Essentiality of Research Proposal



I feel that there is an urgent need of a discussion on writing research proposal. This urgency is felt against the background of a friend who has mistaken it with the summary of research report. That friend believes that both, summary and proposal are  written briefly. So her question is, "Aren't they one and the same?".

She is planning to register herself with a university as a part-time research scholar. Sometimes, she herself can differentiate 'proposal' and 'summary' at a later point when her research progresses. Anyhow, we have to give her clear answer. 

Before we give clarity to her doubt, shall we see the real meaning of proposal for research.

Meaning of proposal

To propose means, to declare one's plan to do something, and proposal means, something that is declared as one's plan. We make proposal in various occasions. Shall we examine certain proposals that we make in life.

What are we doing in a marriage proposal? When there is a marriage proposal, the bride and bridegroom or their parents or relatives declare the interest. This proposal, in the due course ends in the wedding ceremony.

Suppose there is a news on the proposal of making a road through the forest. What do the readers understand? The readers understand that there is statement on plan of government to construct a road through the forest. So far there is no road there.

What is an engineer declaring through the sketch and estimate that he draws. It is also a proposal, in which she/he states firmly; what is to be constructed and how is to be constructed? In broader sense sketch and estimate together form the proposal.

In the above three examples, three features are evident;

a)  Proposal is prepared before the action begins.

b)  It is a declaration to oneself or someone on what is going to be done.  

c) According to the requirement, there are different methods to document the proposal. 

Forwarding the proposal along with the application for admission to a research programme is a regulation with almost all universities or research institutes. So that, from the researchers' side there must be genuine attempt to write the research proposal with appropriateness demanded by the university. 

Why research proposal?

Why there is need for submitting the research proposal? What are the reasons against which the universities and research institutes demand it? Than the requirement of the University for the Admission Procedure, it is the necessity of the researcher in the following ways;

a) The proposal is an evidence for conceptualisation of research

b) It is the declared plan on the research

c) The proposal shows the decisions on research methodology

d) The proposal shows check-points

e) It is a contract between the researcher and the guide/university

f)  The proposal is the tool for self-appraisal

g) The proposal reminds the researcher of her/his commitment towards research

Shall we see in-depth;

a) The proposal is an evidence for conceptualisation of research

A project or any scientific and systematic attempt begins with conceptualisation in the mind of the researcher. In this stage the researcher is accepting and idea or working out on a concept, which is the basic for planning. Though not visible overtly,   we can’t say that the researcher had not gone through the stage of conceptualisation, which is the seed of the research. It is there with every researcher. The proposal gives evidence of conceptualisation, especially in the beginning part of the proposal, where the researcher states, where, when and how she/he got the spark of the theme of research. The section that she/he deals the research questions in the proposal is another evidence for conceptualisation.

b) It is the declared plan on the research

This spark of the theme becomes as a fire, after which the researcher put it for detailed deliberations with the research guide or supervisor or with those who have interest in the topic and desire to help the researcher in the attempt of investigation. In this stage, the researcher plans the A to Z of the investigation. The researcher reaches answers to several questions like, what, why, how, when, where and by whom. The research proposal clearly states the objectives, hypotheses and methodology.  ‘If thoroughly planned, an action is half done’ the adage is right with research too. From that view point, we can say that a comprehensively stated proposal gives the evidence of the work that the researcher had done much before she/he approached the university or funding agency.

c) The proposal shows the decisions on research methodology

Whatever be, educational research, medical research or social research, the researcher is approaching it systematically and scientifically. Even then there will be occasions where the researcher may be at junctions, doubtful of going this way or that way. Her/his decisions on; where to go or not to go with regard to methodology, sample selection, construction of tools, data collection or analysis of data is valuable and important. As proposal is the declared plan, it shows the decisions required during the course of research. For example, the researcher plans to take a sample of 100 for an experimental research, considering the requirement for certain statistical operations of the data captured. But, later the researcher understands that there is the availability of a sample of 18 only. If she/he has any earlier decisions in this regard she/he can manipulate it on the background of that.  Otherwise the researcher may be wandering and wasting time and energy.

d) The proposal shows check-points

During a long journey a traveller has to pass through certain check-points. Each check- point gives a sort of comfort and confidence to the genuine traveller. When reaching every point for ticket examination, she/he gets confirmation about the distance travelled and the distance yet to be travelled. Similarly, if the researcher has a well worked-out proposal, it can be used as check-points during the journey of research. The research procedure listed out in the proposal gives details of the check-points. Think of an attempt for experimental research without a proposal, or with poorly stated proposal.

e) It is a contract between the researcher and the guide/university

A well thought-out research proposal is like a contract signed by two parties. The content of the proposal, in terms of objectives, selection of sample, design of the study are the clauses of the contract. The terms and conditions of the agreement are binding both the researcher and the guide/university. This detailing on what is to be done, and what is not to be done gives a compulsion to the researcher, and the guide, which is an encouragement for completion of research activity. The calendar of activities shown in a research proposal is exactly a contract about action and date on which an action is to be started and an ended. It is through research proposal, research becomes systematic and scientific.

f)  The proposal is the tool for self-appraisal

A researcher is not at all a student who is doing his Masters through attending face-to-face teaching in a classroom. The researcher, especially one who has registered as part-time researcher has lots of autonomy in the selection of methodology, process of research, data collection and analysis of data. As face-to-face interaction with the guide is limited or absent, research proposal compensates the gap, because, research proposal is a document prepared in consultation with the guide or experienced persons in the field.   In the circumstances, research proposal is otherwise, a tool for self-assessment of the progress of research.

g) The proposal reminds the researcher of her/his commitment towards research

Comprehensively prepared research proposal is a reminder to the researcher, to the guide and the university/ research institute. The research proposal reminds or alerts the researcher of what is the next task to be undertaken. So that, the researcher feels a sort of commitment to implement the process promptly, without lapse. In the absence of a comprehensively prepared research proposal the agility of the researcher need not be expected. Quick and nimble actions required at many points of research shall not happen in the absence of a proposal.

Where do we reach now?

From the foregoing discussion it is clear that a scrupulous research proposal is not at all a luxury, it is a necessity for the researcher or even to a small project doer. This is the reason for which the universities/research institutes demand research proposal. But, never can we say that research proposal is like a deed of landed property. Because a deed is static until the next sale of the property. Research proposal is like the sketch and estimate prepared by a civil engineer, which he brings to the work-site every time to compare with the real work implemented. She/he suggests minor or major changes regarding the structure, flooring or façade. But all changes are demanded on the basis of the sketch and estimate that had been prepared well in advance. Similarly, we have to say, research proposal is dynamic, it grows or develops with every action implemented meaningfully in due course. If not accommodating or accepting the genuine changes in further course of action, the research proposal becomes a lifeless document.

Now, shall we go back to the earlier question asked by a researcher; are research proposal and summary of research report one and the same? What do you readers feel? They are entirely different in content and objective. While research proposal states what the researcher has decided to do to complete her/his investigation, summary of research report declares what the researcher has done to get the result of the investigation. Summary may be written in a paragraph, a page, five pages or ten pages, according to the requirement and convenience of the publisher. Summary is the condensed form of all the chapters of the research report. It can done normally, only after completing the research process and only after completing the full fledged report. If this is the reality, how do research proposal and summary become one and the same?

So can I believe that I have indirectly answered the question? However, another discussion on how to write a research proposal and what are the components of research proposal seems necessary. I will be in a position to post that discussion next time.

Research Questions are Signposts

When the researcher makes an attempt to state the research problem and to formulate the objectives and hypotheses, her/his attention should focus on yet another area, which is the essential component in the planning of a research, that is, research questions.

Research questions are questions formulated by the researcher on the specific concerns of the investigation. These questions are signposts to the investigator to decide; where to go, how to move and when to move forward.

1.   Need of Research Questions

Shall we read certain research questions based on the title;

THE IMPACT OF LISTENING NARRATIVES WITH EMOTIONAL PUNCH ON VERBAL-LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE OF THE CHILDREN IN CLASS IV.

a)    What impact is put for the study?

b)    What is the prediction about the impact?

c)     Is the impact observable?

d)    With what instrument the impact be measured?

e)    Which component of verbal linguistic intelligence shows more impact?

f)      Which component of verbal linguistic intelligence shows least impact?

g)    What type of experimental design is required, is it single group design or double group design?

h)    What are the dependent and independent variables of the experiment?

i)      What are the controls of the experimentation?

j)      What are the data to be captured for analysis?

k)     What statistical operations are required for analysis?

If you read the above questions related to the theme referred, read the following set of research questions framed on another topic;

THE INFLUENCE OF CLASSROOM DRAMA ON STUDENTS’ ON-TASK BEHAVIOUR.

a)    What are the variables to be studied in the research?

b)    What influences will the classroom drama make over the on-task behaviour of the students?

c)     What component of classroom drama shows more influence than the other components?

d)    Is influence a factor that can be studied quantitatively?

e)    If so what quantitative analysis is workable?

f)      What qualitative aspects are to be studied?

g)    If there is influence of classroom drama, will it be significant?

h)    Is on-task behaviour measurable?

i)      With what instrument the on-task behaviour can be measured most aptly?

Now you saw two sets of research questions related to two different experimental research. Can you classify these questions into six heads, by posting the questions in column c)?

a) No.	b)   Category	c)     Questions
1.	Questions related to methodology.	………………………………………
2.	Questions related to hypothesis.	………………………………………
3.	Questions related to data collection.	………………………………………
4.	Questions about the phenomenon to be examined.	………………………………………
5.	Questions related to instruments required.	………………………………………
6.	Questions related to analysis of data.	………………………………………
7.	………………………..	………………………………………

 2.   Functions of Research Questions

By doing so, you might have understood that the way in which the research questions might help the researcher to focus specifically on the concerns or issues of investigation. Altogether, these questions give the researcher the dimensions of the research, which make her/him empowered to move in the right path of the investigation to bring about the desired result.

Time spend on by the researcher on asking certain questions to herself/himself like the ones above, is not at all a waste.  The questions sharpen the objectives and procedure of the research. Preparing the most relevant and operational questions is otherwise a good self-assessment tool also to the researcher throughout the investigation.

Dear reader, if you have a theme in your mind for research and you are on the stage of conceptualisation of that research activity, try to practice this strategy of formulating research questions, and respond me on the effectiveness of the same. Or, if you are a researcher who have earlier experiences, please comment on it.

Thank you.   

Equilibrating Objectives with Hypotheses

In the previous post, the attempt was to discuss on stating the objectives of a research, especially of experimental research.

As research is a scientific enquiry, the objectives should be stated critically so as to represent the nature of research, the methodology, data collection and analysis of data.

Such a scientific outlook is also needed in stating the hypotheses. The balancing between objectives and hypotheses is also to be considered.

As an example, shall we take the same topic showed in the previous blog, titled;

USE OF AUDIO VISUAL AIDS TO IMPROVE LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS IN ENGLISH AT ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

• ·       To prepare and find out suitable Audio Aids for the students of class V.
• ·       To prepare and find out suitable Visual Aids for the students of class V.
• ·       To prepare and find out suitable Audio Visual Aids for the students of class V.
• ·       To try out different Audio, Visual and Audio Visual Aids on the students of class V for improving their Listening and Speaking skills.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of students’ achievement in improvement of listening skill.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of urban students’ achievement in improvement of Listening skill.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of urban students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of rural students’ achievement in improvement of Listening skill.
• ·       To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of rural students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.
• ·       To compare the effectiveness of urban and rural students achievement of both the tests.
• ·       To compare the effectiveness of students achievement of both the tests.
• ·       To study the effect of treatment, and their various interventions of students’ achievement.

Look, there are 13 objectives for the research. Means, the researcher has 13 targets to be achieved or to be established through the investigation. Now look at the list of hypotheses of the same research;

• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post- test score of the group.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in Listening skill after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill after try out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in Listening skill of rural students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill of rural students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in Listening skill of urban students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill of urban students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill of urban students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.
• ·        There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.

Though there are 13 objectives, there are only nine hypotheses. Don’t you feel imbalance of objectives and hypotheses in their number and content? If the researcher has 13 objectives, there must be 13 tentative insights (hypotheses). If we examine closely, we can understand that the tentative insight of the researcher begins only with the fifth objective in the list.

The first four objectives are not in observable and measurable terms. The statements ‘to prepare ... to try out …’ are least observable and measurable.

So that, these four objectives are excess. Moreover, these objectives are otherwise realised through the remaining ones.   

Yet another imbalance found with the objectives is that, the researcher does not say anything about what he/she is going to establish through the hypotheses. Find the mismatch with the statements in the following table;

Objectives

Equivalent hypotheses

11. To compare the effectiveness of urban and rural students achievement of both the tests. 12. To compare the effectiveness of students achievement of both the tests. 13. To study the effect of treatment, and their various interventions of students’ achievement.

7. There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill of urban students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids. 8. There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score in speaking skill of urban students after Try-out of Audio- visual aids. 9. There will be no significant difference between students’ mean achievement pre-test and post-test score after Try-out of Audio- visual aids.

There is no mention about pre-test and post-test score with the objectives. It would be better if the researcher had stated, for the first one in the table, as; To compare the mean score of the pre-test with the post-test in speaking skill of urban students for whom audio-visual aids were used.   Similar changes are also necessary with other objectives also.

Read the following set of objectives and hypotheses where they are balanced in number and content, for the research titled;

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTEGRATING PERSONAL ANECDOTES WITH CLASSROOM PROCESSES FOR THE CREATION OF STORIES.

Objectives

Hypotheses

a)    To compare the quantity of stories written by the children of class VII, where personal anecdotes are integrated, with those of their counterparts where anecdotes are not integrated. b)    To compare the quality in terms of imagery, of the stories of the children in class VII, where personal anecdotes are integrated, with those of their counterparts where personal anecdotes are not integrated.

c)     The quantity of story of the children in class VII, where personal anecdotes are integrated, will not be higher than the quantity of their counterparts where personal anecdotes are not integrated. d)    The quality of story in terms of imagery, of the children in class VII, where personal anecdotes are integrated, will not be higher than the quality of story of their counterparts where personal anecdotes are not integrated.

See, there is balance between the objectives and hypotheses in number and content. The researcher has 2 targets to be realised which are stated as objectives. With regard to each one the researcher has tentative answer, which are stated as hypotheses.

Hope the readers may comment on the view of equilibration of objectives and hypotheses discussed above.

Thank you.

How to formulate the objectives of Educational Research?

If you are a researcher and if you have the readiness to plan the research, first question that must come to your mind is;

What should be the objectives of the research?

That means, what you are going to attain through your research. What are you going to establish through the research. Or, what are you going to find out through your attempt.

Objectives of the research can only be formulated in tune to the type of research and the data to be captured for analysis.

For example, read closely the following set of objectives of an experimental research, titled:

TRYOUT OF AUDIO VISUAL AIDS TO IMPROVE LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS IN ENGLISH AT ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

1. To prepare and find out suitable Audio Aids for the students of class V.

2. To prepare and find out suitable Visual Aids for the students of class V.

3. To prepare and find out suitable Audio Visual Aids for the students of class V.

4. To try out different Audio, Visual and Audio Visual Aids on the students of class V for improving their Listening and Speaking skills.

 5. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of students’ achievement in improvement of listening skill.

6. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.

7. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of urban students’ achievement in improvement of Listening skill.

 8. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of urban students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.

9. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of rural students’ achievement in improvement of Listening skill.

10. To find out the effectiveness of Audio Visual Aids in terms of rural students’ achievement in improvement of speaking skill.

11. To compare the effectiveness of urban and rural students achievement of both the tests.

12. To compare the effectiveness of students achievement of both the tests.

13. To study the effect of treatment, and their various interventions of students’ achievement.

Read one more set of objectives of another experimental research, titled;

THE IMPACT OF LISTENING NARRATIVES WITH EMOTIONAL PUNCH ON VERBAL-LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE OF THE CHILDREN IN CLASS IV

1.    To study the impact of listening narratives with emotional punch on verbal-linguistic intelligence of children in class IV.

2.    To examine the scope of listening narratives with emotional punch in the present XYZ curriculum.

3.    To envision a classroom that is conducive for listening narratives with emotional punch.

While there are 13 objectives with the first set, there are only three with the second set. The number of objectives is not the factor that decides the gravity of the research. But, what matters is the specificity with each and every statement.

To study, to examine, to find out, to determine, to compare,  to establish are certain general root forms used while stating the objectives. These forms have their own connotation, which shall not be challenged by the researcher.

Before we go further, shall we examine the sense of each one in the context of research?

•      To study = consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning.

•   To examine = investigate thoroughly to see if true.
•      To find out = establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study.
•     To determine= find out with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort.
•     To compare= examine and note the similarities or differences of.
•       To establish = make clear the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment.

So, one can’t use any of the above without understanding the periphery of the meaning of each word in the context of research. When one writes to find out or to determine,    the reader expects certain calculation or certainty made through inquiry. If the researcher does not satisfy such a requirement in the collection of data and analysis of data, she/he can’t claim validity.

Above is the first point to be considered while formulating objectives for research.

Next point is that, the objectives should be in observable, measurable and provable terms.

Objectives beginning with to know or to envision are not in observable, measurable or provable form.

• See the following example of a set of objectives, which are   observable, measurable and provable.

Title:

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CERTAIN SELF INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES IN THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF TEACHERS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.

•        To identify the effect of the immediate and delayed achievement of the pupils whose teachers have undergone in-service training through self-instructional modules in the areas of Articles, Interrogatives and Tenses in standard IX.

•       To determine the effect of the immediate and delayed achievement of the pupils whose teachers have undergone in-service training through face-to-face instruction in the areas of Articles, Interrogatives and Tenses in standard IX.

These are my suggestions on formulating objectives, especially for experimental type of research.  Hope the readers may share their views so as to open up a new discussion.