Chapter 2

2. Research Project Proposal

Development

Lecture Note 02 (ARCH-7105)

 Contents

2.1. Definition and objective of research

proposal
2.2. Components of a Research proposal
document
2.3. What We should do for Proposal Writing?
2.4. Presenting your proposal
 2.1. Definition and objective of
research proposal
What is research proposal?

 It is an overall plan, scheme, structure and

strategy designed to obtain answers to the
research questions.
 Shows the road map to undertaking the
research project Or it is a detailed plan of
our study.
• Statement of intent

The first step in any research project

Academically prepared to complete the research
 Objective of writing a proposal

 to present a focused and scholarly presentation

of a research problem and plan.
 to describe what we will do? why it should be
done? how we will do it? and what we will
expect? Or what will be the Result?
 The Issue
What problem does
your research
address?

Research
Benefit
Design What will the
How will the research research contribute?
achieve its objective?

Figure adapted from MIT OCW

 What our proposal should answer?

What questions our proposal should answer?

• What do we want to do? –Research objectives/question

• Why do we want to do it? – Any information gap
• Why is it important? – Any practical importance or
knowledge advancement

• Who has done similar work? - Background

• How are we going to do it? - Methods & Materials
• How long will it take? – Plan of work
• What amount of money required? -Budget and funding
2.2. Components of a Research proposal
document

• The most logical order of a research proposal development is:

 Title/research topic
 Summary/Abstract
 Introduction/background
 Statement of the problem
 Objectives
 Literature review
 Questions or Hypothesis
 Materials and Methods/ Methodology
 Significant of the study
 Work plan
 Budget and funding
 References
 Appendices/Annexes
 What our topic should be?

1.Title/topic
• A pre-requisite for proposal development - Identifying a
research topic

• The criteria for selecting a topic is:

 Relevance/significance
 Avoidance of duplication
 Urgency of data needed
 Feasibility of study
 Applicability of results
 Your Interest and knowledge to the area
 Ethical acceptability
 What our topic should be?

Title/topic – the fewest possible words that adequately describe the

contents of the study.

 It is a label; not a sentence

 It should not contain any abbreviations
 It appears on the title page and on top of the abstract
 Note: The title page has no page number and is not counted.
E.g.
 Quality assessment of low cost houses in Addis Ababa
 Influence of Hollow Concrete Block Infill Wall on Lateral Stiffness of
Buildings
 Assessment of the engineering properties of soils in Adama town
 Components….. Continued

2. Summary/Abstract – a half/one page brief summary of

the thesis proposal.
It should motivate the reader to read the whole paper.
It show what a contribution our work will make.
It should briefly specify the research problem,
question and how it is going to be answered.
Do not put any information not stated in the main text.
Never contain references, figures and tables.
It comes first but written last.
 Components of a Research proposal
Continued

3.Introduction/Background: background
information of the research proposal.
Emphasize the importance of the proposed
research and describe the research topic.
It establishes a framework for the research
show what a contribution our work will
make.
This is usually done in two or more
paragraphs/pages.
 Cont…

In all cases it should be stated whether a

relationship exists between the proposed
research and research undertaken before.
 If no such research has been undertaken
previously, this should be pointed out.
It should motivate the reader to read the
whole paper.
 Components…..Continued

4. Statement of the problem – the general issue

that leads to a need for the study.
It answer the question ‘Why does this
research be conducted?’
The foundation for everything to follow in
the proposal.
Your title and research questions born from
this.
 Components…..Continued

Statement of the problem

•E.g.
Malaria remains the most devastating infectious
disease, particularly in Africa. One reason is that the
parasite causing the disease is resistant to all
clinically useful antimalarial drugs. We therefore
have to devise alternative strategies to target the
parasite.
 Components……..Continued

5. Objective of the study – aim which the enquirer seeks to

bring about as a result of completing the research.
 States what your research hopes to accomplish.
 Objectives should be simple, specific, stated in
advance, stated using action verbs (to investigate, to
discover …)
Eg. The purpose of this research is to……
 Objectives can be classified into:
 General objective – showing what exactly to be
studied, and states the desired outcomes from the
study.
 Specific objectives – shows in greater detail the
specific aims of the research project.
 Components…….Continued

6. Literature review – a description of the literature very

relevant to our study.
 Gives an overview of what has been said, who the
key authors in the area are, what are the
prevailing theories and hypothesis, etc.

 Relevant materials could be from books, journal

articles, theses and dissertations, government
reports, etc.
Note:
• Be very careful to check your sources when
doing your literature review.
 Components…….Continued

7. Research Questions and/or Hypothesis – the

speculative proposition of the problem statement.
 Hypothesis is a derivation of a particular assertion
or prediction. It is subject to test for confirmation or
reject.
 Question is an interrogative statement that can be
answered by data.
Does the use of web site technology in the classroom deter Question
students from enrolling in a distance education class?
The use of web site technology in the classroom deter
Hypothesis
students from enrolling in a distance education class.
Differences among Topic, Statement of the Problem and
Research Questions

Topic Distance Learning

Specific Title: Effect of web-site technology on
General distance education class attendance

Statement of Lack of students in distance

The problem classes/ students do not attend
distance education classes at a
community college.

Research Does the use of web site

Question/ technology in the classroom
Hypothesis deter students from enrolling in
a distance education class?

To study the impact of the use of

Specific Objective web site technology on distance
education class attendance in a
community college
 Components…….Continued

8.Materials and Methods - a detail description of the

materials, activities and the methodological steps we
will take to achieve our objectives.

• Depending upon the type of study, it includes:

 Description of study area, study design and study
participants
 Sampling technique and sample size used
 Methods of data collection
 Method (s) of data analysis, etc.
 Components…….Continued

9.Siginifacnce of the study - Also called the significance

of the study
 First express the significance of the study in terms of
its academic contribution. What knowledge gap is
your research trying to fill?
 Thereafter bring out the importance of the research in
terms professional practice
 Ask your self who is going to benefit from the
research and how?
 Components ……..Continued

10. Work plan – a schedule that summarizes the

different components of a research proposal and how
they will be implemented. Here,
 Different phase/components of the study should
be stated
 Describe the activities in each phase.
 Indicate time frame to accomplish the various
aspects of the study.
 Could be presented in table, chart (Gantt chart) or
graph.
Example of Work plan grant chart

April May June July

Description of Works

W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3

Review of literature

experiment and
observation

Model adaptation

Modeling the structure by

structural software

Input the data

Analyzing and
Interpreting the output

report writing
 Components……..Continued

11. Budget and funding – the cost of conducting

research.
 Budget items need to be explicitly stated with
justification
 Costs are typically:
 Direct costs – personnel, consumable supplies,
equipment, travel, publication, etc.
 Indirect costs – overhead and administrative
costs.
 Example Budget

Unit Price Total Price

S/No. Description Unit Quaty (Birr) (Birr)
1 Stationary
1.1 Photocopy (estimated 3 books) Page 2000 0.5 1000.00
1.2 Flash Disk 2GB No. 1 200 200.00
1.3 Blank CD (WR) No. 20 20 400.00
1.4 Typing and printing page 800 3 2400.00
2 Sampling and Transportation
Daily laborer for test pit excavation
Width*length*depth (1.5*1.5*2.5)
2.1 # 20 pits m3 112.5 30 3375.00
3
2.2 Sample transportation m 2 500 1000.00
Sample preparation in laboratory
2.3 for 30 workman day wmd 1 1500 1500
3 Transportation and Perdium days 20 120 2400
4 Others 1000
Total 13275.00
 Components……..Continued

12. References – mention of all the information

that you obtain as a support for conducting
your research.

Be careful, the style of writing list of

references as per the standard
 Components………Continued

13. Appendices/annexes– additional information

provided for the reader. These include, for
example,
Dummy tables
Biographical data
Questionnaire, forms, etc.
 Maximum page limit

The proposal should be in no more than 25 pages,

• Front page: Title, your name, name of advisor, department.
• Second page: content
• Third page: Abstract: Not more than 200 words.
• Fourth–16th page: with bold headings: Introduction, objectives,
Literature review; hypothesis, materials and methods; data
analysis techniques
• 17th page: Work plan
• 18th page: Budget,
• 19th & 20th page: References
• Last page: Appendixes (optional)
 2.3. What We should do for Proposal
Writing?

Before start writing…answer the following

questions.
• Do I have the clear research question?
• Have I read broadly and deeply in that area?
• Have I discussed the topic with peers?
• Have I enough time and fund to start?
• Do I feel support from faculty and friends?
Tips for successful research project proposal writing

• Revise , revise, revise.

– Check spelling and grammar.
– Each sentence must follow logically from the before:
chain of ideas.
– Every sentence must contain one idea only.

• Put an end to it
– The faster you finish the proposal and submit it the
less time you have wasted thinking about writing it.
– Give sufficient time
2.4. Presenting your proposal
Purpose of a proposal presentation?

• Persuading evaluators to support your

research project
• Make your proposal convincing
- Convince audience that project is worth doing
- Convince audience that you are capable of
carrying it out
 Preparing for the research
presentation

• Structuring your story

– Summarise the content
• Preparing PPt and giving the presentation
• Concluding your presentation
• Questions and answers
Thank You