ENG740 Engineering Research Methods and Postgraduate Studies Brief, Prifysgol Abertawe Swansea University

Assignment Brief

• Discuss advanced research problems, and formulate appropriate research questions, conduct qualitative and quantitative data analyses, and apply engineering science principles to test possible solutions to those questions.
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of the overall process of planning and management of an independent research project, and the ability to communicate these through writing, including awareness of intellectual property requirements (correct referencing of sources, respect for copyright, etc.).

Research Proposal

The proposal stage of your dissertation is critical. If your proposal is good, the rest of your research will fall into place. Its purpose is for you to:

• Draw together your initial ideas into a workable project outline;
• Have an agreed dissertation outline in place early enough to give you reasonable time to complete it;
• Clarify to yourself and, of necessary, to others, that your research plans are feasible;
• Prepare the groundwork for gathering the data or material that you need;
• Gain formal approval.

You are required to conduct the following:

• Settle on a topic: Title and/or hypothesis, so that your research is suitably focused.
• Research the background: From literature search to a first draft of your literature review, to ensure the proposal is grounded in research in your field.
• Decide on a methodology: So, you are clear why you are approaching your research in the way chosen.
• Select your methods: Piloting them so you know they work before finalising the proposal.
• Think through ethical implications: So, you know that your research complies with ethics policies.
• Plan and prepare in detail: So, you know that the project is feasible and that you are ready to begin.
• Write up the proposal: To meet requirements.

Submission instructions - What should be the format of the submission? / Where should it be submitted?

Your research proposal should be in the form of a peer review publication format, which includes the following structure (please see attached example for guidance)

• Title (on top of page)
• List of authors and affiliations (Include email address for corresponding author)
• Abstract (include Key words)
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology (Including project flow diagram, Gantt chart, and risk assessment)
• Conclusions
• References