Research Proposal Writing

Engr. Eugene B. Caldona, MSChE

Overview of the Research Proposal Title of the Research and Research Objectives Research Introduction Review of Literature Methodology Budget Preparation Tips on Preparing Survey Instruments Integration

OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

PRESENTATION OUTLINE DEFINITION OF RESEARCH IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH A RESEARCH PROPOSAL OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is a systematic investigation to establish facts on an existing problem which were not known before. Research must aim at providing new information or advanced existing knowledge on a subject.

WHY DO RESEARCH?
We are curious
Research may change our world view

-a paradigm change We want to master nature

Research/knowledge make us able to manipulate nature to our advantage Research is often a very good economical investment

SOME EXAMPLES OF ESTIMATED PROFIT FROM AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH:

Discovery of disease (rust) resistance in wheat:
Cost: 1.5 million Profit in eight years: 220 million

Development of the fungicide Benlate:

Cost: several million US $ Profit: several billion US $

Development of hybrid corn:

Cost: several million US $ Profit: several billion US $

....AND WE DO RESEARCH BECAUSE:

We need to build up
Scientific Competence

 To

know what it all is about. To have experimental Skills within the area concerned To know relevant methods and which to choose in specific cases To be able to critically read and understand publications/reports in the area concerned To be able to transfer and communicate knowledge To be able to advise on policy matters

 You

can never take it out of books. You have to learn how to become a good researcher and..... Research must be done locally solutions from the north cannot readily be transferred to humid and arid ecosystems

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
A proposer of a research activity must first, articulate the problem or research question that requires investigation, then state how the problem will be addressed, i.e. write a research proposal A research proposal is a document written by a scientist that describes in details the program for a proposed scientific investigation.

THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL OUTLINE

THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE IFS exists..... ..... to support young researchers in developing countries

 Founded

1972 International Research Council Non-Governmental Organization International Board of Trustees Secretariat in Stockholm 1,000 Scientific Advisers

The IFS Mandate is to contribute to the strengthening of capacity in developing countries to conduct relevant and high quality research on the management, use, and conservation of biological resources.

IFS RESEARCH AREAS

Crop Science Aquatic Resources Animal Production Food science Forestry, Biodiversity and Conservation, environmental ecology Natural Products Water Resources Social Sciences

 Identify,

through competitive grants and careful screening, young promising scientists; Support them in their early careers to enable them to get established and recognized as scientists; Not just a research grant: support is given throughout the granting period.

 Maximum

amount USD 12,000 Research project 1-3 years Two renewals Equipment, supplies, literature, local travel, extra manpower

 Two

granting sessions per annum applications

1500

IFS GRANTS AWARDS

GRANTEES / RESEARCH AREA

TITLE OF THE RESEARCH AND THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

A TITLE MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK

the

title is the distinctive name of the research proposal it introduces your reader to the framework and perspective of the proposal it encompasses the focus or concept of your paper an effective title accurately represents the content of the proposal

POINTERS IN FORMULATING RESEARCH TITLE

The title should be informative and clear. A non-specialist scientist should be able to understand from the title what your research is all about. Should be short (10 to 15 words), simple and fully explanatory. Appealing to an audience that has a general (and specialized) knowledge of the field. It encourages the reviewer to keep reading. There should be no wasted words. Should be concise, descriptive and comprehensive Should delimit the study Can emulate work of outstanding researchers

EXAMPLE OF A: BAD TITLE: Wood Biodiversity

QUITE A GOOD TITLE The Mexican sunflower, Tithoniadiversifolia: an organic nutrient source for soil fertility improvement in Ghana

GOOD TITLE Tolerance of tomato to salinity: comparison of the mechanisms of sodium regulation in cultivated and wild species

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

NARROWING THE PROBLEM
IDENTIFY a broad area of interest DISSECT the broad area into sub-areas SELECT a sub-area by process of elimination RAISE RESEARCH QUESTIONS FORMULATE OBJECTIVES (Main and Sub) ASSESS objectives against time, resources, and technical expertise DOUBLE CHECK for sufficient interest

OBJECTIVES
Arise from your problem/research question and knowledge gaps Tied up with the statement of the problem Are the researchers specific intentions Consistent with and related to the Title Also are specific outcomes Has a general statement Is SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound)

 Realistic

objectives and time plan

Can the work be done in the time allocated? Are the objectives of the project likely to be reached? Many projects fail because they are overly ambitious

SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS
It is a statement of an objective in such a way that the objective can be tested by experimentation Prediction or explanation of the relationship between one or more independent variables All variables relevant to the study should be identified when formulating a hypothesis/hypotheses

It is a statement of an objective in such a way that the objective can be tested by experimentation Prediction or explanation of the relationship between one or more independent variables All variables relevant to the study should be identified when formulating a hypothesis/hypotheses A well-reasoned hypothesis focuses the mind on what has to be done in order to meet the objectives of the project It can lead you to more research ideas beyond the ideas for the initial objective(s)

Objective

To increase maize yields by application of green manure

Hypothesis
The use of green manure in maize cultivation will be cost effective / economically competitive or superior to the current fertilizer regimes used by farmers. The use of green manure will be environmentally sound / sustainable.

Objective

To investigate how people get treatment for malaria

Hypothesis
Individual and household factors influence peoples treatmentseeking behavior for malaria Individuals education, disposable income, time available, ease of finding an doctor or clinic, influence peoples behavior for seeking treatment for malaria.

DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK
OVERVIEW
Theory Concept Construct

DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK
Theoretical framework Conceptual framework Operational framework

DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK
RESEARCH PROBLEM: Effect of color therapy to pain relief among surgical patients Theory: Nightingales Theory

DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK
TF: Manipulation Man Well being of Envt CF: Color therapySurgical PatientsPain therapy OF: Pink Abdominal surgery VAS Blue patients (visual analog scale) (Gender, post-op day)

DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK
ASSUMPTIONS:
Color therapy is a creative approach manipulating the environment Pain can be measured using quantitative tools Pain relief promotes well being of individuals in

DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK
RESEARCH QUESTIONS: What is the effect of color therapy to pain relief among surgical patients? Is there a significant difference in the pain relief of surgical patients exposed to color therapy when grouped according to: a. gender b. post op day Is there a significant difference in the pain relief of surgical patients exposed to color therapy and those not exposed to color therapy

WRITING INTRODUCTION

Character Survey of Researchers

Intelligent Highly Lateral Thinker Creative Preoccupied with Sin and Sex

 What to EXPECT
Definition Basic Components Analysis Application to IFS Critiquing

What About Introduction?

It is a major element of the project description or research plan This section provides an excellent opportunity to establish why your work is compelling and to capture the attention of a committee or funding agency

Writing Introduction
Problematizing a research area or writing a good introduction includes cross-referencing Needs to follow certain parts or guidelines

Basic Components
Background
Go from general, broad context of your work, to tell the reader what is already known, to what is not yet known, to what problems are and to what you have decided to do From broad to narrow

 Background

you may start with a general or global problem statement

commonly used terms food security, poverty reduction, human nutrition)

specific problem magnitude/frequency of problem/ who is affected?

Basic Components
Background
Magnitude of problem

You cannot be vague about this. You must convince the reader of the magnitude of the problem

 Brief

Review of Literature

Statement / magnitude of the specific problem

e.g. Protein deficiency in the X region of Zambia has reached epidemic proportions BUT who says this is a problem???

Protein deficiency in the X Region of Zambia has reached epidemic proportions(FAO, 2009)

References, facts, figures, statistics???

It is estimated that 60% of children in Zambia are suffering from serious nutritional deficiency (FAO, 2009; UNICEF, 2009)

References, facts, figures, statistics

 Brief

Review of Literature

Causes of the problem

Drought? Lack of affordable fertilizer? Soil erosion? Nutritional problem etc. etc.?

 Brief

Review of Literature
the problem (sentence

Justification of problematizing)

Identify:
gaps in existing knowledge relating to your research interest possible solutions/activities which require research inputs and which will plug the gaps

 Logic

Study

Leading to Work / Importance of the

What is value of the expected results for development and science? Scientific / social justification of your study

Basis of need / demand to generate further knowledge (causes of problems, gaps in existing knowledge) Magnitude, frequency, distribution of problem (importance of the problem) Possible solutions to the problem or need

 Logic

Study

Leading to Work / Importance of the

Importance of the Study

Timeliness of the study Relation to current national goals / plans, policies, emerging realities Relation to general and community goals / plans Effects on the general population or groups at risk Stating other agencies involved in similar programs Contribution to new information or insight

 Statement

of Objectives

Why did I do the work and what were the objectives what did I want to find out? normally you write this last

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

What is a review of the literature?

A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. Its purpose is to convey what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic.

Skills developed
information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and books critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify unbiased and valid studies.

A literature review must do these things

be organized around and related directly to the research objectives synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known formulate questions that need further research

Tips on writing
Group research studies and other types of literature (reviews, theoretical articles, case studies, etc.) according to common denominators such as qualitative versus quantitative approaches, conclusions of authors, specific purpose or objective, chronology, etc. Summarize individual studies or articles with as much or as little detail as each merits according to its comparative importance in the literature, remembering that space (length) denotes significance.

Search engine to browse

Google scholar scholar.google.com
Provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

 Access

to Global Online Research Agriculture http://www.aginternetwork.org/en/

in

The AGORA program, set up by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) together with major publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to an outstanding digital library collection in the fields of food, agriculture, environmental science and related social sciences. AGORA provides a collection of 1900 journals to institutions in 107 countries. AGORA is designed to enhance the scholarship of the many thousands of students, faculty and researchers in agriculture and life sciences in the developing world.

 HINARI

Program http://www.who.int/hinari/en/

Access to Research in Health

HINARI Program set up by WHO together with major publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to one of the world's largest collections of biomedical and health literature. More than 7,500 information resources (in 30 different languages) are now available to health institutions in 105 countries, areas and territories benefiting many thousands of health workers and researchers, and in turn, contributing to improve world health.

Search engine to browse

Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE) http://www.oaresciences.org/en/
Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE), an international public-private consortium coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Yale University, and leading science and technology publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to one of the world's largest collections of environmental science research.
http://TheWriters Handbook.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html

METHODOLOGY

DEFINITION
Refers to the over-all operational pattern of framework that stipulates what information to be collected, from which sources, and by what procedures It is the blueprint for collection, measurement and analysis of data

PARTS of METHODOLOGY
Research Design -choose the right research design according to the type of research being done, if:
Descriptive research (present oriented), choose one of the 9 descriptive research designs which is most appropriate:
a. descriptive survey b. descriptive normative c. descriptive status d. descriptive analysis e. descriptive -classification f. descriptive evaluation g. descriptive comparative h. correlational survey i. longitudinal survey

Research Design -choose the right research design according to the type of research being done, if:
Historical Method past oriented Experimental research (future oriented) is used, choose one of the 9 types of experimental research design which is most appropriate to the proposed study:

a. single group design b. two group design c. two pair group design d. parallel group design e. counterbalanced design f. pretest postest group design g. complete randomized design (CRD) h. randomized complete block design (RCBD) i. correlational design

Classification of Research Designs:

By degree of problem crystallization (exploratory vs. formalized) By topical (statistical vs. case) By research environment (field vs. laboratory) By time dimension (one-time vs. longitudinal) By communication mode (observational vs. survey) By researcher control of variable (experimental vs. post facto) By nature of relationship among variables (descriptive vs. causal)

PARTS of METHODOLOGY
The Subjects
the proponent has to explain how and where the subjects will be taken. the respondents

Determination of Sample Size

if the sample survey is used and because the total number of cases or population (N) is large, sample size must be determined by using a formula: Ss = NV+ [(Se)2 x (1-p)] NSe +[(v)2 x p(1-p)]

Where: Ss= sample size N= total # of population V= value (2.58) of 1% level of probability with 0.99 reliability (level of confidence) Se= sampling error (0.01)/margin of error p= largest possible population / proportion

PARTS of METHODOLOGY
Sampling Design and Technique
Describes the manner in which sampling units are selected from the plot/population
scientific every member in the population is given equal chance of being included in the sample non-scientific sampling

Kinds of Sampling Probability

Non-Probability

Simple random Systematic Stratified Cluster Multi-stage

Purposive Quota Haphazard Volunteer Ready access

Commonly used sampling design Simple random sampling Multi-stage sampling Stratified random sampling

PARTS of METHODOLOGY
Two aspects of the Methodology of Research design:
Research Instrument either questionnaire, test, interview, observation schedule, checklist, or rating scale.

Data gathering procedure

Instruments, sample, method of collection, data collection setting (locale)

 After

data are gathered, they are tabulated for means to be extracted for statistical analysis. A. Regression analysis
Simple linear regression Multiple linear regression Simple nonlinear regression Multiple nonlinear regression

B. Correlation analysis

 Data

Processing Method either manually or by machine. Statistical Treatment (Analysis) research questions must be described and the formula must be explained.

Univariate, bivariate, multivariate (model, alogarithms, software), normative, status, etc...

Schedule

of activities itemized plan of activity with time frame to be undertaken.

Preparing Good Survey Research Instruments

 Primary

Data data collected directly by the researcher himself from respondents. These are first-hand or original sources.

Secondary

Data data collected published or unpublished materials previously gathered by other researchers or agencies such as books, newspapers, magazines, journals, published and unpublished theses and dissertations.

Direct or interview method this is a method of person-to-person exchange between the interviewer and the interviewee. Indirect or questionnaire method In this method, written responses are given to prepared questions. Registration method This method of gathering information is enforced by certain laws (examples registration or births, deaths, licenses, marriages etc.). The advantage of this method is that information is kept systematized and made available to all because of the requirement of the law. Observation method The investigator observes the behavior of persons or organizations and their outcomes. It is usually used when the subjects can neither talk nor write. Experiment method This method is used when the objective is to determine the cause and effect relationship of certain phenomena under controlled conditions.

research survey is the systematic collection of data from population or samples of populations through the use of personal interviews or other data-gathering devices. They are especially concerned with a large or widely dispersed group of people. (Campbell, A. A. and Katona, G., 1953)

Types of Research Instruments

Questionnaire versus Interview Schedule Structured, Semi-structured, and Unstructured

 Decide

the content and information

General content category

Fact Sheet Information -identifies respondents name and other information Census Type Information-identifies the attributes of the individual or the respondent that spring from his/her membership in social groups such as sex, income, age etc. Problem Information-asks information on questions regarding the problem at hand

 Decide

the sequence of topics

Assemble topics by respondents Assemble topics by blocks (same topics together, sequence by interest: relation to one another, conversational order; variety of hard and easy)
Choosing

question type and wording

Question Type (according to approach and reply; should consider nature of the problem; the respondents characteristics, with an eye on simplicity, speed and economy)

Steps in Questionnaire Construction

Types of Questions: Fixed alternative questions Example: It is not safe to walk at night in Session Road ( ) Highly agree ( ) Agree ( ) Neither Agree nor Disagree ( ) Disagree ( ) Highly Disagree Open-ended questions Example: What do you think of Genetically Modified food?

 Only

relevant and necessary questions questions

Socio-demographic data ? What is your household size?

Unambiguous

In the past 12 months, how many times have you seen or talked with a medical doctor about your health? (If asked: Include visits to psychiatrists, ophthalmologists, and any other professionals with a medical degree)

Guidelines in Developing Questions

No leading questions
Wouldnt you agree that ? Isnt it the case that.? Dont you think that ?

No double barrels
Would you like to be rich and famous? Are you able to do things like run or swim without difficulty?

 No

if questions or unwarranted assumptions

What would you do if ? With the economy the way it is, do you think investing in the stock market is a good idea?
Only

get firsthand information

Do you think that planting hybrid rice would significantly increase ones income? answers to such questions (e.g., perceptions, opinions) should not be confused with objective results

 Provide

periodicity

Are you able to run half a mile without stopping?

No

insensitivity and Mutually Exclusive

Do you like eating pork? What is your current monthly income? (Please check) ( ) P10,000 ( ) P10,000 P20,000 ( ) P21,000 P30,000 ( ) P31,00014

Exhaustive

Guidelines in Developing Questions

Beware of asking about causality Were you limited in your everyday activities because of back pain? Beware of asking about solutions to complex problems How do you think we should solve poverty in the Philippines? Beware of questions that include hidden contingencies Example:
Objective: To measure social activity How often do you attend religious services or participate in church-related activities during the past month?

 Response

alternatives should constitute the final part of the question

In the coming year, how likely are you to move to another home? Would you say very likely, fairly likely, or not very likely? Which of these categories best describes how likely you think you are to move in the next year: very likely, fairly likely, or not likely?

Bad Example: Please tell me whether you consider each of the following to be a big problem, small problem, or no problem at all? a)Pain in the bones b)Difficulty in breathing c)Any other health problem Improved version: How much of a problem do you consider (READ EACH) a big problem, some problem, or no problem at all.

 Provide

complete instruction Which of the following sports do you do? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) __lawn tennis __basketball __soccer __running __fencing __golf __others, (PLEASE SPECIFY) __________

Which of the following farm operations did you employ hired labor? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) __land preparation __planting __weeding __harvesting NOTE: Such instruction may not be appropriate for questionnaires. Better to ask a series of yes/no questions for each activity.

Types of Measurement Scales: Nominal or classificatory-each sub-group has a characteristic /property common to all classified within that sub-group Ex. Tree, Taxi, Gender: Male, Female, Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu Ordinal or ranking-a common characteristic within a sub-group plus sub-groups have a relationship to one another Ex. Income: average, average, above average, attitudes: strongly favorable, favorable, uncertain, unfavorable, strongly unfavorable Interval-has characteristics of an ordinal and nominal scale plus it has a unit of measurement with an arbitrary starting and terminating point Ex. Temperature: 0 centigrade ; 32 degrees Fahrenheit, Attitudinal scale (Thurston Scale) 10-20, 21-30,31-40,41-50 etc. Ratio-has all properties of an interval scale plus it ahs a fixed starting point i.e. a zero point Ex. Income in P, Height in meters, weight in kg.

 Choosing

the physical format

Mix of instruments Reproduce in easy-to-understand and easy-to-fillout manner Translate and backtranslate
Pretest

the Instrument

Questions are understood Desired responses are obtained

BUDGET PREPARATION

 First,

it estimates, as realistically as possible, the cost of completing the objectives identified in the proposal.

The sponsor will use the budget details to determine whether the proposal is economically feasible and realistic.

Second,

the budget provides a means to monitor the project's financial activities over the life of the project. In this way, it is possible to determine how closely the actual progress toward achieving the project objectives is being made relative to the proposed budget.

Review the sponsoring agency guidelines Determine whether the expected award is a grant or a contract Identify any specified target (ceiling) amounts Identify the start date and performance period Before you start preparing your budget:

Identify any budgetary specifications from the agency Check for any agency limitations for facilities and administrative. Identify all required forms, schedules, or cost breakdowns

INTEGRATION

The inputs hereafter are not prescriptions, only suggestions

Pointers on Good Research Writing

Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when you are writing your paper; always assume that [s]he is intelligent, but uninformed.

Pointers on Good Research Writing

Before you start writing, always decide the exact purpose of your paper. Make sure that every paragraph, sentence or word makes a clear contribution to that purpose, and makes it at the right time.

 At

the beginning and end of every section of your paper, check your writing according to this principle: First tell the reader what you are going to tell him/her, then tell him/her what you have just told him/her.

Pointers on Good Research Writing

Make your paper attractive to look at.

You have to be reasonably methodical and painstaking. Plan your work for the day, take stock of what you are doing now and then; do not squander your time; keep a clear head about how you intend to accomplish your purpose. Be objective. Avoid getting emotionally attached to what you are writing. Keep in mind that you are writing an honest and effective paper. Always remind yourself that clarity is the most important single objective of writing. Unless a piece of writing is made in disputably clear, nothing else can profitably done with it. Writing is something that must be learned. The rules of writing may not be exact but you will have to use them if you want to be understood by your reader.

Results
Keep them as simple [but not simplistic] as possible. Make it easy for the reader. Your primary purpose is to express and not to impress. Write what you mean and mean what you write

Results can be presented in various different ways How a particular result is best presented depends on the nature of the information that you wish to communicate Purely descriptive results are best presented in the text as narrative or, if warranted, as photographs or drawings. Draw attention in the text to the main points of an illustration Quantitative information is best given in either tabular or graphical form, depending on the nature of the data Use tables where the values of the numbers are important, both for the conclusions being drawn, and where the data may be used later by other researchers. Numerical data presented in tables usually do not need to be repeated in the text, though you should summarize the main points that you wish the readers to note.

Guidelines on Presenting Results

Use graphs where you want to draw attention to trends or patterns, and where the actual values of the data points are less crucial than the patterns. Likewise, summarize in the text the main trends shown in your graphs. Do not assume that your readers will interpret the graphs in the same way that you do. In all cases, be sure to link the data given in the tables, graphs and illustrations to the text, so that the key points are brought to the readers attention.

 Begin

by briefly summarizing main findings Provide the answer to the question the research addressed findings in relation to your hypothesis do the data answer your question What are the implications/significance? Comment on the limitations of your research findings explain any negative results Relate your findings to previously published research Relevance applicability of results? New lines of study/new observations

 Use

words the reader can easily understand.

Original: Female labor is particularly vulnerable to mismatch between skills structures and opportunity structures. Revised: Women are especially likely to have trouble finding work that use of their skills.

 Avoid

jargon as much as possible.

Original: It must be emphasized that nothing in this plan is self-fulfilling and the plan is as good as its implementation. Formulation of the plan is one thing and operationalizing is another thing. Revised: It is not enough to make this plan. It must be carried out.

 Be

positive.

Original: Discard seeds that are improperly picked, chaffy, split or broken, shriveled, or show signs of fungal infection. Revised: Select good seeds. These should be whole, plump and heavy with smooth and clean seed coats.

 Remove

unnecessary words.

Original: In the majority of instances, an editorial worker exhibits the ability to fully eliminate most of the different varieties of unnecessary words. Revised: Most editors can remove most types of unnecessary words.

Test of Good Research

Are the goals clearly defined? Are the procedures defensible and replicable? Is the objectivity in the results evident? Is the presentation of procedures complete and honest? Are appropriate analytical techniques used? Are the conclusions drawn limited to those clearly justified by the findings?

Qualities of a good researcher

Research oriented Efficient Scientific E ffective Active Resourceful Creative Honest Economical R-eligious