The state of current research activity and knowledge in which your proposed research is located should be clearly explained. This should not simply be a list of summaries with some comments added on,...

The state of current research activity and knowledge in which your proposed research is located should be clearly explained.

This should not simply be a list of summaries with some comments added on, but an integrated statement that explains why these studies or theories are important to your research. The Literature Review is done to justify your proposed research study given the existing knowledge.

You are expected to SYNTHESIZE the literature to demonstrate understanding

and skill to critically analyse the arguments and different perspectives raised by the literature


•    What are the fields of knowledge that the research makes a contribution to?

•    What are the current debates, themes and issues specific to the field; key books, texts, and authors?
•    What are the key theories, frameworks, debates to be elaborated?
•    What is the research problem/gap in knowledge or research opportunity that your proposed research study will undertake?
•    What contributions will the study make to the existing literature?


The Methodology section of your research proposal is one of the main cornerstones of the research proposal.

This section describes your research methodology (how will you achieve the research aims?) for a HYPOTHETICAL ONE YEAR (12 MONTHS) THESIS and includes the following components:

(a) rationale for research approach (quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods),

(b) rationale for

research strategy (historical, ethnography, correlational, experimental, logical argument, etc.)
(c) data collectionand analysis procedures (observations, archival documents, interviews, artifacts/sites, etc.)and

(d) anticipated ethical issues.