Research Abstract and Draft
majkelly73
YourResearchProposal.pptx
Writing A Research Proposal
Writing Style
Clarity
Clarity is essential. Be precise and be clear…know your audience.
Eliminate jargon
Use only professional language
Properly use abbreviations, acronyms
Provide a logical structure to the information you are presenting – an orderly, logical, rational, progression
Active voice –
Johnson and Lee (1966) found that…. As opposed to ..It was found by Johnson and Lee (1966) that ….
Use third person
Use past tense of you are talking about research that has been done
Avoid biased language (gender not sex). Use person first language
Organization of the proposal
Title page
Abstract
Body (main sections; you will have subheadings)
Introduction & Literature Review
Methods (Written in Future Tense- Proposing a Study)
Results (not required)
Discussion (not required)
References
Intro & lit review are written in past tense, third person. Do not use I or We in this proposal.
3
Title Page
Title
12 words- upper and lower case p.23
Author’s name
Institutional affiliation (optional)
Running head: SHORT TITLE HERE
Page numbers
Abstract (for empirical study)
The abstract is a summary of the research manuscript and includes information about the hypotheses, the procedures, and the broad pattern of results. P. 26
The problem/need
The research design
Participants/Intervention
Results
General conclusions
100-250 words
Keywords beneath
Introduction/Literature
The researcher outlines the problem that is being investigated. Past research and theories relevant to the problem are described in detail. The research questions or hypothesis(es) is/are stated. P. 27
Introduce the problem
How does this study relate to previous work
How does it build on earlier work
What are your research questions or hypotheses
What is the theoretical orientation for the problem
you are addressing; what was done and why?
Methods – written in future tense
The Method section is divided into subsections, with the number of subsections determined by the author and dependent on the complexity of the research design. It is the recipe of the study and involves the who did what to whom and the specifics of the manner in which it was done. It should include participants, materials and procedure, at the minimum. APA -P. 29
Design – explain type of design and why it was chosen
Participants – describe
Instruments- list and describe
Intervention – SEP; Placement; Job club; CBT; MI, etc.
Procedures – recruitment, consent, and how study will be conducted
Analyses – describe proposed analyses
Basic analyses – correlations (association), regression (prediction), ANOVA (group differences for example, based on gender or severity of disability)
Results (not required)
In the Results section, the researcher presents the findings.
The results are usually described in statistical language. P. 32
Explain the results you expect to find based on your proposed research and the previous research cited in your manuscript.
You will have to spend time reading and digesting the pertinent information you have found, combining your study and previous results to develop your hypothesized results.
Discussion (not required)
In the Discussion section, the researcher reviews the research from various perspectives. Do your results support the hypothesis? What might have been wrong with the methodology, the hypothesis, or both? The researcher may also discuss how the results compare with past research results on the topic. P. 35
Importance to the Field
If your hypotheses are supported, how may this change things? What will be the impact?...the So What factor…..
Limitations
Future Research Implications
References
Acknowledge the work of those contributions that you utilized p. 37
See full examples of manuscripts starting on page 41.
Headings on page 62
Running head p 23
References – details starting on page 174
