Research Proposals: Writing Strategies and Ethical Considerations

Arguments Presented in a Proposal

It is helpful to consider early in planning the study the major points that need to be addressed in a proposal. These points—or topics—all need to be interconnected to provide a cohesive picture of the entire project. For us, these topics seem to span all proposals, whether the project is qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. We think that a good place to start is by examining Maxwell’s (2013) list of the core arguments that need to be advanced in any proposal. We will summarize them in our own words:

1. What do readers need to better understand your topic?
2. What do readers need to know about your topic?
3. What do you propose to study?
4. What is the setting, and who are the people you will study?
5. What methods do you plan to use to collect data?
6. How will you analyze the data?
7. How will you validate your findings?
8. What ethical issues will your study present?
9. What do preliminary results show about the practicability and value of the proposed study?

These nine questions, if adequately addressed in one section for each question, constitute the foundation of good research, and they could provide the overall structure for a proposal. The inclusion of validating findings, ethical considerations (to be addressed shortly), the need for preliminary results, and early evidence of practical significance focus a reader’s attention on key elements often overlooked in discussions about proposed projects.

Format for a Qualitative Proposal

Beyond these nine questions, it is also helpful to have an overall outline or general structure for topics that will be included in a proposal for a study. Unquestionably, in qualitative research, no one structure for a qualitative proposal prevails. The following topics are common requirements for research proposals.

Introduction
This is the why of the proposal. Why is this problem important, why is it important to answer the research questions? Why do you want to approach it in the way you are planning?

• Statement of the problem (including existing literature about the problem, deficiencies in the literature, and relevance of study for audiences)
• Purpose of the study
• The research questions

Procedures or Methods
This is the how of the proposal. Explain how you will conduct the study.

• Philosophical assumptions or worldview of qualitative research
• Qualitative design (e.g., ethnography, case study)
• Role of the researcher
• Data collection procedures
• Data management procedures, including protection of the data, protection of participants’ identities and other sensitive matters
• Data analysis procedures
• Strategies for validating findings
• Proposed narrative structure of the study
• Anticipated ethical issues, and approaches you will use to address these issues

Preliminary pilot findings (if available)

Expected impact and significance of study
This is the what of the proposal. What do you hope to accomplish, at what level? Will it potentially make an impact on individuals, groups, organizations, or at the societal level? Will the study provide guidance to practitioners or identify new questions for future scholars?

References

Appendixes

Interview questions, observational forms, timeline, proposed budget, a summary of the proposed content of each chapter in the final study should be included. A separate section reviewing the literature may be included, in the proposal. Also, because the number and type of chapters in qualitative research is highly variable, a summary of the proposed content of each chapter in the final study would be useful.

A timeline for the study, a proposed budget, and other practical information are useful to committees and help build confidence in your ability to carry out the research project.

This material is drawn from the Sage Publishing text Research Design by John W. Creswell, professor of family medicine and co-director of the Michigan Mixed Methods Research and Scholarship Program at the University of Michigan, and J. David Creswell from Carnegie Mellon University. This best-selling text pioneered the comparison of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research design and and reflects about the importance of writing and ethics in scholarly inquiry. The Sixth Edition includes more coverage of experimental and survey designs; and updated with the latest thinking and research in mixed methods. Use the code MSPACEQ423 for a 20% discount on his books through December 2023.