Dissertation Proposal: Structure and Presentation

There are several key elements that are necessary when writing a dissertation proposal. A well-structured dissertation proposal will often include several critical sections that summarise and explain your research strategy effectively.

Below, here are some options for your consideration:

1. Begin with a short, descriptive title that appropriately reflects the topic of your research.
2. Provide an outline of the research issue and its significance in the introduction. State your research problem or question clearly and explain why it is worthwhile to investigate. Place your study in the context of earlier studies and emphasise any gaps or limitations.
3. State your research objectives clearly. These should be SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Define the research questions you want to answer or the hypothesis you want to test.
4. Conduct a thorough study of the available literature relevant to your research topic. Summarise major theories, concepts, and discoveries from your research. Identify any gaps or unresolved issues in the literature and explain how your research will help to fill them.
5. In the methodology, decribe the research strategy and data collection and analysis procedures you will employ. Explain why these strategies are suotable for answering your research questions ot hypotheses. Include information about the population/sample, data collection instruments, data analysis procedures, and any ethical concerns.
6. Create a timeline proposal outlining the major milestones of your research project. This will help demonstrate that you have considered the feasibility of completing your research within the available time frame.
7. Clearly state the expected outcomes or results of your research. Discuss the potential implications of your findings and how they may contribute to the field of study or address practical issues.
8. Recognise any potential constraints or limitations that may effect your research. This could include sample size, data availability, time, or resource constraints. Being open  your constraints demonstrated that you have thought about potential problems.
9. Include a detailed list of all sources cited in your proosal, using a consistent citation format (e.g., APA, MLA, OSCOLA, HARVARD, etc)

Presenting Your Dissertation Proposal

Effective presentation will go a long way towards ensuring your dissertation is top-notch. Consider the following techniques to properly outline and present your research plan:

• To organise your proposal and make it easy to navigate, use clear headings and subheadings.
• Maintain a logical flow of ideas, making sure that each section builds on one before it.
• Avoid using needless jargon or technical vocabulary and write in a succint and coherent manner.
• To show information concisely, use bullet points ir numbered lists.
• To convey difficult topics or study designs, use visuals such as tables, graphs or diagrams.
• To ensure clarity, accurancy, and good grammar, proofrad your proposal extensively. The British University in Dubai (BUiD) recommends using academic writing tools for your dissertation proposal.

Remember to check your university’s dissertation proposal standards and criteria, as they may have specific formatting or content demands. Seeking comments from your boss or coworkers can also help you improve the quality and clarity of your proposal.