THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE

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THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE

Engineering Research Practice

Your task for assignment 3 in ERP is to write a 3,000 word research proposal. For most of you, this will be either a quantitative proposal or a qualitative proposal. In some cases, your answers to the questions in assignments 1 & 2 may lead you to decide that your research problem is a mixed problem, requiring elements of both types of proposal. If that is the case, you can mix and match the formats as required.

The two formats below are what are normally expected for a proposal. I suggest you use these headings as a template, and create your proposal by filling in the details required. You can use your earlier assignments especially the literature review, but make sure that you check any previous material for spelling/grammar and update it if required.

My recommendation is that you concentrate the majority of your 3000 words (+/-5%) on sections 1, 2, and 3 in both formats. In other words, I don’t want you to use up too much on the sections about your qualifications, and the timeline. Also, you do not have to count references in the 3,000 words.

I recommend that you allow about 800 words for section 1; 800 words for section 2; and 800 for section 3 (both formats). This accounts for about 2,400 words, and then leaves you about 600 for the routine stuff about qualifications, timelines, etc. Your literature review will be quite short by normal standards, so focus on the important, key references, to give the reader an overview of what other researchers have done.
Recommended Quantitative Proposal format

1. The Problem and its setting
a. The definitions of terms and acronyms.
b. General background for the study.
c. The statement of the problem and its importance.
d. The statement of the sub-problems.
e. The delimitations and limitations.
f. The hypotheses.
g. The assumptions.
2. The review of the related literature
3. The data and the treatment of the data
a. The data needed and the means for obtaining the data.
b. The research methodology.
c. The specific treatment of the data for each sub-problem:
i. Sub-problem 1:
1. The data needed to address the sub-problem.
2. The treatment of the data.
ii. Sub-problem 2: as per sub-problem 1.
iii. Additional sub-problems as above.
d. Ethical implications (if relevant).
4. The qualifications of the researcher and any assistants
5. An outline of the proposed study (steps to be taken, timeline, etc.)
6. References
7. Appendices (if any)

Total word length 3000 without references.

Recommended Qualitative Proposal format

1. Introduction
a. General background for the study.
b. Purpose of the study and its importance.
c. Guiding questions.
d. Delimitations and limitations.
2. Literature Review
3. Methodology
a. Type of design and the assumptions that underlie it.
b. Role of the researcher (including qualifications and assumptions).
c. Selection and description of the site and participants.
d. Data collection strategies.
e. Data analysis strategies.
f. Ethical implications.
4. Management plan, timeline, feasibility
5. References
6. Appendices (if any)

Total word length 3000 without references.