The Research Prospectus by John Latham, Phd
TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS
Getting the DNA of Your Research Design Righ
John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved
Key Prospectus Components
The Research Prospectus
1
TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS
Getting the DNA of Your Study Righ
John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005
Introduction
A research prospectus is a brief overview of the key components of a research study. These components together form the DNA of the research methodology design. The purpose is to build quality into the proposal process by getting this DNA right before launching into developing a full blown proposal. Experience suggests that if the DNA is right, the proposal comes together much easier, is more likely to be in ternally consistent, and requires less rework.
Problem Statement
It all begins and ends with a problem. Identify a real world problem or management dilemma, provide a very brief background on the nature of the issue and our inability or lack of knowledge to solve the problem. See Cooper and Schindler 2003 p. 66 for a description of a management dilemma. All the other components are designed to produce a contribution to knowledge that will help solve the problem.
Purpose Statement
Describe the purpose and signi cance of the study. What will someone be able to do better once they have the ndings from this study? The generic purpose of a re search study is to produce credible empirical knowledge. The question here is what is the speci c deliverable or contribution to the body of knowledge that this study will produce? The purpose or desired deliverable will drive the research design deci sions. The next step is to develop the research questions and conceptual framework.
Conceptual Framework
The next two components the research questions and the conceptual framework are developed together. While developing the question hierarchy experience sug gests that it is very bene cial to also diagram the problem or topic. This is often called a conceptual framework.
Getting the DNA of Your Research Design Righ
John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved
Key Prospectus Components
The Research Prospectus
1
TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS
Getting the DNA of Your Study Righ
John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005
Introduction
A research prospectus is a brief overview of the key components of a research study. These components together form the DNA of the research methodology design. The purpose is to build quality into the proposal process by getting this DNA right before launching into developing a full blown proposal. Experience suggests that if the DNA is right, the proposal comes together much easier, is more likely to be in ternally consistent, and requires less rework.
Problem Statement
It all begins and ends with a problem. Identify a real world problem or management dilemma, provide a very brief background on the nature of the issue and our inability or lack of knowledge to solve the problem. See Cooper and Schindler 2003 p. 66 for a description of a management dilemma. All the other components are designed to produce a contribution to knowledge that will help solve the problem.
Purpose Statement
Describe the purpose and signi cance of the study. What will someone be able to do better once they have the ndings from this study? The generic purpose of a re search study is to produce credible empirical knowledge. The question here is what is the speci c deliverable or contribution to the body of knowledge that this study will produce? The purpose or desired deliverable will drive the research design deci sions. The next step is to develop the research questions and conceptual framework.
Conceptual Framework
The next two components the research questions and the conceptual framework are developed together. While developing the question hierarchy experience sug gests that it is very bene cial to also diagram the problem or topic. This is often called a conceptual framework.
References: Cooper, D. R. & Schindler, P. S. 2003 . Business research methods 8th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill Irwin Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. 1994 . Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourc book 2nd ed. . Thousand Oaks: Sage The Research Prospectus 9