The dissertation proposal is a crucial first step in the journey toward writing your final dissertation, whether you're pursuing a taught or research master's degree, or even a PhD. 

This proposal is your chance to create a unique and well-structured plan for your research. It lays the groundwork for your dissertation and helps you organize your thoughts and ideas as you prepare to dive deeper into your topic.

A strong proposal not only sets the direction for your research but also ensures you have a clear path to follow throughout the process.

What is a dissertation proposal?

Before starting your dissertation, you’ll likely need to write a proposal. A dissertation proposal provides a snapshot of your planned study. After submitting it, you'll be assigned a supervisor with expertise in your field. This mentor will give you feedback on your topic’s viability, research methods, and other key aspects to help guide your research.

Your proposal should present your dissertation topic, explain why you chose it, and outline how you plan to research it. Keep in mind, word counts for a dissertation proposal can range from 800 to 3,000 words, depending on whether you're working at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or doctoral level.

Your dissertation proposal is not set in stone. Your research may evolve, and your project could take a new direction as you dig deeper into the literature. However, it's important to discuss any major changes with your supervisor to ensure you're on track.

A dissertation proposal should cover the following key sections:

• Introduction to Your Dissertation Topic: Clearly introduce the subject of your research.

• Aims and Objectives: State the main goals and what you aim to achieve with your dissertation.

• Literature Review: Summarize the current research in your field to provide context for your study.

• Proposed Methodology: Explain the research methods you plan to use to gather and analyze data.

• Implications of Your Research: Discuss the potential impact and importance of your research.

• Limitations: Acknowledge any constraints or limitations of your study.

• Bibliography: List all the sources you’ve referred to in your proposal.

Though these sections are essential in your dissertation proposal, remember that they are not set in stone. As your research progresses, you may need to adjust parts of your proposal based on your evolving topic, university requirements, or the degree you’re pursuing. Think of the proposal as a guide to help structure your dissertation rather than something to strictly follow.

Why is a dissertation proposal important?

A dissertation proposal is a crucial step in the process of writing your dissertation, as it lays the foundation for your entire research project. A strong dissertation proposal will guide you through the process of crafting your final dissertation and abstract, which is often the most significant academic task you'll complete in your postgraduate studies. Having a clear and well-structured proposal will not only help you stay on track but also provide a valuable template for your dissertation.

Your dissertation plays a key role in your postgraduate success, as it contributes significantly to your final grade. Completing your dissertation also enhances important skills like research and communication, which can be valuable in your future career.

To set yourself up for success, it’s essential to be well-versed in the current research within your chosen topic and keep your bibliography updated. This will put you in a great position to produce an outstanding dissertation.

How to begin your dissertation proposal

A dissertation proposal can vary in structure depending on your university’s requirements, but there are common elements you’ll likely need to include. Make sure to check your specific dissertation proposal guidelines for detailed instructions. Here's a general outline to help you organize your proposal:

1. Title

Your title should be clear and specific but may change as you develop your research. For example, a title like "Focus and Concentration During Revision: An Evaluation of the Pomodoro Technique" gives a good indication of what your research will focus on.

2. Introduction/Background

This section introduces the research topic and explains why it’s important. It should include:

• Rationale: Why is your research worth doing? Why is it interesting or important in the field? You should also reference existing studies to highlight any gaps your research aims to fill.

• Purpose: What do you hope to achieve with your study? Whether it’s improving something or gaining a deeper understanding, explain your goals clearly.

• Research Question: State the main question your study will address. For example, “How can focus and concentration be improved during revision?”

• Hypothesis: If your study is quantitative, you may replace a research question with a hypothesis. For instance, “Taking regular breaks significantly improves the ability to memorize information.”

• Aim: Describe what your research seeks to achieve. This should align with your research question. For example, “The aim of this research is to investigate ways to improve focus and concentration during revision.”

• Objectives: List the steps you'll take to achieve your aim. These might include reviewing literature, identifying key factors, conducting experiments, and making recommendations. For example:

  1. Review existing research on study techniques

  2. Identify factors that impact focus and concentration

  3. Conduct an experiment using the Pomodoro technique with student volunteers

  4. Provide recommendations on enhancing focus during revision

These elements together form the foundation of your dissertation proposal, guiding your research direction and setting a clear plan for your study.

3. Literature Review

In the literature review, you will summarize key research around your topic, starting with broad information and narrowing down to your specific area of focus. This section is where you’ll highlight what existing research has covered and, importantly, what it hasn’t. Identifying gaps in the current literature is crucial, as these gaps are what your dissertation aims to address.

4. Methods

In this section, you will explain the research methods you plan to use and justify why they are appropriate for your study. Consider the following:

• Secondary sources: What existing literature will you consult to support your research?

• Primary sources: Will you collect original data through methods such as surveys, interviews, experiments, or database analysis?

• Research focus: Will you explore a case study or take a broader approach?

• Qualitative or quantitative: Will your study involve qualitative data (like interviews or observations) or quantitative data (like statistics or surveys)? Additionally, think about whether you will need ethical approval for your research.

5. Significance and Expected Outcomes

Here, you'll explain the significance of your research. What do you hope to demonstrate or uncover? Discuss how your research could contribute to the ongoing conversations in your field, especially by addressing any gaps in current knowledge. This section should clearly state what your research aims to achieve and its potential impact on the discipline.

6. Plan of Work

Many proposals require a timeline for completing your dissertation. This plan outlines all the tasks involved, such as reviewing literature, conducting empirical research, writing drafts, and revising. Whether presented in a bullet-point list, a table, or a Gantt chart, your timeline should be realistic, showing that you understand the time required for each phase of the research and writing process.

This structure will help ensure your dissertation proposal is comprehensive and well-organized, guiding you through the entire research process.

7. Outline

In this section, you'll include a provisional table of contents for your dissertation. The structure of the dissertation might be flexible or set by your course guidelines, so be sure to check the requirements. The outline helps you plan how your dissertation will be organized and ensures that you stay on track with your research and writing.

8. Reference List

The reference list is a key part of your dissertation proposal. It includes the full bibliographical details of all sources you cited in your proposal. These should be listed in alphabetical order, making it easier for readers to find and check your sources. Be sure to follow the appropriate citation style as required by your institution.

Literature-Based Dissertations in the Humanities

For humanities students, a literature-based dissertation may have a more flexible structure. Here’s a possible layout for a humanities dissertation proposal:

• Short Introduction: Provide background information on your topic, explain why it's important, and discuss how it fits into existing research in the field.

• Main Body: Outline how you will organize your chapters and what each will focus on.

• Conclusion: State what you hope your study will achieve, and explain its potential impact on your field.

• Bibliography: List all the sources you will consult during your research.

With this structure, you’ll be able to create a clear and organized dissertation proposal that meets the requirements of your course while setting the foundation for a successful dissertation.

After Writing

Check Your Dissertation Proposal

Before submitting your dissertation proposal, make sure it covers the following key areas:

1. Ethical Considerations

Ensure your research idea is ethical and follows any necessary guidelines. You need to show that your study will not harm participants or misuse data.

2. Relevance

Your research must be relevant to your field of study. Show how it connects to current trends or knowledge gaps and explain why it’s important.

3. Feasibility

Is your research achievable within the given timeframe and with the resources available? Make sure your proposal presents a realistic plan.

4. Clear Research Gap

Have you clearly identified a research gap? Your study should focus on an area that needs further exploration or clarification.

5. Study Importance

State why your research is valuable. Explain how your findings could contribute to your field or offer new insights.

6. Appropriate Methodology

Have you chosen the right research methods to gather the data you need? Whether qualitative or quantitative, ensure your methodology will support your study’s objectives.

Tip:

Use the dissertation proposal marking criteria provided by your department as a checklist to review your work. This will help ensure that your proposal meets all the necessary requirements.