The key purpose of writing the research proposal is to demonstrate to the board of examiners that (1) you have an important research question to study, (2) the question is not answered yet by other researchers, and (3) you are capable of answering the question. An effectively written proposal is the one that can convince the examiners that you have achieved the three purposes above, and that you are able to demonstrate them clearly and logically. In this article, Miss Benard Kaditi Uganda (educator, editor, author, mentor and a counselor) shares to us the information the examiners usually want to know in the proposal is presented. Below are the eight elements of good research proposals every researcher should know.

Elements of Good Research Proposals

Title of the Research

The first of the eight elements of good research proposals is the research title. The title should reflect the focus and location of the research. The locations of the study should also reflect the research question. This is presented in the Introduction.

Research Question

Next to the eight elements of good research proposals is the research question/s. A good research question should be relevant. This means this is not answered yet by other researchers. This results to your study to contribute to the development of human knowledge.

Statement of the Problem (Background of the Study)

What makes the answering of the stated research question deemed necessary? (e.g. because there is a problem in the society that cannot be solved without knowing the answer to the research question). The background of study should directly have related to the research question (Be direct to the point. Don’t go around and around).

Research Objectives

Basically, this is to find out the answer to the research question. The research objectives should be stated in detail.

Significance of the Study (What are the research GAPS you are filling?)

The next to the eight elements of good research proposals is the research gap. Why is answering the research question is very important for the society (readers)? What benefits will the readers (society) get if the research question is answered?

Scope and Limitations

This part answers what are covered in the research and what are not.

Review of Related Literature

The purpose is to show (prove) that the proposed research questions are not yet answered by other researchers studying the same topics (to show the gaps in the human knowledge about that topic). To give background information about the (unfamiliar) theory used in the analysis of the collected data in the study. The review of related literature should be written thematically showing their relevance to the proposed study and their scope and limitations.

Research Methodology

The function of this chapter is, basically, to tell the readers how you are going to answer your proposed research questions. Usually this chapter consists of the following: Research Design. How do you design your research? Would it be experimental? What are the data you need to answer your proposed research questions? What kind of data do you need to answer your proposed research question? Data Source. Where do you plan to get the data from? Are the sources of data valid and reliable? Research location. Where do you plan to conduct your study? Procedures for Data Collection. How do you plan to collect the data? Do you plan to use an instrument in collecting the data? What are they? Are the instruments valid and reliable? How do you prove it? How do you use the instruments to guarantee that they can produce valid and reliable data?

One must present the procedures for analyzing the collected data thoroughly (e.g. the way on how you also plan to analyze your data collected). Do you plan to use statistics in analyzing the data? What statistics do you plan to use? Is the statistics appropriate for analyzing the data? What are the procedures for analyzing the collected data? Explain these in detail in such a way that the readers can follow or repeat them exactly.

Thank you, Miss Benard Uganda, for sharing!

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Cha Esper

Cha of Little Misadvencha is a Filipino Civil Engineer, researcher and a fur mom. She came from General Santos City and finds that everything in life teaches her a lesson. She is inspired to write about and out of her experiences, but later found out that it was her experiences that actually inspire her.