Thesis writing

Developing a
research proposal
OVERVIEW
In the life of a research student there are several milestones such as defending your research proposal, or
submitting the thesis. This resource is concerned with one of the earliest milestones in thesis writing:
developing a research proposal. The suggestions made in this unit have relevance for undergraduate Honours
students, as well as Masters and doctoral students starting out on research.

Developing a topic
The task of establishing a suitable topic is often a significant hurdle. While supervisors in some departments
may suggest topics, other supervisors expect students to have quite a clear idea of the thesis topic before the
preliminary supervision discussions take place. In fact, students are expected to submit a preliminary research
proposal as part of the admission process.
For students who have had a break from university studies, establishing a broad topic area or even a potential
topic is a process that should begin well before you enroll. It involves reading in your area of research interest,
thinking, discussing and, attending related seminars or conferences. These activities encourage contemplation,
and can assist in fostering ideas. For students who know the general topic area they wish to research, reading
widely in the area of interest will help to identify research issues, or questions that need further investigation.
The process of developing a topic is ultimately one of establishing a gap in current research that a thesis could
aim to address.
If you have made an appointment with an academic to discuss research topics, keep in mind that the discussion
will be most fruitful if you are prepared. The academic will most likely ask you about your research interests,
particular aspects of those research interests, your familiarity with the literature, and so on. It may be helpful
to give the academic an outline of your research interests before your meeting. The academic is unlikely to give
you a topic, but through discussion can help you to come up with your own. Furthermore, discussions with the
academic should assist you in refining an existing topic, or to establish a research space in the current research
in the field.
Once you are closer to establishing your topic, you need to address a number of issues to make sure your
intended topic is suitable. This process may lead you to further refine your topic, but hopefully not abandon it.
It is important that early in your candidature the following issues are addressed.

SUPERVISION
The process of selecting a supervisor is a significant hurdle in itself. While some departments may allocate you
a supervisor, it is very helpful if you have in mind the person you think would be most suitable.
Departments are keen to attract research students, so it is worth your while to make appointments, and speak
to various people about supervision. Remember too when looking for a supervisor, to consider questions of
availability, expertise, and personality.

ACADEMIC LITERACY
Learning, Teaching & Curriculum – Learning Development
DATA
If your project involves collecting data from human participants, you must be sure at the outset that you will
be able to establish your cohort and have the participation of enough subjects to carry out the study. Your
supervisor will guide you in preparing an application to the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee.
The Ethics Officer at the University’s Research Office can advise you when the Ethics Committee meets to
discuss applications. This is generally on a monthly basis. Application forms are available at the Research
Office or can be downloaded from the University’s web site.

LEVEL OF INTEREST AND COMMITMENT

An important question is whether your topic can sustain your interest for a long period. For full-time doctoral
students this means approximately three years. You should find your topic challenging and exciting.

BUDGET
Budgetary considerations are important for students who generally have limited access to funds. What
equipment do you need for your study? Is it available in your department? What facilities are available for
research students in your department (shared computers? a desk? access to a printer? limited access to
interlibrary loans? etc). Will you need to travel to carry out field studies? These are some of the questions you
should consider, and your supervisor may be able to offer advice on additional funding sources.
At the University of Wollongong post graduate research students can apply for financial assistance to attend a
national or international conference, at which the student is presenting a paper. Students are only entitled to
this assistance once in their candidature. Faculties also receive funding for their post graduate research students.
You should ask your faculty’s post graduate officer if any financial assistance is available.
Finally, an important consideration in developing your topic is whether your chosen topic is a significant one.
For PhD candidates, their research is required to make an original contribution to their field of study. For this
reason it is necessary to establish a gap or space in the field of enquiry which your research will seek to fill.
Another consideration for research students is will fellow researchers find the chosen topic interesting and
relevant? While this is a difficult question to gauge for a beginning researcher, a well-chosen topic can result
in attracting the interest of other researchers, or relevant parties — an outcome which will make your
candidature as a research student more enjoyable and hopefully fruitful.

Preparing the research proposal

Most faculties require students to submit a research proposal before they can begin their research project.
Expectations vary across disciplines, so check carefully with your Faculty or supervisor for their guidelines for
research students.
The main components of a research proposal are a clear statement of the problem to be investigated, a brief
literature review highlighting the gap in current knowledge that your research addresses, the scope, aims and
objectives of your research, the proposed methodology and data analysis, and the implications of the research.
Preparing a research proposal forces you to consider project design issues early on, and to think through
potential problems. Presenting your research proposal to department or faculty members is a valuable
opportunity for you to receive constructive feedback on your project from experienced researchers.
Every faculty has its specific expections of the research proposal. Please check these carefully before you begin
preparing your document.

STRUCTURE OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Depending on the scope of your research proposal, not all of the following need be included in your proposal.
It is also possible to combine some sections, or change the order. The development of your research proposal
will be in consultation with your supervisor, and the inclusions will vary by discipline, but generally, expect to
have:

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(a) Title page: This should include the title of your project; your name and student number; your department
or faculty; the name of the degree sought; the names of your supervisors, and the date of submission.
Ideally, a title should not be more than 15 words in length.
(b) Abstract: this should include the problem under investigation; the research methodology and theoretical
orientation; and the expected outcomes and implications of the research.
(c) Table of Contents: the inclusion of a table of contents will depend on the scope of your research proposal.
(d) Introduction: depending on the scope of your proposal, the introduction will contain a number of sub-
sections, such as;
— background to the study
— the significance of the study/ aims and significance of the study (why is it important to solve the
problem)
— the statement of the problem
— research questions and hypotheses
— definitions.
(e) Literature Review: provides the rationale for your research topic. It should give an overview of the current
research on the topic area. It should identify a gap in the research. This is important because it shows why
your topic is important. The literature review should also review relevant methodologies, which show how
your research is to be done.
(f) Research design / Methodology: this section will include a number of sub- sections. It should describe the
type of study you propose to do as well as how you propose to do it. You need to describe your
participants/subjects, your data collection procedure and method of data analysis, as well as the limitations
of your project.
(g) Proposed timeframe
(h) Expected outcomes: what you hope to achieve
(i) References: a full list of all references cited in your proposal. Check with your faculty for preferred
referencing conventions.
Depending on your faculty you may also include a description of any pilot studies which have been undertaken.
Some departments also prefer the research questions and hypothesis to follow the literature review. It may also
be advisable to include a section on your theoretical orientation. If your research involves human participants
you may need to include a section on ethical considerations. These issues need to be clarified with your
supervisor.
The following sample research proposal has been annotated to highlight some of the elements that a research
proposal needs to adequately give an overview of the proposed thesis topic. The requirements for research
proposals will vary for different disciplines, but the elements in this example are fairly typical. Excerpts are
from Paul Ikutegbe’s Research Proposal (UOW, 2019) and presented with his permission. We thank him for
kindly sharing his work with us.
Further reading:
Gruba, P and Zobel, J (2017) How to write your first thesis, University of Melbourne, Melbourne.

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 Example: Research proposal (in brief)

Tltle
Developing a theoretical model of successful work placements for people The title identifies and
with disabilities introduces the topic.

Abstract
The purpose of the proposed study is to explore the factors that predict Aim of the study.
successful work outcomes for people with disabilities in mainstream
The proposed theory
employment. The proposed study will use Bronfenbrenner’s ecological
used in the thesis
systems theory and a mixed methods approach. Stage 1 of the proposed
study will involve 60 semi-structured in-depth interviews with a
purposive sample of 30 school leavers with disabilities and 30 employers Methodology and the
with varying experiences in hiring people with disabilities. The outcome phases of research
for Stage 1 will be a theoretical model of successful work placements for
people with disabilities in mainstream employment. Stage 2 will
empirically validate the model developed in Stage 1. Stage 2 will involve a
survey of 1,000 school leavers with disabilities who completed the
Transition to Work program of the NSW Department of Communities
and Justice. Insights from an initial scoping review of relevant literature
suggests that successful employment outcomes are influenced by (1)
Statement about gaps in
supply-side, (2) demand-side, and (3) environmental factors. Gaps in the
the current knowledge
current knowledge base include a lack of (1) multidisciplinary and
theoretically based studies; (2) longitudinal studies which measure actual Statement about
work outcomes; and (3) holistic approaches to predicting successful contribution of the study
employment outcomes. The proposed study will make theoretical and
practical contributions that will be useful to various stakeholders in the
area of disability employment.

1. Introduction
1.1 Background
An estimated 785 million people of working age (15-64 years) have a Introduction to the
disability, equating to 15.6% of the global population (Cavanagh et al 2017). problem using relevant,
As age increases so does the likelihood of acquiring a disability (Vornholt published statistics
et al 2018). As the population ages and people work longer, the incidence
of disability within the population is also expected to increase over time
(Vornholt et al 2018).
In the Australian workforce, this phenomenon is evident and concerning Move to the specific-
because people with disability are already underrepresented in Australian context
employment (Council of Small Business Organisations Australia 2018).
The workforce participation rate of people with disabilities is substantially
lower (53%) than their able-bodied counterparts (83%), and this gap has
not changed considerably over the past two decades (Australian Bureau
of Statistics 2015). In contrast to people without disabilities, people with
disabilities are more likely to experience extended periods of Further details of the
underemployment and unemployment (Van Bueren et al 2017). problem

The underrepresentation of people with disabilities in mainstream The problem statement

employment is an important issue for management scholars because and why it is important
businesses are not harnessing the potential benefits of recruiting from to solve the problem
this overlooked pool of labour. Such benefits include: (1) broader access to
and retention of skilled labour; (2) positive effects on workplace harmony;
(3) improved innovation capability; and (4) enhanced company image
and reputation (Van Bueren et al 2017) …

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 Example: Research proposal (in brief)

1.2 Research problem

People with disabilities face significant and complex barriers to full
workforce participation in Australia. One such barrier is ongoing and
systemic employment discrimination; which is “underpinned by negative
assumptions and attitudes that are held by many employers and
throughout the community about the productivity and capability of
people with disability” (Australian Human Rights Commission 2016, p 12).
Failure to address the negative attitudes held by employers, and their
unwillingness to recruit people with disabilities, potentially jeopardises
the projected economic and social benefits of the NDIS…
1.3 Research questions
The proposed study aims to explore the factors that predict successful Researchable questions
work outcomes for people with disabilities in mainstream employment.
It will achieve this by answering the following questions:
1.3.1 What are the barriers and enablers of successful disability
employment outcomes as identified in the extant literature?
1.3.2 What are the experiences of school leavers with disabilities classified
as eligible to work and employers in mainstream employment?
1.3.3 How can the above factors be used to develop and test a theoretical
model of successful work placements for people with disabilities?
1.4 Contributions Statement of
contribution the thesis
The proposed study offers both theoretical and practical contributions.
proposes to make
Theoretical contributions include:
(1) The development of a theoretical model to predict successful
employment outcomes for people with disability;
(2) Identification of sources of employer heterogeneity in relation to
hiring people with disabilities; and
(3) Extension of the Ecological Systems framework to show how
factors at different levels combine to support successful mainstream
employment outcomes for people with disabilities …

2. Scope of the literature review

The literature review was guided by certain search and selection criteria,
and the scope is explained according to: (1) the review period; (2) the
Outline of the strands of
mainstream employment context; (3) the definition of disability; and (4)
literature overviewed
the predictors of successful employment outcomes.
2.1 Review period
The majority of the literature included in the review were peer-reviewed Clearly defined period of
empirical studies and reviews, published in English, from 2001-2019. The the literature being
reviewed
review period reflects the timeframe after the International Classification
of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model was endorsed by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2001. The ICF model is a universally
accepted and multipurpose classification system, used for the
measurement and conceptualisation of health and disability (WHO,
2018). The ICF model sees disability as dependent “on the dynamic
relationship of a person’s health impairment and contextual factors”
(Vornholt et al 2018, p 42).

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 Example: Research proposal (in brief)

2.2 Mainstream employment context

The literature review was limited to studies on the experiences of people Overview of the main
with disability in mainstream employment. Mainstream employment, theme in the literature
sometimes called open or competitive employment (Brotherton et al
2016), refers to “work in the regular workforce for which workers with
disability receive wages and conditions of employment commensurate
with workers without disability” (Cheng et al 2018, p 318) …
2.3 Definition of disability

There are various models by which disability is defined, but the two most
The definition of key
commonly recognised models are: (1) the medical model of disability, and
terms in the thesis
(2) the social model of disability (Jones et al 2014). The medical (or
traditional) model of disability views disability as an impairment related
to the physical or mental state of the individual, which is the reason for
the barriers and social exclusion experienced by the individual (Islam
2015; Wynne & McAnaney 2004). However, the medical model of disability
fails to account for the contextual aspects which contribute to the social
exclusion of people with disabilities …

3. Literature review
3.1.1 Introduction
In order to address research sub-question 1.3.1: “What are the barriers and Key themes of the
enablers of successful disability employment outcomes as identified in literature reviewed are
the extant literature?” this section presents the preliminary scoping presented
review seeking to inform the development of a theoretical model to
depict successful mainstream employment outcomes for people with
disabilities. Three key themes emerged during the review: (1) supply-side
predictors; (2) demand-side predictors; and (3) environmental predictors.
The factors, or characteristics, that will now be discussed under each
theme are interlinked and interact with each other to determine the
employment outcomes of people with disabilities.
Disability is a heterogeneous concept and its nature is an important
Overview of some
determinant of the way the person with disability is perceived and
studies in one strand of
treated by others (Smith et al 2017; Stone & Colella 1996). Some disability-
the literature
types are more prone to stigma and discrimination than others. People
with physical disabilities are more likely to be treated favourably by others
than those with intellectual or mental health disability (Gewurtz et al
2016).
An American study found that people with physical (mobility
impairments) and mental or cognitive disabilities are more at risk of job
loss than individuals with vision or hearing impairments (Mitra & Kruse
2016). This is due to the visibility of the disability and the level of stigma
attached to each disability-type. A Canadian study into pay
discrimination experienced by people with disabilities also found that
certain disability-types or health limitations (mobility, memory and
emotional) negatively affect pay outcomes (Gunderson & Lee 2016). Statement about the
controversies in the
There is some disagreement in the literature regarding the influence of strand of literature
the duration of disability on employment outcomes … overviewed

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 Example: Research proposal (in brief)

3.1.2 Socioeconomic/demographic factors

Prior studies suggest that the employment outcomes of people with Review of literature in
disability are influenced by socioeconomic and demographic factors, another strand
such as: (1) location of residence, (2) income level, (3) gender, and (4) level
of education (Grigal et al 2011; Kulkarni et al 2016; Lindsay 2011). Persons
with disability who reside in rural locations are less likely to obtain
successful employment outcomes than their peers in urban locations
(Kulkarni et al 2016; Östlund & Johansson 2018). This is due to insufficient
jobs and workplace accommodations in rural centres. Location of
residence also impacts access to funding needed by people with
disability to fully participate in society (Reddihough et al 2016). Young
adults with disability from low income backgrounds are less likely to
receive positive employment outcomes than their peers with similar
disability, due to inadequate social capital (such as skills, knowledge and
resources), critical for workplace integration (Lindsay 2011).
Gender has been debated extensively in the literature regarding the Discussion on the
employment of people with disability … debates in the field.

The full literature review has not been included here. The rest of the
literature review takes up each strand of literature and compares,
contrasts and critically examines relevant prior studies. The literature
review section ends with a discussion of the gap in the literature that the
proposed study will fill. A short excerpt is presented below.

4. Knowledge gaps
The review of literature has revealed opportunities to develop a better Identification of gaps in
understanding of the factors that contribute to successful mainstream the literature
employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The key weaknesses
of existing research studies include a lack of (1) multidisciplinary and
theoretically based studies; (2) longitudinal studies which measure actual
work outcomes; and (3) holistic approaches to understanding factors that
facilitate successful employment outcomes for people with disabilities….

5. Theoretical foundations and conceptual model

The social model of disability views disability as a consequence of the Discussion of the
interaction between the person with disability and the contextual theoretical framework
environment they are embedded. This view supports the need to adopt and justification for it.
a holistic approach to understanding factors that facilitate successful
mainstream employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
In addition, the proposed study draws on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979)
Ecological Systems Theory to inform the development of a conceptual
model to predict successful employment outcomes for people with
disability…

The full theoretical framework section has not been included here. The
section provides a clear overview of the theory/theories that will be used.
A good diagram helped to illustrate how the theory links to the study.

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 Example: Research proposal (in brief)

6. Research design
A mixed methods approach will be adopted in the proposed study. This
approach “involves the collection or analysis of both quantitative and/or
Discussion of the
qualitative data in a single study in which the data are collected
research method
concurrently or sequentially, are given a priority, and involve the
integration of the data at one or more stages in the process of research”
(Clark & Creswell 2008, p 165).
Specifically, an exploratory sequential or two-phase design will be used,
in which the qualitative phase of the study is conducted first (Stage 1) and
the quantitative phase is conducted second (Stage 2) (Creswell 2015).
Stage 1 will develop a theoretical model of successful employment The complete section
outcomes for people with disabilities. Stage 2 will empirically validate the has not been included
theoretical model developed in Stage 1. Figure 2 is a graphical illustration here.
of the research design of the proposed study …
Research feasibility and timeline …
The proposed study is a PhD by publication and it is fully funded by an
ARC Linkage grant with the NSW Department of Communities and Timeline
Justice. The project will be conducted as per the timeline below:

Published by Learning Development — University of Wollongong. Text adapted from Anderson, J & Poole, M (1994) Thesis and
Assignment Writing (2nd edn) John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane, and notes from the Graduate School of Education, University of Wollongong
(1997). Example courtesy Paul Ikutegbe (2019).

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