developing your proposal associate professor dr. gholamreza research development and management...

DEVELOPING YOUR PROPOSAL

Associate Professor Dr. GholamReza

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS

1. Develop a clear statement of purpose

Define clearly the purpose of your research proposal

The purpose should capture what is important and interesting about your planned research


• Identify your broad problem area- the debate/controversy- What is known- What is not known- Why it is essential to find out

• Brainstorm the significance– who will benefit?–The research is necessary and useful because….–Understanding the problem will help me to…–Understanding the area will help others to…

• Mindmap & sharpen the problem area• Rewrite

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• A logical piece of writing one or two pages in length that describes:

• WHAT you want to do• WHY …

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Stating that the study will be carried out because:

• It has never been done before….• There are no data on …

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2. Identify the current state of knowledge

Search databases using keywords and key phrases

Identify reoccurring themesIdentify authors who are mentioned repeatedly Identifying the gap and contradictions in the

literature* need to develop references in a systematic way


• Structure and organise your information in terms of ideas/themes

- Try to identify each of the main ideas- State your own previous contributions (if any)- Group similar ideas together and summarise

each group- Organise the summaries into a logical order- Identify the gap and contradictions- Highlight the need for another (your) study

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You now have a certain amount of information, structured in the form of themes or ideas and arranged in a logical order

Well done! This part is one of the hardest

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2 2. Identify the current state of knowledge

Your proposed study is:•Not significant nor exciting•Replicating what others have done•Lack of compelling rationale •Incremental and low impact research P

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3. Define the research question/s

At this stage your proposal is still very general; you need to narrow it down by:

• Identifying the specific context you are studying

• Identifying the period of time you are interested in


• Define the space parameters- Where is my question located? Kuala lumpur,

Malaysia, developing countries, the world?

- Which institution, organisation or group of people? Housing developers, contractors, consulting firms, public agencies, house buyers, house owners, tenants, residents

- What aspect of the institution, organisation or people am I interested in? effective managers, leadership practices

- Frame your question….

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Example:•How do ………(which/who) responded to the introduction of the leadership practices (what)•Why are some…….(who) effective managers (what)•How are leadership practices (what) being encouraged in ........(which)OU

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3a3. Define the research question/s


• Define the time parameters- What period am I interested in?

- Redefine your previous question and focus to specific time period

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Example:•How do residents/home owners/school children (who) in Kuala lumpur responded to the introduction of the recycling program (what)?•How do housing developers (who/which) in Malaysia responded to the introduction of the NEW housing delivery system (what)?

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3b3. Define the research question/s

Your research questions are too general nor interesting

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4. Set aim and objectives

Aim - what you want to achieveObjectives – how you want to achieve it

EXERCISE 4 Write your aim and objectives

OUTCOME 4 You now have a clear research aim and objectives

Too ambitious, too much work proposed Unfocused aims, unclear goals Limited aims and uncertain future directions

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44. Set aim and objectives

5. Review the Literature

Purpose: • To proof that you have sufficient knowledge

(aware of the wider literature and debate) of the field to be able to carry out the project successfully

• Gives idea on aspects of the literature that still need to be investigated in greater detail

5. Review the Literature

Identify the literature informed-problem•Identify literature that agrees or provides evidence to your problem•Identify literature that disagrees or provides counter-evidence to your problem

put forward your argument (a critical perspective on a problem in the literature)

* Establish your research context and from which perspective you want to see your data (vantage point)EX

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Identification of :key theoristskey conceptsdimensions, variables

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5 5. Review the Literature

Theoretical framework

6. Develop Appropriate Methodology

Derives from :• the kind of research question/s you have

developed• the methodologies already adopted by others

in your research field (discerned from literature review process)

Depends on the kind of DATA you hope to obtain


References• Bell, J. (2005) Doing your research project: a

guide for first time researchers in education, health and social science. Maidenhead: Open University Press

• Denscombe, M. (2003) The good research guide: for small scale social research projects. Maidenhead: Open University Press

• SAGE series on Research Methodology


Develop your research design• Identify your method• Population and sampling• Data collection methods• Data analysis

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Write up of research methodologyFlow chart of research process

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Too much unnecessary experimental detail Not enough detail on approachesFeasibility of each aim not shown Lack of appropriate controls Not directly testing hypothesis Correlative or descriptive analysis P

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7. Timetable & Milestones

Identify stages and activitiesShow start-ups and completions for each activityInclude milestone


Use Table or Excel :• build your timetable or project plan• Identify all activities and stages

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Gantt chart of project plan/timetableKey milestones

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1.Theoretical Framework ▲ 2.Survey instrument & interview guides ▲

3. Survey & Interviews ▲ 4. Data Analysis ▲ 5. Findings ▲ 6. Discussion & Publications ▲

Timetable is unrealistic• lifetime’s work and too ambitious•Unclear what can be accomplished during the term of the study

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8. Experience & publications

Display your knowledge and experience in the area

Cite your supervisor/s work and how you extend the work


write up your recent work and submit it to appropriate peer-reviewed journal/conference

Identify all related publications of your supervisor/s

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In your Proposal, your work can appear as ‘published’, ‘in press’ or at least ‘a submitted manuscript’ In your Proposal, your supervisor/s work is cited in the research gap and current state of knowledge

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No demonstration of expertise or publications

Low productivity, no recent papers

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9. Expected Outcome

Identify the expected outcomeWho would benefit from the findings and how• Can be direct or indirect

Make sure you are able to fulfill examiners’ expectation

9. Expected Outcome

Describe who will benefit from your findings

Elaborate what are the outcomes and how will they be achieved

Ensure you fulfill examiners’ expectation

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Unable to fulfil examiners’ expectationExpected outcome has no connection with

your aim, objectives, method etc

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9. Expected Outcome


10. Budget

The cost estimates depends on your understanding of the research activities requiredA good budget will allow you to achieve ALL objectives and intended outcomes

10. Budget

Open an Excel file and estimates the cost of your research project

• allocated your budget into the correct categories

• spread out your budget over the period of research allowed under the study

Transfer the cost estimates to the Study FormEX

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11. Title set the first impression of your projectShould describe your entire project, specific

and concise

developing your proposal associate professor dr. gholamreza research development and management...

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