1. CHECKLIST BEFORE STARTING Associate Professor Dr. GholamReza RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS

2. 1. IDENTIFY YOUR RESEARCH AREA What is your area of expertise? What is your intended area of research? What will we learn from your research project that we do not know now? Why is it worth knowing the answer to the question above? What is the current state of knowledge in your area of research? How exactly do you fit into the current state of knowledge in your area of research? How will the current state of knowledge in your area of research change after you complete your research project? What is the probability of success of your project proposal? What are the possible benefits of your research project?

3. 2. IDENTIFY THE FOCUS OF YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT What is the topic? Why is this topic important? What are the questions you are trying to answer? What relevance do your research questions have? What are your hypotheses? What are your research methods? Do you plan on using quantitative methods? Why? qualitative methods? Why? What is its significance?

4. 3. IDENTIFY YOUR RESEARCH NEEDS Are you undertaking preliminary or pilot research in order to develop a long-term research agenda? Are you seeking funding for your PhD work? Are you requesting for further training in a related field? Do you require funding for specialised equipment?

5. 4. DEVELOPING YOUR PROPOSAL Have you decided on a research area? Have you narrowed your topic to a highly focused area? Have you formulated research objectives? Have you outlined the key literature? Have you decided on research design and methodology? Have you decided on your approach to data analysis? Have you developed a timeline with relevant milestones? Have you decided on a budget and other resources you will need? Have you developed a relevant bibliography?

6. We are Ready to GO…