A dissertation is a document that is assigned to PhD students, and they have to complete it to achieve their doctorate. It is not as easy as it sounds, as in this academic task, students need to represent their entire subject expertise, abilities, and skills. They need to pick a topic for research and analysis, frame a thesis, collect evidence, and present it in a finely structured document. But before all this hustle starts, they need to craft a proposal, and its motive is to seek approval from the professor. Not every student knows how to write a dissertation proposal, and thus, for assistance, they search for useful tips online. Well, these experts will be glad to know that this article is their perfect guide. Here, they will not only learn what a dissertation proposal is but also know its elements and how to write the perfect document. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
What Is a Dissertation Proposal?
A dissertation is a lengthy document and comprises over 250 pages. A student requires up to six months to a year to complete this academic task. Thus, to avoid all the rework and to reduce the chances of rejection, students are asked to craft a dissertation proposal. Here, they need to highlight what their research focuses on, why, and how to achieve the listed objectives.
So, this document holds an accurate explanation of the topic, the need to address the issue, the other objectives, and the game plan. Apart from this, it also focuses on other tasks, such as a description of the existing theories, budget, and time constraints. As per dissertation editing services UK, after describing all this information, students have to review and proofread their document. Now that you know what the proposal is and have an overview of its completion let’s move ahead. So, learn about each of these components and how to write them.
Elements of a Dissertation Proposal and How to Write Them?
In this section of the article, you will learn about the various elements of the dissertation, their purpose, and how to write them.
1. Introduction
The first thing in the dissertation proposal is the introduction. Just like another academic task, the student here introduces their topic. However, in the dissertation, you provide sufficient background information on the idea so that the readers have a clear understanding. You also justify the relevancy and need to address your dissertation topic.
2. Thesis Statement
After giving a broad explanation, you need to define the central target for the readers. This central idea is the thesis statement, and it is the primary objective of the entire document. So, in 40–50 words, you define this issue, and you can use the “if-then” method for an accurate explanation.
3. Literature review
The literature review includes information about all the existing theories. It discusses past research findings and facts. The motive of this section is to offer a complete picture to the reader. It also helps in understanding the recent contributions that the student’s dissertation has made to existing work.
4. Methodology
No research is possible without conducting any experiments. So, the methodology section is a list of all the tools, experiments, and other methods that you use to conduct research. You can classify this section into segments, such as the quantitative and qualitative methods, and accordingly describe them.
5. Outcomes and Implications
Here, you need to define what the expected outcomes of the dissertation are and how these results are beneficial. Not only this, you can also state the expected challenges, and you will resolve them and continue your research work. So, state the outcomes and other implications for the readers.
6. Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations are a set of principles that guide your research and its completion. These rules have been defined to ensure that no student harms society. So, in this step, you need to describe the ethical factors such as consent, data privacy, voluntary participation, and more.
7. Budget and Resources
Now, in the next section, you need to define the budget of the dissertation. So, determine all costs, such as expenses for taking part in experiments, participation, and other tasks. Then, create a list of resources that you require from the university. Accurately describe these two factors and justify their use.
8. Time constraints
Every dissertation requires ample time, and it can be anything from three months to a year. This usually depends on the topic, objectives, and methodology. So, after defining the budget and resources, you need to justify the time you need to complete the entire dissertation and why.
9. Conclusion
The last section of the dissertation proposal is the conclusion, and you need to provide a quick summary of the entire document. Highlight your key points, such as the thesis statement, its importance, your primary research methods, and expected results. Do not introduce any new ideas, as it can confuse the readers.
Final Thoughts
The dissertation proposal is the first step to starting the actual document. Here, the students have to start by introducing their topic, defining the thesis statement, and then offering an extensive literature review. Not only this, but they must describe the planned design and research methodologies, expected outcomes, and possible challenges. Also, the document should explain ethical considerations, budget, resources, and time constraints. With all this, the submission is complete, and you can submit it after editing. Thus, the next time you think of how to write a dissertation proposal, just jump over to this article and re-read it!