Research Proposal Guidelines and Objectives

Research Proposal

• You are required to write a research proposal in the format of a report
• Your report should develop your own research idea and demonstrate your knowledge of research methods
• Your research idea must be a topic within your subject area
• Word limit: 2,500 words
• 100% of your grade for this module

Task specific guidance:

Title: The title should reflect the general research aim.

1.0 Background to the research (context): In this section, you have the opportunity to introduce your research topic, and explain its relevance and importance.  The section should also provide a rationale for the chosen research topic. You should provide some secondary information about the theoretical context, industry, or subject you are researching, which provides rationale for the study. This section should lead the reader logically to the research aim and research objectives.  (approx. 500 words)

Research Aim: You should develop an overarching aim for your research.   This statement will form the clear theme throughout your research paper and will follow logically from your background section.  Your research aim should be written so as to suit the research approach you have decided to take. 

Research Objectives:  Your research aim should be supported by logical and coherent research objectives.  These objectives should contribute to you addressing your overall research aim, and should be numbered.

Literature review: You must identify the main theoretical underpinnings of your work and the key authors in your field and provide a succinct summary of key areas of literature. You should refer to key authors and themes from academic literature relevant to your proposal. The purpose of the literature review is to explain what we already know in your chosen area of research. This will show your understanding of the key concepts in your research question and the relationships between them.  Indicate any models that you may wish to apply, test or review.

Present a conceptual framework which reflect your literature review.  This sets out formally the concepts you intend to include in your data collection and the proposed relationship between them. The conceptual framework becomes a guide for your data collection and analysis. This should normally be presented in a diagram with some narrative explanation.

Methodology: This section must detail the approach you have decided to take for your research and provide appropriate justification for and details of that approach. This section needs to provide specific explanation of how you are planning to collect and analyse data in order to answer your research aim/objectives and explain why you think the methods you choose are appropriate for answering your research question.  You should structure this section as follows:

a.Research approach. Specify the research approach you intend to adopt. This will normally be either quantitative or qualitative. Justify why you have chosen this and link to your research question/objectives. (approx. 200 words)

b.Data collection. How do you intend to collect your data? This will normally be using questionnaires or interviews. Describe the process and justify why it is appropriate for your research question/objectives (approx. 300 words)

c.Sample. Who you are intending to collect data from? Explain why this is an appropriate and representative sample to enable you to address your research aim and objectives.  Research ethics should also be a consideration. (approx. 300 words)

d.Data analysis. How do you propose to analyse your collected data? Describe how you would analyse your data. (approx., 100 words)

Please ensure there is a direct link between the research aim/ objectives and the methods you choose.

General study guidance:

Cite all information used in your work which is clearly from a source. Try to ensure that all sources in your reference list are seen as citations in your work, and all names cited in the work appear in your reference list. 

• Reference and cite your work in accordance with the APA 7th system – the University’s chosen referencing style.  For specific advice, you can talk to your Business librarians or go to the library help desk, or you can access library guidance via the following link:

oAPA 7th referencing: https://library.hud.ac.uk/pages/apareferencing/

• The University has regulations relating to academic misconduct, including plagiarism. The Learning Innovation and Development Centre can advise and help you with how to avoid ‘poor scholarship’ and potential academic misconduct.
• If you have any concerns about your writing, referencing, research or presentation skills, you are welcome to consult the Learning Innovation Development Centre team [email protected]. It is possible to arrange 1:1 consultation with a LIDC tutor once you have planned or written a section of your work, so that they can advise you on areas to develop. 
• Do not exceed the word / time / other limit.

Assessment criteria

• The Assessment Criteria are shown the end of this document.  Your tutor will discuss how your work will be assessed/marked and will explain how the assessment criteria apply to this piece of work.  These criteria have been designed for your level of study.
• These criteria will be used to mark your work and will be used to support the electronic feedback you receive on your marked assignment. Before submission, check that you have tried to meet the requirements of the higher-grade bands to the best of your ability. Please note that the marking process involves academic judgement and interpretation within the marking criteria.
• The Learning Innovation Development Centre can help you to understand and use the assessment criteria.  To book an appointment, either visit them on The Street in the Charles Sikes Building or email them on [email protected]

Learning Outcomes

This section is for information only.

The assessment task outlined above has been designed to address specific validated learning outcomes for this module. It is useful to keep in mind that these are the things you need to show in this piece of work.

On completion of this module, students will need to demonstrate:

1.Demonstrate critical awareness of a range of methodological approaches used in research in their field of study

2.Demonstrate knowledge of social research methods in a contemporary subject area relevant to their award

3.Act autonomously in the conceptualisation and design of research relating to their area of study

4.Make a proposal for a piece of relevant subject research

Please note these learning outcomes are not additional questions.