10.1 Introduction to the Project Proposal – Developing the Plan
Introduction to the Project Proposal – Developing the Plan
In this chapter you will learn how to:
- identify the process for choosing the right study design
- describe the ethical considerations that impact your study design
- list the steps to writing the research proposal.
Most pharmacy students do not know how to begin to plan and write their research proposal. Advice and examples are provided in this chapter for your review and to consolidate your
understanding of not only the Proposal but of the abbreviated version for this Trimester – The Plan.
Note: (you will be writing a framework for the proposal (the Plan), with the Proposal to be completed in PC 3360/3460 in Trimester 3)
A research proposal is a detailed description of a proposed study designed to investigate a given problem. It is intended to convince others that you have a worthwhile research project and that you have the competence and the work-plan to complete it. Broadly the research proposal must address the following questions regardless of your research area and the methodology you choose:
- What you plan to accomplish
- Why do you want to do it
- How are you going to do it.
Reading 1
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Al-Riyami, How to prepare a research proposal, in Oman Med J Apr 23(2) 66-69. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3282423/
For this topic on research proposals you will use the text “An Introduction to Research Methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students”.
This content is focused on Part 6 – Choosing the right study design. Each of the chapter reading sections below is linked to the relevant chapter of this text for you to read and complete related activities.
Selecting the appropriate study design
Chapter Readings: An Introduction to research methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students
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🗉 Summary
Before selecting the study design – you need to have determined the:
- Aims that provide the overall direction and a broad context for the research
- Research questions are more general and open-ended. They identify the main problem or area of inquiry that needs to be answered by the research
- Objectives allow you to answer the research question and provide specific targets/outcomes that must be achieved to accomplish the aims. They also provide smaller steps that the researcher must take to accomplish the overall research goals. Plus they should be specific and measurable.
💡TIP: When you are writing the research objectives, consider the research methods that you will use to achieve the objectives and answer the research question.
In Ch. 6.2 in addition to the Research Question, you need to consider:
- resources,
- availability of data from your study population and
- ethical considerations as an Ethics Application will also be part of PC3360/3460.
Additional Reading
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- Doody and Bailey, Setting a research question, aim and objective in Nurse Researcher, Available at https://journals.rcni.com/nurse-researcher/setting-a-research-question-aim-and-objective-nr.23.4.19.s5
- Formulating Research Aims and Objectives, Available at https://research-methodology.net/research-methodology/research-aims-and-objectives/
Principles of Research Ethics
Chapter Readings: An Introduction to research methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students
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You have already been introduced in a previous subject to the “Four key ethical principles” of respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. Complete the activity below to consolidate your understanding
Activity 1️⃣⏰30 Minutes
Writing the Research Proposal
For this subject you will be writing a framework which will be further developed in your next subject
Chapter Reading: An Introduction to research methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students
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Reading
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Sudheesh et al, How to write a research proposal in Indian J Anaesth 2016 Sep; 60(9): 631–634, Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037942/