School of Civil, Environmental, and Geotechnical Engineering

Methods of Research

Chapter 5
DEVELOPING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Learning Objectives:
1. Produce ideas and propagate them to support the elaboration of the topic.
2. Develop ideas for research and make them question/statement, understand and refine
them.
3. Refine the ideas of your research and limit the study using key concepts.
Overview:
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Elaborate the Topic
4. The Questions in Relation to Literature for Research Project
5. Refine the Idea
6. Methodological framework outline for a research project

1. Introduction
In order to concentrate your research, as well as the entirety of your paper, on a certain
topic, it is absolutely vital to create a research question that you are interested in or care about.
For instance, it is hard to research wide subjects like "Construction Management” and
“Construction Delay" as there may be hundreds of sources on all elements of business
management. In addition to this, a research project fixated and centered on a particular issue, as
an example, the advantages and disadvantages of Japanese construction management style, is
simpler to investigate and can be dealt with in greater depth. With this in mind, it is very much
aiding to gather information regarding the topic beforehand.
2. Discussion
When the researcher has read a few background information, the researcher can refine the
research topic from being too broad to that the researcher could focus on the topic (Chandra &
Shang, 2019, p. 37). As soon as the researcher narrowed down a broad subject to a focused topic,
the faster the researcher can work the paper to finish. On the other side, if the researcher begins
with a focused or detailed topic, the researcher may have a hard time in gathering related sources
in order to write a paper. Topics that are too broad are usually stated in four to five words
(Booth, Colomb, & Williams, 2008, p. 43). Narrowing down the subject or topic through adding
more details or words can help the researcher to focus on a narrower thesis statement or may
help in developing a research question. The researcher must also consider narrowing the subject
to make the topic manageable. Topics that has too much content is a common problem to the
researcher. Asking these following questions may give aid to attaining a manageable topic:

• What do I know with the subject?

• Do I have a specific period to be considered?
• Is there geographic region to be focused on?
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• Is there a topic that intrigues or interest you?

How are you developing a question of usable studies? Choose a subject or problem that
suits your study, one that can genuinely be investigated. Afterwards, list yourself all the
questions you would like to answer. Choose the best question, which is neither too wide nor too
narrow. Sometimes, a variety of sources that you are able to gather will give you aid in finding
out if your research question is too wide, too narrow, or just enough?
A well composed paper is derived from a good research question. Good question is often
characterized as a strong question that can be supported with evidences. It is an opportunity to
interconnect published and unpublished research to the researcher’s working topic. A research
question should be contestable and not just a simple question.
There are several differences in between topic and a question. The researcher may find a
topic, however, within the topic, the researcher must find a question to determine what is needed
to be learned. If the research question is not good enough, no matter how good the entire write-
up of the research is, it may potentially lead to a failure. Due to this, it is very critical to spend a
lot of time researching, formulating, and conceptualizing the research question rather than
focusing on the other parts. The research question is the most important part and is a pre-
requisite for all the process of the research proposal because it defines, guides the stated
arguments and inquiry and, lastly, it provokes the stimulus of the reader (Foss & Waters, 2016,
p. 36).
Most of the time, the question for the research should be the one that is the most
interesting and intriguing to the researcher (Conrad & Serlin, 2011, p. 112). However, there are
two things to avoid. First, the convenient questions and second, questions that are fad. The
researcher should be realistic and can ground interest in the research question that can be
expounded and backed up with an intellectual and academic debate (Robson & McCartan, 2016,
p. 164). It is the interest of the researcher to keep the motivation in working and producing a
good and expounded writ up. Having no or little interest about the topic will certainly become
very hard or difficult to write until the end of the research process. There are five steps in writing
a strong research question:
1) Look after purpose of the statement. If the researcher has a detailed statement
pertaining to its focus, then it should contain the start of an acceptable research question.
2) Kinds of information gathered should be examined. The researcher should
consider if there are enough articles to support the stated purpose.
3) Think about the number of evidences. Is there a need to search for more?
4) Ensure that there is a strong argument or a strong claim for the case
5) In writing research question, the researcher should consider the following
approaches:
a. State the opinion about the defined problem.
b. Discuss the issue or problem then suggest how the current state can be addressed.
c. Suggest possible solution.
d. Suggest new ways or looks to an issue or problem
e. Suggest on how the issue or problem should be viewed in a different perspective.
f. Compare.
g. Suggest on how the ideas has been affected in its current state.
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You can create a research question based on your own comprehension if you understand
a lot about the subject. However, if there is, in any way, a feeling of foreignness with the subject,
think of ways as to familiarize yourself with the given topic. For instance, if you are allocated a
study subject on an issue that confronts the ancient Babylonian family, remember that you
already understand a lot about family problems because of your own family life. Once you
determine what you understand, in order to create a usable research question, you prepare to do
some general reading on a textbook or encyclopedia.
Before finishing the research exercise, evaluating your research question and asking the
writing tutor for feedback on your study issue is a prominently beneficial idea. And with your
course tutor, you should also check your research question.
3. Elaborate the Topic
A subject pertains to what the journal or essay is about. It gives the writing a focus. The
main subject can, of course, be broken down into parts or even smaller parts (e.g., the main
subject of nuclear waste disposal can be broken down into medical, financial and environmental
issues). However, one significant thing to remember is that in order to have a consistent piece of
writing, you should stick with just one significant subject per essay or research paper.
Generate Ideas for research works
One of the most challenging elements of studies is the generating of an exciting and
workable concept. Researchers need to know what work has been done in a specified region and
how additional study questions can be answered to further advance the field. Once a topic of
interest has been acknowledged, literature review on the subject should be exercised by the
researcher. Furthermore, a thorough investigation on the study subject should, as well, be done
for the process of doing so can expose the areas that could give benefit from further research,
together with lapses and loopholes. These steps will involve the researcher in considering their
current knowledge base and exploring areas that may be appropriate for further research. (Badke,
W. B., 2008)
The act is very similar to asking a lot of artists where they get their inspiration. You can
probably get a thousand different answers, but, at the same time, the provision of a helpful
response is not given. There are some aspects, however, which are believed to be prevalent for
all. You cannot "initiate" fresh thoughts into your mind, but in order to host these fresh thoughts,
you put your mind in the correct position: acknowledge them and welcome them.
Be questioned. More than being confronted with contradiction, a good criticism, a
spirited discussion, and perhaps a bit of rivalry, can spark some thoughts. While some
individuals manage to do this on their own, arguing against themselves and enhancing their
thoughts, most people tend to have the need of an echo chamber, or, more simply put, someone
to talk to. If they are not exactly from the same field, it is all the better as they might have
unusual and naïve questions or expectations that may potentially contribute new thoughts and
ideas and enhance the researcher’s perception.
Be interested. Thoughts arise from problems. Distinguishing commendable problems in
the study sector, and analyzing larger problems into specific questions of reasonable degree, is,
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Methods of Research

at any rate, as difficult as thinking about fresh ideas. Finally, my tendency is that all ideas are the
after-effect of one's interest, especially for a researcher.
Figure out how to get some extra time for intuition. Without a doubt, a thought can fly
into your head whenever, yet it is presumably less inclined to happen when you show
fundamental analytics throughout the day than when you get some opportunity to truly think.
Know your field. Know where there is to be another improvement, identify if there is
something that is missing at that particular moment that might make the research better. Perusing
survey papers, searching for such ideas through articles from people or blog posts, examining
with senior associates with a thorough field view, and the like are helpful in determining what is
there to be improved.
One of the manners in which you can accompany thoughts is by breaking down how
various gatherings work in your fields, seeing what has been tended to and stayed away from,
what central issues are as yet open, and how you can interface between various attempts to
assemble a rational worldwide picture. This is not constantly fruitful, however it as a rule creates
some smart thoughts en route!
Investigate areas that are linked to each other and see if there is anything from your
experience that you can apply to their problems, or ways you could construct something together.
Such thoughts will, in general, be solid, since you can intermittently apply a whole part of
information (thoughts, strategies, calculations, and so on) to an altogether different issue. All
things considered, the additional worth originates from your alternate point of view, as you may
attempt things that others would not consider.
Ways to come up with fresh thoughts on a particular subject were conceived, either alone
or in group meetings. Brainstorming is likely the best-known technique of this kind (and perhaps
the most common, in one form or another), but it has created a very big amount of creativity
techniques. They can be implemented to both enhance creativity and improve effectiveness in
problem solving.

4. The Questions in Relation to Literature for Research Project

For two reasons, a written study embraces you: first, to recognize and outline current
exams on a specific topic you have an investigation about; then the second one is to assess that
exploration as it relates to your exploration issue. Thinking about writing surveys in research
writing is usually aimed as a first step towards planning and contemplating your very own
exploration. You would prefer not to rehash the controls; fabricating what you need now is what
important. That's the graduate research concept: finding out what has been accomplished and
putting together something fresh on that institution.
A literature review particularly with research of postgraduates can be considered as a
project itself. It is an integral part of the research to highlight the talent of a researcher to
analyze, interpret, understand, synthesize, argument development, and clarify thoughts. Process
of reporting the literature review can help the researcher in clarifying his or her own
understanding about the study. The reader of the literature review should be clear and up to date
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Methods of Research

knowledge on the related works of other researchers the address the gap to help solve the
problem.
It is relevant to conduct a literature review to persuade the readers to justify the relevance
and the worth of the entire research. Readers usually asks the following questions such as:
• What are the research questions in this study?
• Why it is being asked?
• Does somebody else done similar studies?
• What is already justified and defined regarding the study?
• How does it affect the researcher’s researcher? Does it contribute to its
perception, or provoke existing beliefs & theories?
There are several ways of retrieving relevant materials like digital sources, references of
the references, manual seeking of journals. Pursuance using digital databases is the fastest
method to approach to relevant materials. Other mode of seeking for references is by utilizing
references of the references that you are using. This is particularly useful if the researcher can
find a review article that synthesize other field of literature and thus, will provide you an
extensive list of references. Lastly, manual searching of journals is also recommended since no
digital literature can ensure a 100% accuracy and comprehensively and contents of the articles is
not perfect all the time.
There are a few side advantages of guiding written surveys: introduction to the ebb and
flow look into your field, understanding of different types of study, ability to assess these
procedures, nature with the style and types of scholastic and expert composition. (Fraenkel,
2006)
Activity study is not the same in two distinct respects as other types of studies. Initially, it
is the neighborhood, suggesting it is anticipated for a limited state such as a specific course,
explicit study hall, or individuals ' specific gathering. It cannot be anticipated that the
implications of such studies will apply outside its predefined environment. The subsequent
contrast in real-life research aims at addressing a problem recognized by the scientist within the
very own workplace of the specialist. In other types of studies, the analyst would select
populations and locations outside of their own authoritative reach to react to an increasingly
widespread need investigation.
Though review of literature should be written in an academic style, it is helpful to
imagine that it is just a story that is being narrated. A series of running thoughts of the story is to
explain why it is needed to be studied. The story should be logical, persuasive, interesting,
comprehensive, informative, and ideal. It shall conclude that the research is a logically good
idea.
Once the initial draft of the literature review is done, it is possible to self-assess what
have the researcher achieved is parallel to its aims. One way to assess the work is to examine
each paragraph, write a short summary of the content, and the type of content. The summary that
has been accomplished should provide the outline of the study. Hereunder are some of the useful
questions at this point:
• Is the summary balanced between commend and description?
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Methods of Research

• Is there a missed out important side of the argument or literature?

• Is the development of each step have been supported well in the argument?
• Is the order of the presentation of the material is the most effective?
• Are there unanswered questions?
• Is the relevance of each piece of evidence have been explained to the reader?
• Is there an interesting material that does not contribute to the argument
development?
• Are the justifications have been adequately explained?
• Are the references up to date?
• Are all the elements have been linked effectively?
If there are paragraphs or sections that does not pass the tests, it should be crossed
out to remove unnecessary information that can mislead the reader of the research.

Attributes of a Good Research Question for a Literature Review

A good research Question;

Can be replied by gathering and breaking down information.

Writing research will be restricted to perceptive research, which almost dependably to
events that respond to inquiries by gathering and investigating information. On the off chance
that you pose an inquiry that can't be solve by information and you don't have or you can’t find a
researchable investigation. A case of a non-researchable inquiry would be one like this: Will
content informing be the finish of spelling as we probably aware it? That is a fascinating inquiry,
however unseemly as an examination question since information couldn't address an inquiry
regarding conduct later on.
Another non-researchable inquiry is this: Do guardians have an ethical commitment to be
associated with their youngsters' schools? Albeit advantageous for individual thought, inquiries
of ethics, qualities, and religious confidence cannot be replied by information gathering and
investigation (you could, not withstanding, review a gathering of individuals to decide whether
they accept guardians that have an ethical commitment to be associated with their kids'
instruction, however, you would then pose an alternate inquiry).
Expects the likelihood of various results or suppositions.
What is the “Precautionary Construction Management for Sustainability Act”? There is
no space for sentiment in this inquiry. Any valid source will give indistinguishable data
(however, a few sources will give progressively, some less). Any valid source will provide
indistinguishable information (although some sources will gradually yield less). There's no true
way out of it to get an inference. However, this investigation may be the start of a study, not the
writing survey or study plan, requiring distinct views to be introduced in order to include fresh
experiences.
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Is Restricted.
What makes a decent educator? Consider what sort of research could respond to this
inquiry. Above all else, I'm not catching good's meaning?" How could "great" be estimated or
characterized? Second, who should respond to the inquiry: educators? Understudies? Guardians?
Managers, Foreman, Construction Worker? Second, would the appropriate responses be the
equivalent for each evaluation level? Third, what sort of educator is to be incorporated: science
instructor? Mentor? chief? Financial aspects teacher? Parent? The inquiry is excessively
expansive.
Is Clear.
What is the best strategy to exhibiting sex training? Such an investigation would
undoubtedly include an assorted range of views; however, it is also excessively broad and
ambiguous to be meaningful. The question is how to choose what "best" means and how to
estimate it. There's an investigation about who could do the instruction (government-funded
school, guardians, religious organisation, etc.) There's the question of setting: youth age and
sexual orientation, school type, etc.
A better strategy to asking a sex training investigation is this: Can open center school sex
education courses substantially lower the rates of undergraduate pregnancy? This is a superior
investigation as it is restricted (open center school, "excellent"= enormous declines in pregnancy
rates for undergraduates). Despite the reality that this is a yes / no investigation, you are likely to
find an instance of fruitful sex training — at the end of the day, what kind of advice has resulted
in the greatest declines. All things regarded that you will have a rich field for collecting lit survey
sections for your return and end. (Kennedy, M. 2005)
Is in Private inquiry.
Sometime research issues have culminations (strongly associated sub-questions), but for
the present the focus is merely on a lonely guiding investigation for which you are trying to find
a response in the current writing. That issue of solitary management should not be a multi-part
question. For instance, don't ask How have bigger class sizes influenced understudy test scores,
understudy conduct, and educator work fulfillment? Clearly, that is three inquiries, not one
(notwithstanding being excessively wide and dubious). You won't almost certainly deal with a
paper the length of a writing audit if various inquiries are installed in your examination question.
How do educators and understudies’ profit by instructor in-administration preparing?
That is two inquiries requiring two writing surveys.
Is based on sound assumptions.
To set aside cash I am going to purchase a half breed vehicle. Where would i be able to
locate the least expensive crossover? The hidden supposition that will be that purchasing a
mixture vehicle will set aside you cash. Assuming this is the case, finding the least expensive
cross breed would merit the pursuit. Be that as it may, will purchasing a half and half set aside
you cash? Autonomous shopper research indicates most likely not, contingent on what you're
driving now, the amount you drive, and the cost of gas. On the off chance that setting aside cash
is the objective, at that point why research cross breed costs as opposed to investigating less
expensive vehicles that would set aside you more cash?
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In what manner can schools get guardians engaged with their kids' training? The inquiry
contains a solid presumption: that youngsters would profit by their folks' getting included. When
you have explained the significance of "associated with their kids' training," you should ensure
that the advantages of such inclusion have been upheld by research, and that the disadvantages of
such contribution don't eclipse the advantages. In case your assumption is broken, at the primary
passage you have lost your pursuers. Before you settle on the investigation, check your
assumptions. There is no need to build up the validity of the presumption in the document, but
most pursuers will know if it is faulty or frail.
5. Refine the Idea
You could restrict the point by stating what you intend to do with the conditions or what
you relate to: for example, control and order of the teacher? Synchronized teaching errors,
individualized? Accommodating social situation? Support for understudy? Preparing an
educator? You could also limit the topic by level of assessment, populations of strength, type of
college, etc. You could finish a documented inquiry into how the board's concept of study hall
has changed over the centuries. What you can't do is try to cover the managers in a lonely writing
study in all areas of the homeroom. You will end with a superficial therapy of the topic that adds
nothing to the writing of the specialist.
You could present a shut-down investigation like this: do you understudy normal
collaboration leading to beneficial meeting behavior in rudimentary rooms of research? Your
examination would be limited to believing that you were trying to find a "yes" or "no" answer to
this investigation or something like it.
You could present an open investigation like this: how to use understudy investment in
normal making to enhance understudy bunch behavior in rudimentary rooms of research? In
essence, your exploring would extend to integrate studies into various methods of undergraduate
collaboration. (Hart, C. 2001)
In case that yes how, you could strengthen the two questions to pose. Know that you may not
find a clear match between your investigation and study studies. It is your task as a scientist to
find the exam that most closely covers the investigation and then reveals how it is done to the
pursuers.

6. Methodological framework outline for a research project

Methodology describes the vast philosophical underpinning to the chosen method of
research which includes the use either qualitative or quantitative methods, or a mixture of both.
Methodology should be correlated back to the literature to explain and justify the usage of that
certain method which also includes the choice of the academic basis. There are common research
methodologies that are being used: interviews, observations, and questionnaires (Newby, 2014,
p. 288).
• Interview – This is the most versatile and widely used methodology for conducting
qualitative information. It is done through a guided conversation between the researcher
and the respondent. The interviewer usually develops a guide to the topic that the
researcher is investigating and may even include a numerous question to ask. Interviews
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Methods of Research

are not suited for gathering information for large quantity of respondents, it is time
consuming and should consider careful attention that are needed to be given to select
respondents that will have relevant experience or knowledge to answer the questions of
the research.
• Observations – The type of methodology can yield a data that is either quantitative or
qualitative. Draw backs of having this kind of methodology is having ethical concerns
that may arise while conducting the study.
• Document Analysis – This involves gathering data from existing documents without
having to interview people. Documents that are qualified for the study are newspaper
articles, leaflets, government records, minutes of the meetings, songs, websites, films and
photograph. It is widely used mainly by historians and social scientists.
Methodology should be traced back to the researcher question and other previous
researches. It should also explain the drawbacks of the chosen method and how to abate worst
case scenarios. Methodology will be only done once the conceptual framework is accomplished.
The researcher should also be clear all throughout regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the
chosen approach and have a plan on how to address such situations.

End of Chapter Questions:

1) How to elaborate idea and explain extensively the good question in refining ideas?
2) Explain the process and the factors to consider when developing research question.
3) Define and differentiate the three common research methodologies.
4) Discuss briefly the importance of questions in relation to literature for research project

References
Badke, W. B. (2008). Research strategies: Finding your way through the information fog (3rd
ed.). Lincoln, NE: iUniverse.
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The Craft of Research (2nd ed.).
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broad are usually stated in four to five
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Conrad, C. F., & Serlin, R. C. (2011). The SAGE handbook for research in education: Pursuing
ideas as the keystone of exemplary inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
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Fraenkel, J. R. & Wallen, N. E. (2006), How to design and evaluate research in education (6th
ed.).
Foss, S. K., & Waters, W. (2016). Destination dissertation: A travelers guide to a done
dissertation. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Kennedy, M. (2005). What makes a research question answerable? Retrieved from Michigan
State University Doctoral Program in Teacher Education
Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016). Real world research. Chichester: Wiley