Research Proposal

A research proposal is meant to persuade the readers that you have a worthwhile research project and

that you have the necessary expertise and work plan to complete it$.$ In general, a research proposal

should include all the key elements involved in the research process as well as enough information for

readers to evaluate the proposed study. Regardless of your research topic or methodology, all research

proposals must address the following questions: what you intend to accomplish, why you want to do

it$,$ and how you intend to accomplish it$.$

Required:

Design a research proposal that will include the following:

Title: The title of a research proposal should be concise and descriptive.

Introduction: The main purpose of the introduction is to provide the necessary background or context

for the research problem. How to frame the research problem is perhaps the biggest problem in

proposal writing. The introduction typically begins with a general statement of the problem area,

with a focus on a specific research problem, to be followed by the rational or justification for the

proposed study.

Research Problem Statement: A research problem is a definite or clear expression $[$statement$]$ about

an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question

that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful

understanding and deliberate investigation.

Hypotheses or research question$($s$)$: You should formulate these clearly, giving an explanation

as to what problems and issues are to be explored and why they are worth exploring.

Aim and Objectives of the study: Clarify the aims and objectives of the research. Where feasible,

objectives should be divided into main and subsidiary objectives, and should be numbered.

Evaluate whether the objectives are well articulated and whether they are realistic and attainable.

In writing the proposal, it is important to remain focused on the objectives.

Research Limitations

Preliminary Literature review

Conduct a literature review to determine what research has been done regarding your topic; you can

build on that and not repeat what has already been done. Look for gaps or areas that have not been

researched.

Students cannot use open$-$source references, and the similarity index will be checked.

Create a logical structure for your literature review and how you approach it$.$ This structure could be

chronological, thematic, or more suitable for your investigation. Always keep an accurate record of all

your sources for your bibliography$/$reference list.

$...$your task is to build an argument, not a library.

Rudestam, K$.$E$.$ and Newton, R$.$R$.(1992)$Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process. California: Sage, p$49$

Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Project Research $($PRSMIA$3)$

$28$ February $2024$

Research design and methodology: This is a cornerstone of the research proposal, and therefore a

critically important section. While you may not be able to give final details of your methodology at the

research proposal stage, it is important to give a sound provisional indication that is of satisfactory that

your methodology is relevant and acceptable.

Clarify your method of investigation, e$.$g$.$:

$$ Questionnaires

$$ Personal interviews

$$ Focus groups

$$ Laboratory experiments

$$ Mathematical modelling

$$ Design techniques, etc.

Indicate your sampling methodology, e$.$g$.$:

$$ Size of sample

$$ Population

$$ Experimental and control groups

$$ Prevention of bias, etc.

Indicate statistical methods and substantiate why you intend using the proposed specific statistical

methods.

Indicate whether ethics approval is required.

Expected outcomes, results and contributions of the research: What are the expected outcomes

and what do you wish to achieve, e$.$g$.$:

$$ A new theory

$$ A prototype

$$ A new model

$$ An artefact

$$ A new plant process

$$ A solution to a practical problem

$$ A specific aid to practitioners in a particular field

$$ An instrument of use in the mining industry, etc.

Ethics

Research plan: Planning for the research proposal should include the time frame and activity schedule

for the proposed research. The time frame should include time for:

$$ Purchasing and obtaining relevant consumables and facilities needed to conduct the study

$$ Time for conducting the study

$$ Analysis of data

$$ Writing up of project report

Outline of chapters

Conclusion

References cited

Strictly $20-25$ references and are required, in alphabetical order. As per the standard research rules

and guidelines, all cited material should be referenced in full using the Harvard Referencing Style.

A research proposal is meant to persuade the readers that y