Marketing Research Proposal Assignment
Objective: The objective of this assignment is for you to delve into the world of marketing research by exploring scholarly databases, summarizing recent papers from credible marketing journals, and formulating a new research question or hypothesis based on your findings.
Assignment Guidelines:
Step 1: Choose Your Topic
1. Start by selecting a topic within marketing that genuinely interests you. It could be anything from consumer behavior to branding or digital marketing.
2. Make sure your chosen topic is both personally intriguing and academically significant.
Step 2: Explore Databases
1. Access scholarly databases like JSTOR, Google Scholar, or those provided by the university library.
2. Use relevant keywords related to your chosen topic to search for recent papers published in credible marketing journals. Remember to filter results by publication date and credibility.
Step 3: Select Your Papers
1. Choose 6-10 recent papers from credible marketing journals. Ensure they’re no older than five years to maintain relevance.
2. Critically evaluate each paper based on its abstract, methodology, key findings, and relevance to your topic.
Step 4: Write Summaries
1. Read and summarize each chosen paper. Your summary should include:
o Title and authors of the paper
o Brief introduction to the research topic and objectives
o Methodology used
o Key findings and implications
2. Cite the papers properly using a recognized citation format like APA or MLA.
Step 5: Formulate Your New Research Question or Hypothesis
1. Analyze common themes, gaps, or contradictions in the literature.
2. Formulate a new research question or hypothesis based on your analysis. Make sure it addresses an unresolved issue or extends existing research.
Step 6: Write Your Proposal
1. Compile your paper summaries and the proposed new research question or hypothesis into a short research proposal.
2. Your proposal should include:
o Introduction: Brief overview of your topic and why it’s worth researching.
o Concise Literature Review: Summaries of your chosen papers with proper citations.
o Proposed Research Question or Hypothesis: Clearly articulate a new research question or hypothesis based on your literature review.
o Significance: Explain why your proposed research is important and how it contributes to the field.
o References: Properly formatted list of references cited in your proposal.
Submission Details:
Please submit your proposal as a Microsoft Word document via Canvas. You may employ any formatting style provided it remains consistent and adheres to the standard academic paper format. Your proposal, including references, should not exceed 1500 words.
