Research Proposal Development

8/9/2019 Research Proposal Development

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DevelopingaResearchProposal

Dr Krisanthi Seneviratne

[email protected]


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LectureOutline

Typesofaward

Administrativeprocedure

Choosing

atopic

Developingthe

research

proposal


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TypesofAward

PGCertificate

4courses(passmark35)

PGDiploma

8courses(passmark35)

MSc

8courses(passmark40,overallaverage50)

Dissertation


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AdministrativeProcedure

Formal

You

will

receive

a

decision

to

proceed

to

dissertationbytheexamboardwhen:

Completed8courses

Passedthem

with

aminimum

of

40%

Overallaverageisminimumof50%

Untilthat,youwillnotbeabletoaccessthe

dissertationcourse

on

Vision


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AdministrativeProcedure

Informal

You

need

to

submit

a

dissertation

proposal

once

youcompleted:

4coursesifyouareafulltimestudent

6courses

ifyou

are

apart

time

student

Youwillbeallocatedasupervisorbasedonyourproposal

Youcan

start

working

on

your

dissertation

HoweverSubmittingadissertationproposal doesnotmeanyouhave

alreadyproceed

to

dissertation.

This

would

help

you

in

terms

of

dissertationprogress


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Whenisyoursubmission?

Onceyoufulfilledthefollowingconditions:

Completed8courses

Passedthem

with

aminimum

of

40%

Overallaverageisminimumof50%

Full

time

students

get

one

semesterParttimestudentsgettwosemesters

Submissions:April,AugustandDecember

Yourdissertation

submission

date

will

be

stated

in

theexamboarddecision,thatwillbesent/emailedtoyou


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Proposalsubmission

Nextdissertationproposalsubmissiondeadlineis13February2015

Outcomeof

the

proposal

(within

34weeks)

Pass/approve

Referred

(need

to

resubmit)Ifyoudonotsubmitaproposal,youwillnotbeallocatedasupervisor

Youwill

have

to

find

asupervisor

by

your

own

talking

tothestaff/submitonyourowndiscretion


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MScDissertation

Equivalentto4thoughtcourses(60credits)

Substantialpeaceofworksubmittedduringtheprogramme

Normallyaround15,000words(excluding

appendices)Dissertationshoulddemonstrate

Theabilitytoconductapeaceofrigorousresearchin

yourchosen

field

Criticalthinkingandreasoning


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WhatisResearch?

Researchgeneratesnewknowledge(contributestoknowledge)

Generatesnew

concepts/theories

Broadensourperspectivesandperception

Challengesbeliefs

Concernedwithseekingsolutionstoproblems/answerstoquestions

Researchis

not

filling

your

own

knowledge

gap


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TopicSelection

Connectedtothebuiltenvironment

CECM allowedonlythetechnicaltopics

CMS

followingtopics

will

not

be

accepted:

Causesofdelaysinconstruction(saturated!)

Socialresearch


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TopicSelection

Initialideacancomefrom:

Problems/circumstancesatyourplaceofwork

o Relevance

o Priorknowledge

o Readyaccesstofieldworkdata

AcademicsCoursematerials

Conferences

Formerdissertations

Literature


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TopicSelection

Then,startreading

Tofindoutwhathasbeendone

Toidentify

the

issues/problem

Toseehowtheareacanbenarrowdown

Should

not

be

too

broadE.g.:ContractorsCashflowinInfrastructureProjects

Shouldbespecific/focused

E.g.:Investigate

the

reasons

for

negative

cash

flow

in

roadprojects

Shouldnotbetoonarrow youwillnotcomeup

withsufficient

findings


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OutlineResearchProposal

Structure/sections

Titlepage(title,yourname,reg no,HWemail,programme,

FT/PT)

Proposal

Dissertation

titleBackgroundandrationaleofthestudy

Aim

ObjectivesOutlineresearchmethods

References


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Dissertationtitle

Itprovidesanunderstandingofthe

research

topic/focus

of

the

study(butnotalways)

Will

have

to

refine

as

the

researchisundertaken

Providearelativelyshort,

simpleand

effective

title

that

thereadercaneasilyunderstand

E.g.


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BackgroundandrationaleofthestudyIntroducesthetopicareabriefly

Itsets

out

the

problem

and

the

reason

for

the

proposed

study,

highlightingtheissuestobeinvestigated(thisisimportant)

Itmustdemonstratewhyitisworthwhiletoinvestigate

Should

be

supported

with

a

few

key

references

(Journals,

conference

proceedings,reportsprovideuptodatematerial)


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Aim

Istheultimategoalofyourresearch

Writtenwithclearoneortwosentences

Agoodaimdemonstratesthatyouhavenarrowed

downthe

topic

to

something

that

is

do

able

and

manageable


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Objectives

Objectivesarethebreakdownoftheaimintoseparatebut

relatedissues

that

when

investigated

willhelpyoutoachievetheaim

Usually

3

5,

enumerated

(should

not

write

as

a

paragraph)E.g:

1. Toidentify.

2. To

investigate.3. Todevelop

ShouldbeSMART

Specific(not

generic),

Measurable,

Achievable,

Realistic,

Timely

(fitwithinthetimescale)


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Objectives

UsefulverbsinwritingobjectivesFirst Objective Main Objectives Final Objective

Review

Describe

Identify

Establish

Outline Highlight

Reveal

Discuss

Reveal

Discuss

Explore

Consider

Examine Investigate

Compare

Analyse

Evaluate

Assess

Develop

Recommend

Outline

Make


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References

FollowtheHarvardReferencingSystem

Withinthetextcitations=Listofreferences

Formattingofwithinthetextreferencese.g.

Procurementis

defined

as

.(Author

surname,

year).

Procurementisdefinedas.(SmithandAshworth,2014).

Procurementisdefinedas.(Smithetal.,2014).

Procurementisdefinedas.(Ashworth,2013;Smith,2014).

Smith(2014),definesconstructionprocurement

AccordingtoSmith(2014),constructionprocurementis


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References

Listofreferencesattheend:


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Otherissues

Avoidspellingandgrammaticalmistakes

Expressyourideasclearly


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ResponsibilitiesofSupervisors

Supportthroughout

Adviseonthestructureandsuitabilityofthe

dissertation

Commentondraftworksubmitted

Warnthe

student

ifthe

work

is

not

of

asatisfactory

standard


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Research Proposal Development

Documents