Guideline for Writing a Research Proposal
Suggested by Dr. Chelli
A research proposal is intended to convince others that you have a worthwhile research project and
that you have the competence and the work-plan to complete it. Generally, a research proposal should
contain all the elements involved in the research process and include sufficient information for the reader
to evaluate the proposed study. All research proposals should address the following questions: What do
you want to accomplish? Why do you want you want to do it? How are going to do it?
Outline
The following outline is suggested for use; it includes all that is generally required in a proposal. It is just
a model that can be adjusted.
1. Cover page: it should identify the proposed project’s title which should be simple and brief. A model
is suggested below:
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Mohamed Kheider University of Biskra
Faculty of Letters and Languages
Department of Foreign Languages
Section of English
Title of the project ( centered, in bold type
and double spaced)
A research proposal presented to the Department of Foreign Languages
as partial fulfilment for the Master’s Degree in Sciences of Languages
Submitted by: Supervised by:
January 2012
2. Table of contents
3. Introduction.
At the end of this single paragraph, we need to know:
The problem at the core of your project (one or two sentences),
significance of the study (one sentence),
the purpose of the study (one sentence)
the hypothesis or hypotheses
4. Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problem is the foundation for the construction of any research proposal. It serves as the basis for
determining research objectives, formulating hypotheses and planning research design. It allows the researcher to describe the
problem systematically, to reflect on its priority and to point out why the research on the problem should be
undertaken.
A problem might be defined as the issue which exists in literature, theory or practice that leads to a need for the study
(Creswell, 1994; p. 50). Effective statement of the problem answer the question: why does the research need to be conducted.
This is where you present the hole or holes (gaps) in the existing literature.
5. Literature Review
The purpose of literature review is to situate your research in the context of what is already known about a topic. It needs
to show how your work will benefit the whole. It should provide a theoretical basis for your work, show what has been done by
others and set the stage for your work. You should make the reader feel that you have found, read and assimilated the
literature in the field. It should probably move from the more general to the more focused studies but need to be relevant.
Very simply, literature review needs to address the following main issues:
What is known about the research problem?
What are the gaps?
Where and how does the proposed research fit into this picture?
What contribution will the proposed research make to the existing academic knowledge and how will it enrich current
practises?
6. Significance of the Study
This part contains three paragraphs based on three questions: Why is the research important? How is the research important?
For whom the research is important?
7. Aim of the Study
The aim should be clearly stated. It can be followed by specific objectives
Action-oriented words such as ‘to determine, to find out, to ascertain can be used in formulating specific objectives.
Objectives should achievable, measurable and testable.
8. Research questions and or hypotheses
A good research question defines the nature of the investigation, sets its par meters and provides direction.
Narrowing, clarifying and even redefining research questions are essential to the research process (O’Leary, 2004). However,
utmost care shall be taken to ensure that neither the idea nor the scope of the study is too broad.
Hypotheses are assumptions about the tentative solution. They are based on personal experience and review of related
literature.
9. Methodology
The researcher introduces the methods which will be used for data collection and analysis, population, research sample,
research procedures and the overall research approach. Data analysis must also be considered in this section.
Questions in this section relate to the following:
What type of research is it?
What method (s) will be used to collect and to analyze data? (quantitative, qualitative or both)
Why is this method(s) the most appropriate for the planned research?
What are the techniques to be followed for data collection ( questionnaires, measurement…) and data analysis (and
why)?
Are they feasible and will answer the overall research problem set out in the aim of this research?
In visualizing a research sample, a researcher should address the following questions:
Who are the research participants?
What characteristics of the overall population do they represent?
Which sampling method will you use
10. Data Analysis
The way the data will be analyzed is advised to be mentioned by the researcher.
11. Preliminary outline/ Layout and overview of chapters
12. Bibliography (at least 15 books and other resources)
