1MDIA 5031 Assessment 2 Resource
Guide: Research Proposal Writing
Table of Contents
1. Understanding Your Assessment 2 Requirements
2. Developing Research Questions
3. Theoretical Framework Selection
4. Literature Review Writing
5. Research Method Selection
6. Resources and Tools
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Please use this resource guide in conjunction with the Assessment 2
brief and the document on Themes & Theoretical Frameworks.
1. Assessment Requirements
What You Need to Submit
• 1500-word research proposal relating to one of three themes:
◦ Sustainability & Climate Change
◦ Healthy Lives
◦ Inclusive Society
Required Sections
1 Introduction and Rationale (200 words)
2 Selected Theoretical Framework and Literature Review (500 words)
3 Research Questions (300 words)
4 Methodology (300 words)
5 Significance of the Study (200 words)
6 Reference List
7 AI Declaration
2Key Success Factors
• Choose a topic within your academic major
• Select ONE research method: content analysis, interviews, or discourse
analysis
• Use theory(ies) from your specific discipline only
• Ensure your research is feasible for Assessment 3 implementation
2. Developing Research Questions
What Makes a Strong Research Question?
Research questions are the foundation of your entire project. They should be:
CLEAR
• Specific rather than general
• Uses precise terminology
• Avoids ambiguous language
Poor Example: "Why are social networking sites harmful?"
Strong Example: "How are online users experiencing privacy issues on the social
networking sites Facebook and TikTok?"
FOCUSED
• Manageable within your word limit and time constraints
• Specific enough to be thoroughly addressed
• Not too broad or too narrow
Unfocused: "How are Asian-Americans represented in the media?"
Focused: "How do television advertisements in Australia perpetuate the model
minority stereotype?"
3COMPLEX
• Cannot be answered with a simple yes/no
• Requires analysis and interpretation
• Generates insights rather than just facts
Too Simple: "Did COVID-19 affect parents?"
Appropriately Complex: "How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the mental
health and work-life balance of parents with young children working remotely?"
Research Question Development Process
Step 1: Start Broad, Then Narrow
a. Choose your theme (Sustainability & Climate Change, Healthy Lives, or
Inclusive Society)
b. Consider your academic major (what theories and concepts are you familiar
with, choose fro the list in the document on Themes & Theoretical
Frameworks)
c. Think about current issues within your theme
d. Identify specific aspects that interest you
Example Topic Evolution:
• Broad Topic: Media coverage of climate change
• Narrowed Topic: Environmental NGO communication strategies
• Specific Focus: Instagram storytelling by environmental organizations
• Final Research Question: "How do environmental non-government
organisations (NGOs) use Instagram storytelling techniques to engage young
adults with climate change activism?"
Step 2: Test Your Questions
Ask yourself:
• Can I realistically research this in the time available?
• Is this relevant to one of the themes?
• Does this connect to theories in my discipline?
• Will this generate meaningful insights?
4• Can I use one of the three permitted methods (interview, content analysis,
discourse analysis) to study this?
3. Theoretical Framework Selection
What is a Theoretical Framework?
A theoretical framework is the lens through which you will analyze your data. Think
of it as:
• Conceptual glasses that help you see and interpret your findings
• A roadmap that guides your analysis
• A scholarly foundation that connects your work to existing academic
knowledge
Go through the theoretical frameworks in the document Themes & Theoretical
Frameworks to choose the one you are familiar with or like or deem suitable to
your research project.
How to Apply Your Theoretical Framework
1. Understand the theory's core concepts
◦ What are the key terms and definitions?
◦ What does the theory predict or explain?
2. Connect theory to your research question
◦ How will this theory help you analyze your data?
◦ What specific aspects of the theory are relevant?
3. Use theory to guide your methodology
◦ What should you look for in your data?
◦ What questions should you ask?
5Example Application: If using Framing Theory to study climate change coverage:
• Look for how news articles frame climate issues (problem definition, causal
interpretation, moral evaluation, solution recommendation)
• Analyze language choices, metaphors, and visual elements
• Consider what aspects are emphasized or omitted
4. Literature Review
Understanding Literature Review Purpose
A literature review is NOT:
• A summary of everything you've read
• A laundry list of articles
• An annotated bibliography
A literature review IS:
• A critical analysis of existing research
• A synthesis that identifies patterns, themes, and gaps
• An argument about what we know and what we still need to learn
The Literature Review Process
Step 1: Find and Select Sources
• For the theoretical framework, start with the suggested sources from the list
(in the document ‘Themes & Theoretical Frameworks’). Look up the sources
mentioned in that article.
• For your research topic, use UNSW Library and/or Google Scholar. Type
keywords and phrases from your research.
• Look for seminal work by paying attention to the theorists, books and articles
that repeatedly come up in the other articles on your research topic.
• Include recent publications (last 5-10 years)
6Step 2: Read Strategically
• Start with abstracts to determine relevance. Make use of the ‘Reading
Strategies’ Document on Moodle.
• Read introductions and conclusions first
• Take notes on key findings, methods, and limitations
• Look for connections between sources
• Look for key terms in a particular theoretical framework and your research
topic
Step 3: Organize Thematically
Create a literature review matrix:
Source Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 Method Key Findings
Author 1 X X Interview Finding A
Author 2 X X
Content
Analysis
Finding B
Author 3 X X Survey Finding C
Step 4: Identify Patterns
Look for:
• Themes: What topics appear repeatedly?
• Trends: How has thinking evolved over time?
• Gaps: What hasn't been studied?
• Disagreements: Where do scholars disagree?
• Methodological patterns: What methods are commonly used?
Writing Your Literature Review
After you have gathered your sources, you will have to write them to position your
research topic in the existing literature and emphasise how your research fills a gap
or reinforce existing theories. There are many ways to structure your literature
review.
7Structure Options
Option 1: Thematic Organization
Paragraph 1: Theme A (cite multiple sources)
Paragraph 2: Theme B (cite multiple sources)
Paragraph 3: Theme C (cite multiple sources)
Paragraph 4: Gaps and your contribution
Option 2: Chronological Organization
Paragraph 1: Early research (foundational studies)
Paragraph 2: Recent developments
Paragraph 3: Current trends and future directions
Paragraph 4: Gaps and your contribution
Writing Tips
1. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence
◦ "Research on Instagram storytelling reveals three key strategies..."
◦ "However, critics argue that these approaches overlook..."
2. Use language that demonstrate synthesis
◦ "Similarly, A (2022) found..."
◦ "In contrast, Z (2023) argues..."
◦ "Building on this work, C (2024) extends..."
3. Show relationships between sources
◦ "While X (2021) focuses on visual elements, B (2022) examines textual
components"
◦ "These findings are supported by multiple studies (Author A, 2020;
Author B, 2021; Author C, 2022)"
4. Maintain critical voice
◦ "Although this study provides valuable insights, its limitation to urban
8populations raises questions about generalizability"
◦ "The methodology, while innovative, lacks the depth needed to fully
understand..."
Sample Literature Review Paragraph
"Recent research on environmental communication on social media reveals the
strategic use of narrative techniques to enhance audience engagement. Thompson
et al. (2023) demonstrate that environmental organizations using personal
storytelling formats achieve 40% higher engagement rates than those using
traditional informational posts. Similarly, Martinez (2022) found that narrative-driven
content creates stronger emotional connections with audiences, particularly among
younger demographics. However, critics argue that this focus on emotional
storytelling may oversimplify complex environmental issues (Johnson & Lee, 2024).
Chen's (2023) discourse analysis reveals that while storytelling increases
engagement, it can also lead to 'slacktivism' where audiences feel satisfied with
digital engagement without taking concrete action. This tension between
engagement and action represents a critical gap in our understanding of effective
environmental communication strategies."
5. Research Method Selection
Choosing Your Method
You must select ONE of three permitted methods:
Content Analysis
Best for:
• Analyzing patterns in media content
• Quantifying communication strategies
• Studying data systematically
Example Application: Analyzing 100 Instagram posts from environmental NGOs to
identify storytelling techniques
Interviews
Best for:
• Understanding personal experiences and perspectives
9• Exploring motivations and decision-making processes
• Gaining in-depth insights from specific groups
Example Application: Interviewing environmental activists about their social media
communication strategies
Discourse Analysis
Best for:
• Examining language use and power relations
• Analyzing how meaning is constructed
• Studying ideology and social practices
Example Application: Analyzing how climate change is discursively constructed in
media coverage
Method Selection Criteria
Consider these question when considering a suitable method:
1. Research Question Alignment: Which method best answers your specific
questions?
2. Practical Feasibility: What resources and access do you have?
3. Theoretical Framework: What does your theory suggest you should examine?
4. Personal Skills: Which method do you feel most confident implementing?
5. Assessment 3 Requirements: Can you realistically complete this for your final
paper?
6. Resources and Tools
Research Tools
Literature Searching
• UNSW Library OneSearch: Primary database for academic sources
• Google Scholar: Broad academic search, good for finding recent citations
10
Citation Management
• EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley
Writing Support
Please check the Academic Resources page on Moodle.
Video Resources
Essential Viewing
• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students: https://
www.lib.ncsu.edu/videos/literature-reviews-overview-graduate-students
• How to write literature review: https://writeonline.ca/litreview.php?
content=section3
• Literature Review for HDRs: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/
resources/reading,-writing-and-referencing/literature-reviews/writing-a-lit-
review
• How to Write a Research Proposal: https://www.monash.edu/student-
academic-success/excel-at-writing/how-to-write/research-proposal
• Course Lecture Recordings: Available on Moodle
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Research Question Issues
✗ Too broad: "How does social media affect society?"
✓ Appropriately focused: "How do environmental NGOs use Instagram Stories to
engage young adults with climate activism?"
✗ Yes/no question: "Do people trust health influencers?"
✓ Complex question: "How do health influencers construct trustworthiness in their
11
Instagram content?"
✗ Unmeasurable: "What is the best way to communicate about climate change?"
✓ Researchable: "What narrative strategies do climate activists use on TikTok?"
Literature Review Problems
✗ Summary list: Describing each source separately without connections
✓ Thematic synthesis: Organizing sources around key themes and showing
relationships
✗ Everything you read: Including all sources regardless of relevance
✓ Strategic selection: Choosing sources that directly support your argument
✗ No critical voice: Simply reporting what others say
✓ Critical analysis: Evaluating strengths, weaknesses, and gaps
Theoretical Framework Errors
✗ Wrong discipline: Using psychology theories for journalism research
✓ Discipline-appropriate: Selecting theories from the list provided
✗ Superficial application: Mentioning theory without explaining its relevance
✓ Deep integration: Showing how theory guides your research design and analysis
✗ Multiple unrelated theories: Trying to use several theories without connection
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✓ Coherent framework: Selecting one primary theory that fits your research focus
Methodology Mistakes
✗ Unrealistic scope: Planning to interview 50 people in two weeks
✓ Feasible plan: Designing a data collection plan you can actually complete for
Assessment 3
✗ Method mismatch: Using content analysis for questions better suited to interviews
✓ Aligned approach: Selecting method that best answers your research questions
✗ Vague description: "I will analyze social media posts"
✓ Specific plan: "I will conduct thematic analysis of 30 Instagram posts from
environmental NGOs posted between January-March 2025"
Writing and Presentation Issues
✗ Ignoring word limits: Writing 600 words for a 300-word section
✓ Balanced sections: Distributing words appropriately across all sections
✗ Poor MLA formatting: Missing page numbers in citations
✓ Correct citations: Following MLA style consistently
✗ No AI declaration: Forgetting to include required AI use statement
✓ Complete submission: Including all required elements and declarations

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