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8/7/2019 Research Proposal & DessertatIon Writing by Prof. Vibhuti Patel
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Research Proposal and Dissertation Writing
by
Dr. Vibhuti Patel
Director, PGSRProfessor and Head,
University Department of Economics
SNDT Womens University
Churchgate, Mumbai-400020
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Proposal & Dissertation Writing
as an Art & a Technical Craft
Representation of a programme
A request
Instrument of persuasion
Promise & commitment
plan
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Inform
Others(Research
Report)
Interpret
Data
Analyse
Data
Collection
of
Data
Design
StudyPlan and
strategy
Choose
Topic
Theory
Cycle of Research
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Some starting points for a good
research proposal
Provides a realistic plan for
investigation of your research question
Provides justification of amethodological perspective,
& methods of investigation
Provides data which has the capacityto answer your research question
Adequately considers relevant ethical
issues
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Vital Concerns
Objectives-SMART: Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Relevant, Timely
Contribution to human knowledge-
USP- Unique Selling Point-innovativeness Clear thinking
High level of motivation
Substantiate goals with solid evidence
Proper references
Envisaged time scale
Realistic budget
Abstracts of proposal at the end
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Method or Methodology?
Methods are the techniques/procedures used to collect and
analyse dataMethodology refers to
discussions of how research isdone, or should be done, and thecritical analysis of methods ofresearch
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Important questions for consideration
Whats my research question?
What theories, concepts, models inform myresearch?
What kind of data will I need to answer my
question? How will I collect this data?
What ethical issues are relevant to myresearch?
What are the strengths and limitations of myresearch?
How much can I reasonably achieve in myresearch?
How will my work be judged?
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a question well asked is a questionhalf answered: the way the question
(or hypothesis) is stated shows what
data will be necessary to answer (or
test) it, and probably suggests alsohow and from where or from whom
the data will be obtained
Sharp, pointed and straight questionsto be asked
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Types of research questions
These three types of questions
usually
form a sequence
What ? Why ? How ? What do you want to do?
Why you will succeed? How much will it cost?
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Developing a research question
Having come up with some prototype
questions now refine.
Examine the scope of your question/sSeparate major and subsidiary
questions
Is each question necessary?Refine the wording of your question/s
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Consider carefully the verbs you use
in your question
Explore (initial description)
Describe (detailed account)
Explain (establish the factors responsible)
Understand (establish reasons)
Predict (using an explanation to postulate
future outcomes)
Change (to actively intervene)
Evaluate (assess if desired outcomes are
achieved)
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After finalising the research
question - two questions ...
WHAT research strategy will be used?
WHERE will the data come from?
Official documents/archives
Review of literature
Translation
Field survey/investigation/interviews/
FGD-Focus Group discussion
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Induction
Form of reasoning bottom up
Observations
Measures
Identifying
Patterns
Tentative
Hypothesis or
proposition
Theory
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Deduction
Top down reasoning
Theory
Hypothesis
To test
Observations to address
the hypothesisTest the hypothesis with specific data
Confirm/or disconfirm
the original hypothesis
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Strategies for Answering
research questionsA Research Design needs to answer
3 basic questions:
WHAT will be studied?
WHY will it be studied?
HOW will it be studied?
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Where does your method sit?
Field Research
Literature/ Archive
Unstructured Structured
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Quantitative Research
Quantitative researchers attempt to beobjective, meaning that they wish to develop
an understanding of the world as it is out
there, independent of their personal biases,
values and idiosyncratic notions.
Quantitative research involves numbers.
Usually large volume of participants/ records
Eg. Survey Research, Analysis of existingquantitative data sets
Strength: Representivity
Weakness: Depth of Understanding
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Qualitative Research
Qualitative researchers view themselves as primaryinstrument for collecting data. They rely partly orentirely on their feelings, impressions, andjudgments in collecting data.
Qualitative research involves words Usually smaller volume of participants/records
Eg. Ethnographic research, life history interviews,discourse analysis
Strength: Depth of understanding, Reaching outwhere other methods cant reach to give meaning tonumbers
Limitation: Representivity
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Research Proposal
Title
Introduction (inc. statement of researchproblem/ question/ aims & objectives)
Background/ Literature Review
Research Design
- Method of data selection- Instruments/ techniques to be used
- Methodological limitations
- Methodological significance/ innovation
- Data analysis strategy- Ethical issues
- Timeline
- Resources required-Budget
- Expected outcomes of research
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Plan your Proposal
Decide how long each section will be
Some sections will be quite short (eg
limitations, timeline etc) while other
sections (eg literature review will be quitelong).
The significance of sections will vary
according to your particular project. You
may even have some additional sections
that are needed for your proposal.
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A MUST
Finalise your research question/ problem
statement/ hypothesis
Make sure your writing is logical.
Identify possible weaknesses in your
research design, acknowledge them and
explain why they are there.
Critically review/ edit your own writing, seekothers help with this
Learn to read like a writer examine
structure, style, organisation etc
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Remember
Write with authority (i.e. back up your
statements).
Write for clarity not impressiveness.
Show that you are planning your research
carefully (think about pragmatic issues
agency support/ ethics/ resources you may
need/ potential hurdles).
You are the expert on your topic. Help the
reader to grasp your ideas.
Edit for clarity (dont just proofread).
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References
Ifa list of references is to be included, it is placed atthe end of the text proper and before the sections onpersonnel and budget. The items should be numberedand should be in the order in which they are firstreferred to in the text. In contrast to an alphabeticalbibliography, authors' names in a list of referencesshould not be reversed.
In the text, references to the list can be made in variousways; a simple way is to use a raised number at theappropriate place, like this. Such numbers should be
placed outside any contiguous marks of punctuation. The style of the bibliographical item itself depends on
the disciplinary field. The main consideration isconsistency; whatever style is chosen should befollowed scrupulously throughout.
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Some Ethical Issues:
Reason & purpose of research/programme
Competence in doing it
Consent-How informed? How free?
Benefits & Risks Privacy preservation
Confidentiality
Anonymity
Ownership of date Feedback to participants
Use & Misuse of Results
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Interrelationship between conceptual terms
Ontology Epistemology Methodology Methods Sources
Whats out
there to know?What and how can
we know about it?
How can we go about
acquiring that knowledge?
Which precise procedurescan we use to acquire it?
Which data
can we collect ?
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Budget
Research Personnel/staff
Equipments
Books and Journals Consultancy
Contingency
Material
Travel & Field Work
Institutional Overhead
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Remember that your evaluator will
check
Perspective
Objectives
Literature Survey
Design Tools
Plan for Analysis
Research Questions
Ethical Issues-informed consent Time Line
References
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M.Phil. / Ph. D. Dissertation
transform data into a thesis
the purpose of the thesis and what it shouldachieve;
strategies for organizing your work as you writeyour thesis;
how to the incorporate a theoretical perspective-logical consistency
sound techniques of academic writing;
how to benefit from your supervisors' experience; Meticulous referencing
preparing for the oral examination/viva voce
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Publication of Thesis/research report
What to do about publishingpreliminary findings in professional/peer-reviewed journals, newspapers
and periodicals, newsletter of theinstitution ?
Converting a thesis or research reportinto a book- Preface, forward,acknowledgments, chapterisation,Executive summary, Bibliography,index
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Thank You