UNIT 8 Preparation of Research Proposal

• Research Proposal: The research proposal is a road map showing clearly

the location from which a journey of research begin, the destination to be
reached and the methods of getting the destination. It provides the idea
about the works to be done, how to do the work, when to do and why to
do the research and guesses the result of research in advance. It is a form
of research design which is the blueprint for conducting and controlling
research work. It is also known as researcher plan or research project. The
form and content of the research proposals vary depending upon the
researcher and his organization, the clients' organization and supporting
agencies. The research proposal serves as a means of communication
between the researchers and other agencies or stakeholders. It clearly
states the methodology that will be used while conducting research. It
means research proposal clearly shows the data collection, analysis and
interpretation methods. It also clarifies the scope of the research work.
Thus, it is a working document. It reflects the decision of researcher in
the following area:
• a. Selection of topic and specify the scope of research.
• b. Methodology selected for conducting research.
• c. Concept of research that a researcher wants to use while
• conducting research.
• d. Data collection method and their validity and reliability.
• e. Availability of data.
• f. Probable problems and ethical issues in research.
•
• Purposes or functions of Research Proposal:
• There are technical, practical, individual, and intellectual causes for the preparation
of research proposal. Such causes are considered as the purposes of research
proposal. Those purposes are given below:
• Purposes of Research Proposal
• To provides information
• To prepares plan
• To justify rational
• Purposes of Research Proposal
• To form base for contract
• Reminds the researcher
• 1. To provide information: Researcher prepares proposal that provide
information to the research committee which evaluates and approves the
research proposal. As well, researcher prepare research proposal to
provide necessary information to the funding agencies or sponsoring
organizations.
• 2. To prepare plan: Proposal is a plan of research which explains about the
purpose/ objective, area, process and estimated results of the research. It
also makes easier to the work of research to be conducted in future.
• 3. To justify rational: Proposal is prepared to prove that the research is
essential in the subject selected by the researcher as topic. Such work
increases the value of research.
• 4. To form base for contract: Researcher should make contract with
supervisor or university or college and funding agencies before conducting
research. Research proposal is a base for such contract. It provides macro
information about research to them and forms base to make contract.
• 5. To remind: Proposal reminds to the researcher about research
objective, proposed methodology and research area. Thus, it helps to the
researcher to do the work being within the limit of research scope.
• 6. To inform research methodology: Researcher should
use same methodology while conducting research included
in the research proposal. So, research proposal reminds to
the researcher about the methodology so that researcher
do not violate the approve methodology.
• Types of Research Proposal
• Research proposals are prepared by the staffs and the
experts. Employees of an organization prepare proposal to
identify problems and their analysis and interpretation as
well to solve such problems. Such proposals prepared by
employees are known as internal proposal and the
proposals prepared by experts to known the various
elements/variables of the problem or study over any
subject rigorously is known as external proposal. Generally,
proposals are classified into following three groups:
• Types of Research Proposal

• Solicited proposal
• Unsolicited proposal
• Academic proposal
• 1. Solicited proposal: It is a proposal that is prepared on the request of
individual and organizations. In other words, a proposal that is prepared
on the request of sponsoring organization is known as solicited proposal.
Generally, it concentrates on identification of problem and objectives. It
proposes the methodology to solve the problem. Solicited proposal
describes the problem in brief and overviews/reviews the objective of
the research. Solicited proposal includes the research design,
qualification of researchers, time schedules, budget, essential resources,
etc.
• Sponsoring organizations determine the terms of references (TOR) while
calling such proposals. Researcher should prepare proposal within the
limit of TOR. Thus, type of solicited proposal depends on the terms of
sponsoring organization. Such proposal should compete with other
• 2. Unsolicited proposal: A proposal that is prepared by the researcher in his/her own
interest not on the request of sponsoring organization is known as unsolicited proposal.
Researcher prepares the proposal and presents to the concerned organization. For
example, proposals which are prepared by research centre are unsolicited proposal. It
particularly focuses on statement of the problems and research objectives. An
"unsolicited proposal" is a written application or proposal for a new or innovative idea
that is submitted to an agency on the initiative of the offer or for the purpose of
obtaining a funding from the agency. An unsolicited proposal is not a response to a
Request for Proposals, Agency Announcement, Federal Funding Opportunity
Announcement or any other Government-initiated solicitation or program. A valid
unsolicited proposal must:
• • Be innovative and unique; .
• Be independently originated and developed by the offer or. Unsolicited proposals in
response to a publicized general statement of agency needs are considered to be
independently originated;
• Be prepared without Government supervision, endorsement, direction, or direct
Government involvement;
• • Include sufficient detail to permit a determination that Government support could be
worthwhile and the proposed work could benefit the agency's research and
development or other mission responsibilities;
• Not be an advance proposal for a known agency requirement that can be acquired by
competitive methods; and
• 3. Academic proposal: A proposal that is prepared
to complete any academic degree is known as
academic proposal. Such proposal is prepared by
the student of master, M.Phil. and Ph.D. The
proposal may vary as per the need of universities
even though such proposal contains title of the
research, background, statement of the problem,
hypotheses, research methodology, limitations of
the study and references.
• Structure of Research Proposal:
• Various information should be included in the proposal which preparing it. Design of
the proposal may vary as per objective and nature of the research. Even though, every
proposal should follow certain design. Thus, the general outline of the research
proposal is given below:-

• 1. Title.
• 2. Background of the study.
• 3. Statement of the problem.
• 4. Theoretical framework.
• 5. Statement of hypothesis.
• 6. Definition of terminologies.
• 7. Significance of the study.
• 8. Limitations of the study.
• 9. Research methodology.
• i. Research design.
• ii. Population and sample.
• iii. Instruments.
• iv. Data collection strategy.
• v. Analysis of data.
• 1. Title: First of all, researcher should prepare appropriate title for
the research. It should not be too long and too short. It should reflect
the entire subject matter of the research. Title of the research should
be short but descriptive. Researcher should not use unnecessary
words in title and it should be able to reflect the gist of the research.
For example, HR practices and organizational performance, brand
loyalty and demand of the product, effectiveness of VAT in Nepal.
• 2. Background of the study: It is the part of the research proposal
that provides general information about research title in brief.
Researcher should show that he/she is familiar with the subject of
the research. Researcher should include relevant reference materials
in short. Background of the study incorporates the following
information:
• General information about the research title
• Put the relevant literatures/reference materials in greater
details.
• Reason of creating interest in this topic/issue.
• 3. Statement of the problem: Main focus is given to the issue/problem in the
research work because research is conducted to resolve such issues or
problems. If the problems are vague and unclear, research cannot give the
answer of such problems. Thus, while developing research problems, following
points are to be taken into consideration:
• Problems of any area should be clearly stated.
• Show the relationship between the variables under study.
• Problems whose answer is possible should only be included. For example,
• Does learning culture of an organization stimulate innovation?
• Do HR practices enhance performance of an organization?
• 4. Theoretical framework: It develops the background for the statement of the
problem. It clarifies the ways for the study showing relationship between the
variables under study. Theoretical framework is developed on the basis of
reference materials. Theoretical framework incorporates the following
information:
• a brief summary of the related literatures
• identification of related variables and presenting the relationship
between/among variables.
• variables under study should be included.
• 5. Statement of hypothesis: A declarative or clear statement
that shows the relationship between the variables under
study is statement of hypothesis. Generally, researcher uses
either research question or statement of hypothesis while
conducting research. Thus, use of research problem or
hypothesis depends on research objective, research design
and nature of methodology and the audience of the research.
Research hypothesis must have following qualities:
• hypothesis must be clear and declarative
• hypothesis must be measurable
• hypothesis should not have ambiguity
• 6. Definition of terminologies: Researcher should define the
key terms used in research clearly and precisely. The criteria
used for operationalization of the concept should also be
given in the proposal so that every one can understand how
these key terms can be measured.
• 7. Significance of the study: Researcher should include the relevance of the
present study either that contributes to the theory or helps to solve the
problems of the society or business or management the contribution of
research in the methodological aspects. It means the contribution of research
in the revision of theory, solving the problems or suggests new methods to
conduct the research. It performs the following works:
• Creates the prospective to look the problem.
• Shows the relationship of the present study with larger issues.
• Shows the relevance of the study to whom and why.
• Shows the benefits after the completion of the study.
• 8. Limitations of the study: The things or works which are not attempted by
the researcher during the course of conducting research is known as
limitations of the study. It shows the area which is not attempted by the
researcher in this research work due to different reasons. Some examples of
limitations are given below:
• Larger sample is not taken for the study because of time and cost constraints.
• Findings of the study may vary over time because of change in the behavior
of the people.
• Number of HR and non-HR activities impact on the performance of the
organization. Although this study has assessed the impact of training only
• 9. Research methodology: This title shows that how the researcher
tackles the research problem in the future. Researcher explains the
activities which will be carried out by the researcher in the future
while conducting research. This part not only shows which methods
are used but it shows why they are used in the research. This part of
the proposal incorporates the following topics:
• i. Research design: Researcher should clarify the research design that
will be used to undertake the research work in the future like either
descriptive or historical or case study or ex-post facto, etc. Researcher
should also give the reason why he/she uses any particular design not
other designs. Use of research design depends on nature of research,
research topic, objectives and area of research.
• ii. Population and sample: Researcher should clearly explain the area
where research focuses which is popularly known as population and
the sample size and method of sampling. Researcher should decide
the method of sample size determination, size of sample and method
of selecting sample. A researcher can decide all these techniques
with the help of literature review or preview of previous studies.
• iii. Instruments: Researcher should explain the way of collecting
primary and secondary data. For example, researcher should decide
whether to collect primary data using questionnaire or interview
technique. As well researcher should clear the instruments which are
used in research and prove that such instruments are valid and
reliable.
• iv. Data collection strategy: Researcher should clearly state how they
collect the data, the works that are carried out to collect data and the
time required to collect the data.
• v. Analysis of data: Researcher should clearly explain the instruments
that are used to test the hypothesis. It helps to draw the conclusions.
So, the researcher should give the reasons of using such instruments
in the analysis of data.
• 10. Reference: A list of literatures that is used while preparing
proposal is to be prepared and listed at the end of the proposal. such
list must be in alphabetical order. It includes published and published
literatures like books, journals, thesis, newspapers, iternet, etc.
Reference list is prepared based on the format developed by American
• Writing Research Reports
• Every research is conducted with certain purposes. The purpose may be to
obtain details about event or subject, solve the problem, developing new
theories, etc. A description is made after the completion of research work
with specific objectives including work procedures and result. Such
description of research work is known as research report. Research report
provides information to the concerned parties regarding analysis of data
and findings of the research work.
• In short, research report presents the research findings and procedures to
the concerned parties in scientific, systematic and well managed way. It
incorporates research objectives, various methodologies used in conducting
research, research findings and the suggestions of the researcher to
improve the deficiencies. A research report prepared by the students to
complete certain degree is known as thesis and the document prepared by
the non-academic sector is known as report.
• Research reports vary in scope. Each university might set its own format and
style of thesis writing for its research students. The funding organizations
supporting research work may demand a certain way of reporting. The main
intention of them is to enable the researcher to communicate his ideas and
results.
 Contents of the Research Report
• Research report may vary as per the need and nature of research.
So there is no any fixed rule or format of research report. Even
though, an outline is used to make systematic and easily
understandable to the report. Student have to prepare report in the
format as prescribed by the university otherwise it may be rejected.
Generally following format is used while writing research report:-
• A. Preliminary Part.
– Title page.
– Recommendation Sheet.
– Viva-voce sheet.
– Acknowledgement.
– Executive summary/the synopsis.
– Table of contents.
– List of Tables and Figures.
 B. Body of the Report
– Introduction.
– Review of Literatures.
– Research Methodology.
– Data presentation and Analysis.
– Summary and Conclusions.
C. Supplementary Section.
-Reference materials or bibliography.
-Appendix.
Thank you