Decide on a website or problem you would like to solve, you will write a research proposal
memo, describing what you want to do. A memo proposal is a common internal document in the
workplace.
The research proposal assignment is a two (2) page, single-spaced proposal (in professional
memo format) of your research topic for the final researched report, in this case the analytical
report for English majors. In this assignment, you will try to persuade me that the website/issue
you have chosen (and what you are proposing) is worth pursuing. Your Research Proposal and
the Final Report are on the same topic. In the Research Proposal, you propose a topic, a focus,
and a set of questions for your research. A quality research proposal memo (full professional
mode, here, people) will include the following:
Introduction (this subheading doesn’t need to be included in your memo, because, as the first
paragraph, obviously it is the introduction)
You provide clear, understandable background on the company website/corporation/group;
include the purpose(s) and intended/interested audience(s) of this subject.
Statement of the Problem
You provide a more detailed description of the problem with the website/problem and why it
needs to be studied; describe your initial analysis and what you identified as potential problems
that need to be studied. The problem in this case may be just to identify how the website can
improve based on your future evaluation.
Proposed Solution
If you are conducting a heuristic evaluation, the proposed solution would include which three or
four evaluators from Nielsen’s Ten Heuristics you will be using and why this plan of analysis is
feasible. Why did you choose those evaluators? Don’t assume your reader is familiar with
details of a heuristic evaluation. What testing procedures will you use? Will you have 5 friends
test the site? Will you ask grandparents to try to order pizza? Why is this the best plan for your
goals? If you are not a CS/IT major, you can submit a hypothesis, a hope, an suggested
possible solution.
Scope
The scope explains what is going to be in “the line of sight” of your research lens, and what will
NOT be observed in your sight. For example, when deciding whether to move into the “school
lunch business,” Papa John’s pizza researchers might indicate that their research ONLY
includes PEPPERONI or CHEESE pizza consumption by children ages 5-13, because they
have already determined children do not eat sausage pizza, or they have already determined
that sausage pizza is too expensive to deliver to schools.
The scope also demonstrates to your audience that you are an experienced researcher who has
some sense of the job before you begin. (In real-world applications, this section is crucial, as it
gives the audience a detailed sense of your approach to the research. It also details what will
NOT be included in this research and report.)
Methods
Include a preliminary, BUT SPECIFIC, list of your modes of inquiry. Are you going to have
others test your website so you can gather some data? For secondary research, a partial listing
of publications (books, journal articles, studies) you will review is sufficient. The list should
include the names of the articles/books and authors. This section must be specific to some
degree as it shows me that you have conducted some research and you have a plan for
accomplishing your goals.
Audience
Who will your audiences for your finished product be? (It isn’t me!) Primary, secondary, etc.
Qualifications
What skills do you bring to this project? In the work world, proposals are met with skepticism. If
you haven’t persuaded your audience on the problem and your actions, this section is crucial to
proving you are the best person for this project. Tell me why you are qualified to do this
research. Reflect who you are, your major, and why you are interested in this project.
Conclusion
The conclusion is the final request, ending with a call to action, encouraging me, your professor
and reader of this proposal, to give you my approval for this research.
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