writing a research proposal 10,11

WRITINGARESEARCHPROPOSALContentIIntroduction:whatisaproposalIIRequirementstoMaster’sthesisIIISuggestedprocessfordevelopingaproposalIVRefiningaresearchquestionVDetailstoincludeinaresearchproposalVICriteriaforassessingresearchproposalsIIntroduction:whatisaproposaltheproposalstudentswriteisbothaworkplanfortheirfurtherworkandthebasisofthetextthatwilleventuallybecometheirthesisordissertation(Paltridge&Starfield,2007:65).researchproposalisoftenthekeyelementtothesuccessfulthesisand,assuch,themostimportantstepinthewholeprocess(Madsen,1992:5)Theproposalisthestudent‘sstartingpointinwhatmaybeendupbeingsomewhatdifferentprojectfromwhereitstarted(Paltridge&Starfield,2007:65).IIRequirementstoMaster’sthesisResearchquestionsResearchMethodology(researchdesign)1)anoriginalinvestigationorthetestingofideas;2)competenceinindependentworkorexperimentation;3)anexpertknowledgeofthepublishedliteratureonthetopicunderinvestigation;4)evidenceoftheabilitytomakecriticaluseofpublishedworkandsourcematerials;5)anappreciationoftherelationshipbetweentheresearchtopicandthewiderfieldofknowledge;6)theabilitytopresenttheworkatanappropriatelevelofliteraryquality.Literaturereview/relevantbackgroundliteratureLiteraturereviewsandresearchquestionsLiteraturereviewsandresearchquestionsRhetoricalstrategyDoctoralthesesAdoctorthesishasgreaterbreathdepthandintentionthanamaster’sthesis.Adistinctcontributiontoknowledge,asshownbythetopicunderinvestigation,themethodologyemployed,thediscoveryofnewfacts,orinterpretationofthefindings.1Choosingatopic•drawupashortlistoftopics•selectatopicforinvestigation2Formulatingresearchquestions•formulateageneralquestion•focusthequestion•decideontheaimsandobjectivesofthestudyorformulateahypothesisIIISuggestedprocessfordevelopingaproposalNunan(1992)&Bell(1999)4Writingproposal•drawupaninitialresearchplan•Testify•Writeadetailedproposal3Data•thinkaboutthedatathatneedtobecollectedtoanswerthequestionNunan(1992)&Bell(1999)IVRefiningaresearchquestion1)Thegeneralprinciplesofresearchquestion:Large&ambitious←→narrow&deepEventhesimplestideacanmushroomintoanuncontrollablylargeproject(StevensandAsmar,1999:15)2)Commonmistakes(1)Theymustnotpromisewhattheycannotdeliver;(2)adissertationandtheanswerprovidedarenotconnectedinanydiscernibleway(notmatch);(3)thequestionisbroadthattheanswerthestudentproviderelatestoitinonlythehaziestway;(4)thequestionisspecificwhiletheanswergivenistoovagueorilldefinedtorelatecloselyit.(5)partofthequestionisleftunaddressedoranswered.(Dunleavy,2003:19)3)Sometraps①bigandhard-to-researchquestions;②gap-fillingthesis4)Generaltypesofresearchquestions住在中西部乡村社区的墨西哥移民,在面对文化调适能力时采用了何种适应历程？住在中西部乡村社区的墨西哥移民,其文化调适能力与心理苦痛之间有关吗?住在中西部乡村社区与住在西南部城市的摩西哥移民其文化调适能力是否有差异？①Descriptivequestions:explorethenatureofcertainphenomenonandevents.②relationshipquestions:studytherelationshipbetweentwoormoreconcepts.③differencequestions：studythedifferencebetweendifferentgroupsandthechangeofonesubjects.5)Somesuggestedstandards①Aresearchquestionshouldbeinformofclearlystatedquestions;②Basedonpreviousliterature;③Thevariablescanbemeasuredinsomeway;④Thecostcanbeafforded;⑤Itshouldaddvalueafterthequestionisanswered—ourcontribution.Keepacriticaleyeontheextenttowhichwehavetransformed,enhanced,ordifferentiatedthestartingmaterialsofyouranalysis.ReadingCommunicatingBeingrational6)ThetipforrefiningtheresearchquestionassignmentReadbroadlyandwidelytofindasubjectaboutwhichyouarepassionate.Readup-to-datematerial-ensurethatyourideaisachievableandnooneelsehasdoneorisdoingit.Questiondriven:problemfirstAretherepreviousstudy?Towhatextendistheproblemsolved？Isthesolutionsatisfying？Literaturedriven:literaturefirstWidelyreadingisinevitable(知识贫乏症：容易走极端：什么都是新的（盲目乐观型）；人家都研究过了（盲目悲观型）；容易说错话)WidehorizonTherelationshipbetweentheories(network)Academicbase：InsightReturnConsultingotherstudentswhoarefurtherdownthetrack,especiallythosewhohavethesamesuperiorwithyou.discussyourideaswithyoursupervisorandlotsofotherpeople.attendspecializedconferencesinyourarea-takenoteofthefocusofresearchandlearnfromtheexpertsinyourfield.ReturnNarrowyourfocustoasinglequestion:bedisciplinedandnotoverambitious.bepreparedtochangeormodifyyourquestionifnecessary.Beabletoanswerthequestion:'WhyamIdoingthisproject'(andnotadifferentone)ReturnAssignment:Firstweek:drawashortlistofpossibleresearchtopics,andwriteasentenceabouteachone.Discusswithyoursupervisorandyourpeersstudentsabouttheissuesthatmightarisewitheachofthem,suchaspracticality,originality,focusandscaleoftheproject.Secondweek:chooseatopicfromthelist.Todiscussthisagainwithyoursupervisor.Thirdandforthweek:refineyourresearchquestionandwriteaproposal.VDetailstobeincludeinaresearchproposal1Aclearfocusedstatementoftheoverallpurposeoftheproposedresearch2researchquestions:Aclearlyfocusedresearchquestion/hypothesisthatis:worthaskingcapableofbeinganswered.3definition:precisedefinitionofthekeytermsintheresearchquestionsorhypothesisthatwillallowthemtobeclearlyobserved,measuredandidentifiedthroughoutthestudy.4relevantbackgroundliterature: