When you first start writing academically in college, you might not be aware of all the many types of assignments that are given to you. You are aware of what an essay is and how to respond to readings, and you might have even heard about dissertation writing or dissertation writing help but you might hesitate when your lecturer mentions a research proposal or a literature review.
It is not logical to passively accept that a thesis is one of life’s “great unknowns”; like any other writing assignment, it can and must be defined. How to Get a Ph.D. by Phillips and Pugh is one of the first – and finest – books to cover the entire Ph.D. procedure (2000). This book does for the doctorate and master’s writing processes what Phillips and Pugh have done for the doctoral process. One may consider the two books to be complimentary. This book focuses on the writing process and offers exercises, prompts, and writing suggestions and advice for each step of thesis writing, starting at the beginning. (Terrell, S.R., 2022)
What does a research proposal seek to accomplish?
The purpose of a research proposal is to outline the author’s strategy for the study that they propose to do. In certain situations, obtaining money for the proposed research is an element of this objective. In other cases, it’s to get the author’s department or supervisor’s permission to proceed with the research. A research proposal may occasionally be needed as part of the graduate school application. Research proposals have the same format in each of these situations.
The author of a research proposal explains how and why their study is relevant to their area. They provide proof that the following are true:
- Filling a gap in the body of knowledge already available on their subject
- Highlighting the current research on their topic
- Adding new, unique knowledge to the current body of knowledge on the subject in the academic community
What’s the ideal length for a research proposal?
Typically, master’s and bachelor’s thesis research proposals are a few pages long. Ph.D. dissertations and grant requests are examples of projects where research proposals are lengthier and significantly more extensive. Including the proposal’s word count or page, the count is not nearly as important as making sure that all the required features and content are there. Many Ph.D. and Masters’s students seek dissertation data analysis help from professionals. A research proposal’s objective is to clearly define exactly what your study will entail and accomplish.
Dissertation vs. Thesis: what’s the difference
There may be several differences between writing a dissertation and a thesis, but their made progress is the main one. A dissertation must be written for doctorate research, whereas a thesis is meant to be delivered after a master’s degree. (TDH, 2022)
Structure for research proposals:
A research proposal has a comparatively simple format. Nearly all research proposals contain the following sections to achieve the goals mentioned in the preceding section:
1. Title page:
Your initial title should be around 10 words long and fully explain your chosen field of research. It needs to be entertaining, instructive, and engaging.
Personal facts including your name, academic title, date of birth, country, and contact information should also be included on the title page.
2. Introduction:
- Your introduction fulfills the following objectives:
- Introduces the subject
- States your problem statement and the questions your research aims to answer
- Explains the background of your research
An introduction in a research proposal might include a few paragraphs. Don’t feel that you have to fit all of your information into one paragraph just because it needs to be brief.
In some circumstances, your research proposal has to have an abstract and/or a table of contents. Just before the introduction, they are included.
3. Aims and objectives:
Your objectives, or the activities you’ll take to address each of your research questions, should be divided into two or three specific statements that highlight what you ultimately want to achieve. This involves simply and clearly outlining:
- How your research fills a knowledge gap or advances current knowledge
- How your study relates to the department to which you are applying
- How do your research questions have academic, cultural, political, or social relevance.
4. Literature review:
The most significant theories, models, and texts that surround and have an impact on your research concerns are covered in this portion of your Ph.D. proposal, which demonstrates your knowledge of the relevant problems and debates.
It should concentrate on the theoretical and practical knowledge gaps that your project seeks to fill because they are what ultimately justifies and motivates your effort.
5. Methodology:
You should describe how you plan to respond to each of your research questions. Especially if your research requires the lengthy collection and major analysis of source data, a strong, well-written methodology is important.
The research proposal approach in fields like the humanities specifies the data gathering and analytical procedures you can utilize before justifying the ones you’ll use in more detail. Additionally, you’ll define the group of people you want to study.
By defining the parameters that you want to incorporate, you should also demonstrate that you are aware of the constraints of your study. Just keep in mind that an excellent exploration of a specific topic is more remarkable than an adequate exploration of a general topic.
6. Timetable:
Your timeline should specify how long you’ll need to accomplish each phase, perhaps using biweekly or monthly timeslots, concluding or continuing from your technique. This demonstrates that you’ve thought through how you’ll go about putting the Ph.D. proposal into practice and aids the reader in determining the feasibility of your research.
7. Bibliography:
The most important texts will be listed at the end, along with any other materials (such as your academic resume). By simply choosing the materials that are the most relevant, you may show off your abilities in critical reflection.
8. Final checks:
You must confirm that you followed the study proposal format before sending this document with your PhD application. This implies:
- Each page has a number.
- It’s professional, engaging, and educational.
- Both an experienced academic and a layman have proofread the study proposal
- A page listing the contents
- With suitable titles, you’ve employed a structure that is both clear and simple to read.
9. Conclusion:
This is where you bring everything together. Like the conclusion paragraph of an essay, your conclusion section briefly summarises your research proposal and confirms the stated goal of your study.
Common mistakes to avoid when writing a research proposal:
A study proposal should keep away from the following typical mistakes:
- Being too wordy
- Failing to cite relevant sources
- putting too much emphasis on minor details
- Failing to provide a clear point for your research
- Perfect your writing to produce a distinctive proposal.
References:
Terrell, S.R., 2022. Writing a proposal for your dissertation: Guidelines and examples. Guilford Publications.
TDH. 2022. (Blog title). Online Available at <https://thedissertationhelp.co.uk/dissertation-vs-thesis-whats-the-difference/> [Accessed on 13 January 2023].
