Usually you will be provided with some guidance regarding what is expected in terms of structure and format. As a general rule Academic Sciences include the following sections in all of our example dissertation proposals.
Title
The importance of the title cannot be overstated. The title must be appropriate and concise and have impact. Ideally you will already have a title or topic area in mind before starting but we are happy to help with this.
Aims and Objectives
Setting out the Aims and Objectives is what will shape the project. What is it that the research will look to examine? What are the questions that will be answered? Aims are what the study wishes to end up with, Objectives are more specific and include the key research questions of the study.
Background / Introduction
The introduction will provide both a background and summary of the proposed research. It will explain the topic in detail and why it has been chosen for the study.
Literature Review
The literature review section of the proposal will show how previous research has influenced the proposed study. This may relate to the choice of research following the identification of a gap in previous knowledge, or the chosen method of research. The purpose is to clearly connect the literature back to the intended enquiry at the heart of the project.
Research Methods
The next section may be called ‘Research design’, ‘Methodology’, ‘Methods’, etc. In all cases this is a discussion of the reasoning behind the choice of approach and the tools/methods which will be utilised. Specifically, it will include:
- The method of research and the tools chosen to collect and analyse the data, and why they have been chosen. We will discuss if there are any particular advantages and limitations discovered in previous research and how these will be addressed.
- Which methods were rejected and why, and what may have been gained or lost by not using them.
- What the ‘stance’ of the researcher is, detailing how this has affected the kinds of questions posed and the methods selected.
Ethical considerations
These procedures are defined by the course or University to suit the type of research proposed.
If necessary, we ensure the proposal addresses the following:
- How any participants’ consent will be gained
- How the participants will give informed consent
- How participants’ confidentiality and anonymity will be protected
- How the data collected be stored and for how long
- How the participants will gain access to the results of the research
Conclusion
This shows that the aim of the proposed research is to draw a conclusion and relate back to the aim/s and objectives proposed.
Time Frame
Some proposals may require an intended timeline which breaks down the research process into sections. If necessary, we allocate a set period for each task (weeks, days, hours) and the landmarks which will be achieved by these dates. This can help to monitor progress, and ensure the study is completed by the deadline.
References
A full reference list detailing of all the texts cited within the proposal will be compiled in the style required.
