Research Study

Project Management · Level 6  ·  6 Chapters

Compiled by: Alice Njoroge

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What Research Study covers

A research study moves from a title to a bound report, and Research Study in Project Management Level 6 takes you the whole way. You write the introduction with objectives, questions, problem statement, significance, scope and limitations. You review literature with theories, empirical studies, a conceptual framework and research gaps. Methodology covers design, population, sampling, tools and analysis. You then analyse findings, summarise them with recommendations, and compile the report with references, appendices, proofreading and binding.

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Careers after Research Study

Embarking on the Research Study unit equips you with a full research toolkit that Kenyan employers and entrepreneurs value across many sectors. Whether you join a team or launch your own consultancy, these abilities let you turn questions into evidence-based solutions that drive growth, policy, and innovation.

  • Monitoring & Evaluation units in NGOs operating in rural Kilifi and Kitui - you design clear research titles, objectives and questions to assess project impact, write background sections that link community needs to donor priorities, and produce reports that secure future funding.
  • Policy analysis departments in county administration (e.g., Kisumu County) - you formulate problem statements, scope studies, and identify research gaps that inform local development plans, earning a salary as a policy analyst or consultant.
  • Market research firms serving consumer goods brands in Nairobi’s CBD - you develop conceptual frameworks, select appropriate designs, and create data-collection tools for product-testing surveys, earning commissions based on the depth of insights you deliver to clients.
  • Agricultural extension services in western Kenya (Kakamega, Bungoma) - you identify variables affecting crop yields, sample smallholder farms, and analyse response rates to guide extension recommendations, paid through government project contracts or as a freelance agronomy researcher.
  • Health research departments in county referral hospitals (e.g., in Eldoret or Nakuru) - you write literature reviews on disease trends, design cross-sectional studies, and calculate response rates for patient-satisfaction questionnaires, earning a stipend or salary as a clinical research coordinator.
  • Tourism impact assessment teams for coastal councils (Mombasa, Diani) - you craft research questions that align with stakeholder interests, scope the study to specific resorts, and analyse visitor data to advise on sustainable tourism strategies, receiving project-based fees.
  • Micro-finance institutions in informal settlements of Nairobi and Thika - you develop sampling techniques to study loan repayment behaviour, create data-collection tools for borrower interviews, and present findings that shape credit policies, earning a role as a research officer.
  • Telecommunications companies conducting customer experience surveys in major towns - you select survey designs, calculate response rates, and interpret data to improve service plans, compensated through corporate research salaries.
  • Freelance grant-writing and research consultancy - you package your ability to write compelling research backgrounds, significance statements, and clear objectives into proposals for international donors, charging clients per proposal or per completed study.
  • Academic research centres at Kenyan universities (e.g., in Nakuru or Machakos) - you lead undergraduate or postgraduate projects, supervise literature reviews, and publish findings, earning stipends, research assistantships, or part-time teaching contracts.

Your mastery of the full research cycle opens doors from community projects to corporate strategy - any place that needs solid evidence to make decisions. Keep exploring, keep questioning, and let your research skills become the bridge to a brighter, data-driven future.

Chapters

What Research Study covers: 32 main topics in 6 chapters

1. Write research study introduction

  1. 1.1 Developing research title
  2. 1.2 Research variables
  3. 1.3 Formulate research objectives
  4. 1.4 Formulate research questions
  5. 1.5 Background to the study
  6. 1.6 Statement of the problem
  7. 1.7 Significance of the study
  8. 1.8 Scope of the study
  9. 1.9 Limitations of the study

2. Review research literature

  1. 2.1 Relevant theories of the study
  2. 2.2 Empirical literature review
  3. 2.3 Conceptual framework
  4. 2.4 Research gaps

3. Design research study methodology

  1. 3.1 Research designs
  2. 3.2 Target population
  3. 3.3 Sampling techniques
  4. 3.4 Data collection tools
  5. 3.5 Data analysis techniques
  6. 3.6 Data presentation

4. Analyze study findings

  1. 4.1 Response rate
  2. 4.2 Data analysis techniques
  3. 4.3 Data interpretation
  4. 4.4 Data presentation

5. Summarize research study finding

  1. 5.1 Study findings
  2. 5.2 Research recommendations
  3. 5.3 Suggestions for further studies

6. Compile research report

  1. 6.1 Preliminary review
  2. 6.2 Organization of research report
  3. 6.3 List of references
  4. 6.4 Appendices
  5. 6.5 Research report proofreading
  6. 6.6 Report binding

Revise this unit

3 more for this unit

Beyond the syllabus

Other units in Module IV