•
Suggested structure for research proposal
(see also written doc on web)
1. Introduction (about 1 page)
You may here emphasize why your research problem
might be of interest, and if so for whom, and why the
results of the proposed research might be relevant for
development policy and programs.
2. Research objectives and research questions of the
study (about 1 page)
General objective(s)
1- 4 research questions leading to some major
empirically testable hypotheses
 successful research is limited in scope
•
Note: Students receive a separate handout on proposal
•
•
•
•
•
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
1
Suggested structure for research proposal (continued)
• 3. Literature review (about 1.5 – 2 pages)
• Related to the research objectives, questions
and hypotheses outlined in section 2, this
section reviews the literature, and cites
important works that …
• 3.1 … you consider to be good
conceptualisation of (parts or the whole) of your
research questions (Ex. Adoption and G. Feder)
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
2
Suggested structure for research proposal (continued)
• 3.2 … help you review and identify appropriate
methods for data collection and data analysis
• Ex. Analyze participation of the poor in agroforestry program
• - Look for literature that empirically measures who is poor
and who not.
• 3.3 …. provide you with (partial) answers to
your research questions and hypotheses outlined
in section 2 under similar or different socioeconomic conditions and countries.
•  Helps to narrow down your research problem
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
3
Purposes of literature review (summary)

establish a theoretical basis and derive a
conceptual framework for your analysis
• What is a dependent variable (for example share of cultivated
land cropped with high-yielding potatoes), and what are
independent variables (for example being in a high-altitude
village, indicators of human and physical capital of the
household and its members, etc.)

narrow down or sharpen your research objectives,
questions and hypotheses

identify data collection instruments and research
methods that appear useful for the purposes of your
study.
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
4
Conceptual framework (1 page)
• This section may briefly summarize your major
(dependent and independent) variables in your
research. It is a result of section 2 and 3.
• The framework may be summarized in a graph that
distinguishes the major variables and their
hypothesized relationships.
• See example of conceptual framework in book by B.
Minten and M. Zeller, Chapter 10 on critical triangle of
rural development
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
5
Types of research questions: When do you need a
theory/conceptual framework
• 1. Descriptive: For example, what are the socioeconomic characteristics of farmers growing
wheat as compared to farmers without wheat?
•  asks what is?
•  no need for a theory, but theory nevertheless
would help in guiding you for which variables
you wish to ask ‘what is?’-type questions.
•  for the remaining four questions
theory/conceptual framework is needed
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
a
6
Types of research questions (continued)
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explorative: Is there any relationship between gender of the
farmer and the likelihood that he or she grows potatoes?
Evaluative: Is credit program A reaching poorer clients than
credit program B? Is growing peppers more profitable than
growing wheat for farmers that have less than 1 hectare?
Explanatory/Control: What are the causes of an observed
outcome? For example: What factors explain why certain
farmers grow wheat and others not? What is the contribution
of family labor and land to overall income in farm
households?
Predictive: How will the share of wheat in cultivated area
change if the price of wheat increases by 10 %, all other
factors held constant?
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
7
Section 5.
The research design and data collection
(1-2 pages)
Step 1: Choice between following principal
designs:
•
•
Case study (useful for Type 1, 2, 3, and 4 research questions, but
not for 5)
Representative Samples which further can be disaggregated into
a number of designs (such as ex post facto, experimental/quasiexperimental)
•
Sometimes a research uses both research designs
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
8
Section 5.
The research design (continued)
Step 2: Identification of population and sample
for example rural households in South Nyanza (a district in
Kenya) or new clients of a certain micro-finance institution
Step 3: Design field research instruments
Questionnaire/ measurement of variables
Example: Partipation in a credit group is a variable  How to
ask this variable?
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
9
Section 6: Select methods for tabular and graphical
presentation of results as well as methods of statistical
analysis (1-2 pages)
-
For example, if your research question is whether
wheat farmers are richer than barley farmers, you
may choose either to:
- Cross-tab the average value of assets possessed in
each of the two groups, and assess through a t-test
whether this difference is statistically significant.
- Graphically show in a bar chart the different value
of assets for the two groups.
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
10
Section 7:
Planning for survey (optional section) (1 page)
Budget
Workplan/Timetable and Logistics
 Is the research feasible within my time and
budget constraints, or do I have to go back to
one of the previous sections to simplify my
problem
 planning of research is a recursive process
5110 Zeller Guidelines for research
proposal
11