学术英语写作Unit-7-Research-Proposalppt课件

1、Unit 7 Research Proposal,What is a research proposal? When to write a research proposal? Purpose of a research proposal How to prepare a research proposal? Elements of the research proposal How to write a research proposal? Common mistakes in a proposal writing Feasibility Analysis (discussed in ano

2、ther lecture) Budget analysis (discussed in another lecture) Summary,What is a research proposal,A research proposal is a short document (1 to 2 pages) that identifies and outlines the main components of your research. They are: 1. The purpose of your research 2. The intended audience 3. Your role 4

3、. An opening statement or hypothesis 5. Brief description of intended methodology, data, materials 6. Expected outcomes (if any,The purpose of the research (1,There are many reasons for doing a research-based program. Research is, after all, finding out something you dont know. One could write a the

4、sis to review and explain collated（核对的） factual data. One could also conduct analytical research to study a particular subject in depth. One could discuss, debate and/or argue a certain topic, or come out with a new hypothesis/theory. On the other hand, one could also try persuading others to believ

5、e in what s/he is proposing,The purpose of the research (2,You will often find conflicting ideas, biases, and other influences whilst conducting your research. You may even discover things in the course of your research that are contradictory to your personal thoughts, ethics and ideals. These could

6、 hinder your research, give rise to doubts, or cause a lack of interest in the work. Quality research demands objectivity, caution in assertion, solid backing from sources/experimental results, and clear rational thinking. You should be prepared for contingencies(偶然性), to challenge widely-accepted n

7、orms/rules in your quest to seek further knowledge,The intended audience,You will need to identify the audience for your work. Obviously, if you are doing a scientifically-inclined study into the effects of Neon atoms under intense heat, say, your target audience will not likely be Shakespearean the

8、spians(演员). However, your research may also traverse several fields (eg. child psychology research might be of interest not just to psychologists, but also to teachers, doctors and parents). Your target audience determines what style of writing you may use, and/or what theories and experiments to ap

9、ply. Your target audience should easily identify with what you are trying to do (whether they agree with it or not). Your research should try and persuade your readers to stand with you on your findings. It should contain adequate information without being unnecessary or boring. The purpose of resea

10、rch is not to rehash(翻新) information that is easily available but to come up with something new or worthwhile for your audience to think about,Your Role,The research is (hopefully) your own. You have to display your knowledge and points of view to be taken seriously. First and foremost, you must be

11、extremely familiar with what you are setting out to do (hence the research proposal). When you quote sources and references, use the information to propel your points of view rather than those of the sources,Opening Statement, Argument or Hypothesis,This is the Big Bang - the one that begins it all.

12、 Similar to debates, you can use one sentence, statement or question as a jump-off point to a complete body of research. This opener, though, should not be too broad. For example, Drinking Too Much Coffee is Bad For Health is too generalised. What is covered in the term health? What is considered ba

13、d? Is this from a social, psychological or medical point of view? Does this statement apply to all types of coffee (including decaffeinated coffee),Methodology, Materials and Data,This section should outline how you plan to go about doing your research. For example, to find out how many people prefe

14、r jogging to walking, would you ask people on the street directly, hand out questionnaires, appeal for volunteers over the Internet, or make up your own figures? (The last option is definitely not recommended!). If you are trying to find out how fast beans germinate under UV light (if at all), how w

15、ould you go about doing it? What about controlled experiments/samples,Expected Outcomes,Sometimes, your opener may be a new hypothesis that you are trying to prove. Perhaps you could be working towards a certain expected outcome that you intend to prove. If your research is of this nature, you might

16、 wish to include this in your proposal,When to write a research proposal,Research proposals are used: when beginning a research degree, when applying for grants or tenders, and when other people are involved in formulating, supervising or conducting the research. Once developed, the research proposa

17、l serves as a plan for conducting the research,Purpose of a research proposal,Research proposals serve a number of purposes. Among them: They convince others that your research is worth undertaking. They enable you to demonstrate expertise and competency in your particular area of study. They may se

18、rve as a contract between the researcher and his fund-providers. They serve as a planning tool for the researcher,How to prepare a research proposal,Normally a research proposal will include the following: A working title of the topic area General overview of area Identification of the relevant lite

19、rature Key research questions Methodology Timescale/research planning Bibliography Avoid,A working title of the topic area,This should do more than convey the key words associated with the proposed research,General overview of area,This should take the form of a brief abstract of the general area of

20、 study and identify the discipline(s) within which it falls. You might also refer to the way in which your own background gives you competences in your chosen area,Identification of the relevant literature,In this section you should develop your proposal to demonstrate that you are aware of the deba

21、tes and issues raised in relevant bodies of literature. References to key articles and texts should be made to show that you appreciate their relevance to your research area. A research paper is an original piece of research and so you should demonstrate that your proposed area has not been studied

22、before. So you need to identify your niche(市场定位) which will lead on to the thesis preparation,Key research questions,Since you need to demonstrate that the topic can be completed within the normal time period allowed, you need to demonstrate that it is manageable, and so focus on key questions withi

23、n your niche area,Methodology,You need to demonstrate an awareness of the methodological tools available to you and show some understanding of which would be suitable for your research. It may be that qualitative methods, including the analysis of interviews, is appropriate. Alternatively your appro

24、ach may involve forecasting or statistical, financial or econometric modelling. In other cases you may be combining methodologies. You need to specify the approach you feel will be most appropriate,Timescale/research planning,You need to demonstrate an awareness of the need for planning and the time

25、scale of the research,Bibliography,You should include a short list of references to key articles and texts included in the application,Avoid,Broad topic areas which would be unmanageable as PG or PhD topics Vague descriptions of research areas Subject areas where your School has no expertise,Element

26、s of the research proposal,Title Abstract Introduction Literature Review Methods Results Discussion,Title,It should be concise and descriptive. For example, the phrase, An investigation of . . . could be omitted. Often titles are stated in terms of a functional relationship, because such titles clea

27、rly indicate the independent and dependent variables. However, if possible, think of an informative but catchy title. An effective title not only pricks the readers interest, but also predisposes him/her favourably towards the proposal,Abstract,It is a brief summary of approximately 300 words. It sh

28、ould include the research question, the rationale(基础理论) for the study, the hypothesis (if any), the method and the main findings. Descriptions of the method may include the design, procedures, the sample and any instruments that will be used,Introduction,The main purpose of the introduction is to pr

29、ovide the necessary background or context for your research problem. 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. The introduction generally covers

30、the following elements,Elements in an introduction,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

31、and clearly indicate why it is worth doing. Briefly describe the major issues and sub-problems to be addressed by your research. Identify the key independent and dependent variables of your experiment. Alternatively, specify the phenomenon you want to study. State your hypothesis or theory, if any.

32、For exploratory or phenomenological research, you may not have any hypotheses. (Please do not confuse the hypothesis with the statistical null hypothesis.) Set the delimitation or boundaries of your proposed research in order to provide a clear focus. Provide definitions of key concepts. (This is op

33、tional.,Literature Review,Sometimes the literature review is incorporated into the introduction section. However, most professors prefer a separate section, which allows a more thorough review of the literature. The literature review serves several important functions,Functions of literature review,

34、Ensures that you are not reinventing the wheel. Gives credits to those who have laid the groundwork for your research. Demonstrates your knowledge of the research problem. Demonstrates your understanding of the theoretical and research issues related to your research question. Shows your ability to

35、critically evaluate relevant literature information. Indicates your ability to integrate and synthesize the existing literature. Provides new theoretical insights or develops a new model as the conceptual framework for your research. Convinces your reader that your proposed research will make a sign

36、ificant and substantial contribution to the literature (i.e., resolving an important theoretical issue or filling a major gap in the literature,problems with literature reviews,Most students literature reviews suffer from the following problems: Lacking organization and structure Lacking focus, unit

37、y and coherence Being repetitive and verbose Failing to cite influential papers Failing to keep up with recent developments Failing to critically evaluate cited papers Citing irrelevant or trivial references Depending too much on secondary sources,Organization of literature review,There are differen

38、t ways to organize your literature review. Make use of subheadings to bring order and coherence to your review. For example, having established the importance of your research area and its current state of development, you may devote several subsections on related issues as: theoretical models, meas

39、uring instruments, cross-cultural and gender differences, etc. It is also helpful to keep in mind that you are telling a story to an audience. Try to tell it in a stimulating and engaging manner. Do not bore them, because it may lead to rejection of your worthy proposal. (Remember: Professors and sc

40、ientists are human beings too.,Method,The Method section is very important because it tells your Research Committee how you plan to tackle your research problem. It will provide your work plan and describe the activities necessary for the completion of your project. The guiding principle for writing

41、 the Method section is that it should contain sufficient information for the reader to determine whether methodology is sound. Some even argue that a good proposal should contain sufficient details for another qualified researcher to implement the study,Quantitative studies,For quantitative studies,

42、 the method section typically 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 me

43、asuring 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,Results,Obviously you do not have results at the proposal stage. However, you need to have s

44、ome idea about what kind of data you will be collecting, and what statistical procedures will be used in order to answer your research question or test you hypothesis,Discussion,It is important to convince your reader of the potential impact of your proposed research. You need to communicate a sense

45、 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 as well as by the early developmental stage of your research area,Com

46、mon Mistakes in Proposal Writing,1. Failure to provide the proper context to frame the research question. 2. Failure to delimit the boundary conditions for your research. 3. Failure to cite landmark studies. 4. Failure to accurately present the theoretical and empirical contributions by other resear

47、chers. 5. Failure to stay focused on the research question. 6. Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research,7. Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues. 8. Too much rambling - going all over the map without a clear sense of direction.

48、(The best proposals move forward with ease and grace like a seamless river.) 9. Too many citation lapses and incorrect references. 10. Too long or too short. 11. Failing to follow the APA (American Psychological Association) style. 12. Slopping writing,Feasibility analysis,Budget analysis,How to wri

49、te a research proposal,When you are writing a RP, keep in mind that it will enter a competition, being read in line with quite a few other RPs. You have to come up with a document that has an impact upon the reader: write clearly and well structured so that your message gets across easily. Basically

50、, your RP has to answer three big questions: what research project will you undertake, why is important to know that thing and how will you proceed to make that research,In order to draw the researchers attention upon your paper, write an introduction with impact, and that leads to the formulation o

51、f your hypothesis. The research hypothesis has to be specific, concise (one phrase) and to lead to the advancement of the knowledge in the field in some way. Writing the hypothesis in a concise manner and, first, coming up with a good hypothesis is a difficult mission. This is actually the core of y

52、our application: youre going to a university to do this very piece of research. Compared to this, the rest of the application is background scenery. Take your time to think of it. When you have an idea, be careful at the formulation. A well-written hypothesis is something of an essays thesis: it pro

53、vides a statement that can be tested (argues ahead one of the possible answers to a problem), it is an idea, a concept, and not a mere fact, and is summed up in one phrase. In some cases, you will have no idea what the possible answer to a problem worth being researched is, but you will be able to t

54、hink of a way to solve that problem, and find out the answer in the meantime. Its ok in this case, to formulate a research question, rather than a hypothesis. Let those cases be rare, in any way,Another piece of advice when writing your hypothesis, regarding the trendy research fields: chances are g

55、reat that theyre trendy because somebody has already made that exciting discovery, or wrote that splendid paper that awoke everybodys interest in the first place. If youre in one of these fields, try to get a fresh point of view upon the subject; make new connections, dont be 100% mainstream. This w

56、ill make the project even more stimulating for the reader. Imagine that you are writing about the trendiest subject, with absolutely no change in the point of view, and you are given the chance to make the research. Trends come and go, fast; what are the chances that, in four years time, when your r

57、esearch is done and you are ready to publish your results, one of those well-known professors who dispose of huge research grants has already said whatever you had to say,After stating your thesis, you should give a short account of your answers to those three questions mention earlier. State, in a few phrases, what will be learned from your research, that your project will make a difference, and why is that important to be known. You will have to elaborate on both of these later in the paper,The next step in writing your proposal is to prove that that particular piece of research has not