Practical Research Paul D. Leedy Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Planning and Design Tenth Edition Paul D. Leedy Jeanne Ellis Ormrod © 2013, 2010, 2005, 2001, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Writing the Research Proposal Chapter 5 Writing the Research Proposal

The Research Proposal Essential to successful research Includes - clearly stated problem and subproblems - articulated hypotheses and/or questions - precise definitions of terms - carefully spelled out delimitations - explanation of the purpose of the study - specific details about all aspects of data collection and interpretation The key that unlocks the door to the research endeavor Also called prospectus, plan, outline, statement, draft 5-3 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of a Research Proposal A proposal is a straightforward document. A proposal is not a literary production. A proposal is clearly organized. 5-4 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Organization of a Quantitative Proposal The problem and its setting The review of the related literature The data and the treatment of the data The qualifications of the researcher & any assistants An outline of the proposed study References Appendixes 5-5 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Organization of a Qualitative Proposal Introduction Methodology Findings Management plan, timeline, feasibility References Appendixes 5-6 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Application: Writing Your Proposal Use a computer or other word processor. Adhere to guidelines required by the institution, organization, or funding agency to which you are submitting the proposal. 3. When writing the first draft, focus more on organization and logical thought sequences than on exact wording, grammatical correctness, and spelling. 4. Present the research problem at the beginning of the first chapter. 5. Provide a context for your research problem. 6. Convince the reader of the importance of your project. 5-7 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Application: Writing Your Proposal (2) 7. Assume that your readers know nothing about your proposal. 8. Communicate that you have an open mind about what you will find. 9. Describe your proposed methodology with as much detail and precision as possible. 10. If you intend to use data that already exist, describe where the data are located and how you plan to obtain them. 11. Describe how you will use the data to answer your research problem. 12. Use appendices to present informed consent letters, specific measurement instruments, and other detailed materials. 5-8 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidelines: Revising Your Proposal Set the proposal aside for a few days. Read a paper (rather than an electronic) copy of your first draft. Carefully scrutinize what you have written, looking for disorganized thoughts, illogical thinking, and inconsistencies in terminology. Look for places where you are not as clear as you might be. Keep your sentences simple and straightforward. Choose your words carefully. 5-9 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidlines: Revising Your Proposal (2) Check carefully for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Make sure that items in bulleted lists are parallel in structure. Make sure there is a one-to-one correspondence between the citations in the text and the references in the reference list. 10. Consider the feasibility of your project once again. 11. Print out your second draft and read your proposal carefully once again. 12. See the feedback of others. 5-10 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Common Weaknesses Weaknesses related to the research problem: - unclear purpose of the research - unimportant problem - poorly supported hypothesis - problem is too complex - problem has limited relevance to the field Weaknesses related to the research design & methodology: - vague and unfocused description of design and method - data inappropriate for the research problem - methodology/procedures inappropriate for the research problem - appropriate controls lacking or inadequate - outdated or inappropriate equipment - poorly considered statistical analysis 5-11 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Common Weaknesses (2) Weaknesses related to the investigator: - insufficient training or experience for the proposed research - unfamiliar with the literature relevant for the proposed research - insufficient time to devote to the project Weaknesses related to resources: - institutional setting is unfavorable for the proposed research - proposed use of equipment, support staff, or other resources is unrealistic. 5-12 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Detractions from Proposal Effectiveness: Any Research Proposal 1. The statement of the problem is vague. 2. The methodology is incompletely described. 3. The proposed treatment of each subproblem is general and cursory. 4. Criteria for the admissibility of the data are weak or nonexistent. 5. The proposal lacks sharpness. 6. The proposal is phrased in terms that are not useful for evaluation. 7. The format of the proposal deviates from institutional guidelines. 8. Some cited sources do not appear in the reference list, or they are incompletely or incorrectly cited. 5-13 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Detractions from Proposal Effectiveness: Proposal to a Funding Agency 9. The problem does not address the research area outlined by the funding agency. 10. The proposal is too ambitious for the grant money available. 11. Items included in the budget are disallowed by the terms of the grant. 12. A clear and explicit statement is lacking; the summary of the estimated costs is ambiguous and indefinite. 13. Unclear explanation of the relationship of the study to the purpose for which the grant is awarded. 5-14 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Final Thoughts About Proposal Writing Discuss how the data will be handled Spell out every minute detail of procedure Support your choices with a rationale based solidly on accepted research methodology and analytical thinking The basic elements of the research problem, the methodology, the data, and other factors critical to conducting the inquiry must be clearly set forth before the actual research activity can begin 5-15 Leedy & Ormrod Practical Research: Planning and Design, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.