Research Proposal Writing Guide

• Research proposals should be approached in one of two ways:
• Detached and defensive, carefully analyzing the limits of the study.
• Enthusiastic and persuasive, highlighting the potential contribution.
• Proposals convince funders and advisors in a university setting.
• Proposals must present new or interesting information or challenge previous studies.
• Proposals present you and your project as the main focus.
• Proposals have no definitive answer, unlike research papers that analyze existing data.
• Proposals do not have a typical introduction, needing to discuss the project from the first sentence.
• Develop an easy and simple study for realism with:
• A clearly defined participant group (one group).
• One field site.
• A small number of variables (two).
• A clear research question and timeline.
• Simplicity in research proposals doesn't mean boring; it can still be elegant and feasible.
• Accessibility of participants, existing research ties, sub-field familiarity, relevant coursework, linguistic competence, and financial manageability make a study easy.
• Feasibility matters, and if a study isn't feasible, it's unlikely to be funded.
• Research problems differ from research questions because research can't be done without a question.
• Research problems are addressed as an issue within the field of study by multiple researchers, and can be investigated using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.
• A research problem example is women's status in society, focusing on when it is high or low.
• Research questions involve examining a different factor in the above research problem, such as women's social network of support.
• Start with a broad topic, then narrow it down to be more specific when writing a research question.
• To identify what you want to examine use
• I am working on X because I want to examine Y
• “Do winter holiday celebrations contribute to participants' wellbeing?”
• "What is the relationship between A & B"
• Variables are items that can take more than one value.
• Variables should be specific showing which examples are included and excluded with explanations.
• Variables can be words or numbers
• Variables can be concepts
• Brainstorm to identify:
• Topics
• Potential participants
• Field sites
• Accessibility
• Existing knowledge
• Linguistic competence
• Assess risk (feasibility)
• Define and operationalize variables using academic references and make them measurable.
• Proposals do not have an introduction, but can have a summary made up of:
• Research problem
• Research question
• Specific objectives/aims
• Literature review
• Methods
• Significance
• Budget and Ethics
• Field Notes are used to record:
• Observations about jeans styles and trends.
• Differences in fit, color, and brand preferences.
• Quantitative data is numerical (e.g., how many people wear a certain style).
• Qualitative data are style descriptions, cultural meanings, and preferences.
• Observations capture behaviors and preferences and help understand cultural and social meanings attached to fashion choices.

Naturalistic vs. Participant Observation

• Naturalistic observation involves observing people's behavior in their natural setting without interference and is best for studying routines, mundane practices, and unconscious behaviors.
• Participant observation involves interacting with participants to understand cultural and social explanations and is best for understanding the meanings behind behaviors.

Interviewing Types

• Unstructured Interviews:

• Advantage: Allows for deep exploration and flexibility.

• Disadvantage: Difficult to analyze, time-consuming.

• Semi-structured Interviews

• Advantage: Uses an interview guide but allows for flexibility and balances structure with depth.

• Disadvantage: Requires skill to follow leads and to probe effectively.

• Best when the researcher only has one chance to interview someone.

• Key features are using a written interview guide with set ordered questions, flexibility to ask follow-up questions, and avoiding yes/no questions to focus on qualitative responses.

• Interview questions should be clear, short, and kept simple using conversational language.

• Avoid vague questions, long wordy questions, multiple topics in one question, and lists of items.

Proposal Workshop: Topic & Research Question

• A suitable topic for the well-being of Seniors in Rural Japan.
• A suitable research question is how does religious engagement contribute to seniors' well-being?
• Main field of study: Anthropology of aging.
• Secondary field (optional): Anthropology of ritual.
• A broad topic must be narrowed down to be manageable, from "successful aging" to "the role of religious engagement in seniors' well-being."
• High-risk projects involve vulnerable populations, sensitive topics and the project should be reframed to reduce risk in the study.
• To ensure feasibility, avoid:
• Multiple fieldwork sites.
• Hidden or hard-to-reach populations.
• High costs in time, money, or resources.
• Probability sampling for generalization.
• Longitudinal studies that are not good for short assignments
• For homework, finish Proposal Writing Workshop #2 by Feb 11

Tasks include

• A 1-page outline that includes:
• Research problem.
• Research question.
• At least four academic sources
• Qualitative or ethnographic studies from anthropology or sociology.

Risks in Research Projects

• Risks involved in low-risk projects are no greater than those in everyday life.
• To lower risk in sensitive topics; focus on social perceptions rather than personal experiences and ask positive questions relating to social awareness, inclusion, empowerment, and agency.

Feasibility in Qualitative Research

Examples of Feasible Projects:

• Accessible field site/population with low cost, non-probability sampling, a small sample size (up to 20), and short-term data collection (3-4 months).

Outline Checklist

• Is the research Topic appropriate in terms of scope, risk, and feasibility?
• Is the Research Question clearly stated?
• How have the Defined Variables been measured in previous studies?
• Finding Relevant Sources
• Research on seniors' religious activities and well-being in Japan
• Research on religious activities in Japan (preferably those that focus on age).
• Ensure your sources are appropriate such as:
• Refereed books & edited volumes (check author credentials).
• Peer-reviewed journal articles in anthropology or sociology.
• Verify journals and authors through their homepage or bio section.

Literature Reviews

• Shows existing research.
• Places the research question in an ethnographic context.
• Identifies gaps in knowledge.
• Demonstrates work improving upon previous work.
• Links previous studies to the research to show what questions still needing answered are.

Sampling Methods

• Random Sampling: Used for individual data and ensures each unit has an equal chance of being chosen.
• Non-Probability Sampling: Used for cultural data, requires cultural experts as informants.

Types of Non-Probability Sampling

• Convenience Sampling – Selecting participants who are readily available.
• Snowball Sampling – Using existing participants to recruit others.
• Purposive Sampling – Choosing participants based on specific criteria.

Focus Groups

• Group interviews (6-12 participants + moderator).
• The moderator guides discussion, and a notetaker records key points.
• Participants should be homogeneous but not know each other.
• Discuss survey questions, interpret survey results, explore reasons behind behaviors, and discuss hypothetical cases.
• Best for understanding context and process, NOT for estimating population statistics.

Pros of Focus Groups

• Generates rich qualitative data.

Cons of Focus Groups

• Requires staff (moderator + notetaker).
• Transcription and organization are complex.
• Data cannot be kept confidential.

Types of Online Research

• Studying a virtual world.
• Researching online communities.
• Content analysis of public social media posts.

Public vs. Private Online Research

• Public information: No need to join a group, can observe naturally.
• Private information: Requires membership and active participation.