentation. For example, the study may focus on
employee in only one category or measure aptitude using only a group
intelligence test. External validity deals with the extent to which the results of a
study can be generalized to different subjects, settings, experimenters, and so on;
the study has external validity. However, there are many threats to external
validity which cause the results of a study to be specific to some limited group of
people and/or set of conditions. These threats are
(a) Those dealing with generalizations to populations (What population of subjects
can be expected to behave in the same way as did the sample subjects?), and
(b) Those dealing with the "environment" of the work (Under what conditions, i.e.,
settings, treatments, experimenters, dependent variables, and so on, can the same
results be expected?).
2. The limitations set forth reservations, qualifications, or weaknesses inherent in the
design. Generally, these will reflect anticipated inadequacies in regard to internal
validity of results. A study has internal validity if the confounding variables have
been converted to either controlled or randomized variables and if the research is
designed in such a way that it is possible to estimate the size of the random
variation so that the "experimental" variation may be compared to it for
significance. The goal is to recognize inherent threats to internal validity in the
work setting.
3. No data collection tool can give perfect and quality data for research because of its
inherent limitations and due to the poor response of some respondents therefore
this is also a threat for external validity of results.
4. Because the limitations of a study cannot be fully specified until the research is
completed, therefore the apparent delimitations and/or limitations are given
regarding the population/sample, treatments, setting, and instrumentation.

35

References:
Students make a great mistake in referencing. The uniformity of referencing style
in a single draft of research report is always ignored by the students. It is
therefore strongly recommended all over the world to use APA referencing style
for all the references use in your text and in bibliography. A detailed guide has
been given in Appendix of this research manual for students guidance.
Plagiarism
In case of project report is found to be a plagiarized (it happens if you copy
somebody elses work instead of doing your own) version of another project
report, research work/text, etc. Published or unpublished, students candidature
shall be cancelled and s/he shall be debarred forever from admission to any of
the University. In case of the plagiarism is proved after the award of the degree,
the degree shall be cancel/withdrawn. HEC Plagiarism policy is given below;

36

HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISION

PLAGIARISM POLICY
Preamble
Higher Education Commission in its efforts to improve the quality, credibility
and recognition of research work in Pakistan has devised this policy of
plagiarism. The policy consists of two components. The first component deals
with the unethical and illegal replication of the efforts of other researchers. On
the other hand, it also proposes measures to guard against malicious and bogus
complaints to prevent victimization and prosecution of original researchers.
Definition and Explanation
Plagiarism is defined as taking and using the thoughts, writings and
inventions of another person as ones own (Concise Oxford Dictionary). Web
based encyclopedia (Wikipedia) explains that within academia, plagiarism by
students, professors or researchers is considered academic dishonesty or
academic fraud and offenders are subject to academic censure. For professors
and researchers, who are supposed to be role models for their students,
plagiarism is a very serious offence and is punishable by sanctions ranging from
suspension to termination along with the loss of credibility and integrity.
Different Forms of Plagiarism
Verbatim or near verbatim copying or purposely paraphrasing portions of
another authors papers or unpublished report without citing the exact reference.
Copying elements from others papers such as equations and illustrations.
Copying sentences without citing the source.
Verbatim copying from reports by citing but not clearly differentiating
what text has been copied or not citing the source correctly.
To unacknowledged use of computer programmes, mathematical
models/algorithms, computer software, macros, web pages, databases,
mathematical derivations and calculations, designs models and the like.
Self plagiarism by verbatim or near verbatim re-use of significant portions
of ones own work without citing the original source.

37

Aim of the policy

To raise awareness about plagiarism amongst students, teachers and researchers

and suggest means to avoid it. It also aims to discourage it by regulating and
authorizing punitive actions against those found guilty of the act.
Applicability

The policy is applicable to students, teachers, researchers and staff of all

institutions and organizations in Pakistan who are involved in writing or
publishing their work. Any person listing his CV on the website or any current
publication or applying for any benefit on the basis of published or presented
work that is plagiarized will be liable to be punished as per prescribed rules.
Responsibility of Institutions and Organisations

All institutions and organizations are responsible to apprise their students,

researchers and staff of the definition, implications and resulting punishments if
they are found guilty of plagiarism. Any University or Degree Awarding
Institution which does not adopt and implement this policy will have its degree
derecognized by HEC.
Reporting
Alleged complaints about plagiarism can be made to HEC Quality Assurance
Division or respective University/Organizations by emailing, post, fax or other
means. Following information needs to be provided:
Complete reference of the plagiarized and allegedly plagiarized paper.
Name, designation, address, email address and telephone number of the
complainant.
Investigation and Implementation
The complaints received through HEC or directly by a University will be dealt
with according to the procedure given below. The head of the University will
have discretion of not taking any action on anonymous complaints.
38

The Vice Chancellor/Rector/Head of Organization will have an obligation to:

a) Constitute a Plagiarism Standing Committee consisting of 3 senior faculty
members, a subject specialist, a senior student (only if a student is being
investigated) and a nominee of the HEC.
b) Provide the committee HECs guideline for functioning, clear terms of
reference and every opportunity to use all foreseeable means to
investigate the claim.
c) The members of the committee are to sign confidentiality statement about
the whole process of investigation.
d) Provide opportunity to the author/authors under investigation and the
complainant to justify their positions.

The Plagiarism Standing Committee after finishing their investigations

according to the HECs provided terms will submit its report with clear cut
findings and recommendations. The Vice Chancellor will have the discretion to
implement the recommendations after approval through the statutory process.
Plagiarism Penalties for Teachers, Researchers and Staff
Depending upon the seriousness of the offence the committee will advise the
competent authority to take one or a combination of the following disciplinary
actions against the offender:
Major Penalty
In severe cases where most of the paper or key results have been exactly copied
without giving the reference to the original work then a major penalty of;
a) Dismissal from service need to be prescribed along with
b) The offender may be black listed and may not be eligible for employment in
any academic/research organization and
c) The notification of black listed may be publicized in print media or different
websites at the discretion of Vice Chancellor.
Moderate Penalty
In case where some paragraphs including some key results have been copied, a
moderate penalty of a) demotion to next lower grade, b) black listing of the
guilty may be published at the discretion of the Vice Chancellor.
Minor Penalty
If only few paragraphs have been copied from an external source without giving
reference to that work, a minor penalty of a) warning, b) freezing of all research
grants for a specified period, c) promotions/annual increments may be stopped,
d) HEC or the University may debar the offender from sponsorship of research
funding, travel grant, supervision of Ph.D. students, scholarships, fellowship or
39

any other funded program for a period deemed appropriate by the Plagiarism
Standing Committee.
Plagiarism Penalties for students
In case a student is found guilty of the offence, the Plagiarism Standing
Committee depending upon the seriousness of the proven offence will advise
the Vice Chancellor to take anyone or a combination of following disciplinary
action(s):
i. In the case of thesis the responsibility of thesis will be of the student and
not of the supervisor or members of the Supervisory Committee.
ii. The offender may be expelled/rusticated from the University.
iii. The offender relegated to a lower class, given a failure grade, fined
deemed appropriate or warned in writing if it is a minor offence
committed first time.
iv. The degree of the student may be withdrawn if at any time it is proven
that he or she presented plagiarized work in his/her Masters, M. Phil
or PhD dissertation.
v. Any Co-Author listing a paper in his/her resume and applied for a
benefit will be equally responsible for any plagiarism committed.

40

Size of the Final Project Report

The research reports vary considerably for example a research report based on
qualitative data may require longer data presentation and analysis rather than
research report based on quantitative data. The length of the research project
report shall not be less than 18,000 20, 000 words.
Arrangement/ Contents of Final Project Report
The final project report should be submitted in spiral and the sequence /
arrangement of the report is as follow:
Title Page (Appendix A)
Attestation of authorship (Appendix C)
Declaration (Student) (Appendix D)
Abstract
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of Tables
1)

Chapter 1 (Introduction)
1.1
Introduction
1.2
Background of Study
1.3
Statement of the Problem
1.4
Objectives
1.5
Significance of the Study
1.6
Research Question

2)

Chapter 2 (Review of Literature) (Appendix B)

2.1
Sections based Literature giving the rationale in thematic or
chronological order
2.2
Theoretical Framework
2.3
Hypotheses

3)

Chapter 3 (Research Methodology)

3.1
Research Design
3.2
Population
3.3
Sampling Technique/Procedures
3.4
Sampling Size
3.5
Research Instrument /Tools
3.6
Data Collection

41

4)

Chapter 4 (Data Analysis and Interpretation)

4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

5)

Demographic data and return percentages

Tables summarizing data
Figures, graphs, and charts pictorially depicting data
Narrative describing most important findings

Chapter 5 (Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations)

5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4

Summary of findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
Limitations and Future Research

Bibliography (Appendix E & F)

Supplementary Material
Appendices

42

Title Page
Title page must have the research topic, name of the researcher, roll number,
registration number, submitted to, month and year on which s/he submitted the
draft of synopsis and final project report, and address (student) must be written.
See Appendix A.
Abstract
The abstract is the most crucial part of the report because anybody searching for
your research on a database or in a journal will usually read only the abstract.
Therefore, it must summarize your research, results and conclusions in less than
200 words.
Sometimes it is good to think of it as a sample of your research rather than a
review; it should inform the researcher that your article contains the information
they need. There are a few ideas on how to write your abstract but the best
advice is that you look at some journals relevant to your research and try to
format your abstract in a similar way. See appendix G.
Acknowledgement
It should be brief and must not exceed one page.
Table of Contents
This section and is merely a breakdown of sections and subsections by page
number. For a short and straightforward paper it may not be necessary to
include a contents page. But this is mandatory for a research report.
Provide list of all the chapters and subchapters of your research report. Use of
application software (MS Word) can make this very easy for you and the reader
of the research report. Please give roman numbers to preliminary pages and
chapter 1 would be the page no.1.
See appendix H.
List of Tables
The list of tables along with page numbers should exactly the same captions as
they appear in the text, so, that the reader of the report can find easily.
43

List of Figures
This list should also use exactly the same captions as they appear in the text, also
mention page numbers.
List of Symbols, Abbreviations or Nomenclature (Optional)
One and half spacing should be adopted for typing the matter under this
heading. Standard symbols, abbreviations etc should be used.
CHAPTERS
Each chapter should be given an appropriate title, and the chapter number and
chapter name should be in CAPS, Bold with 16 Font. Tables and figures in a
chapter should be placed accordingly.
Appendices
Most reports have at least one appendix section to allow you to include data,
figures and calculations without breaking the flow of the main body of the
report. Most researchers reading your report will not be too interested in the
exact details, only the results. The appendix, however, allows somebody
interested in your results to check your research more thoroughly. Appendices
should be numbered e.g. Appendix A, B, and C etc. List of appendices may be
provided after list of figures.
Drafts and Checking
Sometimes, when you think that you have finished your report, it is a good idea
to ask another person to read through it for you and pick out the obvious
mistakes. They can give you input on your research paper format and it is also
very easy to miss your own mistakes so an independent review is useful. After
this process you can finalize your first draft of the report.
Grammar and Spelling
Even though you are writing scientific reports, it is essential to the research
paper format that your grammar and spelling are correct and readable. If your
report is poorly written, people will tend to assume that your research is also
poor and you are giving the assessor an easy excuse to give you a lower grade.
44

Spell-checkers are good for an initial check on your language use but they are not
powerful enough to pick up every mistake. If you are not confident enough
about your language skills to write a good report, "bribe" or pay somebody more
skilled to edit it for you, when you've finished your paper. Most students
studying English or other languages are only too happy to have the chance to
earn a little money on the side.
Graphs
Graphs are one of the easiest ways to display your results and findings in an easy
to understand format. Any graphs should take up a full page and be numbered
as diagrams 1, 2 etc. They should be referred to by these descriptions in the body
of the text. Graphs are not essential to the research paper format, but help you
present your main points. Where relevant, graphs should include any error bars
so that anybody reading your report can quickly see the degrees of significance
of your results. If you don't know what an error bar is, don't worry about this.
Graphs are best kept as simple as possible and, in the computer age, should be
drawn with one of the many software programs available.
You should not lose credit for using traditional pen and paper, but most
universities and schools will teach you how to utilize computer spreadsheet
applications and the saving in time and effort is worthwhile.

45

Format of the Project Report

Format and Style
You will be required to abide by the following format and style as specified by
the Department.

Font

Chapter Headings
16Bold CAPS
Headings
14 Bold CAPS
Sub-headings
14 Bold Normal
(Do not italicize or underline the headings and sub-headings)
Text
12
Paper quality
offset paper 90 grams
Paper size
A4 213mm x 275mm
Spacing
Double
Paragraphing
Indented or justified and double space
between paragraphs
Binding
- Evaluation Copy
Spiral binding
- Final Copy
Hardbound covered with cloth
- Colour of binding
Dark Black or Navy Blue
- Spine
To contain students name, title of the
Project, level and year

Citation Manual

Margins

Times New Roman

APA (Appendix E)
Harvard (Appendix F)
Left
1
3.8 cm
Right
1
2.5 cm
Top
1
3.2 cm
Bottom 1
2.5 cm

46

Appendix - A
TITLE
Font:
Size:

Times New Roman

TOPIC
STUDENTS NAME
Name of the Dept.
Name of the University

Spine

Name Title of the Project report

- level
- Year

5 cm
blank
space

24 bold CAPS
18 bold CAPS
16 bold
18 bold

TITLE OF THE
PROJECT
STUDENTS NAME
1

Department of _________

Allama Iqbal Open University

Year

1
The Inner title would be the same, plus:
i)
Statement of Submission:
Submission in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of
Commonwealth of Learning EMBA/EMPA at the Department of Business
Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University,
Islamabad.
ii)
Supervisors Name
(iii) Month, Year

47

Appendix - B
Font:

Times New Roman

Chapter Headings
16 bold CAPS
Headings
14 bold CAPS
Sub-headings
14 bold
Text
12
Alignment
Justified or Indented
Spacing
Double
Paraphrasing
Either indent or dont but consistent
(Do not italicize or underline the headings of sub-headings.)
Size:

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1

OVERVIEW

It is understood that information needs arise when an

individual finds himself in a problem situation, when he or she
no longer can manage with the knowledge that he or she
possess, (Talja 1992, P. 72). There are a lot of studies on mass
media or mass communication throughout the world done but
a few research studies conducted on news-seeking patterns
throughout the world, and especially in Pakistan.

The present study is significant not only for the newspapers

industries and readers, but it is also important for educational
point of view.

48

Appendix - C

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIIVERSITY

Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme for Executive

ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP
I,

Roll
Registration No.

No.____________________

A student of COL __________________

Program in Allama Iqbal Open University, solemnly declare that my Project

Report entitled

is my own work and that, to the

best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or

written by another person. This report is not submitted already and shall not be
submitted in future for obtaining a degree from same or another University or
Institution. If it is found to be copied/plagiarized at later stage of any student
enrolled in the same or any other university, I shall be liable to face legal action
before Unfair Mean committee (UMC), as per AIOU/HEC Rules and
Regulations, and I understand that if I am found guilty, my degree will be
cancelled.

Signature
Name:
Programme:

49

Appendix D

CERTIFICATE (from supervisor)

The project report entitled

at

COL Executive Master of Business Administration/ Public Administration

conducted by ____________________________ Roll No. _______________,
Registration No. _________________ Semester _________ has been completed
under my guidance and I am satisfied with the quality of students research
work.

Supervisor
_________________________
Name
Date: _________________

50

Appendix E

ABSTRACT
The researcher in this thesis intended to study the effects of advertisements on Consumers
behaviour and tried to identify the components in the advertisements that affect the
consumer behaviour.
Advertisements are messages that inform us about different things. We daily watch
numerous advertisements of consumer goods, places, services, hotels, books, food, clothes
etc. They provide the path to a company so that it can bring it offering into limelight.
Advertisement is everywhere in our daily life. When we pick newspaper we can see it there,
if we tune into a radio we can hear advertisement there, if we switch on the TV we can watch
the advertisement there as well. If we are on a drive we can notice huge billboards along the
road side. Ads are not just to glitter and glamour; they in fact carry intended messages,
which directly or indirectly work as persuasive communication.
In first chapter titled Introduction of Report shows the basic information about the project
such a background of the study, purpose of study, statement of the problem, research
question and delimitations.
The second chapter titled the Literature Review describes theories, historical background,
categories, functioning and types of advertising, also a brief introduction and history of
Proctor and Gamble (The Organization).
The third chapter includes research methodology, research design, sampling and data
collection.
The fourth chapter includes the data analysis and its interpretation.
The fifth chapter is composed of the findings, conclusions and recommendations.
At the end of the report bibliography and appendices are included.

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A sample Table of Contents is given as under:

Appendix F
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Abstract
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Certificate
Declaration

i.
ii
iii
iv
v
vi

CHAPTTER 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.3 HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF STUDY
1.4 CATEGORIES OF ADVERTISING
1.4.1 Immediate Action
1.4.2 Awareness
1.4.3 Image
CHAPTER-2
2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.2 ADVERTISEMENT
2.2.1 Paid Form
2.2.2 Non-Personal Presentation
2.2.3 Ideas, Goods, and Services
2.2.4 An Identified Sponsor
CHAPTER 3
1.1 POPULATION
1.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
1.3 SAMPLE SIZE
1.4 PROBLEM FACED
1.5 USES OF COMPUTER APPLICATION
CHAPTER 4
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETTATION
4.1 Demographic Information of Respondents
4.1.1 Gender of the Respondents
4.1.2 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Age of Respondents
4.1.3 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Qualification of
Respondents
CHAPTER 5
5.1 FINDINGS
5.2 CONCLUSION
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
Bibliography
Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B

1
2
2
2
2
4
8
9
10
11
17
20
24
39
51
52
53
56
58
60
75
76
77
78
79
87
93
94
95
99
102
105
107
108
109

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