Dissertation Research Proposal For University Students

Writing A Research Proposal

This collective article is designed to provide you with a realistic and relevant learning opportunity which will help prepare you for the dissertation. You are asked to prepare a research proposal similar to one that could be submitted to an ethics committee. This proposal could be linked to your proposed dissertation topic, if you have already identified one. If not, it could be associated with a current area of interest. Please see your handbook for information on writing and marking.

You are required to:

  1. Identify a research question/problem
  2. Justify the research, research design and methods
  3. Consider resources & constraints

The main objectives of research ethics committees are to protect both prospective participants in research studies and researchers. To achieve this, ethics committees need specific information regarding proposed studies to be able to make informed decisions about the ethical implications of these studies, considering the proposal from the participants’ perspective. The main ethical issues focus on the validity of the research (is the research question important and do-able?) and the welfare of the participants (what will participation involve, are there any acceptable risks, how will informed consent be sought, how will confidentiality be respected?). Therefore, these issues need to be addressed in your proposal.

Identifying a Research Question/Problem

Your research question should be both:

  • Useful (extending knowledge relevant to health care that might contribute to changes in practice)
  • Do-able (feasible given resource constraints)

This can be achieved by identifying a practice related problem, considering complaints, policy initiatives and service delivery changes, or by reading articles in journals.

Justify the Research, Research Design and Methods

What is the current state of knowledge in your topic area? Has your research question already been answered? If not, what are the typical methods used to address research questions similar to yours? What other methods might be appropriate? You will need to provide a brief critical review of relevant literature and state how your study will contribute to this field of study.

Given your research question, what types of data will be collected to answer this (e.g. quantitative and/or qualitative)? What is the most appropriate research strategy (e.g. experiment, survey, case study, action research etc) and what methods will you use (e.g. observation, questionnaire, interviews etc)?

Resources and Constraints

What factors should you take into account?

  • Time – do you have enough to prepare, conduct, analyse and write up the study?
  • Expertise – do you have knowledge and skills in the particular topic & method(s)?
  • Participants – can you secure access to the necessary participants (e.g. patients, relatives, work colleagues) within the ethical guidelines and in the relevant time frame?
  • Financial resources – will you need to consider acquiring extra staff and/or equipment, how will you cover the costs of conducting the research (photocopying, postage, travel etc), can this be approved by your manager or do you need to secure funding?

Writing a Research Proposal

A research proposal is a detailed statement identifying what you intend to do; why; how; and with whom. It indicates your ability to conduct the study and provides an opportunity:

  • For you – to clarify your thoughts
  • For others – to examine these (importance, feasibility, ethics, funding etc)

Components of an Research Proposal

  • Title of the proposed project
  • Name of the student/researcher
  • Brief summary and problem statement
    Aims & objectives
  • Rationale/justification (why the research is important and should be conducted)
  • Brief literature review (scientific background)
  • Brief description of research design (approach, strategy, methods, analysis)
  • Ethical considerations (consent of participants, other clinicians, participant information sheet)
  • Timescale/plan
  • Any resource implications (how costs will be met, any funding required/secured)
  • Proposed outputs (dissemination, feedback to participants)

Research Proposals – Questions to Ask

Is it realistic?

  • Have I the necessary skills & time to carry it out?
  • Is it ethical?
  • Have I considered how my sample will be selected, how informed consent will be achieved, how data will be collected, stored (and destroyed) and disseminated whilst maintaining confidentiality and complying with the Data Protection Act?

Is it clear?

  • Have I used simple language & not jargon?
  • Have I explained technical terms?
  • Have I included an indication of the kinds of questions I will be asking, or observations I will be recording?

Can I anticipate any problems?

  • Have I covered each section thoroughly?
  • Are there any weaknesses?
Research Proposal
Research Proposal

In this article we have identified what is generally required of researchers when they submit proposals for ethical approval. The assignment for this module involves preparing a similar proposal.

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Best University Dissertation Examples

Dissertation Examples

Outstanding Dissertation Examples – We believe that reading and examining others work is the best way to complete your own work perfectly, so before starting dissertation writing, students must remember and take care of analyzing others work first. This is where dissertation examples come into their element. Writing a dissertation is not difficult if you have searched for existing dissertations that will help you in writing your own dissertation. This would cover what structure and format you should follow up until the point of submission. Below are some guidelines to ensure that you will get the best dissertation examples and ideas:

University Libraries

If you are looking for dissertation examples then look at what your university library has to offer. This is the best possible place where you can find credible work from previous graduates and your university has elected to keep the dissertation examples on file for future use for other university students. Browsing a university library is the most authentic method when choosing a title or topic for your own dissertation.

Internet

The most accessible source where you can find dissertation examples is the internet. You will instantly gain access to a plethora dissertations across a wide variety of subjects. Be mindful that the dissertations you are viewing have no doubt already been submitted to universities and the contents have been used by many students in the same way you wish to use the contents. Don’t be tempted to cut and paste any online content from any dissertation examples you encounter as you will fail your degree unless you reference appropriately in accordance with your university guidelines.

Evaluating Relevant Material

Here you will be utilising existing material you have already written during your university studies. Take a step back and look at the work you have produced in the first and second year of your degree, it is safe to say you will find material that you can add to your dissertation. In some cases students formulate a dissertation topic on previous research carried out. This is something I did during my undergraduate degree, I wrote a dissertation on entrepreneurial behaviour as previous modules in this subject area stirred my imagination and interest in this field of study.

University Dissertation Examples
University Dissertation Examples

You need to pick a project topic that is feasible, which means do-able in the short time that you have. What is feasible? Many student project proposals are initially over- ambitious. They are often very wide-ranging in their focus and could present significant problems for students in collecting primary data. The best projects are those where:

  • The topic is of particular interest to you
  • You can easily collect information – the information is readily available, or you can collect and analyse it easily, and within a short time period
  • The aim of the project is focused on a particular aspect of a chosen topic

Business Dissertation Examples

The likely reason for you to examine business dissertation examples is to get a clear understanding on how to structure your own dissertation. Writing your own dissertation is usually carried out in accordance with accepted guidelines set out by at your university. This is designated to help the reader or examiner to understand exactly what message is to be conveyed in the dissertation. The best way to learn on how to best structure your business dissertation is to assess previously submitted business dissertation examples. Be sure to analyze any dissertation examples carefully and make sure your reference any material accordingly. Below is a list of business dissertation examples for you to look into, this also includes a vast collection of MBA dissertation examples.

Business Dissertation Examples | MBA Dissertation Titles

Marketing Dissertation Examples

There will be a period of time during your marketing degree when you need to start planning in advance to your final year. I do suggest to students to start investigating and formulating a dissertation topic and dissertation title during the second year of a degree. You do not want to leave this task until the last year or final semester of the last year as you will be at a disadvantage. Students should start looking at marketing dissertation examples as soon as possible especially if there is a break in the studies. Always do the ground work well in advance, I knew the dissertation topic I wanted to write part way through my second year. Soon after, I carefully analyzed dissertation examples in this field of study.

Students should obtain a good set of undergraduate and postgraduate marketing dissertation examples. As mentioned above, these can be obtained from university libraries, the internet and research material you have already written. Below are links that will take you to a large quantity of marketing dissertation examples. I’m sure you will find marketing dissertation topics that are relevant to your field of study.

Marketing Dissertation Examples | Marketing Dissertation Titles

Construction Dissertation Examples

There are a number of techniques where you can access existing construction dissertation examples and use them as a foundation for your own work, thus trying to understand the specifics of the thesis or dissertation you have to produce. As previously mentioned, do try to see if the university library has dissertation topics and titles for you to analyse, if not, search the internet for research material and construction related forums and blogs. We do offer construction dissertation examples and we often visit related blogs such as The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Constructionomics and BDCnetwork all of which will help you with your own research dissertation as the material on offer is first class, current and expansive. The link provided below will illustrate the vast amount of construction dissertation examples we have to offer.

Construction Dissertation Examples

HRM Dissertation Examples

This post sets out to help students select the most appropriate topic for their HRM dissertation and to provide practical advice on how a HRM dissertation should be structured in order to achieve the best possible grade. You may have already looked at the HRM dissertation titles we have on offer and we appreciate that there is a wide variety of topics in this subject area, so it may be prudent to seek out and analyse HRM dissertation examples available at your university library or internet.

Below are links to access an extensive list of quality HRM Dissertation examples. Students may use them to meet the requirements of their own HRM dissertation, or view the titles in order to gain some inspiration. Either way, ensure you reference all material accordingly as you do not want fall foul of plagiarism.

HRM Dissertation Examples

Finance Dissertation Examples

Finance and accounting is often perceived as a difficult subject area especially when it comes to writing a dissertation. When you choose your finance dissertation topic try to keep in mind that the topic chosen should current and up to date. Don’t write a finance dissertation on stock performance from the last decade or on failed banks as that is too predictable. Have a look at what is happening now in the world of finance, or try to write a finance dissertation that predicts the outcome of a seismic event such as Brexit or potential collapse of the Euro currency. That is why looking at current finance dissertation examples is a must as you will be kept abreast of any new theories in this field of research.

When writing your finance dissertation you have to make decisions regarding the content, area of study and formulate the topic. Below are finance dissertation examples that will help you in your studies. We urge you to take a look and reference any material accordingly.

Finance Dissertation Examples

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Outstanding Sample Dissertations
Outstanding Sample Dissertations

Dissertation topics chosen will be wide ranging and students are encouraged to work in areas of particular personal interest, providing they are relevant to the objectives of the pathway. There is no doubt that student will be required to complete the Research Methods module to provide the underpinning skills and knowledge required to undertake a dissertation.

Dissertation Writing Outcomes

To enable students to undertake a substantial piece of empirical research within a topic area of their own choosing relevant to the objectives of the pathway

  • To allow students to demonstrate their ability to undertake a piece of work requiring an element of original inquiry
  • To enable students to identify a specific research question, review the literature in that area, select and justify using a particular research methodology to collect, analyse and interpret secondary and primary data, the balance of which will vary depending on the individual project
  • To allow students to display their initiative and develop their time management skills
  • To develop students ability for critical thought and evaluation

Once you have completed your own dissertation you will be able to:

  • Produce clearly stated analytical framework for the study including aims and objectives
  • Systematically develop an empirical investigation, using a research methodology to gather data for analysis and critical interpretation
  • Present firm conclusions and recommendations (as appropriate) demonstrating that the objectives set have been achieved
  • Write a formal research report to professional standards
  • Provide evidence on the use of initiative, time management and self expression

Start writing your dissertation early. Write a section at a time as you complete them; don’t try writing the report all at once. Give yourself plenty of time for revision, correcting and for formatting the document – this can be very time-consuming. Discuss and agree with your supervisor arrangements for sending and returning completed text to each other. Don’t forget to reference dissertation examples accordingly.

If you enjoyed reading this post on how to obtain and use existing dissertations I would be very grateful if you could help spread this knowledge by emailing this post to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you.

Media Selection Food Advertising Dissertation

Media Selection of Food Campaign Advertising in Thailand and the UK

This dissertation aims to examine the relevant data that is available in the food advertising in the UK and Thailand. This is done with the aim of improving the overall efficiency of food advertising in both countries. The research design is both qualitative and quantitative. It makes use of online and paper-based surveys that target consumers and professionals in the advertising industry. The online survey is focused on consumers in order to identify the important factors that influence their purchasing decisions when making food purchases.

The dissertation based survey is used solely in the UK and targets the advertising professionals in order to identify which factors can improve advertising efficiency. The research findings show that there is a strong correlation between child advertising and obesity in both the UK and Thailand. It also shows that responsible food advertising can contribute to healthy eating in both countries among children and adults. The limitations of the study are that qualitative data from advertising professionals in Thailand could not be availed and this compromises the overall quality of the study.

Media Selection Food Advertising
Media Selection Food Advertising

The main recommendation is that there should be less government and more peer-to-peer regulation. This will reduce the advertising on children that promotes obesity while also improving the overall health of the adults. This study has value by contributing to the overall knowledge of food advertising in the UK and Thailand. This is important when considering the scarcity of information about food marketing in Thailand.

The impact of advertising is important in the food industry in influencing the choices that consumers will make with regards to the food they will purchase. Advertising is able to change the perceptions on what is healthy and appealing and also in stimulating the desire to purchase some certain foods. Consumer eating habits have been changing over the years and this has been significantly influenced by the images and pictures they are exposed to through advertising. The main objective of this research paper is to study the influence of media and advertising on the consumer in terms of the interest it elicits to purchase certain foods.

It will try to identify which media used is the most effective. This will be important in suggesting ways in which food companies based in the UK and Thailand can increase their efficiency in marketing.

Research Questions

  • What is the most appropriate advertising for a food campaign in Thailand and UK?
  • What is the best media which can motivate the consumer to purchase food in Thailand and the UK?
  • How does a buyer decide to buy food in Thailand and the UK?
  • What are the main factors that the consumer considers in selecting media in Thailand and the UK?
  • How can the efficiency of advertising be increased in Thailand and the UK?

Dissertation Contents

1 – Introduction and Background
Background
Objectives of the study
Research Questions
Conclusion

2 – Literature Review
Theories of advertising
Advertising Communication Models
AIDA Model of communication
Hierarchy-of-effects model of advertising Communication
The Innovation-Adoption Model
The high-low involvement model
Consumer Behavior Models
Anatomy of Purchase theory
Cognitive-dissonance theory
Cognitive-response theory
Stimulus-Response theory
Effects of advertising on children
Advertising Repetition
Characters in advertising
Pester power
Food and beverage advertising for children
Advertising Industry in the UK
Effects of food advertising on adults in the UK
Effects of food advertising on children in the UK
Advertising industry in Thailand
Effects of food advertising on adults in Thailand
Effects of food advertising on children in Thailand
Literature Review on the food industry
Classifications of innovations in the food industry
The effect of advertising on the efficiency of food distribution
UK Food industry
Food industry in Thailand

3 – Research Methodology
Research Design
Procedure
Limitations

4 – Findings
Analysis of research questions
Findings of Quantitative Method
The time spent on food advertising
Strategies used in food advertisement
Promotion channels for food advertising
Discussion

5 – Summary and Conclusion
Limitations
Recommendations

References

Appendix
Questionnaire

Download This Dissertation Here: Media Selection Food Advertising Dissertation

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post on media selection and how it affects food advertising in Thailand and the UK. There are many other titles available in the Marketing Dissertation Collection that should be of interest to marketing students and practitioners. There are many dissertation titles that relate to other aspects of marketing such as branding, corporate advertising, marketing strategy and consumerism to name a few. I would be grateful if you could share this post via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you.

Consumer Behaviour China Automobiles

The Automotive Industry in China: Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour of Domestic and Foreign Produced Automobiles

Keywords: Consumer Behaviour China Automobiles. China is the biggest consumer and producer of automobiles in the world today. In spite of this there has not been enough research in the field of Chinese consumer behavior. This particular study investigates the significance of country image and country of origin in Chinese consumer purchase intentions and evaluations of automobiles. The respondents were located in different cities of China who were surveyed.

Conjoint analysis had been used for deriving the significance of country of origin compared to other attributes in making preference judgments whereas multiple regressions were used for deriving the significance of country image in the purchase intentions. It was seen that country of origin is as significant as brand name and more significant than safety, reliability and price in making product evaluations. It was also seen that workmanship, reliability and superior prestige were the most significant reasons for the purchase preferences of the Chinese respondents for the foreign automobiles compared to the Chinese brands.

Consumer Behaviour China Automobiles
Consumer Behaviour China Automobiles

The results for the domestic and foreign manufacturers along with their implications have been discussed. The main aim of this research is to examine current situation of Chinese auto industry and the factors which have contributed on the success of immense growth rate of Chinese auto industry confronting severe competition from foreign automobile companies.

Dissertation Objectives

  • To study the current Chinese auto industry and the growing competition in the industry
  • To evaluate the concept of consumer behaviour and the factors impacting the consumer buying behaviour with respect to auto industry
  • To review factors motivating the investment in Chinese auto industry
  • To study the factors which may hamper the growth of Chinese auto industry as a result of growing foreign giant companies.

Dissertation Contents

1- Introduction
Background
Research Question
Research Aim
Research Objectives
Research Rationale

2 – Literature Review
Consumer Behavior
Constitution of Consumer Behavior
Consumer Decision Making
Influencing Factors of Consumer Behavior
Motivation
Perception
Learning and Memory
Attitude
Self-concept and Life styles
Environmental Factors
Chinese’ Attitudes to Domestic and Foreign Goods
Overview of Key FDI Theories
FDI Motives and Determinants
Geographic and Cultural Closeness

3 – Research Methods
Purpose of Research
Research Methodology Adopted
Research Paradigm
Research Approach
Research Strategy
Primary Data
Design Data Collection
Validity and Reliability

4 – Findings and Analysis
Survey Findings
Findings on Factors affectng Consumer Behavior in China
Analysis of Findings from Secondary Research
Chinese Automobile Industry – Porter’s Five Forces
Bargaining Power of the Buyers
Bargaining Power of Supliers
Drivers of Supplier Power
Threat of New Entrants
Threat of Substitutes
Discussion
Key Findings

5 – Conclusion

References

Appendix
Questionnaire

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Download This Dissertation Here: Dissertation China Automotive Industry

I hope you enjoyed reading this post on Chinese consumer behaviour and how it affects domestic and foreign produced automobiles. There are many other titles available Marketing Dissertation Examples that should be of interest to marketing students and practitioners. There are many dissertation titles that relate to other aspects of marketing such as branding, corporate advertising, marketing strategy and consumerism to name a few. I would be grateful if you could share this post via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you.

Marketing Dissertation E-Commerce Thailand

The Role of E-Commerce in Marketing of Coconut Oil in Thailand

E-commerce has been defined as the process in which buying and selling of goods and services is done on the Internet via online services. The number of e-commerce users in Thailand is currently 12.1 million and is expected to rise with an additional of 1.8 million users doing businesses online by 2021. The major contributor to the increased use of e-commerce marketing services according to the respondents is the increased use of Internet services where many can access it on their smart phones and personal computers. With the onset of smart phone penetration in Thailand many people have the ability to access Internet easily therefore increasing the numbers of online shoppers.

The dissertation focuses on uncovering the critical role of e-commerce in marketing of coconut oil in Thailand. According to the outcome of the research that involved 80 respondents out of 100, 92.5% strongly agreed that e-commerce has a vital role in increasing the sales of coconut oil products in Thailand. A mean of 1.1625 that was recorded signify a direct relationship between the increase in sales and the use of e-commerce marketing services.

Ecommerce marketing channels such as website and social media have been listed as the leading channels that have shaped the field of marketing coconut oil because many customers have now shifted to the use of such channels in carrying out all their business transactions. 96.2% of the respondents strongly agreed that Internet is the driving factor behind the increased use of e-commerce marketing channels because a larger number can access it through their smart phones and personal computers anytime and anywhere.

E-Commerce Marketing Dissertations
E-Commerce Marketing Dissertations

The research finds a direct influence of e-commerce marketing services on consumer behaviour towards the ability to make coconut oil purchases. 92.5% of the respondents indicated that e-commerce services mostly determines who to buy or not buy the products in most cases attracting many people to make purchases due to their ease and fast way of doing transactions.

Dissertation Objectives

Research objectives are very important in providing the expectations of the study. They have acted as guidelines towards developing a good research paper. The main objectives of the study include;

  • To investigate the role of ecommerce in the marketing of coconut oil in Thailand
  • To analyze the commonly used ecommerce marketing channels in Thailand
  • To examine consumer behaviour in relation to the use of ecommerce in marketing of coconut oil in Thailand

Dissertation Contents

1 – Introduction
Research Objectives
Research Questions
Research Hypothesis
Chapter Overview

2 – Literature Review
History of ECommerce
Summary of the History of ECommerce
Theories explaining the rapid growth of e-commerce
Examples of E-commerce Businesses in Thailand
Online Shopping
Electronic Payments
Online Auctions
Internet Banking
Online Ticketing
Types of Ecommerce in Thailand
Business to Consumer (B2C)
Business to Business (B2B)
Consumer to Business (C2B)
Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
Consumer to Administrator (C2A)
Business to Administrator (B2A)
The Role of ECommerce in Marketing
Planning a content or suitable marketing strategy
Automated email marketing campaigns
Diversification through social media
Enhances personalization strategy
Ensures original content
Advantages of using ecommerce in marketing
Sites of E-commerce in Thailand
Online payments
Mobile Ecommerce
Social media and Digital marketing
E-Commerce Marketing Channels in Thailand
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
Re-Targeting
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Affiliate Marketing
Email Marketing
Banner Advertising
Chatbot Marketing
Consumer Behaviour and Values in Ecommerce
Factors Influencing Customer Behaviour in Ecommerce

3 – Research Methodology
Research strategy/design
Research philosophy
Research approach
Research methods
Research Sample
Data collection
Data analysis
Ethical Considerations

4 – Data Presentation, Evidence, Analysis and Discussion
Role of E-commerce in Marketing
Promoters of E-commerce Marketing
E-commerce Marketing Channels
Leading E-commerce Channel in Marketing of Coconut Oil in Thailand
Consumer behaviour
Online marketing services vs. the traditional marketing services
Findings of Quantitative Method

5 – Discussion and Limitations of the Study
Discussion
Limitations

6 – Conclusion and Recommendation of the Study
Conclusion
Recommendations

References

Appendix
Online survey Questions

Download The Dissertation Here

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post on The Role of ECommerce in Marketing. There are many other titles available in the Marketing Dissertation Collection that should be of interest to marketing students and practitioners. There are many dissertation titles that relate to other aspects of marketing such as branding, corporate advertising, marketing strategy and consumerism to name a few. I would be grateful if you could share this post via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you.