BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS DEGREE IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSALS

The following are suggested steps in the development of a research project proposal.

1. Title of the project 2. Project summary3. Project description 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Rationale and significance 3.3 Aims and objectives3.4 Literature review 3.5 Methods/facilities and equipment3.6 Plan of work

STEPS IN DETAIL 1. Title

The issue/problem to be investigated or question to be answered.

2. Project summary Put a summary of the key aspects of your proposal up frontInclude in your summary the objectives of your proposed workPoint out why the work is relevant to the subject matter areaClearly and succinctly summarise the plan of workBecause you cannot write a good summary until you have completed the rest of the proposal, the summary should be the last thing you write

3. Project Description3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 Background information 3.1.2 Statement of the problem

Definition of the problem Immediate background of the problem

3.2 Rationale And Significance Of The Study

A proposal presents a plan to solve some problem or an answer to some questions. Why the study is undertaken? /Importance of the studyExplain why there is need for solution to the problemSpell out the consequences of ignoring the problemBenefits that will come from the solution

3.3 Literature review Review relevant work done by other researchers /available information published and unpublishedDemonstrate the gaps to be filled by the proposed research

3.4 Aims and objectives General objectives – aims or goals Specific objectives (SMART) using action verbs

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3.5 Methods/Facilities/Materials/Equipment and data analysis Tell your readers how you are going to carry out the work. Give information on:Delimitation of the scope of the studyMethods to be used/data collection techniquesTask breakdownWork scheduleState laboratory space, computers, secretarial support and other instruments and testing apparatus etcPlan for data processing and analysisEthical considerations Pre-tests or pilot study

3.5.1. Methods to be usedWhen you propose a problem for solution, you must demonstrate that you have the means required to solve it.A plan of attack, a method of operation, a systematic analysis of intended procedures will attest to your practical know-how.You propose methods that have been created for earlier research similar to your own. In such a case, you may save space and time by referring to such methods and providing reference to sources, usually journals, where complete details can be found.

3.5.2. Facilities and EquipmentThese may include laboratory space, computers, secretarial support, a

technical library, surveying instruments, testing apparatus, etc.

3.5.3. Plan of Work and Work Schedule All projects require a breakdown into tasks, e.g.

Initial exploration and planning Search for literature Gathering and checking information/data Analysis of data Reporting progress

a) Scope The scope statement sets boundaries and states what is to be done within these boundaries. You may state that you will use only off-the-shelf equipment or that you will design, develop, and test equipment that has not been designed to date.You may sample public opinionYou may adopt existing techniques and modify them or create entirely new techniques.You may limit study to estimates of technical feasibility or you may agree to demonstrate its practicability.You may study all possible sites in the country, only one site, or a selected few.Time schedule stipulates the order in which portions of work are to be done.

b) Expected Results State what you are to produce throughout the project and at its termination.

A clear and specific statement of products to be delivered also sets bounds on what you are to deliver.

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RESEARCH REPORTS

1. Chapter 1 - IntroductionDescribe the background, purpose and scope of the research Justification of the studyDefine the problem that has been investigated, leading to the statement of purpose.General objectives (aims)Specific objectives Research Questions/HypothesesDefinition of TermsOrganization of study

2. Chapter 2 - Literature ReviewReview the scientific literature pertinent to the research Literature review should be extensive, demonstrating the writer’s mastery of the subject matter.Literature should help to define the problem; define the choice of methodology and materials used.Clear exposure of gap in the literature which this study is fillingAccurate and consistent citing and referencingTheoretical conceptualisation

4. Chapter 3 – Methods, Materials and Data Analysis Criteria to measure the success of a method and material section:An independent researcher in the discipline should be able to duplicate the research.He or she should also be able to evaluate the research using this section

i. Research Design Give an overview of your research design

ii. Materials What you used by way of subjects, materials, or equipment to do your research e.g. in social sciences, instruments such as questionnaires. Descriptions of materials have to be accurate enough that your readers could obtain similar materials.If you have a good deal of necessary information about your subjects or materials, use a table to display some of it.

iii. Procedure Tell your readers step by step how you did your experimentThe description should be as complete as necessary, but remember you are writing for an expert audience.However, if you anticipate that your readers might have some question about why you conducted some step as you did, take time to explain.You can save many words by referring to procedures described elsewhere rather than repeating the information found in the original source.However, do not refer your readers to journals unobtainable either by reason of their geographical location or by their obscurity.

iv. Methods of Observation and InterpretationTell the readers how you observed your materials during the experiment and how you interpreted your results. Include any statistical techniques used.Use the passive, not the active tense sentences also known as the reported speech.

v. Data Processing and AnalysisIdentify important issues related to sorting, quality control and

processing of data,Describe how data can be analysed and interpreted

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Prepare a plan for the processing and analysis of data i sorting the data,ii performing quality control checks on dataiii processing data – categorizing, coding, data masteriv data analysis – frequency counts, comparisons of variables

5. Chapter 4 - Results/Research Findings Results section should answer the questions asked – it is the most

important section of the report.Begin your results section with an overview of what has been

achieved. The first sentence or two should summarize the main points, to be followed later paragraphs by the details.

The details are presented in tables, diagrams and graphs. Use appropriate subtitles related to your research questions and objectives.6. Chapter 5 - Discussion/Conclusion/Recommendations

The discussion interprets the results. It answers questions such as these: Do the results really answer the questions raised? Are there any doubts about the results? Why? Was the methodology flawed? How could it be improved? Were the research objectives met? How do the results compare with results from previous research? Are there areas of disagreement? Can disagreements be explained? What are the implications for future work? Recommendations – (practical and for further research)

Keep the discussion section tightly organised around the answers to the questions that need to be asked.7.References

List in alphabetical order all the references cited in the research report. Use the appropriate citation notation recommended by the department for single/multiple author book, research journals etc.

8.AppendixInclude here any original data that you deem is relevant t clarifying the results

presented but was not necessary to include in the report e.g. original raw data tables, maps.

Also the samples of any research instruments, e.g. questionnaires, interview guides, etc

9.Appendix I- Design of Cover Page

10.Appendix II - Layout of a Finished Report

APPENDIX I – DESIGN OF COVER PAGE

BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

TITLE OF PROJECTAN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING:

A CASE of BINDURA, ZIMBABWEBY

AUTHORSPIWE MUDOTI

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DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO BINDURA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

EDUCATION HONOURS DEGREE IN GEOGRAPHY

DATE2004

APPENDIX II – LAYOUT OF THE FINISHED PROJECT

Approval form iDeclaration iiDedication iiiAcknowledgements ivAbstract vlist of tables viList of figures viiList of appendices viiiTable of contents ixCHAPTER I: INTRODUCTIONIntroduction 1Background of the Study 2Statement of the Problem 3Rationale/Justification of the Study 4Research Questions/Hypotheses 5Aims/General Objectives 6Specific Objectives 7Definition of Terms 8CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 subheadings relevant to the study2.2 112.3 122.4 232.5 322.6 34CHAPTER 3: METHODS and MATERIALS Introduction 34Research Design 38Materials 40Data Collection Methods and Procedures 42Data Analysis Procedures 45The Study Area 48CHAPTER 4: RESULTS/RESEARCH FINDINGS4.1 Introduction 52

Section should relate to the data that has been generated using the methods in chapter 3 60

4.2 624.3 634.4 644.5 68CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction Present the interpretation and discussion of your results

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Conclusions – as they relate to the aim, objectives and hypothesisRecommendationsREFERENCES 95APPENDICES 98

APPENDIX III - PROJECT PRESENTATION STYLE 1.MARGINSThe following margin specifications shall apply: Left margin Leave space of 1.5 inches or 3,8 cm Right margin Leave space of 1 inch or 2.5 cmTop margin Leave space of 1 inch or 2,5 cm (including paging space)Bottom margin Leave space of 1 inch or 2,5 cm 2.0.CHARACTERS 2.1.Spacing and Font SizeAll pages must be typed double-spaced on one side only, on paper approximately 8.5 in. x 11 in. (28 cm x 22 cm), with wide margins [about 1 in. (2.5 cm) on all sides]. Other regulations on spacing shall normally apply in respect of other specific parts of the text such as the appendices, long quotations, etc. Other regulations on spacing shall normally apply in respect of other specific parts of the text such as the appendices, long quotations, etc. The font size used should be no smaller than 12 point. All pages must be numbered consecutively, starting with the title page. Tables and figures should be broken out and included at the end of the text in separate sections, as explained in section 3a; tables should have captions above them and for peer review figures should have single-spaced captions below them. A sans serif font (such as Helvetica or Arial) should be avoided as there can be confusion interpreting some characters (e.g., lowercase "ell" versus the number "one") and the AMS reserves boldface sans serif for matrix symbols. A common source of delay in processing a manuscript at Headquarters is that components of it are received with the text single-spaced.3.0. FIGURES And TABLES 3.1.FiguresFigures include graphs, illustrations, photographs, computer plots, and line drawings.Each figure should be provided with a legend or caption that makes the figure understandable without reference to the text. Each figure must be mentioned explicitly in the text and must be numbered in the order of first mention in the text.All figure captions should be typed in single-spaced format below the figure in a font that matches that of the text; therefore, captions should not be incorporated into the drawings, graphs, or other original artwork of the figures. Note that single-spaced captions MUST be included below the versions of the figures.3.2. TablesEach table must have a title, must be numbered, must be provided with a legend, and must be mentioned specifically in the text. An explanatory caption MUST be single-spaced typed above the table.4 HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS The use of headings and capital subheadings tends to give a clearer structure and the following should be observed when one uses headings and subheadings. Headings and subheadings are bold and are numbered and placed flush left.4.1.CENTRED, UPPER CASE (CAPITAL LETTERS)Centred headings, which are in upper case, should be used for title and chief headings only. Centred headings should not be underlined and two double spaces should be left between the headings and the text that follows it.The basic idea is that the content and theme treated under such headings or subheadings are related.The use of computer enables the use of variety of text-enhancing techniques such as italicisation, bolding, etc. The use of computer facilities helps one to pass one’s documents through a spell check.

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5.0.CITATION All works cited in the text must be acknowledged. If an author’s work is quoted word for word, one is required to acknowledge the source otherwise one commits a criminal offence known as plagiarism. It has been observed that some students frequently use some author’s words without acknowledging this, often. Watch out for the various words of introducing other authors’ ideas as one reads books, journals and articles. The following serves as a guide on different types of citations and how they are presented.5.2. Direct quotation or near direct reference For direct quotations and direct reference to an idea borrowed from an author, the author’s name must be followed by the year of publication and the page number. The author’s initials should not be written. Only surname is adequate for such purposes. A direct quotation must be totally accurate, and if it is three lines or less, it must be in quotation marks with,in the continuous text. An example of a direct quotation is: As pointed out by Owens (1981:220), “conflict is regarded as a negative phenomenon within organisations”.A near direct reference, which might be a simple paraphrase of the same idea quoted above, could be presented as follows:Owens (1981:220) views conflict as a negative phenomenon in any organisation.Direct quotation, which exceeds three lines, must be indented, single spacing must be used, and no quotation marks are used. The source of the quotation may be placed either at the beginning or at the end of the quotation.5.3. For general reference to an author’s work It is possible that one may want to refer to an author’s works or ideas in general, in which case no direct quotation is made and so no page number need be given e.g. Tyler (1949) was the first to propound a comprehensive objective model of evaluationHowever, the idea implicit in this is that one has consulted Tyler’s 1949 piece of written work.5.4.For author’s work cited by another authorityOne should never directly quote works, which are brought to one’s attention by another author. This would give the reader the false impression that one has consulted them when, in fact, someone else did. One is required, rather to acknowledge this fact e.g. Mintberg, as quoted by Burlingame et al (1987) is of the opinion that the information brought to the administrator falls into five categories.5.5.For work or works by the three authors or less The names of all three authors should be mentioned in the text e.g. Golby, Michael and West (1980) argue that essentialism has its origin in Ancient Greek philosophy.5.6.For works by more than three authorsOnly the first author need be mentioned, followed by “et al;” (which actually means “and others” e.g. Campbell et al (1971) argue that…..etcHere are further examples of how you may cite works.Hanson (1799:33) defines decentralisation as “the delegation of authority over specific decisions to submission”Scheereens (1991:374) suggests that indicators are those characteristics of educational systems, which are manipulable.Dwyer, Barnet and Lee (1987:58) contend that “ [their] work…. has led [them] to believe that principals can be agents in the creation of successful schools settings…”Note: Words in brackets are the respective substitutes for “our” and “us” which were in the original text. The mark “….” Indicates some words were omitted. One should however not omit words with the deliberate intention of distorting the author’s meaning. By omitting the word “not” from any original text (without expressing the same negative form elsewhere in the statement), one is obviously conveying the opposite of what the author intended to convey.

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As reported by the Herald (May 9 1992, p 1) Zimbabwe’s District and Rural Council schools will be Ministry of Education and culture’s responsibility from May 1993 onwards.5.6.For quotation of three lines or less The quotation appears within the ordinary text as in the example above.5.7.For quotations of four lines or more After the introductory statement the quotation is indented and single-spaced, as is shown in the example below:ZOU Module GED 104 (2000:89) has the following to say about migration:Migration begins in an area of origin and is completed in an area of destination and may involve a stay of one year or more. Migration involves spatial mobility. There term ‘spatial mobility’ includes all kinds of ‘territorial’ movements.Alternatively, ‘ZOU Module GED 104 (2000:89) ‘ could be inserted at the end of the quotation in brackets6.0.LANGUAGEAppropriate, formal report language, which is the third-person style or passive tense, should be used for all scholarly works. The use of active tense should always be avoided. Short clear sentences with a simple structure tend to contribute towards clarity. It is suggest that a sentence should not be more than 20 words. The use of simple and precise language also helps to convey ideas clearly. Padding, slang, verbosity should be avoided.Make sure that you do not use sexist language. Some common forms of such sexist language are “headmaster” use “head”, “head teacher” or “school head”, “he” use “he/she” or simply “the author”, “chairman” use “chairperson” etc. Do not personalise your write up by words like “I” “My” etc. 7.0.PAGING Different paging formats are acceptable provided that once a format has been adopted, and then it should be consistently maintained throughout the text. Please note that, ordinarily when the top paging format is employed, the first page of the paper (or chapter) is not indicated (some indicate it at the bottom, as an alternative). In other words, the first page make is suppressed, to use computer language.8.0.REFERENCE OR BIBLIOGRAPHYThe choice is the writer’s, provided one is aware of the following: references relate only to those works, which have directly cited in the text. Bibliography refers to those which have been referred to or cited as well as those which might have been consulted, but which might not have referred to or cited in the text. As a matter of rule, if one can help it, try for literature which is not older than ten years, unless they are original works, always bearing in mind that the point is that, frequently, ideas expressed in old, outdated literature could have been overtaken by events, and that a historical exploration of the developments of a topic, concepts or issue might not need to adhere to this requirement8.1.Presentation of reference or bibliography References or bibliography is required to be listed at the end of your project. These should be arranged in strict alphabetical order of surname but should not be numbered. For ordinary textbooks the surname (s) of the author comes first, then his/here initial (s), year of publication (in brackets), title of book (underlined) edition in brackets, where applicable, town (not country or state) where the book was published (not printer). For an article contributed by an author to an edited volume or book, the surname of the author (not editor) comes first followed by initials, then the title of the contributed article (in quotation marks, with only the first word beginning with capital letter), then the editor (s)’s surname and initials followed by “Ed” (in brackets), then the title of the book (main words beginning with capital letter, title underlined), then town and last publisher. For an article contributed by an author to a journal or magazine, follow the same presentation, as above but of course there is no place for an editor or editors. Proceed to write the title of the journal (underlined) then the volume, number and the pages spanned by the article. Town or publisher should not be indicated.The few examples below attempt to clarify the above:Todaro, M.P. (1977) Economics for Developing World Longman, London

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(Note: All main words in the title begin with a capital letter).Campbell, R.F., Bridges, E.M., Corbelly (Jr), J.E., Nystrand, R.O and Rameseyer, J.A. (1971). Introduction to Educational Administration Boston: Allyn and Bacon, IncMiskel, C., McDonald, D. and Bloom, S. (1983), “Structural and expectancy linkages within schools and organisational effectiveness”. Educational Administration Quarterly Vol. 19, No. 1, 49-82 (or simply 19, 1, 19-82).Note: Title of article is in quotation marks, and only the first word begins with capital letter. All contributors are indicated. Note also the alternative modes of indicating the volume and issue, and that the pages covered by the contribution are indicated.What is underlined is title of the journal, not the title of the article. No publisher or town need to be indicated.Miles, B. (1969) “Factors affecting the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of teachers”. In Boles, T. (ED) Organisations New York: Harper and Row, publishers Zimbabwe Government (1980) Growth with Equity Harare: Government Printers.(Note: There is no acknowledged individual author, because of the nature of the source. The same word would apply to publications by UNESCO, UNICEF, Ministry of Education, sport and Culture etc)The Herald, 9 May 1992, Harare. (Note it’s so simple!)Murimba, S. (1989) An analysis of work related stress among urban high school teachers: A case Study of Kadoma District (An unpublished Med Thesis: University of Zimbabwe).Note: That the work is unpublished and this is acknowledged).Reference to two different books produced by the same author the same year should be numbered with small letters immediately after the date e.g. 1993a, 1993b, 1993c etc. Ensure that, in the text reference to such works is also specific e.g. Smith (1989b).Centre for Distance Education (1993). Introduction to Policy Studies Harare: University of Zimbabwe.APPENDIX 1V – PROJECT MARKING GUIDE

Bindura University of Science EducationGeography DepartmentProject Marking Guide

Student Name Reg. No. YearRemarks Mark

1 AbstractA synthesis of findings and methods used in the investigation 5

2 Introduction Background well presented Research problem clearly stated Clear justification/Rationale Aims and objectives clearly stated

Hypotheses clearly stated Definition of terms given Organisation of study

153 Literature Review Thorough and penetrating review of past

work under appropriate subtopics Use of relevant literature Clear exposure of gap in the literature which

this study is filling Accurate and consistent style of citation and

referencing

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Theoretical conceptualisation15

3 Methods and Data Analysis Description of study area/maps Clear indication of research methods used to

collect data i.e. qualitative or quantitative or both

Data collection instruments appropriate Target population, sample size(s) and

sampling techniques Clear evidence of planned data collection

programme Clear description of data processing Data analysis methods and procedures

relevant, Statistical tests used Data reliability and study validity Limitations of study

204 Results/Research Findings Clear presentation of research findings under

appropriate subtopics Logical reflection of the structure of data

collection methods and instruments

Logical reflection of the stated aims and objectives of study

Results consistent with objectives Are all the figures (diagrams and graphs) and

tables numbered and labelled Are all the table and figures (diagrams and

graphs) explained within the context Accurate application of statistical tests on

results20

5 Discussions, Conclusions, Recommendations

Summary of the findings/results Thorough interpretation of the results Matching the results with stated objectives Comparing the results with those from

reviewed literature Results/findings have proven or disproved

the hypotheses Conclusions drawn and results based i.e.

accurate summation of the key results, interpretations and implications

Recommendations academic, feasible and study based

Study objectives fulfilled20

6 Overall Impression Study critically examines the problem

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Work has academic value Logical sequence of facts and options work

coherent, clarity and personal effort5

Overall Mark % 100 Marker's Name ------------------------------------------------- Signature-----------------REFERENCES1.Berry J L and Baker, A M (1968) “Geographic Sampling” in Marble F (Editor) Spatial Analysis2.Bless, C and Higson-Smith C (1995) “Fundamentals in Social Science Research Methods- An African Perspective” Juta, Cape Town.3.Flowerdew W R and Martin D (1997) “Methods in Human Geography”, Longman London4. Goode W J and Hatt P K (1986)“Methods In Social Research” McMillan, London5. Gregory S (1978) “Statistical Methods and The Geographer”4. Kitchen R and Tate, N J (2000) “ Conducting Research Into Human Geography,

Theory, Methodology and Practice”5. Robinson G M (1998) “Methods and Techniques In Human Geography” Wiley and

Son, London

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