The research work is always aimed at solving a particular problem. Therefore, it is mandatory that a final year student writes and submit a project and strictly under the supervision of a lecturer.
Before the student can write an
acceptable project research report, he/she goes through the following process:
- Selecting re-searchable topics for approval
- Submitting a synopsis
- Submitting a project proposal to the supervisor
Selecting re searchable topics is
easy. The student only need to look into his/her area of interest in which he
want to research on and choose a particular topic.
Student can search anywhere to get
relevant project topics and materials. It could be either library, internet, asking people who
will benefit from the research outcome and many more.
Synopsis is not always been asked for by supervisors, but it is a brief summary or general survey of the intended research. That is why most educational blogs don't talk about synopsis. You may not be really bordered on this.
Synopsis is not always been asked for by supervisors, but it is a brief summary or general survey of the intended research. That is why most educational blogs don't talk about synopsis. You may not be really bordered on this.
The third one is project proposal.
Every final year student will have to submit a research proposal before been
giving go-ahead for the real research work.
It is unfortunate that many students
don’t even know how to go about writing an acceptable project proposal as they
often got rejected by their supervisor.
The aim of this post is to tell you
how to write an acceptable undergraduate project proposal.
So, what is a project proposal?
Project proposal is a detailed description of a series of activities aimed
at solving a certain problem. In order to be acceptable, it is expected to
provide a logical presentation of a research idea, illustrate the significance
of the idea and the instrument for data collection and testing.
Research work, or project (as we
called it) is set to investigate and solve a particular problem, this must be
highlighted and briefed in the project proposal for it to be approved. Te
supervisor wants to see, what problem you want to tackle and how do you want to
tackle it.
For
you to write an acceptable project proposal, your proposal must be in three
sections:
Section One
Introduction:
The introduction is expected to contain the following:- Background of Study: Background of the study covers a brief introduction into the
research/project. Here you have to give background information on the
research topic. If you are writing on cashless policies, you have to
discuss it in brief.
- Statement of problems:
This is very important because it expresses the problems your research
work intends to solve. You'll need to state out this problem, their
impact, disadvantages and many more etc.
- Justification:
Justification of the study simply means the significance of the study. Why
you're carrying out the research. What do you think people will benefit
from your work. You need to justify your project. You should use the
statement of problem and relate it to why you wish to carry out your
research.
- Aim:
The aim of the study is also very important. What is the aim of your study?
Why do you want to study cashless policy in Nigeria? Just in one sentence,
you can tell your supervisor the aim of the study.
- Objectives :
Objective of the study is slightly different from aim of the study. The
objective means what you wish to accomplish with your research. Objective
have to be specific. For instance, the objective of this study is to know
the benefit of ATM to people.
- Scope and Limitations: The scope means the area your research want to cover.
You scope of the study can be a physical location or an area of interest.
So also your limitations are things assumed to hinder the success of the
research work. This section should state the extend and Limitations of
your study.
Section Two
Literature review
A literature review is a report of
information found in the literature related to your selected area of study.
They are mostly the research work of other researchers similar to your
area if interest.
You need to make sure that your
literature review is describe, summarise, evaluate and clarify this literature.
It should give a theoretical base for the research and help you (the author)
determine the nature of your research.
As a researcher, works which are
irrelevant should be discarded and those which are peripheral should be looked
at critically.
While writing this, remember, is
going to be a very short one. Just target the keywords in the project
topics for review.
Section Three
You have to implore the use of
future tenses here. This is because this is just a proposal and you are giving
out the plan on how you are going to achieve the set objectives using necessary
tools.
For Art, Management, Education and
Social Sciences students, Your section three will contact the following
headings.
1. Research design: This intends to know what design do you want to adopt. Is
it survey or descriptive design? Your supervisor wants to know this.
2. Population and Sampling
Techniques: The organization you want to adopt
as a case study, how many of their staff do you want to use as sample and
population? Or are you doing a social research? This has to be known.
3. Method of data collection: Here, you need to tell how you want to gather your data, do
you want to use questionnaire or you want to adopt the direct interview. You
supervisor needs to know this.
4. Method of data analysis: This is how your data is going to be analyzed. What
instrument do you want to use to test and analyze your data collected. You will
need to include this on your proposal for the supervisor to approve your
proposal.
For sciences, Engineering, and
Medical Students, your section three will contain the following:
Study Area: This is where the study will be conducted. E.g Kaduna
Sample Collection:
Sample Analysis: procedures and methods to be used.Conclusion
Finally, your proposal will have to
carry reference at the end of the whole thing. Mind you, proposal could be an
average of 10 to 15 pages. It should not be too long or too brief for it to be
approved.
Author
UTHMAN SAHEED, is a business
strategist and an educational consultants who blogs at My School Trick You can join him on Facebook.
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