1

 

RSCH 600 Research Proposal writing

RESEARCH PROPOSAL – PART 1: INTRODUCTION, REVIEW OF LITERATURE, PROBLEM STATEMENT, RESEARCH QUESTIONS Due at the end of week 6 (Sunday May 23, 2021 at midnight) You need to conduct some research related to your own interests or to serve the interests of some organization (employer/client/sponsor). Before you start writing a formal proposal, you (or your employer/client/sponsor) would like to gather some information about the problem as well as understand its importance. Choose your research topic thoughtfully and submit the topic of your research proposal for approval the latest by the end of Week 2 (Sunday April 25, 2021 at midnight). You can find the submission box in Week 2. This part of your research proposal should be roughly 7-9 pages (excluding cover page, references and annex) and written in paragraphs, report format. All citations and references for this course are to be done in the APA style. HERE ARE THE KEY PARTS OF THIS PART OF THE PROPOSAL (PART 1): Title of your research Make it intriguing – (BUT LESS THAN 120 CHARACTERS) Introduction/Background Provide a brief description of what the proposed research topic is about, why is it important and how you came to be interested in it. Literature Review The purpose of this assignment is to develop skills in finding and analyzing valid literary resources for your research. The review should be written in an integral / synthetic style, and NOT as an annotated bibliography. Please note: Use in-text citations to reference all ideas, concepts, text, and data that are not your own. If you make a statement, back it up with a reference!

• Research a minimum of 15 relevant business-related literature sources (focus on material available in digital format only for this course). Carefully choose your 15 “keepers” that are clearly related to your study. (Note: you might need to find 30 to “keep” only 15).

• Identify major common themes encountered in the selected literature sources. For each theme, create its own subsection within the literature review.

• For each theme / subsection of the literature review, explain the opinions of the authors and show their similarities, differences, methods of acquisition of data, methods of data analysis and other pertinent information. State how the reviewed research results relate to your proposed study.

• Identify the gaps in the literature and explain what needs to be done to move forward in your research.

Statement of the Problem Detail the problem that you are considering. Explain:

• How are you defining and delimiting the specific area of the research?

• What is the gap that will be addressed by this research?

• What it is that you hope to learn by conducting this research?

• Discuss the anticipated outcomes and benefits to the researcher, the organization, or society. Research Questions Provide focused research questions for your planned research. Also provide a back-up question in case the first one does not pan out. Make sure you address the following questions:

• What is the scope of your research?

• Is the scope of your research question reasonable?

 

 

2

RESEARCH PROPOSAL – PART 2: Research Methods Due in week 10 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021 midnight) The purpose of the assignment is to develop skills associated with selecting and applying methods for data collection, qualitative data analysis, stationary and time series data analysis and hypothesis testing. Note: Part A and E are common to all Research Approaches. Use only the relevant parts to your research method from Part B to Part D.

A. Data collection Identify the sources that will offer the information that you need to answer the research question (journals, books, internet resources, government documents, people, etc). 1. What data do you plan to acquire to answer your research question? Why? What kinds of instruments,

variables, materials, or sources will you use (i.e. will you use observations, surveys, interviews, case studies, focus groups, experiments, documents, media, data base searches, etc.)? If you plan to use mixed methods, will they be sequential, concurrent or transformative? Why?

2. List the kinds of data/information that you plan to collect (e.g. testimonials, statistics, business/government reports, other research data, audio/video recordings, etc.). Also, consider two or three alternative ways you could gather data/information for this research.

3. If you plan to use research participants, where will they come from? How will they be sampled? How many participants will you require? If you are not using research participants, who will you use as the target audience of your data? Who would most benefit from your research, and why?

4. Business research topics relate to events that develop in time.

• Explain how would you acquire a snapshot of data relevant to your research question. Within the snapshot, the data become effectively stationary.

• Consider the evolution of data with time. How would you acquire the time series data relevant to your research question?

5. What ethical issues will your research project present? What biases might you bring to the research and how will you address that bias?

 

B. Analysis of stationary data 1. What method will you choose to analyze the stationary data that you plan to collect? 2. Has this method of data analysis been applied in similar situations by other authors? Include references and

illustrations from the literature to show the advantages and disadvantages of the method. 3. Annex a worked out example of application of the method using simulated or previously published data. 4. How will you validate your findings/conclusions?

C. Testing hypotheses

1. State you hypotheses. 2. Explain whether your hypotheses will be tested using frequentist or Bayesian approach, and justify the choice. 3. Have similar hypotheses been tested by other authors? Include references and illustrations from the literature. 4. Annex a worked out example of hypothesis testing using simulated or previously published data.

D. Analysis and forecasting of time series

1. What method will you choose to analyze and forecast the time series data that you plan to collect? 2. Have these methods of data analysis and forecasting been applied in similar situations by other authors?

Include references and illustrations from the literature to show their advantages and disadvantages. 3. Annex a worked out examples of analysis and forecasting using simulated or previously published data. 4. How will you validate your findings/conclusions?

 

E. Timetable and Budget

1. Provide a plan (timetable) of the major research activities (on weekly or monthly basis)

2. Provide a budget estimate for all eligible expenses of the proposed research

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

Grading Rubric for Papers

The followings are 3 criteria that are used in marking your written papers:

 

❖ Content/Development that includes:

Subject Matter —

• Key elements of assignments covered

• Content is comprehensive/accurate/persuasive

• Displays an understanding of the relevant theory

• Major points supported by specific details/samples

Higher-Order Thinking —

• Writer compares/contrasts/integrates theory/subject matter with work environment/experience

• At an appropriate level, the writer analyzes and synthesizes theory/practice to develop new ideas and

ways of conceptualizing and performing

 

❖ Organizing includes:

• Central theme/purpose is immediately clear

• The structure is clear, logical and easy to follow

 

❖ Style/Mechanics that includes:

Format

• Properly cites ideas/info from other sources

• Paper is neat/shows attention to detail

Grammar/Punctuation/Spelling

• Rules of grammar, usage, punctuation are followed

• Spelling is correct

Readability/Style

• Sentences are complete, clear, and concise

• Sentences are well-constructed with consistently strong, varied structure

• Transitions between sentences/paragraphs/sections help maintain the flow of thought

• Words used are precise and unambiguous

• The tone is appropriate to the audience, content, and assignment

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

Checklist for Term paper 1 Note that this checklist is not to replace the Assignment Guideline mentioned in page 1. This checklist is designed to elaborate on the key points of the term paper. Please make sure that you addressed the following questions before submitting your term paper:

• General:

☐Did I strictly follow the APA style (font size, spacing, citation, paragraph structures, list of

references, etc.)?

☐ Did I meet the minimum page requirement (7—9 pages, excluding title page, table of contents,

references, and annexes)?

 

• Topic:

☐ Is the topic less than 120 characters but not too short?

☐ Is the topic clear enough to explain the proposed study?

 

• Introduction:

☐ Does the introduction part address the five components of the introduction of a proposal (one

paragraph for each)?

 

• Literature review:

☐ Did I write 5 – 7 pages?

☐ Did I use only peer-reviewed journal articles and books as the main source of information?

☐ Did I review and summarized at least 15 relevant article journals/books related to the study

topic?

☐ Is there a logical flow of ideas/concepts in the literature review?

☐ Did I write a clear literature gap/s or literature deficiency?

 

• Statement of the problem

☐ Does the statement justify the problem properly?

 

• Research question

☐ Are the research questions (in qualitative or quantitative methods) and research questions or

hypotheses (in quantitative and mixed methods) clear enough to be answered at the later stage

of the research?

 

 

5

Checklist for Term paper 2

This checklist is designed to elaborate on the key points of the term paper mentioned in page 2.

• General: o You research method should be either quantitative or mixed method. o No page limit but strictly follow the APA style

o Submit Term Paper 2 in Turnitin. No need to include your Part one here.

o On the same day, submit the upgrade version of Term Paper 1 through Dropbox (email).

• Data Collection: o What type of data and Why you choose that type of data?

▪ What kinds of instruments

▪ Identify the sources information

▪ If you plan to use mixed methods, which type and Why?

o List the kinds of data. Consider 2 or 3 alternative ways you could gather data o If you plan to use research participants, where will they come from? Sampling Techniques?

How many participants? o If no research participants, who will be the target audience? Who would most benefit from

your research, and why?

o If your research topic is related to events that develop in time (time-series data only).

• Explain how you would acquire a snapshot of data

• How would you acquire the time series data relevant to your research question?

o What are ethical issues and biases will your research project present? (You don’t need to explain how will you address it)

 

• Analysis of (stationary) data: o What method will you choose to analyze ? o If the method of data analysis you choose been applied in similar situations by other authors include

references and illustrations o Annex a worked-out example of the application of the method using published data (Optional). o How will you validate your findings/conclusions?

 

• Testing Hypothesis o State your null hypothesis ONLY.

o What is your approach (frequentist or Bayesian)? and justify the choice. o Have similar hypotheses been tested by other authors? If yes, include references. o Annex a worked-out example of hypothesis testing using previously published data (Optional).

 

• Analysis and forecasting of time series

o What method will you choose to analyze? o If these methods of data analysis and forecasting been applied in similar situations by other

authors include references o Annex worked-out examples of analysis & forecasting using previously published data (Optional). o How will you validate your findings/conclusions?

 

• Timetable and Budget Plan o Show the timetable for major activities on weekly or monthly basis. o Show your budget plan for research related expenses.