Chapter Three

Developing Research Proposal

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 Meaning of Research Proposal

Research Proposal is:

A written description of a research plan that has not
been undertaken.
It is an overall structure to obtain answers to the
research questions or problems.
A research proposal is an outline, path or
demarcation of the specific area of research,
purpose, scope, methodology, overall organization
of the study and limitation of the study.
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 Cont...

Research Proposal is a detailed operational plan

for obtaining answers to your research questions.
 It ensures and reassures the reader of the

validity of the methodology for obtaining

answers to your research questions accurately
and objectively.

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 Cont..
Research proposal is comparable to a blue print
that the architect prepares before the building
commences.
N.B. The primary purposes of a research proposal
are:
 To gain authorization to carry out research in the
proposed field of study;
To solicit or request financial support for the
intended research work.
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 Functions of a Research Proposal

Three distinct features: description, blue print and a bond

or contract.
1.Description
A research proposal serves to describe a plan, and
procedures, to the interested parties:
– To the research advisor and the faculty
members who approve and consent to it;
– To the graduate committee who disburse funds,
– The academic community who might be
interested in your study.
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 Cont..
2. Blueprint
The research proposal serves as a blueprint for
action.
• The quality of a final report is based on a
systematic, consistent, unbiased and objective
pre-planned procedure.

• The acceptability of the report would be based

on the appropriate methods employed, and
sound interpretation of the observations.
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 Cont..
3.Bond or contract
A completed proposal approved for execution and
signed by all members of the sponsoring committee
constitutes a bond of agreement between the
parties (student and advisor(s)).

So, once the proposal is signed, it immediately

becomes a contract between the researcher and
the institution where the final report would be
submitted.
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 Cont…
To achieve these functions, a research proposal
must tell the researcher, research supervisor and
reviewers the following information about your
study:
• Introduction/ background of the problem;
• A statement of the problem and research questions;
• The objectives of the study;
• Hypotheses, if you are testing any;
• Research rationale/ significance of the study;
• Scope and limitation of the study;

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 Cont…

• Research methodology;

• Information on sampling design;

• Data collection instrument(s) you are gonna use;

• Analysis or processing procedures;

• Literature review ;

• A proposed time-frame/and budget plan

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 Cont…
Research proposal should convince your research
supervisor that your proposed methodology is
commendable(worthy), valid, appropriate and
workable;

The research proposal should also show that you

are familiar with the current literature in your
research area.
– This includes both theoretical and practical or
empirical literature. Theorization: means the
researcher must support his study with an
integrated set of relationships and concepts.
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 Qualities of a Standard Proposal
A proposal should explain, justify and report in a concise, simple and
coherent language what you are intending to do.
Explain
The most important thing here is to sell your plan of action; but,
unless the buyers understand what it is, they may not be ready to
consent. You should express yourself in a language and form that
can be understood and appreciated.
Justify
“What is the rational of doing this research, can you
substantiate?” Poorly described proposals are rejected.
Always bear in mind that you are presenting a proposal
to experienced people who have gone through so many
other proposals.
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 Cont..
Concise
The proposal should be to-the-point!

Coherent
1.The matter should flow logically from one point to
the next;
2.The proposal has to be coherent in the sense that
your reviewers can grasp what you intend to do in
the way you want them to understand.

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 Cont..

N.B. A)The preparation of a research proposal is a

prerequisite in the research process.

B) A research plan or proposal: is an essential

document that provides an inventory of what must

be done and which materials have to be collected;

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 The Research Proposal Format

Every organization or institution has its own preferred

format for research proposals. Whatever specific format
one might follow, the research protocol is generally
written according to the following format.
Components of Research Proposal
1. Introduction;
2. Statement of the problem and research questions;
3. Research objectives;
4. Research hypotheses, if any;
5. Research rationale/ significance of the study;
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 Cont…
6.Scope and limitation of the Study;

7.Research methodology;

8.Definition of terms;

9.The structure of the report;

10.Work Schedule/ Cost Breakdown;

11. Appendices.

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15
 1. Introduction
The proposal should start with an introduction which is a very
broad perspective of the main subject area, before gradually
narrowing the focus to the central problem under investigation.
It covers the following aspects of the study area
 An overview of the main area under study;
 A historical perspective (development, growth, etc.) pertinent
to the study area;
 Philosophical or ideological issues relating to the topic;
 Trends, if appropriate;
 Major theoretical and practical issues relating to the central
problem under study; and
 The main findings relating to the core issue(s).

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 Cont..
In writing this section, the literature review is of
central importance!!

N.B.: A researcher needs to go for reviewing

literature (articles) that provide(s) him/her with
information on methods and procedures other
people have used in similar situations and tells
you what does work and what does not.
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 2. Statement of the Research Problem and Research Questions

2.1. Statement of the Problem

Statement of the Research Problem establishes the
direction of the research.
The statement of the research problem:
Is a concise description of the nature of the problem;
Must present the essence of the study concisely.
Must provide overall purpose and clear formulation of
the key problem. This is done in light of related literature
and research.

N.B.: The statement of the problem is an expansion of the

title! 18
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What information should be included in the problem
statement?
1.A concise description of the nature of the problem (the
discrepancy between what is and what should be) and
of the severity of the problem;
2. An analysis of the major factors that may influence the
problem and a discussion of why certain factors need
more investigation if the problem is to be fully
understood.
3. A description of the type of information expected from
the project and how this information will be used to help
solve the problem.

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 2.2. Research Questions
Once a statement of the research problem is defined, the
next step is to pose the research question which forms the
basis of the inquiry.

A research question is that part of proposal which

depicts the variables of interest to the researcher.
Research questions can be derived from the
(specific) objectives of the research

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 Cont..

Example: Possible research questions on a study of

‘Capacity Building Linkages at the Community
Level’:
– What are the grassroots initiatives of
community based organizations?
– What are the decision making processes at the
community level?
– How are the linkages at the community level
important to the promotion of capacity
building?
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 3. Formulation of a Research Objective

A research objective is a goal to be achieved by a

research project.
Objectives inform a reader of what you want to achieve
through the study;
They are so essential that it is extremely important to
express them clearly and specifically.

The formulation of objectives will help you to:

• Focus the study (narrowing it down to essentials);
• Avoid the collection of unnecessary data; and
• Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases.
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 What are the characteristics of good objectives?
Objectives should be:
Logical;
Feasible;
Realistic, considering local conditions;
Defined in operational terms that can be measured;
How should objectives be stated?
 Objectives should be stated using “action verbs” that
are specific enough to be measured:
Examples: To determine …, To compare…, To verify…, To
calculate…, To describe…, etc.
N.B: Do not use vague non-action verbs such as: To
appreciate … To understand… To believe.. To know…
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 Types of Research Objectives
Research objectives are classified into general objectives
and specific objectives.

The General Objective:

 It is important to ascertain that the general objective is
closely related to the statement of the problem.
The general objective:
 identifies in general terms what is to be accomplished by
the research project;
 is also a statement of the main goals that you seek to
discover.

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 Specific Objectives
The specific research objectives:

• identify in greater detail the specific aims of the

research project,

• are smaller breaking downs of the general

objectives;

• are, often times, numerically listed.

• should be worded clearly and unambiguously.

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 Cont..

N.B: i. Make sure that each objective contains

only one aspect of the study.

ii. Use action-oriented words or verbs when

writing your objectives. Start as ‘To determine’,
To find out..’, ‘To measure..’, ‘To explore..’, etc.

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 4. Development of Research Hypotheses
After extensive survey of the literature, researchers
should state in clear terms the working hypothesis or
hypotheses.
A hypothesis is
• is a statement depicting/ predicting the relationship
between two or more variables of interests, which
make up the center of the inquiry.
• Is a logical supposition, a reasonable guess, an
educated assumption.
The role of the hypothesis is to guide the researcher by
delimiting(demarcating) the area of research and keep
the researcher on the right track.
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 Approaches to develop a working hypothesis
The main approaches to develop a working hypothesis
(prior thinking) include:
• Discussion with colleagues and experts about the problem
• Review of similar studies;
• Exploratory personal investigation: Original field
interviews on a limited scale with interested parties and
individuals with a view to secure greater insight into the
practical aspects of the problem.
Problems in formulating a working hypothesis
Formulation of a hypothesis is not an easy task. The main
problems include:
• lack of clear theoretical framework;
• lack of ability to utilize that theoretical framework
logically;
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 Characteristics of Useable Hypothesis
There are some important criteria for judging the
hypothesis.
• The hypothesis must be conceptually clear, i.e. should be
stated in simple terms.
• The hypothesis should have empirical aspects;
• The hypothesis should be related to available techniques
– Theory and methods not opposed.
• The hypothesis should be related to a body of theory
– often research should be aimed at supporting,
reflecting or qualifying existing theories.

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 Cont…
• The hypothesis should be testable

– hypothesis should be formulated in such a way

that it is possible to verify it.

• The hypothesis should be limited in scope;

• The hypothesis should be amenable to testing within

a reasonable time;

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 Types of Research Hypothesis
There are two types of hypotheses commonly used in research,
namely
1. Alternative/ Directional Hypotheses and
2. Null Hypotheses.
The differences between the two hypotheses are
1. Alternative hypothesis
• when a hypothesis is stated in a positive form, it is termed as
an alternative hypothesis.
• is written in a directional statement indicating the kind of
relationship anticipated.
Example:
 Educated farmers are more likely adapted to new farming
technologies than illiterate farmers.
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 Cont..
2. Null Hypothesis
• is a negative form of the hypothesis;
• is a statement that the phenomenon has occurred
because of chance.

The null hypothesis is concept oriented and has no

direction
Example:
There is no relationship between computer literacy and
academic achievements of DMU graduates.
There is no significance difference between Kenya and
Indian farmers in respect of coffee production per acre.
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 5. Research Rationale/ Significance of the Study
This is where to answer the question ‘why’, such as:
• why project is being undertaken;
• why this particular research questions is important;

Study Projects need a theoretical rationale- a persuasive

justification of one’s subject or study problem should flow
out of a critical review of the literature!!!
For instance, one would write:
‘Such a study is very important because its outcome will
help policy makers in the formulation of new laws,
regarding minimum acceptable age for younger children
to be admitted into public schools’.
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 Cont..

Significance of the Study indicates the

anticipated contributions of the study to
theoretical or practical knowledge.

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 6. Scope of the Study

Scope is a parameter in research which establishes

the boundary, exceptions, and reservations
inherent in the study.
Scope is used to address how the study will be
narrowed in coverage/ span/ extent.
Example:
• Research Topic: “The Impact of High School Result
on the University GPA.”
– Scope: The study will focus on Third Year Accounting Students
in DMU.

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 Limitation
Limitations are used to identify weaknesses of the
study.
In your opinion, the study design you did choose
may not be the best; but you might have had to
adopt it for a number of reasons. This is classified
as a limitation of the study.
This may also hold true for sampling or
measurement procedures. Such limitations should
be communicated to readers.
• Other Limitations: time, budget, data, knowledge
constraints.
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 7. Research Methodology
7.1. Sampling Design
For every research topic, a major decision must be made as
to whether it is necessary to sample or not.
If you decide that sampling is necessary, then, you have to
choose the best sample for your research purpose.
Under this section of the proposal include the following:
• The size of the sampling population (if known);
• The size of the sample you are planning to select, and
• An explanation of the sample methods (simple random
sampling, stratified random sampling, quota sampling,
etc.) to be used for the research/study.
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 7.2. Strategies for Collecting Data

No research can be expected to yield useful findings

without the use of appropriate strategies for data
collection.
The key questions that arise are:
• How is the evidence/information that is considered
necessary to be collected?
• What are the appropriate sources of such evidence
(primary and secondary sources)

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 7.3. Choice of Data Analysis Techniques
In general terms, describe the strategy you intend to
use for
Data analysis.
• Mention whether you are going to use descriptive
statistics or inferential statistics to analyze the
data collected.
• Specify whether the data will be analyzed
manually or by computer. For computer analysis,
identify the program(Spread Sheet, SPSS, STATA,
etc.) or the computer package.
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 Cont..
Also identify the main variables;
What is a variable?
A variable is a characteristic of a person, object or
phenomenon, which can take on different values. These
may be in the form of numbers (e.g. age) or non
numerical characteristics (e.g. Sex of a person).
Independent variable: a variable that is supposed to
cause one or more other variables and is not caused by
them.
Dependent variable: a variable that is supposed to be
caused by one or more other variables.
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 Cont…
Numerical variables: are expressed in numbers. Example:
weight, distance, monthly income, number of children,
etc.
Categorical Variables
• For example, the variable Sex has two district categories,
groups, male and female.
 How should variables for a particular study be selected?
In a study with several possible variables,
• the variables selected for a study are those which are
directly relevant to the objectives of the investigation.
• The number of variables should be as many as necessary,
and as few as possible. If too many variables are included
for the study the research may become difficult.
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 Cont..
8. Definition of Terms
In my study, “Current Assets mean..”, “Youth includes from
x through y years of age”…
9. The Structure of the Report
As clearly as possible, state how you intend to organize
the final report. The title of each chapter should clearly
communicate the main trust of its contents.
10. Work Schedule/ Cost Breakdown
Time Schedule
Budget Schedule
11. Appendices
• A researcher should append: questionnaires or interview
questions;
DMU/AcFn (By: H.)
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of 2023
references/ bibliography. 42