Writing a Research proposal Presentation part one

Overview Why write a research proposal What is a research Types of research Research Area Research Topic Sources of research Topic Research problem Research proposal components Research project components

Learning outcomes selecting a research topic List the sections of a research proposal and project Write the research problem for the project work

Why research proposal Approval Refine ideas Funding

What is a research A systematic process of investigation into problem Original and not repetition of something already known A way to increase knowledge

What is research The term ‘Research’ consists of two words: Research = Re + Search ‘Re’ means again and again and ‘Search’ means to find out something Singh (2006, p.2)

Types of research Purpose Exploratory research “initial research into a hypothetical or theoretical idea” Two options 1. Applying well defined theories into your area 2. Developing your own theory Descriptive research “attempts to give you additional information about your topic” It is built on exploratory and needs a lot of data

Cont.…. Explanatory research “tries to explain the relationships b/w variables” it is the highest one and builds on both exploratory and descriptive It explains why something happens Process Qualitative research Quantitative research

Types of research Outcome Basic research Expands general knowledge and processes to generate universal principles Applied research Improves a particular management problem to understand and solve this problem

Research area Wide area of interests or concern Broad problem that is closely related to one’s interest or professional goals It forms basis of investigation

Research topic The subject to be researched, analyzed and interpreted A problem to be solved or issue to be understood Conditions to be improved Difficulties to be eliminated Question to be answered

Sources of research topic Personal experience Existing theories Need assessments Literature resources

Good research topic Focus on concept Have a subject and object Define variables About 12 words Specific and accurate

Example Extended contact program and learning (wrong) The effect of extended contact program on student achievement

Choosing and narrowing research topic Identifying a research area Seeking out specific research titles Reading widely about two or three subjects that interest you. Limit your research topic Define your research topic once you feel satisfied

Example Research area: Kownayn University’s immediate feedback to its students Research topic: The effect of providing immediate feedback to Kownyn university students Still broad Refined topic: The impact of providing immediate feedback via e-Instruction responders in Kownayn PA graduate classes

Note Each research topic has a clear subject(IV) and object(DV) Each topic clearly indicates the target population ( where the study will be conducted) Research topics are written upper case Title do not end with a period Research topics are center aligned

Note Good title must avoid words that serve no purpose (i.e. “method”, “results”, “a study of” “an investigation” Good title avoid using abbreviations in the title. A title should not exceed 12 words or 50 characters – including punctuations

Research problem Something arise from current issues current practices current problems That needs to solved

Components of problem st Ideal part Actual part The Gab Consequences

Components of problem st The Ideal According to Robinson and Rousseau (1994) an organizational change such as that incurred with restructuring and downsizing affects the steady state of employment still expected by many staff today. The loss of job stability and the subsequent need to renegotiate career expectations can be regarded as a major violation of the psychological contract and employee commitment.

Components of problem st The actual During the last two decades it was generally believed that organizational restructuring might affect employee commitment. During that period there was a formation of many business companies which have well defined organizational structure and those companies were conducting organizational restructuring to increase organization’s efficiencies and employee commitment and to compare employee commitment from period to period. (Cooper, 1998).

Component of problem st The gab In view of this there is a need to know the kind of relationship between organizational restructuring and employee commitment at service companies in Mogadishu and to ascertain what affect the restructuring process has had on staff within the service companies in Mogadishu.

Components of problem st The consequence This could lead lack of employee commitment

Background Section Introduction: It is the initial section of a proposal: It is a set of statements relevant to the theme being studie that attracts the reader to the work Introduces the status and theoretical and conceptual framework of the study Provides evidence and conditions of the existing situation to make the reader feel the urgency of the problem and the need to study it Portrays the history and the character of the problem, or issues at hand

Background Section, Cont… Format and Design: It has four main dimensions: The historical – describes the relationship between the variables in the study. It provides brief history of the issue being investigated starting with the global history and narrowing down to historical issue in the area of under study. The theoretical – describes the theory(s) on which the study will be based. It provides evidence towards the relationship between the variables in the study and the theory to be used.

Background Section, Cont… Format and Design: It has four main dimensions: The conceptual – provides the definitions of terms in the topic. There are three main definitions that a researcher should provide in this section: Literal definition Working definition Operational definition

Background Section, Cont… Format and Design: It has four main dimensions: The contextual – describes the problems in each operation of the variables in the context of the study.

Purpose of the study Provide a specific and accurate synopsis of the overall purpose of the study. Define and delimit the specific area of the research. Some key points Try to incorporate a sentence that begins with “The purpose of this study is….” Clearly identify and define the central concepts

Purpose of the study Some key points Identify the specific method of inquiry to be used. Identify the unit of analysis in the study.

Purpose of the study Example The purpose of this study is to explore the existence of audit expectation gap with the view of graduate accounting and business students in Somali University in Somalia Using cross sectional survey design by expecting the existence of audit expectation gap.

Specific objectives The overriding question that study seeks to answer. Objective tips: objectives should be SMART……… Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely

Specific objectives Example To investigate the affect of socially responsible activities on customer loyalty To determine the influence of environmentally responsible actions on customer loyalty To examine the effect of financial transparency on customer loyalty

Research questions/hypotheses Questions are relevant to normative or census type research They are most often used in qualitative inquiry Hypotheses are relevant to theoretical research and are typically used only in quantitative inquiry.

Scope of the study The scope has three dimensions: content scope, geographical scope and time scope.

Example of the scope Content scope: This study attempts to explore the effect of CSR on customer loyalty in Mogadishu, Somalia. The research study was done to offer relevant information about CSR and customer loyalty in Telecommunication sector.

EXAmple of the scope Geographical scope: This study conducted in Telecommunication industry in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia.

Example Time scope Study will conduct during one semester

Significance of study Describes or explains the potential value of the study and findings to the field of education. should identify the audience for the study and how the results will be beneficial to them

Example of significance study This study is significant for both the management of service companies in Mogadishu and potential researchers. First, it is important for managers to restructure their organization efficiently as well as to keep their employees commitment. Second, the potential researchers will use it as a base of their research.

Operational definitions Here you define the variables of the study by giving a citation

Example Organizational commitment: defined as multidimensional in nature, involving an employee’s loyalty to the organization, willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization. Organizational restructuring is defined as a deliberate organizational change and decision to reduce the workforce in order to increase organizational efficiency.