Research Proposal- WIBM

As you work on your research proposal which is 20% of your course grade and due at the end of week 7, here are a couple things to keep in mind.  One purpose of a research proposal is to review the scholarly literature (the peer reviewed journal articles) on the topic to ensure you understand what research has already been done on the topic i.e., you don't want to repeat something that has already been done.  Your review needs to focus on scholarly research i.e., the quantitative and qualitative studies that validate, discredit or provide the basis for what you are looking to study.

Here is a list of errors your predecessors made that you should be aware of so you don’t make the same mistakes:

- The proposal does not specifically use all

the headings provided in the assignment instructions, does not satisfy the length recommendations and or does not include all the required assignment elements

- Poorly designed and or articulated problem and research question(s) - use the Management-Research Question Hierarchy explained in chapter 3 to ensure you have the right structure and types of questions (start with topic, then define the management dilemma followed by the management question, etc.).  This framework is important. 

- Referring to the research proposal as a paper, report, summary, essay, etc. - no, it is a research proposal.

- Attempting to "boil the ocean" - while you might be passionate about homelessness,

it is a VERY broad topic with many causes, impacts, etc.  You need to narrow and focus your research questions within the topic area (see the week  course announcement on research topic selection for an example).  

- Forgetting the assignment is a proposal for research meaning you don't actually conduct research, you do all the work to prepare to conduct research.  The assignment is a research proposal.  The proposal is meant to convince someone to grant, authorize, and approve resources necessary to complete the research.  You have to convince them the results will be valuable and worthy of the investment.

- Neglecting to read the sample literature reviews in the assignment instructions to understand the expected style and format

of a literature review - for example, a literature review is NOT a typical graduate paper where you just write about a topic.  A literature review demands that you analyze and summarize the scholarly research.  A literature review is not copying the annotated bibliography submitted in Week 2.

- Failing to use at least 10 peer reviewed scholarly journal articles as sources - an occasional web site or book MIGHT be okay but recognize they aren't a scholarly source, shouldn't be used to substantiate scholarly work and won't count toward the minimum of 10 scholarly sources.  Also recognize that books, encyclopedias, edited books, dictionaries, etc. are not scholarly sources either (please review the previous course announcement/video that explains how to identify a scholarly

source).

- Using web sites as references is generally inappropriate for graduate level work but would be very unusual for a literature review

- No or lazy application of APA style (paper should be 12 pt Times Roman font, 1" margins, double spaced, 1/2" indent for paragraph initiation, proper header with page numbers, proper citations, reference page, etc.)

- Submitting less than 3,000 words (not including the title and reference pages or page space occupied by large tables, graphics or long quotes do not count toward meeting the minimums). For example, if you submit 1,500 words then you have satisfied no more than 50% of

the assignment requirement and therefore should not expect a grade of more than 50%. The same thing is true for not including at least 10 SCHOLARLY references.  Remember that these are MINIMUM requirements - if you neglect them then you have failed and your grade will reflect that level of achievement.

- Content is too broad covering many ideas but no depth

- Using many quotes to meet the word count requirement (long and or numerous quotes are not appropriate for the graduate level – any more than a couple lines per page is likely too much). A literature review must analyze and summarize the literature, not copy it.

- Write in a passive voice

- Using contractions

- Using first person - no I, we, etc. 

- The proposal ideas are not logically linked and connected - reads more like a laundry list of ideas rather than a compelling summary and logical presentation of the topic