DEBRE BERHAN UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

CHAPTER FOUR: DEVELOPING A

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

SOLOMON ESTIFANOS

FEBRUARY, 2024
1 DEBRE BERHAN, ETHIOPIA
Introduction
 After identifying and defining the problem, the researcher must
arrange his ideas in order and write them in the form of an
experimental plan or as a research proposal.
 A research proposal is also known as a detailed work plan,
catalog, outline, statement of intent, or draft plan.
 The objective of writing a proposal is to describe
 What will be done,
 Why it will be done,
 How it will be done, where it will be done,
 To whom it will be done, and
 What is the benefit of doing it

 A research proposal is essentially a road map, showing clearly the

location from which a journey begins, the destination to be
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reached, and the method of getting there.
The Purpose of Proposal
The general purpose for writing proposals is
1. To present the problem to be researched and its importance
2. To discuss the research efforts of others who have worked on
related problems
3. To suggest the data necessary for solving the problem and how
the data will be gathered, treated, and interpreted etc
 Proposals are also useful both for sponsors and for
researchers. For researchers proposal helps:
 To have a tentative work plan that charts the logical steps
needed to accomplish the stated goals
 To spot flaws in the logic, errors in assumptions, or problems
that are not adequately addressed by the objectives and design
 To serve as a guideline for the researcher throughout the
3 investigation once the proposal is accepted
Purpose of Proposal Con’t . . .
For sponsors:
 To assess the sincerity of the purpose, the clarity of the design, the
extent of the background material, and fitness of the researcher to
undertake the project
 To assess both the researcher and the proposed design, to compare
them against competing proposals, and to make the best selection
for the project
 Provides a basis to evaluate the results of the project

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Components of Research Proposal
There is no single way of writing research proposals. There can be
different formats for research proposals depending on the funding
organizations. However, the following proposal components are
usually important.

1. Title page 11. Research methods, materials

2. Summary/Abstract and procedures
3. Introduction/Background  Study area
4. Statement of the problem  Sampling methods
5. Objective of the study  Sample size
6. Significance of the study  Method of data collection
7. Scope of the study  Description of variables
8. Hypotheses /Questions  Method of data analysis
9. Conceptual framework 12. Work and Budget Plan
10. Literature review 13. References
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14. Appendices/Annexes
1. Cover/Title Page
o The cover page contains introductory information for the
proposal:
 The names of the proposed research (title)
• It is one of the most important parts of a proposal and it will
immediately attract or loss the interest of any potential donor
• The title should use specific, familiar, and short words that
adequately describe the content of the paper
• Use of ‘waste words’ like ‘A study on …’, ‘An investigation
on…’, ‘An observation on…’ should be avoided

 The author of the proposal or principal investigator, and

 The name of the institution

o Some funding agencies have standardized cover pages that

6 may contain additional information
2. Summary/Abstract
 It is a short summary of the research proposal. This allows a
busy manager or sponsor to understand quickly the thrust of
the proposal.

 It should be informative, giving readers the chance to grasp

the essentials of the proposal without having to read the
details.

 It should include;
o A brief statement of the problem,
o The research objectives, and
o The benefits of the approach

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3. Background of the Study

 In the background, the researcher presents the background of ;

o What s/he wants to do

o Why s/he thinks the works should be done and
o Relate it to what is already known about the problem.

 This part of the research provides some general theoretical

basis or justifications for conducting a research.

 It tells to the reader from what perspective that the research is

to be conducted or the overall justification as to why it is
needed to conduct the study.

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4. Statement of the Problem

 Here a researcher has to capture the reader’s attention by

stating the problem, and its consequences.

 It is important that the problem is distinct from related

problems and that the sponsor can see the delimitations
clearly.

 It may focus on literature based disagreements concerning the

issue under investigation.
 l

 The researcher is expected to state his problem clearly without

the use of idioms or clichés. Each word of the statement must
be expressive, sharp, and indispensable.

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5. Objective of the Study

 This part addresses the purpose of the investigation and lay

out exactly what is being planned by the proposed research.
 The objectives flow naturally from the problem statement,
giving the sponsor specific, concrete, and achievable goals.
 It is best to list the objectives either in order of importance or
in general terms first, moving to specific terms.
 The research objectives section is the basis for judging the
remainder of the proposal and, ultimately, the final report.
 Verify the consistency of the proposal by checking to see that
each objective is discussed in the research design, data
analysis, and result sections.
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6. Research Hypothesis/Questions

 A hypothesis is a tentative predictive statement that

represents a very specific proposed answer to the statement
of problem.

 Hypothesis are important:

 To determine the nature of data needed,
 To offer the basis for selecting the samples, the research
procedures and method of analysis,
 To restrict the scope of the study thereby preventing it from
being too broad, and
 To set a framework for reporting the conclusions of the
study.

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7. Significance of the Study

 This part shows the explicit benefits and the beneficiaries

of the results of the research being conducted.

 It states the importance or contribution that the study will

have for different bodies.

 The importance could be

 To create awareness about the problem,
 To provide basis for other researchers, or
 To extend the scope of ones own knowledge

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8. Delimitation (Scope) of the Study
 This part indicates the scope (coverage) of the study. It should be
delimited to manageable size.
 This should be done in relation to the area coverage as well as to
the treatment of the variables in the study.
 In stating the scope, clearly show what is going to be investigated
and what not.
9. Limitation of the Study
 Include some constraints or difficulties that influence the results of
the study. This may be in relation to the;
o Weaknesses in the methodology,
o Lack of access to data,
o Faulty instruments,
o Sampling restrictions,
o Lack of recent literature in the area etc
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10. Literature Review

 Explains, interprets and discusses what has been researched

and documented previously

 Examines recent research studies, company data, or industry

reports that act as a basis for the proposed study

 Avoid the extraneous details of the literature; do a brief

review of the information, not a comprehensive report

 The emphasis should be on;

o The important results and conclusions of other studies,
o The relevant data and trends from previous research,
o Particular methods or designs that could be duplicated
14 or should be avoided.
In general keep the following in mind
o Discuss how the literature applies to the study you are proposing
o Show the weaknesses and faults in the design of previous works,
o Discussing how you would avoid similar problems.

 Always refer to the original source to avoid any errors of

interpretation or transcription.

 Close the literature review section by summarizing the

important aspects of the literature and interpreting them in
terms of your problem.

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11. Research Methodology
 In this part, the researcher is expected to clearly state what
s/he is going to do in technical terms. In this part we will
indicate
o The variables that we will treat in our study,
o The subjects of our study,
o The sampling technique and sample size we will use,
o Our method of data collection,
o The procedures we will follow for collecting the data and our
method of data analysis.
 As such, this section should include as many subsections as
needed to show the phases of the project. Some of these
subsections can be
o Sampling techniques and sample size,
o Types and sources of data,
o Methods of data collection, and
16 o Methods of analysis
12. Budget and Work Plan
A. Budget Plan: It may include:
o The details of travel expenses,
o Per diems, and capital equipment purchase, and
o Other costs together with allowance for contingencies

B. Work Plan: Infers realistic time schedule for completing the

study within the time available by dividing a study into phases and
assigning dates for the completion of each phase.

 The work plan (schedule) should include the major phases of the
project together with their timetables. Major phases may be
o Questionnaire preparation,
o Pre-testing,
o Field interviews,
o Editing and coding,
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o Data analysis, and report generation.
14. Bibliography/References
 Includes list of books, journals, and other documents that
we have used in selecting the problem, reviewing literature
and which we may use while we conduct the study.

15. Appendices/Appendix
 This includes materials which are huge and difficult put in
the main body of the proposal. These include
o Questionnaires,
o Mathematical formulas used to determine the sample
size and so on.

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Criteria of a Good Research Proposal
 Relevance, either to the funding body or student’s course
 The research is unique, or offers new insight or development
 The title, aims and objectives are all clear and concise
 Comprehensive and systematic background research and
literature review has been undertaken
 There is a good match between the issues to be addressed and
the approach being adopted
 The researcher demonstrates relevant background knowledge
and/or experience
 Timetable, resources and budget have all been worked out
carefully, with most eventualities covered
 Useful policy and practice implications
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Why Research Proposals Fail?
 Aims and objectives are unclear or vague
 There is a mismatch between the approach being adopted and the
issues to be addressed
 The overall plan is too ambitious and difficult to achieve in the
timescale
 The researcher does not seem to have conducted enough in-depth
background research
 Problem is of insufficient importance
 Information about the data collection method is insufficiently
detailed
 Information about the data analysis method is insufficiently
detailed
 Timescale is inappropriate or unrealistic.
 Resources and budget have not been carefully thought out
 If topic has been done too many times before indicates a lack in
20 background research.
References in Use

 C.R. Kothari. 2004. Research Methodology:

Methods and Techniques. Second Revised Edition.

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