Online Research Proposal Support

More information: [email protected] Tel +27825585311

Join Prof. Johannes Cronje and Dr Franci Cronje for an extended online writing workshop guided by Zoom and WhatsApp. The workshop is designed to support you with writing a research proposal, thesis chapter, or academic paper.

We will meet every Saturday from 15 March to 12 April from 09:30 to 11:00 for group and individual feedback and support, as well as covering a specific theme for the day. There will also be a WhatsApp group for continuous peer support. The idea is to have a draft proposal at the end of five weeks.

The cost for attending this online workshop is R 2750. Tickets are available from Quicket. More information and block bookings:

More information:  [email protected] Tel +27825585311

Research Proposal Writing Workshop Programme

Duration: 5 weeks

Time: 09:30–11:00 (90 minutes per session)

Start Date: Saturday, 15 March

Week 1: Introduction to Research Proposals and Topic Selection

Date: Saturday, 15 March

Objective: Understand the purpose of a research proposal and identify a research topic.

Agenda:

• Welcome and workshop overview (10 minutes)
• What is a research proposal? Key components and structure (20 minutes)
• How to choose a research topic: relevance, feasibility, and originality (30 minutes)
• Interactive activity: Brainstorming and refining research ideas (20 minutes)
• Homework: Draft a research question and preliminary objectives.

Week 2: Literature Review and Research Gap Identification

Date: Saturday, 22 March

Objective: Learn how to conduct a literature review and identify research gaps.

Agenda:

• Recap of Week 1 and Q&A (10 minutes)
• The role of a literature review in a research proposal (20 minutes)
• Strategies for finding and evaluating academic sources using conventional and Artificial Intelligence tools (20 minutes)
• Identifying research gaps and formulating a research problem and questions using the ABC method (20 minutes)
• Homework: Draft a brief literature review and justify the research gap.

Week 3: Research Methodology and Design

Date: Saturday, 29 March

Objective: Develop a clear research methodology and design.

Agenda:

• Recap of Week 2 and Q&A (10 minutes)
• Saunders's Research Onion: An overview of research methodologies: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (20 minutes)
• Choosing appropriate research methods and tools (20 minutes)
• Designing a research plan: sampling, data collection, and analysis (20 minutes)
• Homework: Draft the methodology section of your proposal.

Week 4: Writing the Proposal and Ethical Considerations

Date: Saturday, 5 April

Objective: Learn how to structure and write a compelling research proposal, including ethical considerations.

Agenda:

• Recap of Week 3 and Q&A (10 minutes)
• Structuring the proposal: title, introduction, objectives, methodology, timeline, and references (30 minutes)
• Ethical considerations in research: informed consent, confidentiality, and data handling (20 minutes)
• Homework: Draft the full research proposal, including ethical considerations.

Week 5: Peer Review, Feedback, and Finalizing the Proposal

Date: Saturday, 12 April

Objective: Refine and finalize the research proposal based on feedback.

Agenda:

• Recap of Week 4 and Q&A (10 minutes)
• Peer review activity: Exchange proposals and provide constructive feedback (30 minutes)
• Incorporating feedback and finalizing the proposal (20 minutes)
• Workshop wrap-up: Tips for submitting proposals and next steps (10 minutes)

Additional Notes:

• Sessions will be conducted via Zoom, and each session will be recorded. Recordings will be available for download but will expire after one week.
• Each session will include a 10-minute break at the halfway point