Chapter Four
WRITING STRATEGIES AND
ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
Writing the Proposal
 What does the intended reader/audience
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need to understand better about the topic?
What does the audience know little about the
topic?
What is the purpose of the study?
What /Who is being studied?
What is the setting/environment where the
study is occurring?
What method is to be used?
Writing the Proposal (Cont.)
 How will data be collected and analyzed?
 How will the results be validated?
 What ethical issues arise from the study?
 What does the preliminary results about the
practicality and value of the study to be
conducted?
Format of Qualitative Constructivist /
Interpretivist Research
 Introduction
 Procedures
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State the assumptions in qualitative research
Provide the qualitative research strategy
Outline the role of the researcher
Detail the data collection procedures
Explain the strategies for validating the findings
Present the proposed narrative structure of the
study
Format of Qualitative Constructivist /
Interpretivist Research (cont.)
 Anticipated Ethical Issues
 Preliminary Findings
 Expected Outcomes
 Appendixes
Format of Advocacy / Participatory
Research
 Introduction
 Procedures
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State the assumptions in qualitative research
Provide the qualitative research strategy
Outline the role of the researcher
Detail the data collection & recording procedures
Describe the data analysis procedure and explain
the strategies for validating the findings
 Present the proposed narrative structure of the
study
Format of Advocacy / Participatory
Research (cont.)
 Anticipated Ethical Issues
 Significance of the Study
 Preliminary Findings (if available)
 Expected Advocacy / Participatory Changes
 Appendixes
Qualitative Proposals
Introduction
 State the problem
 Include existing literature about problem
 Explain the significance of the study
 State the purpose of the study
 Present the research question
Qualitative Proposals
Appendixes
 Interview Questions
 Observations
 Observation Documents
Quantitative Proposals
Introduction
 State the problem
 Include issue and/or significance of issue
 State the purpose of the study
 Define the theoretical perspective
 Present the research question or hypothesis
 Review the literature
Format of Quantitative Research
(cont.)
 Provide the Methods Used
 State the Significance of the Study
 Present the Preliminary Findings (if available)
 Describe Anticipated Ethical Issues
 Outline the Preliminary Study or Pilot
 Appendixes
Quantitative Research Method
 Method of Research
 Research Design
 Population, Sample and Participants
 Data Collection – Variables, Instruments &
Materials
 Analysis Procedures
Ethical Issues To Anticipate
 Ethical Issues in the Research Problem
 Ethical issues in the Purpose Statement and
Research Questions
 Include in purpose statement purpose of study as
explained to participants
Ethical Issues in Data Collection
 Do not put Participants at Risk
 Respect Vulnerable Populations
 Develop an Informed Consent Form
 Have participants sign before the study begins.
 Do not coerce participants to participate
 Respect confidentiality of participants identity
& privacy
Ethical Issues in Data Collection
(cont.)
 Gain authorized access to research site
 Leave research site undisturbed
 In experimental studies, researchers must collect
data so all participants benefit from treatment.
 Not just the experimental group.
 In qualitative studies, researchers should consider
how interview will improve /impact the
participants
Ethical Issues in Data Analysis and
Interpretation
 Study must protect the anonymity of
individuals, rolls and incidents within the
study.
 Data must be safely stored
 Clearly define ownership of data –researchers,
participants or faculty advisors
 Provide an accurate account of the information
collected