Research proposal –an example
The
following is a
suggested format for
a research prop
Cover Page
The
cover page should
show:
·
the title;
·
the
student’s name and
student number;
·
the name of the University;
·
the name of the degree sought;
·
the name of the principal supervisor; and
·
the date of submission.
Abstract
The abstract should be self
contained, concise, readable, and one page or less. It should outline what you
intend to do, why you believe it needs to be done and what the results will
mean in theory and in practice
Introduction
The Background to the Study
This section sets the scene
for a naive reader who knows nothing about your research.
The Significance of the Study
This section states why it
is important to do the research.
The Purpose of the Study or a
Statement of the Problem
This section states, in
about a paragraph, what you expect to achieve by doing this research or what
problem gave rise to the research. This problem statement may be presented in
broad terms in qualitative studies.
Research Questions
These are unambiguous
questions that the research is designed to answer.
Hypotheses
These are clear statements
that the research is designed to test.
Definitions of Terms or Operational
Definitions
Define any important terms
used in the research questions or elsewhere in the thesis.
Review of the literature
The first phase of the
literature review should be brief but give the reader enough information to
understand the context of the proposed research. It may include references to
previous findings and specific studies similar to the current study, and to
relevant methodology.
