3. THE ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
3.2 PART 2: THE RESEARCH PLAN
Research follows a problem-solution format; so does the research proposal. The first part sets out the research problem; the second part presents a plan to solve it. The research plan contains thirteen sections: research design, qualification of researcher, budgeting, scheduling, etc..
4. The research design
a. The model, data and sampling design b. The tools and techniques o f data collect ion c. Steps for analysis
5. Qualificat ions of Researcher 6. Budget ing
a. Financial b. Personnel 7. Time scheduling
8. Nature and form o f result s 9. Facilit ies and special resources 10. Project Management
11. The annotated bibliography 12. Appendices
13. Measurement instrument
The research design: We have studied the sponsor about what the problem is, what our study goals are, and why it is important for us to do the study. The proposal has presented the study’s value and benefits. Our first decision is what kind of study is best suited to solve the research problem. For example, can we use a purely literary approach or do we need an empirical component? The design module describes what we are going to do in technical terms. This section should include as many subsections as needed to show the phases of the project. We should provide information on our proposed design for tasks such as sample selection and size, data collection method, instrumentation, procedures, and ethical requirements. When more than one way exists to approach the design, we have to discuss the methods we rejected and why our selected approach is superior.
The chosen design largely dictates the logic and structure of the study. In large projects, the proposal needs to include proposed timeframes; these serve as a progress agreement between researcher and financer or supervisor.
Keeping in view the above stated design decisions; we may split the overall research design into the following parts.
Sampling design, which deals with the method of selecting items to be observed for the given study;
Observational design, which relates to the conditions under which the observations are to be made;
Statistical design, which concerns with the question of how many items are to be observed and how the information and data gathered are to be analyzed;
Operational design, which deals with the techniques by which the procedures specified in the sampling, statistical and observational designs can be carried out.
To assess the validity of a research project, one must know exactly how the study will be conducted. We should explain step-by-step how we intend to do the research. The best way of doing this is to work through our proposed study one section (or one sub-problem) at a time, describing the research tools (methods) we will deploy and indicating what data we will collect, how we will collect it and how it will be analyzed.
Qualifications of Researcher: In certain cases, it may be necessary to add a section indicating the qualifications of the researcher to do the research. For example, if the proposed study requires advanced analysis, the researcher needs to be competent to perform such analysis. If an empirical study depends on specialized psychometric testing, the researcher needs the skills and license to perform the testing.
This section should begin with the principal investigator. It is also customary to begin qualifications with the highest academic degree held. Experience in carrying out previous research is important, especially in the corporate marketplace, so a concise description of similar projects should be included.
Budgeting: The budget should be presented in the form the sponsor requests. For example, some organizations require secretarial assistance to be individually budgeted, whereas others insist it be included in the research director’s fees or the overhead of the operation. In addition, limitations on travel, per diem rates, and capital equipment purchases can change the way in which you prepare a budget. Typically, the budget should be no more than one to two pages. Diagram below shows a format that can be used for small contract research projects. Additional information, backup details, quotes from vendors, and hourly time and payment calculations should be put into an appendix if required or kept in the researcher’s file for future reference. The budget statement in an internal research proposal is based on employee and overhead costs. The budget presented by an external research organization is not just the wages or salaries of their employees but the person-hour price that the contracting firm charges.
The detail presented may vary depending on both the sponsors’ requirements and the contracting research company’s policy. (See Table 1 in the Appendix)
One reason why external research agencies avoid giving detailed budgets is the possibility that disclosures of their costing practices will make their calculations public knowledge, reducing their negotiating flexibility. Since budget statements embody a financial work strategy that could be used by the recipient of the bid to develop an independent work plan, vendors are often doubly careful. The budget section of an external agency’s proposal states the total fee payable for the assignment. When it is accompanied by a proposed schedule of payment, this is frequently detailed in a purchase order. Unlike most product sale environments, research payments can be divided and paid at stages of completion. Sometimes a retainer is scheduled for the beginning of the contract, then a percentage at an intermediate stage, and the balance on completion of the project. It is extremely important that we retain all information we use to generate our budget. If we use quotes from external contractors, get the quotation in writing for our file. If we estimate time for interviews, we have to keep explicit notes on how we made the estimate. When the time comes to do the work, we should know exactly how much money is budgeted for each particular task. Some costs are more elusive than others. We should not forget to build the cost of proposal writing into our fee.
Publication and delivery of final reports can be a last minute expense that can easily be overlooked in preliminary budgets.
Time Scheduling: Our schedule should include the major phases of the project, their timetables, and the milestones that signify completion of a phase. For example, major phases may be
exploratory interviews,
final research proposal,
questionnaire revision,
field interviews,
editing and coding,
data analysis, and
Report generation.
Each of these phases ( named as A, B, C,….) should have an estimated time schedule and people assigned to the work. It may be helpful to us and our sponsor if we chart our schedule. We can use a Gantt chart. Alternatively, if the project is large and complex, a critical path method (CPM) of scheduling may be included. In a CPM chart the nodes represent major milestones, and the arrows suggest the work needed to get to the milestone.
More than one arrow pointing to a node indicates all those tasks must be completed before the milestone has been met. Usual1y a number is placed along the arrow showing the number of days or weeks or months required for that task to be completed. The pathway from start to end that takes the longest time to complete is called the critical path, because any delay in an activity along that path will delay the end of the entire project. An example of a CPM chart is shown in Figure 1 in the Appendix.
Nature and Form of Results: Upon finishing this section, the sponsor should be able to go back to the problem statement and research objectives and discover that each goal of the study has been covered. One should also specify the types of data to be obtained and the interpretations that will be made in the analysis. If the data are to be turned over to the sponsor for proprietary reasons, make sure this is reflected.
Alternatively, if the report will go to more than one sponsor, that should be noted.
This section also contains the contractual statement telling the sponsor exactly what types of information will be received. Statistical conclusions, applied findings, recommendations, action plans, models, strategic plans, and so forth are examples of the forms of results.
Facilities and Special Resources: Often, projects will require special facilities or resources that should be described in detail. For example, a contract exploratory study may need specialized facilities for focus group sessions. Computer assisted telephone or other interviewing facilities may be required.
Project Management: The purpose of the project management section is to show the sponsor that the research team is organized in a way to do the project efficiently. A master plan is required for complex projects to show how the phases will all be brought together.
The plan includes
The research team’s organization
Management procedures and controls for executing the research plan.
Examples of management and technical reports
Research team relationship with the sponsor
Financial and legal responsibility
Management competence
Tables and charts are most helpful in presenting the master plan. The relationships between researchers and assistants need to be shown when several researchers are part of the team. Sponsors must know that the director is an individual capable of leading the team and being a useful liaison to the sponsor. In addition, procedures for information processing, record control, and expense control are critical to large operations and should be shown as part of the management procedures. The type and frequency of progress reports should be
recorded so the sponsor can expect to be kept up-to-date and the researchers can expect to be left alone to do research. The sponsor’s limits on control during the process should be delineated. Details such as printing facilities, clerical help, or information-processing capabilities that are to be provided by the sponsor are discussed. In addition, right’s to the data, the results, and authority to speak for the researcher and for the sponsor are included.
Payment frequency and timing are also covered in the master plan. Finally, proof of financial responsibility and overall management competence are provided.
Annotated bibliography: For all projects that require literature review, a bibliography is necessary with at least 20 good entries. The majority of the entries should be recent scholarly works. Avoid sources that are out-of-date and those classified as “popular” instead of “academic”; do not clutter the bibliography with irrelevant books (those not directly related to our topic) or with online articles. We must show that we know what the major works on the topic are. The annotations show that we are familiar with a source's content and understand its relevance to our study. We always use the bibliographic format required by the sponsor. If none is specified, a standard style manual (e.g., Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations; Joseph Gibaldi and Walter S. Achtert, MIA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers; or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) will provide the details necessary to prepare the bibliography.
Many of these sources also make suggestions for successful proposal writing.
Appendices:
(a) Glossary of terms - A glossary of terms should be included whenever there are many words unique to the research topic and not understood by in general community. This is a simple section consisting of terms and definitions. Also, we define any acronyms that we use, even if they are defined within the text.
(b) Measurement Instrument - For large projects, it is appropriate to include samples of the measurement instruments if they are available when we assemble the proposal. This allows the sponsor to discuss particular changes in one or more of the instruments. If exploratory work precedes the selection of the measurement instruments we will not use this appendix section. Other Any detail that reinforces the body of the proposal can be included in an appendix. This includes researcher vitae, budget details, and lengthy descriptions of special facilities or resources.