phd education research proposal sample

17 Research Proposal Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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A research proposal systematically and transparently outlines a proposed research project.

The purpose of a research proposal is to demonstrate a project’s viability and the researcher’s preparedness to conduct an academic study. It serves as a roadmap for the researcher.

The process holds value both externally (for accountability purposes and often as a requirement for a grant application) and intrinsic value (for helping the researcher to clarify the mechanics, purpose, and potential signficance of the study).

Key sections of a research proposal include: the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research design and methods, timeline, budget, outcomes and implications, references, and appendix. Each is briefly explained below.

Watch my Guide: How to Write a Research Proposal

Get your Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

Research Proposal Sample Structure

Title: The title should present a concise and descriptive statement that clearly conveys the core idea of the research projects. Make it as specific as possible. The reader should immediately be able to grasp the core idea of the intended research project. Often, the title is left too vague and does not help give an understanding of what exactly the study looks at.

Abstract: Abstracts are usually around 250-300 words and provide an overview of what is to follow – including the research problem , objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Use it as a roadmap and ensure that, if the abstract is the only thing someone reads, they’ll get a good fly-by of what will be discussed in the peice.

Introduction: Introductions are all about contextualization. They often set the background information with a statement of the problem. At the end of the introduction, the reader should understand what the rationale for the study truly is. I like to see the research questions or hypotheses included in the introduction and I like to get a good understanding of what the significance of the research will be. It’s often easiest to write the introduction last

Literature Review: The literature review dives deep into the existing literature on the topic, demosntrating your thorough understanding of the existing literature including themes, strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the literature. It serves both to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and, to demonstrate how the proposed study will fit alongside the literature on the topic. A good literature review concludes by clearly demonstrating how your research will contribute something new and innovative to the conversation in the literature.

Research Design and Methods: This section needs to clearly demonstrate how the data will be gathered and analyzed in a systematic and academically sound manner. Here, you need to demonstrate that the conclusions of your research will be both valid and reliable. Common points discussed in the research design and methods section include highlighting the research paradigm, methodologies, intended population or sample to be studied, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures . Toward the end of this section, you are encouraged to also address ethical considerations and limitations of the research process , but also to explain why you chose your research design and how you are mitigating the identified risks and limitations.

Timeline: Provide an outline of the anticipated timeline for the study. Break it down into its various stages (including data collection, data analysis, and report writing). The goal of this section is firstly to establish a reasonable breakdown of steps for you to follow and secondly to demonstrate to the assessors that your project is practicable and feasible.

Budget: Estimate the costs associated with the research project and include evidence for your estimations. Typical costs include staffing costs, equipment, travel, and data collection tools. When applying for a scholarship, the budget should demonstrate that you are being responsible with your expensive and that your funding application is reasonable.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: A discussion of the anticipated findings or results of the research, as well as the potential contributions to the existing knowledge, theory, or practice in the field. This section should also address the potential impact of the research on relevant stakeholders and any broader implications for policy or practice.

References: A complete list of all the sources cited in the research proposal, formatted according to the required citation style. This demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the relevant literature and ensures proper attribution of ideas and information.

Appendices (if applicable): Any additional materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or consent forms, that provide further information or support for the research proposal. These materials should be included as appendices at the end of the document.

Research Proposal Examples

Research proposals often extend anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 words in length. The following snippets are samples designed to briefly demonstrate what might be discussed in each section.

1. Education Studies Research Proposals

See some real sample pieces:

• Assessment of the perceptions of teachers towards a new grading system
• Does ICT use in secondary classrooms help or hinder student learning?
• Digital technologies in focus project
• Urban Middle School Teachers’ Experiences of the Implementation of
• Restorative Justice Practices
• Experiences of students of color in service learning

Consider this hypothetical education research proposal:

The Impact of Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics

Abstract: The proposed study will explore multiplayer game-based learning techniques in middle school mathematics curricula and their effects on student engagement. The study aims to contribute to the current literature on game-based learning by examining the effects of multiplayer gaming in learning.

Introduction: Digital game-based learning has long been shunned within mathematics education for fears that it may distract students or lower the academic integrity of the classrooms. However, there is emerging evidence that digital games in math have emerging benefits not only for engagement but also academic skill development. Contributing to this discourse, this study seeks to explore the potential benefits of multiplayer digital game-based learning by examining its impact on middle school students’ engagement and academic performance in a mathematics class.

Literature Review: The literature review has identified gaps in the current knowledge, namely, while game-based learning has been extensively explored, the role of multiplayer games in supporting learning has not been studied.

Research Design and Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods research design based upon action research in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design will first be used to compare the academic performance and engagement of middle school students exposed to game-based learning techniques with those in a control group receiving instruction without the aid of technology. Students will also be observed and interviewed in regard to the effect of communication and collaboration during gameplay on their learning.

Timeline: The study will take place across the second term of the school year with a pre-test taking place on the first day of the term and the post-test taking place on Wednesday in Week 10.

Budget: The key budgetary requirements will be the technologies required, including the subscription cost for the identified games and computers.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: It is expected that the findings will contribute to the current literature on game-based learning and inform educational practices, providing educators and policymakers with insights into how to better support student achievement in mathematics.

2. Psychology Research Proposals

See some real examples:

• A situational analysis of shared leadership in a self-managing team
• The effect of musical preference on running performance
• Relationship between self-esteem and disordered eating amongst adolescent females

Consider this hypothetical psychology research proposal:

The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students

Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods .

Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels during exam weeks. This can affect both mental health and test performance. This study explores the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions such as meditation as a way to mediate stress levels in the weeks leading up to exam time.

Literature Review: Existing research on mindfulness-based meditation has shown the ability for mindfulness to increase metacognition, decrease anxiety levels, and decrease stress. Existing literature has looked at workplace, high school and general college-level applications. This study will contribute to the corpus of literature by exploring the effects of mindfulness directly in the context of exam weeks.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n= 234 ) will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving 5 days per week of 10-minute mindfulness-based interventions, or a control group, receiving no intervention. Data will be collected through self-report questionnaires, measuring stress levels, semi-structured interviews exploring participants’ experiences, and students’ test scores.

Timeline: The study will begin three weeks before the students’ exam week and conclude after each student’s final exam. Data collection will occur at the beginning (pre-test of self-reported stress levels) and end (post-test) of the three weeks.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: The study aims to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among college students in the lead up to exams, with potential implications for mental health support and stress management programs on college campuses.

3. Sociology Research Proposals

• Understanding emerging social movements: A case study of ‘Jersey in Transition’
• The interaction of health, education and employment in Western China
• Can we preserve lower-income affordable neighbourhoods in the face of rising costs?

Consider this hypothetical sociology research proposal:

The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data.

Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for the development of interpersonal relationships, particularly for young adults. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media usage on young adults’ relationships and development over time.

Literature Review: A preliminary review of relevant literature has demonstrated that social media usage is central to development of a personal identity and relationships with others with similar subcultural interests. However, it has also been accompanied by data on mental health deline and deteriorating off-screen relationships. The literature is to-date lacking important longitudinal data on these topics.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n = 454 ) will be young adults aged 18-24. Ongoing self-report surveys will assess participants’ social media usage, relationship satisfaction, and communication patterns. A subset of participants will be selected for longitudinal in-depth interviews starting at age 18 and continuing for 5 years.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of five years, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between social media usage and interpersonal relationships among young adults, potentially informing social policies and mental health support related to social media use.

4. Nursing Research Proposals

• Does Orthopaedic Pre-assessment clinic prepare the patient for admission to hospital?
• Nurses’ perceptions and experiences of providing psychological care to burns patients
• Registered psychiatric nurse’s practice with mentally ill parents and their children

Consider this hypothetical nursing research proposal:

The Influence of Nurse-Patient Communication on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes following Emergency Cesarians

Abstract: This research will examines the impact of effective nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes for women following c-sections, utilizing a mixed-methods approach with patient surveys and semi-structured interviews.

Introduction: It has long been known that effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for quality care. However, additional complications arise following emergency c-sections due to the interaction between new mother’s changing roles and recovery from surgery.

Literature Review: A review of the literature demonstrates the importance of nurse-patient communication, its impact on patient satisfaction, and potential links to health outcomes. However, communication between nurses and new mothers is less examined, and the specific experiences of those who have given birth via emergency c-section are to date unexamined.

Research Design and Methods: Participants will be patients in a hospital setting who have recently had an emergency c-section. A self-report survey will assess their satisfaction with nurse-patient communication and perceived health outcomes. A subset of participants will be selected for in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and perceptions of the communication with their nurses.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including rolling recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing within the hospital.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the significance of nurse-patient communication in supporting new mothers who have had an emergency c-section. Recommendations will be presented for supporting nurses and midwives in improving outcomes for new mothers who had complications during birth.

5. Social Work Research Proposals

• Experiences of negotiating employment and caring responsibilities of fathers post-divorce
• Exploring kinship care in the north region of British Columbia

Consider this hypothetical social work research proposal:

The Role of a Family-Centered Intervention in Preventing Homelessness Among At-Risk Youthin a working-class town in Northern England

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effectiveness of a family-centered intervention provided by a local council area in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth. This case study will use a mixed-methods approach with program evaluation data and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data .

Introduction: Homelessness among youth remains a significant social issue. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in addressing this problem and identify factors that contribute to successful prevention strategies.

Literature Review: A review of the literature has demonstrated several key factors contributing to youth homelessness including lack of parental support, lack of social support, and low levels of family involvement. It also demonstrates the important role of family-centered interventions in addressing this issue. Drawing on current evidence, this study explores the effectiveness of one such intervention in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth in a working-class town in Northern England.

Research Design and Methods: The study will evaluate a new family-centered intervention program targeting at-risk youth and their families. Quantitative data on program outcomes, including housing stability and family functioning, will be collected through program records and evaluation reports. Semi-structured interviews with program staff, participants, and relevant stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the factors contributing to program success or failure.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Budget: Expenses include access to program evaluation data, interview materials, data analysis software, and any related travel costs for in-person interviews.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in preventing youth homelessness, potentially informing the expansion of or necessary changes to social work practices in Northern England.

Research Proposal Template

Get your Detailed Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

This is a template for a 2500-word research proposal. You may find it difficult to squeeze everything into this wordcount, but it’s a common wordcount for Honors and MA-level dissertations.

Your research proposal is where you really get going with your study. I’d strongly recommend working closely with your teacher in developing a research proposal that’s consistent with the requirements and culture of your institution, as in my experience it varies considerably. The above template is from my own courses that walk students through research proposals in a British School of Education.

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8 thoughts on “17 Research Proposal Examples”

Very excellent research proposals

very helpful

Very helpful

Dear Sir, I need some help to write an educational research proposal. Thank you.

Hi Levi, use the site search bar to ask a question and I’ll likely have a guide already written for your specific question. Thanks for reading!

very good research proposal

Thank you so much sir! ❤️

Very helpful 👌

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Research Proposal Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template

If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.

• Research proposal example/sample – Master’s-level (PDF/Word)
• Research proposal example/sample – PhD-level (PDF/Word)
• Proposal template (Fully editable) 

If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:

• Research Proposal Bootcamp : Learn how to write a research proposal as efficiently and effectively as possible
• 1:1 Proposal Coaching : Get hands-on help with your research proposal

PS – If you’re working on a dissertation, be sure to also check out our collection of dissertation and thesis examples here .

FAQ: Research Proposal Example

Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.

Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.

Can I copy one of these proposals for my own research?

As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .

How do I get the research proposal template?

You can access our free proposal template here .

Is the proposal template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.

Where can I learn more about proposal writing?

For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.

For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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Examples of research proposals

How to write your research proposal, with examples of good proposals.

Research proposals

Your research proposal is a key part of your application. It tells us about the question you want to answer through your research. It is a chance for you to show your knowledge of the subject area and tell us about the methods you want to use.

We use your research proposal to match you with a supervisor or team of supervisors.

In your proposal, please tell us if you have an interest in the work of a specific academic at York St John. You can get in touch with this academic to discuss your proposal. You can also speak to one of our Research Leads. There is a list of our Research Leads on the Apply page.

When you write your proposal you need to:

• Highlight how it is original or significant
• Explain how it will develop or challenge current knowledge of your subject
• Identify the importance of your research
• Show why you are the right person to do this research
• Research Proposal Example 1 (DOC, 49kB)
• Research Proposal Example 2 (DOC, 0.9MB)
• Research Proposal Example 3 (DOC, 55.5kB)
• Research Proposal Example 4 (DOC, 49.5kB)

Subject specific guidance

• Writing a Humanities PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
• Writing a Creative Writing PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
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• How to Write a Great PhD Research Proposal | FindAPhD.com

How to Write a Great PhD Research Proposal

Written by Mark Bennett

You'll need to write a research proposal if you're submitting your own project plan as part of a PhD application. A good PhD proposal outlines the scope and significance of your topic and explains how you plan to research it.

It's helpful to think about the proposal like this: if the rest of your application explains your ability to do a PhD, the proposal demonstrates the actual PhD you plan to do. Of course, being able to effectively plan and explain a research project is one of the key qualifications for being able to complete one, which is why the proposal is such an important part of the PhD application process.

Thankfully, the secret to writing a good research proposal isn't complicated. It's simply a case of understanding what the proposal is for, what it needs to do and how it needs to be put together.

On this page

What is a phd research proposal.

First things first, do you need a research proposal for your PhD? It depends on the kind of project you want to do:

• If your PhD is advertised by a university, you probably won't need to submit a research proposal for it. The broad aims and objectives for your PhD will already be defined: you just need to prove you're the right person to do it.
• But, if you're proposing your own research topic to research within a university's PhD programme, you will need to write a proposal for it (the clue is in the word "proposing")

As a rule, advertised PhDs are very common in STEM subjects, whereas Arts, Humanities and Social Science students are more likely to propose their own PhDs.

Some PhD programmes actually wait and ask students to develop their research proposal during the degree (usually after they've completed some initial training). This is normal in the USA , but it's becoming more common for some UKRI-funded UK PhDs.

For the purposes of this guide we're going to assume that you do need to write a good research proposal for your PhD application. So let's explore what's involved in that.

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What should a research proposal for PhD admission include?

It's natural to be a little intimidated at the thought of structuring a PhD proposal, particularly if you've never written anything like this before.

But here's the thing: a research proposal isn't a fiendish test designed to catch you out and stop you ever doing a PhD. It's actually much more boring than that.

All a research proposal really is is a document that demonstrates three things:

• Your PhD is worthwhile
• Your PhD is feasible
• You are capable of completing it at this university

Or to put it even more simply: the PhD is worth doing, it's doable and you can do it.

Demonstrate your PhD is worthwhile (the what and the why)

A successful PhD project has to make a significant original contribution to knowledge. If it doesn't, it won't meet the criteria for a doctoral degree and will probably fail the viva exam .

Your PhD proposal itself doesn't have to meet those criteria (or pass a viva!) but it does need to indicate that your PhD project eventually will.

It does that by first demonstrating that your research topic is original. That means nobody else has studied this same topic (or one very similar) before.

There are all sorts of ways a PhD can be original. You might examine new data or primary sources, to look at existing material from a fresh perspective, or deal with the impact of new events. It doesn't matter how your project is original, so long as your proposal is really specific about what makes it original.

You also need to explain why your proposed research will be academically significant. To do this properly, you'll need to acknowledge relevant existing scholarship and explain how your research will relate to it. You don't need to be exhaustive at this point, but you should be able to show how your PhD will contribute to its field and – ideally – indicate some of the gaps in knowledge it will aim to fill.

The final step in demonstrating your PhD is worthwhile is to suggest what will become possible as a result of your research. How could other researchers use or build upon your results? What might closing those gaps in academic knowledge mean for audiences outside the unviversity?

Demonstrate your PhD is feasible (the how)

It isn't enough just to show that your research is worth doing; it also needs to actually be doable.

The length of a full-time PhD is around three to four years in most countries (it's longer in for a PhD in the USA , but you don't spend all that time doing research).

Three years may seem like a long time, but researching a PhD is a lot of work and you'll probably spend at least some of your time on other activities like teaching, conference presentations or even publication.

So, one of the things your proposal needs to do is demonstrate that your project is feasible: that it fits within the scope of a PhD.

The most important criteria for this is to be clear about what you plan to do. It should be obvious from your proposal what the scope of your project is – what is and isn't included within it.

You also need to outline how you plan to go about your research. Where will you start and what order do you expect to proceed in? Is the logic for that obvious? If not, it's probably a good idea to explain it.

Finally, you need to explain the methodology you plan to use. This could include techniques for collecting data and sources, theoretical perspectives for analysing them – or both. You may also need to detail specific equipment you expect to use or fieldwork you'll need to undertake (including trips to archives or other external resources).

None of this needs to be exact or completely final. The key word here is 'plan' – but you do need to have one.

Demonstrate that you can complete it at this university (the who and the where)

So far we've thought about the project itself: what makes it worth doing and how it's going to get done. But your proposal also needs to address the who and the where: why are you the right person to carry out this research, and why do you want to do it at this particular university?

The first part of this is easier than it probably looks. Writing a good research proposal demonstrates enthusiasm for your project much more convincingly than simply saying you're very interested in it (a classic case of 'show, don't tell').

You also don't need to repeat your grades and academic achievements (other parts of your PhD application will cover those). Instead, try to underline experiences that relate to this project. Has a particular module or Masters dissertation topic prepared you with useful subject knowledge or methodological skills? If so, highlight it.

It's also fine, within reason, to be honest about the skills you don't have and to identify your training needs. This shows you're being practical about your project and thinking seriously about what it will require. Just make sure you can realistically acquire the skills and training you need within the time available (this goes back to the feasibility).

Showing your project is a good fit for the university is also relatively simple. There should already be some reasons why you've chosen this university for your PhD so make sure you explain what they are. Perhaps there's a particular supervisor you'd like to work with , or facilities and resources your research could use. The key is to emphasise the fit between the project and the university – so don't just say you want to research there because it's highly ranked .

PhD research proposal structure

Hopefully the above sections have given you a few ideas for the things your proposal needs to include. Let's be honest though, the scariest thing about a proposal isn't deciding what to include: it's actually writing it.

But, if we flip that on its head, we remember that all a research proposal really is is a piece of writing that follows a pretty standard format. And that's a lot less scary.

Research proposal structure

Because proposals for PhD all have to do the same things, they mostly follow a similar structure. Yours will probably go something like this:

• Title – Keep it simple and descriptive: the clever alliteration and quotes can come later when you write up your thesis. For now, you just want the person reading this to know exactly what your research is about and, perhaps, which prospective supervisor to send it to.
• Overview – Start by defining your research question (the what) and explaining how it contributes to current work in your field (the why). This is also a good place to reference one or two pieces of scholarship: the full literature review can wait until your PhD begins, but you should show that you have some understanding of relevant academic research.
• Methodology – Make sure the reader understands the practical and / or theoretical approaches you'll take to your research. What data will you collect, how will you collect it and how will you analyse it? Ideally refer to relevant research methods and models. It's also a good idea to provide some sort of roadmap for how you'll go about things. Don't worry, you can change it later (and you will).
• Outcomes and impact – What will exist as a result of your research (other than just another PhD on a library shelf) and what will it make possible? You don't need to identify every specific outcome from your project (blue sky research is fine) but you should think about what some potential outcomes might be.

You probably won't need to include a specific conclusion - it should be obvious, by now, what your project is doing, how you're going to do it and why that matters. A quick summary sentence is fine though, if you think it will help.

Writing tips

Being able to effectively communicate academic concepts, ideas and results is a key skill for PhD research in all subjects . Think of your proposal as a chance to demonstrate this.

The good news is that the key principles of good proposal writing aren't that different from other work you've probably done as a Bachelors or Masters student:

• Be clear – The person reading your research proposal should know exactly what it is you're proposing to research, with no room for ambiguity and confusion. This is important on a practical level (they need to know where to send it) but it's also important to the success of your application: a confusing proposal suggests a confused project. Try having a friend read it and ask them "do you know what it is I'm proposing to do here?" (even if they don't understand the details).
• Be concise – You will have more ideas than you can include in your proposal. That's fine. Choose the best ones and leave the others for your interview .
• be coherent – Follow something like the structure above. Don't start with your methodology, then say what it is you want to research.

How long should a PhD research proposal be?

Honestly? As long as the university asks for it to be. Most will have guidelines and you should follow them closely if so.

If you honestly can't find a suggested word count for your proposal, then consider asking a prospective supervisor . If you still aren't sure, aim for somewhere between 1,000-2,000 words .

As a very general rule, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are a bit longer than STEM proposals (and a lot of STEM students don't have to write one anyway, as we've explained).

Research proposal for PhD admission - dos and don'ts

Research proposals are a popular topic over on the FindAPhD blog , where we've shared stories of how students wrote theirs , along with mistakes to avoid and a counter-intuitive look at the things a PhD proposal doesn't actually need to do .

Here are a few general tips and mistakes to avoid:

#1 Give yourself enough time to do a good job

Preparing to write a PhD proposal takes time and effort. None of this is wasted as the process of evaluating and framing your ideas for a proposal will improve your project plan immensely. So will the need to decide which ideas to include.

But you need time and space to do that, so make sure you get it. How long it will take to write your PhD proposal is heavily dependent on your personal working style, but you'll likely need to give yourself at least a few weeks to do a good job.

#2 Set out to impress

A good proposal isn't a begging letter. You're approaching the university with a great idea that's going to contribute to and enhance their research. Be honest, be realistic, but don't be unnecessarily humble. They should want you and your project.

#3 Demonstrate original thinking!

You may not need to present original research findings yet, but your proposal does need to present original ideas – and it should be clear why and how those ideas are original.

Make sure you indicate how your project is going to expand, enhance or even correct existing work in your field. Remember that making an "original contribution to knowledge" is a key part of what a PhD is .

#1 Send the same proposal to several universities

A good proposal needs to explain why you want to do your research at a particular university. That's a big part of the feasibility (the fit between project, person and place) and methodology (how are you going to use this university's equipment and archives; when and where will you need to travel).

It's OK to apply to more than one university in parallel, but, in that case, you're writing research proposals .

#2 Use online proposal templates (without evaluating them first!)

It can be tempting to search for PhD proposal samples on the internet, but make sure you evaluate what you find. Some websites may host old proposals from previous PhD students, but there's no way of knowing how relevant these are to your subject and university – or if they were even successful! More 'generic' research proposal examples can offer guidance, but they won't be tailored to your specific project.

The best place to look for a PhD proposal sample is your university. Consider asking your supervisor if they can share a good proposal from a previous student in your subject – or put you in touch with a current student you can ask.

#3 Confuse the proposal with the PhD

We've covered this on the blog , but it's simple enough to include here too.

You're setting out to do a PhD, but you (probably!) haven't done one yet. So you don't need to include research findings, in-depth analysis or a comprehesive literature review. You need to make a case for the research and analysis you want to do.

#4 Ignore your university's help and guidance

The advice on this page is necessarily quite general. We're considering adding guides to writing PhD proposals in specific subjects in future but, for now, the best place to get specific advice for your academic field is probably the university you're applying to.

See if you can get some subject-specific tips by contacting a supervisor , or just checking with the admissions team for your department.

And remember: if they give you a structure and a word count, stick to it.

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A checklist of the things you'll need to do when making an international PhD application, from meeting the entry requirements to sorting out your visa.

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Welcome to the on-line version of the UNC dissertation proposal collection. The purpose of this collection is to provide examples of proposals for those of you who are thinking of writing a proposal of your own. I hope that this on-line collection proves to be more difficult to misplace than the physical collection that periodically disappears. If you are preparing to write a proposal you should make a point of reading the excellent document The Path to the Ph.D., written by James Coggins. It includes advice about selecting a topic, preparing a proposal, taking your oral exam and finishing your dissertation. It also includes accounts by many people about the process that each of them went through to find a thesis topic. Adding to the Collection This collection of proposals becomes more useful with each new proposal that is added. If you have an accepted proposal, please help by including it in this collection. You may notice that the bulk of the proposals currently in this collection are in the area of computer graphics. This is an artifact of me knowing more computer graphics folks to pester for their proposals. Add your non-graphics proposal to the collection and help remedy this imbalance! There are only two requirements for a UNC proposal to be added to this collection. The first requirement is that your proposal must be completely approved by your committee. If we adhere to this, then each proposal in the collection serves as an example of a document that five faculty members have signed off on. The second requirement is that you supply, as best you can, exactly the document that your committee approved. While reading over my own proposal I winced at a few of the things that I had written. I resisted the temptation to change the document, however, because this collection should truely reflect what an accepted thesis proposal looks like. Note that there is no requirement that the author has finished his/her Ph.D. Several of the proposals in the collection were written by people who, as of this writing, are still working on their dissertation. This is fine! I encourage people to submit their proposals in any form they wish. Perhaps the most useful forms at the present are Postscript and HTML, but this may not always be so. Greg Coombe has generously provided LaTeX thesis style files , which, he says, conform to the 2004-2005 stlye requirements.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this collection!

Greg Coombe, "Incremental Construction of Surface Light Fields" in PDF . Karl Hillesland, "Image-Based Modelling Using Nonlinear Function Fitting on a Stream Architecture" in PDF . Martin Isenburg, "Compressing, Streaming, and Processing of Large Polygon Meshes" in PDF . Ajith Mascarenhas, "A Topological Framework for Visualizing Time-varying Volumetric Datasets" in PDF . Josh Steinhurst, "Practical Photon Mapping in Hardware" in PDF . Ronald Azuma, "Predictive Tracking for Head-Mounted Displays," in Postscript Mike Bajura, "Virtual Reality Meets Computer Vision," in Postscript David Ellsworth, "Polygon Rendering for Interactive Scientific Visualization on Multicomputers," in Postscript Richard Holloway, "A Systems-Engineering Study of the Registration Errors in a Virtual-Environment System for Cranio-Facial Surgery Planning," in Postscript Victoria Interrante, "Uses of Shading Techniques, Artistic Devices and Interaction to Improve the Visual Understanding of Multiple Interpenetrating Volume Data Sets," in Postscript Mark Mine, "Modeling From Within: A Proposal for the Investigation of Modeling Within the Immersive Environment" in Postscript Steve Molnar, "High-Speed Rendering using Scan-Line Image Composition," in Postscript Carl Mueller, " High-Performance Rendering via the Sort-First Architecture ," in Postscript Ulrich Neumann, "Direct Volume Rendering on Multicomputers," in Postscript Marc Olano, "Programmability in an Interactive Graphics Pipeline," in Postscript Krish Ponamgi, "Collision Detection for Interactive Environments and Simulations," in Postscript Russell Taylor, "Nanomanipulator Proposal," in Postscript Greg Turk, " Generating Textures on Arbitrary Surfaces ," in HTML and Postscript Terry Yoo, " Statistical Control of Nonlinear Diffusion ," in Postscript

Learning from a sample PhD Research Proposal: A step by step guide.

Developing a PhD Research Proposal is a pivotal step towards delving into scholarly inquiry, shaping the trajectory of one’s academic journey and contributing to the body of knowledge. Doctoral candidates incessantly look for a sample PhD research proposal to serve as a blueprint, illuminating the intricacies of their research endeavor to contribute meaningfully to their chosen field through rigorous research and inquiry.

In this blog post, I share a sample PhD Research Proposal that may serve as a starting point for doctoral candidates’ scholarly pursuit. This sample research proposal represents not only a culmination of years of my academic endeavor but shall also provide a gateway to the doctoral candidates to unlock new insights, push the boundaries of existing knowledge and make a tangible impact in the academic community and beyond.

Starting from the title, this write-up presents the content of my PhD research proposal in an abridged form as per following format:

• Context of the study-higher education dynamics in Pakistan.
• Statement of the problem.
• Rationale of the study and evolution of the research questions.
• Research Questions.
• Objectives of the study.
• An overview of Human Resource Management.
• HRM in the public sector.
• HRM in the public sector in Pakistan.
• An overview of HRM in universities.
• HRM in the universities in Pakistan.
• Recruitment and Selection.
• Recruitment and selection in the universities in Pakistan.
• The gaps in literature and propositions.
• Theoretical Framework.
• General Systems Theory.
• General Systems Theory and its application to diverse disciplines.
• General Systems Theory and its application to organization.
• General Systems Theory and its application to HRM.
• Application of General Systems Theory to recruitment and selection
• Case Selection and Design
• Observations
• Documents and archival records.
• Data Analysis.
• Ethical considerations.
• Informed consent
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Significance, expected outcome and contribution of the study.
• Implications of the study.
• Outline of the Thesis.

An Exploratory Study of Recruitment and Selection of Administrative Staff in the Public Sector Universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Contemporary discourse on recruitment and selection underpins the researchers’ argument in articulating that staffing function does not take place in isolation in any organization. This is influenced, not only by internal factors but also by external environmental forces. While undertaking staffing function in any setting, HR managers must be cognizant that they select the right person for the right job as the critically important function set the stage for other human resources subsystems to pragmatically and smoothly function.

Using General Systems Theory as a theoretical lens, this qualitative study shall investigate the system of recruitment and selection in the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan with a focus on administrative staff. Data shall be collected through in-depth interviews with purposefully selected participants and thematic analysis shall be undertaken to analyse the data to unearth how the system of recruitment and selection has been designed in the public sector universities.

Furthermore, this multiple case study shall identify loopholes in the system of recruitment and selection in the universities and will pinpoint the major factors responsible for the bottlenecks that need to be addressed if the institutions of higher education were to meet emerging challenges of the competitive academic world and growing expectations of all stakeholders. The study shall conclude with recommendations, how the system of recruitment and selection in public sector universities may be improved.

1.Introduction

This empirical study is aimed at investigating how the system of recruitment and selection is designed in the public sector universities by carrying out a comprehensive scrutiny of the current employment practices, investigating major problem areas, nd various factors responsible for these loopholes which need to be addressed if the institutions of higher education were to meet challenges of the competitive academic world and growing expectations of the stakeholders.

1.1 Background

The growing forces of globalization and increasing significance of emerging market economies advocate strongly that success of managers in the contemporary world rests on the degree to which they grasp a deep understanding of the issues confronted by organizations while managing human resources (Budhwar & Debrah, 2001).

For effective management of human resources, organizations require a sound Human Resource Management system. The HRM system is defined as “a set of distinct but interrelated activities, functions, and processes that are directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining (or disposing of) a firm’s human resources” (Lado & Wilson, 1994:701). An effective HRM system requires interconnected and dependent subsystems to work in harmony for its smooth functioning. HR subsystems connote those relationships and interactive activities ingrained in a larger organizational context which is aimed at managing the pool of human resources and making sure that these resources are utilized in the most effective and efficient manner so that strategic goals of the organization may be accomplished (Tiwari & Saxena, 2012:671).

The paramount HR subsystems include recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation, career development, performance evaluation, working environment and succession management to mention a few. Each of these subsystems has its own peculiar dynamics and significance. Amongst them, the most exigent is recruitment and selection. Recruitment is the process through which organizations hunt for potential applicants intended for productive employment while selection implies the process by which organizations attempt to identify the most suitable candidates with the desired knowledge, skills and ability to perform the desired tasks to help the organization realize its goals (Searle, 2009:151).

Concerted efforts aimed at reforming employment management practices were underway in developed countries for the last couple of decades. These initiatives were primarily set off by financial crisis confronted by both developed as well as developing economies. The role of the state was challenged for mismanagement and bad governance and the efficacy of service delivery system in the public domain came under enormous pressure. Hence, the public sector was censured severely for its lack of efficiency, transparency and flexibility. HRM has become one of the central themes of the public sector reform agenda (Colley, McCourt & Waterhouse, 2012:508; Gray & Jenkins, 1995: 80; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2009:30).

Indeed, HRM is at the embryonic stage in Pakistan (Khilji, 2001:250), the case with the public sector universities is not much different. Since inception, much attention was not paid to the management of human resources in the higher education sector. With mushroom growth of universities, the HR problems confronted by these academic bodies multiplied with the passage of time. The traditional HR department, regarded as Establishment Section, in the universities used to be grossly deficient in having the requisite skilled and experienced HR professionals. Recruitment and selection was not conducted in a systematic manner. Training and development of employees were undertaken in the most orthodox fashion. Career development opportunities were scarce and infrequent. Pay was not performance based and performance appraisal was equally defective. Nevertheless, serious and sincere efforts were not undertaken in the past to revamp, redesign and restructure the same, to put it according to the changing needs of the globalized world. To be brief, HR was found to be one of the most neglected areas in the public sector universities in Pakistan (Abbas & Ahmad, 2011:21; Qadeer, Rehman, Ahmad & Shafiq, 2011:230).

Over the years, much attention has not been paid to evolve HRM system in the universities. The scenario of staffing function is not much different. Especially, the recruitment and selection system of administrative staff remained overlooked. Having taken for granted, this area remained grossly deficient and out-rightly neglected. In fact, the system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff has not received the desired level of attention and consideration. It remained controversial for being non-meritocratic, asymmetrical and even unlawful (Husain, 2007:1; Khilji, 2001:104). This area received little attention from academics, researchers and scholars despite its overall significance.

This study shall investigate the prevailing employment practices in the six public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with prime focus on recruitment and selection system of administrative staff. This multiple case study research shall unveil numerous loopholes in the prevailing system of recruitment and selection in the public sector universities in the province and makes several recommendations in light of which the system of recruitment and selection system of administrative staff may be revived in the institutes of higher education in the country.

1.2 Context   of the study-higher education dynamics in Pakistan

Institutions of higher education exist in all kinds of configurations, sizes and shapes (Edgley-Pyshorn & Huisman, 2011:610). Universities are generally esteemed as “communities of scholars researching and teaching together in collegial ways” (Deem, 1998:47). University is a seat of advanced learning, a meeting place for researchers, scholars, academicians and academic workers where students pursue their higher studies after school or college level education. It is an intellectual center of the highest level offering various academic programs and different schemes of studies for graduate and postgraduate students (Ahmad & Junaid, 2008:501).

It is essential to have a background understanding of the landscape in which higher education sector operates in Pakistan. The contemporary higher education system in Pakistan is fundamentally influenced by its historical traditions (Altbach, 2004:15)  and the Universities in Pakistan have a robust colonial legacy Rahman (1998:669).

At the time of creation of Pakistan in 1947, there was only one university functioning in Pakistan, namely University of Punjab established by the British rulers (HEC, 2013; Rahman, 1998:672). The rationale for setting up a university, in this part of the world, was that many British officers, essentially, felt that the cost of running the administration would substantially decrease if the lower level jobs were given to the Indians. And secondly, to appease the concerns of the Indians as they were left frustrated and got alienated from the British rule by the fact that they were debarred from all offices of trust, lucre and authority. Therefore, the colonial masters desired that the Indians should be educated —“educated to be westernized — and employed under British superiors” (Rahman, 1998:670). Altbach (2004:17) argues that the aim of the colonial university was to train obedient and loyal civil servants to serve the colonizers. This system of governance, subservient administrative arrangement, docile academic models and pliable managerial practices influenced from the British era persisted in universities in Pakistan with cosmetic changes even today (Altbach, 2004:15). 

Sharp increase has been recorded in the number of universities established, both in public as well as private sector, in Pakistan during the last two decades. The public sector universities are government chartered, self-governing autonomous bodies funded by the Government of Pakistan through HEC. According to Hayward (2009:19), universities and institutions of higher education remained, largely, neglected in Pakistan throughout, its history. “The crisis in higher education was acknowledged as early as 1947, followed by more than a dozen commissions and policy document s. In 1998, some small steps were finally taken to improve access by increasing the number of higher education institutions from 18 to 78 and encouraging private higher education”. Major changes took place, in the sector with Musharraf’s takeover and the establishment of HEC in 2002, development budget of higher education has risen exponentially, and the number of new universities increased manifold.

Hence, based on the dates of inception, space, diversity of programs offered, availability of internet and video conferencing facilities, these universities can be classified into two broad categories of universities (i.e. the first generation and second generation universities).

The ‘first generation’ of these universities were established since 1947 till 2002 (before the establishment of HEC). The ‘second generation’ comprises of those universities, established in the last 10 to 15 years. The ‘first generation’ of these universities are marked by spacious flat buildings, serene academic environment, intellectual richness, outdated libraries, on-campus residency, little automation and a vast pool of imaginative students. University of the Punjab University of Peshawar, and Quid-e-Azam University, Islamabad are few among those. The ‘second generation’ comprises of those universities, established in the last ten to fifteen years. These are distinguished, mainly, by multistory buildings, fully automated offices, Wi-Fi and video conferencing facilities, with newly established well-furnished Offices of Research Innovation and Commercialization, Quality Enhancement Cell, Career Counseling and Student Aid and Placement Offices. Some of the recently established universities are housed in rented buildings while others have erected their own structures. University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Kohat University of Science and Technology and Karakurum International University, Gilgit, Baltistan are few of the second-generation universities.

These public sector universities, in general, share symmetrical organizational composition having top-down hierarchical structure. The governor of the respective provinces or the president of the country, in the case of federal universities, used to be the Chancellor by virtue of their designation. They accord approval for appointment of the vice- chancellors, some members of the Senate, Syndicate and Selection Board (the key statutory bodies of the universities) and the Deans, the most distinguished academic position in the universities (Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, 2000; Rahman, 1998:673).

Most of these institutions are following the government timeworn policies while managing human resources. Notwithstanding, these universities have own statutory bodies to revamp and redesign their own employment system, but little efforts have been made in the past to this effect. Resultantly, these universities are confronting a myriad of challenges pertaining to employment practices. Some of these are external; nevertheless, most of these are internal challenges.

These challenges have the potential, to engender serious repercussions for employment practices in the public sector universities. At the same time, key stakeholders have varied expectations from the contemporary universities in the country (Ahmad & Ghani, 2013).

In the face of these challenges and growing expectations of the stakeholders, the university top management has to overhaul, redesign and restructure the entire HRM system in order to hunt the best lot in the market to circumvent total collapse of the higher education system in the days to come. The next ten years are anticipated to be crucial for the universities in Pakistan. This might turn out to be the golden era for higher education sector if university authorities, policy makers, government functionaries and funding agencies realize this, seize the opportunity, take the initiative and act ambitiously. If failed, “an avalanche of change will sweep the system away” (Barber, Donnelly & Rizvi, 2013).

1.3 Statement of the problem

Recruitment and selection of administrative staff are among the most redundant areas in the institutions of higher education in Pakistan. Being one of the most crucial HRM subsystems, staffing function failed to muster the desired level of attention in the public sector universities for a variety of reasons. Little effort has been made in the past to revamp and overhaul recruitment and selection system in the universities in Pakistan by appreciating its contribution as a strategic undertaking and a change agent role. At a time, when unprecedented modernization and innovation are taking place in the system of recruitment and selection across the globe, staffing function in the public sector universities in Pakistan is operating in the most obsolete and redundant fashion. Similarly, limited research has been undertaken in the area to explore its dynamics and inform reforms initiatives and enlighten necessary improvement.

This pioneering multiple case study research shall divulge the problems confronted by higher education sector with a prime focus on the system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while using General Systems Theory as a theoretical lens.

This study shall open up new avenues for further research in other subsystems of HRM in the institutions of higher education in the country. The study shall come up with some recommendations to regenerate and transform the system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff that successfully address the varied needs of the universities and growing expectations of all stakeholders.

1.4 Rationale of the study and evolution of the research questions

A detailed review of the literature revealed that management of the human resource is one of the most neglected areas in the higher education sector in Pakistan (Abbas & Ahmad, 2011:4). The traditional HR practices prevailing in the public sector are in place in the universities across the board. HR policy is hardly designed in any public sector university. Job descriptions are not available for any position. Compensation is not performance based. Performance appraisal is not systematic. Recruitment and selections are not merit based. This invariably engenders serious administrative problems besides audit objections and legal complications. The entire process is tiresome, hectic and time-consuming, essentially, characterized by bureaucratic behavior and red-tapism. A great deal of confidentially is involved in the process culminating in serious doubts and concerns.

Serious efforts were not undertaken in the past in the universities to address these problems at the strategic level. Similarly, limited research can be found in the HR domain in the context of higher education sector. Dubosc & Kelo (2012:1) argued that there is a serious deficiency of research on strategic HR practices prevailing in universities across the globe. In the same vein, very limited research can be found on recruitment and selection system with a focus on institutions of higher education in Pakistan (Shahzad, Bashir & Ramay, 2008:302; Iqbal, Arif, & Abbas, 2011:217; Qadeer et al ., 2011:231).

This provided the desired impetus and thrust to undertake this study. This research is aimed at investigating the existing recruitment and selection system in the higher education sector exploring how this subsystem of the overall HR system is aligned with the remaining HR subsystems to drive the overall academic business of the public sector universities. This study will be looking into the ways in which recruitment and selection system in the public sector universities may be reshaped to meet burgeoning aspirations and growing challenges of the knowledge economy.

In view of the above, this study shall address the following three broad research questions:

1.5 Research Questions:

• How for the function of recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is designed in a systematic manner?
• What are the major loopholes in recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
• What are the major factors responsible for these loopholes?.

1.6 Objectives of the study

This research study will probe the current employment practices in the public sector universities of Pakistan. This study, in the first instance, will investigate the prevailing system of recruitment and selection in the selected universities, in order to develop a deep understanding of the current practices. This study will, then, identify various loopholes in the recruitment and selection system. All the key factors responsible for these loopholes will be inquired to delineate how to bridge these gaps. The study will conclude with recommendations for policy makers at university level, authorities at the federal and provincial government level, HEC, provincial higher education departments and donor agencies to prioritize the area.

The study will help in realizing the following objectives:

• To investigate the current system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• To identify gaps/loopholes in the prevailing system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• To examine the factors mainly responsible for the gaps/loopholes in the system of recruitment and selection of administrative staff
• To explore how the system of recruitment and selection system of administrative staff may be revisited to overcome these gaps/loopholes?

2. A brief review of literature

HRM is the effective management of people at work. This brief review of existing literature discusses HRM in the era of globalization with focus on HR system, policies and practices prevailing in the public sector and functioning of HRM in the public sector in both developed as well as developing countries having a special focus on HR practices in the institutes of higher education in Pakistan with peculiar attention on recruitment and selection practices in the public sector universities. Identifying research gaps in the prevailing staffing function, the preceding section provide rationale for the study.

2.1 An overview of Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management is the management of people working in an organization. This primarily deals with human dimension in an organization. To match an organization’s needs of the capable and committed workforce, to the skills and abilities of its employees, essentially comes under the domain of HRM (Decenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2010:4). “HRM is a system that strives to achieve a dynamic balance between the personal interests and concerns of people and their economic added value” (Hussain & Ahmad, 2012:10).

To manage human resource is a challenging task. The organizations that have learned to manage human resources diligently and professionally enjoy an edge over others (Wright, MacMahan & MacWilliams, 1994:320). It is a vital element for the success of any organization. Undoubtedly, HR is one of the most essential assets for an organization; nonetheless, very few have realized it significance and even very few have harnessed its real potential (Ahmad & Schroeder, 2003:19).

“HRM includes anything and everything associated with the management of employment relationships in the firm” (Boxall & Purcell, 2003: 1). Price (2007: 32) defines HRM as a “Philosophy of people management based on the belief that human resources are uniquely important in sustained business success…HRM is aimed at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and rewarding their performance and developing key competencies”.

HR, since its inception has transformed a great deal in significance from its role largely as maintenance and administrative function of diminutive impression to the contemporary world, where it is widely reckoned to have strategic business partner status, having bottom-line implications for the organization (Ferris, Perrewé, Ranft, Zinko, Stoner, Brouer & Laird, 2007: 117). Nevertheless, there is a common misconception that HR has become “a reactive, fire-fighting and administrative” function, has lost its relevance and dismally failed to be connected with strategic aims of the organization (Collings & Wood, 2009: 5; Lundy, 1994: 687).

2.2 HRM in the public sector

For successful operations, every organization, whether public or private, commercial or not-for-profit requires people (Tessema & Soeters, 2006:86). Since, this study is taking up public sector intuitions of higher education, therefore, the focus primarily converges on public sector HR practice. Public sector implies that part of the economy, which is predominantly concerned with the provision of basic public services. This is generally regarded as government sector or public service. In general terms, the public sector consists of government and all publicly controlled or publicly funded agencies, enterprises, and entities that deliver public programs, goods, or services.

The structure and composition of the public sector vary from country to country and region to region. Nevertheless, basic services such as education, healthcare, communication, transportation, army and police services fall under the ambit of the public sector. These services are essentially not for profit, tailored to the need of public in general and aimed at serving the welfare of the society at large (Colley & Price, 2010; OECD, 2008:18). Being highly ‘personnel intensive’, the functioning of public sector enterprises, their efficiency and transparency are assessed on the basis of performance of their workforce (Tessema & Soeters, 2006:86). Hence, HR practices are regarded as vital to improving the overall quality of public services extended by the government functionaries (Ingraham & Kneedler, 2000:245).

Indeed, public sector plays a vital role in delivering goods and services and maintaining law and order. The workforce being the public service providers and executors of duties is the critical core of public management. The effective management of human capital not only determines efficiency and quality of service delivery in the public sector (Tessema & Soeters, 2006:86) but having serious bearing upon the socio-economic development of the entire country (Chang & Gang, 2010:1).“The ability of governments to recruit, train, promote and dismiss employees is a key determinant of their capacity to obtain staff with the skills needed to provide public services that meet client needs and to face current economic and governance challenges” (OECD, 2009:75).

HRM is of prime importance for every state agency as the government functionaries are expected to deliver commodities and services, efficiently and effectively (Anazodo, Okoye & Chukwuemeka, 2012:1; Nyameh & James, 2013:68). HRM in the public sector symbolizes flexible and flatter management structure. Decentralization of decision making, devolution of authority, uniformity of rules, sharing of responsibility with line managers are some of the key dimensions of HRM in the government sector (OECD, 2009:76).

Notwithstanding, HRM has been sharing common attributes across all sectors, whether public or private for its prime focus on workforce issues and concerns, HRM in the public sector is vastly different from HRM in the private sector in all most all kind of employment practices. Indeed, public interest has always been the focus of attention for public sector entities, whereas private sector organizations remained concern more with private interests. The notion of public interest is perplexing, as the theme does not “easily fit with HRM as a strategic partner in accomplishing organizational competitiveness and business outcomes” (Brown, 2004:305).

2.3 HRM in the public sector in Pakistan

As a British colony, before independence in 1947, the government machinery was run under the bureaucratic administrative structure set up by the colonial masters. Even after sixty years of independence, the public sector is still getting hitched with British legacy (Ali et al., 2010:3; Rehman, 1998:678). The public sector, as a whole, is having a passive management culture. To run the administrative affairs of the government, key strategic decisions are being made, essentially based on political clientele rather than sound business acumen (Khilji, 2001:104). “Decades of mismanagement, political manipulation and corruption have rendered Pakistan’s civil service incapable of providing effective governance and basic public services” (International Crisis Group, 2010).  To get away with British traditions in many spheres of public management, particularly, bureaucratic setup and employment practices have become cumbersome for the Pakistani public sector over the years (Husain, 2007:1; Khilji, 2001:104).

According to Khilji (2001:250), HRM is at the very early stage of evolution in Pakistan. Very few organizations in the country have adopted a strategic approach to managing human resources. In some organizations, the function of HRM has broadened in scope and importance. HR departments have been linked with service delivery function and communication channels have been established. Some organizations are pursuing HR practices in a piecemeal manner. These organizations have adopted new practices such as ‘Management by Objectives’ and ‘pay for performance’. Concerted efforts are being made to adopt ‘open’ appraisal systems and further expound the role of their training programs.

To transform the existing corporate culture of public sector enterprises, nonetheless, the government took a number of reform measures during the 1990s. Hiring teams of sound professionals at the top level to invigorate the entire HRM culture as to make it flexible, meritocratic and responsive was one of those initiatives (Khilji, 2001:104).

Resultantly, a series of business concerns in Pakistan restructured their personnel divisions. HR departments were established. The role of HRM was further expanded. In the face of these reforms, one of the dilemma with the application of HR best practices in Pakistan is that the “policy-makers and HR managers repeatedly talk of bringing about revolutionary changes in the HRM system, but do little to implement it. This has left employees frustrated, demotivated and largely dissatisfied” (Khilji, 2003:136).

Husain (2007:8) argued that recruitment at all levels and cadres of public services needs to be made open, transparent and merit-based. Performance needs to be evaluated based on quantifiable objectives and according to well-defined key performance indicators.

Today in Pakistan, there is a dire need for a smaller but efficient government machinery. Such a government, in the contemporary world, is essential for developing a competitive advantage over other nations of the region. To accomplish these ideals, public sector institutions require potential and talented human resources which are equipped with knowledge and skill sets congruent with the compulsions of the twenty first Century (Qureshi, 2014).

2.4 An overview of HRM in the Universities

Managing human resource has become ‘a critical issue for contemporary universities’ as a result of mounting pressures from government, society at large as well as global academic market. In fact, the autonomous status has entrusted the capacity of the employer upon the universities resulting in enhanced expectations of faculty and administrative staff and constituent institutes about terms and conditions of employment, working conditions, as well as broader aspects of work-life balance ultimately affecting academic and professional identities (Gordon & Whitchurch, 2007:1).

Dubosc & Kelo (2012:7) in their study found that managing and developing human resource is becoming a key challenge in the institutes of higher education worldwide. Complex academic communities need appropriate career management procedures as well as national HR policies underpinning the institutions of further education in recruiting, motivating and retaining qualified and committed academic workforce.

Guest & Clinton (2007: 6) in their study noted that in the institutions of higher education, HRM has remained merely an administrative activity. In the same vein Larkin & Neumann (2012:4) argue that universities, in general, have only partially adopted HRM practices ranging from career development, performance evaluation to retirement preparation and succession planning. By and large, HRM policies and practices in the universities are “reactive and ad-hoc, designed to respond to immediate needs and lack an organizational strategy to workforce planning”.

For that very reason, universities are castigated for viewing HRM in operational and not in strategic terms (Archer, 2005). Dubosc & Kelo (2012:7) observed that the ongoing reflections and analyses by the researchers, academicians, and practitioners concerning modernization of the educational institutions highlight among many other impediments, the human factor and the trouble to make people change their attitude and adhere to new approaches and methods. They conclude that structural reforms often fail because of lack of commitment and motivation of individual actors.

2.5 HRM in the universities in Pakistan

Public sector universities in Pakistan, by and large, share symmetrical organizational structure having a top-down hierarchy. The governor of the respective provinces or the president of the country, in the case of federal universities, used to be the chancellors of these universities by virtue of their designation. Vice-chancellor being the chief executive, principal accounting officer and chief academic officer of the university wields overwhelming authority. He chairs almost all key decision-making forums (i.e. the Syndicate, Academic Council, Finance and Planning Committee and Advance Studies & Research Board).

Qadeer et al .,  (2011:230) found that highly centralized HRM structure, a colonial legacy still prevails in public sector universities in Pakistan. Abbas & Ahmad (2011:21) arguably underpinned these findings stating that HR units do not effectively exist in the universities and HR functions have been made perplexed and complicated which is mainly looked after by the administration with no expertise and training to deal with it. Strong resistance to integrate HRM practices and the high power distance culture in Pakistan are detrimental in framing HR policies and practices (Qadeer, Ahmad & Rehman, 2010).

Very limited research can be found on HRM practices in universities in Pakistan (Shazad et al., 2008:302; Iqbal et al., 2011; Qadeer et al., 2011:231). Not a single research endeavor has been made to address HR issues in the institutions of higher education in a holistic fashion. However, discrete studies can be found taking up HR practices in the institutions of higher education.

2.6 Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment is the process through which organizations hunt for the potential applicants for productive employment while selection implies the process by which organizations attempt to identify the most suitable applicant with the desired knowledge, skill and ability to perform the desired task to help the organization realize its goals (Searle, 2009:151).

Huselid (1995:635) asserted that HRM practices influence employees’ skills by means of acquiring and nurturing human resources in an organization. The staffing function in an organization predominantly encompasses the process of hunting, attracting and selecting right people for the right jobs, the people who shall serve the organization, productively and for a longer period of time. Armstrong (2009:515), believes that staffing function is the exercise of looking for the most suitable candidate so that selection of the right person with the right qualification and right frame of mind can be made. Staffing function or the hiring phase include hunting for the prospective and potential candidates for the available vacant slots, assessing their suitability from various aspects, and ultimately selecting those who are deemed to be the most suitable candidates to serve the organization (Itika, 2011:75).

Research has established that organizations perform better when the process of selection is systemic, straight and transparent (Rehman, 2012:77). According to Decenzo, Robbins & Verhulst (2010: 134), the overall performance of an organization invariably hinges on employees productivity, therefore, selection of a right person for the right slot has remained the utmost priority for the dynamic organizations. The more effective and transparent the process is; the better the performance of the organization shall be. Otherwise, competitive advantage, goodwill, and quality of working environment shall be highly compromised (Hays & Sowa, 1998: 98).

As a matter of fact, recruitment and selection cannot be undertaken in sequestered fashion in any set up in any environment. This function is impinged upon, not only by the nature and size of an organization but also by the outside forces that affect the organization as a whole (Catano et al., 2009:6). Since general systems theory has been evolved over the years, its basic tenants can still be applied to the recruitment and selection in any organization. Its sense of holism provides a synopsis for the entire HR system by encompassing various relationships and interaction persisting within the subsystem of recruitment and selection (O’Meara & Petzall, 2013:26).

2.7 Recruitment and selection in the universities in Pakistan

The modern university is a multi-million dollar enterprise, operating in a highly complex landscape, immensely competitive global marketplace and an increasingly challenging economic environment. The quality of university management, especially the administrative staff comprising of top management and midcareer level managers, has thus never been more significant, and it follows that appointing the best candidates has become indispensable (Shepherd, 2011: 3).

Bibi et al., (2012:5) argued that staffing function includes various activities of recruiting employees such as defining evaluation mechanism, designing screening tests and conducting interview before the final decision of selecting the right candidates is being made. Recruitment in public sector organizations involves ensuring that the organizations adhere strictly to established government laws and regulations in order to avoid discrimination.HR managers in the public sector universities are responsible to follow the established procedure and put down the entire hiring and recruiting process in black and white to best serve the organization, protect the candidates, avoid complications and reduce chances of lawsuits.

Similarly, Nabi, Wei, Husheng, Shabbir, Altaf & Zhao (2014:12), analyzed the effectiveness of fair recruitment and selection procedures in the public sector universities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and found that organizational politics and line management have greater influence on the effectiveness of fair recruitment and selection system which are detrimental to organizational success and affect the overall productivity of the universities. The study made suggested that a comprehensive research is needed to analyze the recruitment and selection of the administrative cadre specially the relevant officials of human resource department and their functioning on modern lines.

2.8 Gaps in the literature and propositions

Modern organizations, as envisaged by Ployhart (2006:868) are struggling with staffing challenges stemming, essentially from “increased knowledge work, labor shortages, competition for applicants, and workforce diversity.” Nevertheless, in spite of its immense significance and critical needs for an effective employment system, staffing research continues to be neglected altogether or misconstrued by many decision makers in a great deal of organizations taking up its more constringed outlook. Solving these challenges requires staffing scholars to expand their focus from individual-level recruitment and selection research to multilevel research concentrating on business unit standpoint and organizational level perspective.

As a matter of fact, the staffing function does not take place in isolation in any organization. The other internal HR subsystems, size, structure, leadership styles and the events occurring outside the system that affects the organization as a whole are some of the most climacteric influencing factors. This dynamic relationship between the organization and its environment is having last longing impact upon the organization and its employees (Catano et al., (2009:6). French & Rumbles (2010:171) have rightly pointed out “that recruitment and selection do not operate in a vacuum, insulated from wider social trends, so it is very important to keep abreast of current research”.

While systems theory is developed over the years, its basic principles can still be employed to the recruitment and selection system in any organization (O’Meara & Petzall, 2013:26). The concept that how the HRM subsystems are influenced by external challenges such as globalization, technological revolution, new legislations, political intervention, unionization, labor market conditions, national cultures and accountability is yet to be explored (Jackson & Schuler, 1995:237). Within the system if HR managers fail to acknowledge the contributions of others or if they fail to coordinate closely with other parts of the system or sub systems, senior management may begin, to question the added value that HR brings to the organization. This underline the need, to study recruitment and selection in the context of a system, not simply as an isolated function divorced from other functional areas in the organization but as a sub-system embedded in a larger organizational system (Catano et al., 2009:6).

Limited research studies are available on HRM in universities with a focus on recruitment and selection. These studies only underline the significance of the area as critically important HR function; nevertheless, much further investigation has not been undertaken with the intentions to explore its dynamics with the changeling times. For example Nabi et al., (2014:12) mention recruitment and selection as being vital to organizational performance in the public sector in Pakistan but there is no in-depth analysis of how it is linked with the rest of HRM functions or how to make the current system of recruitment and selection more transparent, accountable and systemic. Similarly, Iqbal & Ahmad (2006:629) in their study with a focus on public sector governance in Pakistan, highlighted the lack of systemic approach and structural issues as the major bottlenecks in civil services reform initiatives in the country. In view of the above discussion, this study propounds the following proposition:

Proposition 1: The Recruitment and Selection in public sector universities in  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not managed systematically since it is not linked with other HR subsystems in a systematic manner.

Van den Brink, Benschop, & Jansen in their qualitative study (2010: 1459) provided insight in multiple ways to understand the notions of transparency and accountability in academic recruitment and selection in the universities in Netherlands stating that recruitment and selection processes in academia are characterized by ‘bounded transparency’ and ‘limited accountability’ at best.

High frequency of internal recruitment, lack of transparency, corruption, nepotism, use of flawed selection methods favouring poorly qualified and inferior candidates at the cost of  best ‐ suited candidates for the jobs, and restrictive legal frameworks are some of the grey areas identified by Dubosc & Kelo (2012:9) in the recruitment and selection of academic staff in the universities. Khilji (2002:238) argued that decisions involving fresh hiring are made in Pakistani public sector organizations in a dubious manner. The merit-based system of selection does not prevail. Family relationships receive preferential treatment, thus guiding major decisions involving hiring and promotions. Given this, the second proposition for this study is:

Proposition 2:     The Recruitment and Selection system in public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not   merit based, impartial and transparent.

In public sector universities in Pakistan, the colonial legacy with highly centralized structure and the traditional personnel management system still prevail. There is hardly any university in the public sector in the country that has a full-fledged HR section staffed by HR professionals to address and look after HR affairs (Qadeer et al ., 2011:230). Abbas & Ahmad (2011a:21) have similar findings. They observed that separate HR unit does not exist in the universities, and the HR functions have been made intertwined and complex mainly looked after by the staff having no requisite qualification, capacity, and experience to deal with it. This state of affairs call for a detailed, in-depth research study in order to unearth real issues so that corrective measures may be undertaken in light of the same (Qadeer et al., 2010). This leads to the third proposition:

Proposition 3: Public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa do not have any specialized   Human Resource Department or Section to look after HR functions such as Recruitment and Selection.

Similarly, there exist no independent statutory body such HR council or HR board to have an oversight role in the HR domain in universities in Pakistan. A closer examination of all the relevant legislations such as University of Peshawar Act, 1974, North-West Frontier Province University of Engineering and Technology Ordinance, 1980, Khyber Medical University Act, 2007, University of Peshawar Act, 2011, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Act, 2015 and detailed scrutiny of intrinsic material revealed that there are various authorities looking after administrative, financial and academic business in the public sector universities across the Province. Nevertheless, no legal entity subsists in public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address HR issues.

Proposition 4: Public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa do not have an   HR   Council   onthe analogy of Academic Council in universities, to keep an eye on   HR affairs in the universities.

Hence, an empirical research study is needed to explore the recruitment and selection system of the administrative cadre in public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as there is a wide scope to investigate the matter further. This study is the pioneering work to address these issues by adopting systems approach to fill this gap. While using general systems theory as a theoretical framework, this study endeavors to find answers to some of the most critical questions researchers and academics raised as mentioned earlier.

• Theoretical Framework

Current discourse on employment practices enunciates that staffing function does not take place in isolation in any organization. This is shaped not only by internal environment, but it is also molded by external forces. While undertaking recruitment and selection in any setting, HR managers must be cognizant that the new appointees are properly trained. They have plentiful of opportunities for growth and promotion. Their hard work is acknowledged, and once they quit, they are praised formally and eloquently for their contribution. At the same time, HR managers have to keep an eye on external challenges such as globalization, technological advancement, socio-economic pressures, legal and judicial activism, political interloping and accountability impacting staffing function. These are some of the critically important questions that must be addressed by HR managers. To understand these dynamics, a theoretical lens is needed. While General Systems Theory evolved over the years, its basic principles can still be applied to the system of employees’ recruitment and selection in an organization.  This theory is used to build up theoretical foundation of this research study.

3.1 General Systems Theory

The theoretical lens for this study is provided by Bertalanffy (1950, 1968).  General systems theory is one of the contemporary theories of management postulated first by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in the 1930s as a means of explaining the complexity, interaction and relationship among various groups. While propounding his theory, Bertalanffy was reacting against reductionism and attempting to revive the unity of science (1968:49). He is considered to be the founder and principal author of general systems theory. In general systems theory (1950a:23) the unit of analysis is empathized as a complex whole of interdependent parts.

The systemic perspective of Bertalanffy (1968:38) postulates that comprehending a phenomenon in its entirety merely by splitting it up into basic components and then reconstituting is impracticable; instead, global vision is needed to apply in order to underscore its functioning from a strategic point of view in a holistic fashion.

Bertalanffy premised the idea of a systems approach as part of his general systems theory which he introduced to scrutinize the interaction between organisms and the environment. His systems approach was founded on the theories of Stafford Beer and Kenneth Boulding, both management scientists. The basic idea of general systems theory entails its focus on interactions and relationship. The preeminence of interconnection leads to believe that the conduct of a single autonomous element is different from its behavior when the element interacts with other elements in unison (Mele, Pels & Polese, 2010:127). “General system theory, therefore, is a general science of wholeness.” “The meaning of the somewhat mystical expression, the whole is more than the sum of parts is simply that constitutive characteristics are not explainable from the characteristics of the isolated parts” nevertheless, “the total of parts contained in a system and the relations between them, the behavior of the system may be derived from the behavior of the parts” (Bertalanffy, 1968:55).

3.2 General Systems theory and its application to diverse disciplines

Von Bertalanffy (1968) put forward general systems theory and applied the same in a variety of contexts (Weinberger, 1998:88). Its initial application was in numerical sciences, biological sciences, and physical sciences but has since been applied to a wide range of other disciplines such as organizational theory (O’Meara & Petzall, 2013:23), marketing and management (Mele, Pels, & Polese, 2010:126). This theory presumes that there are universal principles of organization which holds for all systems, whether they are physical, chemical, biological, behavioural, cultural and social (Kast & Rosenzweig, 1972: 447) . This is considered to be a ‘grand’ theory for having universal relevance and applicability. “Systems theory is a broad view which far transcends technological problems and demands, a reorientation that has become necessary in science in general and in the gamut of disciplines from physics and biology to the behavioral and social sciences and to philosophy” (Bertalanffy, 1968: vii).

Katz & Kahn (1966) applied systems theory to organizations. The organization is seen as a system, built by energetic input-output where the energy coming from the output reactivates the system. Jacobs (1989:65) argues that systems theory is the unifying theory for HRD and “forms the most underlining structure for the HRD profession.” Using a systems approach to realize organizational and individual goals, Jacobs (1988:2) proposed a domain of human performance technology and used the theory for the development of human performance systems and the management of the resulting systems, which is another dimension of performance improvement within the systems concept.

Capra (1997) contended that systems theory is an ‘interdisciplinary theory’ about every system in nature, in society and in many scientific disciplines, as well as, a framework with which one can investigate a phenomenon from a holistic perspective. Before going into minute details of this theory and it application to organizational HR practices with a focus on recruitment and selection, it is important to explain what the system entails and how it works for better understanding the theoretical framework.

3.3 General systems theory and its application to organization

The didactics of general systems theory are quite basic. Notwithstanding, decades of management training and practices in the workplace, HR managers have not followed this theory in letter and spirit. However, in recent times, in the face of tremendous changes taking place all around, the way organizations function and the way they operate, academics and managers come across this new lens of looking at things. This new overture has brought about a paradigm shift in the thought process of academicians, researchers, managers and the way they approach or manage the organizations.

The effects of systems theory on organization espouse managers to look at the organization from a broader perspective. Systems theory has brought home a very impertinent aspect for the managers to interpret patterns and events in the workplace. They recognize various parts of the organization, and, in particular, the interrelations of these various parts, cognized as subsystems. This encompasses coordination at all levels, for instance: i) Coordination of central administration with its subsidiaries, programs, projects, departments and other administrative units; ii) Coordination within the departments for example engineering and manufacturing and iii) Coordination among supervisors and workers. This is regarded as a major breakthrough in the organizational life. In the past, managers typically took one particular unit of the organization and focused on that. Then they moved their attention to other parts. Here, the predicament was that an organization could, have a strong central administrative system and an incredible set of body parts, but the individual units/departments were working in isolation as these same were not synchronized at all.

3.4 General systems theory and its application to HRM

Systems theory carries a momentous effect on the discipline of management sciences and understanding organizations. Mowday (1983) was one of the first HRM researchers who applied systems model to HRM practices. Katz & Kahn (1978:189) argue that HRM is a subsystem embedded in a larger organizational system. The open systems approach towards HRM has been further developed by Wright & Snell (1991:203).

In the same vein, the description of HRM as a controlled system postulated by Snell (1992: 292) is based upon open systems theory. A more refined discourse on the system theory led us to believe what Kozlowski & Salas (1994: 281) argued to be a multilevel organizational systems approach for better understanding of the implementation and transfer of capacity building initiatives. Many of the more specific theories delineated by Jackson & Schuler (1995:239) in their review to broaden understanding of HRM in context assume that organizations function like open systems.

Alsabbah & Ibrahim (2014:11) used General Systems Theory while studying HR practices in the organizations postulated that certain HR practices if implemented intuitively lead to overwhelming organizational outcome. They found the theory as exceedingly pertinent to the HR domain as it envisages HRM as a vast system blending various processes. The study, establishing the viability of the General Systems Theory when applied to HR practices and employees competence, concluded that understanding the theory assist in improving HR performance in many ways. Hence, the application of the theory elucidates the effectiveness of HR practices in raising employee’s competence in an organization.

3.5 Application of General Systems Theory to recruitment and selection

Since Aristotle’s assertion that knowledge is extrapolated from comprehending a phenomenon in its entirety and not from its individual parts, scholars have been painstakingly engaged in the discourse on systems, its constituent components and their comparative dynamics (Mele, Pels, & Polese, 2010:126). The employees who work in an organization are drawn from the external market, and they add new knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies to the organization resources to enable it to respond to indigenous, national and global innovative market trends, growth and sustainability. Systems theory is having a critical and useful function in comprehending the dynamic connection between the organization and its environment through recruitment and selection (O’Meara & Petzall, 2013:26).

Catano et al., (2009:6) in their study contended that recruitment and selection do not take place in isolation in any organization. They are influenced not only by the context and type of organization, its type, size, structure, leadership styles, strategic objectives but also by the events occurring in the surroundings that affect the organization as a whole.

While systems theory has germinated over the years, its basic principles can still be employed to the recruitment and selection system in any setup. Its holistic approach offers a synopsis of the entire HR system by encompassing various relationships and interaction persisting within the subsystem of recruitment and selection (O’Meara & Petzall, 2013:26).

Catano et al., (2009:6) in their study postulates that there are a number of questions that must be addressed by any HR manager or practitioner in setting up a recruitment and selection system in any organizations. Some of these are: i) How do employers ensure that the people they hire will have the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the best performance of the job?; ii) How do employers ensure that the recruitment and selection system function in a transparent and unbiased manner?; And iii) How do employers ensure that their hiring policies and procedures are gender sensitive and treat candidates from different ethnic groups fairly and accommodate people with disabilities?.

In fact, “recruitment and selection set the stage for other human resources interventions. If recruitment and selection are done properly, the subsequent movement of the worker through the organizational system is made easier, and the individual makes a long-term, positive contribution to organizational survival and success”. When this happens, HRM makes a positive contribution to the organizational system as a whole. On the other hand, if a new employee enters the firm on a ‘flat trajectory’ because of a flawed recruitment and selection system then the smooth functioning of the entire structure of the organization, including HRM, is adversely affected (Catano et al., 2009:7).

This study shall combine general systems theory with strategic human resource practices with a prime focus on recruitment and selection in order for talent acquisition to have maximum impact. It stresses the importance of continual improvement in attracting talent and engaging, motivating and retaining staff in line with best practices in the face of unbridled market pressures and global challenges. This furthers the concept that how the HRM subsystems are influenced by internal as well as external challenges (Jackson & Schuler, 1995:237).

• Methodology

Review of literature revealed scarcity of research studies, addressing HR issues in a methodical manner in developing countries (Budhwar & Debrah, 2001; Yeganeh & Su, 2008:203), including Pakistan (Aycan, Kanungo, Mendonca, Deller, Stahl & Khurshid, 2000: 217; Khilji, 2001). In the same vein, very few studies can be found exploring employment practices with a focus on staffing function in the field of higher education in Pakistan (Shazad et al., 2008; Qadeer et al., 2011). Since little empirical evidence is available in the area of recruitment and selection of administrative staff in the context of public sector universities in Pakistan for quantitative analysis and theory development, this study is aimed at bridging this gap by espousing qualitative research paradigm.

Qualitative research generates new insight into a situation and behaviour so that the meaning of what is happening around can be easily understood. It lays emphasis on the interpretation of behaviour from the perspective of the participants, in view of their personal experiences (Smith, 2007: 53). It is based on evidence that may not be effortlessly reduced to numbers. It makes use of interviews, archival record and observations as data collection methods (Armstrong, 2009:181).  

Qualitative research paradigm has been selected for the study for a variety of reasons. The most compelling among those are the conspicuous lack of previous conclusive research on the subject matter (Creswell, 2011; Morse, 1991). Qualitative approach is valuable for the in-depth understanding of a phenomenon, exploration of new dimensions and discovering their interrelationship (Creswell, 1994). As not much background information was available on the theme for empirical analysis, choosing a qualitative approach provides a strong rationale for exploring and describing the phenomenon in minute details for developing a theory (Gay, Mills & Airasian, 2005).

The constructivist worldview of Creswell (2009) regarded as paradigms by Lincoln, Lynham, & Guba (2011), epistemologies and ontologies by Crotty (1998), or broadly conceived research methodologies by Neuman (2009) shall be used for the study believing that individuals seek understanding of the world in which they live and work and develop subjective meanings of their experiences. Hence, the processes of interaction among individuals with focus on the specific contexts in which they work in order to understand the historical and cultural settings of the participants.

Moreover, the case study approach adopted for the study aids in developing a profound understanding of contemporary employment issues confronted by Pakistani public sector universities in a systematic manner with a prime focus on recruitment and selection of administrative staff. The study involves probing a small number of key informants through extensive and prolonged engagements in order to develop patterns and relationships of key themes and subthemes for further analysis (Nieswiadomy, 1993).

4.1 Case Study

This is basically a case study research. Being one of the most challenging of all the social sciences research endeavours, case study method digs deeper into the situation for a better understanding of prevailing capacities and dynamics of a particular case (Yin, 2003:1). Case study research helps in developing a deeper understanding of a complex issue and may add strength to what is already known through previous research (Stake, 1995). Yin (1993) argues that the case study is appropriate when the aim is to define a topic broadly and not narrowly. Similarly, case study research is recommended by Yin (1989) when little previous research has been carried out within the context, and there is a gap that needs to be filled in the research examining a situation (Bonoma, 1985; Stake, 1995).

As Yin (2003:13) argues that empirical inquiry “investigates a contemporary phenomenon in-depth and with its real-life context when the boundaries between the context and the phenomenon are not clearly evident.” Hence, taking the above into consideration the research design used for the said study is a  multiple case study design . Hence, this study employs a six case research design- all from the public sector with three from among the first generation and three among the second generation universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan for data collection. The justification for selection of these universities is discussed in the next section.

4.2 Case Selection and Design

The study will be carried out with prime focus on public sector Universities and Degree Awarding Institutes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the north-western province of Pakistan. According to the data, available on HEC website, there are one hundred and sixty-three universities and degree awarding institutes in the country. Amongst those, ninety-four are public sector (HEC, 2015). In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are nineteen public sector universities and DAIs, with five established in the last seven years, whereas, the establishment of four new universities is in the pipeline. These universities/DAIs are government chartered, self-governing and autonomous bodies established and regulated under the law enacted by the Provincial Assembly and funded by the federal government through HEC.

For the study, a total of six universities (three among the first generation and three among the second generation universities) shall purposefully be selected out of the total 19 public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Among the ‘first generation’ of the universities, University of Peshawar, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar and Agriculture University, Peshawar shall be chosen. Whereas, among the ‘second generation’ universities/DAIs, Islamia College University Peshawar, Khyber Medical University Peshawar and Institute of Management Sciences Peshawar shall be selected. To maintain anonymity these universities were designated as University-A, University-B, University-C, University-D, University-E and University- F.

4.3 Data collection

For data collection, three sources of information shall be used: i) Interview; ii) Non-participant observations, and iii) Documents and archival records. These are discussed in detail in the following:

4.3.1 Interview

Semi- structured interviews were held with low, middle and top management as multiple key informants. The key informant is an expert source of information (Marshall, 1996:92). Since, the Establishment and the Meetings Sections are the two main HR sections/departments in the universities, therefore, the top, mid and low career level manager/administrative officers working in these sections (i.e. Registrar, Additional Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Assistant Registrar) were selected for the purpose.

These units of analysis are highly pertinent for obtaining the type of data required for the study, and this is one of the most important considerations for selection of respondents for the study.

Semi-structured interviews shall mainly be conducted for looking into the phenomenon from the perspective of participants assuming that the respondents explicitly demonstrate their understanding of the phenomenon (Patton, 1990). The interviews will be organized in an open-ended manner to allow participants’ perspectives to emerge but will be having closed-ended questions to provide some structure to the interview to allow for comparability of findings across cases if required.

Thus, a total of thirty semi-structured, in-depth interviews with open-ended questions given at  Appendix-I  shall be conducted with the purposefully selected individuals. The interview guide shall be designed and each interview session shall span over two to three hours of duration. The interviews shall be tape recorded and transcribed in a narrative format accordingly. Overall, field notes shall be taken during interview sessions and data will be analyzed once this stage of data collection is completed.

4.3.2 Observation

Furthermore, the non-participant observation shall also be used for triangulation of data gathered from primary source as well as secondary sources. “Nonparticipant observation is a data collection method used extensively in case study research in which the researcher enters a social system to observe events, activities, and interactions with the aim of gaining a direct understanding of a phenomenon in its natural context.

4.3.3 Documents and archival records

In addition to semi-structured interviews and non-participant’ observations, archival records and official documents shall also be consulted for the collection of data. These sources include annual reports of the universities and their official websites, as well as official website of HEC. These sources provide information about the act, statutes, rules and regulations of these universities apart from their size, vision and mission statement, structure, their number of faculty members, and the number of the student population.

Using the secondary source, accessible official documents of the universities shall also be thoroughly reviewed such as official letters, appointment orders, office notes, memoranda, agenda and minutes of the meetings, complaints, inquiry reports, court cases, statutes, rules, regulations, acts and published/unpublished reports of the World Bank, HEC, Planning Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan and provincial higher education department.

4.4 Data Triangulation

Interview being the primary source of data collection, for the study, shall not solely be relied upon and shall be substantiated from multiple sources, as discussed in the preceding section. This shall serve as a cross-check for the validity of the conclusions drawn, and the additional sources of information shall gave more insight into the topic and shall also serve as a means of assessing the researcher’s interpretation, and the conclusion drawn and recommendations made.

Two other sources of data collection (i.e., archival records and non-participant observations) shall also be used for triangulation purposes. The researcher shall also confirm such information from official documents and archival record of the university. All this shall also be done in order to confirm and revalidate the original interview responses of the participants.

4.5 Data Analysis

The data analysis process involves determining categories, subthemes, main themes and the essence from the participants’ descriptions (Braun & Clarke, 2006:79). For analysis of data thematic analytic approach propounded by Braun & Clarke shall be adopted (2006:79). Under this approach analysis is not a linear process. The steps outlined by Braun & Clarke (2006:87) shall be followed for the data analysis include: i) Becoming familiar with the data; ii) Generating initial codes; iii) Searching for themes; iv) Reviewing themes; v) Defining and naming themes, and vi) Producing the report.

Once data is collected, the same will be transcribed, accordingly. In this very first step, the task will be to get familiar with the data and comprehend the nature and meaning of the data. The second step will be to generate initial codes. Then data relevant to each code shall be organized. This exercise will be done manually. In the process, all the potential themes shall be coded and patterns will be established from the codes. The third step will be searching for sub-themes and themes. In this step, codes become categories, subthemes and central themes. Reviewing the themes will be the fourth step. Defining and naming themes will be the fifth step. In this step, the emerging themes will be described in a way that captured the essence of the theme. Here, the themes will be defined and will ultimately be keyed out. Writing the analysis will be the last and final step. Here, an analytic narrative of the data will be presented.

4.6 Ethical considerations

Ethical considerations for this study shall be the participants’ right to informed consent, autonomy, confidentiality and anonymity which are discussed in detail here.

4.6.1 Informed consent

For the study, informed voluntary consent of all the respondents shall be obtained in writing beforehand. Participants’ information sheet shall be provided to all of them and their queries shall be addressed before the commencement of interview sessions.

4.6.2 Autonomy

While following the spirit of autonomy, it shall be scrupulously elucidated to the participants that their participation in the research study was entirely voluntary. In addition, their willingness to participate or otherwise would not affect them in any way. Even, it will be assured that they were free to back out from the study any time at any stage of the study if they desire so.

4.6.3 Privacy and confidentiality

The personal information of the participants shall be recorded on demographic data sheet gathered during the interview process and all the information provided by the participants shall be kept confidential if they desire so.

5.  Significance, expected outcome and contribution of the study

Appreciating that human resource is one of the most valuable assets, effective recruitment and induction system is critically important for organizations to ensure that the new employees become productive in the shortest possible time. Indeed, the benefits which can be derived from a merit-based selection system are widely established and frequently reported in the body of knowledge (Ulrich & Allen, 2009:33). This helps in developing intrinsic capabilities; organizations direly need to acquire, nourish and nurture to compete and win. This study is not only about undertaking fresh induction in a transparent manner but also focused on stimulating academic success and adding value to the academic business by connecting all HR functions in a systematic manner rather than simply reckoning recruitment and selection as a function in isolation.

The study will unearth gray areas in the staffing function in the institutes of higher education in the public sector in Pakistan. The study will give new insight to the academicians, university administrators, researchers, practitioners, and HR professionals. The study will provide useful guidelines for social scientists working in the field of higher education and policy makers at the national level. It will add, not only to the body of knowledge but will also help in unleashing reforms in the higher education sector by paving the way for standardization of recruitment and selection practices in universities in Pakistan.

The study will be helpful in persuading the people at the helm of universities’ affairs to manage employment practices strategically, in order, to avoid a total collapse of higher education sector, in the days to come. The study shall enable the universities, to put the recruitment and selection system according to the demands and challenges of the contemporary academic world. The study holds immense significance for the university administrators, researchers, decision makers and HR practitioners. The study will help the universities in revisiting recruitment and selection system, to make it more transparent, unbiased and meritocratic, thus, minimizing personal influence, political clout and external pressures.

6. Implications of the study

This study shall provide rich insight, in multiple ways, in which the notion of fair play, transparency and accountability required to be put in practice while pursuing fresh hiring, at all the levels, in public sector universities. The study shall contribute to the system of HR in the higher education sector, by discerning shortcomings mainly in various areas.

The study shall highlight multiple gray areas in the system of recruitment and selection in the institutes of higher education in Pakistan. This study is not only about performing recruitment and selection function in a better way but also focused on building academic success and adding value to the academic business rather than simply optimizing HR as a function. The study shall make certain recommendations postulating; how the institutes of higher education in this part of the world learn from best practices prevailing in developed countries. In light of the participants’ suggestions, the study shall come up with concrete, practical recommendations to regenerate staffing function in public sector universities in the country.

7. Outline of the Thesis

The thesis shall be divided into three major parts, comprising of nine chapters including Chapter 01- Introduction. These shall be structured as follows. Chapter 02 shall present an overview of the available literature on HRM concentrating on the historical perspective of the discipline. The first section of this Chapter shall discuss basic concepts of HRM, its historical evolution and its application in the public sector. This Chapter shall outline how HRM is designed in the public sector. A brief historical background of HRM in the public sector and working of HRM in both developing as well as developed countries shall be taken up in this section. The second section of Chapter 02 shall talk about the background of the study, hence, setting the stage for the thesis. This section shall discuss organizational structure of the universities in Pakistan. This Chapter shall cover HRM policies and practices in the public sector universities across the globe, with a particular focus on the public sector universities in Pakistan. The third section shall divulge a brief review of the basics of the system of recruitment and selection. Here, the focus shall rest on the public sector in Pakistan, and this further converges at the public sector universities in the country.

Chapter 03 shall focus on the theoretical framework of the study considering the interplay of competing demands, changing trends and varied aspirations of the competitive academic world where university top management has to set the strategic directions of institutions of higher education to survive in the competitive academic world.

The second part shall include the empirical Chapters. Chapter 04 shall present methodological underpinnings of the study starting with a brief description of the research paradigm, elucidating case study research and research design pursued in the study, drawing attention to case study methodology and data collection mechanism. This Chapter shall present the method of data analysis, the scheme of coding, interpretation of data to develop themes and patterns and define headings and subheadings for a systematic presentation of data.

The final part of the thesis shall consist of Chapters 05, 06, 07, 08 and 09. These chapters shall elucidate and provide further reflection on the outcomes of the study. Chapter 05 shall outline, how the staffing function, starting from job analysis to final selection of a candidate, is undertaken in the selected public sector universities.

Chapter 06 shall describe various loopholes in the staffing function. Chapter 07 shall explain various factors responsible for these loopholes. Chapter 08 shall discuss various suggestions made by the respondents to address these issues. All the three finding Chapters shall be assembled and discussed succinctly in Chapter 09 with implications and recommendations of the overall research study.

References:

Abbas, F., & Ahmad, S. (2011).  Human resource management practices: perceptions of academia. Paper presented at the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Business Management.

Aguinaldo, J. P. (2012). Qualitative analysis in gay men’s health research: Comparing thematic, critical discourse and conversation analysis.  Journal of Homosexuality,  59(6), 765-787.

Ahmad, S. H., & Ghani, U. (2013). Managing human resources in public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: problems and prospects. Unpublished/discussion paper.

Ahmad, S., & Schroeder, R.G. (2003). The impact of human resource management practices on operational performance: recognizing country and industry differences.  Journal of Operations Management , 21(1), 19-43.

Ahmad, S., & Shahzad, K. (2011). HRM and employee performance: a case of university teachers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan.  African Journal of Business Management,  5(13), 5249-5253.

Ahmad, S.H., & Junaid, F.A. (2008).  A conceptual framework for developing strategic partnership between university and industry in Pakistan with particular reference to NWFP. In: 2nd International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education. Lahore, Pakistan: December 1-2.

Ahmed, A., Hussain, I., Ahmed, S., & Akbar, M. F. (2010). Performance appraisals impact on attitudinal outcomes and organisational performance.  International Journal of Business and Management , 5(10), 62-68.

Ali, J.A., Nelarine, C., & James, W. (2009). Human resource management practices in a postcolonial and post-9/11 climate: empirical evidence from Pakistan.  Journal of Scientific Research , 33(2), 279-29.

Alsabbah, M. Y., & Ibrahim, H. (2014). HRM practices and employee competence: A general system perspective. International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, 4(1), 11-17.

Altbach, P. G. (2004). The past and future of Asian universities: Twenty first century challenges. In P. G. Altbach, & T. Umakoshi (Eds.),  Asian universities: Historical perspectives and contemporary challenges  (pp.13-32). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Archer, W. (2005).  Mission Critical? Modernizing human resource management in higher education . Oxford: Higher Education Policy Institute.

Arif, M.I., and Hassan, A. (2013). HRM practices in public and private universities of Pakistan. In  Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Business Management.

Arif, S. (2011). Broken wings: Issues faced by female doctors in Pakistan regarding career development.  International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences , 1(3) (Special), 69-91.

Armstrong, M. (2009).  Armstrong’s handbook of performance management: An evidence-based guide to delivering high performance . London: Kogan Page Publishers.

Arthur, J. B. (1992). The link between business strategy and industrial relations systems in American Steel Minimills.  Industrial and Labor Relations Review , 45, 488-506.

Aycan, Z., Kanungo, R.N., Mendonca, M.Yu, K., Deller, J., Stahl, G. & Khurshid, A. (2000). Impact of culture on human resource management practices: a 10-county comparison.  Applied Psychology: An International Review,  49(1), 67-81.

Barber, M., Donnelly K, & Rizvi, S. (2013).  An avalanche is coming, higher education and the revolution ahead . The Institute for Public Policy Research, UK.

Bashir, S., & Khattak, H. R. (2008). Impact of selected HR practices on perceived employee performance, a study of Public Sector Employees in Pakistan.  Editorial Advisory Board , 5(4), 243.

Bashir, S., & Ramay, M. I. (2008). Determinants of organizational commitment: A study of Information Technology professionals in Pakistan.  Institute of behavioral and applied management , 7(4), 226-238.

Bibi, A., Lanrong, Y., Haseeb, M., & Ahmad, I. (2012). The effect of human resource management practices on employees’ job satisfaction in the universities of Pakistan.  Business Management Dynamics , 1(12), 1-14.

Bonoma, T., (1985). Case research in marketing: opportunities, problems, and a process.  Journal of Marketing Research,  22(2), 199-208.

Boxall, P. F. (1993). The significance of human resource management: a reconsideration of the evidence.  International Journal of Human Resource Management , 4(3), 645-664.

Boxall, P. F., & Dowling, P. J. (1990). Human resource management and the industrial relations tradition.  Labour & Industry: A Journal of the Social and Economic Relations of Work , 3(2-3), 195-214.

Boxall, P., Purcell, J., & Wright, P. M. (2007). Human resource management: Scope, analysis and significance. In P. Boxall, J. Purcell, & P. M. Wright (Eds.),  The Handbook of Human Resource Management  (pp.1-16). UK: Oxford University Press.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology.  Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3(2), 77-101.

Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2009)  Business Research Methods . (2 nd  ed.). New York, Oxford University Press.

Bryman, A. (1988)  Quantity and Quality in Social Research . Canada: Unwin Hayman Ltd.

Budhwar, P. & Debrah., Y. (2001). Introduction. In P. Budhwar  & Y.Debrah (Eds)  Human resource management in developing countries  (pp.

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Research proposal - template, PhD programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education

Template for research proposals in connection with applications for a PhD position or admission to the PhD programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education at the Faculty of Education and international Studies.

All research proposals must be based on this template. Research proposals must be between 8- 10 pages including a reference list.

Title of the project

1. main objective and summary of the project.

(Present the main objective of your project and a brief summary, explaining how you intend to attain this goal. The purpose is to give the reader sufficient information to decide whether the project is of interest. You need to be clear and precise in formulating the project objectives. )

2. Background to the project

(Provide a brief account of the existing knowledge in the field the project is part of and show how the project will contribute to new knowledge. Explain how your project is relevant to the research at the Faculty of Education and International Studies – for individual researchers, research groups or projects.)

3. Theoretical framework

(Outline the theoretical foundation of the project and the reasons you have chosen this particular foundation.)

4. Research question(s) and expected findings (hypothesis)

(Describe the question(s) you want to answer through your project, and briefly outline what answer(s) you expect to find or what outcomes you might expect on the basis of previous research and theoretical background. Your research questions or hypotheses should focus and delimit the topic.)

(Give an account of the methodological foundation for your project and any research-ethical problems linked to the project. Describe the underlying data, source material and sampling approaches that will be used and how these will be collected and analyzed)

6. Proposed dissemination

(Outline your proposed outputs: your plans for communicating / publishing your doctoral project – articles, monographs, lectures, etc.)

7. Progress plan

(Outline briefly how you intend to organize your doctoral work over six semesters, including any planned or anticipated periods of study outside OsloMet and/or field work. We do not expect you to know about individual courses, seminars, etc. that will be included in the training component, but you should include course work in your overall timeframe.)

Total: no more than 8-10 pages in Times New Roman, 12 point type, with one and a half line spacing (including reference list. The reference list must be sorted alphabetically by author.). It is up to you to decide how they are distributed among the different sections of the research proposal.

Some general guidelines

A PhD proposal is generally developed when applying for a funded PhD position. This same proposal is used for applying for admission to the PhD program in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education at the Faculty of Education and international Studies. You need to keep in mind, both with regard to proposals for funding and admission to the PhD program, that you will need to convince the reader that the proposed research and the research objective(s) are important and in some way original or move beyond the current research. How will your proposed study make a contribution to the research field? You also need to be aware of the time limit in doing a PhD and that you cannot be overly ambitious, in total you have three years to complete the work and the reader needs to see that you will be able to complete the study within this time limit.

Make sure to use enough space in the proposal to discuss your research design, research methods, sampling and so forth. Here you need to reference the relevant and up to date literature regarding research methods and research design. Be specific in terms of what you are planning to do and how you will obtain the data you seek. What are the sampling procedures you will use and how will you recruit your participants. Also, think about any ethical issues as well as how you might analyze the data. Be as specific as possible in this section.

You will also need a realistic time plan, which should include the research process, fieldwork/data collection, analysis writing up, and dissemination plan as well as course work, all within the space of three years.

Oslo 13.08.2019,

Professor Halla B. Holmarsdottir, Vice-Dean of Research at the Faculty of Education and International Studies, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University

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• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

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Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

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As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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How to write a research proposal

What is a research proposal.

A research proposal should present your idea or question and expected outcomes with clarity and definition – the what.

It should also make a case for why your question is significant and what value it will bring to your discipline – the why. 

What it shouldn't do is answer the question – that's what your research will do.

Why is it important?

Research proposals are significant because Another reason why it formally outlines your intended research. Which means you need to provide details on how you will go about your research, including:

• your approach and methodology
• timeline and feasibility
• all other considerations needed to progress your research, such as resources.

Think of it as a tool that will help you clarify your idea and make conducting your research easier.

How long should it be?

Usually no more than 2000 words, but check the requirements of your degree, and your supervisor or research coordinator.

Presenting your idea clearly and concisely demonstrates that you can write this way – an attribute of a potential research candidate that is valued by assessors.

What should it include?

Project title.

Your title should clearly indicate what your proposed research is about.

Research supervisor

State the name, department and faculty or school of the academic who has agreed to supervise you. Rest assured, your research supervisor will work with you to refine your research proposal ahead of submission to ensure it meets the needs of your discipline.

Proposed mode of research

Describe your proposed mode of research. Which may be closely linked to your discipline, and is where you will describe the style or format of your research, e.g. data, field research, composition, written work, social performance and mixed media etc. 

This is not required for research in the sciences, but your research supervisor will be able to guide you on discipline-specific requirements.

Aims and objectives

What are you trying to achieve with your research? What is the purpose? This section should reference why you're applying for a research degree. Are you addressing a gap in the current research? Do you want to look at a theory more closely and test it out? Is there something you're trying to prove or disprove? To help you clarify this, think about the potential outcome of your research if you were successful – that is your aim. Make sure that this is a focused statement.

Your objectives will be your aim broken down – the steps to achieving the intended outcome. They are the smaller proof points that will underpin your research's purpose. Be logical in the order of how you present these so that each succeeds the previous, i.e. if you need to achieve 'a' before 'b' before 'c', then make sure you order your objectives a, b, c.

A concise summary of what your research is about. It outlines the key aspects of what you will investigate as well as the expected outcomes. It briefly covers the what, why and how of your research. 

A good way to evaluate if you have written a strong synopsis, is to get somebody to read it without reading the rest of your research proposal. Would they know what your research is about?

Now that you have your question clarified, it is time to explain the why. Here, you need to demonstrate an understanding of the current research climate in your area of interest.

Providing context around your research topic through a literature review will show the assessor that you understand current dialogue around your research, and what is published.

Demonstrate you have a strong understanding of the key topics, significant studies and notable researchers in your area of research and how these have contributed to the current landscape.

Expected research contribution

In this section, you should consider the following:

• Why is your research question or hypothesis worth asking?
• How is the current research lacking or falling short?
• What impact will your research have on the discipline?
• Will you be extending an area of knowledge, applying it to new contexts, solving a problem, testing a theory, or challenging an existing one?
• Establish why your research is important by convincing your audience there is a gap.
• What will be the outcome of your research contribution?
• Demonstrate both your current level of knowledge and how the pursuit of your question or hypothesis will create a new understanding and generate new information.
• Show how your research is innovative and original.

Draw links between your research and the faculty or school you are applying at, and explain why you have chosen your supervisor, and what research have they or their school done to reinforce and support your own work. Cite these reasons to demonstrate how your research will benefit and contribute to the current body of knowledge.

Proposed methodology

Provide an overview of the methodology and techniques you will use to conduct your research. Cover what materials and equipment you will use, what theoretical frameworks will you draw on, and how will you collect data.

Highlight why you have chosen this particular methodology, but also why others may not have been as suitable. You need to demonstrate that you have put thought into your approach and why it's the most appropriate way to carry out your research. 

It should also highlight potential limitations you anticipate, feasibility within time and other constraints, ethical considerations and how you will address these, as well as general resources.

A work plan is a critical component of your research proposal because it indicates the feasibility of completion within the timeframe and supports you in achieving your objectives throughout your degree.

Consider the milestones you aim to achieve at each stage of your research. A PhD or master's degree by research can take two to four years of full-time study to complete. It might be helpful to offer year one in detail and the following years in broader terms. Ultimately you have to show that your research is likely to be both original and finished – and that you understand the time involved.

Provide details of the resources you will need to carry out your research project. Consider equipment, fieldwork expenses, travel and a proposed budget, to indicate how realistic your research proposal is in terms of financial requirements and whether any adjustments are needed.

Bibliography

Provide a list of references that you've made throughout your research proposal. 

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How to write a phd research proposal.

In order to help you with your application, the information below aims to give some guidance on how a typical research proposal might look.

Your research proposal is a concise statement (up to 3,000 words) of the rationale for your research proposal, the research questions to be answered and how you propose to address them. We know that during the early stages of your PhD you are likely to refine your thinking and methodology in discussion with your supervisors.

However, we want to see that you can construct a fairly rigorous, high quality research proposal.

We use your research proposal to help us decide whether you would be a suitable candidate to study at PhD level. We therefore assess your proposal on its quality, originality, and coherence. It also helps us to decide if your research interests match those of academics in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) and whether they would be able to provide suitably qualified supervision for your proposed research.

Format of the research proposal

Your proposal should include the following:

Title. A short, indicative title is best.

Abstract. This is a succinct summary of your research proposal (approximately 200-300 words) that will present a condensed outline, enabling the reader to get a very quick overview of your proposed project, lines of inquiry and possible outcomes. An abstract is often written last, after you have written the proposal and are able to summarise it effectively.

Rationale for the research project. This might include a description of the question/debate/phenomenon of interest; an explanation of why the topic is of interest to you; and an outline of the reasons why the topic should be of interest to research and/ or practice (the 'so what?' question).

Aims and initial research question. What are the aims and objectives of the research? State clearly the puzzle you are addressing, and the research question that you intend to pursue. It is acceptable to have multiple research questions, but it is a good idea to clarify which is the main research question. If you have hypotheses, discuss them here. A research proposal can and should make a positive and persuasive first impression and demonstrate your potential to become a good researcher. In particular, you need to demonstrate that you can think critically and analytically as well as communicate your ideas clearly.

Research context for your proposed project. Provide a short introduction to your area of interest with a succinct, selective and critical review of the relevant literature. Demonstrate that you understand the theoretical underpinnings and main debates and issues in your research area and how your proposed research will make an original and necessary contribution to this. You need to demonstrate how your proposed research will fill a gap in existing knowledge.

Intended methodology. Outline how you plan to conduct the research and the data sources that you will use. We do not expect you to have planned a very detailed methodology at this stage, but you need to provide an overview of how you will conduct your research (qualitative and/or quantitative methods) and why this methodology is suited for your proposed study. You need to be convincing about the appropriateness and feasibility of the approaches you are suggesting, and reflective about problems you might encounter (including ethical and data protection issues) in collecting and analysing your data.

Expected outcomes and impact. How do you think the research might add to existing knowledge; what might it enable organisations or interested parties to do differently? Increasingly in academia (and this is particularly so for ESRC-funded studentships), PhD students are being asked to consider how their research might contribute to both academic impact and/or economic and societal impact. (This is well explained on the ESRC website if you would like to find out more.) Please consider broader collaborations and partnerships (academic and non-academic) that will support your research. Collaborative activity can lead to a better understanding of the ways in which academic research can translate into practice and it can help to inform and improve the quality of your research and its impact.

Timetable. What is your initial estimation of the timetable of the dissertation? When will each of the key stages start and finish (refining proposal; literature review; developing research methods; fieldwork; analysis; writing the draft; final submission). There are likely to overlaps between the stages.

Why Bristol? Why – specifically – do you want to study for your PhD at Bristol ? How would you fit into the School's  research themes and research culture . You do not need to identify supervisors at the application stage although it can be helpful if you do.

Bibliography. Do make sure that you cite what you see as the key readings in the field. This does not have to be comprehensive but you are illustrating the range of sources you might use in your research.

We expect your research proposal to be clear, concise and grammatically correct. Prior to submitting your research proposal, please make sure that you have addressed the following issues:

• Have you included a clear summary of what the proposed research is about and why it is significant?
• Have you clearly identified what your proposed research will add to our understanding of theory, knowledge or research design?
• Does it state what contributions it will make to policy and/or practice?
• Does the proposal clearly explain how you will do the research?
• Is the language clear and easy to understand by someone who is not an expert in the field?
• Is the grammar and spelling correct?

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Proposal Overview and Format

Proposal committee, proposal hearing or meeting.

• Printing Credit for Use in School of Education Labs

Students are urged to begin thinking about a dissertation topic early in their degree program. Concentrated work on a dissertation proposal normally begins after successful completion of the Second-Year Review, which often includes a “mini” proposal, an extended literature review, or a theoretical essay, plus advancement to doctoral candidacy. In defining a dissertation topic, the student collaborates with their faculty advisor or dissertation advisor (if one is selected) in the choice of a topic for the dissertation.

The dissertation proposal is a comprehensive statement on the extent and nature of the student’s dissertation research interests. Students submit a draft of the proposal to their dissertation advisor between the end of the seventh and middle of the ninth quarters. The student must provide a written copy of the proposal to the faculty committee no later than two weeks prior to the date of the proposal hearing. Committee members could require an earlier deadline (e.g., four weeks before the hearing).

The major components of the proposal are as follows, with some variations across Areas and disciplines:

• A detailed statement of the problem that is to be studied and the context within which it is to be seen. This should include a justification of the importance of the problem on both theoretical and educational grounds.
• A thorough review of the literature pertinent to the research problem. This review should provide proof that the relevant literature in the field has been thoroughly researched. Good research is cumulative; it builds on the thoughts, findings, and mistakes of others.
• its general explanatory interest
• the overall theoretical framework within which this interest is to be pursued
• the model or hypotheses to be tested or the research questions to be answered
• a discussion of the conceptual and operational properties of the variables
• an overview of strategies for collecting appropriate evidence (sampling, instrumentation, data collection, data reduction, data analysis)
• a discussion of how the evidence is to be interpreted (This aspect of the proposal will be somewhat different in fields such as history and philosophy of education.)
• If applicable, students should complete a request for approval of research with human subjects, using the Human Subjects Review Form ( http://humansubjects.stanford.edu/ ). Except for pilot work, the University requires the approval of the Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Behavioral Science Research before any data can be collected from human subjects.

Registration (i.e., enrollment) is required for any quarter during which a degree requirement is completed, including the dissertation proposal. Refer to the Registration or Enrollment for Milestone Completion section for more details.

As students progress through the program, their interests may change. There is no commitment on the part of the student’s advisor to automatically serve as the dissertation chair. Based on the student’s interests and the dissertation topic, many students approach other GSE professors to serve as the dissertation advisor, if appropriate.

A dissertation proposal committee is comprised of three academic council faculty members, one of whom will serve as the major dissertation advisor. Whether or not the student’s general program advisor serves on the dissertation proposal committee and later the reading committee will depend on the relevance of that faculty member’s expertise to the topic of the dissertation, and their availability. There is no requirement that a program advisor serve, although very often they do. Members of the dissertation proposal committee may be drawn from other area committees within the GSE, from other departments in the University, or from emeriti faculty. At least one person serving on the proposal committee must be from the student’s area committee (CTE, DAPS, SHIPS). All three members must be on the Academic Council; if the student desires the expertise of a non-Academic Council member, it may be possible to petition. After the hearing, a memorandum listing the changes to be made will be written and submitted with the signed proposal cover sheet and a copy of the proposal itself to the Doctoral Programs Officer.

Review and approval of the dissertation proposal occurs normally during the third year. The proposal hearing seeks to review the quality and feasibility of the proposal. The Second-Year Review and the Proposal Hearing are separate milestones and may not occur as part of the same hearing or meeting.

The student and the dissertation advisor are responsible for scheduling a formal meeting or hearing to review the proposal; the student and proposal committee convene for this evaluative period. Normally, all must be present at the meeting either in person or via conference phone call.

At the end of this meeting, the dissertation proposal committee members should sign the Cover Sheet for Dissertation Proposal and indicate their approval or rejection of the proposal. This signed form should be submitted to the Doctoral Programs Officer. If the student is required to make revisions, an addendum is required with the written approval of each member of the committee stating that the proposal has been revised to their satisfaction.

After submitting the Proposal Hearing material to the Doctoral Programs Officer, the student should make arrangements with three faculty members to serve on their Dissertation Reading Committee. The Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form should be completed and given to the Doctoral Programs Officer to enter in the University student records system. Note: The proposal hearing committee and the reading committee do not have to be the same three faculty members. Normally, the proposal hearing precedes the designation of a Dissertation Reading Committee, and faculty on either committee may differ (except for the primary dissertation advisor). However, some students may advance to Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status before completing their dissertation proposal hearing if they have established a dissertation reading committee. In these cases, it is acceptable for the student to form a reading committee prior to the dissertation proposal hearing. The reading committee then serves as the proposal committee.

The proposal and reading committee forms and related instructions are on the GSE website, under current students>forms.

Printing Credit for Use in GSE Labs

Upon completion of their doctoral dissertation proposal, GSE students are eligible for a $300 printing credit redeemable in any of the GSE computer labs where students are normally charged for print jobs. Only one $300 credit per student will be issued, but it is usable throughout the remainder of her or his doctoral program until the balance is exhausted. The print credit can be used only at the printers in Cubberley basement and CERAS, and cannot be used toward copying.

After submitting the signed dissertation proposal cover sheet to the Doctoral Programs Officer indicating approval (see above), students can submit a HELP SU ticket online at helpsu.stanford.edu to request the credit. When submitting the help ticket, the following should be selected from the drop-down menus for HELP SU:

Request Category :  Computer, Handhelds (PDAs), Printers, Servers Request Type :  Printer Operating System : (whatever system is used by the student, e.g., Windows XP.)

The help ticket will be routed to the GSE's IT Group for processing; they will in turn notify the student via email when the credit is available.

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PhD Research Proposal Sample

PhD Research Proposal Sample for Your Inspiration

One of the toughest things to do when it comes to completing a voluminous and challenging PhD research project is the proposal. The thing about the PhD research proposal is that you have to encapsulate everything that you want to accomplish, communicate in a concise way what you want to do, the resources that it will require, and finally you have to convince the reader of the viability and necessity of the project. It isn’t easy to know where to begin with something like this, but with the help of a PhD research proposal example from our professional PhD writing service, it’s easier than ever! We’ve got a wide range of samples made by doctoral proposal writer that you can take advantage of to learn all the ins and outs of crafting the highest quality proposal.

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The dynamics of hyperinflation and stabilization policies – the case of zimbabwe.

The dynamics of hyperinflation and stabilization policies

The running of the country can be viewed commercially as a business enterprise by the economists. The business needs to be run in equilibrium; a balance between supply and demand must be stricken if the entrepreneur or the owner of the enterprise is to enjoy any benefits accrued by running a business. In the case of a country, it should be governed in a way that that the prices of goods and services are kept in control.  The stakeholders must not let the prices escalate beyond the ability of a typical citizen. Similarly, the release of cash into the economy should be maintained so that the flow of money is monitored and controlled, hence preserving the value of that particular currency.

This proposal will dig into inflation and find out how inflation has affected economies of a country, in particular, Zimbabwe and the ways to stabilize this condition. The dynamics of hyperinflation will also be looked into in detail to bring out the real picture and the damages it causes to an economy. The proposal will also focus on the causes of inflation in Zimbabwe and the how the theories of hyperinflation have applied in this context. The proposal will also look at the quantity theory of money and how it is associated with hyperinflation.

Introduction

Hyperinflation can be defined as a situation where the prices of goods and services escalate beyond control that the concept of inflation is an understatement. Economically, hyperinflation can be defined to occur when the total inflation over a period of three years is equivalent or exceeds 100%. Countries in hyperinflation usually experience rapid erosion of the real value of local currency prompting the population to hold a relatively stable foreign currency.

Hyperinflation makes the prices of goods and services in an economy to rise rapidly since the value of the local currency loses the real value quickly. Zimbabwe has experienced hyperinflation since 2001 with inflation rates over a whopping 100%.  However, as from 2006, inflation in Zimbabwe has risen to an uncontrollable 1500% annually. It should be observed that Zimbabwe was the only country that was experiencing hyperinflation and the first in the 21st century to have hyperinflation. Inflation in Zimbabwe has been perceived in two ways. First, the private sector speculation which the Zimbabwean authorities argue that the private sector rises up the prices intentionally to maximize profits on to pile pressure on the economy through ruthless price increments.

Secondly, the authorities also believe that the withdrawal of aids and the international economic sanctions have led to an economic decline from the year 2000. This perception has the explanation that the printing and minting of excess money by the government is usually tailored to bridge the gap between the government revenue and the actual receipts. This proposal to examine these concepts in depth.

Literature review

In this section, the Cagan (1956) hyperinflation model will be examined, where he assessed the statistical connection between cash and changes in price by conducting instances of hyperinflation in six different countries across Europe. According to Cagan, the demand for money balances declined with increase in inflation, assuming inflation played a significant role in determining hyperinflation.

Milton Friedman bases his view of hyperinflation in quantity theory of money. This theory states that the relationship between money and the price level is directly proportional.  This relationship implies that inflation will increase with an increase in money supply and the continued trend will lead to hyperinflation. In Zimbabwe, the supply of money and the prices of goods and services increased in tandem, as per the quantity theory of money because people opted to use the available cash immediately, rather than to wait on the depreciating cash. This, in turn, led to the increase of velocity as well as an increase of money through the printing of new currency, hence the exponential increase in prices of goods and services in Zimbabwe.

Methodology

This proposal will seek to clarify the mechanisms through which money, the setting of price behavior and the requirements of government revenue collaborate in Zimbabwe, to examine the explanations put forth by the authorities about the hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. To achieve this goal, the proposal will look at various models and tests that will lead to the understanding of the hyperinflation.

Granger causality test

In general, it is obvious that money engenders the rate of inflation, but the reverse could also be claimed to be true. It can be said that hyperinflation has self-perpetuating tendencies, due to the fact that the rise in prices of goods and services results in the rise in demand for nominal cash. Thus, causation develops from inflation to supply of money. This test investigates the amount of the existing value of money and premium is a utilizable component in the prediction of inflation.

Theoretical model

This model provides the classical quantity theory of money which believes that institutional factors determine the rate of money circulation. The economy is assumed to be or close to the real GDP.  In this case, the growth of money does not have an effect in the real GDP. This implies that holding both variables constant, the growth rate of money is directly proportional to the rate of inflation. Inflation reduces money demand due to an increase in the opportunity cost of holding money. Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe increased the parallel market premium and consequently, a change in the parallel market premium affected the velocity of cash in the circulation. The data used here was derived from various sources including the website of the RBZ.

The inflation data and money supply were collected from RBZ while parallel exchange rate was collected from Carmen M. Reinhart, a Harvard Kennedy School Professor of the International Financial System. The methodology in this paper employs heavily the ARDL co-integration approach for investigating the relationship between the inflation and its determinants.  ARDL was used because it has several advantages over other models of co-integration. ARDL can be used with time series data, can also be employed in a general-to-specific modeling by including insufficient numbers to lags for the data generating and error correction model (ECM) can be derived using ARDL co-integration model.

Theoretical/conceptual framework

Lagged change in the inflation and money supply growth are insignificant in the ARDL framework. Moreover, the ever-increasing prices are not unsustainable in the long-run; hence using the concept of long-run relations could give incorrect results. Zimbabwe had almost all her prices listed in foreign currencies which fully wrote off inflation inertia. In this case, an exchange rate is a useful tool for curbing inflation rates thereby making stabilization of hyperinflation less costly in comparison to moderate methods of dealing with hyperinflation. Through Ordinary Least Squares method, hyperinflation in Zimbabwe is said o have been caused by the rapid growth of paper money. The money demand model will seek to find out if this result is consistent. Additionally, a unit increase in the parallel market premium will result in an equivalent change in inflation.

High rates of interest will deter borrowing and foster saving, slowing the economy and hence disinflationary effects. The Treasury bill by the Zimbabwe government had turned the interest rates negative and this manipulation discouraged savings by the households. As per the Quantity Theory of money, hyperinflation in Zimbabwe could have been a monetary phenomenon and the only way to curb it would be to constrain the unnecessary money supply growth.

Research plan

Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe had severe adverse effects on the economy in regard to wealth, savings and deposits. Prices of essential goods and services became unreachable, especially to those on inflexible incomes. Countermeasures including price controls and foreign currencies ban to control the then escalating levels of inflation and the devaluation of the Zimbabwean currency were taken. Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation was at its peak when the government compelled the RBZ to issue banknotes of higher denominations, hence fuelling the rate of inflation. The Zimbabwean dollar value diminished at a faster rate and the RBZ could not keep up with the printing. This led to the abandonment of the Zimbabwean dollar in favor of the US dollar as well as the SA Rand.

This study aimed at finding the causes of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe by using the right econometric models. Its main aim is to find out if the growth of money has a positive effect on inflation. Additionally, it will be aimed at finding out whether the parallel market premium is directly proportional to the growth of inflation. Whether money supply is the primary driver of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, the findings of the research will provide the answer.

Works cited

BBC News,. ‘Zimbabwe Abandons Its Currency’. N.p., 2014. Web. 29 Dec. 2014.

Cato Institute,. ‘Measurements of Zimbabwe’s Hyperinflation’. N.p., 2014. Web. 29 Dec. 2014.

Larochelle, C., J. Alwang, and N. Taruvinga. ‘Inter-Temporal Changes In Well-Being During Conditions Of Hyperinflation: Evidence From Zimbabwe’. Journal of African Economies 23.2 (2014): 225-256. Web.

McIndoe Calder, Tara. ‘Hyperinflation In Zimbabwe: Money Demand, Seigniorage And Aid Shocks’. SSRN Journal n. pag. Web.

Makochekanwa, A. ‘A Dynamic Enquiry Into The Causes Of Hyperinflation In Zimbabwe’. The University of Pretoria, Department of Economics (2007): n. pag. Print. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ),. ‘Bank Annual Reports From 2000-2008’. N.p., 2008. Web. 29 Dec. 2014

Sokic, Alexandre. ‘The Monetary Analysis Of Hyperinflation And The Appropriate Specification Of The Demand For Money’. German Economic Review 13.2 (2011): 142-160. Web.

Works, Anchor. ‘Data’. Carmenreinhart.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 29 Dec. 2014.

You can also take a look at our guide for writing an  interpretive thesis if you feel like you’re struggling to write on your own. So check it out! You can also find out more helpful examples of research proposals if you contact us.

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Sample PHD Education and Teaching Dissertation Proposal

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Using Sustainable ICT in Education: A Phenomenological Case Study of Professional Development Experiences of ELT Faculty at Tertiary Level in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Aims and objectives.

The proposed study’s primary aim is to examine how ICT deployments in educational institutions can be made sustainable to aid ELT instructors in English language instruction in the UAE. To achieve this aim, the proposed study has developed the following primary research question;

How can ICT efforts in tertiary level education be made sustainable for English language training?

The primary research question is accompanied by the following secondary research questions answered in the proposed study.

1. What is the extent of educational technology integration in English language teaching at the Tertiary Level in the UAE, and what factors contributed to the adoption of educational technologies to facilitate ELT practices?

2. Has the use of technology improved the overall English language learning experiences of the students?

3. What is the impact of using educational technology on teachers; what are their experiences, and how has this changed their perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about the teaching and learning process?

4. What is the future of educational technology as a strategy for enhancing English learning processes in the UAE?

The research question and aim will be achieved through achieving the following objectives;

1. Use primary and secondary research to collect data and information on the proposed topic of study.

2. Examine how ICT can be made sustainable in cost, policy, resources, and re-purpose.

3. Analyse the instructor’s experience of using ICT in English language training.

4. Examine factors that facilitated the adoption of educational technologies to promote ELT practice in the tertiary level English language learning institutions in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is placed strategically for trade, allowing multiple languages to thrive in its vicinity. English medium instruction is one of the core concepts upheld in federally funded tertiary education institutes (Rogier, 2012). To extend and provide improved English instruction, it is essential to incorporate ICT and other technologies for teaching and learning the English language.

Sustainability is often described as an education ecosystem’s ability to maintain scholastic processes, functions, diversity, and productivity into the future. To look at it at a practical level, ELT faculty needs to introduce information and communication technologies in existing educational ecosystems so that they may absorb it and own the change (Howard et al., 2016).

As per the current understanding, no literature examines sustainable technology integration in English language training in the UAE (Howard et al., 2016). The current status of technology/ICT can be reviewed at the tertiary level to recommend strategies that further its beneficial use by conducting the proposed study. It is also essential to investigate how ELT faculty in the UAE can use ICT for training students in the English language.

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Methodology

Research design.

The proposed research looks to adopt a qualitative phenomenological case study approach. The phenomenological method is used to understand the topic of interest from the everyday knowledge and perceptions of specific respondent groups (Vinke et al., 1998). By using this approach, researchers have an initial understanding of the topic. They are interested in developing an in-depth comprehension or clarification of potentially conflicting or equivocal information from previous data (Stake, 1995).

Denscombe (2004) argues that it is not primarily concerned with explaining the causes of things; instead, it describes how things are experienced first-hand by the typical world. Yin (2003) argues that the case study is a particular style of educational research appropriate for investigating professional development instructors and teachers’ concepts. Stake (1995) asserts the benefit of using a qualitative case study methodology, which arises from emphasising each case’s uniqueness and the educator’s subjective experience.

Data Collection

The proposed research intends to explore the different perspectives of professionals in teaching at the tertiary level in the UAE regarding their experiences as ELT faculty and how technology and ICT use in education can enhance English language learning. The focus group interview will be used in the current study to collect data from a diverse group of people.

Freebody (2004) asserts that the use of focus groups in education research gives opportunities to compare and contrast interpretations, develop unforeseen findings, and aids in exploring findings that would either be considered anomalous or disconfirming of initial impressions. Lindlof and Taylor (2002) argue that group discussions produce data and insight that would be less accessible without interaction in group settings. Listening to others verbalise experiences stimulates memories, ideas, and experiences in those participating.

The proposed study looks to use purposive sampling when choosing the school and the focus group participants, a strategy used by Punch (2005). The tertiary school selected for the proposed research will be chosen based on the staff experience in working as ELT faculty and having experience with using technology for education. Recommendations for selecting the school will also be taken by several tertiary level teachers working at institutions in the UAE.

The study proposes to have ten focus group interviews that will last one hour. Based on the availability of participants, the total number of people interviewed will be determined. However, it is proposed to use fifty (50) participants to take part in the groups. Participants will be included in the focus group if they are ELT faculty at the education institution and have had experience using technology/ICT for English language instruction, particularly in UAE.

Data Analysis

The proposed study will use thematic analysis to evaluate the data obtained. Thematic analysis is used to identify, analyse, and report patterns or themes within data (Braun and Clarke, 2006). The analysis technique minimally organises and describes the data set in rich detail. It further interprets various aspects of the research topic (Braun and Clarke, 2006).

Bibliography

Denscombe, M. (2004) The Good Research Guide For Small Scale Social Research Projects. (2nd Edn) Berkshire: Open University Press.

Freebody, P. (2004) Qualitative Research in Education-Interaction and Practice. London: Sage Publishers.

Howard, A., Basurto-Santos, N. M., Gimenez, T., Moncada, A. M. G., McMurray, M., and Traish, A. (2016). A comparative study of English language teacher recruitment, in-service education, and retention in Latin American and the Middle East. British Council. ELT Research Papers 16.02, 3-72.

Lindlof, T. R., & Taylor, B. C. (2002). Qualitative Communication Research Methods, 2nd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Punch, K. (2005) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage Publishers.

Rogier, D. (2012). The effects of English-Medium instruction on the language proficiency of students enrolled in higher education in the UAE. Exeter University, student dissertation.

Stake, R.E. (1995). The Art Of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Vinke, A.A., Snippe, J., & Jochems, W. (1998). English-medium content courses in non-English higher education: A study of lecturer experiences and teaching behaviours. Teaching in Higher Education, 3(3), 383-394.

Yin, R.K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA; London: Sage Publications

Frequently Asked Questions

How to write a phd dissertation proposal.

To write a Ph.D. dissertation proposal:

• Choose a research topic.
• Develop a clear problem statement.
• Outline objectives and methodology.
• Review literature.
• Present a timeline.
• Seek feedback from advisors.
• Revise and finalize the proposal before submission.

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As part of the process of applying for a research degree, you will need to prepare an outline of your proposed research. This must be 5-10 pages long (font 11pt minimum) excluding the bibliography.

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• Study Protocol
• Open access
• Published: 26 August 2024

Learning effect of online versus onsite education in health and medical scholarship – protocol for a cluster randomized trial

• Rie Raffing 1 ,
• Lars Konge 2 &
• Hanne Tønnesen 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  927 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

123 Accesses

Metrics details

The disruption of health and medical education by the COVID-19 pandemic made educators question the effect of online setting on students’ learning, motivation, self-efficacy and preference. In light of the health care staff shortage online scalable education seemed relevant. Reviews on the effect of online medical education called for high quality RCTs, which are increasingly relevant with rapid technological development and widespread adaption of online learning in universities. The objective of this trial is to compare standardized and feasible outcomes of an online and an onsite setting of a research course regarding the efficacy for PhD students within health and medical sciences: Primarily on learning of research methodology and secondly on preference, motivation, self-efficacy on short term and academic achievements on long term. Based on the authors experience with conducting courses during the pandemic, the hypothesis is that student preferred onsite setting is different to online setting.

Cluster randomized trial with two parallel groups. Two PhD research training courses at the University of Copenhagen are randomized to online (Zoom) or onsite (The Parker Institute, Denmark) setting. Enrolled students are invited to participate in the study. Primary outcome is short term learning. Secondary outcomes are short term preference, motivation, self-efficacy, and long-term academic achievements. Standardized, reproducible and feasible outcomes will be measured by tailor made multiple choice questionnaires, evaluation survey, frequently used Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, Single Item Self-Efficacy Question, and Google Scholar publication data. Sample size is calculated to 20 clusters and courses are randomized by a computer random number generator. Statistical analyses will be performed blinded by an external statistical expert.

Primary outcome and secondary significant outcomes will be compared and contrasted with relevant literature. Limitations include geographical setting; bias include lack of blinding and strengths are robust assessment methods in a well-established conceptual framework. Generalizability to PhD education in other disciplines is high. Results of this study will both have implications for students and educators involved in research training courses in health and medical education and for the patients who ultimately benefits from this training.

Trial registration

Retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05736627. SPIRIT guidelines are followed.

Peer Review reports

Medical education was utterly disrupted for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of rearranging courses and adapting to online platforms we, with lecturers and course managers around the globe, wondered what the conversion to online setting did to students’ learning, motivation and self-efficacy [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. What the long-term consequences would be [ 4 ] and if scalable online medical education should play a greater role in the future [ 5 ] seemed relevant and appealing questions in a time when health care professionals are in demand. Our experience of performing research training during the pandemic was that although PhD students were grateful for courses being available, they found it difficult to concentrate related to the long screen hours. We sensed that most students preferred an onsite setting and perceived online courses a temporary and inferior necessity. The question is if this impacted their learning?

Since the common use of the internet in medical education, systematic reviews have sought to answer if there is a difference in learning effect when taught online compared to onsite. Although authors conclude that online learning may be equivalent to onsite in effect, they agree that studies are heterogeneous and small [ 6 , 7 ], with low quality of the evidence [ 8 , 9 ]. They therefore call for more robust and adequately powered high-quality RCTs to confirm their findings and suggest that students’ preferences in online learning should be investigated [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].

This uncovers two knowledge gaps: I) High-quality RCTs on online versus onsite learning in health and medical education and II) Studies on students’ preferences in online learning.

Recently solid RCTs have been performed on the topic of web-based theoretical learning of research methods among health professionals [ 10 , 11 ]. However, these studies are on asynchronous courses among medical or master students with short term outcomes.

This uncovers three additional knowledge gaps: III) Studies on synchronous online learning IV) among PhD students of health and medical education V) with long term measurement of outcomes.

The rapid technological development including artificial intelligence (AI) and widespread adaption as well as application of online learning forced by the pandemic, has made online learning well-established. It represents high resolution live synchronic settings which is available on a variety of platforms with integrated AI and options for interaction with and among students, chat and break out rooms, and exterior digital tools for teachers [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Thus, investigating online learning today may be quite different than before the pandemic. On one hand, it could seem plausible that this technological development would make a difference in favour of online learning which could not be found in previous reviews of the evidence. On the other hand, the personal face-to-face interaction during onsite learning may still be more beneficial for the learning process and combined with our experience of students finding it difficult to concentrate when online during the pandemic we hypothesize that outcomes of the onsite setting are different from the online setting.

To support a robust study, we design it as a cluster randomized trial. Moreover, we use the well-established and widely used Kirkpatrick’s conceptual framework for evaluating learning as a lens to assess our outcomes [ 15 ]. Thus, to fill the above-mentioned knowledge gaps, the objective of this trial is to compare a synchronous online and an in-person onsite setting of a research course regarding the efficacy for PhD students within the health and medical sciences:

Primarily on theoretical learning of research methodology and

Secondly on

◦ Preference, motivation, self-efficacy on short term

◦ Academic achievements on long term

Trial design

This study protocol covers synchronous online and in-person onsite setting of research courses testing the efficacy for PhD students. It is a two parallel arms cluster randomized trial (Fig.  1 ).

Consort flow diagram

The study measures baseline and post intervention. Baseline variables and knowledge scores are obtained at the first day of the course, post intervention measurement is obtained the last day of the course (short term) and monthly for 24 months (long term).

Randomization is stratified giving 1:1 allocation ratio of the courses. As the number of participants within each course might differ, the allocation ratio of participants in the study will not fully be equal and 1:1 balanced.

Study setting

The study site is The Parker Institute at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. From here the courses are organized and run online and onsite. The course programs and time schedules, the learning objective, the course management, the lecturers, and the delivery are identical in the two settings. The teachers use the same introductory presentations followed by training in break out groups, feed-back and discussions. For the online group, the setting is organized as meetings in the online collaboration tool Zoom® [ 16 ] using the basic available technicalities such as screen sharing, chat function for comments, and breakout rooms and other basics digital tools if preferred. The online version of the course is synchronous with live education and interaction. For the onsite group, the setting is the physical classroom at the learning facilities at the Parker Institute. Coffee and tea as well as simple sandwiches and bottles of water, which facilitate sociality, are available at the onsite setting. The participants in the online setting must get their food and drink by themselves, but online sociality is made possible by not closing down the online room during the breaks. The research methodology courses included in the study are “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research”, (see course programme in appendix 1) and “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” [ 17 ] (see course programme in appendix 2). The two courses both have 12 seats and last either three or three and a half days resulting in 2.2 and 2.6 ECTS credits, respectively. They are offered by the PhD School of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Both courses are available and covered by the annual tuition fee for all PhD students enrolled at a Danish university.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria for participants: All PhD students enrolled on the PhD courses participate after informed consent: “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” at the PhD School of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Exclusion criteria for participants: Declining to participate and withdrawal of informed consent.

Informed consent

The PhD students at the PhD School at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen participate after informed consent, taken by the daily project leader, allowing evaluation data from the course to be used after pseudo-anonymization in the project. They are informed in a welcome letter approximately three weeks prior to the course and again in the introduction the first course day. They register their consent on the first course day (Appendix 3). Declining to participate in the project does not influence their participation in the course.

Interventions

Online course settings will be compared to onsite course settings. We test if the onsite setting is different to online. Online learning is increasing but onsite learning is still the preferred educational setting in a medical context. In this case onsite learning represents “usual care”. The online course setting is meetings in Zoom using the technicalities available such as chat and breakout rooms. The onsite setting is the learning facilities, at the Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, The Capital Region, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The course settings are not expected to harm the participants, but should a request be made to discontinue the course or change setting this will be met, and the participant taken out of the study. Course participants are allowed to take part in relevant concomitant courses or other interventions during the trial.

Strategies to improve adherence to interventions

Course participants are motivated to complete the course irrespectively of the setting because it bears ECTS-points for their PhD education and adds to the mandatory number of ECTS-points. Thus, we expect adherence to be the same in both groups. However, we monitor their presence in the course and allocate time during class for testing the short-term outcomes ( motivation, self-efficacy, preference and learning). We encourage and, if necessary, repeatedly remind them to register with Google Scholar for our testing of the long-term outcome (academic achievement).

Outcomes are related to the Kirkpatrick model for evaluating learning (Fig.  2 ) which divides outcomes into four different levels; Reaction which includes for example motivation, self-efficacy and preferences, Learning which includes knowledge acquisition, Behaviour for practical application of skills when back at the job (not included in our outcomes), and Results for impact for end-users which includes for example academic achievements in the form of scientific articles [ 18 , 19 , 20 ].

The Kirkpatrick model

Primary outcome

The primary outcome is short term learning (Kirkpatrick level 2).

Learning is assessed by a Multiple-Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) developed prior to the RCT specifically for this setting (Appendix 4). First the lecturers of the two courses were contacted and asked to provide five multiple choice questions presented as a stem with three answer options; one correct answer and two distractors. The questions should be related to core elements of their teaching under the heading of research training. The questions were set up to test the cognition of the students at the levels of "Knows" or "Knows how" according to Miller's Pyramid of Competence and not their behaviour [ 21 ]. Six of the course lecturers responded and out of this material all the questions which covered curriculum of both courses were selected. It was tested on 10 PhD students and within the lecturer group, revised after an item analysis and English language revised. The MCQ ended up containing 25 questions. The MCQ is filled in at baseline and repeated at the end of the course. The primary outcomes based on the MCQ is estimated as the score of learning calculated as number of correct answers out of 25 after the course. A decrease of points of the MCQ in the intervention groups denotes a deterioration of learning. In the MCQ the minimum score is 0 and 25 is maximum, where 19 indicates passing the course.

Furthermore, as secondary outcome, this outcome measurement will be categorized as binary outcome to determine passed/failed of the course defined by 75% (19/25) correct answers.

The learning score will be computed on group and individual level and compared regarding continued outcomes by the Mann–Whitney test comparing the learning score of the online and onsite groups. Regarding the binomial outcome of learning (passed/failed) data will be analysed by the Fisher’s exact test on an intention-to-treat basis between the online and onsite. The results will be presented as median and range and as mean and standard deviations, for possible future use in meta-analyses.

Secondary outcomes

Motivation assessment post course: Motivation level is measured by the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) Scale [ 22 ] (Appendix 5). The IMI items were randomized by random.org on the 4th of August 2022. It contains 12 items to be assessed by the students on a 7-point Likert scale where 1 is “Not at all true”, 4 is “Somewhat true” and 7 is “Very true”. The motivation score will be computed on group and individual level and will then be tested by the Mann–Whitney of the online and onsite group.

Self-efficacy assessment post course: Self-efficacy level is measured by a single-item measure developed and validated by Williams and Smith [ 23 ] (Appendix 6). It is assessed by the students on a scale from 1–10 where 1 is “Strongly disagree” and 10 is “Strongly agree”. The self-efficacy score will be computed on group and individual level and tested by a Mann–Whitney test to compare the self-efficacy score of the online and onsite group.

Preference assessment post course: Preference is measured as part of the general course satisfaction evaluation with the question “If you had the option to choose, which form would you prefer this course to have?” with the options “onsite form” and “online form”.

Academic achievement assessment is based on 24 monthly measurements post course of number of publications, number of citations, h-index, i10-index. This data is collected through the Google Scholar Profiles [ 24 ] of the students as this database covers most scientific journals. Associations between onsite/online and long-term academic will be examined with Kaplan Meyer and log rank test with a significance level of 0.05.

Participant timeline

Enrolment for the course at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, becomes available when it is published in the course catalogue. In the course description the course location is “To be announced”. Approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins, the participant list is finalized, and students receive a welcome letter containing course details, including their allocation to either the online or onsite setting. On the first day of the course, oral information is provided, and participants provide informed consent, baseline variables, and base line knowledge scores.

The last day of scheduled activities the following scores are collected, knowledge, motivation, self-efficacy, setting preference, and academic achievement. To track students' long term academic achievements, follow-ups are conducted monthly for a period of 24 months, with assessments occurring within one week of the last course day (Table  1 ).

Sample size

The power calculation is based on the main outcome, theoretical learning on short term. For the sample size determination, we considered 12 available seats for participants in each course. To achieve statistical power, we aimed for 8 clusters in both online and onsite arms (in total 16 clusters) to detect an increase in learning outcome of 20% (learning outcome increase of 5 points). We considered an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.02, a standard deviation of 10, a power of 80%, and a two-sided alpha level of 5%. The Allocation Ratio was set at 1, implying an equal number of subjects in both online and onsite group.

Considering a dropout up to 2 students per course, equivalent to 17%, we determined that a total of 112 participants would be needed. This calculation factored in 10 clusters of 12 participants per study arm, which we deemed sufficient to assess any changes in learning outcome.

The sample size was estimated using the function n4means from the R package CRTSize [ 25 ].

Recruitment

Participants are PhD students enrolled in 10 courses of “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and 10 courses of “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” at the PhD School of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Assignment of interventions: allocation

Randomization will be performed on course-level. The courses are randomized by a computer random number generator [ 26 ]. To get a balanced randomization per year, 2 sets with 2 unique random integers in each, taken from the 1–4 range is requested.

The setting is not included in the course catalogue of the PhD School and thus allocation to online or onsite is concealed until 3–4 weeks before course commencement when a welcome letter with course information including allocation to online or onsite setting is distributed to the students. The lecturers are also informed of the course setting at this time point. If students withdraw from the course after being informed of the setting, a letter is sent to them enquiring of the reason for withdrawal and reason is recorded (Appendix 7).

The allocation sequence is generated by a computer random number generator (random.org). The participants and the lecturers sign up for the course without knowing the course setting (online or onsite) until 3–4 weeks before the course.

Assignment of interventions: blinding

Due to the nature of the study, it is not possible to blind trial participants or lecturers. The outcomes are reported by the participants directly in an online form, thus being blinded for the outcome assessor, but not for the individual participant. The data collection for the long-term follow-up regarding academic achievements is conducted without blinding. However, the external researcher analysing the data will be blinded.

Data collection and management

Data will be collected by the project leader (Table  1 ). Baseline variables and post course knowledge, motivation, and self-efficacy are self-reported through questionnaires in SurveyXact® [ 27 ]. Academic achievements are collected through Google Scholar profiles of the participants.

Given that we are using participant assessments and evaluations for research purposes, all data collection – except for monthly follow-up of academic achievements after the course – takes place either in the immediate beginning or ending of the course and therefore we expect participant retention to be high.

Data will be downloaded from SurveyXact and stored in a locked and logged drive on a computer belonging to the Capital Region of Denmark. Only the project leader has access to the data.

This project conduct is following the Danish Data Protection Agency guidelines of the European GDPR throughout the trial. Following the end of the trial, data will be stored at the Danish National Data Archive which fulfil Danish and European guidelines for data protection and management.

Statistical methods

Data is anonymized and blinded before the analyses. Analyses are performed by a researcher not otherwise involved in the inclusion or randomization, data collection or handling. All statistical tests will be testing the null hypotheses assuming the two arms of the trial being equal based on corresponding estimates. Analysis of primary outcome on short-term learning will be started once all data has been collected for all individuals in the last included course. Analyses of long-term academic achievement will be started at end of follow-up.

Baseline characteristics including both course- and individual level information will be presented. Table 2 presents the available data on baseline.

We will use multivariate analysis for identification of the most important predictors (motivation, self-efficacy, sex, educational background, and knowledge) for best effect on short and long term. The results will be presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). The results will be considered significant if CI does not include the value one.

All data processing and analyses were conducted using R statistical software version 4.1.0, 2021–05-18 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria).

If possible, all analysis will be performed for “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and for “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” separately.

Primary analyses will be handled with the intention-to-treat approach. The analyses will include all individuals with valid data regardless of they did attend the complete course. Missing data will be handled with multiple imputation [ 28 ] .

Upon reasonable request, public assess will be granted to protocol, datasets analysed during the current study, and statistical code Table 3 .

Oversight, monitoring, and adverse events

This project is coordinated in collaboration between the WHO CC (DEN-62) at the Parker Institute, CAMES, and the PhD School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The project leader runs the day-to-day support of the trial. The steering committee of the trial includes principal investigators from WHO CC (DEN-62) and CAMES and the project leader and meets approximately three times a year.

Data monitoring is done on a daily basis by the project leader and controlled by an external independent researcher.

An adverse event is “a harmful and negative outcome that happens when a patient has been provided with medical care” [ 29 ]. Since this trial does not involve patients in medical care, we do not expect adverse events. If participants decline taking part in the course after receiving the information of the course setting, information on reason for declining is sought obtained. If the reason is the setting this can be considered an unintended effect. Information of unintended effects of the online setting (the intervention) will be recorded. Participants are encouraged to contact the project leader with any response to the course in general both during and after the course.

The trial description has been sent to the Scientific Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark (VEK) (21041907), which assessed it as not necessary to notify and that it could proceed without permission from VEK according to the Danish law and regulation of scientific research. The trial is registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency (Privacy) (P-2022–158). Important protocol modification will be communicated to relevant parties as well as VEK, the Joint Regional Information Security and Clinicaltrials.gov within an as short timeframe as possible.

Dissemination plans

The results (positive, negative, or inconclusive) will be disseminated in educational, scientific, and clinical fora, in international scientific peer-reviewed journals, and clinicaltrials.gov will be updated upon completion of the trial. After scientific publication, the results will be disseminated to the public by the press, social media including the website of the hospital and other organizations – as well as internationally via WHO CC (DEN-62) at the Parker Institute and WHO Europe.

All authors will fulfil the ICMJE recommendations for authorship, and RR will be first author of the articles as a part of her PhD dissertation. Contributors who do not fulfil these recommendations will be offered acknowledgement in the article.

This cluster randomized trial investigates if an onsite setting of a research course for PhD students within the health and medical sciences is different from an online setting. The outcomes measured are learning of research methodology (primary), preference, motivation, and self-efficacy (secondary) on short term and academic achievements (secondary) on long term.

The results of this study will be discussed as follows:

Discussion of primary outcome

Primary outcome will be compared and contrasted with similar studies including recent RCTs and mixed-method studies on online and onsite research methodology courses within health and medical education [ 10 , 11 , 30 ] and for inspiration outside the field [ 31 , 32 ]: Tokalic finds similar outcomes for online and onsite, Martinic finds that the web-based educational intervention improves knowledge, Cheung concludes that the evidence is insufficient to say that the two modes have different learning outcomes, Kofoed finds online setting to have negative impact on learning and Rahimi-Ardabili presents positive self-reported student knowledge. These conflicting results will be discussed in the context of the result on the learning outcome of this study. The literature may change if more relevant studies are published.

Discussion of secondary outcomes

Secondary significant outcomes are compared and contrasted with similar studies.

Limitations, generalizability, bias and strengths

It is a limitation to this study, that an onsite curriculum for a full day is delivered identically online, as this may favour the onsite course due to screen fatigue [ 33 ]. At the same time, it is also a strength that the time schedules are similar in both settings. The offer of coffee, tea, water, and a plain sandwich in the onsite course may better facilitate the possibility for socializing. Another limitation is that the study is performed in Denmark within a specific educational culture, with institutional policies and resources which might affect the outcome and limit generalization to other geographical settings. However, international students are welcome in the class.

In educational interventions it is generally difficult to blind participants and this inherent limitation also applies to this trial [ 11 ]. Thus, the participants are not blinded to their assigned intervention, and neither are the lecturers in the courses. However, the external statistical expert will be blinded when doing the analyses.

We chose to compare in-person onsite setting with a synchronous online setting. Therefore, the online setting cannot be expected to generalize to asynchronous online setting. Asynchronous delivery has in some cases showed positive results and it might be because students could go back and forth through the modules in the interface without time limit [ 11 ].

We will report on all the outcomes defined prior to conducting the study to avoid selective reporting bias.

It is a strength of the study that it seeks to report outcomes within the 1, 2 and 4 levels of the Kirkpatrick conceptual framework, and not solely on level 1. It is also a strength that the study is cluster randomized which will reduce “infections” between the two settings and has an adequate power calculated sample size and looks for a relevant educational difference of 20% between the online and onsite setting.

Perspectives with implications for practice

The results of this study may have implications for the students for which educational setting they choose. Learning and preference results has implications for lecturers, course managers and curriculum developers which setting they should plan for the health and medical education. It may also be of inspiration for teaching and training in other disciplines. From a societal perspective it also has implications because we will know the effect and preferences of online learning in case of a future lock down.

Future research could investigate academic achievements in online and onsite research training on the long run (Kirkpatrick 4); the effect of blended learning versus online or onsite (Kirkpatrick 2); lecturers’ preferences for online and onsite setting within health and medical education (Kirkpatrick 1) and resource use in synchronous and asynchronous online learning (Kirkpatrick 5).

Trial status

This trial collected pilot data from August to September 2021 and opened for inclusion in January 2022. Completion of recruitment is expected in April 2024 and long-term follow-up in April 2026. Protocol version number 1 03.06.2022 with amendments 30.11.2023.

Availability of data and materials

The project leader will have access to the final trial dataset which will be available upon reasonable request. Exception to this is the qualitative raw data that might contain information leading to personal identification.

Abbreviations

Artificial Intelligence

Copenhagen academy for medical education and simulation

Confidence interval

Coronavirus disease

European credit transfer and accumulation system

International committee of medical journal editors

Intrinsic motivation inventory

Multiple choice questionnaire

Doctor of medicine

Masters of sciences

Randomized controlled trial

Scientific ethical committee of the Capital Region of Denmark

WHO Collaborating centre for evidence-based clinical health promotion

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students who make their evaluations available for this trial and MSc (Public Health) Mie Sylow Liljendahl for statistical support.

Open access funding provided by Copenhagen University The Parker Institute, which hosts the WHO CC (DEN-62), receives a core grant from the Oak Foundation (OCAY-18–774-OFIL). The Oak Foundation had no role in the design of the study or in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data or in writing the manuscript.

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Rie Raffing & Hanne Tønnesen

Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES), Centre for HR and Education, The Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark

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Contributions

RR, LK and HT have made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the work; RR to the acquisition of data, and RR, LK and HT to the interpretation of data; RR has drafted the work and RR, LK, and HT have substantively revised it AND approved the submitted version AND agreed to be personally accountable for their own contributions as well as ensuring that any questions which relates to the accuracy or integrity of the work are adequately investigated, resolved and documented.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rie Raffing .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

The Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics has assessed the study Journal-nr.:21041907 (Date: 21–09-2021) without objections or comments. The study has been approved by The Danish Data Protection Agency Journal-nr.: P-2022–158 (Date: 04.05.2022).

All PhD students participate after informed consent. They can withdraw from the study at any time without explanations or consequences for their education. They will be offered information of the results at study completion. There are no risks for the course participants as the measurements in the course follow routine procedure and they are not affected by the follow up in Google Scholar. However, the 15 min of filling in the forms may be considered inconvenient.

The project will follow the GDPR and the Joint Regional Information Security Policy. Names and ID numbers are stored on a secure and logged server at the Capital Region Denmark to avoid risk of data leak. All outcomes are part of the routine evaluation at the courses, except the follow up for academic achievement by publications and related indexes. However, the publications are publicly available per se.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests

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Raffing, R., Konge, L. & Tønnesen, H. Learning effect of online versus onsite education in health and medical scholarship – protocol for a cluster randomized trial. BMC Med Educ 24 , 927 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05915-z

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05915-z

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Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information

The doctoral curriculum integrates analytical methods, research design, a rigorous understanding of urbanization dynamics, and an examination of broader social theories, processes and policies.

Students address complex systems that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, social, political, technical, and economic factors. The emphasis is on theory, analysis, and action.

Each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a specialization area within the larger discipline of urban and regional planning.

Required Courses

Four courses are required of all Ph.D. students: two doctoral-level planning theory courses and a two-course research seminar sequence.

• Advanced Urban Theory (URP 700)
• Epistemology and Reasoning for Planning Research (URP 701)
• Research Design (URP 801)
• Ph.D. Research Seminar (URP 802)

Recent students have engaged in subjects as diverse as:

• The political economy of public transit, inner-city revitalization
• Global city urbanization
• Information technology and cyberspace
• The crisis of modernist urbanism
• Suburbanization in developing countries
• Regional planning institutions
• The effects of environmental contamination on patterns of urban and regional development
• The culture of suburban commuting
• The impact of tourism on historical Mediterranean cities
• The application of complex systems analysis to sustainable development

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

Doctoral students specialize in a wide range of possible topics.

• Planning theory
• Analytic methods
• Research design
• Primary area of specialization

Students meet these requirements through coursework and exams over a two-year period. During this time, a student’s cumulative grade point average may not fall below a B without academic discipline or probation.

Analytic Methods Courses

Students are expected to be skilled in statistics, in at least two analytic research techniques, and reasonably knowledgeable about several others. Students qualify in analytic techniques by completing the following:

Satisfactory performance (B or higher) in two cumulative graduate-level statistics courses.

Students entering with previous statistics experience may wish to enter directly into a second semester statistics course. In the past, students have typically selected one of the following sequences:

• Statistics 402 (Introduction to Statistics & Data Analysis), Statistics 403 (Statistics & Data Analysis II)
• Sociology 510 (Statistics); Sociology 610 (Statistical Methods)
• Natural Resources 438 (Natural Resources Biometrics), Natural Resources 538 (Natural Resources Data Analysis)
• Biostatistics 503 (Introductory Biostatistics), Biostatistics 523 (Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Fields)
• The sequence in political science

NOTE:  Students wishing to study statistics during the spring or summer terms may want to investigate the Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research sponsored by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and/or the Summer Institute in Survey Research Techniques conducted by the research staff of the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Choice of courses to meet requirements should be discussed with your advisor.

Competence in at least two analytic/research methods satisfied through six credit hours of total coursework.

These are methods used in planning research and should prepare the student for their likely area of dissertation work. The requirement is met through completion of nine credits of course work in two analytic/research methods (in addition to statistics), to be defined by the student in conjunction with his or her advisor. (The two methods may be interrelated.) Depending on the research method and the student’s background, more courses may be needed. Courses in these two areas must be completed with a grade of B or higher in order to fulfill this requirement. Graduate level courses that are audited can count for this requirement, as long as the student completes all the work of the course and the instructor provides a letter indicating the grade the student would have received had he or she been enrolled. All plans for satisfying this requirement are the joint responsibility of the student and his or her advisor.

The methods a student selects should relate to their dissertation area. Below are several analytic/research methods in which students have been examined in recent years. Numerous analytic/research methods are appropriate, and students need not be restricted to choices on the list:

• Anthropological methods
• Case study methods
• Complex systems analysis
• Cost benefit & cost effectiveness analysis
• Decision theory & general risk analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Discrete choice analysis
• Differential equations
• Diffusion models
• Economic & other forecasting models
• Evaluation research
• Graph theory
• Historical analysis
• Institutional analysis
• Interview techniques
• Linear programming and general analysis using linear models
• Network & flow methods
• Population growth models
• Probability, both theoretical & heuristic
• Simulation/gaming & game theory
• Spatial analysis
• Survey research
• Time series

Annual Review of Progress

At the end of each year of study, students are required to complete an Annual Review.  The advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies may make recommendations for any modifications deemed necessary prior to the start of the following academic year. Note: financial support for the subsequent year, if applicable, depends on timely completion of a satisfactory annual review.

Annual Review Steps

By April 15, the student submits:

• A draft annual review form to their advisor, including a concise narrative of and goals for the upcoming summer and academic year.
• An up-to-date CV

The student and advisor meet; the advisor provides comments to the student and, where necessary, recommends changes in the academic plan in the annual review form.

Once the advisor has approved the plan of study for the coming year, they send the Director of Doctoral Studies a short narrative of student progress.

The URP Ph.D. Advisory Committee reviews the materials, and sends a letter to the student, either confirming their good standing in the program or specifying additional requirements to be in good standing.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam tests a student’s knowledge of both their primary and secondary areas of specialization. The exam consists of a take-home, written examination followed by an oral exam. The examination normally occurs at the end of the student’s second year, after completion of all relevant coursework.

The Committee

The student convenes an examination committee of three faculty members, choosing faculty who have expertise in the areas of specialization. At least one member of the committee should be a member of the urban and regional planning faculty. The chair or co-chair of the committee must be a regular member of the planning faculty and cannot be an affiliate faculty member. At least one committee member should represent the student’s secondary area of specialization. (If the student has identified a secondary area of specialization that is traditionally housed in another department on campus, then the student is encouraged to select a faculty member from that outside department as their third committee member.) On occasion, examiners from outside the university have served on students’ examining committees. While this practice is generally not encouraged, written requests for an outside examiner by students are treated on an individual basis by the director of doctoral studies.

The Field Statement

The student meets with the committee chair to plan for the exam and agree on expectations prior to the construction of the exam. In consultation with the chair and committee members, the student identifies appropriate readings and prepares a detailed “field statement” that defines the primary and secondary fields, contains a detailed bibliography of readings, organizes the readings into subfields, and outlines a set of major questions for the fields. The field statement is normally designed principally with the chair and is sometimes analogous to a detailed syllabus that one would prepare for a year-long graduate-level course on the selected specializations. The student often writes possible exam questions that he/she feels are appropriate for the area the exam will cover. The questions are not the questions the committee asks the student; their major function is to help the committee and the student to agree on the scope of the exam.

Scheduling the Exam

The exam must be completed by the end of May, at the end of a student’s second year in the program, and is scheduled on the student’s initiative. Prior to the exam, the student should have completed all coursework (including all incompletes). A student may delay the exam for exceptional circumstances with approval of the faculty adviser and the Director of Doctoral Studies. Students must notify the Director of Doctoral Studies of their intent to take the exam, with a date and time, location, and names of committee members at least one month prior to the exam.

The written part of the exam is in the form of a take-home essay. The committee chair typically solicits exam questions from the committee, selects questions to be used, and composes the final examination. The allotted time period to write the exam is determined by the chair, and typically is over three days. The student must submit the exam in the form as directed by the chair (usually as a Word document submitted by email), plus one copy to the program administrator to be placed in the student’s records. The written exam is followed by a two-hour oral exam, generally scheduled to take place within about one week after the written exam. The exam is evaluated on a “Pass/Fail” or “Conditional Pass” basis. If the student does not achieve a passing evaluation, he/she may take the exam one additional time to achieve a “Pass” or “Conditional Pass” status. A “Conditional Pass” indicates that additional requirements must be met, but the exam need not be retaken. Upon completion of the oral portion of the exam, please refer to the Applying for Candidacy section for next steps.

Applying for Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy when all program requirements except the dissertation proposal and dissertation have been satisfied. The normal and expected time to achieve candidacy is two years from the date of first enrollment in the doctoral program. In addition to urban and regional planning program requirements, a student must also meet  Rackham Candidacy Requirements . Any incomplete courses that are critical to satisfying requirements must be completed before applying for candidacy.

Once all required coursework and the comprehensive exam are successfully completed, a student applies for Candidacy by sending a request by email to the URP Director of Doctoral Studies, along with a signed Comprehensive Exam Certification Form.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will recommend a doctoral student for candidacy by submitting a recommendation to the Rackham Graduate School. When candidacy is approved, a student is ready to begin work on the dissertation and is eligible for URP 995 candidacy registration.

Sample Schedule

Sample First Year

Sample Second Year

Spring – Summer
(scheduled by student; typically taken by the end of May)
(by the start of the third year of study) Sample Years Three – Four Dissertation Proposal Presentation (reviewed and approved by the student’s dissertation committee and the URP Doctoral Committee) Dissertation research and writing Informal “Full Draft Review” (at least 6-8 weeks before the formal defense) Dissertation Defense Submittal of the final version of the dissertation Dissertation Forming dissertation committee. After completing the comprehensive exam and advancing to candidacy, the student must form a dissertation committee, in accordance with the Rackham Graduate School’s  “Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service.” The Dissertation Committee should be formed prior to defending the dissertation proposal, which should be formed several months before the student expects to defend their proposal URP. When prepared to do so, the student should send the Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser the completed “Dissertation Committee Worksheet for Students to submit to Program”, which can be obtained from the link above. The Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser will then submit the formal request to the Rackham Graduate School. Dissertation Proposal Dissertation proposals can be defended anytime after taking the Comprehensive Exam, but no later than the end of the fifth semester (i.e. December). It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the proposal defense attended by the dissertation committee. The student must notify Lisa Hauser by email of the proposal defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, a title, and an abstract. After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 – 350 words), and (e) a copy of the final dissertation proposal to be filed with URP records. Receipt of the email from the dissertation chair will constitute formal approval of the proposal by the committee and readiness to proceed with dissertation work. Dissertation Process The dissertation is prepared in accordance with the  Rackham Graduate School’s Doctoral Dissertation Requirements , and as outlined in the URP Ph.D. Program Overview Schedule and Policies document. The student is responsible for several steps: (a) scheduling and reserving rooms (and/or a Zoom link if virtual or hybrid) for the URP pre-defense hearing (which ordinarily should occur at least six weeks and no less than three weeks prior to the dissertation defense) and the defense meeting, both in a timely manner; (b) notifying Lisa Hauser by email of the defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, (and Zoom link, if relevant), a title, and an abstract; (c) providing a complete dissertation draft, including an abstract and bibliography, to committee members at least two weeks (longer is advised) before the defense date; and (d) registering for an eight-hour candidacy enrollment (995 Dissertation Research) for the term in which the defense is held. A dissertation defense typically consists of two parts: the first is a formal, public presentation of the dissertation research, followed by questions and answers from both the dissertation committee and the audience. Defenses are advertised and open to the public, and other students and faculty are frequently in attendance. The second part is a closed session for the candidate and the dissertation committee. During the defense, the student may be asked to reconsider certain aspects of the work and to make changes or corrections in the dissertation. At the end of the session, the chair will discuss the oral defense with other members of the committee and inform the student of the outcome. The duration of a defense can vary, but the candidate should reserve the room for a three-hour period. 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Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 - 350 words), and (e) a copy of ... essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis