The research proposal must include a background which describes the basic situation underlying your project.

It must include a statement of the problem or opportunity that is the aim of your project. It must describe the rationale for your project, why you wish to carry out this research and the benefits that will accrue from its successful conclusion.

You must create research objectives that, when you successfully complete them, will have the information that enables you to solve the problem or capitalise on the opportunity that is the aim of your research.

You must evaluate and fully describe the research methods that will be necessary to successfully complete the research. Data collection methods must be selected and described which are consistent with the research philosophy necessary for its completion: these will include secondary and primary data sources. The methods by which the data you collect will be analyzed need to be justified.

Finally, ethical, validity and reliability issues relevant to the research must be discussed and a time plan for its completion must be calculated and displayed as a Gantt chart (or another suitable format).

Task 2 The Literature/Evidence Review

The research proposal must also include a Literature/Evidence review which evaluates the context for your research and sources academic research and models that are relevant to the project. It should include a critical evaluation of relevant theoretical and practical references and include breadth of understanding and depth of critical evaluation. Reviews will require analysis and evaluation of evidence and sources and be informed by theory and appropriate practice.

NOTE

· A Case Study, Business Development Plan or Dissertation topics can be used if desired but it is not mandatory
· Discussion and debate on the above mentioned topics should be seen.
· There must be sufficient linkage between theory and practice.
· Harvard style of referencing should be used

Guidance to the contents and recommended structure of the Proposal is shown below: (Note that Ref: applies to the Assessment Form included in this document.)

Part 1: Introduction and Background (400 words) Ref: Assessment Form Task 1, Section1

Is the overall context for the research well established?
Is the research topic interesting from an academic and practical perspective?
Is there a statement of the problem?
Is there a rationale for the topic?
Is it clear what aspects of the chosen topic will be researched?
Do the boundaries of the research make sense?
Is there a clear statement of the aim of the research?
Are research objectives included and are they specific?
Are the research questions well-conceived?
Are the research objectives matched to the research questions?

Part 2: Literature Review (2000 words) Ref: Assessment Form Task 2

Section 1 The LR Introduction (200 words) Ref: Assessment Form Task 2, Section 1
Is the domain explained?
Is there a rationale for the chosen topic?
Is there a wider point of reference?

Section 2 The Main Body of the LR (1550 words) Ref: Assessment Form Task 2, Section 2
Is there a clear structure?
Does the review flow into a logical progression?
Does the review convey the thinking of the writer?
Use of secondary sources, citation, references, synthesis, critique, chronology, seminal works, models?
Is the current position conveyed?
Is there a set of emergent conclusions?

Section 3 Conclusion (250 words) Ref: Assessment Form Task 2, Section 3
Is there a clear concluding statement?
Is there a clear implication for further research?
Are research questions specified?
Are there emergent themes?
Is the literature review conclusive?
Is a conceptual framework established?

Part 3: Research Methodology (1100 words) Ref: Assessment Form, Task 1, Section 2

Is there a logical and cohesive structure to the proposal?
Are all the relevant sections included?
Is the approach adequately explained?
Is the scope of Literature outlined relevant to the research objectives to address the research questions?
Is the relevance of the literature, models, theories and frameworks for thinking justified?
Are the proposed research methods appropriate to the research task?
Have the data types been defined and classified?
Have target populations and samples been defined and justified?

Part 4: Data Analysis (500 words) Ref: Assessment Form, Task 1, Section 3

Is the proposal for analysis linked back to the literature and the research questions?
Have analysis methods been specified?
Are ethical issues considered?
Are validity and reliability issues discussed?
Is there an adequate time plan for the research?
Have academic protocols for referencing been met?
Are the intended outcomes for the research made known, so there is a clear understanding of the value added?

Note that the suggested number of words should only be an approximate guide. The quality of the work, not the quantity is the factor which needs to guide the writing of the proposal.