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Tips On How To Develop A Successful Research Proposal To Any University In Nigeria

Tips On How To Develop A Successful Research Proposal To Any University In Nigeria. I am pretty sure you are reading this article to give answers to the following questions: What is a research Proposal? How do you write a successful research proposal? What makes an excellent research proposal? What are the steps of a research proposal? What is the format of a proposal? 

Research Proposal

What is a Research Proposal (Dissertation or Thesis)?

Research proposals are straightforward documents that outline what you want to study (i.e., your research subject), why it is worthwhile to explore (i.e., your justification), and how you intend to study it (the method you intend to use to carry out your investigation). The most essential term is ” to persuade”; in other words, your research proposal must convince others that your study topic is worthwhile (to whoever is going to approve it).

Unless it persuades them (as to its appropriateness and manageability), you will have to modify and resubmit your proposal. This will cost you precious time, which will either cause you to postpone the start of your study or reduce the amount of time you have allotted for it (which is bad news). The objective of the research proposal (or, to put it another way, its duty) is to persuade your research adviser, panel, or institution that your study is appropriate (in accordance with the requirements of the university course) and feasible (in terms of time and resources).

The most important thing is a research proposal is a phenomenon you are trying to study (I.e the topic) Choosing a topic is one of the problems students experience and another thing is how to develop a proposal for such a topic.

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Difference between Dissertation and Thesis

Dissertation

Often known as a thesis (this word is only used to finish doctoral studies in some countries, although “thesis” and “dissertation” is interchangeable in other countries) a thesis is a research project completed within the scope of a degree. A dissertation often enables students to present their results in answer to a question or thesis they select.

Thesis

A thesis statement expresses what you think and what you aim to prove in your writing. Having a well-written thesis statement may make the difference between an in-depth research endeavour and an uninspired recitation of data. A well-written preliminary thesis can assist you in narrowing your search for information. The thesis statement is usually found at the conclusion of the first paragraph of your essay. (The first paragraph establishes the context in which the thesis is to be discussed.) Keep in mind that your reader will be searching for your thesis statement. Make it distinct, compelling, and simple to locate.

How to choose a topic for your research

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Make certain that your subject fits the criteria of the assignment. If you are uncertain, you should get input from your lecturer.

2. Choose a subject that you are interested in learning more about. Despite the fact that it may seem apparent, this will make the research process more enjoyable and interesting for you.

3. Take into consideration the breadth of your subject. If your subject is too wide, it may be difficult to locate the material that is concentrated and useful; conversely, if your subject matter is too restricted, it may be difficult to locate any data at all.

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Suppose you have a wide subject in mind and want to create a study topic.

These are the things you need to have in mind:

1. In order to develop your subject and refine or modify it in more suitable ways, you need to do background research. Knowing more about the history of your subject can only assist you in developing a more effective topic and, therefore, a more effective research paper.

2. Concepts should be brainstormed. As soon as you have come up with a broad subject that interests you, attempt to brainstorm as many terms or ideas as you can that could be associated with that topic (and make a note of them all!) For example, if your subject is “polar bears,” you could consider the following terms and themes that come to mind: ice, cubs, pollution, hunting, nutrition, climate change, and environmental symbol while thinking about your topic.

3. Create a research topic to guide your investigation. Once you’ve chosen a broad subject and conducted some preliminary background research, you may wish to create a research question, which is a question that you want to address in your paper by doing further, in-depth research.

4. Which broad approach do you take to the subject? Consider the following broad methods that may be useful in developing your subject further: In order to concentrate on a certain time period, you may utilize a historical perspective; a geographical angle, in which you can focus on a specific region of the globe; or a sociological angle, in which you can focus on one particular group of people.

5. Begin by doing some exploratory and in-depth research. Depending on the results of your in-depth research, such as searching for academic papers, books, and other sources to include in your paper, you may be able to alter or refine your subject as a result of what you discover.

The general outline for a research proposal

Chapter 1

1. The Background of the Study or Introduction: This contains what the topic is all about, important problems, and ideas that serve as the foundation for your study in only three to four paragraphs in the Introduction or Background of the Study, depending on how much you choose to spend on it.

2. The Statement of Problem: You are expected to justify the need for your research by describing the issues you have observed that necessitate your research. Third, the Research Question: this is where you are supposed to explain why your research is necessary.

3. Research Question: Using the “what,” “how,” “why,” and other question forms, develop a research topic for each particular research question based on your goals. This aspect states the questions that are subjected to scientific enquiry.

4. Identifying your primary goals as well as particular objectives is the third step in the research process. Your goals should not consist of a lengthy list of your desires but should consist of three to four objectives that are precise, measurable, achievable, and usually SMART in nature.

Chapter 2

Literature Review

Within just two to three pages, you must be able to offer clarity into the intellectual topic you are studying as well as show some of the viewpoints that have been presented by other academics from their own points of view. You may be able to discover pertinent theories that would support your study at this stage, which will help you to improve your literature review. You should examine at least ten trustworthy articles at this stage, according to the guidelines.

Chapter 3.

Research Methodology

It refers to the precise processes or strategies that are used to locate, select, process, and evaluate the material on a certain subject. The methodology part of a research article enables the reader to objectively assess the overall validity and reliability of the study being discussed. This includes the study design, the population and sampling methods, and other relevant information in a concise and understandable manner. Keep your section on research methods concise, comprehensive, and well-justified.

Chapter 4

Summary: Based on the above, you may now summarize the aims of your study and how it will offer to the academics and the selected industry.

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What makes an excellent research proposal?

1. The project’s significance and relevance, as well as the contribution it will make.

2. The planned research’s appropriateness, efficacy, and feasibility methods.

3. A workable schedule.

4. The researcher’s capacity to see the study through to completion.

5. Methods of dissemination.

6. The proposal is generally assessed for structure and substance and is kept by professors who are interested in your subject. A research proposal is generally a shorter form of a dissertation, so it is less wordy.

How is a good research problem selected?

The main motive in choosing the subject of research is the researchers’ own preference. If a researcher is concerned about the subject, he will choose this issue for his investigation. Resources Availability. A researcher examines the available materials throughout the selection process.

Other tips on How To Develop A Successful Research

1. Find the right supervisor

A member of the faculty or department oftentimes serves as your supervisor. Each supervisor is interested in what you are working on, and will always be there to guide your research.  In terms of a supervisor, most universities chose one’s supervisor. Although, there are situations where one can demand another supervisor (a more qualified individual). Your supervisor must be aware of your faults, and must never fail to inspire you, even when one is unable to see oneself improving in any direction. Having a supervisor like this makes the trip much more pleasant and straightforward.

2. Choose the most appropriate subject.

Your project will be determined by the subject you choose. It should be fascinating, and it should be something that you are really interested in learning more about or investigating. As a result, you should never depend on others to make suggestions regarding what should be the subject of your study. Make an effort to study and think a lot in order to discover a new topic of interest. Take the time to get to know yourself on a deeper level. Within a few weeks, you will begin to organize your ideas and identify the specific topics that you are interested in studying.

3. Maintain a realistic perspective on your strategy.

Your subject may be the most interesting in the area, but do you have the necessary resources to complete the project? Consider the following scenario: you have a research project that requires you to go halfway across the globe to perform a field study. That is the question you must be asking yourself: can I devote that much time and money to this endeavour? If this is not the case, you will need to come up with another concept, no matter how great your first one was. Keep this one in mind for when you win a substantial research award.

4. Make a plan for the project’s time frame.

It is critical to have a project timetable in place. It ensures that you stay on track at all times. You should have a schedule established in the first week of your research project, which should include specific goals that you must meet over the length of the study. Even if things may go wrong in between, and that you can always change the dates, it is critical to have a plan in place, preferably broken down further into weekly goals. Inquire with your supervisor about the kind of goals you should establish for yourself, and work hard to accomplish them on a weekly basis. You should be able to avoid getting overwhelmed if you follow these steps.

5. Ask Questions

Always express your vulnerability to your supervisor in an open and honest manner, and then inform him or her that you would be asking a whole lot of questions throughout the length of the research so as to get a better understanding of what you are doing. “No question is stupid or dumb”.It is ultimately your duty to interact with your supervisor and to ask as many questions as you need to be successful.

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Conclusion

These are basically the tips on how to develop a successful research proposal. Many University students find it very difficult to develop a research Proposal. Writing a proposal shouldn’t be difficult anymore. If you have any questions, kindly use the comment box and also share with friends.


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