Discuss the impact of sustainable manufacturing practice on the performance of small businesses in the United Kingdom.
A research proposal will:
clearly define the topic you’re interested in
show your understanding of your research area
show you have started to identify and (at least tentatively) developed an original and interesting research question
demonstrate you understand how to conduct research
be well-structured and clear
include a bibliography and in-text referencing
note that the word limits associated with the respective sections are guideline limits – you may use some discretion in terms of the word count of these sections (the total word count is 3000, +/-10%, plus bibliography).
NOTICE:
Proposal (Part 1)
The Proposal – Part 1 assessment structure document instruction (available on Moodle):
“Short research proposal (maximum 3000 words +/-10%, PLUS bibliography)”.
PLEASE NOTE THAT:
All elements of the research proposal (3000 words) submitted as a summative assessment in Semester 1 (Dissertation Part 1/Proposal) can be carried over to (and used in) the summative assessment in Semester 2.
N.B. Using the same elements will not be treated as self-plagiarism. It is however advisable to improve on the work already submitted rather than re-submitting the same material verbatim.
Structure:
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Title of Topic/Project Proposal
This needs to be well defined, precise and clearly written. It may well contain phrases such as; ‘An investigation into …’
‘A critical analysis/appraisal of …’
‘An investigation to establish/analyse the impact of …’
‘A comparison between …’
A) Introduction
Introduce the area of research and provide a brief summary of the main points and conclusions of your proposal
(approx. 250 words)
B) Theoretical background and research focus
Review key publications and themes (briefly)
Include hypotheses (if applicable)
Your aims and objectives, and research questions
(approx. 1000-1200 words)
C) Justification and contextualization
Why is your research important?
Why is it important to find what you are trying to find?
How will it build on the existing body of evidence?
Is it timely? Does it respond to an existing need? What makes it so?
(approx. 600 words)
D) Methodology
How will you achieve the research aims? Present the proposed research methodology (e.g. research paradigm, methodological approach, methods, techniques, sample size, target populations, equipment and data analysis, if applicable) and explain why is it the most appropriate way to effectively answer the research question. Have you considered (and disregarded) any alternatives? (approx. 600 words)
The methodology section should also include a brief ‘Access and ethics’ section, which discusses what you consider to be the key ethical implications of your work and it should also explain how you will gain access to the research field, i.e. how you will find the information you need (approx. 100 words). It will also comprise ‘limitations’ section: Are there any limitations or downsides of your selected research strategy? How are they counterweighting the advantages? (approx. 100 words)
(approx. 800 words altogether)
