RESEACH PROPOSAL FOR MASTERS STUDENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Information (to the study)
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the study
1.3.1 General Objective
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance/Justification/Importance of the Study
1.6 Scope of the Study
1.7 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction
2.1.1 Theoretical framework
2.1.2 Conceptual framework
2.2 Review of Past Studies
2.2.1 Dependent Variable
2.2.2 Specific Objective 1 and Dependent Variable
2.2.3 Specific Objective 2 and Dependent Variable
2.2.4 Specific Objective 3 and Dependent Variable
2.2.5 Specific Objective 4 and Dependent Variable
2.3 Summary and Gaps to be Filled by the Study
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Target Population
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Procedures
3.5 Data Sources and Instruments
3.6 Data Collection Procedures
3.7 Data Analysis and Presentation
3.8 Expected Output
REFERENCES Should follow the APA (American Psychological Association) format
APPENDICES Appendix 1: Letter to Respondents (Introduction Letter)
Appendix 2: Questionnaire
Appendix 3: Interview Schedule (if to be used)
Appendix 4: Proposal Budget
Appendix 5: Time Plan
Appendix 6: Maps or Photos if used
1.1 Background of the Study This is normally the first section of the proposal. The background simply introduces the status and theoretical foundation of the study. It is the rationale for the study and provides evidence and conditions of existing situation to make the reader feel the urgency or the need for studying this topic in order to solve or contribute towards its solution. It sometimes portrays the history and the character of the problem and exposes the facts around the problem that must be tackled by doing this study.
A research background has four main dimensions but this is subject to change depending on your faculty. The first dimension is the historical dimension, theoretical dimension, conceptual dimension and finally contextual dimension.
Ordinarily, the first to be written is historical dimension. Here the researcher describes in a precise paragraph the relationships between study variables in a historical perspective. You are not the one investigating that issue for the first time, so provide brief history of those who have investigated the issue. To go straight to the point, summarize issues believed to be true about the topic. State in brief the genesis/ development of the issue at hand which is worth investigated. The section should ideally begin from a global history and then narrow down to the historical issue in the area of study. Note, there is no standard structure of writing research historical dimension. What the researcher must show is that the issue being investigated has historical significance and it never came from the blues. The second to be written is theoretical dimension. However, some faculty requires that this part be taken to literature review. If that is the case, then u are expected to skip it until Literature review and move straight to the third dimension which is conceptual dimension. Here the researcher provides the definition of the terms. There are usually many definitions’ that the researcher should provide. The first one is called literal definition. This definition informs the reader about the meaning of the terms or variables in the study. It’s a best practice to obtain such definitions’ from authoritative sources. Sometimes these definitions’ are called dictionary or book definitions’. Second definition the researcher is expecting to highlight is the working definition. This means that more often, different authors will provide different meanings to a similar term. The researcher should keep the reader aware about the best definition he/she has chosen for the study. In inert cell, working definition is the literal meaning of the term adopted by the researcher for the study. Then, finally, the researcher should provide operational definitions. This is justified since on term may have different in different context of the study. Operational definition simply tells the readers how the researcher will be able to manipulate the variables (independent / dependent variables). Sometimes operational definitions’ indicate how the variables will be measured. Finally, the fourth dimension is the contextual dimension of background. Here the researcher describes the problem in each operation of the variable in the context of the study. The researcher here describes the problem in each isolated variable pointing outs the gaps the study intends to fill.
The procedure is provide the definition of the variable (one literal definition is enough) and provide the idea situation of the variables then expose the gaps in the context of the study by comparing the actual situation in the study area with the ideal. For example, the association between project planning and performances has never been empirically measured yet the levels of projects failing due to poor plans have been significantly high especially in IT projects (okello, 2017). To reach the writer for researcher tutorials and online teaching nyachomepeter@yahoo.com
