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| Source: pixabay.com |
Why writing a proposal?
·
Communicate the details of your research.
·
Convince the readers to approve it:
-
Your research focus is crystal clear &
well-defined.
-
Your research is well justified. Is it unique?
Is it worthwhile?
-
Your research is doable.
·
Show your reader why your project is
interesting, original, and important.
Proposal Structure
·
Introduction
·
Research question
·
Objective of study
·
Significance of study
·
Literature review
·
Methodology
·
Thesis structure
· References
Introduction/background
·
Broad overview and terminology.
·
Narrow down to your focal topic.
·
Show the gap of your study.
·
Justify that your research is important.
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| Figure: Upside-down Triangle as an illustration of Research Background |
Research Question
A research question is a concise and
focused inquiry that guides the entire research process. It represents the main
question the researcher aims to answer or the problem they seek to investigate.
A well-crafted research question serves as a foundation for the thesis and
helps determine the direction and scope of the study.
Example Research Question for Master’s
Degree
·
Why and how did PKS emerge?
·
Why and how young Indonesian Muslims join and
become committed to HTI?
Example Research Question for Doctoral
Degree
This study aims to answer the
following question:
·
Why are urban Muslims enthused to new Muslim
figures and their Islamic teachings?
·
How does the process of new Islamic propagation
of prosperity gain popularity among followers?
·
How do urban Muslims receive and adapt to new
Islamic teachings?
·
How do the urban Muslims interpret and
circulate these Islamic teachings within their community?
Objective of Study
This section normally contains the
aim of conducting study. The number of objectives of study is adjustable based
on the number of research question.
Significance of study
The significance of study refers to
the importance and relevance of the research project. It explains why research
is worth undertaking and how it contributes to the existing body of knowledge
in the field. The significance section of a proposal aims to convince the
readers that the study is worthwhile and adds value to the academic or
practical domain.
(My research contributes to…. Or has
a significance to existing debates regarding…) (1-3 points)
Literature Review
A literature review is a piece of
academic writing that critically evaluates material relevant to the research
project in hand (such as MA & PhD Thesis or journal article), it demonstrates
subject knowledge and an understanding of the author’s position in relation to
other academic work.
Show that you know the existing research,
reveal the gap, inform your research design decisions!
Methodology
The methodology refers to the overall
approach and strategy that will be used to conduct the study and answer the
research question…
Thesis Structure/Outline
The structure of thesis is probably different
due to the regulation determined by university or government. Because of that,
the structure in University A probably is different from the structure in
University B.
Main Argument or Hypothesis
It is well known that each research
particularly academic thesis should reveal a new finding or what so-call as
novelty. Before determining a new finding and stating it in the research
closing remark, student must propose the argument or hypothesis to be assessed
as a preliminary claim. It would not be a problem whether in the end the claim is
proven or not. Generally, argument or hypothesis are written in introduction section.
References
References are written in certain form
following the recognized guidelines in academic world.
Source:
Weekly Class Research and Methodology
with Prof. Syamsul Rijal, Ph.D. (June 12, 2023)