Writing a dissertation proposal sample is an important step in preparing a dissertation on masters or Ph.D. level course. Shortly speaking, the dissertation proposal is a plan of the research that should describe what is the dissertation about, what questions will be examined, what research methods will be utilized, and, finally, what outcomes are expected. The main purpose of any proposal is to prove that the problem that will be investigated in the study is so significant that it could not remain without consideration. Despite the fact, that in some universities dissertation proposal is not compulsory, writing a dissertation proposal sample is still worth doing as it will help to improve all the inaccuracies of the certain study and carry it out in the most appropriate way.
Preparation of Dissertation Proposal Sample
The preparation of dissertation proposal consists of several steps that are to be taken into thorough consideration. First of all, it is important to approve a topic of the dissertation proposal, as it is an issue which could not exist independently and serves just as the intermediary between the researcher and his or her final goal. Secondly, the dissertation proposal could not be regarded as an essay, as the task of the essay is to prove a thesis while the proposal aims only to advance it. Therefore, the proposal should include an argument and the possible options for its proving. Finally, the dissertation proposal could not be written as if it is a mini-dissertation. The main goal of the proposal is only to suggest what the dissertation will look like.
Elements of Dissertation Proposal Sample
Generally speaking, the dissertation proposal should include such key elements as the introduction, the dissertation methodology, objectives of the research, the literature review, and the constraints of the particular study.
- The introduction describes the background on the subject and states the main question that will be further considered in the research. Besides, it should also contain the broader information including the issues related to the chosen subject.
- The methodology presumes all the sources that will be used in the research and also defines whether the data from it are quantitative or qualitative. In some cases, it would be important to emphasize the way of data analysis and include approaches to data gathering.
- The objectives of the dissertation proposal should describe the overall objectives of the research. They should state what the study is aimed to achieve and what outcomes are expected after its conducting. However, when the number of the objectives exceeds three, the area of the study should be narrowed.
- The literature review includes all the materials and books that are used in the research. It must be admitted that the materials must be evaluated on their significance for the study. The literature review also depicts how the particular study is related to the similar academic studies and how their aims and the methodology differ.
- The constraints of the study are an essential part of any dissertation proposal as many topics are directly related to more complex issues that could not be highlighted in the particular study. Thus, providing the constraints of the study, the researcher shows his or her awareness of their importance and admits that the particular research in focused only on the certain part of the subject.