Outline and Format Checklist for Your Research Proposal Organize your final rese

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Outline and Format Checklist for Your Research Proposal
Organize your final research proposal according to the following outline. Clearly indicate these sections of the paper by using headings and subheadings that indicate where particular kinds of information can be found. The narrative portion of your proposal (excluding your references, figures, abstract and table of contents) should not exceed 12 double-spaced pages at 12-point font and 1” margins. You must use the APA format for your proposal references and citations. Do not start new pages for each section and place any figures used in an appendix and refer to them in the narrative. Finally, avoid direct quotations; instead synthesize information in your own words and cite copiously. See the other considerations for the proposal at the bottom of this document.
You must also submit your Research Proposal to the DePaul Writing Center and address the feedback before you submit the Final Draft to D2L
( http://condor.depaul.edu/writing/ )
Required Sections and Subsections
1. Title Page and Author
2. Table of Contents
3. Project Summary (This section is written last)
¨ Summarize what your research will investigate.
¨ Summarize the reason why this issue should be investigated.
¨ Summarize the methodology that will be employed in your investigation.
¨ Summarize what you expect to be determined or produced if your research is carried out and its importance to the field, your company, society and so on as applicable.
4. Project Description
A. Introduction
¨ Provide the reader with a brief and general introduction to the topic area under study (one paragraph) and define key terminology, but only where warranted.
B. Prior Work (See Module 3 and Exercise 4)
¨ Using your literature review (the exploratory research part of your proposal), summarize in detail what is already known about the issue. Be sure to contrast the results of previous scholarly studies and highlight gaps in knowledge indicating where the studies are insufficient regarding addressing your research problem.
¨ Discuss the particular knowledge gap and/or other untapped opportunity revealed in your literature review, such as what other studies have failed to yet examine, a new product, procedure, service, or creative activity available for innovation and an original contribution to humanity.
C. Proposed Research Objective/Research Question
(See Module 3 & 8 as well as Exercise 5)
¨ Briefly discuss the nature of your research, whether descriptive or explanatory.
¨ Specify the core research question you are evaluating in your research proposal and any sub-questions.
Some basic examples of hypothesis formats:
“The Null hypothesis (Ho) assumed to be true is this investigation is that… while the alternative hypothesis (H1) or ‘research hypothesis’ is that…”
“This investigation will evaluate the relationships (such as correlation or covariation) between variable X and variable Y. “
“If X happens, then ___ because____”
“This investigation will evaluate whether A or B or C is the best practice”.
“This investigation will evaluate the __?__ feasibility of Z by… ”
“The proposed investigation will collect __?__data to expand knowledge on X to support or contest the theory Q.”
¨ For a qualitative data research area, based on the frequencies of the values/items/categories or possible patterns revealed, formulate a statistical hypothesis. This should help to characterize the new (descriptive) information to be revealed by your study.
¨ For a quantitative data research area, convert the research question to a hypothesis with an eye on experimentation and evaluating the relationships between variables (e.g., independent, dependent and control variables). Refer back to your text and videos regarding how to develop research hypothesis.
5. Justification of Project
¨ Explain how your research question(s) relates to the broad issue reviewed in the introduction.
¨ Describe what results and/or patterns would confirm your hypothesis.
¨ If your hypothesis is confirmed, explain what it will mean to the research field you are exploring (i.e., the gap in human knowledge and/or other untapped opportunity realized, such as confirmation of a theory, a new product, procedure, service, a best practice, or creative activity and so on).
¨ Explain, with citations, how your proposed research study interconnects and will improve upon previous investigations in your literature review (e.g., improving existing data through better techniques, better technology, a more robust sample; generating a novel theory or product and so on).
¨ If your hypothesis is disconfirmed, explain what it will mean to the research field/issue that you are exploring. Note: Many times, a disconfirming research outcome can be of major importance too.
6. General Application of Proposed Study
¨ Discuss briefly and in general, how your proposed research could be utilized across fields. For example, if you were to publish the results of your investigation, why would they be important to related fields?
¨ Briefly describe the expected difficulties with and/or noted limitations of your study.
7. Research Methods (See Modules 3-9)
A. Overview
¨ Very briefly overview the focus of your proposed research in order to place your methods in context.
¨ Briefly explain how you will either repeat, parallel, modify, or hybridize the methods used in the studies from your literature review. Cite the previous research methods.
¨ Briefly describe any original methods you will employ in your study.
B. Approach (See Modules 4, 7, & 8 readings and videos)
¨ Identify the general methodology you will be taking in your research, whether Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods (combing qualitative and quantitative approaches). Be sure to provide a sound rationale why your selected method is the most suitable approach for your study.
C. Data Collection
1. Types of Sampling (See Module 4 and Exercise 6)
¨ Identify and discuss the specific sampling method you will employ and describe why it is advantageous to your research goals (Table 4.1). Consider if you expect to employ a non-probability sample (qualitative research) or a probability sample (quantitative).
¨ Discuss the basis of your data, whether they are to be derived from primary sources such as numerical measurements, survey-type instruments, field-specimen data and/or secondary sources such as databases, literature and/or collections.
¨ If numerical, will the data collected be discrete and/or continuous? Explain.
¨ Identify the population or phenomena or concepts you will studying, such as the participants, objects, numbers, events, theories, practices, etc.
¨ Identify and discuss the variables of your study including, as applicable, the dependent, independent, and control variable(s).
¨ Discuss your expected sample size (numerical considerations) and how the sample will be selected (e.g., inclusion and exclusion criteria such as demographic variables or other control variables). Be sure to justify your sample size so it is likely to provide a valid result.
2. Measurements and Data Collection Instruments (See Exercises 7 & 8; Modules 5 & 6)
¨ Discuss what you will measure in your study.
¨ Discuss the level of measurements you expect make in your study and how you will attempt to keep your measurements reliable and valid (Fig. 5.30)
¨ Identify and describe your data collection instrument (e.g., microscope, surveys, scales, tests etc.) and the particular form of the instrument (scanning electron microscope, interviews, case studies, focus groups, skills test etc.)
¨ Provide a representative example of your data collection/production instrument (e.g., survey questions, test format, prototype design, business plan outline, simulation and so on.) Keep this short, just enough to give the reader a sense of your ‘instrument’.
3. Materials and Procedures
¨ Briefly discuss the materials your research will require.
¨ Briefly describe the procedures and/or steps and/or phases your ‘experiment’ will involve.
D. Data Analysis Strategies (See Module 9 and the Statistics Workshop)
¨ Discuss the ‘descriptive statistics’ (means, medians, distribution, variation, and correlation) that you will use and relate them to the specific data you will collect (as applicable).
¨ If you are evaluating variance discuss how you will apply the t-test for analysis of variance (ANOVA) to analyze the data.
¨ If you are studying covariance, discuss how you will apply the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to analyze the data.
¨ If you are studying non-numerical data, discuss how your data results will be organized, synthesized, assessed for patterns, and transformed where possible into numerical data.
E. Ethics and Human Subjects Issues (See Module 2)
¨ Describe the ethical considerations around your research. Include reference to particular ethical codes (as applicable) and any conflicts of interest and germane researcher bias.
¨ Characterize the type of institutional review your project is expected to undergo (expedited or full Institutional Review Board).
¨ Where required, describe the nature of informed consent you will seek from participants.
¨ (Optional) Design a basic informed consent form.
F. Timeframes
¨ Provide a reasonable estimate of how long your research plan will take and where helpful, break it up into the phases of research (data collection through analysis and dissemination).
8. Dissemination
¨ Indicate the products expected to result from the project (Publications and/or Artifacts)
9. Literature Cited
¨ Include all and only references cited in your proposal in the APA format style. You should have at least 8 scholarly references, and at least 5 of these should be recent journal articles.
Other Considerations in a proposal (NOT REQUIRED in Your Proposal):
Project Management, Research Budget, Other Support for The Project, Description of Facilities/Resources, Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Some Style Considerations as You Write the Proposal
Writing a research proposal is a very formal style of academic writing. Here are a few things to avoid:
· Using first person (e.g., “I”) and the second person “you”.
· Providing long sections of your own thoughts without supporting references.
· Using direct quotations (paraphrase/synthesize/integrate facts and cite).
· Using strings of quotations.
· Using article titles in the narrative (this is why there is a reference list).
· Using clipped figures in the narrative (place them in an appendix and refer to them).
· Placing biographical information of the authors in the narrative.
· Making each paragraph a summary of one article with a citation at the end (paraphrase/synthesize/integrate facts and cite).
· Relying on one author for too much of your information (look for counterpoint and corroboration from other authors).
· Making conclusions (a proposal is about work to be conducted in the future).
· Having sources in the reference list that were not used in the narrative.
· Inconsistent use of your format style, APA.
Please proof your proposal drafts to avoid all of these format pitfalls!
Consider submitting your draft to the Writing Center!

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