Five Key Elements to Include in a Research Proposal

Five Key Elements to Include in a Research Proposal

Well, in some occasions, situations or events, one may be forced into a research proposal due to factors that may be affecting the later. Proposals are written to help understand the problem at hand and/or bring a permanent solution to the matter. In the case you are required to do a research proposal, here are some of the key elements that you must out into consideration in order to produce a reasonable and effective research proposal.
1. Background Information
Background information should bring out clearly the history and the current state of the problem. It should state clearly the main source of the problem, backed by sufficient theoretical or empirical evidence that support the existence of the problem. When giving the background information about your research, put in mind that it should capture the attention of the targeted readership. Narrow down your idea to a state that it’s easily understood and its importance can be identified without ambiguity or misconceptions.
2. Problem Statement
The problem statement must be clearly outlined. This is because it is the base from which the purpose of the research is built. This section must clearly show the importance of the proposed research, the rationale for the study, the gap in literature or empirical evidence that you intended to bridge, and the how you intend to solve the problem and ‘contribute to knowledge.’ Essentially, it is also advisable to outline why the research is deemed effective and able to curb or propose solution the problem at hand. All these must be summarized on one to two coherent, logically organized and well-articulated paragraphs
3. Research Questions and Objective.
Research objectives are the main reason why the research should be contacted. They bring out what the investigator intends to accomplish in the study. The objectives must be SMART: Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. Conversely, the research questions should be drawn to make the research captivating and easy to understand its importance. The research questions are questions that the researcher will answer after conducting the study. They must be definitive and begin with what, why, why and how. When writing a research proposal, one should take time to formulate his research questions. Reflection on aspects such as the area that one should major in, the familiarity with the research area, the specific problem and the research methods to be used can greatly aid one in developing appropriate objective and research questions
4. Literature Review
This section entails a critical review of the prior studies relevant to the research problem. In this section, one must appraise, synthesize, critique, summarize and compare studies by prior scholars on the same disciplines and which are relevant to the proposed study. A good literature review demonstrates a good grasp of knowledge on the problem and depicts research rigor and subsequent viability and reliability of the study findings. Literature review enables the researcher to gain more insights and gain a better perspective on the research domain.
5. Proposed Research Methodology
First, it is crucial to note that there is a sheer difference between research methods and research methodology. Methods are the techniques used to obtain data from the participants, such as questionnaires, interviews, focus groups and observations among others. Methodology encompasses the research design and the philosophical perspective on how the study will be contacted. This section must, therefore, discuss the research design, philosophy, data collection methods, the sampling criteria and the research sample, how data analysis will be done and finally, the ethical considerations. A justification for the choice of the research design, methods and sampling must as well be given
In summation, a better articulation of these points makes the research proposal top-notch and catchy to the targeted audience.

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