Research planning tick sheet

Ed. Ross Woods, 2022

Can you answer ‘Yes’ to the following questions?

Note: This check list is helpful but not comprehensive. As it is quite difficult to appraise your own work, it will probably be most useful as a discussion guide with a colleague or supervisor.

Title ls the title clear and unambiguous and no more than about ten words?
Does it accurately reflect the content?
ls it concise?
Abstract or summary ls the abstract a succinct overview?
Does it follow the prescribed formula?
Does it state the purpose of the project and the methods to be used?
Will it sell the project to the reader?
ls it less than one page long?
Background, context or rationale Have you demonstrated your awareness of relevant literature, policy, theory or practice?
Have you explained how your project will contribute to literature, policy, theory or practice?
Will the reader be convinced that your project is relevant, important and timely?
Aim and objectives Do your stated aim and objectives support your research question?
Does the aim comprise a high level statement about what you wish to explore?
Are the objectives specific and focused?
If possible, are your objectives SMART?
If you are testing an hypothesis ... 15 Have you stated both the research and the null hypotheses?
Are you confident that you will be able to conduct the necessary statistical analysis to test the hypothesis?
Literature review Have you examined a range of relevant literature e.g. scholarly, policy, in-house?
Have you demonstrated that you are aware of key themes, theories, methods and issues relevant to your project?
Have you presented an appropriate selection of literature?
Methodology Have you explained your methodology and justified your choices?
Have you described your methods of data collection?
Have you planned your data collection tools and a way of pre-testing or validating them?
Have you described your methods of analysis?