BFA715: Identify an Area of Research that is Both Important and of Interest

Internal Code: 1AJAEH

Research Proposal Assignment

This research project proposal is intended to introduce you to the research process that underlies much of the work and theoretical discussions you are participating in this semester.  You will need to draw on skills learnt and on your thinking about the information provided in lectures and in the textbook, in the tutorials and through the academic journal articles you have read. This task will be completed in a number of parts identified below.  Use the headings provided. This question is provided in Word format so that you can use the structure as a starting point.   For the purpose of this exercise, assume your audience includes experienced research academics, a potential postgraduate research supervisor, as well as other first-time research students.  Your work should be communicated at the 700-level Masters standard. The word limit on each part is a suggestion only: The overall word limit is 3,000 words, including references, and you will need to strike an appropriate balance.  The largest section of your proposal will be the Literature Review (step 4) by far.  

• Background 

• Identify an area of research that is both important and of interest to you. Explain why it is of interest to you.
• You may include historical, cultural, political, social or organisational information about the context of the research.

• Motivation and justification 

1. • Present a brief argument to justify others’ need for, and the potential usefulness of, research in this area.  Whilst you could base this argument on personal experience or opinion, ensure that you also include reasoning based on knowledge gained in your studies and any gaps you have identified in the literature (IE: include references).

• Research Aim 

1. • Now narrow the scope of your study to a more specific context.  Briefly describe a specific research problem you would like to explore.
   • Identify an over-arching research question derived from your problem statement to be answered.
   • Identify specific research questions that would assist your exploration of the research problem and the over-arching research question.  Only one question is necessary, but sometimes we must ask a couple of preliminary questions before we have all the information we need to ask the main question. (It must be possible to answer these questions.)
   • Identify a title for your research.

• Literature Review 

1. • Provide a literature review (at least five relevant academic journal articles*) to support your research question(s) that need to be analysed to address your research problem.
   • Explain why each article is relevant to your research, and why the information will contribute to being able to support the research investigation proposed. Be critical in your analysis. {NOTE:  this is NOT a summary of the articles but your arguments identifying relevance for your proposed study}.
   • Present a brief argument for the adoption of a theory or theories to guide and support your research.

* Overall, throughout this proposal, you should aim for at least 10 references, but some of these might be corporate reports, research books, regulations, case law, etc.  Your literature review, however, should include a minimum of five academic journal articles.  

• Research design and method

1. • Explain how the theory/theories emerging from step 4 can guide you in the design of your research.
   • What do you need to know to answer your research question(s)?  What appropriate research methods would you use (research method)? Survey, content analysis, interviews etc.  
   • Why are your research methods appropriate in relation to your research question/s?

• Ethical considerations 

1. Does your research require approval from the UTAS Ethics Committee (Refer to http://www.utas.edu.au/research-admin/research-integrity-and-ethics-unit-rieu/human-ethics/human-research-ethics-review-process/social-sciences-hrec/forms)
2. If so, what process would you need to follow?
3. Expectation on findings

• Write a paragraph on what results you might expect.  This is a prediction and related to your original motivations for the research.
• Try to relate your expected findings to the theory in your literature review.  That is, what have you found in the literature which might explain the results you expect?

• In-text references and a reference list

• Use the Harvard System of referencing.

Essential submission requirements Format your document with 12 point Times New Roman font and 1.5 line spacing throughout. Present your work to MyLO as one single document which includes a title page that states your project title, your name, your student ID and the unit code.