Chapter 2 - The Research Proposal

Question 1

What is the purpose of a Research Proposal?

Answer 1

1. A research proposal is a summary of a proposed research study. The goal is to justify the need to embark on the research study.
   
   2. It outlines the process to conduct the proposed study and it can be used to request for funds to carry out the project.
   3. It provides a rationale as to why the study will be undertaken and how it will be conducted. It is also useful for planning.
   4. Researchers must often get permission or necessary resources in order to proceed with a research project. A good research proposal has become a necessity not only for ensuring the success of the research but also for getting a research grant.

Question 2

How to write an effective Research Proposal?

Answer 2

An effective proposal should be precise and convincing. It should be written in simple language, and jargon/ technical language should be avoided.

Question 3

What is the Outline of a Research Proposal?

Answer 3

1. Title of Research
   
   2. Introduction and Problem Statement
   3. Context and Literature Review
   4. Research Question and Hypotheses
   5. Assumptions and Limitations
   6. Significance of the Study
   7. Research Methodology / Design
      
      • Research Methods
      • Population and Sampling Plan
      • Data Collection Procedures
      • Data Analysis and Presentation of the Findings

Question 4

What is Plagiarism?

Answer 4

1. Plagiarism is the failure to give due acknowledgement by copying or rephrasing materials from other people’s work without citation.
   
   2. It is an ethical practice to include a declaration of authenticity clause or statement at the end of the proposal to assure the reader that the research idea(s) and written text in the research proposal originate from the author. Any text or ideas taken from others are clearly cited according to the APA Citation Guide.
   3. All in-text citations in the Literature Review section must appear in the reference list.

Question 5

How should a researcher avoid Plagiarism?

Answer 5

Plagiarism is the failure to give due acknowledgement to the author by copying materials from other people’s work without citation. It is imperative that researchers provide proper citations in APA style, and give credit to the author(s) and/or organisation(s) when words, ideas and other intellectual property are used by the researcher in the research documents.