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CHAPTER 8GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ARESEARCH PROPOSALFree download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaGOALS OF THIS CHAPTERResearch proposals or research tenders are such important planning andinformation documents that we have decided to devote a separate chapter to theissue. We have three goals in mind for this chapter.In the first instance, we shall present a brief indication of what ought to beincluded in research proposals — our primary aim here is to provide hints andguidelines on how to write a research proposal.In the second place, we shall try to foster a critical attitude towards the mannerin which research proposals are formulated by making use of three examples— in this case our aim is to increase the reader’s sensitivity for certainimportant requirements with which research proposals have to comply.In the third instance, we also aim to provide further references by means ofwhich the reader will be able to trace manuals and guides which deal with thistopic, as the standards that are set for research proposals that are accepted areconstantly becoming more demanding.INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCHPROPOSALResearch proposals are closely tied to the whole issue of planning a researchproject. It may well be regarded as something that develops naturally from175