Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region III
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ZAMBALES
Zone 6, Iba, Zambales
Tel./Fax No. (047) 602 1391
E-mail Address: zambales@deped.gov.ph
website: www.depedzambales.ph

Name: ______________________________________ Grade/Section__________

School: _____________________________________ Date: __________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

RESEARCH II
Quarter 1 Week 1

I. Introduction
Research requires a great deal of abstraction of ideas in your mind.
Research is a process of systematic inquiry that comprises collection, of data;
information, analysis and interpretation of data. Writing research proposal is
a challenging kind of writing among students which communicates a facts or
ideas. The goal of a research proposal is twofold: to present and justify the
need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in
which the proposed study should be conducted.

II. Learning Competency

Revisit and refine the research proposal.

III. Objectives:
At the end of this learning activity sheet, you are expected to:

1. discuss and explain a research proposal

2. identify the components of research proposal
3. analyze a research proposal
 IV. Discussion
Research proposal is an important part of the application process. It
summarizes the question you want to answer through your research. It
demonstrates your knowledge of the subject area and shows the methods you want
to use to complete your research. The design elements and procedures for
conducting research are governed by standards of the predominant
discipline in which the problem resides, therefore, the guidelines for
research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general
project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews.
They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed
study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed
methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of
the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated
outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study's completion.

Writing a research proposal for the following reasons:

 Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive

research study;
 Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to
determine that a research problem has not been adequately addressed or
has been answered ineffectively and, in so doing, become better at locating
pertinent scholarship related to your topic;
 Improve your general research and writing skills;
 Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish
one's research goals;
 Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for
gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
 Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself
as an active participant in the process of doing scholarly research.
Research proposals must address the following questions:

1. What do you plan to accomplish? Be clear and succinct in defining the

research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
2. Why do you want to do the research? In addition to detailing your
research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature
and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of in-depth
investigation. Be sure to answer the "So What?" question.
3. How are you going to conduct the research? Be sure that what you
propose is doable. If you're having difficulty formulating a research
problem to propose investigating, for strategies in developing a problem to
study.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

 Failure to be concise. A research proposal must be focused and not be

"all over the map" or diverge into on unrelated tangents without a clear
sense of purpose.
 Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review. Proposals
should be grounded in foundational research that lays a foundation for
understanding the development and scope of the issue.
 Failure to delimit the contextual boundaries of your research [e.g.,
time, place, people, etc.]. As with any research paper, your proposed study
must inform the reader how and in what ways the study will examine the
problem.
 Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the
proposed research. This is critical. In many workplace settings, the
research proposal is intended to argue for why a study should be funded.
 Sloppy or imprecise writing, or poor grammar. Although a research
proposal does not represent a completed research study, there is still an
expectation that it is well-written and follows the style and rules of good
academic writing.
 Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major
issues. Your proposal should focus on only a few key research questions
in order to support the argument that the research needs to be conducted.
Minor issues, even if valid, can be mentioned but they should not dominate
the overall narrative.

 THE ELEMENTS OF A PROPOSAL

I. Introduction and Theoretical Framework

“The introduction is the part of the paper that provides readers with the
background information for the research reported in the paper. Its purpose is to
establish a framework for the research, so that readers can understand how it is
related to other research” (Wilkinson, 1991, p. 96).
In an introduction, the writer should; create reader interest in the topic,
lay the broad foundation for the problem that leads to the study, place the study
within the larger context of the scholarly literature, and reach out to a specific
audience. (Creswell, 1994, p. 42)
Theories, theoretical frameworks, and lines of inquiry may be differently
handled in quantitative and qualitative endeavors.
1. “In quantitative studies, one uses theory deductively and places it toward
the beginning of the plan for a study. The objective is to test or verify theory. One
thus begins the study advancing a theory, collects data to test it, and reflects on
whether the theory was confirmed or disconfirmed by the results in the study.
The theory becomes a framework for the entire study, an organizing model for
the research questions or hypotheses for the data collection procedure”
(Creswell, 1994, pp. 87-88).
2. In qualitative inquiry, the use of theory and of a line of inquiry depends on
the nature of the investigation. In studies aiming at “grounded theory,” for
example, theory and theoretical tenets emerge from findings. Much qualitative
inquiry, however, also aims to test or verify theory, hence in these cases the
theoretical framework, as in quantitative efforts, should be identified and
discussed early on.

II. Statement of the Problem

A problem statement should be presented within a context, and that context
should be provided and briefly explained, including a discussion of
the conceptual or theoretical framework in which it is embedded. Clearly and
succinctly identify and explain the problem within the framework of the theory
or line of inquiry that undergirds the study. This is of major importance in nearly
all proposals and requires careful attention. It is a key element that associations
such as AERA and APA look for in proposals. It is essential in all quantitative
research and much qualitative research.
III. Purpose of the Study
“The purpose statement should provide a specific and accurate synopsis of
the overall purpose of the study” (Locke, Spirduso, & Silverman, 1987, p. 5). If
the purpose is not clear to the writer, it cannot be clear to the reader.
The purpose statement can also incorporate the rationale for the study. Some
committees prefer that the purpose and rationale be provided in separate
sections, however.

IV. Review of the Literature

“The review of the literature provides the background and context for the
research problem. It should establish the need for the research and indicate that
the writer is knowledgeable about the area” (Wiersma, 1995, p. 406).
In a proposal, the literature review is generally brief and to the point. Be
judicious in your choice of exemplars—the literature selected should be pertinent
and relevant (APA, 2001). Select and reference only the more appropriate
citations. Make key points clearly and succinctly.

V. Questions and/or Hypotheses

Questions are relevant to normative or census type research (How many of
them are there? Is there a relationship between them?). They are most often used
in qualitative inquiry, although their use in quantitative inquiry is becoming
more prominent.
Hypotheses are relevant to theoretical research and are typically used only in
quantitative inquiry. When a writer states hypotheses, the reader is entitled to
have an exposition of the theory that led to them (and of the assumptions
underlying the theory). Just as conclusions must be grounded in the data,
hypotheses must be grounded in the theoretical framework.
A research question poses a relationship between two or more variables but
phrases the relationship as a question; a hypothesis represents a declarative
statement of the relations between two or more variables (Kerlinger, 1979;
Krathwohl, 1988).
Hypotheses can be couched in four kinds of statements.
1. Literary null—a “no difference” form in terms of theoretical constructs.
For example, “There is no relationship between support services and academic
persistence of nontraditional-aged college women.” Or, “There is no difference in
school achievement for high and low self-regulated students.”
2. Operational null—a “no difference” form in terms of the operation
required to test the hypothesis. For example, “There is no relationship between
the number of hours nontraditional-aged college women use the student union
and their persistence at the college after their freshman year.” Or, “There is no
difference between the mean grade point averages achieved by students in the
upper and lower quartiles of the distribution of the Self-regulated Inventory.” The
operational null is generally the preferred form of hypothesis-writing.
3. Literary alternative—a form that states the hypothesis you will accept if
the null hypothesis is rejected, stated in terms of theoretical constructs. In other
words, this is usually what you hope the results will show. For example, “The
more that nontraditional-aged women use support services, the more they will
persist academically.” Or, “High self-regulated students will achieve more in their
classes than low self-regulated students.”
4. Operational alternative— similar to the literary alternative except that
the operations are specified. For example, “The more that nontraditional-aged
college women use the student union, the more they will persist at the college
after their freshman year.” Or, “Students in the upper quartile of the Self-
regulated Inventory distribution achieve significantly higher grade point averages
than do students in the lower quartile.”

VI. The Design--Methods and Procedures

“The methods or procedures section is really the heart of the research
proposal. The activities should be described with as much detail as possible, and
the continuity between them should be apparent” (Wiersma, 1995, p. 409).
1. the variables you propose to control and how you propose to control them,
experimentally or statistically, and
2. the variables you propose to randomize, and the nature of the randomizing
unit (students, grades, schools, etc.).

Sampling
1. The key reason for being concerned with sampling is that of validity—the
extent to which the interpretations of the results of the study follow from the
study itself and the extent to which results may be generalized to other situations
with other people (Shavelson, 1988).
2. Sampling is critical to external validity—the extent to which findings of a
study can be generalized to people or situations other than those observed in the
study. To generalize validly the findings from a sample to some defined
population requires that the sample has been drawn from that population
according to one of several probability sampling plans. By a probability sample is
meant that the probability of inclusion in the sample of any element in the
population must be given a priori. All probability samples involve the idea
of random sampling at some stage (Shavelson, 1988). In experimentation, two
distinct steps are involved.
 a. Random selection—participants to be included in the sample
have been chosen at random from the same population. Define
the population and indicate the sampling plan in detail.
b. Random assignment—participants for the sample have been
assigned at random to one of the experimental conditions.
3. Another reason for being concerned with sampling is that of internal
validity—the extent to which the outcomes of a study result from the variables
that were manipulated, measured, or selected rather than from other variables
not systematically treated. Without probability sampling, error estimates cannot
be constructed (Shavelson, 1988).
Instrumentation
1. Outline the instruments you propose to use (surveys, scales, interview
protocols, observation grids). If instruments have previously been used, identify
previous studies and findings related to reliability and validity. If instruments
have not previously been used, outline procedures you will follow to develop and
test their reliability and validity. In the latter case, a pilot study is nearly
essential.
2. Because selection of instruments in most cases provides the operational
definition of constructs, this is a crucial step in the proposal. For example, it is
at this step that a literary conception such as “self-efficacy is related to school
achievement” becomes “scores on the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale are related
to Grade Point Average.” Strictly speaking, results of your study will be directly
relevant only to the instrumental or operational statements (Guba, 1961).
3. Include an appendix with a copy of the instruments to be used or the
interview protocol to be followed. Also include sample items in the description of
the instrument.
4. For a mailed survey, identify steps to be taken in administering and
following up the survey to obtain a high response rate.

Data Collection
1. Outline the general plan for collecting the data. This may include survey
administration procedures, interview or observation procedures. Include an
explicit statement covering the field controls to be employed. If appropriate,
discuss how you obtained entré.
2. Provide a general outline of the time schedule you expect to follow.

Data Analysis
1. Specify the procedures you will use, and label them accurately (e.g.,
ANOVA, MANCOVA, HLM, ethnography, case study, grounded theory). If coding
procedures are to be used, describe in reasonable detail. If you triangulated,
carefully explain how you went about it. Communicate your precise intentions
and reasons for these intentions to the reader. This helps you and the reader
evaluate the choices you made and procedures you followed.
2. Indicate briefly any analytic tools you will have available and expect to
use (e.g., Ethnograph, NUDIST, AQUAD, SAS, SPSS, SYSTAT).
3. Provide a well thought-out rationale for your decision to use the design,
methodology, and analyses you have selected.

VII. Limitations and Delimitations

A. A limitation identifies potential weaknesses of the study. Think about
your analysis, the nature of self-report, your instruments, the sample. Think
about threats to internal validity that may have been impossible to avoid or
minimize—explain.
B. A delimitation addresses how a study will be narrowed in scope, that is,
how it is bounded. This is the place to explain the things that you are not doing
and why you have chosen not to do them—the literature you will not review (and
why not), the population you are not studying (and why not), the methodological
procedures you will not use (and why you will not use them). Limit your
delimitations to the things that a reader might reasonably expect you to do but
that you, for clearly explained reasons, have decided not to do.

VIII. Significance of the Study

Indicate how your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge
in the area under investigation. Note that such refinements, revisions, or
extensions may have either substantive, theoretical, or methodological
significance. Think pragmatically (i.e., cash value).
Most studies have two potential audiences: practitioners and professional
peers. Statements relating the research to both groups are in order.

IX. References
Follow APA guidelines regarding use of references in text and in the
reference list. Of course, your committee or discipline may require Chicago or
MLA.
Only references cited in the text are included in the reference list; however,
exceptions can be found to this rule. For example, committees may require
evidence that you are familiar with a broader spectrum of literature than that
immediately relevant to your research. In such instances, the reference list may
be called a bibliography.
 Some committees require that reference lists and/or bibliographies be
“annotated,” which is to say that each entry be accompanied by a brief
description, or an abstract. Check with your committee Chair before the fact.
Appendixes
The need for complete documentation generally dictates the inclusion of
appropriate appendixes in proposals (although this is generally not the case as
regards conference proposals).
The following materials are appropriate for an appendix. Consult with your
committee Chair.
4. Verbatim instructions to participants.
5. Original scales or questionnaires. If an instrument is copyrighted,
permission in writing to reproduce the instrument from the copyright
holder or proof of purchase of the instrument.
6. Interview protocols.
7. Sample of informed consent forms.
8. Cover letters sent to appropriate stakeholders.
9. Official letters of permission to conduct research.

V. Activities
A. FILL ME IN. Fill the correspond letters in the appropriate blank.
1. I N __, __, __, D, __, __ , __ , __, __, N is the part of the paper that provides
readers with the background information for the research reported in the paper.
2. A L __, __, __, T, __, __, __,0, __, identifies potential weaknesses of the study.
3. A __, __, L, __, __,I, ___, __, __, addresses how a study will be narrowed in
scope, that is, how it is bounded.
4. __, Y, P, __, T, __, ___, S, __, ___are relevant to theoretical research and are
typically used only in quantitative inquiry.
5. The R, __, __, __, __, __ of the L, I, __, __, __, __, T, __, __, __ provides the
background and context for the research problem.
6. The M, __, __, __, __, __, S or procedures section is really the heart of the
research proposal.
7. A problem statement should be presented within a context, and that context
should be provided and briefly explained, including a discussion of
the CONCEPTUAL or __, __, __,O,__,E,__,__,C, __,___ Framework in which it is
embedded.
8. The reference list may be called a __,I, B,__,__,__,G,__A, __, __, Y.
9. A R, __, __, E, ___, ___, ___, H __,U,__, S, __, __, __, __ ,
poses a relationship between two or more variables but phrases the relationship
as a question.
10. __, __, ___, ___,A, R, __, __ P __, ___, ____, ____ S, A, __ It summarizes the question
you want to answer through your research. It demonstrates your knowledge of the
subject area and shows the methods you want to use to complete your research.

B. Identify my elements. (a) Identify the table below whether a, References,

Introduction, Review of Literature, Methodology and Research Questions.

______________________1.

The knowledge source, the knowledge transfer process, and the knowledge recipient
have been categorized as the three principle elements of a knowledge-management
system (Wiig， 1995). As knowledge retention and distribution have always been the
concern of organizations and their managers, sophisticated techniques and systems
have been designed for managing the knowledge source and knowledge transfer
(Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Wiig, 1995). One of the main recent streams of research
in international business is concerned with knowledge-management within
multinational corporations, especially knowledge transfer between parent firm and
subsidiaries. For these firms, and for research on them, cross-border knowledge transfer
and implementation have become hot topics.

_______________________2.

Buckley and Casson (1976) advocated the very existence of a MNC lies in its ability to
internalize externalities by putting together resources and activities at a more efficient
rate than markets do. According to Kogut and Zander (1993), MNCs were defined as a
social community in which knowledge exists among cooperating members; the
productive knowledge of this community was defined as competitive advantage.
Nowadays MNCs are widely viewed as the most efficient mechanisms for the
international transfer of tacit knowledge; based on this advantage, MNCs are able to
create and dynamically transform networks of information involving multi-location data-
inputs, centralize and disperse information processing and constantly evolve modes of
data analysis and knowledge-processing capabilities (Gupta and Govindarajan, 1996).
_______________________3.

Barney, J. B.(1999) ‘How a Firm’s capabilities Affect Boundary Decisions’, Sloan

Management Review, Vol.40, No. 3, Pp. 137-145.
Buckley, P.J, and Casson, M.C. (1976) ‘The Future of the Multinational Enterprise’,
Macmillan: London. Conner, K., and Prahalad, C. K, (1996) ‘A Resource-Based Theory
of the Firm: Knowledge versus Opportunism’, Organization Science, Vol. 7, No.5, Pp.
477-501.

Davenport, T.H. and Prusak, L. (1998) ‘Working Knwledge: How Organizations Manage
What They Know’, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA
Ferraro, G.P. (2002) ‘The Cultural dimensions of international business’,4 ed. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Grant, R.M. (1996) ‘The knowledge based view of the
firm: implications for management practice’.

_______________________4.

Based on earlier studies, knowledge transfer heavy relies on the capability of managers;
their flexibility and learning capability influences the transfer process, so talking with
managers directly is necessary to understand the process of knowledge transfer,
implementation and learning. A longitudinal in-depth investigation is therefore required
for these complex cases, in a qualitative study employing ethnographic research
principles. The best way to collect primary data is through periodic personal interviews.
However, there are two clear options: 1. A single case study of one Chinese MNC, and
its subsidiaries in different countries. This research method provides the deepest and
broadest research data. But the research result may highly influenced by some unique
factors of this interviewed company, limiting the scope for generalization. 2. A multicase
study of two to three Chinese MNCs in different industries, together with their
subsidiaries in different countries. It will be possible then to compare the differences
and similarities between the companies, draw comparative conclusions about
knowledge transfer in the Chinese MNCs, and generate more generalisable findings. The
access demands, however, especially for a long time investigation then become
substantial, and present new problems. For example, people move jobs, making it
difficult to maintain long-term relationships with interviewees. Which research method
would be taken highly depends on the process of gaining access, but the general
research steps have been decided. Three managers from each company, from different
departments or subsidiaries, are expected to be interviewed three times each. Through
reduplicate checking of the same general questions, the complete change process will
be discovered and examined.
_______________________5.

The capabilities and conditions of successful knowledge transfer have been viewed from
various contexts and perspectives by international researches, but there are few studies
of the implementation of knowledge transfer, especially the international business
knowledge transfer between MNCs. Here I will ask how companies connect the external
knowledge transfer with internal knowledge transfer and knowledge learning.
Specifically, how do they translate knowledge from one subsidiary to another, how do
they reorganize it, adapt it and institutionalize it, and how do they develop an
organizational learning cycle. It therefore uses the two different perspectives of
knowledge transfer implementation, that of the knowledge transfer and that of
knowledge learning. It ultimately aims to provide references for improving management
practice concerning knowledge transfer and learning in international business. This
research will investigate and analyze the international business knowledge transfer and
implementation within Chinese MNCs. Chinese MNCs are a new phenomenon, and
being novices in the international business area, are still in the initial stages of multi-
nationalization process from a knowledge transfer point of view. Their lack of global
experience in dealing with multinational business means they often do not realize the
need for a different management approach and mentality (Li, 2006). They are highly
influenced by the traditional Chinese culture dimension, which shapes operations into
a conservative pattern with top-down communication styles, which may limit knowledge
flows at different levels. Common and different knowledge transfer features will be
identified in Chinese MNCs, and how these features influence the development of
Chinese MNCs will be investigated. These issues will be critically analyzed to compare
the observed practice in Chinese MNCs with theoretical developments and with the
results of earlier studies.

B. 2. Identify the samples given below, as Objectives, Reference, Methods, Review of

the Literature and Problem Statement, Write the answer on the Box.

Samples Elements
Ballard, G. (2000). “Last planner system of production control.” Ph.D. 6.
Dissertation. Univ. of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Chua, D. and Shen, L. J. (2001). “Constraint modeling and buffer management
with integrated production scheduler.” Proceedings of International
Conferences on Lean Construction 2001, Singapore.
Hinze, J. W. (2008). Construction planning and scheduling, 3rd ed. Pearson,
NJ. Sriprasert, E. and Dawood, N (2002). “Requirements identification for 4D
constraint-based construction planning and control system.” Proceedings of
CIB W78 conference – distributing knowledge in building, Aarhus, Danmark.
The long term goal of the research is to develop a formalized constraint 7.
management system. Constraint management is defined herein as the process
of identifying, classifying, modeling, and resolving constraints. The objective of
the current study is to provide a comprehensive review of literatures and
industry practices in relation to constraint analysis and outline a conceptual
framework for constraint management. Particularly, the study has the
following sub-objectives: 1. To provide a comprehensive review of sources and
characteristics of constraints typically found in construction projects; 2. To
develop a constraint classification method for easier constraint identification
and modeling; 3. To review current industry practices and researches in
regards to constraint modeling; 4. To outline a conceptual framework for total
constraint management. The result of this study will be valuable to the industry
practitioners as well as related software providers in developing better practice
and tools for constraint management and look-ahead scheduling.
Constraint identification and classification through a structured approach is 8.
the very first step toward a “zero-constraint” environment. This study will first
review various types of constraints in construction and their characteristics.
Based on this understanding, a classification method will be developed to
categorize constraint factors for the purpose of constraint identification and
modeling. In the second stage of this study, existing constraint modeling
methods will be identified based on a comprehensive review of current industry
practices and academic researches. Finally, once the constraint classification
and modeling techniques are identified, a conceptual framework for total
constraint management will be outlined. This study will be conducted between
September 2010 and May 2011.
The importance of developing a constraint-free and reliable work plan has long 9.
been recognized by the industry. However, numerous construction projects are
still plagued by delays and cost overruns, which can frequently be traced to
ineffective identification and treatment of constraints. First, when a constraint
is not properly identified during scheduling, subsequent conflicts in the field
are inevitable. Today’s projects are becoming more and more technically
complex and logistically challenging, which exposes construction operations to
even more complex constraints. Second, the traditional scheduling methods,
bar charts and Critical Path Method (CPM) which are widely used as a basis
for constraint analysis, greatly limit our capability in modeling and resolving
constraints uring look-ahead scheduling. These methods have long been
blamed for their limitations in modeling and communicating constraints,
including inability to cope with non-time-related precedence constraints and
difficulty to evaluate and communicate inter-dependencies at the field
operation level (e.g. Sriprasert and Dawood 2002; Chua and Shen 2001). In
summary, there is a need for a better understanding of constraints in
construction and a structured approach in identifying and modeling
constraints to ensure a constraint-free work plan. More specifically, the
following research questions need to be addressed: 1. What are the typical
constraints found in various construction projects? 2. How to classify these
constrains for easier identification and modeling? 3. What are the current
industry practice as well as research advancements in modeling and resolving
constraints? How to unify the constraint classification knowledge and various
constraint modeling efforts into a framework for total constraint management?
 Every construction project is unique and has its own operating environment 10.
and sets of technical requirements. As a result, the execution of a construction
project is subject to numerous constraints that limit the commencement or
progression of field operations, which invariably have significant negative
impact on overall project performance. By definition, constraints refer to any
condition, such as temporal/spatial limitations and safety/quality concerns,
which may prevent a project to achieve its goals. Successful execution and
control of a construction project relies on effective identification and
management of constraints through master planning and short-term look-
ahead scheduling. While the master schedule provides a global view of a project
and the overall execution strategy, a look-ahead schedule offers a detail
account of operational constraints and a detailed plan showing work to be done
within a relatively short time window. Ideally, these detailed schedules should
reflect actual field conditions and provide field personnel with operation
instructions free of constraints and conflicts (Hinze 2008). This look-ahead
scheduling and constraint analysis procedure is also a critical component of
the last-planner methodology proposed by Ballard (2000). This research project
will provide an overview of state-of-art schedule constraint analysis practice
during look-ahead scheduling. In addition, it will propose a conceptual
framework for managing constraints.

B.3. Analyze the following examples and identify the parts of a research proposal.
Choose the answer on the box.

Purpose of the Study Introduction Research Title

Limitations Delimitations Research Method

______________________1. Alvesson (1996) claims that a situational approach enables

leadership to be viewed and studied as “a practical accomplishment” rather than
starting with a conceptualization of leadership as whatever the appointed leader does.
This approach seems particularly well suited to self-managing teams (SMTs), in which
leadership is presumably shared. In this project, I will explore how members of a self-
managing team enact leadership in their regular team meetings. In particular, I will
focus on how SMT members influence the direction of the team as well as the
relationships and identities of individual members and the identity of the team as a unit,
and how their interaction is enabled and constrained by social and cultural influences
(eg, organizational culture, national/ethnic culture, and gender). Such a study should
give insights into the workings of SMTs, an organizational form that is rapidly gaining
in popularity and acceptance. Also, the study will test the usefulness of a perspective
(the situational approach) that is underdeveloped in the leadership literature.

______________________ 2. I will conduct my study in a team that is within the Roadworks

Division within the Hamilton City Council. Roadworks has 12 SMTs, each of which is
responsible for maintenance of roads within one geographical section of Hamilton. This
particular team includes four men and a woman. Three of the men are in their thirties
and one in his early 50s; the woman is in her thirties. They are assigned to an area
around Chartwell. They start each day with a brief (15-45-minute meeting) on an agreed
upon site, often just gathering around the back of a truck for their meeting. I will attend
these three mornings a week for four weeks and will stay on to observe their work for
approximately 20 hours during the four-week period. My primary focus will be on their
interaction in meetings, although I will also observe (and perhaps enquires about)
interactions during their other work. [Describe the context of the proposed research,
making it clear how this context will allow you to accomplish your stated purposes]
Scope: I will engage in participant-observation over a six-week period, from 8 April to 22
May for approximately four hours per week. I will typically observe the morning meetings
and stay for an hour or so to observe their other work. On some days I may come at
other times of the day for comparison. I will not schedule structured interviews, but will
interview team members informally, as needed to clarify and provide insight into specific
conversations. [Describe such things as the time you will invest, when the field work
will take place, the number of participants, and the number of interviews you will
conduct] Theoretical framework: I will be guided most generally by the interpretive
perspective, and more specifically by Alvesson’s (1996) situational approach. The
interpretive perspective places the focus on interpreting the meanings and perspectives
of cultural members, and how these meanings are negotiated (Trujillo, 1992). I am
exploring the meanings the sales staff and customers have for themselves as individuals
and for their relationships, as well as the meanings sales staff have for the organization,
group, and profession of which they are members. The situational approach directs me
to choose one or a few specific interactions to explore in depth. Thus, an appropriate
means of investigating the topic from this perspective is observation of conversation,
plus interviewing the interactants to understand the meanings they have for their
symbolic interactions. [Briefly identify and explain the theoretical framework you will
use to guide your investigation, how it fits your purpose and its implications for the
research methods]

__________________________ 3.1. Conduct a literature review on leadership and

communication in SMTs. 2. Observe the group four hours per week for six weeks,
focusing mostly on conversations at team meetings, especially those conversations in
which the group addresses changes to their work processes and issues of team
relationships and identity(ies). 3. Interview team members to clarify and provide insight
into conversations. I will attempt to conduct these interviews shortly after conversations
of interest. While the interviews will not be formal or structured, the kinds of questions
I will ask include the following. The general strategy for the interviews is to start off with
broad questions and follow up on the interviewee’s responses, to capture her or his
meanings and to avoid imposing my meanings on the interviewee. a. Tell me about the
conversation you just had with X. b. What were you thinking during the conversation?
c. What do you think she/he was thinking? d. What do you think she/he was trying to
do (or accomplish) in the conversation? e. What did you mean when you said, “......”? f.
What were you thinking when you said that? g. What do you think she meant when she
said “......”? h. When you think about what you did and said in that conversation, how
would you describe yourself? 4. Undertake a situational analysis of the field notes and
interview notes, guided by Alvesson’s theory. 5. Write a research report that combines
my understanding of the relevant theory and previous research with the results of my
empirical research.
____________________________ 4.Time constraints of the semester require less time than
may be ideal for an ethnographic study. By being in the organization for only four hours
a week for five weeks, there are bound to be aspects of leadership practice,
organizational culture and team communication that will not be revealed during my
observations. Being an outsider may also limit what is revealed to me. The team
members may be guarded in their conversations around me, especially in my initial
observations.

____________________________ 5.I am choosing not to observe multiple teams, even

though such comparisons might be valuable, in order to allow more depth of
understanding regarding the group on which I will focus. Additionally, I will not use
structured interviews in order to minimize my obtrusiveness and my influence on the
team members.

C. MAKING CONNECTION: Analyze the statements below. Match the Column

A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
____1. weaknesses of the study A. Review of the Literature
____ 2. follow APA guidelines B. Hypotheses
____ 3. outline of the general plan C. Statement of the Problem
____ 4. indicates the tools (e.g. ANOVA, D. References
SPSS, SAS, etc.) E. Data Collection
____ 5. propose surveys, scales, interviews, etc. F. Data Analysis
____ 6. heart of the research proposal G. Limitations
____ 7. provides background and context of the H. Instrumentation
research problem I. Introduction
____ 8. background information of the research J. Methods or Procedures
____ 9. explain the problem within the
framework of the study
____ 10. represents a declarative statement of
the relationship between 2 or more variables
V. Assessment: Choose the correct answer and write the letter on the space
provided.
____1. It is a “no difference” form in terms of theoretical constructs.
a. Literary null b. operational null
c. literary alternative d. operational alternative
____ 2. It refers to a “no difference” form in terms of the operation required to
test the hypothesis.
a. Literary null b. operational null
c. literary alternative d. operational alternative
_____ 3. It refers to a form that states the hypothesis you will accept if the null
hypothesis is rejected, stated in terms of theoretical constructs.
a. Literary null b. operational null
c. literary alternative d. operational alternative
_____ 4. It refers to a similar to the literary alternative except that the operations
are specified.
a. Literary null b. operational null
c. literary alternative d. operational alternative
_____ 5. It refers to a participants to be included in the sample have been chosen
at random from the same population.
a. Random assignment c. random sampling
b. Random selection d. random validity
_____ 6. It refers to a participants for the sample have been assigned at random
to one of the experimental conditions.
a. Random assignment c. random sampling
b. Random selection d. random validity
_____ 7. A problem statement should be presented within a context, and that
context should be provided and briefly explained, including a discussion of the -
__________________ in which it is embedded.
a. Research questions c. Hypotheses
b. Conceptual Framework d. Methods
_____ 8. The _________________ is the part of the paper that provides readers with
the background information for the research reported in the paper.
a. Research questions c. Introduction
b. Conceptual Framework d. Methods
_____ 9. It identifies potential weaknesses of the study.
a. Limitation of the study c. Introduction
b. Significance of the study d. Delimitation of the Study
_____ 10. It provides the background and context for the research problem. It
should establish the need for the research and indicate that the writer is
knowledgeable about the area
a. Limitation of the study c. Review of the Literature
b. Significance of the study d. Delimitation of the Study

VI. Reflection
Make a research proposal of your previous research.
Rubric in Making A Research Proposal

Level Description Value

Outstanding Well written and very organized. 10
Excellent grammar mechanics.
Clear and concise statements.
Good Writes fairly clear. 8
Good grammar mechanics.
Good presentation and organization.
Sufficient effort and detail.
Fair Minimal effort. 6
Minimal grammar mechanics.
Fair presentation.
Few supporting details.
Poor Somewhat unclear. 4
Shows little effort.
Poor grammar mechanics. Confusing and
choppy, incomplete sentences.
No organization of thoughts.
Very Poor Lacking effort. 2
Very poor grammar mechanics.
Very unclear.
Does not address topic.
Limited attempt

VII. References
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Id80mUBVIT6Fd3hUOSB5LT6AsTD-
mEe/view?usp=sharing
Practical Research I Grade 11. 2017.Manila, Philippines: Fastbooks.
https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/researchproposal

American Psychological Association (APA). (2001). Publication manual of

 the American Psychological Association (Fourth edition).Washington,
DC, Author
Armstrong, R. L. (1974).Hypotheses: Why? When? How?Phi Delta Kappan,
54, 213-214.
Creswell, J. W. (1994). Research design: Qualitative & quantitative
approaches.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Guba, E. G. (1961, April). Elements of a proposal. Paper presented at the
UCEA meeting, Chapel Hill, NC.
Fraenkel, J. R. & Wallen, N. E. (1990). How to design and evaluate research
in education. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kerlinger, F. N. (1979). Behavioral research: A conceptual approach.
New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
Krathwohl, D. R. (1988). How to prepare a research proposal: Guidelines for
funding and dissertations in the social and behavioral sciences.
Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
Locke, L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (1987). Proposals that
work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals (2nd ed.)
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1989). Designing qualitative research
Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Shavelson, R. J. (1988). Statistical reasoning for the behavioral sciences
(second edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Wiersma, W. (1995). Research methods in education: An introduction (Sixth
edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Wilkinson, A. M. (1991). The scientist’s handbook for writing papers and
dissertations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
https://irpcdn.multiscreensite.com/271d35b6/files/uploaded/Research%2
proposal%20Example.pdf

Prepared by:
Randy C. Velardo
Teacher II – San Guillermo NHS
Key to Correction

Fill Me in
1. Introduction 6. Methods
2. Limitation 7. Theoretical
3. Delimitation 8. Bibliography
4. Hypotheses 9. Research Questions
5. Review of the Literature 10. Research Proposal

B.1 Identify my elements B. 2 B.3

1. Introduction 6. References 1. Purpose of the study
2. Review of the Literature 7. Objectives 2. Introduction
3. References 8. Review of the Literature 3. Research Method
4. Methods 9. Problem Statements 4. Limitations
5. Research Questions 10. Introduction 5. Delimitations

C. Making Connection
1. G 6. J
2. D 7. A
3. E 8. I
4. F 9. C
5. H 10. B

Assessment
1. A 6. A
2. B 7. B
3. C 8. C
4. D 9. A
5. B 10. C