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Essential Ingredients of a Good Research Proposal for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in the Social Sciences

Author

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  • Raymond Talinbe Abdulai
  • Anthony Owusu-Ansah

Abstract

As part of the requirements for the award of degrees in higher education institutions, students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels normally carry out research, which they report in the form of dissertations or theses. The research journey commences with the selection of a research topic and the preparation of a proposal on the selected topic. Experience has shown that students tend to encounter difficulties in writing research proposals for their supervisors because they do not fully comprehend what constitutes a research proposal. The purpose of this article is to take students through a step-by-step process of writing good research proposals by discussing the essential ingredients of a good research proposal. Thus, it is not a didactic piece—the aim is to guide students in research proposal writing. In discussing these ingredients, relevant examples are provided where necessary for ease of understanding. It is expected that on reading this article, students should be able to: (a) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what research is all about and its challenging nature; (b) display an enlarged comprehension of research gap(s), problem or question(s), aim, objectives, and hypotheses as well as their distinguishing characteristics; (c) demonstrate a good understanding of the relevant elements to be considered in the constituent sections of a good research proposal; and (d) comprehend the elements of a research proposal that should feature in the final written dissertation or thesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Talinbe Abdulai & Anthony Owusu-Ansah, 2014. "Essential Ingredients of a Good Research Proposal for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in the Social Sciences," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(3), pages 21582440145, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:4:y:2014:i:3:p:2158244014548178
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244014548178
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    Cited by:

    1. Lungisani Nkomo & Musawenkosi Donia Saurombe, 2024. "Exploring the Representation of Women in Technical Roles at a South African Performing Arts Entity," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440231, January.
    2. Ana Isabel Santos & Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Sandro Serpa & Maria Jose Sa, 2020. "What is an Internship Report? Contributions to the Construction of its Meaning," Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 7(1), pages 1-6.

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