RESEARCH IN

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Module 10.1: Formulating Research Proposal

National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research

Chandigarh
 CONTENTS

S. No Page

Learning Outcomes

1. Introduction 1

2. Research Proposal – Concept 1

2.1 Purposes of Research Proposals 1-2

3. Types of Research Proposals 3-4

4. Components of Research Proposals 5-6

5. The Process of Preparing a Research Proposal 7-8

6. Develop a Topical Outline 8

7. Develop Narrative Descriptions for each Section of the Outline 9-11

8. Review by Colleague and Evaluate your Completed Proposal 12

Practice Task 13

Feedback 14

References 15
 FORMULATING RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the module, you will be able to:

 Define a research proposal.
 Explain the significance of formulating a research proposal.
 Describe purposes of writing a research proposal.
 Describe various types of research proposals.
 Describe the components of research proposal.
 Develop the format of a research proposal.

1. Introduction

Dear learners, as you know that the core of research is the problem. It is a question raised for
inquiry, consideration, or solution. Now you are required to formulate the proposal.

The present learning module will enable learners understand the significance, types and stages
of formulating a research proposal.

2. Research Proposal - Concept

It is a detailed description of the proposed work documented by a researcher, i.e., a plan of action presented
and justified by the researcher for investigation. Basically, it is a document that portrays the rationale and
plan for implementing a research study. It is essentially the consolidation of the material that results from the
steps taken in the planning of a research study. In other words, it is an outline of future activities of a
research problem. If written adequately, a research proposal provides intent of the researcher about:

 research problem for investigation

 objectives, hypotheses, sampling and methodology
 resources (time, funds, facilities, equipment etc.) required to complete it,
 research outcome(s) to be reported, and so on

Various Terminologies for a research proposal are: research/project proposal; thesis plan; Research outline;
Synopsis; Research Plan.

2.1 Purposes of Research Proposals

The proposal may serve different purposes, depending on the type of study and the people involved. That is,
different situations require different types of proposals. A study being planned by one teacher who will
conduct the study within his/her classroom and will require no special resources may need only a brief
proposal. Conversely, another who wishes to conduct a state-wide or national study that requires access to

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Prof. (Dr.) Sunil Dutt
educational institutions and financial resources, may need a fairly lengthy and detailed proposal. The
purpose and scope of the study will dictate proposal’s form and length. Proposal may be written for
rrequisition of budget for the research or Certification requirements for research about the feasibility of
experimentation to be done on human beings or animals or for obtaining approval of Research Degree
Committee before performing research for a dissertation. In other words, it is a formal offer to render service
or produce a product to a client in response to request of the client.
There are three basic purposes that proposals may serve, which are given here:

 To Facilitate Planning

The proposal can serve the purpose of facilitating the planning of a research study by providing a structure
within which the researcher must plan. That is, the proposal acts as an outline which identifies the important
aspects of the study. In essence, it forces the researcher to address the major components of a study and
document this plans. The proposal answers the following questions about a study:
a. Why is the study being done?
b. What is being studied?
c. How will, it be conducted?
d. Who will be involved in the study?' and
c. When will the study be conducted?

These questions provide the structure and plan for a research study. Their answers are
reflected in the proposal.

 To Gain Support

A proposal may also be used to gain support from others for a research study. Many research studies
require the permission of superiors within an institution, or governmental officials within a State or
country. The proposal may provide a mechanism or vehicle for this request. It can show the importance
and need for the study as well as specify any special considerations that are requested.

Additionally, there is often a need for the financial support of a research study. Many governmental
agencies, universities and colleges allocate money to a special research fund. Researchers are provided
with the opportunity to request these funds for specific research studies. Sometimes, the managers of
these funds will identify problems and ask researchers to write competitive proposals that focus upon the
problems. Other times, the fund managers allow researchers to identify problems and make funding
requests. In either case, a proposal is the primary basis for determining who should receive funds and
how much they should receive.

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In short, this purpose is achieved by making a formal request for official or financial support through the
use of a research proposal.

 To Inform Others

A proposal can be used to inform a variety of individuals and groups about a research study that is being
planned or conducted. Most research studies involve more people than just the researchers. Therefore,
there will exist a need to inform people who will be involved in or affected by the study.

If other researchers, teachers or administrators will be involved in a study, they will need to know all of the
particulars of the study. A detailed proposal will probably best meet this need. In addition to direct
participants of a study, the subjects of a study may have the need to know something about it. If the
favour of participation is requested, they will need to know the purpose and procedures as they are to be
affected directly. An abstractor short proposal may fit this need.

To conclude, a research proposal describes what researcher will do, why, how and what he/she expect
will result. While clarity about what, why, how from the start of study will help the researcher complete it
timely whereas, a vague or weak research proposal can lead to a painful, and unsuccessful execution
during investigation.

3. Types of Research Proposals

Research proposals vary in form and length by the purpose of the proposal. That is, a classroom study
proposal will vary from a funded study proposal because the purpose is different and the audience of the
proposal will be different. Basically, research proposals in technician education can be divided into three
types. These types include: 1) an action research proposal, 2) a funding request proposal, and 3) a
thesis or dissertation proposal for a graduate school or university.

A. Action Research Proposal

Action research proposals are prepared by teachers and administrators who are interested in solving or
exploring practical problems within their institution. The purpose of this type of proposal is usually
twofold. It assists in the planning of a study and can be used to inform others of the study's particulars.
The audience of an action research proposal includes the researcher and others involved in the study.

The action research proposal is not generally very long nor very formal. It should contain the basic
components of a proposal (discussed later in this unit) but a great deal of energy and time need not be

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invested in making the proposal formal. It should be more of a planning document and a guide to
implementation, and less of a document used to influence someone. An action research proposal might
range from five to fifteen pages.

B. Funding Request Research Proposal

A proposal that is prepared for the purpose of obtaining financial support is usually a formal proposal. It
is very specific in terms of problem statement and rationale as well as specific procedures and
instruments. Since its purpose is to influence someone to allocate funds, the funding request proposal
must be technically accurate, complete and persuasive.

The funding request proposal often written to conform to guidelines issued by a governmental or funding
agency. Therefore, the researcher must be aware of the guidelines in advance. The audience of a
funding request proposal is primarily the people who will make the selection or funding decision.

The length of a funding proposal will vary, depending on the type of study and the funding
agency. Sometimes a maximum length requirement is stipulated by the funding agency. In
general, a funding request proposal ranges from fifteen to one hundred pages in length.

C. Thesis or Dissertation Proposal

Thesis and dissertation proposals have a very specific place in research. They exist only in
universities and colleges and are written only by people who are pursuing a masters or doctoral
degree. These degrees have a requirement that before award of a degree, one must plan,
conduct and report on a research study. The proposal, therefore, is focussed on meeting the
planning needs and requirements of a particular university or college.

Most universities and colleges that offer the master’s and doctoral degree, have guidelines
which must be closely followed in proposal writing. Many professors have their own style and
content expectations. Proposals of this type have a strong emphasis on background research
and problem formulation along with the inclusion of procedures for data collection and analysis.
The audience of the thesis or dissertation proposal is a professor or group of professors who act
as advisers and evaluators for the proposal and study.

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4. Components of Research Proposals

It can be concluded from the previous inputs and practice tasks of this unit that proposals will vary according
to purpose and type. Each may have a different purpose, each may emphasize different points and each
may result in different levels of formality and size. Even though proposals will be very different from one to
another, each will contain the same basic components. Most of these components have been referenced in
other modules within this set. This input will state and summarize each component. Unit two of this module
will provide added detail to each component. The components can be easily classified according to the
major planning questions that were stated previously. The [allowing displays this classification and identifies
each component.

Question Proposal Component

1. Why is the study being done? a. Review of literature
b. Problem statement
2. What is being studied? c. Research questions/hypotheses
3. How will it be conducted? d. Method/design
e. Instrumentation
f. Data collecting procedures
g. Analysis procedures
4. Who will be involved in the study? h. Population and sample
i. Research personnel
5. When will the study be conducted? j. Schedule
k. Resources

The following paragraphs provide brief descriptions of each component:

a. Review of Literature

The review of literature is presented in the proposal to provide the reader w it h an overview and rationale
for your study. Additionally, it provides an indication that your study is building on the work of others and
that you have begun a systematic problem solving activity. The review of literature will vary in length, depth
and detail according to the type of study being proposed. For an action research study, the review of the
literature may only consume one or two pages of the proposal. For a funding or thesis proposal the review
of literature might reach thirty pages in length.

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b. Problem Statement

The problem statement presents to the reader of the proposal, a very concise description of
what you intend to study. It may be a single sentence or a paragraph and may be presented as
a broad question or a declarative statement. Regardless of proposal type, the problem
statements will be similar.

c. Research Questions/Hypotheses

Research questions and/or hypotheses are presented in the proposal to provide the reader with
an indication of how you have focussed your study. The questions or hypotheses show a logical
relationship with the problem statement and help the reader better understand what you are
planning.

d. Method/Design

The method or design section of the proposal reveals to the reader the general type of study or
approach you have chosen. That is, it identifies the study as descriptive, correlation, ex-post
facto, or experimental. It may also provide a brief rationale for the selection of such a method.

e. Instrumentation

This component of the proposal presents a list of instruments that will be used in the study. If
standardised instruments are selected, a brief description of each may be presented. If you
develop new instruments as part of the study, a brief description of the proposed instruments
should be given.

f. Data Collection Procedures

The data collection procedures component of the proposal provide a description of how, where
and when instruments will be administered and data will be collected. The length and amount of
detail of this component will vary w it n the complexity of the study being proposed. In addition,
the type of proposal will result in differences in detail and length. For example, an action
research proposal may include only two or three paragraphs while a funding proposal may
include many pages on this topic.

g. Analysis Procedures

The analysis procedures component of the proposal provides a description of how data will be manipulated
and analysed. It may include a description of how tabulations may be handled as well as what statistical

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techniques will be used. The length of this section may vary with proposal type.

h. Population and Sample

This section of the proposal presents a description of the population to which the results will be generalized.
It also describes the procedure for selecting the sample(s). This section may describe very specifically the
make-up and strata of the sample with numbers of subjects. The sample section is relatively short with a
range from a paragraph to several pages.

i. Research Personnel

The research personnel section is commonly included in a funding request proposal but seldom include in
the other two types of proposals. In a funding request proposal, this section informs the reader of whom will
be assisting. This section may include a brief biographical sketch of each key person. This section is usually
brief, with up to a half page per key person. Often, more complete curriculum vitae is included as an
appendix to the proposal.

j. Schedule

This component of the proposal provides an indication of critical dates for completion of the research study. It
may be as simple as presenting beginning and ending dates or as complex as detailed calendars for each
procedural step of the study. The complexity of the study will be the greatest factor in determining the detail
provided in this section or the proposal.

k. Resources

This section is common to funding request proposals only. It may have a title such as budget or requested
budget. Essentially, this action includes the details of the finances needed to complete the research study. It
is often broken into categories such as: personnel, contractual services, materials and supplies, equipment,
travel and printing. This section is usually limited to one or two pages.

1. Appendix

The appendix of a research proposal contains documents or items that have a peripheral relationship to the
research study. Items such as instruments curriculum vitae are presented.

5. The Process of Preparing a Research Proposal

Before start writing, a researcher must answer the following questions:

 Do I have the clear research question(s)?

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  Have I read intensively in that area?
 Have I discussed the research problem with peers, teachers and sought feedback on
completed proposal?
 Do I have enough time and funds to start?
 Do I get support from teachers and friends?
 Do I have checked for Plagiarism

Preparing a research proposal is like preparing any other formal document; it takes planning
and effort. In addition, it may take refinement and improvement efforts to reach the desired level
of quality. If one thinks of the proposal as a plan that has other benefits, its effort can be easily
justified. The better job done in planning will usually result in a better study and higher efficiency
in implementation.

The inputs that you have already read from Modules One through Eight have provided you with ideas and
knowledge about research in technician education. Each of the Modules Two through Eight have covered a
topic that corresponds directly with a component of the research proposal. Therefore, it may be
advantageous to refer back to the pertinent modules for review or assistance.

The process for developing a proposal can be divided into four distinct steps. These steps are:

Step 1 Develop a topical outline that matches the purpose and type of proposal desired.
Step 2 Develop narrative descriptions for each major section of your outline.
Step 3 Get your completed proposal reviewed and evaluated from an expert/colleague.
Step 4 Revise the proposal based on feedback received from an expert/colleague.

6. Develop a Topical Outline

The topical outline provides you with a framework or structure upon which your proposal can
be built. It identifies each component of your proposal and provides you the opportunity to jot
down ideas of content that you will include in each component section.

The purpose, type and other requirements described in the first unit of this module will dictate
the components to be included. The following outline provides an example for an action
research study, planned by a technician educator.

Topic outline for an Action Research Study

1. Review of Literature
2. Problem Statement and Research Questions

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 3. Method
A. Design
B. Population and Sample
C. Data Collection Procedures
D. Analysis Procedures
4. Schedule
5. Needed Resources
6. Appendices

A proposal to request funding may be structured in a slightly different way. However, it will have
the same basic components. The following outline provides an example of a funding request
proposal.

Topic Outline for a Funding Request Proposal

1. Purpose and Need for the Study Problem Statement

2. Literature Review
3. Research Objectives, Questions and Hypotheses
4. Design of the Study
5. Population and Sample of the Study
6. Instruments of the Study
7. Procedures for Data Collection
8. Procedures for Data Analysis
9. Specifics of Reporting
10. Personnel involved in the Study
11. Schedule of the Study
12. Requested Budget
13. Appendix

7. Develop Narrative Descriptions for each Section of the Outline

The narrative of the proposal should be built on the outline. The specific style of writing that you use
should depend, in a great part on the audience of the proposal. That is, if your superior will read
and evaluate your proposal, then write it in the style to which he is accustomed or prefers. The following'
sections provide points or suggestions that might assist you in writing the narrative of the proposal:

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a. Review of Literature

1. Review as much as required to make your readers agree about having reviewed
other studies.
2. Explain the basis for emergence of your proposed study through relevant literature.
3. Use the literature to illustrate the origin of your research questions and/or
hypotheses in case of a larger study.
4. Keep the length of the review as appropriate to the purpose of the proposal and its
type: short for action research and longer for funding and thesis proposals.

b. Problem Statement

1. Be brief and to the point.

2. Reflect about why the study is being conducted clearly in the problem statement.
3. State the problem in the form of a question.

c. Research Questions and/or Hypotheses

1. State research questions concisely and limit their number.

2. State hypotheses when hunches are held.
3. Formulate the null hypothesis when statistical tests are to be made.
4. Ensure that the questions as well as hypotheses relate directly and logically to
problem statement and research questions respectively.

d. Method/Design

1. Describe in brief about the research method/procedure that will be employed.

2. Describe briefly the rationale for choosing particular research method/procedure.

e. Instrumentation

1. Provide a list of instruments that will be included in the research study.

2. Give detail (form, purpose, validity and reliability) about each instrument.
3. Ensure that the research question or hypothesis relates directly to each instrument.
4. Describe the procedures that will be used in development of instruments in case the
researcher wishes to develop them as part of the study.

f. Data Collection Procedures

1. Describe the procedure for collection of the data

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 2. Describe the suitability of instruments with which group or sample.
3. Present enough detail so that the reader knows exactly what you plan to do in case
of preparing for the funding request proposals.

g. Analysis Procedures

1. Describe how the collected data will be organized.

2. Identify the statistical techniques that will be computed.
3. Ensure that adequate statistical techniques will be used based on the nature of data
and hypotheses.
4. Describe how statistical results will be reported or presented.

h. Population and Sample

1. Identify the target population of the study.

2. Ensure that the size of the sample to be chosen is adequate for the purpose of
generalizations.
3. Identify strata or clusters, if any that will be used in sampling.
4. Describe the sampling technique that will be used.

i. Research Personnel

1. Identify each individual being involved in conducting the research study.

2. Acknowledge each key person being involved in the study.

j. Schedule

1. Indication start date and end date of the project.

2. Include a timeline for each task of the study.

k. Resources

1. Identify any specific resources to be required for the study such as facilities,
equipment, etc.
2. Prepare a budget detailing all financial needs of the study.

1. Appendix

Include any item (which could fit in the body of your proposal) that supports your
proposal. This might include instruments, report/documents, etc.

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8. Review by Colleague and Evaluate your Completed Proposal

Once you have completed each of the components of the proposal, you should have it typed.
Then make one or two photocopies. Retain one copy and give the second to a colleague whom
you respect and who has experience and expertise in research and proposal writing.
Ask your colleague to read proposal and to evaluate it. Ask him to play the role of the person
who will ultimately read the proposal.

A checklist such as the one presented in the following practice task might be useful in this task.
In addition to the checklist, ask your colleague(s) to make judgements about your proposal and
make suggestions for improvement.

9. Revise the Proposal Based on your Colleague’s Reactions

Based upon the feedback from your colleague, make changes and improvements in your
proposal use the checklist results to identify components that can be improved if necessary,
refer to one of the modules, two through eight, for ideas for change and improvement

10. Research Proposal – Common Mistakes

A researcher must get himself/herself familiarized with certain common mistakes that the other
researchers are committing. A few are stated here:
 Inappropriate context to formulate the research question(s) or hypotheses
 Inappropriate delimitation to conditions for research problem
 Poor in citing landmark studies; citation lapses and incorrect references
 Inaccurate presentation of the theoretical and empirical contributions of other
researchers
 Not focused on the research question
 Enough detail on minor issues, but insufficient detail on major issues
 Too long or too short

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Practice Task

1. Explain, in brief, the concept of a research proposal.

2. Which one of the following is the main characteristic of a Thesis or Dissertation Proposal?
a. Used primarily as an internal plan.
b. Evaluated by a group of Professors.
c. Used to influence a decision to support the study.
d. Used for solving immediate problem.

3. What does ‘Review of Literature’ indicate in a research proposal?

4. What does ‘Population and sample’ indicate in a research proposal?

5. What practical steps can you take before you actually start your research?
a. Find out exactly what your institution's requirements are for a dissertation.
b. Make sure you are familiar with the hardware and software you plan to use.
c. Apply for clearance of your project through an ethics committee.
d. All of these.

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Feedback/Self-evaluation to Practice task

1. It is an outline of proposed work (future activities) of a research problem to be carried out by a

researcher.
2. b.
3. A rationale for the study by citing the findings of other research.
4. Describes the subjects of the study and how they will be selected.
5. d.

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References

 Best, JW and Kahn, JV (2006). Research in Education. 10th Edition. Boston A & B/Pearson.
 Borg, W and Gall, M (2003). Educational Research: an introduction, New York: Longman.
 Cohen, L (2000). Educational Research in Classrooms and Schools - a Manual of Materials
and Methods. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
 CPSC (1990). Developing Skills in Technician Education Research Module 9: Preparing
Research Proposals. Singapore: Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education.
 Dunford, R (2004). Developing a research proposal. In Burton, S. & Steane, P.
(Eds.) Surviving your thesis (pp.46-58). New York, NY: Routledge.
 Garrett, HE and Woodsworth, RS (2003). Statistics in Psychology and Education, Bombay:
Vakils Fetter and Simons.
 Gay, LR (2000). Educational Research, Ohio: Charles E Merril Publishing.
 Gupta, SL and Gupta, Hitesh (2011). Research Methodology – Text and Cases with SPSS
Applications. New Delhi: International Book House Pvt. Ltd.
 Kothari, CR (2012). Research Methodology. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Limited
Publishers.
 Kothari, CR (2012). Research Methodology. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Limited
Publishers.
 Koul, L (2009). Methodology of Educational Research. 4th Edition; Noida: Vikas Publishing
House Pvt. Ltd., 532pp.
 Kumar, R (2016). Research Methodology – A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. New
Delhi: Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd., Third Printing, 399pp.
 Shoket, M (2014). Research Problem: Identification and Formulation. International Journal
of Research, Vol. 1, Issue 4, May, 2014; ISSN 2348-6848.
 Singh, AK (2012). Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioral Sciences.
New Delhi: Bharati Bhawan (Publishers & Distributors).
 Tatke, J (2009). Research Methodology. Pune: Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning.
 Wong, PT (2002). How to write a research proposal. Langley, BC: Trinity Western
University. Accessed December, 29, 2005.

Support learning resources:

 Video film on ‘Research Proposal – Concept, Significance and Types’

developed/recorded by Professor (Dr.) Sunil Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Video film on ‘Research Proposal – Format’ developed/recorded by Professor (Dr.) Sunil
Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Steps in Developing a Research Proposal.
https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/11-2-steps-in-developing-a-research-
proposal/
 Developing a Research Proposal.
https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/tutorials/researchproposal
 How to Write a Research Proposal. University of Birmingham.
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/law/courses/research/research-proposal.aspx

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