WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL:

THE TOPIC PROPOSAL

BEFORE FORMULATING YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC, LET US
FIRST LOOK AT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RESEARCH.
1. What do you feel about research? Doodle your answer and write one-sentence
description about your doodle.
2. What made you feel such (your answer in number 1) towards research?
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3. Do you think research is important in your chosen field? Why?
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4. Do you want to write more research articles? Why?
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TYPES OF RESEARCH
1. Pure Research
2. Applied Research
3. Action Research
4. Policy Research
KINDS OF RESEARCH REPORT
1. Academic research report
2. Research Article for Publication
3. Commissioned Research Report
COMMON ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH REPORT
1. Research Title

This presents the capsule of the study; hence, it should not be the first to be written. It is
recommended that a title should not be more than 12 substantial words.
2. Abstract

It presents the research objectives and research problems, methodology, summary of the findings
or further implications of the study. Generally, a research abstract consists of 150 to 250 words.

An abstract, which is written as s non-intended paragraph, is followed by three to six key words.
The key words should not be found in the title or abstract.
3. Introduction

The introduction presents a comprehensive review of research literatures in order to identify a

research gap where the objective of the current research will be anchored from. It also presents
problems and significance of the study.

The introduction must vividly discuss all the important key terms of the research.
4. Methodology

The methodology must be carefully crafted according to the objective of the study. A sound
method leads to solid findings. The methodology must comprehensively present the research
design, participants and locale of the study, data gathering procedure, treatment of the data,
and the research ethics in the study.
5. Results/Findings and Discussion

The results of the findings of the study show the processed data and is presented according to the
research problems. A discussion follows after the presentation of the findings. While
corroborations are considered part of the discussion, these are supposed to be presented
moderately in order to highlight the discussion of the findings and their implications.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions are considered as the extension of the findings while recommendations are
considered extension of the conclusion.

7. References

References list the sources or authorities cited in the study. These are presented according to the
prescribed format of the institution or of the publishing companies. Note that only those cited on
the research article should be listed on the references.
Finalizing a research topic requires lot of literature reading. Here are important things that
you need to do:

1. Decide on a topic you want to research on. Make sure that the topic is not very broad
nor very narrow.
2. Search for as many research articles about your chosen topic as you can.
3. Make a summary of the research articles using a repertory grid.
4. Evaluate the repertory grid. Figure out research gaps or areas of the topic that are not
explored. The research gap will be your basis in crafting your research objective and
research question.
5. If you have established your research gap and identified your research objective and
research question, you may already formulate your research title.
Read the following excerpt of a research introduction, then, identify the research gap, research
objective, and research question/s. Based on your first answers, write a possible title for the
research introduction excerpt.

… Understanding the multifaceted concept of language anxiety requires the use of

communication, either verbal or non-verbal. Most of the data gathered in studies on
language anxiety used verbal communication under quantitative approach employing
close-ended questionnaires (Duxbury & Tsai, 2010; Hismanoglu, 2012; Hussain et
al.,… Other studies utilized qualitative using open-ended questionnaire and interview
(Kahattak et al., 2011; Kocak, 2010), diary and semi-structured interview (Merc,
2011), semi-structured interview (Riosati, 2011), or semi-structured interview and
focus-group discussion (Hashemi, 2011). Some studies delved into mixed methods
using closed-ended and open-ended survey questionnaires (Berkleyen, 2009; gant et
al., 2014; Kondo & Ying-ling, 2004; Ozturk & Gurbuz, 2013), close-ended
questionnaires and interviews (Ohata, 2005; Rezaei & Jafari, 2014; Svasci, 2014;
Suleimenova, 2013; Yalcin & Incecay, 2014), or close-ended questionnaire and focus-
group discussion (Klanrit & Sroinan, 2012; Pappamihiel, 2002)…
… While it is a fact that “for decades, language anxiety has been one
of the most tantalizing areas in second language acquisition (SLA)
research” (Yang, 2012, p.184), The literature review of this study
reveals that most of the studies made use of quantitative and qualitative
data gathering tools. Little is known about the use of non-verbal data
gathering tools like doodles in surfacing experiences of the
psychological phenomenon of language anxiety. Hence, this study
aimed at exploring the use of doodling in capturing the language
anxiety experiences of students. Specifically, it determined to answer
the question, What typifies the language anxiety experiences of
students? The study especially considered the concept that doodling can
facilitate the reconstruction of the abstract (de Guzman et al., 2007). In
the study, the abstract construct is the language anxiety experiences of
ESL learners. (adopted from Siagto-Wakat, 2017)
Concretizing
1. Form a group with 3 members. Decide on a topic that you like to study. Each member
shall download from reliable sources 10 peer-reviewed research article about the topic.

2. Each member shall summarize the research articles following the repertory grid below.
Article Research Research Design or Populatio Findings/ Conclusio Recomme Reference
No. Objective Problems Technique n and Results ns ndations (author,
Locale title of the
article etc.
)

3. Examine the repertory grids of all the members of the group. Which areas of the topic are most explored?
Which are least explored?
4. Based on the least explored areas of the topic, identify a gap that you want to research on then write a
research objective and research problem/s.
5. Write a research title based on your answers in number 4.
Introspecting
From this lesson on topic proposal, I realized that…
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For the purpose of discussion in this lesson, let us look at one way of crafting and
presenting a research introduction. You may start by evaluating the research gap,
research objective, and research problem/s you have identified in Lesson2. Make
sure that the important concepts are captured by your title.
Sample Title: Doodling the nerves: Surfacing language anxiety experiences in an English language classroom

Key Terms: doodling, language anxiety, language anxiety experiences

Outline:

I. Language anxiety
A. Definition
B. Causes of Language anxiety
C. Levels of language anxiety

II. Language anxiety experiences

A. Effects of language anxiety
B. Manifestations of language anxiety

III. Establishment of gap

A. Methods used in studies on language anxiety (since this was the gap previously identified based on the repertory grid)

IV. Statement of the gap

A. Definition of doodling /doodles (the tool that will be used to address the gap of the research)
B. Benefits of the tool
C. Studies conducted using the tool

V. Statement of the research objective

VI. Statement of the research problem
VII. Linking of the tool to the study
After finalizing the outline, write its meat using the data on your repertory grid.
Remember to quote, paraphrase, summarize and correctly write the citations. If
needed, search for more research articles to comprehensively present a literature
review of your topic.
Writing the research introduction entails reading, re-reading, rewriting; hence, you
do not end up writing the research introduction in this lesson.