Research: Proposal and Practice - A Manual for Beginners

Abstract

This paper is a product of a persistent need of a simplified reference manual for learners beginning a research component of their required accomplishments for their respective degree programs at a University. The author draws from a constantly witnessed struggle the students go through when developing research proposals for their dissertations, in the end finding themselves falling trap of recycling past works with trivial adaptations. The author-cum examiner experiences show that students have problems at all levels of a dissertation project, from the identification of the agenda for research to final reporting, let alone the conducting of research itself.In that context, the intention of this brief paper is to help the novice students for a better beginning of their dissertation assignments. The draft guidance in the paper intends to shift the students’ attitude from viewing research as a torturous examination exercise, to an enjoyable and beneficial academic exercise for development of an inquisitive mind n a person. The paper takes a pragmatic instructional approach in a very simplified language so as to minimize the demand for assistance. Keywords: Research manual, research proposal, literature review, research design DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-28-01 Publication date: October 31 st 2023