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Research Methodology

Research Proposal – Concept and Components

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Research Proposal: How can we clarify the concept of the Research Proposal? 

If we think that the first job of a researcher is to be a salesperson. Then, the researcher must be able to trace some existence with funds available to let him or her use that money to conduct the research. Of course, to do so successfully, the researcher must convince the funding bodies of a number of things.

Research Proposal – Concept and Components.

These are: The research is feasible; the Researcher/team is qualified and capable; Costs are predictable and reasonable its returns (financial or other) justify the expense. Concept of Research Proposal.

Basically, Members of funding bodies are not always experts in the field. So the researcher may write a research proposal in a language that’s not vague, is also understandable by the educated and related personnel. Whatever research proposals are also ultimately viewed by experts in the field to make technical judgments.  They could wish a narrow and technical description of the proposed research. There is usually a page/size limit. Therein lies the first difficulty.

In order to expose the feasibility of the proposed research and to show that it will be of valuation, and also for financial phenomena, one often needs to sort out in detail exactly how this research would be done and what the results shall be. If we knew this, why bother?  Similarly, we need to predict and forecast, also provide a commencement of the project. Usually if too high we run the risk of being rejected, if too low, we may run out of money. Therein lies the third difficulty. Finally, in order to demonstrate that you are the qualified/applicable/eligible person to maintain this work, you almost need to clarify that you have already done this work. But if so, why do it again? Herein is the fourth difficulty!

Components

Many Research Committees look for these core elements when reviewing applications.  This is not a definitive list of requirements, but rather a checklist of basic good practice. Research proposals usually have a(n):

  1. Executive summary.
  2. Introduction: Basically, this portion indicates the area, nature, and importance of the research to be conducted.
  3. Proposed research discussion. We should prepare the research question and discuss it strategically.
  4. The methodology section discusses how the research criteria will be done. In this section, the researcher has to prove that the taken methods are appropriate, less costly, and will yield results in return.
  5. Budget.
  6. Timing and schedule.
  7. Expected results Segment discuss what are the results might be and why they are significant to us.
  8. Benefits section. This section discusses the benefits of conducting this research and that of its results.
  9. Investigators’ details. This segment discusses the backgrounds of the investigators included and their related roles and performances.
  10. Summary and Conclusions section.
  11. References.
  12. Appendices: Appendices which may include price quotations, resumes and publications lists of the investigators, affiliations, security clearances, conflict of interest, animal and human subject and other “ethical” binders and so on.

Examples of Research Notes.

Leonardo Da Vinci wrote his research notes on mirror images and upside-down. This was to make it difficult for others to abuse his concepts or thoughts. A modern-day researcher has to also balance privacy demands as per availability and the need to communicate ideas to someone at a later time or to others, particularly colleagues who are assisting in the conduct of research.

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Forms of Research Notes

Research notes come in two forms:

  1. Laboratory/field notes, and
  2. Study notes

Basically, Laboratory or field notes capture the data or some other important facts in an experiment or case observation. A study note is a justified summary of some relevant aspects that studied. Concept of Research Proposal.

See Also.

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Mohammed Ahaduzzaman

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