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Proposal writing

Proposal writing.

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Proposal writing

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  1. Proposal writing • Quality writing is critical in all good proposals. It should be clear, concise, and free of jargon. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors, and the proposal should be easy to read. Sloppy proposals and proposals laden with jargon do not provide a positive image of the offerer, nor do they lend confidence that solid research will follow. Proposals that are well-written and attractive are a pleasure to read, and they make a good impression with reviewers

  2. What is proposal writing • A research proposal is a very useful writing task to accomplish before starting your research. It’s like launching into a perilous journey without attaining a detailed map on the dangerous and unknown itinerary. It is better to get a piece of advice on how to pass those perils successfully equipped. A research proposal example can serve such a heaven-sent piece of advice for a traveler in the depths of science. • A research proposal is a document written by a researcher that describes in details the program for a proposed research. It is like an outline of the entire research process that gives a reader a summary of the information discussed in the project. Research proposals are written in future tense and have different points of emphasis. A proposal should present strict research plan in order to distribute research time according to tasks importance and their time consuming capacity. Research proposals (usually 1500-2000 words length) have several sections describing:

  3. Elements of a proposal • The title page provides the first impression for your audience of your proposal.  Your title must be complete and it should provide the focus of your investigation.  Be sure that the title gives a glimpse of the nature of the proposed investigation and includes the key ideas.

  4. Introduction •  An effective introduction discusses the meaningfulness of the study with presentation of problem or issue.  It also serves as an argument advocating the need of study for your chosen object and gives a clear insight into your intentions. Thus, the introduction presents a background and statement of context for your investigation.

  5. Con… Introduction includes these items • Clear Statement of the Problem • Purpose of the Study   • Definitions  • Significance of the Investigation • Literature Review • Questions or Hypothesis

  6. Con... • Begin with something interesting, e.g., a quote or story, to capture the reader's interest. • Introduce your question or curiosity. What is it that you want to know or understand? How did you get interested in the topic? If your question has evolved since you have begun, describe the process. • Tell why there's a need for the study. Cite relevant literature that calls for the need for the research in this area, or demonstrates the lack of attention to the topic. In your own words, describe how you think this study will be useful. • Describe the intended audience for your research • Describe your research product. What form will the report take

  7. Statement of the Problem • The most important aspect of a research proposal is the clarity of the research problem. For a short statement, it certainly has a lot of power.  The statement of the problem is the focal point of your research. It should state what you will be studying, whether you will do it through experimental or non-experimental investigation, and what the purpose of your findings will be.  As a part of the Introduction, effective problem statements answer the question “Why does this research need to be conducted?” •   “The problem statement describes the context for the study and it also identifies the general analysis approach” (Wiersma, 1995, p. 404). •  “A problem might be defined as the issue that exists in the literature, theory, or practice that leads to a need for the study” (Creswell, 1994, p. 50)

  8. Example of a problem statement "The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management workers." • In your wording, be succinct and on target. Give a short summary of the research problem that you have identified.  A research proposal may not be considered acceptable or credible if you fail to clearly identify the problem.  Your biggest difficulty might be narrowing the topic since the topic is still relatively unfamiliar to you.  Your Literature Review should be a helpful source.

  9. Purpose of the Study • This describes the goals and objectives that are the targets and desired outcomes of work done by you to find answers to the problem or issue under investigation.     • The purpose often starts with a single goal statement that explains what the study intends to accomplish. A few typical statements are:The goal of this study is to...      ... overcome the difficulty with ...      ... discover what ...       ... understand the causes or effects of ...      ... refine our current understanding of ...      ... provide a new interpretation of ...      ... understand what makes successful or unsuccessful • It is then followed by a paragraph which describes the objectives that support the goal of the research investigation. • “The purpose statement should provide a specific and accurate synopsis of the overall purpose of the study” (Locke, Spirduso, & Silverman, 1987, p. 5). If the purpose is not clear to the writer, it cannot be clear to the reader

  10. Research Question A research question proposes a relationship between two or more variables.  Just as the title states, it is structured in form of a question.  There are three types of research questions:  • A descriptive research question seeks to identify and describe some phenomenon.  • An example:  What is the ethnic breakdown of patients seen in the emergency room for non- emergency conditions. • A difference research question asks if there are differences between groups on some phenomenon.  • For example:  Do patients who receive massage experience more relief from sore muscle pain than patients who take a hot bath? • A relationship question asks if two or more phenomena are related in some systematic manner.  • For example:  If one increases his level of physical exercise does muscle mass also increase?

  11. Significance of the Investigation • An explanation of the significance of a study may include the meaning of the research work to you personally and should include how your research benefits or impacts others in part or whole.  Discuss what people or groups of people might benefit from reading your research. Show how this project is significant to developing a body of knowledge.  If your investigation will contribute to a portion of a larger investigation, describe that larger investigation as well. 

  12. Hypothesis • A hypothesis represents a declarative statement, a sentence instead of a question, of the cause-effect relationship between two or more variables.  Make a clear and careful distinction between the dependent and independent variables and be certain they are clear to the reader. Be very consistent in your use of terms. If appropriate, use the same pattern of wording and word order in all hypotheses.   • While hypotheses come from the scientific method, to see how political scientists use hypotheses, imagine how you might use a hypothesis to develop a thesis for this paper:  Suppose that we asked "How are presidential elections affected by economic conditions?"  We could formulate this question into the following hypothesis: "When the national unemployment rate is greater than 7 percent at the time of the election, presidential incumbents are not reelected."

  13. Literature Review • The literature review develops broad ideas of what is already known in a field, and what questions are still unanswered.  This process will assist you in furthering narrowing the problem for investigation, and will highlight any theories that may exist to support developing hypotheses.  You must show that you have looked through the literature and have found the latest updates in your field of study in order for a proposal to be convincing to an audience.  This process also helps you to be sure that your investigation is not just “reinventing the wheel.”  A discussion of the present understanding and/or state of knowledge concerning the problem or issue sets the context for your investigation.

  14. Review of the Literature “The review of the literature provides the background and context for the research problem. It should establish the need for the research and indicate that the writer is knowledgeable about the area” (Wiersma, 1995, p. 406). 1. It shares with the reader the results of other studies that are closely related to the study being reported (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1990). 2. It relates a study to the larger, ongoing dialogue in the literature about a topic, filling in gaps and extending prior studies (Marshall & Rossman, 1989). 3. It provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study, as well as a benchmark for comparing the results of a study with other findings. 4. It “frames” the problem earlier identified.

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