The Research Design Section of a research proposal or thesis outlines the methodology and overall approach that will be used to conduct the study. It serves as a blueprint for the research process, guiding the researcher on how to collect, analyze, and interpret data. This section provides a clear plan for answering the research questions and achieving the study’s objectives, ensuring that the methodology is appropriate and rigorous.
Suggested Research Design: Qualitative – Narrative Analysis
A Narrative Analysis research design focuses on interpreting personal stories and experiences, making it an ideal choice for creative research proposals. Below are key guidelines to structure this section effectively:
1. Introduction to the Research Design
Briefly introduce qualitative research and justify why it suits your study.
Explain narrative analysis as the selected approach, highlighting its relevance to exploring personal experiences, perspectives, or creative expressions.
Justify why a creative research proposal benefits from storytelling and lived experiences.
2. Research Approach and Justification
Narrative Inquiry: Define how personal stories, experiences, or creative works will be analyzed.
Creative Context: Specify whether the narratives come from artists, writers, educators, or other creatives.
Why Narrative Analysis?
Captures depth, emotions, and meaning in lived experiences.
Allows for interpretation of patterns, themes, and structures in personal storytelling.
Enhances understanding of identity, creativity, and social impact through narratives.
Sample:
Research Design
The research design for this study is framed within a qualitative narrative analysis approach. This design is particularly suitable for understanding the personal motivations and success stories of a local artist from Santa Barbara, Iloilo, and translating her experiences into a visual representation through an acrylic painting on canvas. Narrative analysis enables the researcher to uncover the meanings behind personal stories, allowing for a deep exploration of how these stories shape the artist’s creative process (Riessman, 2008). This section justifies the choice of this design and discusses its relevance to the study's objectives.
The use of qualitative research is appropriate for this study because it seeks to explore the lived experiences of a single artist, focusing on her personal motivations, artistic development, and success. Qualitative research allows for an in-depth exploration of individual experiences, which is essential when studying art and creativity. Art is inherently subjective, and qualitative methods provide the flexibility to examine the complexities of the artist’s journey, including the emotional, social, and psychological factors that contribute to her success (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011).
While narrative analysis typically involves 8 to 15 participants (Sauro, 2015), this study justifies the use of a single-subject approach due to the unique nature of the research focus. Narrative analysis is a method that records the experiences of an individual or small group, revealing the lived experience or a particular perspective, usually through interviews, which are then organized into a chronological narrative (Liamputtong, 2009). In this study, the focus is on a single local artist, and her personal story is the core subject that will inform the creation of acrylic painting. Narrative analysis remains applicable in this context because it allows for an in-depth exploration of the artist’s individual experiences, personal growth, and artistic development (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). By concentrating on one subject, the researcher can gain rich, detailed insights into the artist’s life and practice, which will provide a deeper understanding of the themes that will be visually represented in the artwork. This approach ensures that the narrative is both comprehensive and tailored to the specific experiences of the artist, making it highly suitable for a single-subject study.