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A research
proposal is your operational plan for obtaining answers to the
questions:-
What are you proposing to do?
How you plan to
proceed?
Why you selected the proposed strategy? For
MPE this will be approx 2, 500 words and for the Review Panel 1,500 words.
It requires you to provide an account of the methodology you will use to
obtain the answers and it should reassure a reader of your attempts to
address the validity and objectivity of those answers.
A possible
template for this is outlined below:-
1. Introduction
Rationale
In this section you will need to consider any personal
reasons for your choice of topic and links between the study and other
modules taken as part of your award. In addition you should provide
professional reasons why you think your study is relevant and will have an
impact on others and, if applicable, set out the historical background to
your study.
AREA of FOCUS
2. Literature
Review
The purpose of this section is to broaden your knowledge
base and provide a theoretical framework for the study. It should include
some major research findings related to your topic and link to any
research questions raised from the literature. It is important to include
critiques of methods and procedures either here or at the start of the
methodology.
N.B. References to literature should be integrated into
the arguments conceptually rather than
chronologically.
PROBLEM – aim(s); objectives;
research questions or hypothesis
3.
Methodology
In this section you need to show your approach to
the research and provide argued justification; defend your selection of
research instruments and their sequencing to answer the questions and
include sufficient description of processes to allow replicability. This
section should include discussion of the study population, selection of
sample, ethical consideration, issues of validity and
reliability.
N.B. In this you section should include a discussion
of any problems you feel you might encounter and how you will deal with
them e.g. gaining permission, logistical issues.
4.
Timeplan – for reading, conducting the research and writing up
the report.
5. References – in APA
format.
6. Abstract or Synopsis– if
required.
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