1. Research proposal guideline-2009 Page 1
Structure/Component of a Research Proposal
The basic components of a research proposal are the same in many fields. However, how they
are phrased and staged may vary by discipline. Specific structure of the business research
proposal depends on the institutional and organizational requirements and may vary from
institutions to institutions. However, the variability does not usually affect the basic structural
model, which includes the following components:
Components of a research proposal:
1. Cover page
2. Abstract
1.1. Introduction
1.2.Background study
1.3. Statement of the problem
1.3.1. Hypotheses /Questions
1.4.Objective
1.4.1. General objective
1.4.2. Specific objective
2. Literature review
3. Research methods, materials and procedures
4. Significance of the study
5. Delimitation or scope of the study
6. Limitation of the study
7. Work plan
8. Budget
9. References
10. Appendices/Annexes
a) TITLE PAGE
The title of your research proposal should state your topic exactly in the smallest possible
number of words. Put your name, the name of your department/faculty/college, the name of your
Titles should almost never contain abbreviations. The title page has no page number and it is not
counted in any page numbering.
advisor(s) and date of delivery under the title page.
b) ABSTRACT
The abstract is a one page brief summary of the research proposal. It needs to show a reasonably
informed reader why a particular topic is important to address and how you will do it.
Specify the question that your research will answer, establish why it is a significant question;
show how you are going to answer the question. Do not put information in the abstract that is not
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in the main text of your research proposal. Do not put references, figures, or tables in the
abstract.
c) INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND STUDY/ORGANZATION
The introduction is the part of the proposal that provides readers with the background
information for the research proposal. Its purpose is to establish a framework for the research, so
that readers can understand how it is related to other research.
BACKROUND OF THE ORGAZATION
It is part of proposal that provides readers more about the back ground of the organization
d) STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Problem might be defined as the issue that exists in the literature, theory, or practice that leads to
a need for the study. The prospective researcher should think on what caused the need to do the
research (problem identification). The question that he/she should ask him/herself is: Are there
questions about this problem to which answers have not been found up to the present?
Effective problem statements answer the question “Why does this research need to be
conducted.” If a researcher is unable to answer this question clearly and succinctly, and without
resorting to hyper-speak, then the statement of the problem will come off as ambiguous and
diffuse.
e) LITERATURE REVIEW
A literature review is a description of the literature relevant to a particular field or topic. It
gives an overview of what has been said, who the key writers are, what are the prevailing
theories and hypotheses, what questions are being asked, and what methods and
methodologies are appropriate and useful.
f) METHODS, MATERIAL AND PROCEDURES
The methods or procedures section is really the heart of the research proposal.
Indicate the methodological steps you will take to answer every question, to test every
hypothesis illustrated in the Questions/Hypotheses section or address the objectives you set.
g) SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This part shows the explicit benefits and the beneficiaries of the result of the research being
conducted. It states the importance or contribution that the study will have for different bodies.
h) DELIMITATION OR SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This part indicates the scope or coverage of the study. It should be delimited to manageable size
i) LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
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This is a part that you will include some constraints or difficulties you think that they have
influence on the result of your study. This may be in relation to the weaknesses in the
methodology, lack of access to data, faulty instrument, sampling restrictions, lack of recent
literature in the area etc. any restriction or area of the problem that will not be addressed must be
indicated.
j) WORK PLAN
Work plan is a schedule, chart or graph that summarizes the different components of a research
proposal and how they will be implemented in a coherent way within a specific time-span.
It may include:
The tasks to be performed;
When and where the tasks will be performed;
Who will perform the tasks and the time each person will spend on them;
It describes the plan of assessing the ongoing progress toward achieving the research
objectives;
k) REFERENCES
You must give references to all the information that you obtain from books, papers in journals,
and other sources. References may be made in the main text using index numbers in brackets
(Vancouver style) or authors name (Harvard style).
l) APPENDICES/ANNEXES
Include in the appendices of your proposal any additional information you think might be helpful
to a proposal reviewer. For example, include:
Questionnaire & other collection forms
