WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL Owoeye Olugbenga A. Mental Health in Africa: Time for Action Addis ba; 8.30am, 25th April 2006

2. OUTLINES • Introduction • Elements of Research Proposal • I. Cover page • II. Body of the proposal. • Conclusion

3. Introduction Proposal is an intellectual scholastic (not legal) contract between you and your college or funding agencies. It specifies what you will do, how you will do it, and how you will interpret the results.

4. The same principles apply to dissertation proposals and to proposals to most funding agencies. • It includes a model outline, but colleges and funding agency expectations vary and your proposal will be a variation on this basic theme.

5. Elements of Research Proposal • The objective in writing a proposal is to describe what you will do, why it should be done, how you will do it and what you expect will result. • Being clear about these things from the beginning will help you complete your study in a timely fashion.

6. Elements contd. • 1.Introduction • Topic area • Research question • Significance to knowledge

7. elements contd. 2. Literature review - Previous research • others & yours • Interlocking findings and Unanswered questions • Your preliminary work on the topic • Reprise of your research question(s) in this context

8. contd 3. Methodology • Approach –study design • Data needs • Analytic techniques • Plan for interpreting results 4.Expected results 5.Budget 6.References.

9. I. Cover Page • 1. Title of the Research Project • 2. Names, Titles and Institutional Affiliations of Research Team • 3. Project Summary/Abstract •  The abstract should be in specified nos of words. • Include a statement of the problem that the proposed research will address, the type(s) of methods used (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, etc.), the sample size, where the study will be conducted, analysis tools, and amount requested.

10. Table of Contents • lists sections of proposal and page references. • use a hierarchy for titles and subtitles

11. II. PROPOSAL BODY • 1. Literature Review: Relevant Literature. • Demonstrate not only knowledge of relevant strands of literature but also a critical assessment of them with up-to-date references. • Use this section to show existing gaps or discrepancies in knowledge within the area of your research.

12. contd In some cases the proposal represents a completely new direction or line of research, while in others it is part of a continuing program in an area in which the investigator has been engaged. If the proposed project is part of an ongoing program of research for which you have already done a full literature review, summarize the literature in this section.

13. Contd. • . this is not expected to be extensive for the proposal. • you should have done an initial survey of the main theorists and a library information search (CD ROMs etc) to establish your directions and formulate a tentative list of readings. • you should demonstrate critical analysis.your review should be shaped by your argument and should seek to establish your theoretical and empirical orientation.

14. 2.Research question and Significance • 1. Research Question and Significance •   Clearly state the research question that the study will address. • State how your research is innovative, how your proposal looks at a topic from a fresh point of view, or develops or improves project management tools, processes, technologies. • Very briefly, embed your research question in the context of the research area that led to the proposal.

15. 􀂃the ways in which the study may be significant for the educational community may also be discussed. • Demonstrate how the research will increase knowledge in the field.

16. 3 Specific aims • The specific aims are the objectives of the research project—what you intend to accomplish by the close of the project. They are clear, focused, concise statements that elaborate on or “unpack” the research question. •  The aims should flow directly from the research question, and the methodology used in the study should relate directly to the aims. The project should have no more than four specific aims.

17. 4. Methodology Research Design/General Methodological Approach. In this section, provide an overview of the research design, including a summary of the methods of procedures and a justification for the approach. includes description of and rationale (brief) for selection of participants, methods of data collection and analysis, and procedures you will use to ensure ethical practice

18. Procedure • Methods of Procedure. In this section be specific about the procedures that will be used in the study. • Sample Size and Description – If the project encompasses survey research, include the type of sample, target and expected number of survey respondents, the source of respondents, stratification variables, etc. If case studies are proposed, provide number of cases, interviews per case, source of respondents, number, type, and length of interviews within strata, etc. Describe significant sampling characteristics (e.g. job titles/positions), location, types of industries/organizations, methods of access, etc.

19. Ethical Issues • Is there any potential risk or harm to participants or yourself?If so, what are the potential risks and what do you intend todo to reduce them? • How will you obtain informed consent? • Where informed consent is unable to be provided, what will you do? • How will you deal with any sensitive or criminal matters that may be raised in the course of your research?What follow-up support will be available to participants should they require it?

20. Data Collection Methods • – detail precisely how the data will be collected. If an existing questionnaire will be used, describe its relevance to the proposed study, how it has been used in the past and cite its source; if a pilot questionnaire has been developed and used by the investigators in a preliminary study, attach it as an appendix

21. Contd • if an original questionnaire will be developed, provide an outline of the proposed data categories in which questions will be constructed. For interviews, provide a draft of the proposed interview schedule(s) including, at minimum, the list of topical data categories that will be addressed.

22. 5. Data Analysis Plan • Describe how both quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed. For example, how will field notes from interviews and the contents of documents be managed, analyzed, and interpreted? • What types of statistical techniques will be applied to the data? Justify the analysis plan that is selected

23. Expected Outcomes of the study • predicts the significance of the study and expected outcomes. These may relate closely to aims. • this is only a prediction, and may be excluded if the rationale for the study has been well developed earlier in the proposal

24. 6. Deliverables and Methods of Dissemination In what form will your findings be presented - e.g. report, presentation, journal etc? • How will you be disseminating your findings? • To whom will you be disseminating your findings? • How will you ensure anonymity in any publications? • To whom does the research belong and have you thought • about intellectual property rights

25. 7. Timetable • When will your research start and finish? • Are there particular stages to the research - e.g. piloting, then main research?If so, what are they? • Is the timetable realistic? • Is it influenced by external constraints or deadlines? • How will you provide regular updates and progress reports and to whom will you provide them?

26. Contd. • depicts the tasks proposed and the stages/times for their completion • this may take the form of a chart, timeline or flowchart (or any other)

27. 8. Appendices • to display documents which are relevant to main text, but whose presence in the text would disturb rather than enhance the flow of the documents or writings. • they includes documents, pilot study material, questions for interviews, survey instruments, explanatory statement to participants, etc.

28. 9. References • list of works that have been consulted thus far and appear to be useful • use referencing conventions recommended by your supervisor, college, or your funding agencies.

29. Budget • Make your budget realistic. • Carefully think through exactly what you will need from the funding agency to carry out the project and establish your budget around this amount. (Do not forget, funding agencies receive lots of requests for funding. • Check with the agency to see if they have suggested/required budget categories that they want you to use.

30. If the potential funding agency doesn't have any suggested/required budget categories, organize your budget around a set of meaningful categories that work for the project you are proposing. • Categories that you may want to consider for itemizing your budget are:Personnel (salary and benefits)Consultants (salary)InstructionEquipmentSupplies

31. Communication (telephone/postage) Materials preparationTravelRental of facilitiesEvaluationOther expenses • Indirect costs (costs that your organization requires that you include

32. Thank you