select basic features of a research proposal - based on the lectures and notes of Dr. Francisco Datar

1. Cultural Anthropology
Research Proposal
based on the lectures and notes of
Dr. Francisco Datar
Cindy Cruz-Cabrera
prof.cindycatz@gmail.com
Cultural Anthropology (Social Science 4)

2. Introduction to your Research Topic
• Describe the research topic
• Provide context for your research topic and
issue
• Create a statement of the problem
• Explain the research problem/issue
• Develop your thesis statement
• Elaborate on your thesis statement
• List your Points of Inquiry

3. Evaluation of your Proposed Topic
• Is the problem stated in a complete and
grammatical sentence?
• Is it clear how the area of study will be limited
or focused
• Based on the two items above, edit your
statement of the problem.

4. Evaluation of your Proposed Topic
• On the basis of the edited statement, reflect
on the following:
• Does the answer to this problem have the potential
for providing important and relevant answers and
information?
• Will the result be more than a simple exercise in
gathering information, answering YES or NO
questions, or making a simple comparison?
• Is the problem focused enough to be doable, or is it
too broad in scope?
• Is this really what I want to investigate?

5. Bibliography
• Find references that will help you learn
significant information about your proposed
research topic.
• List these according to type: books, journals,
newspapers, websites, films
• Begin to create a list for interviews

6. Format of Proposal
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Current state of work in the area
• Theoretical orientation
• Methodology, research strategies, and
procedures
• Significance of the study
• Analysis
• Bibliography

7. Title Page
• Concise and brief
• Should capture the essence of the entire study

8. Table of contents
• Should show different levels of each chapter

9. Abstract
• The first line should list index words or key
phrases
• Your proposal in brief: should tell us the
problem, hypothesis, framework, site,
methodology, and analysis of your study

10. Introduction
• Research design should be in the form of a
thesis
• Should state the nature of the problems and
the objectives clearly
• Should define the extent and significance of
the problem
• Should state specific questions for which
answers are to be sought

11. Current state of work in the area
• A brief history of the problem and where it
stands today
• Should indicate that you have a thorough
knowledge of the relevant literature

12. Theoretical orientation
• Should be guided by the hypotheses / theories
you intend to test

13. Methodology, research strategies,
and procedures
• The methods you propose to use and why
• Alternate methodology
• Target population
• Sample size
• Sample selection
• Tentative time schedule

14. Significance of the study
• The importance of your research
• Why it is a significant contribution

15. Analysis
• Unit/s of analysis
• Methods for analyzing data
• Eventually, this will contain your interpretation
of the data