A dissertation proposal is a detailed plan or “blueprint” for your final research or dissertation paper. It is a formal document that you submit to your supervisor or academic committee members for approval before you begin the main work of your dissertation.
The key elements of a dissertation proposal include:
✔️ Title
✔️ Abstract
✔️ Introduction
✔️ Aim & Objectives
✔️ Methodology
✔️ Project Schedule
✔️ Referencing
Can You Dedicate Your Dissertation to Someone?
Yes, you can dedicate your dissertation to anyone by naming them and appreciating their presence in your life. There are many amazing ways that you can dedicate your dissertation to someone. Whether you want to dedicate your dissertation to your parents, colleagues, classmates, teachers, or husband, you can effortlessly add their names and the part they played in your life.
When to write a dissertation proposal?
Depending on the degree program you are enrolled in, you may have to start working on your chosen topic right away, or you might need to deal with some assignments and exams first.
You can learn about the rules and timelines concerning your dissertation project on the university’s online portal. If you are still unsure, it will be best to speak with your department’s admin clerk, the program head, or supervisor.
Dissertation Proposal Template
View or download this template to get inspiration to write your dissertation proposal:
How to format your dissertation proposal?
Formatting your dissertation proposal will also depend on your program’s specific guidelines and your research area. Find the exact guidelines for formatting cover sheets and title pages, referencing style, notes, bibliography, margin sizes, page numbers, and fonts.
Dissertation Proposal Samples
Explore the following dissertation proposal samples to learn how to write them efficiently:
- Business & Management Dissertation Proposal Examples
- Research Proposal Examples In Engineering
- Thesis Proposal Samples For Education & Teaching Students
- Finance Proposal Samples
- Law Dissertation Proposal Examples
- Examples Of Research Proposals In Marketing
- Nursing & Medicine Proposal Samples
- Dissertation Proposal Samples In Sociology
- Technology Thesis Proposal Samples
- Tourism & Hospitality Dissertation Proposals
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What are the requirements of a dissertation proposal?
Most academic institutions will provide precise rules for structuring your dissertation proposal in terms of the document’s content and how to arrange it. If you have not figured out these requirements, you must speak with your supervisor to find out what they recommend.
Typical contents and structure of a dissertation proposal include the following:
- Title
- Statement of the Problem
- Background/Rationale
- Introduction
- Research Questions or Hypothesis
- Literature Review
- Proposed Methodology
- Opportunities and Limitations
- Project Schedule
- References
How to Choose a Suitable Research Topic?
Before writing the dissertation proposal, it is crucial to choose a suitable research topic. Follow these steps to find the best research topic:
Step 1: Brainstorm your interests
List all the research topics that you find interesting and relevant to your area of study.
- PhD and master’s level students are already well aware of their academic interests.
- Bachelor students can consider unanswered questions from their past academic assignments or course material that sparked their curiosity.
- Think about all your past academic history, such as any research notes, any unsettled questions from your previous assignments, and the material taught by professors.
Step 2: Conduct initial research
Conduct initial research to familiarise yourself with each potential topic. It will help you determine whether there is a genuine need to investigate your selected topics further.
Where to look:
- Your university library
- Online academic databases such as ProQuest, EBSCO, and QuickBase
- Articles, journals, books, peer-reviewed articles, and existing theses.
Step 3: Consult your academic supervisor
Consult with your academic supervisor and present them with your list of potential topics. Their advice will be crucial in determining whether the topic you are interested in is suitable and meets the requirements of your degree program.
If the topics are too broad or lack focus, your supervisor will be able to guide you towards academic sources that could help narrow down your research.
Step 4: Narrow the focus
Once a topic has been mutually agreed upon between you and your academic supervisor, it is time to narrow down the focus.
Spend as much time as possible examining different aspects of the topic to establish a research aim that would truly add value to the existing knowledge. Your topic will naturally narrow and evolve as you dig deeper into your research.
Why is selecting the right research topic important?
Selecting an appropriate topic is the key to having your research work recognised in your field of study. Make sure your chosen topic is:
- Relevant to your area of study
- Interesting to you
- Manageable in scope
Your goal should be to contribute new knowledge and insights. This can be achieved by:
- Exploring a topic that has not been researched before.
- Investigating a well-researched topic from a new angle by tweaking the research design and research questions.
Structure of a Dissertation Proposal
Once you’ve finalised your research topic, you need to switch to writing your dissertation proposal paper quickly. Here are the key elements of a dissertation proposal:
-
Title
A good dissertation proposal title will give the reader an insight into the aim/idea of your study. Describe the purpose and/or contents of your dissertation proposal paper in the fewest possible words.
A concise and focused title will help you gain the attention of the readers. However, you might need to adjust your title several times as you write the paper because your comprehensive research might continue to add new dimensions to your study.
- Abstract
Write a brief executive summary or an abstract of your proposal if you have been asked to do so in the structural guidelines. Generally, the abstract is included in the final dissertation paper, typically ranging in length from 300 to 400 words.
If you have to write an abstract for your proposal, here are the key points that it must cover:
- The background to your research
- Research questions that you wish to address
- Your proposed research methods
- The significance of your research
-
Introduction
Your introduction section should be engaging, and it is also supposed to provide a background to the topic and explain the research problem.
Here is how you can write the first paragraph of the introduction:
- Explain your research idea and present a clear understanding as to why you’ve chosen this topic.
- Present a summary of the scope of your research study, taking into account the existing literature.
- Briefly describe the issues and specific problems your research aims to address.
In the next paragraphs, summarise the statement of the problem. Explain what gap in the existing knowledge your research will fill and how your work will prove significant in your area of study.
-
Aim & Objectives
This is the most critical section of the proposal. List the research questions or the research objectives your study will address. When writing this particular section, think of the following questions:
- Are there any specific findings that you are expecting?
- What aspects of the topic have you decided not to investigate and why?
- How will your research contribute to the existing knowledge in your field?
-
Literature Review
The literature review section is your opportunity to present the key established research trends, hypotheses, and theories related to the subject. Demonstrate to the reader that your research is a unique contribution to your field because it explores the topic from a new angle.
In a dissertation proposal, you won’t be expected to provide an extensive list of all previous research studies on the topic. Take into consideration the following when writing the literature review section:
- The gaps identified in the previous research studies on the topic that your own research aims to fill. State the limitations of previous studies, whether lacking sufficient evidence, invalid, or too broad.
- The key established research trends, theories, and hypotheses are reported by other researchers.
- Any specific arguments and/or methodologies that previous scholars used when investigating your topic.
-
Methodology
A focused and well-defined methodology in a proposal paper can help you explain to your readers how you plan to conduct your research and why your chosen research design can provide reliable answers to your research questions.
The choice of research design and analytical approach will depend on several factors, including but not limited to your area of study and research constraints.
Depending on your topic and the existing literature, you will need to decide whether your dissertation will be purely descriptive or use primary (quantitative/qualitative data) as part of the research design.
Any research limitations and ethical issues that you expect to deal with should be clearly stated.
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Project Schedule
Some master’s and PhD-level degree programs require students to include a project timeline or timetable to give readers an idea of how and when they plan to complete different stages of the project.
Project timeline can be a great planning tool, especially if your research includes experiments, statistical analysis, design, and primary data collection. However, it may have to be modified slightly as you progress into your research.
When developing the project timeline in your proposal, always consider the time needed for practical aspects of the research, such as travelling, experiments, and fieldwork.
-
Referencing
Referencing is also one of the most crucial aspects of preparing a proposal. You will have to cite information and data that you include in your dissertation. Ensure that the references you include are credible and authentic.
You can use well-known academic journals, official websites, past research, and concepts presented by renowned authors and writers in the respective field.
Make sure that you cite references accurately according to the required referencing style as mentioned in the guidelines.
References should back statistics, facts, and figures at all times. It is highly recommended to back every 100-200 words written with at least one academic reference. The quantity of references does not matter; however, the quality does.
Dissertation Proposal Approval Criteria
The process of writing your dissertation proposal and getting acceptance from the committee is tricky. Consult your department’s academic assistant, supervisor, or program chair to learn about all the process stages.
Here are a couple of points you will need to be aware of:
- You would be required to have your chosen research topic approved by your academic supervisor or department chair.
- Submit your proposal and have it formally signed and approved so you can continue with your research.
All the essential elements of a dissertation proposal need to be present before submitting it for approval.
How Long is a Dissertation Proposal?
The length of your dissertation proposal will depend on your degree program and your research topic. PhD-level dissertation proposals are much longer in terms of word count than bachelor’s and master’s level proposals.
- Bachelor’s level dissertation proposals are about 5-6 pages long.
- The length of master’s and PhD-level proposals varies from 15 to 25 pages, depending on the academic subject and the degree program’s specifications.
If the word count or page length expectation is not mentioned in the dissertation handbook or the guidelines, you should check with your supervisor or program coordinator.
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If you’re unable to write a first-class proposal, don’t get stressed. Consider a professional dissertation proposal writing service. They have a highly qualified team of writers that will help you choose a relevant topic for your subject area and prepare a flawless dissertation proposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
A dissertation proposal in research outlines the planned study. It includes research objectives, methods, scope, and significance. It’s a blueprint that demonstrates the feasibility and value of the research, helping to gain approval before proceeding with the full dissertation.
Start with a clear title, state your research question, detail the methods you will use to answer it, and highlight the contribution it will make to the field. Ensure it is well-researched, concise, and compelling to gain approval.
The length of a dissertation proposal varies by field and institution. Typically, it ranges from 10 to 20 pages, but can be longer for complex topics. Always consult department guidelines or advisors to ensure appropriate length and content.
Dissertation proposal types largely depend on the nature and methodology of the research. Common types include empirical (collecting data from the real world), non-empirical (theory or literature-based), and narrative (case studies).
