A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

THE TITLE IS HERE

1. BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH

a. Explain the background of your research problem; How you can come up with the problem
b. Description of the topic area, including key terms and concepts related to your research topic
c. Identify the problem you are trying to solve

2. QUESTIONS OF THE RESEARCH

a. This should correlate to research objectives
b. The questions should be generated from your aim/justification statement and the gap in the
research you have identified (between your research and previous researches)

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH

Formulate an attainable objectives (e.g. This study will…. / I will………… )

4. PEDAGOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Explain any pedagogical significance implied (e.g. This study is important for three reasons…)

5. PREVIOUS RESEARCH
a. Give the reader some indication of the relative importance of results from the different studies
reviewed. The results of some studies will have more importance for your current research than
others. Make this clear.
b. Make the case that the research you have described is incomplete. This is the gap in the
research that you are trying to fill and establishes the need for your research. Pointing to this gap
will help support your justification in section 2 above.
c. Provide closure. Provide a summary and pull together the most important points.

6. LITERATURE REVIEW
a. Select theories and/or studies that are most directly relevant to the problem you are looking at
b. Make sure the different studies you review are tied together by a common thread. Do not ignore
variations across studies. Make these conflicting findings clear and connect to your research
c. Paraphrase the different studies rather than quote from them. Abstracts, introductions and
conclusions are key places to look for summaries of an article
d. Organize your review according to major arguments relevant to your study. This may mean that a
chronological review is not be the best way to organize your literature review.

7. HYPOTHESES
Your hypotheses are really declarative statements, which are tentative answers to your questions.
Your hypotheses should be based on and grow out of the theoretical discussion in the next section.
Your hypotheses are your thesis statement, which you are trying to prove in the research

8. RESEARCH DESIGN
a. State either your research is qualitative or quantitative
b. What makes your research QL, QN or combination of both. In other words, reason why your
research falls into that category.

9. SOURCE OF DATA / PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

a. Describe the participants according to the variables relevant to your study; age, gender, L1, L2
proficiency, education, etc. Also give the number of participants
b. If you are using textual sources, describe the texts and the criteria for selection of these texts

10. SAMPLE
Explain your sampling system if you sample your research population. Sampling is taken based on
the number of population. Use standardized table (see: ).

11. VARIABLE AND INDICATOR

Mention your variables and identify the indicators of each variable. This is especially done if your
research is quantitatively designed. Provide rubric of instrument.

12. DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE

a. Describe tests, questionnaires, elicitation techniques you are going to use to get your data and
the factors which went into their design
b. Describe any piloting of your materials

13. INSTRUMENT

14. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

 a. Describe the tools you used to analyze your data: content analysis, interaction analysis, statistical
analysis software, spectrographic analysis, , use of more than one rater, etc.
b. Give a step by step description of how you will analyze the data

15. PROCEDURE AND TIMELINE

b. Give a step by step description of how you will collect the data
c. Draw a timeline predicting the schedule of data collection procedure

16. THESIS ORGANIZATION

Write things will be covered in your research report in detail from chapter I to V. Write the titles and
subtitles only

Bibliography
Benesch, S. 1996. “Needs analysis and curriculum development in EAP: An example of a critical
approach”. In TESOL Quarterly Vol.30, No.4, pp.723-738. (JURNAL)
Brown, J. D. and Rodgers, T. S. 2002. Doing second language research. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press. (BOOK)
Frodesen, J. 1995. “Negotiating the syllabus: A learning-centered, interactive approach to ESL graduate
writing course design.” In Belcher, D & Braine, G. (Eds) Academic writing in a second language:
Essays on research and pedagogy. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Pub. Corp. (CHAPTER IN A BOOK /
ARTICLE COMPILATION, MORE THAN ONE EDITOR)
Nunan, David. 2001. “Syllabus design”. In Marianne Celce-Murcia (Ed), Teaching English as a second or
foreign language. Third Edition. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. (CHAPTER IN A BOOK / ARTICLE
COMPILATION, ONE EDITOR)
Millah, D. 2009. Interaction Patterns and Speaking Categories in English Teaching in the Female Class
of the Second Grade of MAN Surakarta PK (Specific Program) Semarang: Tarbiyah (Education)
Faculty of IAIN Walisongo Semarang: Unpublished thesis. (THESIS)
Weddel, K.S. & Carol, V. D. 1997. “Assessment for adult ESL learners”. Washington, DC: ERIC Digest,
retrieved from www.eric.ed.gov on 21st January, 2007. (INTERNET SOURCES)

Appendix / Appendices

- observation form
- questionnaire (s)
- transcription
- rough statistical data
- interview guide line
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

TITLE

by
your name

Course code
Instructor

Dept and the school

Year