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ASH402/501 Research Skills Guide: Research Proposal

What are you being asked to do?

In this assignment you are being asked to demonstrate your ability to write a research proposal.

A research proposal is a document that contains an outline plan for a research project. It is produced at the beginning of the research process before any data is collected.

A well constructed research proposal offers a blueprint for the research that shows what the parts look like and how they will fit together. It describes what will be done, explains how it will be done and justifies why the research should be undertaken.

Choosing a methodology

  • Books and ebooks will provide you with some broad information about research methods in the education and are a good place to start. You can find a list of recommended readings and resources in your unit outline.
  • You can locate these titles using Primo Search, but note that Sage Research Methods (SRM) also contains many ebooks in this area.
  • Sage Research Methods (SRM) contains a comprehensive suite of information about research methods including ebooks, articles, case studies, and dictionary and encyclopaedia entries. I strongly recommend taking a look this resource.

ebooks on research methodologies

Sage Research Methods - a database of resources on conducting research

Sage Research Methods (SRM) is an online research tool with a range of resources to assist in the understanding of research methods and in the actual selection, design, and application of a research method. 

Writing research proposals

If this is your first time writing a research proposal, you might like to look at this book on writing research proposals. Remember to structure your research proposal using the five sections/headings used in the EER500 unit outline.

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