Reference no: EM133504786

Applied Research for Information System Professionals

Learning outcome 1: perform literature review and identify gaps in the literature;
Learning outcome 2: evaluate strategies for the solution of applied research problems in information systems;
Learning outcome 3: structure and develop research plans using applied research methods;
Learning outcome 4: apply the principles of research ethics in all research activities;
Learning outcome 5: interact and collaborate effectively in teams;

Learning outcome 6: synthesise and communicate IS research information effectively in written and verbal communication.

Assessment - Research Proposal Report

Task overview: Task description You are required to extend your work in Assignment 1 (critical literature review) and develop a research proposal. The research topic, research questions, conceptual framework, literature, methods, significance, limitations and ethical issues must be presented as part of the research proposal in association with your allocated research article.

As part of the development of the research proposal, which is based on your allocated research article, you are required to investigate at least ten (10) scholarly articles that are relevant to the keywords of your allocated research article. These articles should serve to substantiate and strengthen your arguments presented in the proposal.

Task specification
Overview Assignment 2 requires you to extend your work in Assignment 1 (critical literature review) and develop a research proposal. The research topic, research questions, conceptual framework, literature, methods, significance, limitations and ethical issues must be presented as part of the research proposal in association with your allocated research article.

As part of the development of the research proposal based on your allocated research article, you are required to investigate at least ten (10) relevant scholarly articles relevant to the keywords of your allocated research article in order to present your arguments in the proposal.

You are expected to follow the following checklist of headings for your research proposal. This proposal template has been sourced from Punch, K., 2006. Developing effective research proposals. 2nd edn, Sage Publications.

Report Structure and Presentation Your report should include a title page and Table of Contents. Note: Make sure to state the following on the title page:
1. The title of your research proposal - should be related to your allocated topic, addressing one of the gaps that you identified in Assignment 1.
2. Your name and student number.
3. The word count of the report (from Introduction to Report Section 7)

Report: Abstract (approx. 250 words) Your report should include an abstract of the proposal. An abstract is a brief summary of the proposal, NOT the introduction to the proposal. Abstract writing requires you to convey as much as possible in as few words as possible. The abstract is written last. Please include the following in the abstract:
• What the research is about and aims to achieve? (research questions)
• How the research intends to achieve its objectives?

Report: Introduction (approx. 350 words) Your report should include an introduction to the report.
• Give some background information (area and research topic) to provide a context for the report
• State the purpose of the report (statement of purpose)
• Clarify key terms and indicate the scope of the report (i.e. what the report will cover)

Report Section 1 - Research Questions (approx. 500 words)

In this section, you should write the questions the research is trying to answer. The research questions provide a clear picture of the purpose of the research. Therefore, the research question generally follows from the statement of purpose of the report (Introduction). You need to build an argument based on the purpose of the research and then state your research questions.

You might have a general-to-specific framework of research questions; or an exploratory study that states the general questions and how they might be refined during the research.

Report Section 2 - Conceptual Framework (approx. 500 words)

A wide variety of approaches are possible to demonstrate conceptual framework of your research. This section must demonstrate how all the important constructs in your studies are related. This can be often done effectively using a diagram and then an explanation of the diagram. If your conceptual framework is only an initial draft that can be modified later, please state so. The role of theory must be demonstrated here - are you proposing some kind of theory development (design theory, principles, methods, models, concepts, etc.) or theory verification? If you are proposing to verify an existing theory, please state hypotheses and refer to the theory behind your research conceptual framework.

Report Section 3 - Literature (approx. 600 words)

In this section, your proposal must identify the body of literature that is relevant to your research. You should demonstrate how your proposed research is related to the relevant literature and how the literature will be used in the proposed research to justify and explain the directions of your research.

Your work in Assignment 1 (critical literature review) should provide a strong background to write this section. You can re-use what you did in Assignment 1, however the writing must be repurposed to sharpen the focus of your research work and to give a logical structure to your research questions and conceptual framework.

Report Section 4 - Methods (approx. 500 words)

In this section, the overall approach to be taken in your research - quantitative, qualitative or both - must be clearly stated. In this section, you should answer the following:
• What research methodology is proposed? Qualitative, Quantitative, Mixed?
• What is the sampling strategy, the sample size and rationale of sample selection?
• What data collection instruments (survey, interview questionnaire, protocols) are used or generated?
• How the research data is collected and what are the procedures followed for quality data collection?
• How the data will be analysed (statistical analysis, thematic coding)?