First Reserach proposal is uploaded -please write based off the first one  A Guide to Writing a Professional Research Propos

First Reserach proposal is uploaded -please write based off the first one 

A Guide to Writing a Professional Research Proposal (PRP)  

 (SOC 575) 

A research proposal aims to present and justify the need to study a research problem and offer the practical ways the proposed study might be conducted in the future. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed research. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes the detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with the professional or academic field requirements and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study’s completion.

Writing a Professional Research Proposal (PRP) for the following reasons: 

• Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study;
• Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered clearly and, in so doing, become better at locating scholarship related to your topic;
• Improve your general research and writing skills;
• Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish one’s research goals;
• Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
• Nurture a sense of curiosity within yourself and help you see yourself as an active participant in the process of doing scholarly research.

A PRP should contain all the critical elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed research. An effective PRP is judged on the quality of your writing, and, therefore, it is essential that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.

Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all PRPs must address the following questions: 

1. What do you plan to accomplish? Be clear and concise in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
2. Why do you want to do it? In addition to detailing your research design, you must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of study. Be sure to answer the “So What?” question.
3. How are you going to do it? Be sure that what you propose is doable. If you’re having trouble formulating a research problem to propose investigating,

Common Mistakes to Avoid 

• Failure to be concise; being “all over the map” without a clear sense of purpose.
• Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review.
• Failure to delimit the contextual boundaries of your research [e.g., time, place, people, etc.].
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
• Inability to stay focused on the research problem; going off on unrelated tangents.
• Sloppy or imprecise writing or poor grammar.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.

Six aspects need to be listed on your proposal (total 14-16 pages): 

• Abstract 
• Introduction 
• Literature Review 
• Methods 
• Expected Results 
• Discussion 

Abstract (1 page): 

It is a summary of approximately 250 words. It should include the research question, the rationale for the study, the hypothesis (if any), and the method. Descriptions of the way may include the design, procedures, the sample, and any instruments used. 

Introduction (2-3 pages): 

The primary purpose of the introduction is to provide the necessary background or context for your research problem. How to frame the research problem is perhaps the biggest problem in proposal writing. If the research problem is stated in the context of a general, rambling literature review, then the research question may appear trivial and uninteresting. 

The introduction typically begins with a general statement of the problem area, focusing on a specific research problem, followed by the rationale or justification for the proposed study. The introduction generally covers the following elements: 

• State the research problem, which is often referred to as the purpose of the study. 
• Provide the context and set the stage for your research question in such a way as to show its necessity and importance. 
• Present the rationale of your proposed study and indicate why it is worth doing. 
• Specify the hypothesis you want to study. Identify the key independent and dependent variables of your experiment. 

Literature Review (3-4 pages): 

Since a literature review is information-dense, this section must be intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study regarding other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into “conceptual categories” rather than systematically describing groups of materials one at a time. Note that conceptual categories generally reveal themselves after you have read most of the pertinent literature on your topic, so adding new types is an ongoing discovery process as you read more studies. 

The literature review serves several essential functions: 

• Ensures that you are not “reinventing the wheel.” 
• Gives credits to those who have laid the groundwork for your research. 
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the research problems. 
• Provides new theoretical insights or develops a new model as the conceptual framework for your research. 
• Convinces your reader that your proposed research will significantly contribute to the literature (i.e., resolving an important theoretical issue or filling a major gap in the literature). 

Methods (4-6 pages): 

The Method section is vital because it tells your “Research Committee” how you plan to tackle your research problem(s). This section must be well-written and logically organized; although you are not doing the research, your reader has to be confident that it is worth pursuing. 

It will provide your work plan and describe the activities necessary for the completion of your project. The guiding principle for writing the Method section is that it should contain sufficient information for the reader to determine whether the methodology is sound. Some even argue that a good proposal should include enough details for another qualified researcher to implement the study. 

You need to demonstrate your strategic and methodological view of this research (including those you have learned in your readings, such as macro / micro approaches; relational/substantial perspective; historical/comparative analysis, etc.) and knowledge of alternative methods and make the case that your approach is the most appropriate and most valid way to address your research question. Typically, the method section consists of the following sections: 

• Design -Is it a questionnaire study or a laboratory experiment? What kind of design do you choose? 
• Subjects or participants – Who will take part in your study? What kind of sampling procedure do you use? 
• Instruments – What kind of measuring instruments or questionnaires do you use? Why do you choose them? Are they valid and reliable? 
• Procedure – How do you plan to carry out your study? What activities are involved? How long does it take? 

Expected Results (a half to 1 page): 

Obviously, you do not have results at the proposal stage. Just because you don’t have to conduct the study and analyze the results, it doesn’t mean you can skip talking about the analytical process and potential implications. You need to know what kind of data you will be collecting and what statistical procedures will be used to answer your research question or test your hypothesis. 

Discussion & limitation (1 page) 

The purpose of this section is to argue how and in what ways you believe your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the subject area under investigation. It is crucial to convince your reader of the potential impact of your proposed research. You need to communicate a sense of enthusiasm and confidence without exaggerating the merits of your proposal. That is why you also need to mention the limitations and weaknesses of the proposed research, which may be justified by time and financial constraints and the early developmental stage of your research area.

Conclusion (a half to 1 page) 

The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a summary of the entire study. This section should be only one or two paragraphs long, emphasizing why the research problem is worth investigating, why your research study is unique, and how it should advance existing knowledge.

Last, don’t forget to organize the sources of citations you used in the proposal as a title of References.

As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. This section can take two forms in a standard research proposal, so consult with your professor about which one is preferred.

This section should testify that you did enough preparatory work to make sure the project will complement and not duplicate the efforts of other researchers. Start a new page and use the heading “References” centered at the top of the page. Cited works should always use a standard format that follows the writing style advised by the discipline of your course (APA style is suggested). 

The due date to submit your research proposal is Nov. 21st (Sunday). 

A PRP is to be expected no less than 14 pages and no longer than 16 pages in length, typed and double-spaced. Be sure to use an appropriate font (12 sizes), and check your paper for spelling and grammatical mistakes. The best project should be organized and thorough yet concise. You may select the title of your project.