RESEARCH PROPOSALS
I came into grad school with very little knowledge of what research is all about, not to mention having an area of research interest. Perhaps it is like falling in love, you will know it when it comes to you... In order to generate enough knowledge to know if you are interested in a research area, you have to dig into it. Hopefully you are not too deep in before you realise you are digging the wrong hole. It tends to be a chicken and egg problem, you do not know which one comes first. To many others, choosing a research topic is like choosing a wife, it has to be the one.
Chiasen (Charles) Chung, University of Waterloo, OntarioWhat is a Dissertation Proposal?
A well-defined dissertation proposal focuses on a perplexing and significant question that emerges from the literature in a given field. Your completed research should extend the relevant knowledge in that field in a meaningful way.
The length and depth of detail in a proposal depends entirely on the expectations of the person or persons who will read and approve the proposal. You can think of a proposal in one of three general magnitudes: a brief overview, something in the range of 10 to 20 pages; a more detailed proposal in the range of 30 to 50 pages; in some cases a dissertation committee or advisor will consider the first 3 chapters of your dissertation to be a proposal. It is your responsibility to determine what expectations your advisor and/or your committee have for developing a proposal.
As you review the relevant literature in your field you can begin to identify questions that remain unanswered by the research and thus you will position your research in the context of the current literature. The gaps or unanswered questions in the extant literature provide a rationale or argument, and ultimately, the justification for pursuing your particular line of research.
Your proposal should describe the theoretical framework - the lens through which you are studying your research question - the philosophy that underpins your research design. The theoretical framework addresses philosophical questions relating to ontology, the nature of existence or being, and epistemology, the nature of knowledge, and how we come to know what we know, especially with reference to the limits and validity of knowledge. Every claim you make (every sentence you write) must be justified in the context of this theoretical frame.
A dissertation proposal should read like a mini-dissertation - without the findings (data) and the conclusions. Chapter 1 describes your line of research and why it is significant. Chapter 2 provides an argument for pursuing your research question and positions your research question in the context of extant literature. Chapter 3 describes your plan for conducting the research - the methods you will employ and your explanation (justificiation) of why your proposed methods are appropriate. The nature of your research question should determine the most appropriate methods for approaching your study. The proposal should include a list of references of those who authored research you cite in your proposal. A bibliography consists of all the literature you have read, but not cited in your proposal. It isn't necessary to cite every article that pertains to your topic; it is essential to position your research within the context of the salient issues and perspectives.
Resources for Writing a Dissertation Proposal
Burke, Catherine G. The Doctoral Dissertation Proposal (pdf)
University of Southern California, School of Policy Planning and Development.Beginner's Guide to the Research Proposal
Centre for Advancement of Health, University of Calgary, AlbertaCampbell, L. (1994, August 4). Some items I look for in a thesis prospectus. Qualitative Research for the Human Sciences
Common Proposal Mistakes
University of Notre DameGerbner, George. The Problem is the Problem
Golde, Chris. (1997). Some Thoughts on Dissertation Proposal Writing
University of Wisconsin, Madison.Heath, A. W. (1997, March). The proposal in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report. A short descriptive paper.
McDade, Sharon. (1999). Writing a Dissertation Proposal: Notes on the Process and the Product (pdf)
George Washington UniversityRice-Lively, M. L. (1995). Research proposal evaluation form-Qualitative methodology. University of Texas at Austin.
Thackrey, Don. Proposal Writer's Guide.
University of Michigan Division of Research Development and AdministrationUC Berkeley Dissertation Proposal Workshop - Institute for International Studies
Wong, Paul T. P. Research Director, Graduate Program in Counselling Psychology Trinity Western University Langley, BC, Canada. How to Write a Research Proposal.
 |