Dr. Imtithal AL-Thumairi Webpage: Guide to the Research Proposal

Elements of the Research Proposal Title Abstract Study problem Relevance of the Project Literature Review Specific Study Objectives Research Methods

Keys To Success To Writing A Good Proposal Overall Quality of the Study Good research question Appropriate research design Rigorous and feasible methods

Quality of the Proposal Informative title Self-sufficient and convincing abstract Clear research questions Scholarly and pertinent background and rationale Relevant previous work Appropriate population and sample Quality control Adequate sample size Sound analysis plan Ethical issues well addressed Tight budget Realistic timetable Appropriate measurement and intervention methods

Quality of the Presentation Clear, concise, well-organized Helpful table of contents and subheadings Good schematic diagrams and tables Neat and free of errors

Literature Review A critical summary of research on a topic of interest, generally prepared to put a research problem in context or to identify gaps and weaknesses in prior studies so as to justify a new investigation. Keys to Success Thorough and complete Logical Recent Original research Primary sources Critical appraisal Building case for new study

Objectives/Research Questions/Hypotheses Identifying the research problem and developing a question to be answered are the first steps in the research process. The research question will guide the remainder of the design process. Research Objectives A clear statement of the specific purposes of the study, which identifies the key study variables and their possible interrelationships and the nature of the population of interest. Research Question The specific purpose stated in the form of a question. Hypotheses A tentative prediction or explanation of the relationship between two or more variables. A prediction of the answer to the research question.

How not to write a research proposal

Why research proposals? Spot the difference: What to do in the final year of your postgraduate study? Imperative for both: A carefully thought out, well presented plan that is very likely to end in success A contribution to knowledge

What is research? Discovering something that nobody knew before, AND Telling the world about it! It is incremental, not revolutionary

What is science? A process of knowledge discovery Based on: Observation Hypothesis formation Hypothesis testing Where does technology fit? It doesn’t always…

Like many things in life… Much is learned from looking at bad examples Much less from looking at good examples! The key points are obvious So the majority overlook them Obvious but overlooked: You are making a case to do something in return for something else The structure of this doesn’t vary much with the topic

Key points What You want to do; in research, what are you aiming to discover? How Methodology; how will you discover the it? Why you Why is it better for you to do it, rather than someone else?

Proposal 1 There is all this new technology in the world We will build something new That hasn’t been built before Maybe using it Maybe like it A wee bit different The end

Proposal 2 Last time, we did a thing (X) This time, we will make some amendments to X Which will make it better

Proposal 3 There is intense commercial pressure to produce X It so far doesn’t exist We will build something like it and then become fabulously rich

Proposal 4 Company Y wants Z to exist They would like us to develop Z They will collaborate with us to do so And even give us some money

So – how to write one? What is it? Contribution to knowledge Otherwise, it’s not research… What are the research questions? What are the proposed solution domains? What do we already know? How will we do it METHODOLOGY Who are we, anyway?! Why us, not someone else?

The what Unfailing, rigorous format: Abstract Para 1: context Para 2: problem Para 3: proposed solution Wrt the scientific method, the above represents the observation only

The real what: questions For us to believe the para 3 solution may be effective, what do we need to know? A list of Things that are required for the solution to work Things that are currently unknown

Proposed solution domains We do not invent new things We incrementally improve and reapply old things A list of Things that are required for the solution to work Things that are currently known

The How This is research We don’t know what will happen during the investigation And everyone knows it However…! We do need an overall plan Ideally, hypothesis-testing, ie an experiment (And what happens if it fails, by the way?)

Why us? Because we know the domain well Because we are the first to have this significant new insight ie thorough knowledge of the relevant literature and community May also include previous stuff we have done

The competition Not other researchers! If noone else is doing the same thing, it probably isn’t worth doing There is lots of space for everyone The industry Don’t try to do something that has significant short-term commercial benefit That would be completely unconvincing as research Those beneficiaries… Often regarded as the toughest competition, but… … if it’s worth doing, they exist!