Describe the specific methodology you propose to complete your research – how you plan to do (conduct) your data collection, or how you will test your hypothesis(es), what kind of original research will you conduct? {This should be 1-2 pages; and if you plan a survey or questionnaire or interview then also provide some sample questions.}
The first part of your discussion of research methodology is to discuss how you researched for your literature review. Everyone is using library and online data source searches for their literature review. So you need to mention that as part of your methodology. After you learn about your topic and what research has already been done, and what is already known, you will propose to conduct new research to add new knowledge to the field. In this course you will not actually conduct the new research, all you will do is discuss how you would if you were going to; You will provide sample questions for a survey or interviews; and/or describe the design of an experimental study you would conduct, etc. If humanities research, for example, are you using textual analysis, close text reading; historical analysis, psychoanalysis, etc.? Or what combination of methods? Are you engaging in philosophical inquiry, comparative analyses? Are you using primary or secondary sources or both?
If conducting social science research, are you gathering qualitative or quantitative data; or using mixed methods? If quantitative, where will you gather your data and how will you analyze it? Will you use online surveys? Are you going to tally information (what information) and present it in tables or graphic form? Are you using multivariate analysis – if so what are your independent and dependent variables, what relationships do you hypothesize; and how are you analyzing them? Are you using someone else’s model or methodology? Why?
If qualitative, what exact qualitative methods and strategies will you use: questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, case studies, ethnographic research, etc.? Will you conduct Participatory Action Research? Explain the specifics and why you are choosing that method. Include samples of your survey or interview questions.
Discuss studying human subjects and what processes and safeguards you have to use to do no harm. How will you follow the proper procedures for studying human subjects and informing your subjects properly?
What is your plan for conducting the research? Where will you get your information/data and/or subjects? Or describe the detailed experimental or instrumental methods and/or techniques you will employ.
Explain why you are using the methods you have chosen, and what you expect the methodology to help you to learn or discover. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your methodology? Cite sources about that. Discuss the limitations of your methods. Are there ways you will overcome the limitations? Cite sources about that.
Reference where you got the method from, what literature, disussion with a mentor, etc., led you to this methodology. Include a reference section for the sources you cite in your description of methods. [For the final Research Proposal, you will include this list of references with all your other references in a Bibliography at the end of the proposal.]
