AGRO PATH FINDER · RESEARCH RESOURCE LIBRARY

Turn a research question into a clear plan

Use these practical outlines to organize a proposal, review literature, plan data collection and report findings in your own words.

Choose the stage you are working on

Plan the study

Clarify the problem, research question, objectives and feasible methods.

Proposal outline →

1. Research proposal outline

A proposal should connect a specific problem with a question that can be investigated using the time, access and resources available. Start by checking your institution’s prescribed format.

Working title: Problem and context: What existing evidence already shows: Specific knowledge gap: Research question: Objectives and, where appropriate, hypotheses: Study population, location and scope: Design and sampling approach: Data sources, instruments and collection procedure: Variables and proposed analysis: Ethical permissions, consent and data handling: Timeline, resources and anticipated limitations:

Check the connections

  • Does each objective answer part of the research question?
  • Will the proposed data actually measure the concepts in the objectives?
  • Can the design support the intended interpretation?
  • Are access, permission, time and budget realistic?

2. Literature review matrix

Read for comparison rather than collecting isolated summaries. Record what a source actually studied before deciding whether its findings apply to your setting.

Full reference and source link: Research question and context: Design, sample and data: Variables or concepts studied: Main findings: Limitations stated by the authors: Relevance to my research question: Points of agreement or disagreement with other studies: Exact page for any quotation or specific claim:

Group the review around themes, methods or unresolved questions. Separate what the authors found from your interpretation. A useful gap is a well-supported unanswered question, not merely the absence of a study in one village.

3. Data and analysis planning sheet

Plan before collecting data. The appropriate analysis depends on the research question, design, measurement level, sampling and assumptions. Do not select a test only because it is familiar in a software menu.

Objective or hypothesis: Unit of observation and sampling unit: Outcome variable and measurement scale: Predictors or comparison groups: Data source and instrument item: Coding, units and permissible values: Missing-data codes and handling plan: Planned summaries, tables and graphs: Candidate analysis and assumptions to examine: Interpretation limits and potential confounders:

A small agriculture example

If you study use of a farm advisory service, define whether the outcome is use/non-use, number of visits or a score from a documented instrument. These are different measurements. Record the sampling method and the period covered. An association in observational data does not by itself establish that the service caused a change in income.

Keep a data dictionary, preserve the original data and document cleaning decisions. Share unpublished records only with appropriate permission and remove identifying information when it is not needed.

4. Manuscript structure and revision

Introduction

Establish the problem, summarize the relevant evidence, identify the specific gap and state the study objective. Keep the argument focused on why this study is needed.

Methods

Describe the design, setting, participants or experimental units, sampling, measurements, procedures and analysis clearly enough for the reader to assess what was done. Report applicable permissions and ethical procedures accurately.

Results

Report findings in an order linked to the objectives. Define units and denominators, label tables and figures, and avoid repeating every table value in prose. Distinguish observed findings from interpretation.

Discussion and conclusion

Explain what the findings mean, compare them with relevant studies, discuss alternative explanations and limitations, and keep conclusions within the evidence. Recommendations should follow from the findings rather than personal preference.

Reference and submission checks

  • Check each source against the original publication; never invent a reference.
  • Match in-text citations with the reference list and apply the requested style consistently.
  • Verify quotations and page numbers; paraphrase using your own understanding.
  • Read the target journal or university instructions for structure, length, tables and required declarations.
  • Confirm authorship, permissions and acknowledgements with the people involved.
  • Check that reported numbers agree across the text, tables and abstract.

Using these templates

Copy an outline into your own document and adapt it to the study and prescribed format. These are learning aids, not an official university template or a substitute for supervisory review. Editing support does not replace your authorship or responsibility for the work.

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