Instructions for writing your proposal will be given by the course team. 

Review the information in your course notes and on Moodle. 

The advice of the course team always takes precedence over the general guidance from Academic Skills Tutors.

General guidance for writing a proposal

Begin by carefully reviewing the aims and learning outcomes for your module. It is important that your proposal demonstrates how it will meet the specific learning outcomes of your module. Your proposal must clearly identify the research problem to be studied and the general and specific aims of the proposed research. Use Moodle to review your assignment guidance, lectures and seminars and make a list of everything that must be included. A proposal typically includes the following:

The problem to be studied

• The nature of the problem (and why it is a problem)

• Its significance (in terms of who it is significant to, and why)

• Why it is appropriate to study this particular topic now

• The academic research undertaken on the topic so far (this is your literature review)

• The authors and theories that have been most influential in the past (and why)

• How the research you are proposing will build on existing research in this area

A definition of the research aims

Clearly state the general and specific aims of your proposed research. The aims should demonstrate that you have narrowed down the topic to something that is both achievable and manageable and how they will help people to understand the issues involved

The methodology and methods you plan to use

The methodology is the foundations your research is based on and the methods are the procedures you will use. 

• The methodologies that you have considered

• Which authors led you to consider these methodologies and why

• The most useful methodology for you to use, the reasons for using it and the type of data it will give you

• What kind of hypothesis* you will start with (if required)

• How you are going to test your hypothesis

* Hypothesis - a proposition assumed as a premise in an argument. You could consider this to be your idea of what the outcome of the research will be. Remember that it is only a starting point and may be proved wrong during the course of your investigation. If your final dissertation proves your hypothesis to be incorrect, it usually means that you have undertaken good research without bias. This is what is meant by testing your hypothesis.

Access to data

State how you will find the information necessary to complete your research. Consider potential problems in obtaining the data and how you will overcome these.

Ethical considerations

It is essential to conduct ethical research. All potential ethical issues must be reviewed. State how you intend to overcome any foreseeable ethical issues arising as a result of your research. Data collections must not take place prior to receiving ethical approval.

Click to download a Dissertation Action Plan

Available in PDF or Word

Deciding on a research question and sub-questions

Examples

“Investigating the perceptions of FTSE 100 CEOs regarding the financial crisis”

This topic would certainly provide enough material for research, but it would be difficult to gain access to the CEOs. Thus, it may be impractical.

“An investigation into the recruitment and selection processes of Dutch-owned, Chinese-operated piano manufacturers, between March-April 1924”

This topic is very specific, but it is unlikely that there will be enough existing research or material in existence to enable a detailed study to be undertaken.

• If you have been instructed to produce sub-questions, ask yourself what you want them to achieve.

• Sub-questions are not additional questions to your main topic.

• When put together, your sub-questions should help to address your main topic/question. 

Six steps to choosing a topic and questions

Setting targets and goals

When you are doing your dissertation it is important to set targets and goals. It is a good idea to plan backwards from the submission deadline date and decide by when you need to have finished each task.

Remember that when you have finished writing you need time to proofread the work. That can take a few days with a large dissertation.

When you are setting time goals it is a good idea to think about who you need to see about your work and find out when they are likely to be available. If you are doing a dissertation over the summer vacation you will find that staff take holidays, find out when the librarians, your supervisor, the Academic Skills Tutors and anyone else you might want to see are on holiday. Make appointments to see them when they are available.

What is a literature review?

• It is a review of existing literature on your chosen subject, not an analysis of the subject itself

• It is not a summary of information, facts and quotes from your chosen topic

Key words:

Summary: a shorter version of the original highlighting the major points

Synthesis: combining two or more items to form something new 

Analysis: breaking down a complex topic into parts to gain a better understanding of it.

How do I get started?

Some top tips for literature reviews

• If you are struggling to select a topic, speak to a subject tutor for help

• If you have already been given a topic but are trying to find relevant sources, try to identify the key authors in your chosen area

• In order to find these key authors, look at existing literature reviews on your topic to see which sources are considered most important, or use the library journal database facilities to find articles on your subject

• You can also compare the reference lists of your articles to see if they refer to similar sources. This will give you a clue about the importance of certain authors/sources to your subject

What should I focus on?

• How old is the research you are reading? Does this make its findings more or less valid?

• What methods have been used in the research you are reading? Do they seem reliable to you?

• Did the author(s) do what they said they were going to do? To decide this, see if the conclusion clearly addresses any issues set out in the abstract and introduction

• Are there any flaws in reasoning within the literature you are reading? Are there jumps in logic which weaken their argument?

• Do the author(s) use theories in their research? Do you feel that these are valid?

• Do several writers disagree on the same topic? Why do you think this might be? Make sure you comment on this if it is the case

Where can I go for help with finding sources?

The faculty librarians are there to help you find the literature you need. Click here for more information.

A short fragment from a fictional literature review.

Research question

Would banning the use of palm oil save the orangutan species?

Literature review (sample)

The Sumatran Orangutan Society (n.d.) and World Growth (2011), who both advocate a ban on palm oil production, have found that destruction of Sumatra’s rainforests, for palm oil production, has pushed the Sumatran orangutan to the edge of extinction. World Growth’s research is eight years old and the date of the Sumartran Orangutan Society’s research is unknown. Thus developments in the industry since 2011 have not been explored, leaving a gap in the research. In addition it is not known what research methods these bodies used or what their background missions are.

Bicknell and Stuebig (2018), who interviewed a large number of farmers in the region and the World Wildlife Fund (2018), who work alongside palm oil producers, found that a ban on the use of palm oil would lead farmers to switch to other crops, to ensure their economic survival, which may cause equal or worse destruction of habitat. Thus these researchers advocate certification of sustainable production. This research is recent and the research methods involve producers of palm oil, which suggests that the findings may be reliable. However, they have not discussed what certification would entail and its possible effects, and this needs to be researched.

Conclusions

As with any piece of academic work, it is a good idea to give a short summary or conclusion at the end of your literature review which draws together the ideas you have discussed. You will usually be expected to show: 

• Which piece/s of work you find most convincing (if you have been asked to compare several pieces of research)

• What you feel are the main themes in the research, and what they tell you

Click here to download a literature review checklist - in PDF and Word format

What is a methodology?

• A methodology is part of a research assignment. 

• Whether you are conducting primary research (new research starting from scratch) or secondary research (based on existing research or sources, such as business reports and statistics), you will usually be expected to include a methodology

What goes into a methodology?

• It includes a practical explanation of how your research will be carried out (your methods), but involves more than just saying what you will be doing 

• You are also usually expected to explain and justify your approach to your research, and your understanding of knowledge

Some of the areas you may be expected to cover in your methodology include:

Your understanding of the concept of knowledge

This is where you state the philosophy behind your research and your approach to knowledge, as it will determine the way in which you conduct the research. These are theoretical positions, and so things may differ in practice, but two common opposing stances taken by researchers are as follows: 

• Do you believe that all knowledge can be measured? This is referred to as positivism, and if you adopt it you will probably be looking to research hard facts and scientific observations

• Or do you believe that knowledge and experiences are subjective, and that opinions are valid sources of research? If so, interpretivism may suit you best. A textbook on research methods will provide more detail about these approaches

Qualitative or quantitative?

Depending on your research philosophy, you may be more interested in using qualitative or quantitative research (or a mixture of both). If you are unsure about the difference between qualitative and quantitative information, see our handout on this subject, on our Moodle site. In some cases, even if you are conducting secondary research, you may still be asked to explain your approach to knowledge, and will need to consider the difference between qualitative and quantitative sources of information. 

Your research strategy

This means the overarching approach to your research. For example, will you be conducting an experiment? Using secondary research? Doing a survey? You may need to tell your marker which strategy you are choosing and why.

Your research methods

This is where you explain how you are actually going to undertake your research. You will need to explain and justify why you are choosing a particular method (e.g. questionnaires or interviews), and exactly how your research will work.

Your sample

You need to explain who or what you will be researching on (your sample). Your marker will expect you to justify your choice of sample, and any criteria you have used to select it. They may also expect you to demonstrate how the data that you obtain will be reliable.

Ethics

This section is very important for both primary and secondary research. You are always expected to produce work which is reliable and ethically sound. Some key things to consider are:

• If you are researching with people, it is important that you cause no harm to your subjects. The purpose of your research should be to do good. Are you being honest with your participants/information sources? It is important to ensure that they have provided consent for their participation in the research, and that they fully understand what they are agreeing to before doing so

• Can you guarantee confidentiality or anonymity for your research subjects? If you are conducting secondary research, or researching within an organisation, do you need to consider these issues?

• How you are reporting your information, and how will you avoid bias when doing this? Will participants in your study know about the purposes of your research? It is vital that you are open and honest about what you are researching. Participants must be free to choose whether or not to participate in your research

Pilot study

If you are conducting primary research, you may also be expected to conduct a pilot study (a small test version of your research). For example, if you are conducting a questionnaire, it is a good idea to get some participants to complete it first, to check that the questions make sense.

What does a methodology look like?

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill have produced a model that shows how some of these elements of a methodology fit together. This can be a good way of checking that you have thought about all of these elements, even if you are not expected to write about them in your methodology. This model is often referred to as the research onion:

Adapted from Research methods for business students (5th ed.) by Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill (2009)

Your supervisor or course tutor may not want all of these areas to be covered in your methodology, so check with them if you are unsure about this. The Academic Skills Tutors are available to help with the academic principles of producing a methodology.

• When producing a research project or dissertation involving primary research, you may be required to report on the findings from your data 

• This part of a project is sometimes referred to as the discussion, analysis, or results section

• If you are unsure about what to include within this section, your course team or supervisor can give you specific guidance on this. This guide provides some top tips for producing your discussion or analysis section

What should not be included within a discussion/analysis section?

• Simply describing your results will not explain their relevance for your reader

• Avoid making assumptions about your findings (such as assuming that causal links exist)

• Do not simply say that your data or findings agree with your expectations without explaining what you mean by this

• You do not need to include pages of raw data in your work (or even in your appendix). Be selective with the data presented in this section

How do I do this?

• Whether you are reporting on quantitative or qualitative data, your discussion section will be a significant part of your project, so ensure that it has a clear structure with a logical progression.

• Headings and subheadings can be used as signposts for your reader, so they know the direction that your work will be taking.

Signposting

Signposting - video resource

Each chapter should also contain an introduction and conclusion with signposting in paragraphs to show the move from one theme to another.  Each paragraph can also contain an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence with signposting words to the next theme/paragraph.  So signposting takes place throughout the document from the start to the finish and all the themes in between.

What is Signposting?

Signposting or linking words are found in good academic writing, linking what has been said with what is about to be discussed.  They show the logic behind an argument, thought transitions and direction and flow.

Signposting can be single words, short phrases, long phrases or whole sentences.

• single words: however, furthermore, initially

• short phrases: in contrast, in conclusion, an additional point is

• sentence: Having discussed the reliability of the research, this report will next address its validity.

A list of linking words is provided below.

Look at our writing introductions and conclusions resource if you need more information.  

Adding to a point already made

• also; moreover; furthermore; again; further; what is more; then; in addition

• besides; above all; too; as well (as)

• either; neither .... nor; not only ... but also; similarly; correspondingly; in the same way; indeed

• in fact; really; in reality; it is found that ...

• as for; as to; with respect to; regarding

Writing in lists

• first(ly); second(ly); third(ly)

• another; yet another; in addition; finally

• to begin with; in the second place

• moreover; additionally; also

• next; then; and to conclude; lastly; finally

Putting the same idea in a different way

• in other words; rather; or; better; in that case

• to put it (more) simply

• in view of this; with this in mind

• to look at this another way

Introducing examples

• that is to say; in other words

• for example; for instance; namely; an example of this is

• and; as follows; as in the following examples; such as; including

• especially; particularly; in particular; notably; chiefly; mainly; mostly

Introducing an alternative viewpoint

• by contrast; another way of viewing this is; alternatively; again; rather; one alternative is; another possibility is

• on the one hand ... on the other hand

• conversely; in comparison; on the contrary; in fact; though; although

Returning to emphasise your earlier viewpoint

• however; nonetheless; in the final analysis; despite x; notwithstanding x; in spite of x

• while x may be true; nonetheless

• although; though; after all; at the same time; on the other hand; all the same; even if x is true; although x may have a good point

Showing the results of something

• therefore; accordingly; as a result

• so (then,) it can be seen that

• the result if; the consequence is

• resulting from this; consequently ; now

• we can see, then, that; it is evident that 

• because of this; thus; hence; for this reason; owing to x; this suggests that; it follows that

• in other words; otherwise; in that case; that implies

Summing up or concluding

• therefore; so, my conclusion is

• in short; in conclusion; to conclude; in all; on the whole

• to summarise; to sum up briefly; in brief; altogether; overall; thus; thus we can see that