How to Write a Dissertation Proposal
How to Write a Dissertation Proposal
Before anyone can study a research question, they have to know that it is there. This chapter of the dissertation proposal will explain the problem under investigation and how people struggled with it in the past. It may also give suggestions about why one should be interested in this area of study.
The introduction to a dissertation proposal must not be too long. It is rarely longer than one page, and it can be as short as 100 words. The right length of the chapter depends on how much research there was into the area concerned, who studied it, what they discovered and why that makes your study worthwhile.
This section aims to give an idea about the practical use of your research. If it is necessary to assume some specific knowledge of the topic under investigation, this chapter will also explain how things are now and why your research should change them.
Often, this part contains a statement about whether or not other researchers on the same problem do any other studies. It allows you to show whether there is a gap in the current research or not. It may also state that you picked up a problem from another, previously completed study.
In this chapter, it is also important to explain how your study will help us understand things better and give an idea about what kind of solutions can be expected from its findings. If there are reasons for thinking that your study will be useful for other researchers, that may also be described in this chapter.
The literature review shows that you know the field and what kind of information others already have. It must demonstrate how much research has been done on the issue under investigation and who has studied it so far.
It is not important to describe every paper written on the topic. It is enough to show why your study fills a gap in research or extends results so far obtained by others.
This proposal chapter must also demonstrate that you have read, understood and analysed these papers correctly. You can do this by summarising their content or quoting directly from them. Often, this chapter may include a brief explanation of the methodology and its application in other studies.
This section should describe the essential aspects of the problem under study and related to those discussed above. This part aims not to explain how much you know about your topic but why you want to concentrate on it and how it will help other researchers and the public.
This section aims to demonstrate what kind of information can be used in your research and how it will be obtained. It should also show whether there are any problems connected to its collection and analysis.
It usually includes a brief overview of the methods chosen and their advantages and disadvantages. This chapter must demonstrate that you are interested in results and care about how they obtained them. It should also indicate to the reader what other methods were considered and why you rejected them for this study.
This proposal chapter usually describes any theory used in your research work, even where it is only to explain results obtained. It should also state whether others previously used the theory or if you created it for this study.
This section may also include a list of statistical tools that will be required during the research. The general purpose is to show that you know how you can evaluate your work and what information can be obtained.
This chapter should indicate what time will be necessary for the research to be completed and how it can fit into your current academic life, e.g., teaching, supervision, etc. It is important to show that you know what is expected of you and whether you have arranged other activities to interfere with the planned ones.
This section of the dissertation proposal is useful when it explains any limitations you think might appear when carrying out your work. It usually shows that the researcher is aware of potential problems and how to solve them before they arise.
Some researchers also use this chapter to attach a list of people involved in the study and how they will do it.
This chapter of a dissertation proposal can explain any ethical concerns you have with your study and how they are going to be solved. It may also include a list of ethical approvals or comments from other researchers on your work. It is usually required by those who involve human participants in their research. In such cases, the dissertation proposal should explain how you will ensure that no harm is caused to them. The researcher should also discuss whether any risks are involved to avoid unnecessary anxiety for participants during research and especially during data analysis.
This chapter shows that you have a precise idea of the time needed to complete your work and explains how you will divide and plan your time. It also shows that you know how to use the time available rationally and show dedication.
This section is usually short and can be written together with the dissertation proposal outline. However, it should not be made longer than usual as this would most likely make it difficult for the reader to assess the proposal in just one night.
Some dissertation proposals also include appendices that explain specific parts of the research work, e.g., results of pilot studies or other experiments conducted before the main study. You may also want to attach copies of theoretical work used in the research, interview transcripts, etc. Just make sure not to overload your proposal with too many appendices, making it difficult for the reader to process information.