Writing a Research Proposal

LO1: Identify an appropriate research topic and formulate appropriate objectives

LO2: Develop an effective research strategy in which ethical considerations are critically appraised

Research Ethics Checklist (Form RE1) – You must submit a completed Ethics form via Turnitin as part of your submission. The form is issued separately. Please see Moodle. 

The Research proposal should be 1500 words (±10%). The Proposal must be completed and submitted during the early stages of the module, ideally in week 10 of semester one. In this you will outline the context of your research and provide motivation for your work; you will identify a driving research question and clarify the aims and objectives of your proposed research; you will present a short, critical review of key areas of relevant literature and use this to develop an initial conceptual framework; you will briefly present the theoretical perspective underpinning your proposed research approach and use this to justify your research design;  finally, you will conclude with a brief discussion of limitations of your proposed approach and state expected research outcomes.

1. Introduction (200 words)

• Background/Context of the Research
• Research Question
• Research Aims and Objectives

2. Literature Review (450 words)

• Key Papers
• Conceptual Framework

3. Methodology (400 words)

• Research Approach
• Research Strategy
• Methodology & Tools
• Sampling Approach
• Ethical Considerations

4. Conclusion (150 words)

• Limitations of Proposed Approach
• Expected Research Outcomes
• References (Not included in word count)

You are required to submit a soft copy via “Turn-it-in UK” on the module Moodle page. The software will allow you to check your work against other material on the internet. It will also compare your work against other students work. 

You will be able to upload drafts of your written work into turn-it-in as many times as you wish before the deadline.

Excellent (70%+):

Your proposal will be of excellent quality, where you exhibit coherent and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity.

Very Good (60–69%):

Your proposal will be of very good quality, where you exhibit coherent and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity.

Good (50–59%):

Your proposal will be of good quality, where you exhibit coherent and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity.

Satisfactory (40-49%):  

Your proposal will demonstrate a satisfactory display of coherent and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity.

Unsatisfactory (1-39%):

Your proposal will demonstrate a limited coherence and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity. Your proposal will demonstrate a lack of basic coherence and lucidity in the way in which it is written to demonstrate that it will be fit for purpose and able to direct your research activity. You will not be able to overwrite the final submission after the deadline. You can only submit a single file.