4th year research project proposals
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This is my personal advice; you should also follow the unit outline and advice provided by the unit convener. |
Contents
Main sections / topics
~ 10-page proposal, possibly addressing:
- Title, student details, date
- Introduction / Background to the problem
- Demonstrates importance of topic
- Defines key terms
- Explains hypothesised relations between variables
- Demonstrates familiarity with the main references
- Finish with research questions and/or hypotheses
- Method
- Sampling: Specify target population, sampling frame, sampling method
- Instrumentation: Clearly define target constructs and summarise proposed operationalisation of these constructs. Make sure you reference and explain the major references on the reliability and validity of the instrumentation.
- Procedure: Explain how the study will be conducted
- Ethical issues
- Identify ethical issues and explain how these will be handled
- Analysis
- Briefly summarise (e.g., in table format) the planned data analysis techniques to be used in addressing each hypothesis
- Limitations
- Outline the main limitations of the study and how the design has been adapted to minimise their effect
- Timeline - Semester 1 (possible)
- Proposal draft
- Proposal final (by end of W7)
- Intro plan (~W8)
- Ethics proposal (~W8-W9 - depends on ethics meeting dates)
- Intro draft (~W8-W9)
- Intro final (~W10-W11)
- Method plan (~W11)
- Method draft (~W12-W13)
- Method final (~W15)
- Data collection at end of Sem. 1 or beginning of Sem.2 - the latest data should be collected is by ~end of August
- Timeline - Semester 2 (possible)
- Data entry & screening (~W1-W2)
- Data analysis (~W3-W6)
- Results plan (~W5)
- Results draft (~W7-W8)
- Results final (~W9)
- Discussion plan (~W9-W10)
- Discussion draft (~W11-W12)
- Discussion final (~W13)
- Redrafting/Proofreading (~W12-W14)
- References
- Appendices
- e.g., copies of instrumentation
About
- Develop ~ 5-10 page proposal as a precursor to the 2-page proposal presentation and preparation of the ethics proposal
- See outline of requirements from unit convenor and samples of past proposals (from supervisor)
Strategy
- Everything about the study is, in theory, negotiable up until approval of the proposal - then the proposal serves as a 'contract' or agreement for what will be done. What actually occurs may vary from the original proposal, but variations should be renegotiated (and may require informing and seeking new permission from the ethics committee).
- Don't be concerned about length for the written proposal - however, for hons presentations, a shortened handout is required.
