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Introduction
• Scientific / social research plays a very important role in our
efforts to advance technological / knowledge envelope
• Research helps us create new knowledge and develop proper
tools for the use of existing knowledge.
• Not only does it enable researchers/practitioners to diagnose
problems, research also provides evidence for policies and
decisions on socio-economic development

What is research?
Research is the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of
data to answer a certain question or solve a problem.
Characteristics of research:
• It demands a clear statement of the problem.
• It requires clear objectives and a plan (it is not aimlessly looking
for something in order to come across a solution).
• It builds on existing data, using both positive and negative
findings.
• New data should be systematically collected and analyzed to
answer the original research objectives.

“… the meaning of proposal … suggests looking forward, to what
the researcher plans to do in the future. …
The proposal lays out the problem for research, describes exactly
how the research will be conducted, and outlines in precise detail
the resources – both factual and instrumental – the researcher
will use to achieve the desired results.”
Leedy & Omrod, Practical Research. 8th ed, p. 117, 115.
Research Proposal – Definitions
Essentially, to make the reader to understand :-
▫ What you are going to do
▫ Rational of the research
▫ Objectives of the research
▫ Methodology
▫ Expected output

• A good proposal should
consists of the first three
chapters of the thesis
• It should :-
▫ Begin with an Introduction -
statement of the
problem/background
information (Chapter 1)
▫ A review of the Literature
(Chapter 2)
▫ Defining of the Research
Methodology (Chapter 3)
What is a proposal ?
• An outline of the research problem
• A statement of the significance of
the problem
• A review of related studies
• A discussion of the procedures
• Methods for data collection and
analysis
• A note about the study’s limitations

6
The Research Process For Applied and Basic Research

Steps of conducting a research:
A. Prioritizing and selecting a research topic
B. Review of literature and other existing information
C. Development of a Research Proposal
D. Implementation of study:
i. Data collection
ii. Data processing and analysis
iii. Interpretation of results
iv. Final report writing
v. Presenting the results: Scientific, presentation at
meetings, seminars, workshops or conferences, and
presentation for administrators and policy-
makers

A. Prioritizing and selecting a research topic
Criteria for selecting a research topic:
1. Relevance: The topic you choose should be a priority problem.
Questions to be asked include:
• How large or widespread/depth is the problem?
• Who is affected?
• How severe is the problem?
2. Avoidance of duplication:
• Before you decide to carry out a study, it is important that you find out
whether the suggested topic has been investigated before, either within the
proposed study area or in another area with similar conditions.
• If the topic has been researched, the results should be reviewed to explore
whether major questions that deserve further investigation remain
unanswered.
• If not, another topic should be chosen

B. Literature review
Why is it important to review already available
information when preparing for a research?
• It prevents you from duplicating work that
has been done before.
• It helps you to find out what others have
learned and reported on the problem you
want to study. This may assist you in
refining your statement of the problem.
• It helps you to become more familiar with
the various research methods that might be
used in your study.
• It should provide you with convincing
arguments for why your particular research
project is needed.
• Learning what is known and
unknown
• Learning how field of knowledge was
developed (history)
• Showing you understand your field
• Confirming your own research is
worthwhile
• Explaining how knowledge is
developed over time
• Justifying your research
• Identifying how you will make a
contribution
See Example,,,pg 31

C. Development of a research proposal
Contents
a. Title of the research
b. Introduction: Background information and Statement of the
research problem (Scientific justification for the study)
c. Research objectives
d. Research hypothesis
e. Methodology
f. Work plan
g. Plan for utilization and dissemination of research results
h. References
i. Annexes

• A good title should be short, accurate, and concise
• It should make the central objectives of the study clear to the
reader
• It is important to specify what population will be investigated, and
where it will be conducted.
• E.g. Factors Influencing e-Bidding Adoption in the Public
Sector
a. Title of the research proposal

This section should convince the reader of the relevance of the study
It should provide enough background data for an outsider to
understand the different aspects of the problem, or the different
factors influencing the problem and the context in which it occurs.
Your review of available literature and reports should further illustrate
why the problem is important, not only in your own working area but
probably also beyond
Note: Be selective, remembering that this section serves to
justify your study, not to display your ability to read literature.
See example..pg 1
b. Introduction (Background information and Statement of the
research problem)

c. Research objectives
Research objectives are the goal to be achieved by
a research.
Why should research objectives be developed?
The formulation of objectives will help you to:
• Focus the study (narrowing it down to essentials)
• Avoid the collection of data which are not strictly
necessary for understanding and solving the problem
you have identified
• Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases
- Properly formulated, specific objectives will facilitate
the development of your research methodology and
will help to orient the collection, analysis, interpretation
and utilization of data.
- How should you state your objectives?
• The general and specific objectives should be
included as stated in the proposal
Example Specific Objective:
1. To identify the variables that may
influence the adoption of eBidding
by government users
2. To examine the effects of the
variables on the adoption of
eBidding by government users
3. To propose a framework to analyze
the adoption of eBidding by
government users
4. To examine if some of the
variables have moderating or
mediating effects on the
relationships established as stated
in objective 2
Example Objective To examine the
User Factors and System Factors that
Influence eBidding Utilization among
Government Sourcing Officials in
Malaysian Public Sector

14
Having examined the different
kinds of variables that could
operate in a situation and how
the relationships among these
can be established, it is now
possible to see how we can
develop the conceptual model or
the theoretical framework for our
research.
If the framework is logically
sound and substantiated by
previous research studies, there
is a strong possibility that the
predictions or hypotheses
evolving from that framework will
be supported
The theoretical framework plays an
important role in guiding the entire
process of the research study
• Theories are constructed in order to
explain, predict and master phenomena
(e.g. relationships, events, or the
behavior). In many instances we are
constructing models of reality.
• A theory makes generalizations about
observations and consists of an
interrelated, coherent set of ideas and
models.
The Use of a Theoretical Framework in a
Research Proposal

• The variables considered
relevant to the study should
be clearly defined.
• A conceptual model that
describes the relationships
between the variables in the
model should be given.
• A clear explanation of why
we expect these
relationships to exist.
• A conceptual framework is
used in research to outline
possible courses of action or
to present a preferred
approach to an idea or
thought.
• The theoretical framework
elaborates the relationships
among the variables, explains
the theory underlying these
relations, and describes the
nature and direction of the
relationships.
• The theoretical framework
provides the logical base for
developing testable
hypotheses.
• see example pg 64
The Use of a Theoretical Framework in a
Research Proposal

E.g. The eBidding adoption study and the model proposed will be based on:
Example of Theories Employed in Theoretical Framework
 Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)
(Venkatesh et al., 2003)
An Information System (IS) framework for assessing an individual’s intention to
use an IS technology
 Information System Success Model (Delone and Mclean, 2003)
A system success can be evaluated in terms of information, system, and service
quality; these characteristics affect the subsequent use or intention to use and
user satisfaction
 Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (Agarwal and
Prasad, 1998)
Domain-specific individual trait which reflects the willingness of a person to try
out a new information technology

Example : Models related to Technology/Innovation
adoption/acceptance/use
Moderator Model of Personal
Innovativeness in Information
Technology (PIIT)
(Agarwal & Prasad, 1998)
Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use
of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et
al., 2003)
IS Updated Success Model
(Delone and Mclean, 2003)

Performance
Expectancy
Effort Expectancy
Social Influence
Facilitating
Conditions
eBidding
Adoption
System Quality
Service Quality
Information
Quality
H1
H3
H5
H6a
H2
H4
H1a
H2a
H2b
H3a
H4a
H7a
H6
H5
H7
Example :Proposed Research Model
18
Experience
Personal
Innovativeness In IT
Satisfaction

d. Research hypothesis
A hypothesis can be defined as a prediction or explanation of the relationship
between : one or more independent variables (PREDISPOSING/RISK
FACTORS) and one dependent variable (OUTCOME/CONDITION/DISEASE)).
o a logical relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of
a testable statement. A hypothesis, in other words, translates the problem
statement into a precise, clear prediction of expected outcomes.
o It must be emphasized that hypotheses are not meant to be haphazard
guesses, but should reflect the depth of knowledge, imagination and
experience of the investigator must be based on established theory/model
o Therefore, in the process of formulating hypotheses, all variables relevant to
the study should be identified.
o See example..pg 76 & 77

H1: Performance expectancy is significantly related to officials’ adoption
of eBidding
H2: Effort expectancy is significantly related to officials’ adoption of
eBidding
H3: Social influence is significantly related to officials’ adoption of
eBidding
H4: Facilitating conditions is significantly related to officials adoption of
eBidding
H5: Information quality is significantly related to eBidding adoption
H6: System quality is significantly related to eBidding adoption
H7 : Service quality is significantly related to eBidding adoption
H5a : Satisfaction significantly mediates relationship between information
quality and eBidding Adoption
Example : Hypotheses

e. Methodology
This section summarizes the most
important points of the research
design including:
Variables: It is necessary to identify the
variables that will be involved in the
research project being designed.
Independent (predisposing/risk
factors/antecedents),
Dependent (outcome), see example
It is also necessary to specify whether
these variables are Numerical
(continuous/discrete), or Categorical
(ordinal/nominal).
Operational definition of different study
variables should be clearly phrased.
The methodology you followed for the
collection of your data should be
described in detail.
The methodology section should
include a description of:
- the study type
- major study variables on which data
was collected
- the study population, sampling
method and the size of the
sample
- data-collection techniques used
- how the data was collected and
by whom
- procedures used for data
analysis, including statistical
tests (see example)

No Section Variables No. of
Statements
Scale of Measurement References
1 A Performance expectancy 7 Interval Venkatesh et al., (2003)
2 B Effort Expectancy 7 Interval Venkatesh et al., (2003)
3 C Social influence 7 Interval Venkatesh et al., (2003)
4 D Facilitating Conditions 7 Interval Venkatesh et al., (2003)
5 E System Quality 7 Interval Delone and Mclean, (2003)
6 F Information Quality 7 Interval Delone and Mclean, (2003)
7 G Service Quality 7 Interval Delone and Mclean, (2003)
8 H Satisfaction 7 Interval Wixom and Todd, (2005)
9 I Experience 5 Interval Venkatesh et al., (2003)
10 J Personal Innovativeness in IT 5 Interval Agarwal and Karahanna, (2000)
11 K Actual Use 4 Interval
Nominal
Delone and Mclean, (2003)
12 Respondent’s profile
Example : Operationalizing Research
Instrument

Purpose of
the of Study
Explanatory
(Hypothesis
Testing)
Time Horizon
Cross
Sectional
(One-Shot)
Sampling
Design
Probability:
Simple
Data Collection
Method
Survey
(Structured
Questionnaire)
Primary Data
source
Pilot Study
Unit of
Analysis
Individual
Type of
Investigation
Correlation
Extent of
Researcher
Interference
Minimal:
Studying
events as
they normally
occur
Study Setting
Natural
Setting
(Non-
contrived)
Measurement and
Measures
5 point Likert-
Type Scale
(Adapted UTAUT,
IS Success
Model, PIIT
Metrics)
Data
Analysis
Adopted From Sekaran, 2003 (p.118)
Problem
Statement
1. Feel for
Data
2.Goodness
of data
3. Hypothesis
Testing
An Example of Research Design

Significance of the Study
• Why this study is significant?
• Why do it now?
• What will it contribute to the existing research literature?
• What implications your findings may have?
• Who will benefit from it?
[Scholarly acceptability] See Example

…References
The references in your text can be numbered in the sequence in which
they appear in the report and then listed in this order in the list of
references
Harvard Citation or author/date system references made in the text are listed in
alphabetical order by the surname of the first author in the bibliography at the
end of the text.
e.g.
Reference within essay: In his survey of the mating habits of frogs, Bloggs (1998) refuted that ...
Entry in bibliography:
Bloggs, B. 1998. Frogs and their mating habits . London: Tadpole Press
The Vancouver System or footnotes/endnotes or numeric system;
references are numbered consecutively in the order in which they are
first cited in the text.
e.g.
Reference within essay:
In his survey of the mating habits of frogs, Bloggs (1) refuted that ...
Entry in bibliography:
1. Bloggs B. Frogs and their mating habits. London : Tadpole Press; 1998

The classical thesis structure
INTRODUCTION What I want to do
LITERATURE What others say about it
DESIGN My plan for doing it
RESULTS What happened when I did it
DISCUSSION What this means
CONCLUSIONS What I found out

Punch, K. F. (2007). Developing Effective Research Proposals (2 ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE
Publications.
Simplified model of research

Writing a Research Paper
…..Overall Main Components of a Paper :
I. Title or cover page
II. Abstract
III. Introduction
IV. Objectives
V. Methodology
VI. Research results (findings)
VII. Discussion
VIII. Conclusions
IX. Recommendations
X. References
XI. Annexes or appendices (data collection tools, tables)

• Chapter 1 : Introduction
• Background of the study
• Overview of research subject
• Broad to specific
• Problem statements
• Objectives of study
• Practical implications
• Theoretical contributions
• Study Limitations
• Chapter 2: Literature Review
• Past research related to study
• Global & local publications – journal and books
• Overview of theories related to research subjects – at least
5 or 3 key theories
• Review and critique
Main Components of a Paper

• Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework
• Introduction
• Conceptual development
• Models/theories comparisons
• Which models as base of proposed model
• Proposed research model
• Hypotheses development
• Independent variables
• Dependent variables
• Moderating / mediating variables
• Chapter 4: Methodology
• Introduction
• Population and sampling
• Data Collection and Sampling procedure (target ; sampling
population ; size)
• Questionnaire design
• Measurement of variables
• Research design
• SEM- Measurement model

• Chapter 5 : Data Analysis & Discussion
• Introduction
• Feel for data
• Frequency distribution of demographics
• Positions ; locations ; years of working ; gender
• Testing Goodness of Data
• Reliability and validity
• Results from SEM analysis
• Significant or not significant related to hypotheses
• Chapter 6 : Conclusions
• Introduction
• Discussions on results – conform to findings in literature ; if
not why..?
• Implications of Research Findings
• Theoretical Implications
• Practical Implications
• Policy Implications
• Recommendations for Future Research
• Limitations

…CONCLUSIONS
- The conclusions should follow logically from the discussion of the findings.
- As the discussion will follow the sequence in which the findings have been
presented (which in turn depends on your objectives) the conclusions should
logically follow the same order.
….RECOMMENDATIONS
- The recommendations should follow logically from the discussion of the
findings.
- Recommendations may be summarized according to the groups towards which
they are directed, for example:
Þ policy-makers / stakeholders
Þ program managers/implementing officials at different levels
Þ potential clients
Þ the community at large

….Plan for utilization and dissemination of research results
- The proposal should indicate what reports or other means of
disseminating research findings are planned.
- Any or all of the following are appropriate for disseminating the
results of the study:
Progress reports
Final report
Publications
Seminars, workshops, and conferences
Discussion with policymakers and program managers

….ANNEXES OR APPENDICES
The annexes should contain any additional information needed to
enable professionals to follow your research procedures and data
analysis.
Examples of information that can be presented in annexes are:
- Tables referred to in the text but not included in order to keep the
report short.
- Interview schedule/ questionnaires (and/or other data collection
tools).
- Informed consent form
- Institutional/Ethical approval for the study

Further Readings
1. Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods
Approaches. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, p. 97–127.
2. Hernon, P. (2007). Editorial: what is problem statement? Library & Information Science
Research, 29, 307−309.
3. Hernon, P., & Metoyer-Duran, C. (1993). Problem statements: An exploratory study of
their function, significance, and form. Library & Information Science Research, 15,
71−92.
4. Metoyer-Duran, C., & Hernon, P. (1994). Problem statements in research proposals and
published research: A case study of researchers' viewpoints. Library & Information
Science Research, 16, 105−118.
5. Nitecki, D. A. (2010). Guest editorial: Finalizing a research paper—findings through
conclusion. Library & Information Science Research, 32, 1−3.
6. Sproull, N. L. (1988). Handbook of research methods: A guide for practitioners and
students in the social sciences. London: Scarecrow Press, p. 140.
7. Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of Mixed Methods Research :
Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in the Social and Behavioral
Sciences. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, p. 120–124.

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