Research Proposal
A research proposal is a concise, coherent, and compact summary of proposed research. A research proposal is also known as a work plan that tells us what, why, how, where, whom, and the benefits of present research.
The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least the following elements;
Introduction
An introduction of the topic is defining and describing your topic in parenthetical citation style. It is a general explanation of a selected topic and the researcher has to present an overview of the respective topic. It should be informative and engaging for readers.
For this purpose, start your introduction with a thought-provoking statement, surprising facts, and an appealing statement that captures the reader’s attention. Here, the researcher has to relate his/her topic to society or to any specific issue/problem.Usually, in research proposal, it will consist of less than two pages. The statements presented in the introduction should be logically described with citations.
Background of the Study
In the background of the study, the researcher has to describe the history or background of the selected topic or the broader context of your selected area. They have to relate their topic to past events relevant to the topic.
It can consist of legislation about the selected topic or a brief overview of the literature. For this purpose, identify the major studies and their findings related to your research problem. Evaluation of previous literature enables research to identify significant gaps in the current knowledge that your study aims to fill.
Review of Literature
It is an evaluation of past studies. Literature review means writing down an overview of each relevant study in a critical and logical manner, which the researcher has consulted and also penned down in separate paragraphs. These studies can be of books, articles, websites etc.
Objectives of the Study
What do you aim to find out? The researcher should know the aspects or dimensions of the study. For this purpose, the researcher has to critically analyze the relevant literature that will reveal the gaps in the selected topic.
These gaps are ultimately the aim of the research that you want to cover up. Objective statements should concise and clear and start with; to know, to find out, to analyze, etc.
Research Question of the Study
Research questions are statements that have to be addressed by the researcher. These are the questions that need to be answered. Research questions and research objectives are annexed with each other and both are considered the tracks for research.
These tracks facilitate researchers to be specific and avoid unnecessary aspects. Research questions should be clear, concise and directly relevant to your study problem.
Statement of the Problem
It is some sort of justification of the topic. The researcher has to describe the current scenario of the selected issue, and then, he has to logically explain why he selected this topic. For this purpose, clearly define the problem in your research proposal, identify the gap, and justify why this study is significant and worthy.
Rationale of the Study
In the rationale, the researcher has to write down the overall situation of the study problem along with gaps prevailing in the selected topic. For this purpose, clearly mention the problem that you want to address, explain the impacts of the problem on society and particular field. You have to justify in your research proposal that how your study will contribute to the field and how it will fill the gaps?
Significance of the Study
In the next paragraph or in the separate heading of the “Significance of the study”, the researcher has to pen down how the study will be beneficial or effective and for whom. You have to explain the importance of your research and its potential impacts on individuals, practitioners, and its other practical applications. Prove this logically with arguments, and it is recommended to give citations while describing the significance of the research.
Limitations and Delimitations of the Study
In research proposal, the researcher must indicate the limitations of the study which are the factors beyond the researcher’s control, as well as delimitations that the researcher chooses not to address for the purposes of the study. Delimitations are the boundaries that the researcher has set for the study.
The reasons for both limitations and delimitations must be discussed in this section. In short, delimitations are the boundaries you set for your study while, limitations are the constraints that impact the scope of the study.
Research Methodology
It includes the following techniques that need to be explained.
Research Method
The researcher has to explain the nature of the study i.e. qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method.
Research Approach
Among the various qualitative and quantitative approaches the researcher has to describe and justify the selected approach while presenting research proposal.
Population
It includes geographical area and individuals/groups selected for collecting data.
Sampling
It includes the sampling technique will be adopted for selecting the population.
Research Tool
Among the five tools of data collection, which tool is adopted? It is only in a case when data is collected from primary sources.
Data Analysis
What method will you use for your selected research? Data analysis depends on the nature of the study (i.e., qualitative or quantitative). It could be descriptive or statistical. You have clearly explain in your research proposal.
References
There are various citation styles such as Chicago, APA, Harvard, and MLA (Modern Language Association) etc. However, the APA (American Psychological Association) style is common in Pakistan. You have to choose a reference style and have to present at the end of the research proposal.
Usually, in a book or report reference, the title of the study has to be in italics, whereas in a research paper name of the journal has to be in italics. There are two types of references, i.e., in-text citations and end-text references.
In-text Citations
An in-text citation is the short form of the reference that you include in the body of your work. However, there are two types of in-text citations.
- Parenthetical: This is an example of a parenthetical in-text citation (Javed, 2023).
- Narrative: Javed (2023) offered an example of a narrative in-text citation.
End-text Citation
An end-text citation is a brief form of the reference that you include at the end of your dissertation. It has two types;
Reference
A reference list usually consists of the details of all the sources cited within your document. This information is in the form of end-text references, and it is arranged alphabetically in the reference list. In simple terms, all the material that you have coded in your dissertation.
For example, Amjad, M. Javed., & Sultana, Irum. (2017). Women Empowerment: A Comparative Analysis of Women Empowerment Working in Public and Private Organizations of Sargodha District. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(11), 2222-6990.
Bibliography
The bibliography is a list of all the sources that have been consulted and reviewed in the process of conducting research. A bibliography often encompasses all the sources that have been utilized, regardless of whether they have been cited within the text or not. In simple terms, all the consulted material, whether you code it or not.
Similarities between Bibliography and References
- Both the bibliography and references are organized in alphabetical order based on the author’s name.
- They contain similar fundamental details.
- Like a bibliography, a reference list is often located at the end of an academic document.
- Both the aim is to avoid plagiarism and proper acknowledgment to the original author/s.
- Additionally, both methods enable readers to easily access and consult the original sources.
