parts of a research proposal

parts of a research proposal

Writing a Persuasive Research Proposal

1. Introduction

In preparing for a research project (no matter what the breadth), one must first become thoroughly familiar with the topic. Ideally, this occurs in an overlapping process over a period of time. This is how it proceeds in an ideal setting. One becomes broadly familiar with that topic as a result of general cultural knowledge—films, literature, serious journalism, personal interchanges, etc. This casual learning often results in a rise in curiosity and awareness. By taking an American Studies course, I have been given a cursory interaction with the images of Indians in American culture. This prompted a desire to gain deeper insight on the issue.

A powerful introduction is invaluable. It establishes scope, context, and significance. It should be directed towards a particular audience and should set the tone for the rest of the proposal (usually more formal than in-depth reports). While the audience for writing assignments—your professor, an education administrator, a business executive, a journalist, an area community group, etc.—may expect more or less elaboration in from the following sections, the primary purpose of the introduction is to present the American Studies thesis project in such a light that the reader can fully appreciate its significance.

2. Research Problem and Objectives

On another occasion, the research team had informal discussions with several district/township leaders and some National Malaria Control Program officers. On these occasions, the team received some questions from the aforementioned stakeholders on whether their area was receiving adequate resources to prevent and treat malaria. But sadly, the team could not provide any reliable answers to the questions because the necessary data to justify the allocation is insufficient, and more often than not, how the resources were allocated is not properly documented. This is important since misallocation of resources can lead to inefficiency and possible discriminatory outcomes. So, there is a strong willingness from those stakeholders to increase the effectiveness of resource allocation for malaria prevention, including earmarked grants from the Global Fund for targeted diseases.

Effective allocation of resources for malaria prevention is a necessity and one of the primary strategic goals of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. Also, several research studies on health financing have been conducted to explore stakeholders’ preferences in resource allocation: Yao (1993), Norheim (2000), and Dong et al. (2004). Unfortunately, these works have had very slight impact on general resource allocation decisions for disadvantaged populations. This can be seen by the fact that the percentage of the health budget in Tanzania is fluctuating and still generally lower than 15% of the total government budget, and the subsidies for medical treatment and prevention are still less affordable for those living in poor, rural areas.

3. Methodology and Data Collection

Through the use of questionnaires, the research aims to establish a deep understanding of the wants and deficits in the satisfaction of services provided by the health centers. Questionnaires are cost and time efficient as they can be administered to a large number of individuals spanning from different health centers. The data collected can be both quantitative or qualitative in nature. Questionnaires can be distributed to the health centers to be further administered to their attending patients. Patients may then return the questionnaires by post or the researchers may collect them at a later date. Questionnaires may also be administered around the local shopping district where individuals of the community can be asked to fill them out. Data collection around the shopping district may be an easier way to reach those who work long hours and are time poor. Further qualitative data can be obtained through a series of interviews with the health center staff. This may help to further identify the deficit in service satisfaction and its underlying problems. Suggestions from the health center staff on their opinions of the service problems and ways to improve it can also be very useful in understanding how change can be implemented.

4. Expected Results and Significance

In essence, our expected results are to gain a better understanding of how test-driven development changes the way software engineers work. We hope to understand how it affects the code written, the design of the system, and identify possible heuristics to explain optimal usage of test-driven development. From our personal experiences, it is difficult to predict whether the results will be positive or negative, as any change to the way people work affects different people in different ways. However, the insights gained will be useful for making an informed decision as to whether to adopt test-driven development or not. In the case of positive results, it will give confidence to those teaching test-driven development as a better way to produce software, with students reaping the benefits and becoming more likely to continue. It will also act as a starting point and provide directions for further research. In the case of negative results, it will give an understanding of why test-driven development has not been widely adopted and act as a catalyst for change in the way test-driven development is taught. This will be beneficial to the software industry as a whole.

5. Conclusion and Call to Action

We live in an age where we can access vast amounts of information with incredible ease. It is a time to pursue new ideas, new questions, and to provide the evidence in order to move our society forward. For many researchers in the field of the health sciences, as for me, this is the type of environment we want to be in. Within the bounds of the 21st century and moving forward, we crave the opportunity to research subjects that have an impact. An opportunity to provide an idea that addresses a significant question. With systems failure as an ever growing concern, it is important to provide answers and take corrective action. My research study being done at Mount Royal University is a prime example. A student led study put forth in an environment with questions that are seeking answers. The AMT industry in Calgary is one that has taken flight within the last 10 years. It still operates in its early developmental stages and the implications that will affect the health care system in Alberta and ultimately the patients that rely on these services is still unknown. With a large portion of our population’s taxes going towards the health care system, the people demand cost efficiency and want the best care possible. If AMT is to reach its full potential as a reliable service, major changes may need to be implemented within the public health care sector. An increased demand for private services may result in limited resources within the public sector and AMT may be faced with situations where they are the ones in need of care for a patient that they are trying to transfer to a higher level of care facility. This complex interaction between AMT and the public health care system and the potential negative outcomes are important to understand. With the general goal of improvement in the health care system, my subject is one that seeks answers for questions and provides solutions. A truly significant project.