RESEARCH PROPOSAL

WRITING

By
[Link], A-WM
 PRESENTATION OUTLINES
1) Why a Research Proposal?

2) What is a Research Proposal ?

3) How to Define your Research Topic?

4) How to Organize your Research Proposal?

5) How to write your Research Proposal?

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 Why a Research Proposal?
 Research proposal is an ART of presenting an IDEA and a scientific
PLAN to test this idea to contribute to understanding the nature of things.

 The goal is to gain support for your plan by informing the appropriate
audience and/ or committees including:

 Undergrads “Thesis”- Introductory to Research mechanism (20% - 80% )

 MSc Thesis – emphasis is professionally oriented (30% Research project - 70% course work)
 [Link]. Thesis – emphasis is on research methodology (50% - 50%)
 PhD. Dissertation – emphasis is on originality of ideas & scientific novelty
(80% - 20%)
 Ethical Review Committees – emphasis is safety of research subjects
 Research Grands – emphasis is on track records and deliverability.

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 Why a Research Proposal?
 Thus, due to variations in
requirement at different levels of
research project it is an essential
requirement to propose a research
plan for approval.

 Your ideas area more likely to be

approved if you can communicate
them in a CLEAR, CONCISE,
ENGAGING manner.

 Knowing how to write a persuasive,

captivating proposal is essential in
many fields.
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 What is a Research Proposal?
A research proposal describes
WHAT you will investigate:
 study topic; study goals and objectives

WHY it’s important to investigate:

Problem statements & Justification

HOW you will do the investigation:

 study materials & methods
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 CORE ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL

 A research proposal must have:

 Introduction
 Research Background & Problem
 Research Purpose
 Research Questions
 Significance of the Research
 Research Objectives
 Research Methodology
 Literature Review
 Research Limitations
 Project Schedule
 Budget
 Chapter Outline

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How To Organize Your Research Proposals?
 The organization of proposal varies between fields and Institutions
 UHAS Research Ethics Committee (REC) requires that there should be
1) Cover Page and/ or Title Page
2) Cover letters
3) New Protocol submission form
4) Structured Summary/Abstract
5) Background
6) Literature review
7) Methodology
8) Dissemination of result
9) Ethical Issues
10) Reference
11) Time lines/work schedule/work plan
12) Personnel of the study team including percentage effort
13) Budget & Budget Justification
14) Appendix
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 How to Define Your Research Topic?
 A research topic defines the subject or issue that a
researcher is interested in when conducting research

 A well-defined research topic is the starting point of

every successful research project.

 choosing a topic is an ongoing process by which

researchers explore, define, & refine their ideas.

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 How to Define Your Research Topic?
1. PICK A SUBJECT:
 Ensure that you understand what you’re being asked to do. If you have any
questions, ask your professor to clarify.

 Do some research to start narrowing down to your topic.

 Choose a subject that you’re interested in. The more you like your subject,
the easier it will be to research.

 Choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the literature.

 Define your topic as a focused research question.

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 Cover Page vs Title Pages

10-Mar-20 1
RESEARCH PROPOSALS
0
 ? Cover Letters

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 ? New Protocol Submission Form

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 Title Page

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 ?Structured Summary/Abstract

 The ABSRTACT:
 provides the executive summary of the research
 It should be a 1 page maximum and must not have references
 It should contain:
Background
General Aim
Methodology
Expected Outcome (expected results or what you hope to
achieve from study)

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 CHAPTER 1
Background
BACKGROUND (1-3 pages maximum)
1.1. Introduction
1.2 Problem statement:
1.3 Justification/Relevance
1.4 Hypothesis (if applicable)
1.5 Aim (s)
1.6 Specific Objectives

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 CHAPTER 2
Literature Review
 LITERATURE REVIEW (LR) (5 pages maximum)

 LR section DESCRIBES & ANALYSES the literature on the subject matter

 Academic knowledge is contested and debated; not every one agreed.

 The literature is where to demonstrate that you have thorough understanding
of the subject mater and other perspective related to your subject matter.
 Situate your research project within the broader literature and to describe
what is KNOWN and NOT KNOWN about the subject matter
 Establish the gap in the literature that your research will fill

 Therefore READ widely - the more you know the literature, the more confident
you will be writing it.

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 CHAPTER 2
Literature Review
 WHAT GOES INTO LITERATURE REVIEW?
 Disciplines differ but common component will include:
1. Opening paragraph (s):
where the reader is oriented on subject mater
Why this topic is important or interesting to
Might refer back to the update of the research

2. Paragraph that describe the CORE CONCEPT being studied.

This might include conceptual evolution and how concept
have changed over time or
Contested ideas over how these concepts are defined.
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 CHAPTER 2
Literature Review
WHAT GOES INTO LITERATURE REVIEW?
3. Paragraph that LINK themes together or synthesize
the analysis of the literature

4. A concluding paragraph that highlight KEY

ARGUMENTS made in the literature Review
section.
 For example, the Knowledge gap and how this research
aims to fill the gap

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 CHAPTER 2
Literature Review
 HOW THE LITERATURE REVIEW WORKS FOR YOU?
 Situate your study in the literature by identifying a known
knowledge gap
 Explain or unpacks your use of concept
 Possibly sets up a conceptual/theoretical framework
 Possibly identifies criteria for data analysis
 Possible set up perspective that inform your methodology
 Develops an argument for why you have identified specific
bodies of literature and how they relate to your study.
 Show counter- argument for your perspective

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 CHAPTER 3
Methodology
 3.0 METHODOLOGY (8 pages maximum)
 3.1 Study Design:
 Method - Surveillance study
 Techniques- Retrospective or prospective or cohort studies
 3.2 Study Site:
 Single centered- e.g Ho Teaching Hospital
 Multiple centered- e.g HTH, K,BU, KNUST, etc
 3.3 Subject/Study Population
 Homogenous
 Heterogenous
 3.4 Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

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 CHAPTER 3
Methodology
 3.0 METHODOLOGY (8 pages maximum)
 3.5 Sample Size Determination
 Probability –Randomization
 Homogenous population-Stratified sampling
 Heterogeneous population- Clustery sampling
 Unknown population- sampling using prevalence rate

 Non-probability- convenient sampling

 Convenient /purposive sampling

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 CHAPTER 3
Methodology
 3.0 METHODOLOGY (8 pages maximum)
 3.5 Procedures to be used
 Data Collection methods and instruments

 3.7 Data handling:

May include coding, quality control, data security and confidentiality)

 3.7 Statistical Analysis:

 Descriptive Analysis- correlations by Chi-square estimation
Predictive Analysis- association by odd ratio estimation

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 CHAPTER 4:
Dissemination of Result
DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
To Project sponsors and policy makers
(where applicable)

At workshops, seminars and conferences

In different types of publications

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 ? Ethical Issues
 For Human Subjects
 Consider Recruitment and sampling procedures, Potential risks and benefits,
confidentiality.
 For vulnerable subjects (children, pregnant women, institutionalized
subjects), state how subjects’ protection will be ensured.
 Provide Consent Form with simple and clear language.

 For Vertebrate Animals

 Justification for use of animals
 Housing and veterinary care
 Processes to minimize discomfort
 Euthanasia

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 ? Reference
• Reference style: The APA (American Psychological Association) style is the
most preferred referencing style in UHAS.

• APA referencing is a variant on Harvard style. Most of the conventions are the
same, with brief author-date citations in brackets in the body of the text and full
citations in the reference list.

• It is usual to include a reference list only rather than a bibliography in APA

style. Citations for websites are also slightly different, with no need to include a
date accessed.

• Referencing style used must be consistent

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 ? Time lines/work schedule/work plan
 This is usually in the form of a Gantt chart (to show different activities versus time
frames for expected completion).

Activity JAN. FEB. APR.-MAY JUN.-DEC. JAN. FEB.-MAR. MAY

(2020) (2020) (2020) (2020) (2021) (2021) (2021)
Submission of
Research Topic to
Supervisor
Proposal Writing
and Submission
Ethical
consideration &
approval
Data collection/
entry
Data analysis
Thesis writing and
submission

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 ? Personnel of the study team including
percentage effort

 Role of each member (Not applicable for students)

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 ? Budget & Budget Justification

 To be detailed even if no external funding is required.

Description of item Unit Cost per Unit Amount

Printing of thesis 4 copies GHC 15.00 GHC 60.00

Transportation to site To and Fro GHC 200.00 GHC 400.00
Copies of proposal to UHAS- 3 GHC 15.00 GHC 45.00
REC
Internet (Data, Call credit) Credit GHC 200.00 GHC200.00

Stationery 2-boxes of pens,1-box GHC (25.00+5.00) GHC 30.00

of pencil
Software SPSS, Graph Pad, GHC 150.00 GHC 150.00
Microsoft excel
Total GHC 885.00

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 ? Appendix

 APPENDIX
 Consent Form (UHAS-REC Consent form template available)
 Assent Form and Parental Consent Form (Only applicable where children of ages 12
to 17 would be recruited as research participants, UHAS-REC template available)
 Data Collection Instruments (e.g. Questionnaire, interview guide etc. if applicable)
 Letters of Support (if applicable)
 Principal Investigators’ CV and CVs of all Co-Investigators (not applicable to UHAS
students, for non-UHAS students, supervisor’s CV is required)
 Prior Scientific Review: (Attach Letter of Approval)
 Prior Ethical and Protocol Review: (Name any other Ethical and Protocol review
board/committee this proposal has been submitted to and attach approval letter if
applicable. In case of rejection, state reasons)
 Collaborating Institutions: (Attach Letter of Approval)
 Any other attachments

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 TIME FOR QUESTIONS

TIME FOR LUNCH ?

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